Multi-scale completed local binary patterns for ulcer detection in wireless capsule endoscopy images

Multimedia Tools and Applications - This paper deals with ulcer abnormalities detection of small bowel, from wireless capsule endoscopy images (WCE). We propose a multi-scale approach based on...     

Kharasch addition of tetrachloromethane to alkenes catalyzed by metal acetylacetonates

Various transition metal acetylacetonates have proven to be efficient catalytic systems for the Kharasch addition of tetrachloromethane to alkenes under mild conditions, providing 1:1 adducts in up to 87% yield, based on internal standard. The nature of metal, solvent, temperature, olefin/CCl₄ ratio and the presence of nucleophilic co-catalysts were tested to evaluate the scope and limitation of the reaction.     

Fuzzy energy management of hybrid renewable power system with the aim to extend component lifetime

In this paper, a fuzzy energy management algorithm for a hybrid renewable power system based on lifetime extending is presented. When the system contains two storage elements or more, the selection of the suitable element to be charged or discharged becomes of paramount importance. When the storage elements are of different types, the decision will be difficult. Conventional algorithms that make series of tests to select the storage element choose always the first available element. This way of testing affects badly the most used element and may affect the other storage elements too as they rarely operate under hard load scenarios. In this study, and in order to solve this problem, two fuzzy controllers have been used to manage the energy flow for a hybrid renewable power system. It is composed of: a photovoltaic generator as a main source, a fuel cell and batteries as a storage elements. The controllers operate as master and slave. The master controller gives orders to all the system power converters and to the slave controller as well. The latter is activated only when the storage elements are at the same state of charge. It is charged, instead of the master's, to select the suitable element to be charged or discharged. Its orders are given based on lifetime functions for each element. To examine the proposed algorithm, simulations have been performed under Matlab /Simulink (The MathWorks, Inc., Massachusetts, USA). Comparison and statistics have been carried out to give the percentage of the worked hours for each element in each operating mode. The obtained results show the high performance of the proposed algorithm. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Isovalent Substitution and Heat Treatments Control of T c, Chain Oxygen Disorder and Structural Phase Transition in High T c Superconductors (Y1−x Nd x )SrBaCu3O6+z

We report here on the preparation, X-ray diffraction with Rietveld refinement, AC magnetic susceptibility measurements and effect of heat treatments in (Y_1?x Nd _x )SrBaCu₃O_6+z . Each sample was subject to two types of heat treatment: oxygen annealing [O] and argon annealing followed by oxygen annealing [AO]. For each x, the [AO] heat treatment increases the orthorhombicity ε=(b?a)/(b+a) (for 0≤x<1), T _c (for x>0.2) and the distance d[Cu(1)–(Sr/Ba)] (decrease T _c) for x<0.25 and decrease it (increase T _c) for x>0.25. When x increase from 0 to 1, ε decreases to 0 with transition from orthorhombic to tetragonal structure. ε[O] decreases with T _c[O]. However, T _c[AO] decreases with ε[AO] until x=0.2, increases for x=0.4 and after it decreases by 9.8 K to 77.2 K for x=1 [AO]. Remarkable correlations were observed between T _c(x) and the volume of the unit cell V(x); and between δT _c(x)=T _c[AO]?T _c[O] and δε(x). A combination of several factors such as decrease in d[Cu(1)–(Sr/Ba)]; increase in cationic and chain oxygen ordering; the number p _sh(x) of holes by Cu(2)–O₂ superconducting plans and in-phase purity for the [AO] samples may account for the observed data.     

Photochromic films prepared by vacuum co-deposition of polymer and spiropyrans

Photochromic polymer thin films have been prepared by vacuum co-deposition of PTFE and several spirocompounds. Their photochromic properties were studied with the use of the spectral-kinetic method. A number of positive properties for application of these films were found.     

Optical emission from Be, Cu and CuBe targets during ion beam sputtering

A spectral structure of the radiation (190-590 nm) emitted during sputtering of polycrystalline Cu, Be and CuBe targets by Kr⁺ ions with 5 keV have been presented. Evolution of surface composition during ion beam sputtering is investigated. Several time scales are distinguished, corresponding to different processes: the elimination of surface contaminants, the removal of the corroded layer. The implications for the use of ion beam optical spectroscopy in surface analysis are discussed. In the case of Be and Cu98 Be2, a molecular structure appears between 492 nm and 502 nm. It is similar for both samples and is ascribed to de-excitation of BeH.     

Removal of Cr(VI) from Model Solutions by a Combined Electrocoagulation Sorption Process

The elimination of hexavalent chromium from synthetic effluents in a batch stirred electrocoagulation cell with aluminum electrodes coupled with a sorption process using red onion skin adsorbent is addressed. The effect of process variables such as medium pH and adsorbent concentration was investigated in an attempt to optimize the removal capacity. Adsorption and electrocoagulation were first considered separately, with maximum Cr(VI) removal yields of 47 % and 78 %, respectively, at pH 2. When combining the two processes, a removal of 97 % of the total Cr(VI) in a pH range of 3–6 was achieved. The almost total elimination observed for the considered pollutant demonstrated the feasibility and the synergistic effect of the coupled process.     

Experimental and numerical investigation on single specimen methods of determination of J in rubber materials

In this paper, we have verified the validity of some formulations allowing the determination of the fracture surface energy in the case of rubber-like materials. The J-integral is chosen as a fracture characterizing parameter which is experimentally determined by considering a multiplying form that; numerically evaluated using a finite element method. The numerical results are compared to the experimental data and a good agreement has been pointed out for the deeply cracked specimen (a/w0.5). Below this limit, a significant divergence is observed which is attributed to a lack of accuracy of the experimental data processing.