bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Immobilization of gold nanoparticles on folate-conjugated dendritic mesoporous silica-coated reduced graphene oxide nanosheets: a new nanoplatform for curcumin pH-controlled and targeted delivery
Authors: Malekmohammadi Samira , Hadadzadeh Hassan , Farrokhpour Hossein , Amirghofran Zahra
Published: February 2018

A nanocarrier for curcumin targeted delivery and cell imaging was prepared by immobilization of gold NPs on the folic acid-modified dendritic mesoporous silica-coated reduced graphene oxide nanosheets.
Analysis of network formation and long-term stability in silica nanoparticle stabilized emulsions
Authors: Derakhshandeh Maziar , Pilapil Brandy K , Workman Ben , Trifkovic Milana , Bryant Steven L
Published: February 2018

The microstructure and rheology of silica nanoparticle stabilized emulsions is examined, which demonstrates a clear interrelation between particle–particle interactions, emulsion aging, stability, and rheology.
Autonomous self-healing supramolecular elastomer reinforced and toughened by graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets tailored for smart anticorrosion coating applications
Authors: Xu Jian Hua , Ye Sheng , Ding Chen Di , Tan Ling Hua , Fu Jia Jun
Published: February 2018

Intrinsic self-healing materials possessing the capability to autonomously repair their structure and functionalities upon mechanical damage have attracted great attention.
Hole transporting materials based on benzodithiophene and dithienopyrrole cores for efficient perovskite solar cells
Authors: Sandoval-Torrientes R. , Zimmermann I. , Calbo J. , Aragó J. , Santos J. , Ortí E. , Martín N. , Nazeeruddin M. K.
Published: February 2018

High efficiency (18.1%) perovskite solar cells are demonstrated by using a hole transporting material with very low reorganization energy (λ).
Excited state photophysics of squaraine dyes for photovoltaic applications: an alternative deactivation scenario
Authors: Paternò G. M. , Barbero N. , Galliano S. , Barolo C. , Lanzani G. , Scotognella F. , Borrelli R.
Published: February 2018

Squaraine dyes (SQs) represent a versatile class of functional molecules with strong absorption and emission features, widely used as near-infrared sensitizers in organic and hybrid photovoltaic devices.
Controlling the electrochromic properties of conductive polymers using UV-light
Authors: Brooke Robert , Edberg Jesper , Iandolo Donata , Berggren Magnus , Crispin Xavier , Engquist Isak
Published: February 2018

A new technique for patterning and tuning of electrochromic properties of conductive polymers was used to make dual image displays.
Spectrochemical determination of unique bacterial responses following long-term low-level exposure to antimicrobials
Authors: Jin Naifu , Semple Kirk T. , Jiang Longfei , Luo Chunling , Martin Francis L. , Zhang Dayi
Published: February 2018

Agents arising from engineering or pharmaceutical industries may have significant environmental impacts.
A simple device for rapid quantification of cell number from equine buccal swab samples
Authors: Quayle Kim , Doeven Egan H. , Alexander Richard , De Guzman Giorgio M. , Clarke Andrew F. , Haswell Stephen J. , Francis Paul S. , Conlan Xavier A.
Published: February 2018

This device measures absorbance for the quantification of cell number from buccal swabs by exploiting dye transitions of Bradford's reagent.
A tetraphenylethylene-based acylhydrazone gel for selective luminescence sensing
Authors: Fang Haobin , Cai Guangmei , Hu Ya , Zhang Jianyong
Published: February 2018

A supramolecular gel based on dynamic covalent acylhydrazone bonding for selective and sensitive Cu2+and subsequent CN−detection has been reported.
Genetic incorporation ofl-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) biosynthesized by a tyrosine phenol-lyase
Authors: Kim Sanggil , Sung Bong Hyun , Kim Sun Chang , Lee Hyun Soo
Published: February 2018

l-Dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) was biosynthesized by a tyrosine-phenol lyase from catechol, pyruvate, and ammonia inEscherichia coli, and the biosynthesized amino acid was directly incorporated into proteins.
Phosphaalkene-substituted organo-group 15 compounds: synthesis and characterisation of (NHC)P–EtBu2 (E = P, As, Sb and Bi)
Authors: Balmer Markus , Gottschling Hannah , von Hänisch Carsten
Published: February 2018

The deprotonated parent phosphinidene SIMesPK (SIMes = 1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene) was used as a synthon for new binary group 15 compounds with low valent phosphorus atoms.
Supramolecular complex of a fused zinc phthalocyanine–zinc porphyrin dyad assembled by two imidazole-C60units: ultrafast photoevents
Authors: Follana-Berná Jorge , Seetharaman Sairaman , Martín-Gomis Luis , Charalambidis Georgios , Trapali Adelais , Karr Paul A. , Coutsolelos Athanassios G. , Fernández-Lázaro Fernando , D’Souza Francis , Sastre-Santos Ángela
Published: February 2018

A ZnP–ZnPc, fused ZnP–ZnPc dyad is shown to undergo ultrafast energy transfer followed by electron transfer to coordinated fullerene resulting in charge separation.
Thermal stability of iron–sulfur clusters
Authors: Lang Sandra M. , Miyajima Ken , Bernhardt Thorsten M. , Mafuné Fumitaka , Barnett Robert N. , Landman Uzi
Published: February 2018

