A multiscale (micro-macro) approach is proposed for the establishment of the full thermal and induced stress fields in cracked composites that are subjected to heat flow. Both the temperature and stresses distributions are determined by the solution of a boundary value problem with one-way coupling. In the micro level and for combined thermomechanical loading, a micromechanical analysis is employed to determine the effective moduli, coefficients of thermal expansion and thermal conductivities of the undamaged composite. In the macro level, the representative cell method is employed according to which the periodic damaged composite region is reduced, in conjunction with the discrete Fourier transform, to a finite domain problem. As a result, a boundary value problem is obtained in the Fourier transform domain which is appropriately discretized and solved. The inverse transform and an iterative procedure provide the full thermal and stress fields. The proposed method is verified by comparisons with exact solutions. Applications are given for the determination of the thermal and stress fields in cracked fiber-reinforced polymeric composite, cracked porous ceramic material and cracked periodically layered ceramic composite caused by the application of heat flow. The presented formulation admits however the application of a combined mechanical and heat flux on cracked composites.

Although Eulerian approaches are standard in computational acoustics, they are less effective for certain classes of problems like bubble acoustics and combustion noise. A different approach for solving acoustic problems is to compute with individual particles following particle motion. In this paper, a Lagrangian approach to model sound propagation in moving fluid is presented and implemented numerically, using three meshfree methods to solve the Lagrangian acoustic perturbation equations (LAPE) in the time domain. The LAPE split the fluid dynamic equations into a set of hydrodynamic equations for the motion of fluid particles and perturbation equations for the acoustic quantities corresponding to each fluid particle. Then, three meshfree methods, the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method, the corrective smoothed particle (CSP) method, and the generalized finite difference (GFD) method, are introduced to solve the LAPE and the linearized LAPE (LLAPE). The SPH and CSP methods are widely used meshfree methods, while the GFD method based on the Taylor series expansion can be easily extended to higher orders. Applications to modeling sound propagation in steady or unsteady fluids in motion are outlined, treating a number of different cases in one and two space dimensions. A comparison of the LAPE and the LLAPE using the three meshfree methods is also presented. The Lagrangian approach shows good agreement with exact solutions. The comparison indicates that the CSP and GFD method exhibit convergence in cases with different background flow. The GFD method is more accurate, while the CSP method can handle higher Courant numbers.

Karst peaks and depressions are scattered in karst zones with strong spatial heterogeneity and fragile ecological environments and are crucial for determining the degree of karst geomorphologic development. However, realizing automatic depiction and extracting depressions with high accuracy is difficult because of their complex morphology. Herein, based on 12.5-m resolution DEM data, six typical karst peaks from depressions in southwest China were selected as the study areas and a revised terrain openness index method based on slope mutation points (ROBSMPs) was used to determine the degree of karst geomorphologic development and the boundary of karst depressions. The extent of depressions extracted by ROBSMPs and the terrain openness index method with the extent of depressions hand-drawn based on remote sensing images was compared and analyzed. The results show that compared with the topographic openness index method, the overall accuracy of karst depression extracted by ROBSMPs was improved and the perimeter, area, and raster displacement error indexes were reduced. ROBSMPs realized high-precision extraction of depressions, thereby strengthening the applicability of the topographic openness index method to karst peak zones. This study offers a new perspective and path toward the expansion of digital terrain analysis technology in karst mountainous areas and is expected to play a vital role in the extraction of similar geomorphic units in karst zones.

(1) Background: A simple approach to map irrigated landcover has been introduced by using measures derived from optical spectral range as an alternative to thermal range. It has been demonstrated that substituting surface temperature (Ts, ‘thermal approach’) with SWIR transformed reflectance (STR, ‘optical approach’) to detect surface moisture is feasible with comparable results. (2) Methods: Using an iterative thresholding procedure to minimize within-class variance, the bilevel segmentation of variables derived from Landsat-8 representing surface moisture and vegetation cover was achieved for the 2020-21 summer for a key irrigation district in Australia. (3) Results: The results of irrigated landcover by optical approach found to be comparable with those by thermal approach. The classification accuracy was assessed using water delivery records at farm level. Though the overall accuracy is high in both cases, the optical approach (97.6%) performed slightly better than the thermal approach (93.9%). (4) Conclusions: The feasibility of using STR to map irrigated landcover has been confirmed by a high-level overall accuracy assessment. This has broader implications in terms of irrigated landcover assessment, as the use of satellite imagery in these applications may not necessarily be limited to microwave or thermal sensors.

Nanotechnology is concerned with the creation of particles and materials at nanoscale levels. Nanocomposite is a combination or matrix, in which different materials combine to develop new properties of the materials ensuring that one of the materials have size in range of 1-100 nm. Nanocomposites are classified according to the types of reinforcement materials and matrix materials used in their construction. Nanocomposites are divided into three types based on the matrix material: ceramic matrix nanocomposites (CMNC), polymer matrix nanocomposites (PMNC), and metal matrix nanocomposites (MMNC) (MMNC). The synthetic methods of nanocomposites are frequently classified in to two classes. These are top-down and bottom up approaches. The type of synthetic technique used is determined by the nanocomposites' intended properties. There are different wet methods for synthesis of metal nanoparticles and nanocomposites among these co-precipitations, sol gel and hydrothermal methods are cost effective as compared to other methods. The synthesized nanocomposites can be characterized using different techniques to get insight into the morphology, particle size, phase, composition, thermal stability, optical, magnetic, electrical and thermal properties. Also, nanocomposites are used in medical, pharmaceutical industry, food packaging, to electronics and energy industry. Thus this review focuses on the main ideas about synthesis, characterization and application of nanocomposites.

In this research, 117,718 ionospheric perturbations, with a space size (t) of 20–300 s but no limit on amplitude (A) have been automatically searched globally by a software from ion density data measured by the DEMETER satellite for more than 6 years. The influence of the solar activity on the ionosphere has been firstly examined and the results have presented that the solar activities can globally enhance ionospheric irregularities but rarely induce plasma variations more than 100%. A statistical work has been performed on ion PERs to check their dependence on local time and it is shown that there are 24.8% perturbations appeared in daytime (10:30 LT) and 75.2% ones in nighttime (22:30 LT). Ionospheric fluctuations with an absolute amplitude A < 10% tend to be background variations and the percentages of positive perturbations with small A < 20% are 64% in daytime and 26.8% in nighttime, respectively, but this number is revers for mid-large amplitude PERs. There is a demarcation point in space size t = 120 s and occurrence probabilities of day PERs are always higher than that of nighttime ones before this point while this trend is contrary after this point. Distributions of PER according to various amplitudes or space scales have been characterized by typical seasonal variations either in daytime or in nighttime. The EIA only exists in dayside equinox and winter occupying two lowlatitude crests with lower Np. The huge WSA appears in all periods except for dayside summer full of PERs with enhanced amplitude, especially in winter night. The WN-like structure can be obviously figured out in all seasons showing absolutely space large-scales. In the meanwhile, several magnetic anomalous zones of planetary scale non-dipole fields, such as the SAMA, Northern Africa anomaly, and so on, have been also successfully detected by extreme negative ion perturbations in this time.

This research article aims to present implementation and evaluation of the HPPT design based on using multi-parallel pumps switching for yielding performance with reference to potential change of daily irradiance. After that, the curve fitting of the hydraulic performance scenarios is tested to compare the hydraulic energy growth behaviors with reference to exponential and power growth models.

Summary— Introduction: HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks and destroys one type of white blood cell in particular, the CD4 lymphocytes, which are responsible for the body's immune response. This weakens the immune system to such an extent that it can no longer fight other viruses, bacteria, protozoa, fungi and tumours. Methods: We investigated the potential biological role of the natural compound Polydatin (or piceid) using SwissDock, a web service to predict the molecular interactions that can occur between a target protein and a small molecule. Discussion: For the first time, we have investigated the role of polydatin against HIV-1 protease and HIV-2 protease through a computational approach by comparing their estimated ΔG values (kcal/mol) and the nature of the interactions between the residues in the catalytic centre of the HIV proteases.Conclusion: From these simulations, Polydatin has excellent physical properties and an excellent estimated ΔG value (kcal/mol) of about -9.9 kcal/mol against HIV-2 protease and ΔG value (kcal/mol) of about -9.5 kcal/mol against HIV-1 protease. In addition, Polydatin was able to bind to two key amino acids of the catalytic triad sequence common to asparagine proteases (Asp25 and Gly27)

In this study, we deal with a nonlinear system of neutral Volterra integro-differential equations (NVIDEs) with infinite delay. We study stability, uniform stability and instability of zero solution of the system of NVIDEs with infinite delay. We obtain three new results with regard to these concepts via two new Lyapunov– Krasovskii functionals (LKFs), respectively. As the main contributions of this work, we improve and generalize some earlier results in the relevant database from the linear case to more general nonlinear cases.

This mixed-methods research article explores the influence of ChatGPT, a state-of-the-art AI language model, on the development of maladaptive learning habits in users. The study combines quantitative and qualitative data to provide a comprehensive understanding of how engaging with ChatGPT may inadvertently foster detrimental learning behaviors. Findings suggest that while ChatGPT can be a valuable learning tool, it has the potential to exacerbate or create bad learning habits if not used mindfully.

Introducing the Moving Least-Squares Aided Finite Element Method (MLS-FEM), we present a robust computational technique that effectively evaluates the development of mixing in polymeric mixing devices. Our approach uses the Moving Least-Squares (MLS) interpolant to enhance the classic finite element shape functions. As a result, it becomes possible to treat fixed or moving components, such as rotors of a mixer, as discontinuities within the flow domain. This allows analysis of the flow field with a background mesh independent of the rotors' shape, orientation, and position. We compared the MLS-FEM results with the classical boundary-fitted mesh FEM, which comprises the mesh regeneration steps by the movement of the rotors. We then showed that the new method provides accurate results for the flow field parameters (i.e., the velocity components and the pressure values) and the mixing evolution without requiring mesh regeneration and without compromising accuracy.

This paper provides a new management method (MM) to optimally operate standalone direct current (DC) photovoltaic water pumping system (PVWPS) and synchronize its hydraulic performance to variable daily irradiance. The proposed approach well considers the issues from PV generator and a positive displacement pump mismatching to deserve a hydraulic network. Accordingly, Management Method uses small pumps mounted in parallel scheme to displace the hydraulic power point (HPP) in order to satisfy the mal adequacy between supply and load. Based on experimental Study; this approach showed a yielded standalone system, possibility of running pumping system using only photovoltaic supply (Without use of capacitance), and possibility to design more economical PV systems as the maximum peak power demand for each month can be satisfied using small power pumps in parallel and adjusting their switch with accordance to varying daily irradiance. Moreover, an analytical model was developed with reference to the obtained experimental results. This model based on a daily occurring irradiance as inputs in order to predict optimal performance outputs. It can be considered as a decision tool to track power point resulting from optimal electrical and hydraulic performances of the pumping system according to changes of the daily irradiance.

Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) were synthesized using an eco-friendly method and their antimicrobial and biocompatibility properties were determined. The supernatant and extract of the fungus Ganoderma sessile yielded small, quasi-spherical NPs with an average size of 4.5 ± 1.9 nm and 5.2 ± 2.1 nm, respectively. CuONPs showed antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for E. coli and S. aureus was 15.9 µg/mL for nanoparticles (NPs) using the supernatant (CuONPs-S) and 16.5 µg/ml for NPs using the extract (CuONPs-E). Lower concentrations were required for P. aeruginosa inhibition. Ultrastructural analysis revealed the presence of the small CuONPs all through the bacterial cells. Finally, the toxicity of CuONPs was analyzed in three mammalian cell lines: hepatocytes (AML-12), macrophages (RAW 264.7) and kidney (MDCK). Low concentrations (<15 µg/ml) of CuONPs-E were non-toxic to kidney cells and macrophages, and the hepatocytes were the most susceptible to CuONPs-S. The results obtained suggest that the CuONPs synthesized using the extract of the fungus G. sessile, could be further evaluated for the treatment of superficial infectious diseases.

The composite coatings prepared by mixing the 5 wt.% of polyaniline with commercial alkyd-based paint are applied on carbon steel. The polyaniline emeraldine chloride salt is prepared by procedure recommended by IUPAC, deprotonated by ammonia hydroxide, and reprotonated with the sulfamic, succinic, citric, and acetic acids with different doping degrees or oxidation states. The steel samples with base and composite coatings are immersed in 3% NaCl and the corrosion current density is determined after 96 h in-site using ASTM 1,10-phenanthroline method. The samples are also inspected by the optical microscope. It is shown that composite coatings reduce the possibility of blister formations and delamination. The corrosion current density and the appearance of the corrosion products, which area is determined by ImageJ softer, closely follow the initial oxidation state of the polyaniline. The role of the initial state of the polyaniline is discussed. It is suggested that such behavior could be connected with the oxygen reduction reaction mechanism that proceeds mainly via two electron paths on the polyaniline particles, releasing a much smaller amount of hydroxyl ions, responsible for the delamination and blister formations of the commercial coatings.

The gold nanoparticle (AuNP) was synthesized using the well-known Turkevich method. This article explains didactic step-by-step of the synthesis, showing pictures of the entire process, including a well-explained mechanism and characterization study. The synthesis includes the reduction of NaAuCl4 using sodium citrate in high temperature (around 90 ⁰C). The two main mechanisms used to explain the AuNP synthesis via Turkevich method were explained. The first mechanism considerate that a nanowire intermediary and the other proposed that aggregate intermediates are not formed at any time during the synthesis. The materials (NaAuCl4 and AuNP) were characterized by UV-Vis, SEM, AFM, XRD and DLS. The UV-Vis exhibit an absorption maximum in 521 nm because the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) absorption band of AuNP. The SEM images of NaAuCl4 presents crystals with cubic shapes, while the AuNP presents average particle size of about 16-25 nm and particles that appear mainly spherical. To confirm the particles shapes, the AFM was conducted and it was possible to observe clearly the individual spherical nanoparticles. The XRD of AuNP showed the four main characteristic peaks for silver corresponding to (111), (200), (220) and (311) planes, confirming the cubic (FCC) silver. The DLS presented the average particle size of 3.3 ± 0.9 nm and the polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.574. In summary, the AuNP was synthesized using a simple and fast method. The result was a spherical and ultrasmall particle, that can be used is several applications.

The paper explores the potential of a low-cost advanced video-based technique for the assessment of structural damage induced to buildings by seismic loading. A low-cost high-speed video camera was utilized for motion magnification (MM) processing of footages of a two-story reinforced concrete frame building subjected to shaking table tests. The damage after seismic loading was estimated by analyzing the dynamic behavior (i.e. in terms of modal parameters) and the structural deformations of the building in the MM videos. The results by MM were compared for method validation to damage assessment obtained by the analyses of conventional accelerometers and high-precision optical markers tracked by a passive 3D motion capture system. Also, 3D laser scanning to obtain an accurate survey of the building geometry before and after the seismic tests was carried out. In particular, accelerometers were also processed and analyzed by using several stationary and non-stationary techniques with the aim to analyze the linear behavior of the undamaged structure and the nonlinear structural behavior during damaging shaking table tests. The proposed MM-based procedure provided accurate estimate of the main modal frequency and the damage location through the analysis of modal shapes, which were confirmed by advanced analyses of accelerometric data.

β-Ga2O3 is a well-known semiconductor material for power devices and other applications. Recently, β-Ga2O3 has also been reported as a scintillator material with a light yield of approximately 8400 ph./MeV, scintillation decay time of &lt;1 μs, and density of 6.44 g/cm3. In this study, 2-inch diameter β-Ga2O3 single crystals were prepared by oxide crystal growth using the cold crucible (OCCC) method under various oxygen partial pressures. In the OCCC method, as in the cold crucible method, a high frequency is applied directly to the oxide materials, which are heated and melted, and the melt is held by the outermost solid material itself that is cooled by water using a copper hearth. In the OCCC method, crystal growth is performed while rotating the seed crystal, as in the Czochralski method, to increase the crystal diameter. The optical properties and radiation responses of the crystals grown under various oxygen partial pressures were evaluated.

Methane is the main cause of sewer explosion accidents, and the available monitoring methods mainly use portable gas sensors for on-site detection. However, these methods cannot grasp the dynamic changes in methane in a sewer in real time or make better predictions of methane explosion accidents. Here, we present a low-power online monitoring system for sewer methane in order to ensure the safety of urban sewers. A low-power ultrasonic gas sensor was used to monitor the methane content in biogas. Due to the impacts of changes in CO2, temperature, and humidity in the sewer on the ultrasonic methane measurement results, a corresponding compensation method was proposed. The effectiveness of the compensation method was verified through experiments, which measured the methane concentration under different influences, and the methane values measured before and after compensation were compared. The power consumption was only 1.28 mW if the system worked in intermittent operation mode, and it could operate for about 1.5 years by selecting a lithium battery with a capacity of 5 A · H. The experimental results showed that the gas detection accuracy could meet the commercial requirements and had a high compensation for the impacts of carbon dioxide, temperature, and humidity.

Optimization of Magnetohydrodynamics parameters on the velocity profile and temperature distribution of incompressible fluid flow on a porous channel was evaluated. The fluid flow was considered to be unsteady, incompressible and flowing in 2-D in porous channel. The effects of magnetic parameter, Darcy’s number and fluid pressure on velocity profiles, and the effect of variable viscosity and Eckert number on temperature distribution in incompressible fluid flow were determined. The flow was considered to be in a channel running along the x-axis on which the magnetic field exist and finally along the y-axis on the porous part of the channel. The resulting model equations were solved by Finite Difference Method (FDM) in MATLAB software. Analysis of results indicated that increasing Darcy’s number and fluid pressure leads to increase in fluid velocity profile, while increasing magnetic parameter decreases fluid velocity profile. Also, it was observed that increase in both Eckert number and fluid viscosity lead to increase in temperature distribution. Optimization in temperature was achieved by increasing the magnetic field while viscosity was optimized by increasing the length of the porous part of the channel. This study will helpful to contribute alternative equations and methodology to engineering and in factories where getting the MHD parameters optimally is the main objective, particularly on temperature, velocity and pressure.

Cancer diseases lead to the second-highest death rate all over the world. The dynamics of invasion of cancer cells into the human body tissues and metastasis are the main causes of death in patients with cancer. This study deals with theoretical investigation of the dynamics of invasion of cancer cells for tumour growths in human body tissues using discretized Cahn-Hilliard, concentration and reaction-diffusion equations which were solved by Finite Difference Method with the aid of MATLAB computer software. A Crank-Nicolson numerical scheme was developed for the discretized model equations. The numerical result obtained was used to describe the dynamics of cancer invasion of tissues with respect to cancer cells density on tumour growth, turbulence and mobility and equilibrium between charge and discharge of cancer cells. The results of the study provide new insights into combating cancer disease by providing mitigating and intervention measures to this major health problem.

This article presents the results of the consideration of the Bertrand paradox in terms of geometric probability theory. Although the method and conclusions of this article are straightforward, no equivalent studies were found when reviewing the relevant literature. This could be conditioned by the fact that the hypotheses presented in this research have low intuitive obviousness and, in contrast, could be due to the historically established agreement regarding the issue. This article shows that out of three classical solutions to the problem described by Bertrand, two methods are inconsistent with the claimed relative objectivity. Although the remaining solution (1/4) seems to be the most correct, we cannot claim that we have exhaustively ruled out all aspects that could reduce its adequacy to solve the problem.

The scarcely investigated myxobacterium Corallococcus coralloides holds a large genome containing many uncharacterized biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) that potentially encode the synthesis of entirely new natural products. Despite its promising genomic potential, suitable cultivation conditions have not yet been found to activate the synthesis of new secondary metabolites (SMs). Finding the right cultivation conditions to activate BGCs in the genome remained a major bottleneck and its full biosynthetic potential was so far not retrieved. Here, we therefore applied a bivariate OSMAC approach, using a combination of two elicitor changes at once for activation of BGCs and concomitant SM production by C. coralloides. The bivariate OSMAC screening was carried out in 24-well System Duetz-plates, applying univariate and bivariate OSMAC conditions. We combined biotic additives and organic solvents with minimal media and complex growth medium. The success of the method was evaluated by the number of new mass features detected in the respective extracts. We found synergistic effects in bivariate OSMAC designs. The number of new mass features detected in bivariate OSMAC exceeded the sum of new mass features found in the respective univariate OSMAC with only one elicitor. Overall, the bivariate OSMAC screening led to 26 new mass features, which were not detected in the univariate OSMAC design. Hence, the presence of multiple elicitors in the bivariate OSMAC designs successfully activated the biosynthetic potential in C. coralloides. We propose the bivariate OSMAC designs with a complex combination of elicitors as a straightforward strategy to robustly expand the SM space of microorganisms with large genomes.

Blockchain-based currencies or cryptocurrencies have become a global phenomenon known to most people as a disruptive technology, and a new investment vehicle. However, due to their decentralized nature, regulating these markets has presented regulators with difficulties in finding a balance between nurturing innovation, and protecting consumers. The growing concerns about illicit activity have forced regulators to seek new ways of detecting, analyzing, and ultimately policing public blockchain transactions. Extensive research on machine learning, and transaction graph analysis algorithms has been done to track suspicious behaviour. However, having a macro view of a public ledger is equally important before pursuing a more fine-grained analysis. Benford’s law, the law of first digit, has been extensively used as a tool to discover accountant frauds (many other use cases exist). The basic motivation that drove our research presented in this paper was to test he applicability of the well established method to a new domain, in this case the identification of anomalous behavior using Benford’s law conformity test to the cryptocurrency domain. The research focused on transaction values in all major cryptocurrencies. A suitable time-period was identified that was long enough to sport sufficiently large number of observations for Benford’s law conformity tests and was also situated long enough in the past so that the anomalies were identified and well documented. The results show that most of the cryptocurrencies that did not conform to Benford’s law had well documented anomalous incidents, the first digits of aggregated transaction values of all well known cryptocurrency projects were conforming to Benford’s law. Thus the proposed method is applicable to the new domain.

We hypothesized that biofilm production occurs on stainless steel when incubated with tissue specimens in thioglycolate broth media (TBM). In a diabetic foot infection (DFI) cohort, applying the Kirschner wire and conventional methods were more sensitive than applying only the latter (CI 90%; 0.167 versus 0.375).