FexSy+clusters thermally decomposeviaa complex fragmentation mechanism with the preferred formation of stoichiometric FexSx+.
Encapsulating CoS2–CoSe2 heterostructured nanocrystals in N-doped carbon nanocubes as highly efficient counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells
Authors: Huang Shoushuang , Wang Haitao , Wang Shangdai , Hu Zhangjun , Zhou Ling , Chen Zhiwen , Jiang Yong , Qian Xuefeng
Published: February 2018

The CoS2–CoSe2@N-doped carbon nanocubes were synthesized through simultaneous sulfurization and selenization of polydopamine coated Prussian blue analogs.
Single Ag nanoparticle collisions within a dual-electrode micro-gap cell
Authors: McKelvey Kim , Robinson Donald A. , Vitti Nicholas J. , Edwards Martin A. , White Henry S.
Published: February 2018

An adjustable width (between 600 nm and 20 μm) gap between two Au microelectrodes is used to probe the electrodissolution dynamics of single Ag nanoparticles.
A peptide inhibitor of antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity against EGFR/folate receptor-α double positive cells
Authors: Sasaki Koichi , Miyashita Yoshiki , Asai Daisuke , Funamoto Daiki , Sato Kazuki , Yamaguchi Yoko , Mishima Yuji , Iino Tadafumi , Takaishi Shigeo , Nagano Jun , Kishimura Akihiro , Mori Takeshi , Katayama Yoshiki
Published: February 2018

ADCC is caused by NK cells upon recognition of antigen-bound IgGviaFcγRIIIa.
Lithium ion storage ability, supercapacitor electrode performance, and photocatalytic performance of tungsten disulfide nanosheets
Authors: Ansari Mohd Zahid , Ansari Sajid Ali , Parveen Nazish , Cho Moo Hwan , Song Taeseup
Published: February 2018

Few layered WS2 nanosheets for energy and environmental applications.
γ-Radiolysis preparation of nanometer-sized cadmium sulphide quantum dots stabilized in nanozeolite X and ZSM-5
Authors: De Waele Vincent , Souici Abdelhafid , Wong Ka-Lun , Mintova Svetlana , Mostafavi Mehran
Published: February 2018

The radiolytic preparation of CdS nanoparticles stabilized in colloidal zeolites is presented. Nanosized zeolites with different structural frameworks, i.e. FAU and MFI, are used as host materials.
Spontaneous rolling-up and assembly of graphene designed by using defects
Authors: Wang Ying , Liu Zishun
Published: February 2018

Driven by a damped high-frequency vibration, the flat defective graphene sheets can roll up to nanotubes of different shapes.
A detour strategy for colloidally stable block-copolymer grafted MAPbBr3 quantum dots in water with long photoluminescence lifetime
Authors: Yang Shuang , Zhang Feng , Tai Jia , Li Yang , Yang Yang , Wang Hui , Zhang Jianxu , Xie Zhigang , Xu Bin , Zhong Haizheng , Liu Kun , Yang Bai
Published: February 2018

We report a facile and general strategy for the preparation of aqueous colloidally stable block-copolymer grafted perovskite quantum dots with remarkable long-term thermo-, photo-, and pH-stability.
Synthesis and characterization of ureido-derivatized UCST-type poly(ionic liquid) microgels
Authors: Chen Shoumin , Chang Aiping , Lin Xuezhen , Zhai Zhenghao , Lu Fan , Zhou Shiming , Guo Haoxin , Wu Weitai
Published: February 2018

Ureido-derivatized poly(ionic liquid) microgels, which possess an upper critical solution temperature and can be used in catalytic esterification, are synthesized.
Direct access to biocompatible nitroxide containing polymers
Authors: Lang Christiane , Barner Leonie , Blinco James P. , Barner-Kowollik Christopher , Fairfull-Smith Kathryn E.
Published: February 2018

Ring-opening copolymerization of a nitroxide containing cyclic carbonate and d/l-lactide was used to directly access well-defined biocompatible polymers.
A novel and actual mode for study of soil degradation and transportation of difenoconazole in a mango field
Authors: Zhao Fangfang , Liu Jingkun , Xie Defang , Lv Daizhu , Luo Jinhui
Published: February 2018

Actual data for assessing the potential threat from the environmental behaviors of the difenoconazole to the ecosystem in mango field could be provided by the novel experimental design.
C–C and C–H coupling reactions by Fe3O4/KCC-1/APTPOSS supported palladium-salen-bridged ionic networks as a reusable catalyst
Authors: Hassankhani Asadollah , Sadeghzadeh Seyed Mohsen , Zhiani Rahele
Published: February 2018

This study investigates the potential application of an efficient, easily recoverable and reusable magnetically separable Fe3O4/KCC-1/APTPOSS nanoparticle-supported salen/Pd(ii) catalyst for C–C and C–H cross-couplings.
Nitrogen-doped graphene-activated metallic nanoparticle-incorporated ordered mesoporous carbon nanocomposites for the hydrogenation of nitroarenes
Authors: Huang Haigen , Wang Xueguang , Sheng Yao , Chen Chenju , Zou Xiujing , Shang Xingfu , Lu Xionggang
Published: February 2018

The non-noble M/NGr@OMC-T catalyst exhibits excellent catalytic activity and chemoselectivity for the hydrogenation of nitroarenes to anilines in water with hydrogen.
Hollow Si/SiOxnanosphere/nitrogen-doped carbon superstructure with a double shell and void for high-rate and long-life lithium-ion storage
Authors: Yang Chao , Zhang Yelong , Zhou Jinhui , Lin Chunfu , Lv Fan , Wang Kai , Feng Jianrui , Xu Zhikun , Li Jianbao , Guo Shaojun
Published: February 2018

We report a new class of Si/SiOx@void@nitrogen-doped carbon double-shelled hollow superstructure electrodes that are capable of accommodating huge volume changes without pulverization during cycling.
Tailored distribution of nanoparticles in bi-phasic polymeric blends as emerging materials for suppressing electromagnetic radiation: challenges and prospects
Authors: Biswas Sourav , Panja Sujit S. , Bose Suryasarathi
Published: February 2018

This review features the limitations of single-polymer-based nanocomposites and discusses the stepwise advancement of bi-phasic polymer blends to meet the challenges of effective electromagnetic interference shielding.
A novel water-soluble and self-doped conducting hybrid copolymer: poly(4-oxybenzenesulfonic acid)phosphazene-g-poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)
Authors: Büşra Çelebi Elif , Demirhan Nebahat , Hacıvelioğlu Ferda
Published: February 2018

In this report we describe the efficient synthesis and characterization of a series of water-soluble, self-doped PEDOT hybrid copolymers based on a polyaryloxyphosphazene platform, which brings a new perspective to the challenging solubility problem of PEDOT.
Predictive Factors for Vestibular Loss in Children With Hearing Loss
Authors: Janky Kristen L. , Thomas Megan L. A. , High Robin R. , Schmid Kendra K. , Ogun Oluwaseye Ayoola
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The aim of this study was to determine if there are factors that can predict whether a child with hearing loss will also have vestibular loss.

Method

A retrospective chart review was completed on 186 children with hearing loss seen at Boys Town National Research Hospital for vestibular testing from 1999 to 2015 through neurosensory genetics clinic or cochlear implant candidacy. Each child's medical chart was reviewed to obtain the following data: vestibular loss severity (classified as normal, bilateral, or mild to moderate), degree of hearing loss (bilateral pure-tone average [PTA]), imaging abnormalities (classified as “normal” or “abnormal”), parental concerns for gross motor delay (classified as “yes, there is concern” or “no, there is not a concern”), parent report of age when their child sat (months) and walked independently (months), comorbidities (classified as “yes” if there were 1 or more comorbidities or “no” if there were no comorbidities), and score on the Developmental Profile-3.

Results

Children were grouped according to vestibular loss severity; 115 children had normal vestibular function, 31 had bilateral vestibular loss, and 40 had mild-to-moderate vestibular loss. As severity of vestibular loss increased, children (a) sat and walked later, (b) scored more poorly on the Developmental Profile-3 physical subscale, (c) had more severe hearing loss, (d) had parents who more frequently reported concern for gross motor delay, and (e) were more likely to have other comorbidities. Of these factors, age-to-sit, age-to-walk, PTA, and parental concerns for gross motor developmental delay had the greatest ability to differentiate children with vestibular loss from children with normal vestibular function.

For age-to-sit, using a cutoff value of 7.25 months yielded a sensitivity of 62% and a specificity of 81%. For age-to-walk, a cutoff value of 14.5 months yielded a sensitivity of 78% and a specificity of 77%. For PTA for the neurosensory genetics group, a cutoff value of 40 dB yielded a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 55%; however, a cutoff value of 66 dB yielded a sensitivity of 33% and an improved specificity of 91%.

Conclusions

A referral for vestibular evaluation should be considered for children whose hearing loss is greater than 66 dB and particularly those who sit later than 7.25 months or walk later than 14.5 months or whose parents report concerns for gross motor development. Collectively, these factors appear to be more sensitive for identifying children with bilateral vestibular loss compared with children with mild-to-moderate vestibular loss. Because of the benefit of physical therapy, children identified with vestibular loss should then be referred to physical therapy for further evaluation and treatment.
Chemistry of a newly detected circumbinary disk in Ophiuchus
Authors: Artur de la Villarmois Elizabeth , Kristensen Lars E. , Jørgensen Jes K. , Bergin Edwin A. , Brinch Christian , Frimann Søren , Harsono Daniel , Sakai Nami , Yamamoto Satoshi
Published: February 2018

Context. Astronomers recently started discovering exoplanets around binary systems. Therefore, understanding the formation and evolution of circumbinary disks and their environment is crucial for a complete scenario of planet formation.

Aims. The purpose of this paper is to present the detection of a circumbinary disk around the system Oph-IRS67 and analyse its chemical and physical structure.

Methods. We present high-angular-resolution (0.′′4, ~60 AU) observations of C17O, H13CO+, C34S, SO2, C2H and c−C3H2 molecular transitions with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) at wavelengths of 0.8 mm. The spectrally and spatially resolved maps reveal the kinematics of the circumbinary disk as well as its chemistry. Molecular abundances are estimated using the non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) radiative-transfer tool RADEX.

Results. The continuum emission agrees with the position of Oph-IRS67 A and B, and reveals the presence of a circumbinary disk around the two sources. The circumbinary disk has a diameter of ~620 AU and is well traced by C17O and H13CO+ emission. Two further molecular species, C2H and c−C3H2, trace a higher-density region which is spatially offset from the sources (~430 AU). Finally, SO2 shows compact and broad emission around only one of the sources, Oph-IRS67 B. The molecular transitions which trace the circumbinary disk are consistent with a Keplerian profile on smaller disk scales (≲200 AU) and an infalling profile for larger envelope scales (≳200 AU). The Keplerian fit leads to an enclosed mass of 2.2 M⊙. Inferred CO abundances with respect to H2 are comparable to the canonical ISM value of 2.7 × 10−4, reflecting that freeze-out of CO in the disk midplane is not significant.