In this study, CO2 emissions of the Turkish economy are decomposed for the 1998–2017 period for four sectors; agriculture, forestry and fishery, manufacturing industries and construction, public electricity and heat production, transport, and residential. The analyses are conducted for five fuel types; liquid, solid, gaseous fuels, biomass, and other fuels. In decomposition analysis, Log Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) method is used. The analysis results point out that energy intensity is one of the determining factors behind the change in CO2 emissions, aside from economic activity. The fuel mix component, especially for the manufacturing industries and construction sector, lowers CO2 emissions during the crisis periods when the economic activity declines. Mainly, it is found that changes in total industrial activity and energy intensity are the primary factors determining the changes in CO2 emissions during the study period. Among GDP sectors, manufacturing industries and construction and public electricity and heat production are the two sectors that dominate the change in CO2 emissions. Additionally, the residential and transport sectors’ contributions have gained importance during recent years. Among the manufacturing industries and construction, the non-metallic minerals sector contributes to CO2 emissions, followed by the chemicals sector.

Human and Computer interaction has been a part of our day-to-day life. Speech is one of the essential and comfortable ways of interacting through devices as well as a human being. The device, particularly smartphones have multiple sensors in camera and microphone, etc. speech recognition is the process of converting the acoustic signal to a smartphone as a set of words. The efficient performance of the speech recognition system highly enhances the interaction between humans and machines by making the latter more receptive to user needs. The recognized words can be applied for many applications such as Commands & Control, Data entry, and Document preparation. This research paper highlights speech recognition through ANN (Artificial Neural Network). Also, a hybrid model is proposed for audio-visual speech recognition of the Tamil and Malay language through SOM (Self-organizing map0 and MLP (Multilayer Perceptron). The Effectiveness of the different models of NN (Neural Network) utilized in speech recognition will be examined.

The calculation of the isobaric heat capacities of the liquid and solid phase of molecules at 298.15 K is presented, applying a universal computer algorithm based on the atom-groups additivity method, using refined atom groups. The atom groups are defined as the molecules' constituting atoms and their immediate neighbourhood. In addition, the hydroxy group of alcohols are further subdivided to take account of the different intermolecular interactions of primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols. The evaluation of the groups' contributions has been carried out by means of a fast Gauss-Seidel fitting calculus using experimental data from literature. Plausibility has been tested immediately after each fitting calculation using a 10-fold cross-validation procedure. For the heat capacity of liquids, the respective goodness of fit of the direct (R2) and the cross-validation calculations (Q2) of 0.998 and 0.9975, and the respective standard deviations of 8.2 and 9.16 J/mol/K, together with a medium absolute percentage deviation (MAPD) of 2.69%, based on the experimental data of 1133 compounds, proves the excellent predictive applicability of the present method. The statistical values for the heat capacity of solids are only slightly inferior: for R2 and Q2, the respective values are 0.9915 and 0.9875, the respective standard deviations are 12.19 and 14.13 J/mol/K and the MAPD is 4.65%, based on 732 solids. The predicted heat capacities for a series of liquid and solid compounds has been directly compared to those received by a complementary method based on the "true" molecular volume [1] and their deviations elucidated.

Terpenoids, including monoterpenoids (C₁₀), norisoprenoids (C₁₃) and sesquiterpenoids (C₁₅), constitute a large group of plant-derived naturally occurring secondary metabolites which chemical structure is highly diverse. A quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model to predict the terpenoids toxicity and to evaluate the influences of their chemical structure, was developed in this study, by assessing the toxicity of 27 terpenoid standards using Gram-negative bioluminescent Vibrio fischeri, in real time. Under the test conditions, at concentration of 1 µM, the terpenoids showed a toxicity level lower than five %, with exception of geraniol, citral, (S)-citronellal, geranic acid, (±)-α-terpinyl acetate and geranyl acetone. Moreover, the standards tested displayed a toxicity level higher than 30 % at concentration of 50 to 100 µM, with the exception of (+)-valencene, eucalyptol, (+)-borneol, guaiazulene, β-caryophellene and linalool oxide. Regarding the functional group, the terpenoids toxicity was observed in the following order: alcohol > aldehyde ~ ketone > ester > hydrocarbons. CODESSA software was employed to develop the QSAR models based on the correlation of terpenoids toxicity and a pool of descriptors related to each chemical structure. The QSAR models, based on t-test values, showed that terpenoids toxicity was mainly attributed to geometric (e.g., asphericity) and electronic (e.g., max partial charge for a C atom [Zefirov's PC]) descriptors. Statistically, the most significant overall correlation was the four-parameter equation with training and test coefficient correlation higher than 0.810 and 0.535, respectively, and square coefficient of cross-validation (Q²) higher than 0.689. According to the obtained data, the QSAR models are a suitable and a rapid tool to predict the terpenoids toxicity in a diversity of food products.

Chlorogenic acid or 5-Caffeoylquinic acid is a polyphenolic component present in coffee and its by-products. Chlorogenic acid has been shown to exert biological properties, particularly in relation to glucose and lipid metabolism, including antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory activities, among others. Due to its importance, it is necessary to evaluate the reliability of the analytical method for its determination in complex matrices such as food. In this work, different methods of chlorogenic acid extraction in coffee Silverskin were studied, as well as its quantification by HPLC. The results showed that the method of extraction with a mixture of methanol:water (3:1 v/v) in an ultrasonic bath, favored the recovery of chlorogenic acid with a recovery of 77.44%. The instrument detection limit for chlorogenic acid was 3.311 µg/mL and the quantification limit was 11.037 µg/mL. For coffee Silverskin, the concentration obtained of chlorogenic acid by the three extraction methods evaluated was in the range of 57 to 224 mg/kg of coffee silverskin (dry basis).

The aim of this paper is to use the elementary method and the properties of the second kind Stirling numbers to study the congruence properties of a new sequence, which is closely related to Fubini polynomials and Euler numbers, and give some interesting congruences for it. This solves a problem proposed by the first author at an unpublished paper.

In this paper, we gave an attack on RSA when Euler function has small multiplicative inverse modulo "e" and the prime sum p+q is of the form p+q=2^nk_0+k_1 where n is a given positive integer and k_0 and k_1 are two suitably small unknown integers using sublattice reduction techniques and Coppersmith's methods for finding small roots of modular polynomial equations. When we compare this method with an approach using lattice based techniques, this procedure slightly improves the bound and reduces the lattice dimension.

The launch of the RadioAstron space radio telescope provides a unique opportunity to study the extreme high brightness temperature of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) with unprecedented long baselines of up to 28 Earth diameters. A coordinated ground-based flux density monitoring of RadioAstron targets is essential to determine the effect of interstellar scintillation (ISS) on the Space Very Long Baseline Interferometry (SVLBI) visibilities. Moreover, a combination/comparison of scintillation with SVLBI observations is expected to reveal the relative influence of source brightness temperature, compactness, and properties of the interstellar medium on the observed variability at centimeter wavelengths. In 2014 we started a RadioAstron target triggered flux monitoring with the Effelsberg 100-m radio telescope in support of this SVLBI mission. A total of 112 targets were observed during the five-session monitoring performed so far. In this paper we present a statistical study on the short-term flux density variability of the sample, which is focused on the variability characteristics and derived physical properties of the observed sources.

As the interface between human and machine becomes blurred, hydrogel incorporated electronics and devices have emerged to be a new class of flexible/stretchable electronic and ionic devices due to their extraordinary properties, such as soft, mechanically robust and biocompatible. However, heat dissipation in these devices could be a critical issue and remains unexplored. Here, we report the experimental measurements and equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations of thermal conduction in polyacrylamide (PAAm) hydrogels. The thermal conductivity of PAAm hydrogels can be modulated by both the crosslinking density and water content in hydrogels. The crosslinking density dependent thermal conductivity in hydrogels varies from 0.33 to 0.51 Wm^-1K^-1, giving a 54% enhancement. We attribute the crosslinking effect to the competition between the increased conduction pathways and the enhanced phonon scattering effect. Moreover，water content can act as filler in polymers which lead to nearly 40% enhancement in thermal conductivity in PAAm hydrogels with water content vary from 23 to 88 wt%. Furthermore，we find the thermal conductivity of PAAm hydrogel is insensitive to temperature in the range of 25 ^oC – 40 ^oC. Our study offers fundamental understanding of thermal transport in soft materials and provides design guidance for hydrogel-based devices.

Brushless Direct Current Motors are significantly improved for using many electrical applications. The design investigation is increased year by year and most of the motor design researchers find out the superior efficiency of the BLDC motor. The traditional motor consumed more electrical power than BLDC motor. The design of BLDC motors that are compact, small, easy to control, save energy and light weight. Due to this fact, the design of BLDC motor should be analyzed to improve the motor characteristics performance. The research focuses on the design of BLDC motor performance using Taguchi Method and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) for Finite Element Method (FEM). Firstly, the Taguchi Method is applied to identify the optimization point of design parameters and consider using the reference model of actual BLDC electric fan motor with a rated power of 26Watts design. Based on the Taguchi Method to create the RSM is used to two-step optimization design performance using in FEM analysis. The performances of motor design proposed approach to provide the effeteness for motor design investigator. In this investigation aims the better structural performances in output power, torque, efficiency and torque ripple. The final design of proposed model achieved an energy efficiency is 10% higher than the reference design of prototype modes, the output power result is 10W higher this reference design. We can reduce the loss of the proposed motor design. Furthermore, the maximum torque can also increase the 0.032Nm of that design. The design simulation results were produced and studied by the FEM analysis of JMAG software. From the evaluation results, the configurations of reference model design are compared with the proposed design by using the three methods of motor design optimization showed the best characteristics for performance of motor investigation design.

This study determines the equivalent stress intensity factor (SIF) model that best fits the experimental behavior of low-carbon steel under mixed mode (I and II). The study assessed Tanaka, Richard, and Pook's equivalent SIF models. The theoretical values used for comparison correspond to experimental results in a modified C(T) geometry by machining a hole ahead of the crack tip subjected to fatigue loads with a load ratio of R = 0.1. The comparison involved the SIF for six experimental points and the values computed through the numerical simulation. The Paris, Klesnil, and modified Forman-Newman crack growth models were used with each equivalent SIF to analyze the prediction in the estimated number of cycles. The Klesnil model showed the closest prediction since the error between the calculated and experimentally recorded number of cycles is the lowest. However, the material behavior reflects a reduced crack propagation rate attributed to plasticity in the crack tip. Results suggest that Asaro equivalent SIF conservatively estimates the element lifespan with increasing errors from 2.3% at the start of growth to 27 % at the end of the calculation.

The main idea of this paper is to investigate the exact solutions and dynamic properties in optical nanofibers, which is modeled by space-time fractional perturbed nonlinear schr\"odinger equation involving Kerr law nonlinearity with conformal fractional derivative. Firstly, by the complex fractional traveling wave transformation, the traveling wave system of the original equation is obtained, then a conserved quantity, namely the Hamiltonian is constructed, and the qualitative analysis of this system is conducted via this quantity by classifying the equilibrium points. Moreover, the prior estimate of the existence of the soliton and periodic solution is established via the bifurcation method. Furthermore, all exact traveling wave solutions are constructed to illustrate our results explicitly by the complete discrimination system for polynomial method.