Conclusions. Molecular emission and kinematic studies prove the existence and first detection of the circumbinary disk associated with the system Oph-IRS67. The high-density region shows a different chemistry than the disk, being enriched in carbon chain molecules. The lack of methanol emission agrees with the scenario where the extended disk dominates the mass budget in the innermost regions of the protostellar envelope, generating a flat density profile where less material is exposed to high temperatures, and thus, complex organic molecules would be associated with lower column densities. Finally, Oph-IRS67 is a promising candidate for proper motion studies and the detection of both circumstellar disks with higher-angular-resolution observations.
Drying Kinetics and Optimisation of Pectin Extraction from Banana Peels via Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Bee Lin Chua , Yek Cze Chong
Published: February 2018

Banana peels which are the waste in abundance, are used to extract valuable pectin. The gelling ability of the pectin has gained attention in food and pharmaceutical industries. This research aims to select the best drying kinetic model for banana peels and also optimize the pectin extraction process using Box-Behnken response surface design (BBD). Determination of pectin gelling mechanism using degree of esterification (DE) is also focused in this research. In this study, oven drying with temperature 50°C was chosen as the best drying temperature due to highest extraction yield. Furthermore, Page-Two-term model was selected as the best model to describe the drying kinetics of banana peels due to highest R2 value (0.9991) and lowest RMSE value (0.001). The optimal extraction conditions given by BBD were 75°C extraction temperature, 23 min extraction time and 1:33.3 g/ml solid-liquid ratio. Likewise, the DE for both pectins extracted using unoptimised and optimised conditions were 71.92±1.38% and 76.1±2.07% respectively. Both of the pectins were classified as high-methoxyl pectins. The pectin with higher DE also indicated that the rate of gel formation is higher. The results showed that the pectin yield and gelling time has successfully improved after optimised the pectin extraction process.
Removal of Dye in Wastewater by Adsorption-Coagulation Combined System with Hibiscus sabdariffa as the Coagulant
Authors: Hoong Ho Nicholas Jian , Ismail Nurhazwani
Published: February 2018

The conventional process to treat dye wastewater is the physicochemical treatment such as coagulation, flocculation and adsorption process. A new approach has been demonstrated to treat Congo red dye wastewater, which is the adsorption-coagulation hybrid process. Natural coagulant extracted from Hibiscus sabdariffa seeds is used as the coagulant while activated carbon is used as the adsorbent in this case study. The objective of this experiment is to study the significant factors that will affect the efficiency of dye removal. Then, the optimum conditions for the hybrid process is determined using Respond Surface Methodology (RSM). The variables are pH, initial dye concentration, coagulant dosage and adsorbent dosage while the response of experiment is the dye removal percentage. A three-level and four-variable Box-Behnken design (BBD) is used for the RSM. A total of 27 sets of experimental results is required to determine the optimum conditions. Jar test is used to conduct the experiment with the addition of coagulant and adsorbent simultaneously. Based on the regression model analysis and ANOVA, the highly significant factors that contribute to the dye removal efficiency through adsorption-coagulation hybrid process are pH of solution and initial dye concentration. The RSM results shows that the optimised process parameters for adsorption-coagulation hybrid process with Hibiscus sabdariffa seeds as the coagulant and activated carbon as the adsorbent are pH 2, initial dye concentration of 385 ppm, coagulant dosage of 209 mg/L and adsorbent dosage of 150 mg/L. The dye removal reaches up to 96.67% under optimum parameters.
Potential of Hibiscus Sabdariffa and Jatropha Curcas as Natural Coagulants in the Treatment of Pharmaceutical Wastewater
Authors: Sibartie Sheena , Ismail Nurhazwani
Published: February 2018

Pharmaceutical wastewater is one of the most difficult wastewater to treat due to the presence of pharmaceutical compounds resulting in high concentration of organic matter, high turbidity and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD). Chemical-based coagulation is a common method used to treat wastewater. However, the issue that has been raised with the use of chemical coagulants is their presence in water after treatment that can cause risks to the human health such as Alzheimer and cancer. Natural coagulants can be used as a safe alternative to these chemicals instead. Therefore, the objective of this experiment was to study the effect of H. Sabdariffa and J. Curcas as natural coagulants, separately and as a combination, on the treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater. Jar test experiment were carried out where beakers of 0.5L wastewater were mixed with the coagulants. The pH of the wastewater was varied from 2 to 12 while the coagulant dosage was varied from 40 to 200 mg/L. It was found that H. Sabdariffa works best at pH 4 and at a coagulant dosage of 190 mg/L with a highest turbidity removal of 35.8% and a decrease of COD by 29%. J. Curcas was found to perform best at pH 3 and with a coagulant dosage of 200 mg/L with a highest turbidity removal of 51% and a decrease of COD by 32%. When J. Curcas and H. Sabdariffa were used in combination, the optimum composition was found to be 80% J. Curcas and 20% H. Sabdariffa by weight with a maximum turbidity removal of 46.8% and a decrease in COD by 46%. In comparison between the two natural coagulants, J. Curcas is found to be a better and more suited coagulative agent for the treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater. The same experiment was carried with alum at pH 6 and coagulant dosage of 750 mg/L and a turbidity removal of 48% and a decrease in COD by 38% were recorded. In comparison with alum, J. Curcas was a better coagulant in treating the pharmaceutical wastewater. This shows that natural coagulants can be used to replace chemical coagulants in the treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater.
Assessment of Natural Deep Eutectic Solvent Pretreatment on Sugar Production from Lignocellulosic Biomass
Authors: Wan Yoon Li , Mun Yuen Jun
Published: February 2018

Before the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into fuel such as ethanol, the biomass needs to be pretreated and the yield of ethanol is highly dependent on the pretreatment efficiency. This study investigate the performance of deep eutectic solvent (DES) in pretreating sago waste which is a type of starchy biomass. The suitable type of DES in sago waste pretreatment was selected based on three criteria, which is the structural characteristic, the sugar yield during enzymatic hydrolysis and the amount of sugar loss during pretreatment. In this study, three types of DES namely Choline Chloride-Urea (ChCl-Urea), Choline Chloride-Citric acid (ChCl-CA) and Choline Chloride-Glycerol (ChCl-Glycerol) was investigated. The effect of temperature and duration on DES pretreatment was also investigated. All DES reagents were able to disrupt the structure and increase the porosity of sago waste during pretreatment. ChCl-Urea was selected in this study as it shows apparent structural disruption as examined under Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The highest glucose yield of 5.2 mg/mL was derived from enzymatic hydrolysis of ChCl-Urea pretreated sago waste. Moreover, reducing sugar loss during ChCl-Urea pretreatment was low, with only 0.8 mg/mL recorded. The most suitable temperature and duration for ChCl-Urea pretreatment is at 110°C and 3 hr. In a nutshell, the application of DES in pretreatment is feasible and other aspects such as the biodegradability and recyclability of DES is worth investigating to improve the economic feasibility of this pretreatment technique.
The Fabrication of Non-Implant 3D Printed Nose
Authors: Chuan Yong Leng , Andrews Elliot
Published: February 2018

Non-surgical rhinoplasty procedures which involves the use of injectable derma fillers are highly risky as patients are susceptible to side effects and complications that may cause unwanted changes in their appearance. This research explores an alternative method of non-surgical rhinoplasty for patients seeking augmentation of the nose with the use of three-dimensional (3D) printing. Most rhinoplasty procedures are conducted with the intention of enhancing the aesthetical features of the nose, a 3D model nose was designed based on the combination of the average and the ideal aesthetic parameters of the Northern European Caucasians and South Asia Chinese nose. The modelling of nose is done using the SolidWorks CAD software. An initial design was sketched in a polygon mesh form and further improved on. Different printing materials and infill densities were compared to determine the suitable printing technique. The final nose model is then printed using the Ultimaker 3D printer using Polylactic acid (PLA) with an infill density of 100% at a thickness of 1.4 mm. An inner layer to the 3D printed nose was developed for comfortable attachment of the nose model to human skin. The inner layer was fabricated using agar gelatine. Experiments were carried out to increase the strength and adhesiveness of the gelatine so that it could adhere to the human skin and the PLA surface. Tensile and adhesive strength tests were carried out to determine the suitable gel composition for the attachment of the nose to the user’s face. The key outcome from the experiments using natural gelatine was capability of gel to act as an inner layer for the temporary attachment of the 3D nose model to the human skin
Assessing Bioinspired Topographies for their Antifouling Potential Control Using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
Authors: Ling Jacky , Myan Felicia Wong Yen
Published: February 2018

Biofouling is the accumulation of unwanted material on surfaces submerged or semi submerged over an extended period. This study investigates the antifouling performance of a new bioinspired topography design. A shark riblets inspired topography was designed with Solidworks and CFD simulations were antifouling performance. The study focuses on the fluid flow velocity, the wall shear stress and the appearance of vortices are to be noted to determine the possible locations biofouling would most probably occur. The inlet mass flow rate is 0.01 kgs-1 and a no-slip boundary condition was applied to the walls of the fluid domain. Simulations indicate that Velocity around the topography averaged at 7.213 x 10-3 ms-1. However, vortices were observed between the gaps. High wall shear stress is observed at the peak of each topography. In contrast, wall shear stress is significantly low at the bed of the topography. This suggests the potential location for the accumulation of biofouling. Results show that bioinspired antifouling topography can be improved by reducing the frequency of gaps between features. Linear surfaces on the topography should also be minimized. This increases the avenues of flow for the fluid, thus potentially increasing shear stresses with surrounding fluid leading to better antifouling performance.
Comparisons of Flow Patterns over a Hierarchical and a Non-hierarchical Surface in Relation to Biofouling Control
Authors: Bin Ahmad Fawzan Mohammed Ridha , Wong Yen Myan Felicia
Published: February 2018

Biofouling can be defined as unwanted deposition and development of organisms on submerged surfaces. It is a major problem as it causes water contamination, infrastructures damage and increase in maintenance and operational cost especially in the shipping industry. There are a few methods that can prevent this problem. One of the most effective methods which is using chemicals particularly Tributyltin has been banned due to adverse effects on the environment. One of the non-toxic methods found to be effective is surface modification which involves altering the surface topography so that it becomes a low-fouling or a non-stick surface to biofouling organisms. Current literature suggested that non-hierarchical topographies has lower antifouling performance compared to hierarchical topographies. It is still unclear if the effects of the flow on these topographies could have aided in their antifouling properties. This research will use Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations to study the flow on these two topographies which also involves comparison study of the topographies used. According to the results obtained, it is shown that hierarchical topography has higher antifouling performance compared to non-hierarchical topography. This is because the fluid characteristics at the hierarchical topography is more favorable in controlling biofouling. In addition, hierarchical topography has higher wall shear stress distribution compared to non-hierarchical topography
Prediction of Cyclists Movement in Different Terrain Conditions
Authors: A/L V.Nagarrettinam Mahesh , CV Aravind , Nabi Poor Mohsen
Published: February 2018