This paper presents an approach to the vibration analysis of axially functionally graded non-prismatic Timoshenko beams (AFGNPTB) using the finite difference method (FDM). The characteristics (cross-sectional area, moment of inertia, elastic moduli, shear moduli, and mass density) of axially functionally graded beams vary along the longitudinal axis. The Timoshenko beam theory covers cases associated with small deflections based on shear deformation and rotary inertia considerations. The FDM is an approximate method for solving problems described with differential equations. It does not involve solving differential equations; equations are formulated with values at selected points of the structure. In addition, the boundary conditions and not the governing equations are applied at the beam’s ends. In this paper, differential equations were formulated with finite differences, and additional points were introduced at the beam’s ends and at positions of discontinuity (supports, hinges, springs, concentrated mass, spring-mass system, etc.). The introduction of additional points allowed us to apply the governing equations at the beam’s ends and to satisfy the boundary and continuity conditions. Moreover, grid points with variable spacing were also considered, the grid being uniform within beam segments. Vibration analysis of AFGNPTB was conducted with this model, and natural frequencies were determined. Finally, a direct time integration method (DTIM) was presented. The FDM-based DTIM enabled the analysis of forced vibration of AFGNPTB, considering the damping. The results obtained in this study showed good agreement with those of other studies, and the accuracy was always increased through a grid refinement.

This research takes Cuiwei Village in Qianshan District of Zhuhai City as an example. Through field research, the village is investigated and analyzed, and the street scale, spatial structure, functional characteristic streets, internal commercial distribution forms, and functions of Cuiwei Historic District are studied. analysis. On this basis, based on the convex space method and the line-of-sight analysis method in the space syntax theory, with the help of Depthmap software, the complex street node, that is, the space of the two nodes A and B, is established through the establishment of a visual field model. It includes the analysis of the integration degree of the horizon, the concentration of the horizon, the connection value of the horizon and the spatial characteristics of the historical area, as well as the traditional buildings that are the most representative of the village, namely the Three Kings Temple and the Webster's Mansion. When R=N and radius R=3, observe the changes in the two parameters of the visual integration and visual depth of the two historical buildings. And with the help of Baidu Time Machine photos in different periods to observe and record the changes in the store and the characteristics of people's behavior, and draw conclusions.

Modeling fluid flow in three-dimensional (3D) Discrete Fracture Networks (DFNs) is of relevance in many engineering applications, such as hydraulic fracturing, oil/gas production, geothermal energy extraction, nuclear waste disposal and CO₂ sequestration. A new Boundary Element Method (BEM) technique with discontinuous quadratic elements and a parallel Domain Decomposition Method (DDM) is presented herein for the simulation of the steady-state fluid flow in 3D DFN systems with wellbores, consisting of planar fractures having arbitrary properties and wellbore trajectories. Numerical examples characterized by DFNs of increasing complexity are investigated to evaluate the accuracy and efficiency of the presented technique. The results show that accurate solutions can be obtained with less nodes than with mesh-based methods (e.g. Finite Element Method). In addition, the DDM algorithm used provides a quite fast convergence. The simulation results of the fluid flow around intersections among traces (linear intersections between fractures), intersections between traces and a fracture boundaries, and wellbore intersections is accurate. Source code is available at : https://github.com/BinWang0213/PyDFN3D.

This paper presents an approach to the vibration analysis of axially functionally graded (AFG) non-prismatic Euler-Bernoulli beams using the finite difference method (FDM). The characteristics (cross-sectional area, moment of inertia, elastic moduli, and mass density) of AFG beams vary along the longitudinal axis. The FDM is an approximate method for solving problems described with differential equations. It does not involve solving differential equations; equations are formulated with values at selected points of the structure. In addition, the boundary conditions and not the governing equations are applied at the beam’s ends. In this paper, differential equations were formulated with finite differences, and additional points were introduced at the beam’s ends and at positions of discontinuity (supports, hinges, springs, concentrated mass, spring-mass system, etc.). The introduction of additional points allowed us to apply the governing equations at the beam’s ends and to satisfy the boundary and continuity conditions. Moreover, grid points with variable spacing were also considered, the grid being uniform within beam segments. Vibration analysis of AFG non-prismatic Euler-Bernoulli beams was conducted with this model, and natural frequencies were determined. Finally, a direct time integration method (DTIM) was presented. The FDM-based DTIM enabled the analysis of forced vibration of AFG non-prismatic Euler-Bernoulli beams, considering the damping. The results obtained in this paper showed good agreement with those of other studies, and the accuracy was always increased through a grid refinement.

The Kwee van Woerden (KvW) method for the determination of eclipse minimum times has been a staple in eclipsing binary research for decades, due its simplicity and independence of external input parameters. However, its estimates of the timing error have been known to be of low reliability. During the analysis of very precise photometry of CM Draconis eclipses from TESS space mission data, KvW’s original equation for the timing error estimate produced numerical errors, which evidenced a fundamental problem in this equation. This contribution introduces an improved way to calculate the timing error with the KvW method. A code that implements this improved method, together with several further updates over the original method is presented as well. An example application on the CM Draconis light curves from TESS is given, where we show that its timing error estimates of about 1 second are in excellent agreement with error estimates obtained by other means.

This article presents six probability distributions from the Gamma family with three parameters, for the flood frequency analysis in hydrology. The choice of the Gamma family of statistical dis-tributions was driven by its frequent use in hydrology. In the Faculty of Hydrotechnics, the im-provement of the estimation of maximum flows and including the methodological bases for the realization of a regionalization study with the linear moments method with the corrected pa-rameters was researched, being an element of novelty. The linear moments method is better than MOM because it avoids the choice of skewness depending on the origin of the flows, practiced in Romania. The L-moments method conforms to the current trend for estimating the parameters of statistical distributions. Observed data from hydrometric stations are of relatively short length, so the statistical parameters that characterize them are of a sample that requires correction. The correction of the statistical parameters is proposed, using the method of least squares based on the inverse functions of the statistical distributions expressed with the frequency factor for L-moments. All the necessary elements for their use are presented like, quantile functions, the exact and ap-proximate relations for estimating parameters and frequency factors. A flood frequency analysis case study was carried out for the Ialomita river, to verify the proposed methodology. The per-formance of this distributions is evaluated using Kiling-Gupta and Nash-Sutcliff coefficients.

This article introduces an innovative design method for public lighting systems that surpasses the limitations of conventional approaches, which rely on predefined lamp characteristics and spatial arrangement. By employing a multi-criteria decision algorithm, our study proposes an optimal design methodology considering several key aspects, including the distance between lamps, their type, power, and light distribution. The goal is to achieve optimal illumination that enhances visibility on public roads for drivers and pedestrians while simultaneously minimizing glare, installation costs and maximizing energy efficiency. The proposed methodology is implemented through an algorithm developed in Matlab, with results validated through simulations in Dialux. This information is used to construct a decision matrix, assessed using the CRITIC method across 180 different scenarios within a specific case study. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of multi-criteria decision-making as a tool for significantly improving the planning and design of lighting in public illumination systems, allowing for selecting the optimal combination of parameters that ensure the best lighting conditions.

We propose a neural-network-based watermarking method that introduces the quantized activation function that approximates the quantization of JPEG compression. Many neural-network-based watermarking methods have been proposed. Conventional methods have acquired robustness against various attacks by introducing an attack simulation layer between the embedding network and the extraction network. The quantization process of JPEG compression was replaced by the noise addition process in the attack layer of the conventional methods. In this paper, we propose a quantized activation function that can simulate the JPEG quantization standard as it is in order to improve the robustness against the JPEG compression. Our quantized activation function consists of several hyperbolic tangent functions and is applied as an activation function for neural networks. Our network was introduced in the attack layer of ReDMark proposed by Ahmadi et al. to compare it with their method. That is, the embedding and extraction networks had the same structure. We compared the usual JPEG compressed images and the images applying the quantized activation function. The results showed that a network with quantized activation functions can approximate JPEG compression with high accuracy. We also compared the bit error rate (BER) of estimated watermarks generated by our network with those generated by ReDMark. We found that our network was able to produce estimated watermarks with lower BERs than those of ReDMark. Therefore, our network outperformed the conventional method with respect to image quality and BER.

Ambulatory heart rate (HR) monitors that acquire electrocardiogram (ECG) or/and photoplethysmographm (PPG) signals from the torso, wrists, or ears are notably less accurate in tasks associated with high levels of movement compared to clinical measurements. However, reliable estimation of HR can be obtained through data fusion from different sensors. These methods are especially suitable for multimodal hearable devices, where heart rate can be tracked from different modalities, including electrical ECG, optical PPG, and sounds (heart tones). Combined information from different modalities can compensate for single source limitations. In this paper, we evaluate the possible application of data fusion methods in hearables. We assess data fusion for heart rate estimation from simultaneous in-ear ECG and in-ear PPG, recorded on eight subjects while performing 5-minute sitting and walking tasks. Our findings show that data fusion methods provide a similar level of mean absolute error as the best single-source heart rate estimation but with much lower intra-subject variability, especially during walking activities. We conclude that data fusion methods provide more robust HR estimation than a single cardiovascular signal. These methods can enhance the performance of wearable devices, especially multimodal hearables, in heart rate tracking during physical activity.

C-C motif chemokine receptor 1 (CCR1/CD191) is a member of G-protein-coupled receptors, and is expressed on myeloid cells, such as neutrophils and macrophages. Because the CCR1 signaling promotes tumor expansion in the tumor microenvironment (TME), the modification of TME is an effective strategy for cancer therapy. Although CCR1 is an attractive target for solid tumors and hematological malignancies, anti-CCR1 therapeutic agents have not been approved. Here, we established a novel anti-mouse CCR1 (mCCR1) monoclonal antibody (mAb), C₁Mab-6 (rat IgG_2b, kappa), using the Cell-Based Immunization and Screening (CIBS) method. Flow cytometry and Western blot analyses showed that C₁Mab-6 recognizes mCCR1 specifically. The dissociation constant of C₁Mab-6 for mCCR1-overexpressed Chinese hamster ovary-K1 was determined as 3.9×10^-9 M, indicating that C₁Mab-6 possesses a high affinity to mCCR1. These results suggest that C₁Mab-6 could be a useful tool for targeting CCR1 in preclinical mouse models.

The crosslinking behavior of polyethylene (PE) determines its exceptional performance and application. In this study, we investigated the crosslinking behaviors of different PE resins through model simulation and rheological methods. Specifically, the mathematical equation of "S" model was established for PE resin. According to this equation, the optimal maximum gel content for high-density polyethylene (HDPE) was found to be around 85%. Moreover, the maximum crosslinking degrees for different PE resins depended largely on their density and molecular weight. The melt viscosities before crosslinking in PE resins were highly influenced by their melt index. The higher melt indexes resulted in the lower storage moduli, improving melt processability during processing. In addition, the crosslinking rates of PE resins were strongly influenced by peroxide concentration, independent of PE resin structures. For high molecular weight and low-density PE resins, they exhibited decreased ti values, increased A0 values, and decreased k6 values. However, there were no noticeable variations in the values of k2 and phi among different PE resins. And all simulated modeling outcomes showed the remarkable consistency with the experimental rheological data. These findings are of utmost significance in the industrial manufacture of PE resin.

MoS2 lithium-based grease is suitable for lubrication protection between bearings at high temperatures and loads due to its excellent tribological properties. However, there is little research on the influence of different addition methods of MoS2 additive on the tribology and corrosion properties of lithium grease. In this work, vegetable oil with low toxicity, high biodegradation rate, and low cost was selected as the base oil, lithium 12-hydroxystearate as the thickener, and MoS2 as the additive. The effects of different adding modes of MoS2 on the tribology and corrosion properties of lithium grease were studied. The experimental results showed that adding 0.01wt% MoS2 before thickening was more conducive to improving the tribological properties of lithium grease. The average friction coefficient was 0.034, and the average spot diameter was reduced by 0.16mm. After grinding and adding 0.01wt% MoS2, the corrosion inhibition efficiency of the steel sheet was as high as 96.97%. The main reason was that the longer stirring and grinding were conducive to the uniform distribution of MoS2 in the grease, and the protective film formed by MoS2 and GCr15-bearing steel improved the lubrication performance and corrosion inhibition performance of the friction system.

Motivated by the intriguing discovery of $X(6900)$ by LHCb Collaboration, we undertake a comprehensive study of the $s\bar{s}s\bar{s}$ tetraquark system in positive parity, employing the Gaussian expansion within the chiral quark model method. We consider two structures, diquark-antidiquark ($ss$-$\bar{s}\bar{s}$) structure and meson-meson ($s\bar{s}$-$s\bar{s}$)strcuture, encompassing all conceivable color and spin configurations. Despite the absence of bound states in our calculations, we have identified potential resonant states with $J^P=0^{+}$, namely $R(0,2150)$ and $R(0,2915)$, as well as a resonant state with $J^P=1^{+}$ denoted as $R(1,2950)$, and a resonant state with $J^P=2^{+}$ denoted as $R(2,2850)$, utilizing the real-scaling method. Through a comparison of their energies and widths, we propose that $R(0,2915)$ and $R(1,2950)$ may share characteristics with $X(6900)$, while $R(0,2150)$ could be a promising experimental candidate for $f_0(2100)$. We strongly advocate for experimental investigations to shed light on the existence and properties of these resonant states.

Due to the inclusion of both the principles and divination methods, the study of Yijing (Yijing) becomes more complex. The complex data types, diverse semantic relationships, and unclear influencing mechanisms in Yijing pose challenges to its scientific research. Knowledge graph, as an advanced way of organizing knowledge, can provide technical support in exploring the hidden connections and knowledge structure within text resources. This paper proposes a method of constructing a Yijing knowledge graph based on Neo4j. By analyzing the concepts, entities, and various related relationships in Yijing, the method discusses the basic architecture, data model, and implementation steps of constructing the Yijing knowledge graph. It also extracts, integrates, and structures the Yijing knowledge, allowing for inquiries, associations, and reasoning about the knowledge and its various elements. By adopting a top-down approach, the paper reconstructs the fundamental knowledge system of the Yijing, including yin-yang, the five elements, generation and restriction, 64 hexagrams, and six lines(yao). It establishes a knowledge graph pattern layer and a data layer that encompass concepts, attributes, and relationships. With the technical support of the Neo4j platform, the visualization and retrieval of Yijing knowledge are realized, providing new ideas and methods for studying the mechanisms of the Yijing. The proposed method of constructing a Yijing knowledge graph can be expanded to other types of ancient scripture knowledge graph research and can be applied to the field of digital humanities, promoting in-depth cross-disciplinary research and integration.

In this paper, we aim to address the challenge of airflow interference during fault detection in high-speed train bogies by introducing a flow field and investigating the characteristics of the sound field distribution of critical components under its influence. This approach overcomes the limitation observed in previous studies that ignored the impact of the flow field. Furthermore, we evaluate and compare various layouts for inter-track acoustic sensor arrays. The proposed sensing methods hold significant practical engineering value, and the collected data serves as a valuable reference for acquiring acoustic signals from key bogie components in future research.

This paper presents a non-perturbative method for solving eigenproblems. This method applies to almost all potentials and provides non-perturbative approximations for any energy level. The method converts an eigenproblem into a perturbation problem, obtains perturbation solutions through standard perturbation theory, and then analytically continues the perturbative solution into a non-perturbative solution.

An estimation of the electric sources in the heart were conducted using a novel method, based on Huygens’ Principle, aiming at a direct estimation of equivalent bioelectric sources over the heart surface in real time. The main scope of this work was to establish a new, fast approach for the solution of the inverse electrocardiography problem. The study was based on recorded electrocardiograms (ECGs). Based on the Huygens’ principle, measurements obtained from a patient’s thorax surface were interpolated over the surface of the employed volume conductor model and considered as a secondary Huygens’ sources. These sources, being non-zero only over the surface under study, were employed to determine the weighting factors of the eigen-functions expansion describing the generated voltage distribution over the whole volume conductor volume. With the availability of the potential distribution stemming from measurements, the electromagnetics reciprocity theorem is applied once again to yield the equivalent sources over the pericardium. The methodology is self validated, since the surface potentials calculated from these equivalent sources are in very good agreement with ECG measurements. The ultimate aim of this effort is to create a tool providing the equivalent epicardial voltage or current sources in real time, i.e. during the ECG measurements with multiple electrodes.

We compared the performance of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization followed by a time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry and genomic DNA extraction followed by sequencing, assembly, and alignment for phylogenetic assessment (Genomics method). We collected the samples from four contaminated rivers in the Dominican Republic and analyzed MALDI-TOF efficacy and accuracy for identifying bacteria in the samples. We evaluated the results for both methods (MALDI-TOF and Genomics) and reported a similarity percentage between each method's results. The MALDI-TOF method had a 72.41\% of coincidence with the Genomics method. This could have been sequence contamination found in the Genomics method. When it was later filtered, the result's coincidence rate went up to 90\%.

Feature selection is a crucial step in machine learning, aiming to identify the most relevant features in high-dimensional data, in order to reduce the computational complexity of model development and improve its generalization performance. Ensemble feature ranking methods combine the results of several feature selection techniques to identify a subset of the most relevant features for a given task. In many cases, they produce a more comprehensive ranking of features than the individual methods used in them. This paper presents a novel approach to ensemble feature ranking, which uses a weighted average of the individual ranking scores calculated by the individual methods. The optimal weights are determined using a Taguchi-type design of experiments. The proposed methodology significantly improves classification performance on the CSE-CIC-IDS2018 dataset, particularly for attack types where traditional average-based feature ranking score combinations resulted in low classification metrics.

Hemorrhagic shock is the primary cause of death in patients with severe trauma, and the development of rapid and efficient hemostatic methods is of great significance in promoting the life-saving of trauma patients. In this study, polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofiber membrane was prepared by electrospinning technology. The PCL-PDA loading system was developed by modifying the surface of polydopamine (PDA) inspired by mussel adhesion protein, and the efficient and stable loading of thrombin (TB) was realized on the premise of ensuring the bioactivity of TB. The new thrombin loading system overcomes the disadvantages of harsh storage conditions, poor strength, easy to fall off, and can use thrombin to start rapid coagulation cascade reaction, which has the characteristics of fast hemostasis, good biocompatibility, high safety and wide range of hemostasis. The physicochemical properties and biocompatibility of PCL-PDA-TB membrane were verified by scanning electron microscopy, cell proliferation test, cell adhesion test and extract cytotoxicity test. Red blood cell adhesion, platelet adhesion, dynamic coagulation time and animal models all verified the coagulation effect of PCL-PD-TB membrane. Therefore, PCL-PDA-TB membrane has great potential in wound hemostasis.

Porous materials can be characterized by well-trained neural networks. In this study, fibrous paper-type gas diffusion layers were trained with artificial data created by a stochastic geometry model. The features of the data were calculated by means of transport simulations using the Lattice–Boltzmann method based on stochastic micro-structures. A convolutional neural network was developed that can predict the permeability and tortuosity of the material, through-plane and in-plane. The characteristics of real data, both uncompressed and compressed, were predicted. The data was represented by reconstructed images of different sizes and image resolutions. Image artifacts are also a source of potential errors in the prediction. The Kozeny–Carman trend was used to evaluate the prediction of permeability and tortuosity of compressed real data. Using this method, it was possible to decide if the predictions on compressed data were appropriate.

A novel phase-field method based numerical approach to modeling the compaction process of sedi- ments is presented. Water-logged rock or soil sediments are deposited on the water basins over time and the increasing volume of the sediment compacts under its own weight and external pressure. Coupled evolution of mass conservation, Darcy flow, and the viscoelastic constitutive response, in conjunction with the evolution of porosity and permeability, make this problem highly non-linear and involve moving boundaries. We adopt a phase-field approach to represent the moving sediment interface, and the underlying multiphasic model permits for studying compaction in dynamically evolving sediments. This approach does not necessitate a change of domain sizes as is the case of existing traditional models of sedimentation but rather treats sedimentation growth as a problem of interface motion. We first model a classical compaction problem in 1D to compare with existing results in the literature, and then extend the framework to 2D to model the compaction process taking place under the influence of gravity. The model is then extensively applied to understand the effect of the sediment initial state and the sediment material properties on the compaction process and its spatiotemporal evolution. Lastly, a strong validation of our phase-field treatment results against predictions from traditional methods of solving open boundary sediment compaction problems, and a good agreement between the conventional understanding and the numerical predictions of porosity dependence on the fluid pore pressure for various cases of geological interest, are used to demonstrate the applicability and scalability of this novel numerical framework to model more advanced sediment compaction problems and geometries.

In the context of the new crown epidemic, remote physical training will already be in order under the guidance of the Ministry of Education. There is a global focus on current lifestyle behaviors and the future health and well-being of youth. Youth physical activity, aerobic activity and muscle fitness levels are declining.[1] Research on the effects of youth physical training and group attitudes is still in its infancy. This study conducted in-depth interviews with online physical training students, parents, teachers involved in the construction of online physical training, and sports practitioners through interview methods, documentation, and mathematical statistics. The results of the interviews were qualitatively coded using NVivo to summarize the attitudes of different subjects toward physical fitness training and the influencing factors, (1) students were basically satisfied with the teaching effect of online physical fitness training (2) parents thought the teaching effect of online physical fitness training was average (3) physical education teachers thought the effect of online physical fitness training was average (4) physical education practitioners thought the effect of online teaching was poor.

In this study, we have considered for numerical solution of a Poisson equation in a domain. we have presented a first and second order finite difference method for solving the system of the intial boundary value. We have presented the numerical solution of the Poisson equations in a two-dimensional finite region. Numerical Solution and exact solution for the presented method has been compared and the figures presented. The present error analysis tables demonstrate the efficiency of the method.