In Malaysia, most of the accidents involving a bicycle and another vehicle are due to either the driver or rider ‘failing to look properly’. This is more significant with the government initiatives to support the use of bicycle making the carbon-free environment, a vision of TN50. This research addresses the safety aspect of the cyclists in terms of the driver’s point of view which improves cyclist visibility during driving. The proposed helmet system implements a rule-based algorithm which predicts the turning and braking movement of the cyclists. With this system, additional illumination and signaling are provided for the cyclists. The major challenge faced is the implementation of an algorithm for various situations of cycling. To ensure the system could be used on the road, the accuracy and speed of the automatic signaling system need to adhere. Situations that affects the output of the indicators include bicycle speed, the angle of turning, body tilt, duration of turn and random body movements. This paper implements a 3-axis accelerometer and a microcontroller in a data logger to acquire the required data which are analyzed in MATLAB. Using filtering technique, the acquired data are then be cleaned to remove noise due to vibration during cycling. The characteristics of braking and turning are then analyzed in the time domain as well as frequency domain to ensure the optimum algorithm used for gesture recognition and movement prediction. The algorithm is based on sliding window, FFT and threshold-based rule algorithm. The output based on the rule-based algorithm then illuminate the corresponding signals which provide the safety feature of the system.
Design Analysis of Taper Width Variations in Magnetless Linear Machine for Traction Applications
Authors: Saadha Aminath , Aravind CV , Krishna Preshant , Azhar F.
Published: February 2018

Linear motors are being used in a different application with a huge popularity in the use of transport industry. With the invention of maglev trains and other high-speed trains, linear motors are being used for the translation and braking applications for these systems. However, a huge drawback of the linear motor design is the cogging force, low thrust values, and voltage ripples. This paper aims to study the force analysis with change in taper/teeth width of the motor stator and mover to understand the best teeth ratio to obtain a high flux density and a high thrust. The analysis is conducted through JMAG software and it is found that the optimum teeth ratio for both the stator and mover gives an increase of 94.4% increases compared to the 0.5mm stator and mover width.
Effect of deformation and annealing temperature on the mechanical properties and microstructure of Al-4.5Zn-1.5Mg-0.9Cr (wt. %) alloy fabricated by squeeze casting
Authors: Agustianingrum Maya Putri , Arandana Nuzulian Akbar , Wijanarko Risly , Sofyan Bondan Tiara
Published: February 2018

In order to produce structural products, Al-Zn-Mg alloys undergo various forming processes. Problems that are usually found in the forming process include peripheral coarse grain (PCG) and hot tearing which decrease mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the alloys. Addition of microalloying element such as chromium (Cr) is an alternative to overcome these problems. The presence of Cr in Al-Zn-Mg alloys supresses the grain growth by preventing excess recrystallization. In this research 0.9 wt. % Cr was added to Al-4.5Zn-1.5Mg alloy and the deformation behaviour as well as subsequent recrystallization was observed. The alloy was fabricated by squeeze casting followed by homogenization at 400 °C for 4 h. The samples were cold rolled for 5, 10, and 20 %. The 20 % deformed samples were then annealed at 300, 400, and 500 °C for 2 h. Material characterization consisted of microstructure analysis using optical microscope and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) – Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), hardness testing using Micro Vicker methods. The results showed that the deformed grain ratio was 1.6, 2.84, and 2.99 in the 5, 10, and 20 % deformed samples, respectively. The elongated dendrites were effective to increase the hardness of the alloy. Recrystallization was not detected during annealing at 300 and 400 °C, but was observed at 500 °C. Whereas, for the samples without Cr addition, recrystallization occurred at 400 °C. It means that the addition of Cr increased the recrystallization temperature of the alloy. It occured because (Al, Zn)7Cr dispersoids with size less than 1 μm impeded the dislocation motion during annealing, so that recrystallization was retarded. On the other hand (Al, Zn)7Cr dispersoids with size more than 1 μm promoted the formation of new grains around them by Particle Stimulated Nucleation (PSN) mechanism. In this case, the fine (Al, Zn)7Cr dominated so that recrystallization was slower.
Mechatronics Design of an Autonomous Pipe-Inspection Robot
Authors: Abdellatif Mohamed , Mohamed Hazem , Hesham Mohamed , Abdelmoneim Ahmed , Kamal Amro , Khaled Ahmed
Published: February 2018

Pipelines require periodical inspection to detect corrosion, deformation and congestion with obstacles in the network. Autonomous mobile robots are good solutions for this task. Visual information from the pipe interior associated with a location stamp is needed for inspection. In this paper, the previous designs of autonomous robots are reviewed and a new robot is developed to ensure simple design and smooth motion. Images are processed online to detect irregularity in pipe and then start capturing high resolution pictures to conserve the limited memory size. The new robot moves in pipes and provides video stream of pipe interior with location stamp. The visual information can later be processed offline to extract more information of pipeline condition to make maintenance decisions.
Power Loss and Heat Dissipation Characteristics of High-Power Electromechanical Actuators
Authors: Peng Li , Zhi-gang Gao , Jun Zhou
Published: February 2018