A field experiment was conducted at farmer field of Sundarbazar, Lamjung during rainy season of 2020 with an objective to determine the dynamics of weed with respect different planting methods and varieties. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replications where five Varieties (KabreKodo 1, KabreKodo 2, Dalle 1, Okhale 1 and local) were used as the main plot factor and three planting methods (Direct sowing;10*10cm, Conventional transplanting;10*10 cm with 15 days old seedlings and System of Crop Intensification;25*25 cm with 30 days old seedlings) as sub plot factor. Result showed that among 5 genotypes of weeds based on Importance value index, Cyperusrotundus was the most dominant during the initial stage but after the first weeding, Aegeratumhaustinianum dominated the field. Weed biomass and density was recorded highest in directly sown field than that in transplanted field. Among the transplanted crop, weed infestation was seen higher in SCI than in conventionally transplanted finger millet due to wider spacing. But after the first hand weeding, due to profuse root growth and tillering in SCI, weeds were suppressed and thus weed biomass was observed higher in CT. After one hand weeding, SCI showed higher weed control index, crop resistance index and planting method efficiency index in terms of yield. Weed infestation was observed higher in Dalle 1 among varieties.

The novelty of this study consists in: i) synthesis and characterization of electrode materials recycled from a spent car battery and doped with MnO2 and CuO by the analysis of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Infrared (IR) and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) data and ii) the investigation of electrochemical properties of prepared materials in view of new applications as electrode materials for battery. Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) data indicate that the intensity of the resonance line corresponding to the Cu+2 ion was modified with the increase of the dopant content. The analysis of X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) data indicates that by increasing the dopant content there is a process of ordering the oxygen atoms around the lead similar to the PbO2 theoretical model. The electrochemical performances of the recycled and manganese-copper-doped materials are optimized for applications as new anodic electrode for the car battery.

Prospective end-users rated aptness, creativity, and innovativeness of biomimetic examples that featured different relationships to create combinations (e.g., used for) between nature and technology. Against common theorizing, similarity was not the most profound for creativity but rather appearance, being part_of, and property_of were. Creativity explained most of the variance in the level of innovation with aptness of the design in a strong supporting role. The focus of conceptualization shifted from ‘creation as new things coming from new ideas’ to ‘innovation as new ideas leading to new things.’ Results are interpreted in the Chinese context of utility. Both in education and industry, the use of 5*5 research grids with rating scales may work as a design method to develop and select functional variants during early design.

Trade of agricultural products has gained importance with the development of global trade. Cherries has a crucial place in Turkish agricultural exports. Fresh cherries are in the scope of this study. The aim of this study is to examine Turkey’s position and competitiveness in cherry trade. Trade Intensity Analysis Method which represents the course of trade flow among countries is used in the study. The study indicates that European countries which are Turkey’s tradition trade partner has a biggest trade share with Turkey and that share did not much change in years. By the way, Asia market especially China, became a game changer in cherry trade and Turkey should prepare itself for this situation.

Accurately monitoring insecticide resistance in target mosquito populations is important to combating malaria and other vector-borne diseases, and robust methods are key. The “WHO susceptibility bioassay” has been used for +60 years: mosquitoes of known physiological status are exposed to a discriminating concentration of insecticide. Several changes to the test procedures have been made historically which may seem minor but could impact bioassay results. The published test procedures and literature for this method were reviewed for methodological details. Areas where there was room for interpretation in the test procedures or where the test procedures were not being followed were assessed experimentally for impact on bioassay results: covering or uncovering of the tube end during exposure, number of mosquitoes per test unit, and mosquito age. Many publications do not cite the most recent test procedures, methodological details are reported which contradict the test procedures referenced or methodological details are not fully reported. As a result, the precise methodology is unclear. Experimental testing showed that using fewer than the recommended 15-30 mosquitoes per test unit significantly reduced mortality, covering the exposure tube had no effect, and using mosquitoes older than 2-5 days old increased mortality, particularly in the resistant strain. Recommendations are made for better reporting of experimental parameters.

Various efforts have been made to detect minimum value of glucose in any medium like water or body buffer solutions with high-sensitivity, accurate, and low-cost sensors in order to enhance life style. Therefore, the present study was done to investigate reliability of two-dimensional plasmonic structure by circular dichroism (CD) and ellipsometry tools in different concentrations of glucose. Our results confirmed a dependency of the CD signal on glucose concentrations and also a very good sensitivity based on the phase difference between each polarization in ellipsometry parameters with the help of an achiral plasmonic structure.

Air polution level measurement sometime needs tricky instrumentation, costly, and use chemical reagent that could bad impact to environment, it also time consuming for analysis. In other hand, air polution level measurement, include nitrogen dioxide (NO2) needs accuracy, rapid and environment friendly for its analysis and measurement. Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) develop as spectrum measurements both UV and visible, transmitted by specific canal using absorption Lambert Beer’s Law principal. On this basic method, NO2 measurement needs light source with 330 – 500 nm wavelength, it is possible to use cheap blue-LED for this measurement. This research intends to calibrate prototype instrumentation for measuring NO2 by DOAS based using Blue-LED (375 nm) passed in continual gas container. NO2 emission simulated in laboratory scale by reacting copper (Cu) with nitric acid (HNO3) result NO2 gas formation. Blue-LED spectrum analysed by compact CCD Spectrometer for its absorbance spectrum, then calibrated with NO2 measurement using USEPA Method 7B standard that is commonly used in testing laboratory as standard method for NO2 measurement. It has good corelation between spectrum absorbance in CCD Spectrometer to USEPA Method 7B with more than 95% linierity. As rapidity of this measurement and shown good accuracy, more development for this method could carry fast, accurate, cheap, also environmentally friendly method for NO2 measurement.

So called Higuchi’s method of fractal dimension estimation is widely used and the term Higuchi’s fractal dimension even occurs in many publications. This paper deals with this method from mathematical point of view. Terms distance and dimension and its basic properties are explained and Higuchi’s dimension according the original source is defined. Definition of Higuchi’s dimension was comparated with mathematical definition of the distance and dimension. It is showed, that the definition of the Higuchi’s dimension does not satisfy axioms of distance and dimension. So called Higuchi’s method and Higuchi’s dimension are mathematically incorrect. Therefore, all results achieved by this method are scientifically unreliable.

Surrogate model based optimization method is widely-used to accelerate the design and optimization process~\cite{marler2004survey}. The input of regression model used in the surrogate model are numbers, which requires users to parametrize the geometries. In this paper, a new parameterization-free surrogate model is introduced and its corresponding uncertainty quantification and sensitivity analysis method are discussed. The input of new surrogate model methods is surface mesh of simulation domain. \Gls{gnns} is used to extract geometric information, and \Gls{cnns} is used to predict contours. This framework bypasses parameterization,as a consequence, uncertainties introduced by manual parameterization is reduced. However, such changes compared with conventional surrogate model methods impose great challenge on uncertainties quantification and sensitivity analysis. Uncertainties quantification in this paper means the error bar of prediction results, which is calculated by Gaussian Process Regression method in current surrogate method. In this paper, a new quantification method achieved by Kullback-Leibler divergence (KLD) is introduced. And the sensitivity analysis is conducted by Automatic Differentiation, which gives a Jacobian matrix of inputs. The method and analysis mentioned above are demonstrated by a low-pressure steam turbine rotator and its exhaust system.

In this paper, we use three different experimental methods (particle method, grid method and hybrid method) to model and simulate the smoke from the perspective of fluid dynamics. Through the comparison of different methods, we conclude: The particle method can avoid the numerical dissipation problem caused by grid calculation, but it also brings problems such as the distortion of the trajectory of the example. The grid method is accurate in calculation, but it is prone to numerical dissipation and loss of details. Finally, we choose the hybrid method to store the vorticity in the form of particles in vortex particles, avoiding the numerical dissipation problem caused by the use of grids, and including rich turbulence, which perfectly shows the simulation effect of smoke.

Babies born prematurely are at risk of experiencing visual disturbances, hearing loss, disabilities, the risk of infection and even death. Care for premature babies requires serious attention for both health workers and parents. The role of parents is very important both during hospitalization and at home. Therefore, in order to improve the abilities of parents, it is necessary to make educational efforts with the right method.ObjectivesThis literature review aims to provide an overview of educational methods that nurses can use to improve the ability of parents to care for or care for the development of premature babies. The method used is to search for literature that fits the established theme using 5 data based, namely Scopus, ProQuest, Science Direct, Elsevier Clinicaly for Nursing and Web of Science. The strategy used in finding literature that fits the theme and is used in this literature review uses the PICOS framework. Then conducted a review with the PRISMA method. The literature selection results obtained 572 publications, after going through the selection obtained 11 literatures that match the theme, with 11 educational methods. These methods can be grouped into ideas, namely increasing parental involvement during treatment, using technology, stress management and continuous monitoring. The ability of parents to care for premature babies is needed in order to minimize complications in infants, reduce morbidity, avoid disabilities, increase growth and development of premature babies optimally and reduce parental stress levels, increase parental confidence and good parents' self-efficacy. Choosing the right educational method can improve the ability of parents to properly care for and provide developmental care for premature babies.

Multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods and techniques have been applied to many real-world problems in different fields of engineering science and technology. The evaluation based on distance from average solution (EDAS) method is a new and efficient MCDM method. The aim of this study is to propose a modification to address two exceptional cases in which the EDAS method fails to solve an MCDM problem.

Biodiesel has caught the attention of many researchers because it has great potential to be sustainable fossil fuel substitute. Biodiesel has non-toxic and renewable nature and has been proven to emit less amount of environmentally harmful emissions such as hydrocarbons (HC), and carbon monoxide (CO), as well as smoke particles during combustion. Problems related to global warming caused by greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions could also be solved by utilizing biodiesel as a daily energy source. However, the expensive cost of biodiesel production, mainly because of the cost of natural feedstock, holds the potential of biodiesel commercialization. The selection of natural sources of biodiesel should be made with observations from economic, agricultural, and technical perspectives to obtain one feasible biodiesel with superior characteristics. This review paper presents a detailed overview of various natural sources, their physicochemical properties, as well as the performance, emission, and combustion characteristics of biodiesel when used in a diesel engine. The recent progress in studies about natural feedstocks and manufacturing methods used in biodiesel production were evaluated in detail. Finally, the findings of the present work reveal that transesterification is currently the most superior and commonly used biodiesel production method compared to other methods available.

BACKGROUND: To present a new method of urethral pressures examination, and to evaluate diagnostic capabilities of three dimensional profilometry , as an alternative to classical urethral profile (UPP) .Using four channel catheters and dedicated software global urethral pressures image is obtained. The method eliminates the main limitation of classical urethral profilometry where the catheter orientation determines the pressures picture limited to only one point in the uretral circumference while we observed even 50% differences in pressure measures depending on the point of measurement. METHODS: This is a preliminary study containing method presentation and analisys of the use in varied clinical cases of either healthy patients and patients with LUTS. The article includes technique and equipment decription, full evaluation of selected cases, including three dimensional urethral pressures distribution graphics. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS:Three dimensional profilometry compared to classical technique is comparable regarding the time, cost, technical difficulty and patient discomfort. At the same time we obtain much more data on the urethral pressures and its distribution.The results are easy for interpretation due to 3D movable graphics created automatically through the dedicated software.

The identification of the most rockfall-prone areas is the first step of the risk assessment procedure. In the case of land and urban planning, hazard and risk analyses involve large portions of territory and thus preliminary methods are preferred to define specific zones where more detailed computations are needed. To reach this goal, we developed the QGIS-based plugin QPROTO, able to quantitatively compute rockfall time-independent hazard over a three-dimensional topography on the basis of the Cone Method. This is obtained by combining kinetic energy, passing frequency and detachment propensity of each rockfall source. QPROTO requires the definition of few angles (i.e., the energy angle ϕ_p and the lateral angle α) that should take into account all the phenomena occurring during the complex block movement along the slope. The outputs of the plugin are a series of raster maps reporting the invasion zones and the quantification of both the susceptibility and the hazard. In this paper, we propose a method to relate these angles to some characteristics of the block (volume and shape) and the slope (inclination, forest density), to provide QPROTO users with a tool for estimating the input parameters. The results are validated on a series of case studies belonging to the North Western Italian Alps.

Rubbish in a forest environment is a great threat to this ecosystem, but this threat may also apply to the lost benefits for visitors to the forest. Previous studies proved that forest areas have a positive effect on obtaining psychological relaxation in the people visiting them. However, it was not known whether this restorative experience could be disturbed in any way by the presence of an open dump in the forest. To check how the presence of a landfill affects the visitors, an experiment was planned in which the respondents observed a forest area with a landfill and a forest landscape without a landfill for 15 minutes (control). The respondents then assessed the landscape using the semantic differential method and the Perceived Restorativeness Scale (PRS). An analysis of these observations showed that the presence of a landfill in the forest significantly changed the appreciation of the landscape by the respondents, the values of positive experiences decreased, and the negative experiences increased. Restorativeness was also reduced. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the presence of garbage in the forest may interrupt the restorative experience of its visitors.

In 2007, the excavation of the M-30 ring road located in Madrid and the creation of a green corridor either side of the Manzanares river brought significant change to the metropolitan area. The corridor and linear park which it provided were designed to contribute to the regeneration of the fluvial ecosystem, establish links among residents on each side of the river and promote cultural and leisure activities. This paper provides a sustainability analysis of the excavation of the M-30 (involving the socio-economic and environmental impact) 14 years after its construction. In order to show such an impact, an analysis of the area both prior to the project and after completion, as well as a hypothetical solution that uses improved materials, has been performed. This entails use of the multi-criteria decision-making model named MIVES (initials in Spanish, modelo integrado de valor para una evaluación sostenible). The MIVES method is based on the application of value functions of sustainability indicators selected by socio-economic and environmental criteria, chosen by experts. Results from analysis showed that the excavation of the M-30 considerably improved the sustainability of the area (sustainable index 3.43 and 6.26 both before and after the excavation works). However, use of improved materials in contrast with the application of conventional materials slightly improved the sustainability of the work (Sustainability Index 6.26 and 6.74, respectively, of the conventional materials).

Aim: Despite the endemic nature of contagious ecthyma in Nigeria, there is limited report on the molecular characterization of the isolates responsible for disease outbreaks. The aim of this study was to molecularly characterize ORFV isolated from clinical infections in goats in Sokoto metropolis. Materials and Methods: Seronegative embryonated chicken eggs were used to isolate ORFV via the chorio allantoic membrane (CAM) route according to the established protocol. Viral DNA was extracted from infected CAM and the full coding region of B2L gene was amplified by PCR and subsequently sequenced by Sanger’s method. The nucleotide sequence results were blasted for identification and phylogenetically analyzed using MEGA and Bioedit softwares. Results and Discussion: The results showed that B2L gene sequences of the ORFV UDUS/01/19/More strain showed slight variability (96- 98.7%) with the reference sequences. Our isolate clustered within the same clade with Korean strain signifying a close genetic relationship. Unique amino acid substitutions were noted in our isolate when compared with other references. This is arguably the first genetic characterisation of B2L gene of ORFV circulating in Nigeria. Conclusion: Our study has provided in sight into the genetic diversity of ORFV in the study area. This is crucial for the design of effective vaccines against the disease which are currently lacking in the country.

The market of ready-to-eat salads is experiencing a noticeable growth in Europe. Since they are intended to be consumed without additional treatments, these ready-to-eat products are associated with a high microbiological risk. The aim of this work was to evaluate the microbiological quality and safety of ready-to-eat salads sold in widespread supermarket chains in Lazio, Italy, at the packaging date, during shelf-life and during home-refrigeration. The study also aimed to determine the differences between low, medium, and high cost products. Salmonella spp., L. monocytogenes were chosen as safety indicators as specified by European regulations while total aerobic mesophilic bacteria and Escherichia coli were chosen as quality indicators as suggested by national guidelines. Analyses were performed following the ISO standards and in parallel, for the evaluation of total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, with an alternative colorimetric system, the Micro Biological Survey method, in order to propose a simple, affordable and accurate alternative for testing the microbiological quality of products, especially suitable for small and medium enterprises and on-site analyses. The study revealed high, unsatisfactory, total bacterial loads in all analyzed samples at the packaging date and expiring date and a very high prevalence of Salmonella spp. (67%) regardless of the selected varieties and cost-categories; L. monocytogenes was instead not recovered aligning with the results obtained in other studies.

This code provides computational facilities to simulate current versus time during the charging of Li-ion cells at desire constant voltage by considering multiscale physical phenomena. This code only considers a powder of active materials (at microscale or nanoscale) and a small part of electrolyte around it as a half cell. Then it is extended to a complete cell by applying correct boundary conditions. This code is very useful by modifying code parameters to understand the effect of the complex shape of active materials powder (surface area and powder size), kind of electrolyte, and the applied voltages on the charging response of Li-ion cell. As a summary, a microscale approach to the design of Li-ion cells has been provided via this code.

The market of ready-to-eat salads is experiencing a noticeable growth in Europe. The commercial success of these products is linked to the growing demand for fresh, healthy and nutritionally valuable products that can be consumed without preparation time and are perceived as safe and very high-quality products. Since they are intended to be consumed without additional treatments, these ready-to-eat products are associated with a high microbiological risk. The aim of this work was to evaluate the microbiological quality and safety of ready-to-eat salads sold in widespread supermarket chains in Lazio, Italy, at the packaging date, during shelf-life and during home-refrigeration. The study also aimed to determine the differences between low, medium and high cost products. Salmonella spp., L. monocytogenes were chosen as safety indicators as specified by European regulations while total aerobic mesophilic bacteria and Escherichia coli were chosen as quality indicators as suggested by national guidelines. Analyses were performed following the ISO standards and in parallel, for the evaluation of total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, with an alternative colorimetric system, the MBS method, in order to propose a simple, affordable and accurate alternative for testing the microbiological quality of products, especially suitable for small and medium enterprises and on-site analyses.

A common reactor type in the chemical and process industry is the fixed-bed reactor. Accurate modeling can be achieved with particle-resolved Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) simulations. However, the underlying bed morphology plays a paramount role. Synthetic bed-generation methods are much more flexible and faster than image-based approaches. In this study, we look critically at the two different bed generation methods: Discrete Element Method (DEM) (in the commercial software STAR-CCM+) and the rigid-body model (in the open-source software Blender). The two approaches are compared in terms of synthetically generated beds with experimental data of overall and radial porosity, particle orientation, as well as radial velocities. Both models show accurate agreement for the porosity. However, only Blender shows similar particle orientation than the experimental results. The main drawback of the DEM is the long calculation time and the shape approximation with composite particles.

Optical micro-angiography (OMAG) is a new method of detecting flow rate and widely used for in vivo imaging. Although OMAG can distinguish between flowing and stationary parts, it cannot obtain accurate flow rate information. This study proposed a range formula for OMAG and the ultrahigh-sensitivity OMAG (UHS-OMAG) method to quantify the measurement range of an entire system. The parameters of the angle between beam scanning and flow directions, the angular velocity of the galvanometer, and the offset of incident light were introduced, and a formula for calculating the range was derived. Experiments were conducted to measure fine and ultra-fine flow rates by using OMAG and UHS-OMAG methods. The minimum measured flow rate was approximately 30 μm/s, and the maximum measured flow rate was approximately 8 mm/s. Experimental results are in good agreement with the preset results.

Water is essential for living organisms. The increase in world population, global climate change and rapid growth in industrialization and urbanization have brought with them water issues around the world in recent years. Not only should existing water resources be used reasonably and efficiently but alternative water resources should also be explored and secured. Rainwater harvesting, which is one of the alternative water resources, can provide economic and environmental solutions. For rainwater harvesting, the size of reservoirs in which rainwater captured from roof catchments is stored should be determined. Determining the optimum tank capacity depending on precipitation and consumption rates allows us to make maximum use of rainwater tanks. The aim of this study is to determine the optimum tank capacity for the storage of rainwater captured from roof catchments in order to meet the water demand for agricultural production. Precipitation data were collected from the city of Isparta and its districts. Rainwater tank capacity was determined using the Rippl, residual mass curve, minimum flow and particle swarm optimization methods. Storage capacities varying according to roof areas and consumption rates are shown in a graph. Results show that particle swarm optimization is the best method.

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are currently under intense investigation for biomedical and biotechnology applications, thanks to their ease in preparation, stability, biocompatibility, multiple surface functionalities and size-dependent optical properties. The most commonly used method for AuNPs synthesis in aqueous solution is the reduction of tetrachloroauric acid (HAuCl₄) with trisodium citrate. We observed variations in the pH and concentration of the gold colloidal suspension synthesized under standard conditions, verifying a reduction in the reaction yield by around 46% from pH 5.3 (2.4 nM) to pH 4.7 (1.29 nM). Citrate-capped AuNPs were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, TEM, EDS and zeta-potential measurements, revealing a linear correlation between pH and the concentration of the generated AuNPs. This result can be attributed to the adverse effect of protons both on citrate oxidation and on citrate adsorption onto the gold surface, which is required to form the stabilization layer. Overall, this study provides insight into the effect of the pH over the synthesis performance of the method, which would be of particular interest from the point of view of large-scale manufacturing processes.

The morphology and the activity of a submarine caldera, Avyssos, at the northern part of Nisyros volcano in the South Aegean Sea (Greece), has been studied by means of remotely operated underwater vehicle dives. The recorded time series of temperature and conductivity over the submarine volcano have been analyzed in terms of the Generalized Moments Method. The findings of the mathematical analysis shed light on the volcanic activity, but also on the morphology (shape) of the submarine volcano. The conductivity time series indicates the volcano is at rest in agreement with other types of observations. On the other hand, temperature fluctuations, which in general describe a multifractal process, show that the submarine caldera operates as an open system that interacts with its surroundings. This type of analysis can be used as an indicator for the state of activity and the morphological structure (closed or open system) of a submarine volcano.

Layered superconductors are attractive because some of them show high critical temperatures. While their crystal structures are similar, those compounds are composed of many elements. Compounds with many elements tend to be incongruent melting compounds, thus, their single crystals cannot be grown via the melt-solidification process. Hence, these single crystals have to be grown below the decomposition temperature, and then the flux method, a very powerful tool for the growth of these single crystals with incongruent melting compounds, is used. This review shows the flux method for single-crystal growth technique by self-flux, chloride-based flux, and HPHT (high-pressure and high-temperature) flux method for many-layered superconductors: high-T_c cuprate, Fe-based and BiS₂-based compounds.

Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis are the major skin bacteria that cause the formation of acne. The present study was conducted to investigate antibacterial activity of ethanolic extract of cinnamon bark, honey and their combination against acne bacteria. The antibacterial activity of extract of cinnamon bark and honey were investigated against P. acnes and S. epidermidis using disc diffusion method. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) were performed using Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) methods. The interaction combination between extract of cinnamon bark and honey was determined by using a checkerboards method. The results showed that he MIC of extract of cinnamon bark and honey against P. acne were 256 µg/mL and 50% v/v, respectively, while against S. epidermidis were 1024 µg/mL and 50% v/v, respectively. The MBC of extract of cinnamon against P. acnes and S. epidermidis were more than 2048 µg/mL, whereas the MBC for honey against P. acnes and S. epidermidis were 100%. The combination of cinnamon bark extract and honey against against P. acnes and S. epidermidis, showed additive activity with the FICI value 0.625. Therefore, the combination of extract of cinnamon bark and honey has potential activity against acne causing bacteria.

This paper addresses the analysis for the nonlinear vibration response of a rectangular tube with a flexible end and non-rigid acoustic boundaries. This is a further work of the linear structural acoustic problem in a well-known acoustic book. In fact, the acoustic boundaries of an enclosed space sometimes are non-rigid and the structural vibration responses are nonlinear. These two points are the focuses of this paper. The multi-level residue harmonic balance method is applied to this nonlinear structural acoustic problem. The results obtained from the multi-level residue harmonic balance method and numerical method are generally in good agreement. The effects of excitation magnitude, tube length, and phase shift parameter etc. are examined.

A specific HPLC method has been developed and validated for the determination of vanillyl butyl ether in cosmetic products. The extraction procedure with an isopropanol water 1:1 mixture is described. The method uses a RP-C-18 column with isocratic elution and a UV detector. The mobile phase consists of a mixture of acetonitrile and buffer (Na2HPO4 20mM in water) (30:70 v/v) with a variable flow rate. The method was validated with respect to accuracy, precision (repeatability and reproducibility), specificity and linearity. The procedure described here is simple, selective and reliable for routine quality control analysis and stability tests of commercially available cosmetic products.

Distributed/semi-distributed models are considered to be sensitive to the spatial resolution of the data input. In this paper, we take a small catchment in high urbanized Yangtze River Delta, Qinhuai catchment as study area, to analyze the impact of spatial resolution of precipitation and the potential evapotranspiration (PET) on the long-term runoff and flood runoff process. The data source includes the TRMM precipitation data, FEWS download PET data, and the interpolated metrological station data. GIS/RS technique was used to collect and pre-process the geographical, precipitation and PET series, which were then served as the input of CREST (Coupled Routing and Excess Storage) model to simulate the runoff process. The results clearly showed that, the CREST model is applicable to the Qinhuai catchment; the spatial resolution of precipitation had strong influence on the modelled runoff results and the metrological precipitation data cannot be substituted by the TRMM data in small catchment; the CREST model was not sensitive to the spatial resolution of the PET data, while the estimation fourmula of the PET data was correlated with the model quality. This paper focused on the small urbanized catchment, suggesting the influential explanatory variables for the model performance, and providing reliable reference for the study in similar area.

In this paper, we focus on the impact of financial liberalization on stability of emerging stock market. We identify crises in a group of Latin American (Argentina, Brazil and Chile) and Asian countries (Philippines, Korea, Taiwan and Thailand) during 1975–2005. This paper aims to apply the methodology of CMAX method. Our results indicate that liberalization triggers more unstable stock market in the short run and generate several crises. Still, liberalization seems to generate more stable financial markets in the long run. Financial liberalization does not increase the frequency of crises in emerging countries and at long-term, crises are less several.

In this paper, the boiling flow inside a nanochannel with 700000 argon particle has been simulated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. This approach has been employed to analysis the superheated flow and its heat transfer pattern as well. For all simulations an external thrust force varying from 1 PN to 12 PN is exerted on inlet nanoparticles along the channel to have the forced annular boiling flow. Computations reveal that saturation condition and superheat degree have significant impacts on the liquid-vapor interface. Furthermore, because of the major influence of surface tension throughout a nanochannel, the x-velocity of liquid film and vapor core has not considerable fluctuations and stay smooth. All provided results show the behaviors completely similar to the available outcomes in the literature.

This paper presents a) the novel hybrid learning method to train the type-1 non-singleton interval type-3 (IT3) fuzzy logic systems (IT3 NSFLS-1) and b) the novel method named enhanced Wagner-Hagras (EWH) IT3 NSFLS-1 fuzzy systems which includes the level alpha 0 output to calculate the output y alpha using the average of the outputs y alpha k instead of their weighted average. The development of the proposed methodology uses the orthogonal least square (OLS) method to train the consequent parameters and the back propagation (BP) method to train the antecedent parameters. This proposal dynamically changes the parameters of only the level alpha 0 minimizing some criterion function as new information becomes available to each level alpha k. The antecedent sets are type-2 fuzzy sets, the consequent sets are fuzzy centroids, the inputs are type-1 non-singleton fuzzy numbers with uncertain standard deviations, and the secondary membership functions are modeled as two Gaussians with uncertain standard deviation and the same mean. Based on the firing set of the level alpha 0, the proposed methodology calculates each firing set of each level alpha k to dynamically construct and update the EWH IT3 NSFLS-1 (OLS-BP) system. The algorithm was tested in a hot strip mill facility to predict the transfer bar surface temperature showing its superior capability to obtain the industrial pyrometer’s knowledge uncertainty for tuning and its better performance when compared with IT2 SFLS, IT2 NSFLS-1, GT2 SFLS, GT2 NSFLS-1, IT3 SFLS, and IT3 NSFLS-1 trained with the BP-BP algorithm.

This article analyzes 6 probability distributions from the Generalized Pareto family, with 3, 4 and 5 parameters, with main purpose to identify other distributions from this family with applicability in flood frequency analysis compared to the distribution already used in the literature from this family such as Generalized Pareto Type II and Wakeby. This analysis is part of a larger and more complex research carried out in the Faculty of Hydrotechnics regarding the elaboration of a norm for flood frequency analysis using the linear moments method. In Romania, the standard method of parameter estimation is the method of ordinary moments, thus the transition from this method to the method of linear moments is desired. All the necessary elements for the distributions use are presented like, the probability density functions, the complementary cumulative distribution functions, the quantile functions, the exact and approximate relations for estimating parameters, for both methods of parameters estimation. All these elements are necessary for a proper transition between the two methods, especially since the use of the method of ordinary moments is done by choosing the skewness of the observed data depending on the origin of the maximum flows. A flood frequency analysis case study, using annual maximum and annual exceedance series, was carried out for the Prigor river, to numerically present the analyzed distributions. The performance of this distributions is evaluated using relative mean error, relative absolute error and linear moments diagram.

This paper presents an approach to the Timoshenko beam theory (TBT) using the finite difference method (FDM). The Timoshenko beam theory covers cases associated with small deflections based on shear deformation and rotary inertia considerations. The FDM is an approximate method for solving problems described with differential equations. It does not involve solving differential equations; equations are formulated with values at selected points of the structure. In addition, the boundary conditions and not the governing equations are applied at the beam’s ends. The model developed in this paper consisted of formulating differential equations with finite differences and introducing additional points at the beam’s ends and at positions of discontinuity (concentrated loads or moments, supports, hinges, springs, brutal change of stiffness, spring-mass system, etc.). The introduction of additional points allowed us to apply the governing equations at the beam’s ends. Moreover, grid points with variable spacing were considered, the grid being uniform within beam segments. First-order, second-order, and vibration analyses of structures were conducted with this model. Furthermore, tapered beams were analyzed (element stiffness matrix, second-order analysis, vibration analysis). Finally, a direct time integration method (DTIM) was presented; the FDM-based DTIM enabled the analysis of forced vibration of structures, with damping taken into account. The results obtained in this paper showed good agreement with those of other studies, and the accuracy was increased through a grid refinement. Especially in the first-order analysis of uniform beams, the results were exact for uniformly distributed and concentrated loads regardless of the grid.

An influenza A virus (H3N2) with an envelope with the same structure as COVID-19 was used for antiviral testing of material surfaces, in comparison with some results of feline calicivirus. The evaluation method used was the film adhesion method, in which the virus solution is placed on the material and adhered to it using a film. The evaluation method was based on the film adhesion method, in which the virus solution is placed on the material and adhered with a film, and the plaque method, in which the cell virus is allowed to infect the material and form plaques, but the appropriate virus concentration must be adjusted to observe the plaques. When not under that restriction, the plaques are often incomplete; this is observed. For this reason, this study applied an area measurement method that can reflect viral activity even when plaques are not obtained. This study revealed that different types of metallic materials have different antiviral properties. Specifically, the antiviral activity of iron, carbon steel, and nickel was relatively high, while that of stainless steel and titanium was relatively low. The order of antiviral activity was as follows: Fe, SS400, Ni, SUS316L, SUS304, and Ti.

This paper introduces the exponential time differencing (ETD) technique as a numerical method to solve efficiently American vulnerable options pricing. We address several challenges, including removing cross-derivative terms through appropriate transformations, treating early-exercise opportunities using the penalty method, and substituting fixed boundary conditions with corresponding one-sided finite differences. The proposed method is shown to be both accurate and efficient through numerical experiments, which also compare the results with existing methods and analyse the numerical stability and convergence rate.

In this work, we conducted a numerical study on the cavitation flow around a circular cylinder through the implementation of a porous coating. The primary objective addressed the effectiveness of utilizing a porous surface to control cavitation. We analyzed the cavitation dynamics around the cylinder and the hydrodynamic performance at different permeability levels of the porous surfaces. The flow was governed by the density based homogeneous mixture model and the volume penalization method was used to deal with the porous layer. A high-order accurate numerical method was adopted for the simulation of the cavitating flow through solving the preconditioned multiphase equations. The results revealed that the application of porous layer led to effective suppression of the cavitation vortex shedding. In addition, a reduction of the shedding frequency was obtained which accompanied by thinner and elongated vortices in the wake region of the cylinder. With the proper porous layer, the inception of the cavitation on the cylinder was suppressed and the amplitude of pressure pulsations due to the cavitation shedding mechanism was mitigated.

In this communication, we present a new simulated in situ lab/on-deck incubator, light spectrum replicator (LSR), and method to simulate the measured in situ HOCR light spectrum curves in incubation chambers. Carbon flux studies require detailed knowledge of primary and secondary production, including an understanding of temporal and spatial scales of variation. Interpretation of the processes involved during measurements continues to be difficult [1] since the incubation of the samples does not permit the study of rapid variations in carbon assimilation. Further, the significance of Dissolved Organic Matter of DOM in primary production is gaining attention as many autotrophic species are known for using organic substrates for growth, even in the dark [2–4] and since a significant portion of DOM can be accounted for from active release of intracellular metabolites by microbial consortia [5]. On the other hand, the major uncertainties in bacterial production measurements lie with the conversion factors used to calculate bacterial production (BP). For a given thymidine incorporation rate, estimates of BP can range by a factor of more than 20 [6,7]. Even though various new analytical tools have emerged [8], understanding of complex patterns of interactions within the microbial loop remains an open question.