Due to serious power loss and heating caused by compact volume and high power density of high power electromechanical actuator (EMA), thermal analysis is becoming the key aspects in its design optimization. Numerical calculation method is proposed to calculate the electrical loss, iron core loss and drive chain mechanical loss in EMA. An equivalent thermal network model based on lumped parameters is established, with the acquisition of heat transfer matrix equation of all network nodes. Temperature rise of each part of the EMA is obtained by solving the equation. By comparison of simulated temperature rise in rated operating condition with test results, the accuracy of the model is verified. Then temperature rise simulation of EMA under simulated actual flight condition is carried out, with the results showing positive guidelines in the optimization design of EMA systems.
Research and Implementation of Tractor Power Shift Clutch Control System
Authors: Li Chengjun , Ke Meicong , Wu Youyu
Published: February 2018

Applying power shift control technology on tractor can improve the power, economy and driving comfort of tractor. The separation and engagement control of clutch in tractor power shift transmission system is the key factor to optimize the quality of shift. Through many experiments and tests, an electronic control unit based on MC9S12 was developed, and an effective clutch control strategy was put forward, which improved the jerk of power shift and shortened the gear shift time.
Design and Optimization of Automatic Shifting Mechanism for the Tractor
Authors: Sun Shiheng , Shi Huiting
Published: February 2018

The stability of the shifting mechanism is the basis of the reliability of the automatic shift system. The gear shifting process of Taishan TG1804 tractor is hard and long. In order to solve this problem, we design a tractor automatic shift system and apply it to the tractor successfully. This paper designs a shifting mechanism, optimizes the shifting mechanism and dose the dynamic bench test. The test results prove that the optimized shifting mechanism is more reliable and more reasonable.
Research on Vibration of Automobile Suspension Design
Authors: Yang Jun , Dong Mingming
Published: February 2018

In this paper, a seven-degree-of-freedom three-dimensional vibration model of a vehicle is established based on the parameters of a vehicle. Considering the hysteresis effect of pavement incentives of rear wheel, the random vibration of the vehicle is simulated by MATLAB / SIMULINK. After changing the stiffness, the acceleration of the vehicle body and the seat, suspension dynamic deflection and relative dynamic load are compared to select the suitable stiffness to achieve optimal ride performance. It can provide a reference for the one who is designing vehicle suspension.
Aerodynamic research of a racing car based on wind tunnel test and computational fluid dynamics
Authors: Wang Jianfeng , Li Hao , Liu Yiqun , Liu Tao , Gao Haibo
Published: February 2018

Wind tunnel test and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation are two main methods for the study of automotive aerodynamics. CFD simulation software solves the results in calculation by using the basic theory of aerodynamic. Calculation will inevitably lead to bias, and the wind tunnel test can effectively simulate the real driving condition, which is the most effective aerodynamics research method. This paper researches the aerodynamic characteristics of the wing of a racing car. Aerodynamic model of a racing car is established. Wind tunnel test is carried out and compared with the simulation results of computational fluid dynamics. The deviation of the two methods is small, and the accuracy of computational fluid dynamics simulation is verified. By means of CFD software simulation, the coefficients of six aerodynamic forces are fitted and the aerodynamic equations are obtained. Finally, the aerodynamic forces and torques of the racing car travel in bend are calculated.
Analytical Velocity Study in a Conical Diffuser with Screw Tape Inserts
Authors: Sabah Shukri Ehan
Published: February 2018

A study is made to enhance the rate of velocity distribution in a conical diffuser. In this work, a numerical analysis on screw tape inserts in a conical diffuser is presented. In the numerical simulations, the swirling flow was introduced by using rectangular screw tape placed inside the inner test wall of the conical diffuser. Screw tape with different aspect ratios (AS) 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, 6.5 and 7.5 was analysed. The simulations were carried out with constant inlet condition considering the flow turbulent and incompressible with inlet Reynolds number 3.2 × 105. The simulations were performed using air as a working fluid. The results obtained from the conical diffuser with screw tape inserts are compared with those without screw tape (plain conical diffuser). On the basis of the same inlet boundary conditions for the screw tape in the conical diffuser and the plain conical diffuser, it was found that the velocity distribution performance of screw tape inserts with different AS is better than plain conical diffuser. It is also observed that the screw tape with AS 3.5 offered the best velocity distribution rate.
Experimental Study on Friction of Hydraulic Cylinder in Different Sealing Systems
Authors: Ma Ke , Wang Jiawei , Gu Le
Published: February 2018

The friction of the hydraulic cylinder mainly comes from the sealing part, the existence of friction leads the wear of the seal. In view of the serious impact of the damage of the seal on the hydraulic cylinder, a set of sealing test system was designed, for the purpose of investigation and analysis on the performance of different sealing kit configuration, in terms of friction with given hydraulic medium. In this paper, there will be the introduction of the principles, constitutions and functions of the testing system. The experimental results provide data support for the design and selection of sealing system of the hydraulic cylinder.
Measurement of Global Solar Radiation data using Raspberry Pi and its estimation using Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Priya S.Shanmuga , Borkataky Arunabh , Reddy Sneha , Thirunavukkarasu I.
Published: February 2018

The demand for more efficient and environmentally benign, non-conventional sources of energy came into picture due to increasing demands for human comforts. Solar energy is now the ultimate option. In this paper, the instruments used to measure the solar radiation at Innovation Centre, MIT Manipal were connected to a Raspberry Pi to access the data remotely. Genetic Algorithms were formulated, so that the monthly mean global solar radiation in Manipal can be effectively estimated. Meteorological data such as humidity, temperature, wind speed, etc. were used as inputs to train the networks. A successful network was made between the data loggers and the Raspberry Pi. The data collected by the data loggers from the devices are transmitted to the Raspberry Pi which in turn sends the data to an internal server. The Raspberry Pi can be accessed using any SSH client such as PuTTY. The meteorological data was collected for the years 2010-2014 in order to formulate the Artificial Intelligence models. The validity of the formulated models were checked by comparing the measured data with the estimated data using tools such as RMSE, correlation coefficient, etc. The modelling of solar radiation using GA was carried out in GeneXpro tools version 5.0.
Study on Strategic Planning of Road and Bridge Infrastructure Development in City Planning: Taking Porto-novo City of Benin Republic as Example
Authors: Boko-haya Dossa Didier , Li Yadong , Togbenou Koffi , Liu Saizhi , Yao Changrong , Qiang Bin
Published: February 2018

Concern about the townlet infrastructure construction in developing country is one of the crucial part of county town planning and development. By taking the overall planning and design in a case study of Porto-novo city at Republic of Benin, this paper analyzes the characteristics and opportunities of Porto-novo city and puts forward corresponding infrastructure construction strategy. In the end, the paper comes up with specific plan of planning and design under the background of Porto-novo's planning of development strategy.
Combined process “helical rolling-pressing” and its effect on the microstructure of ferrous and non-ferrous materials
Authors: Naizabekov Abdrakhman , Lezhnev Sergey , Arbuz Alexandr , Panin Evgeniy
Published: February 2018

Ultrafine-grained materials are one of the most promising structural and functional materials. However, the known methods of obtaining them are not enough powerful and technologically advanced for profitable industrial applications. Development of the combined process “helical rolling-pressing” is an attempt to bring technology to produce ultrafine-grained materials to the industry. The combination of intense processing of the surface by helical rolling and the entire cross section of workpiece in equal channel angular matrix, with intense deformation by torsion between rolls and matrix will increase the degree of deformation per pass and allows to mutually compensate disadvantages of these methods in the case of their separate use. This paper describes the development of a laboratory stand and study of influence of combined process “helical rolling-pressing”on the microstructure of tool steel, technical copper and high alloy stainless high-temperature steel.
Effects of various tool pin profiles on mechanical and metallurgical properties of friction stir welded joints of cryorolled AA2219 aluminium alloy
Authors: Kamal Babu Karupannan , Panneerselvam Kavan , Sathiya Paulraj , Noorul Haq Abdul Haq , Sundarrajan Srinivasan , Mastanaiah Potta , Srinivasa Murthy Chunduri Venkata
Published: February 2018

Friction stir welding (FSW) process was conducted on cryorolled (CR) AA2219 plate using different tool pin profiles such as cylindrical pin, threaded cylindrical pin, square pin and hexagonal pin profiles. The FSW was carried out with pairs of 6 mm thick CR aluminium plates with different tool pin profiles. The different tool pin profile weld portions' behaviors like mechanical (tensile strength, impact and hardness) and metallurgical characteristics were analyzed. The results of the mechanical analysis revealed that the joint made by the hexagonal pin tool had good strength compared to other pin profiles. This was due to the pulsating action and material flow of the tool resulting in dynamic recrystallization in the weld zone. This was confirmed by the ultra fine grain structure formation in Weld Nugget (WN) of hexagonal pin tool joint with a higher percentage of precipitate dissolution. The fractograph of the hexagonal tool pin weld portion confirmed the finer dimple structure morphology without having any interior defect compared to other tool pin profiles. The lowest weld joint strength was obtained from cylindrical pin profile weld joint due to insufficient material flow during welding. The Transmission Electron Microscope and EDX analysis showed the dissolution of the metastable θ″, θ′ (Al2Cu) partial precipitates in the WN and proved the influence of metastable precipitates on enhancement of mechanical behavior of weld. The XRD results also confirmed the Al2Cu precipitation dissolution in the weld zone.
Numerical and analytical solutions of nonlinear differential equations involving fractional operators with power and Mittag-Leffler kernel
Authors: Yépez-Martínez H. , Gómez-Aguilar J.F.
Published: February 2018

Analytical and numerical simulations of nonlinear fractional differential equations are obtained with the application of the homotopy perturbation transform method and the fractional Adams-Bashforth-Moulton method. Fractional derivatives with non singular Mittag-Leffler function in Liouville-Caputo sense and the fractional derivative of Liouville-Caputo type are considered. Some examples have been presented in order to compare the results obtained, classical behaviors are recovered when the derivative order is 1.
Synthesis of Fluorinated Acridines via Sequential Micellar Buchwald–Hartwig Amination/Cyclization of Aryl Bromides
Authors: Beverina Luca , Vaghi Luca , Sanzone Alessandro , Sassi Mauro , Pagani Simone , Papagni Antonio
Published: February 2018

Fluorinated unsymmetrical acridines are efficiently prepared by means of a tandem micellar Buchwald–Hartwig amination followed by an acid-promoted cyclization. The overall process is advantageous with respect to previously described protocols both in terms of efficiency and sustainability. The role of the cosolvent in the amination step is highlighted, demonstrating that rather than resorting to highly expensive catalysts, Buchwald–Hartwig aminations can be straightforwardly carried out by tuning the reaction site polarity.