Thermodynamic characterization of poly (caprolactonediol) by inverse gas chromatography

Specific retention volumes, V _g ⁰, were determined for 21 solute probes on poly (caprolactonediol) (PCLD) in the temperature range 323.15–403.15 K by inverse gas chromatography. The retention diagrams drawn between ln V _g ⁰ versus 1/T are linear for all the solutes since PCLD with ten repeating units in its chain behaving like a non polymeric material under the conditions applied. The stationary phase with melting temperature ~321 K is in the liquid state in the GC column over the temperature range studied and hence found to be suitable to determine infinite dilution partial molar thermodynamic properties of mixing for solutes on PCLD. The V _g ⁰ values have been used to calculate weight fraction activity coefficients Ω^∞ and Flory–Huggins interaction parameters, χ ₁₂^∞. The average partial molar enthalpy of solution, [`(\Updelta H)]<sub>1</sub><sup>S</sup> , \overline{\Updelta H}_{1}^{S} , and partial molar enthalpy of mixing, [`(\Updelta H)]₁^￥ , \overline{\Updelta H}_{1}^{\infty } , are calculated using V _g ⁰ and Ω^∞ respectively. The average molar enthalpy of vaporization ΔH ₁ ^V for solutes have been calculated using [`(\Updelta H)]<sub>1</sub><sup>￥</sup> \overline{\Updelta H}_{1}^{\infty } and [`(\Updelta H)]₁^S \overline{\Updelta H}_{1}^{S} values and compared with the literature values at 363.15 K which is the average column temperature. The partial molar entropy of mixing, [`(\Updelta S)]<sub>1</sub><sup>￥</sup> \overline{\Updelta S}_{1}^{\infty } calculated at 363.15 K are in good correlation with the average [`(\Updelta H)]₁^￥ \overline{\Updelta H}_{1}^{\infty } values. The total solubility parameter due to Guillet and the Hansen solubility parameters (HSP) are calculated for PCLD using χ ₁₂^∞ values. In the present work the Hansen solubility parameters have been calculated using a new method following the Hansen theory and Huang method with less weight on polar and hydrogen bonding components. The errors in the solubility HSP are lower and the correlation coefficients are better in both the methods compared to unweighted three dimensional model.     

Systematic analysis of deficits in visual attention.

A variety of impairments in visual attention can follow damage to the brain. The authors develop systematic methods for analyzing such impairments in terms of C. Bundesen's (see record 1991-03287-001) Theory of Visual Attention and apply these in a group of 9 patients with parietal lobe lesions and variable spatial neglect. In whole report, patients report letters from brief, vertical arrays in left or right visual field. The results show substantial, largely bilateral impairments in processing capacity, implying a major nonlateralized aspect to neglect. In partial report, arrays contain 1 or 2 letters in red and/or green. The task is to report only those letters in a specified target color. In addition to the expected bias against left-sided letters, patients show striking, bilateral preservation of top-down control, or attentional priority for targets. The results show how differentiation of attentional impairments can be informed by a theory of normal function. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Real time asset tracking in the data center

The importance and difficultly of asset tracking make it worthy of attention. We focus on data centers consisting of vertical racks where each rack may accommodate a variety of equipment. We describe an asset tracking system which automatically detects and identifies equipment within rack; has “pinpoint” accuracy, i.e., location resolution equals asset size; relays this information to possibly several management back-ends; includes a back-end application that maintains a location history for all equipment; and uses a visualization tool to display both the current state and the history of deployment. The solution features a flexible architecture that simplifies the connection with both existing and future asset management applications. The architecture supports simple configuration, load balancing, and redundancy. Care has been taken to use widely recognized standards wherever possible. Recommended by Monem Beitelmal     

Monitoring the changes in soil potassium by extraction procedures and electroultrafiltration (EUF) in a Tropaquept under twenty years of rice-rice cropping

Chemical extraction procedures and electroultrafiltration (EUF) fractions were evaluated for measuring the changes in soil K in a Tropaquept as a consequence of continuous fertilizer use and rice-rice cropping for 20 years in a long-term fertilizer experiment. During the course of 20 years the gap in total K uptake by crops in treatments receiving K and those without an external K supply widened, indicating a stress on soil K reserves in the latter treatments. Readily available forms, i.e. water-soluble, 0.01 MCaCl₂, citric acid and ammonium acetate extractable K did not undergo much change. On the contrary, there was a conspicuous decrease in strongly held 3 M H₂SO₄ and 1 M boiling HNO₃ K (nonexchangeable K), as these forms replenished the soil solution K removed by the crop plants. Similarly, considerable decrease was noticed in EUF 30–35 K obtained at higher temperature and voltage, as it also represents nonexchangeable K in soils. NPK and NPK plus FYM arrested, to a greater extent, the depletion in soil K. Huge K removals, from 1000 to 3550 kg K ha^-1, by the rice crop in 20 years were not reflected in NH₄OAc K which is commonly used as a criterion for fertilizer K recommendations by the soil testing laboratories in India. The total K uptake by the rice crop during 20 years corresponded closely to the changes in nonexchangeable K as measured by 3 M H₂SO₄ and 1 M HNO₃. This suggests the need for including nonexchangeable K in soil test calibration for better K fertilizer recommendations in long-term operations.     

Detection of a new variant phenotype of phosphohexose isomerase in the Gadaba tribe of Andhra Pradesh, south India

A total of 998 unrelated individuals from the Gadaba tribal population of Andhra Pradesh, South India, were screened for red cell phosphohexose isomerase (PHI) by starch gel electrophoresis. A new and hitherto for Andhra Pradesh not yet reported rare variant phenotype was observed: PHI 6-1. The new allele is designated as PHI*6Gadaba.     

Reliability Calculations for Electrical Transmission Systems on the Basis of Mean Failure Indices

In an electric power transmission network, a fault occurring on any one of its components sometimes causes an' active event' as a result of interaction between the power system and its protection system. An outage of sections adjacent to the faulted one for a small duration is characteristic of these events. In this paper, the mean failure indices (mean probability-of-failure and mean frequency-of-failure) of a network are defined as functions of the failure indices at various load points. Several types of active events including those caused by failure of protection system are considered and their contribution to the mean failure indices of the network evaluated. The effectiveness of providing normally open paths in reducing the mean failure indices of the network is explained. The points are illustrated by examples.     

Simplified multiple source location for uncorrelated sources

This paper presents a simple computational scheme for locating multiple sources with a linear array of equally spaced antenna elements. The scheme is applicable when the sources are not correlated (and hence the covariance matrix of the received vector is Toeplitz) and the internal antenna noise variances are known a priori. The scheme has a complexity of O(m²) operations for m sources and uses the special properties of Toeplitz matrices for an efficient recursive procedure.     

Unit commitment solution methodology using genetic algorithm

Solution methodology of unit commitment (UC) using genetic algorithms (GA) is presented. Problem formulation of the unit commitment takes into consideration the minimum up and down time constraints, start up cost and spinning reserve, which is defined as minimization of the total objective function while satisfying the associated constraints. Problem specific operators are proposed for the satisfaction of time dependent constraints. Problem formulation, representation and the simulation results for a 10 generator-scheduling problem are presented     

Moringa oleiferia leaves extract: a natural antioxidant for retarding lipid peroxidation in cooked goat meat patties

The effective utilisation of Moringa oleiferia mature leaves (MOL) extract as an antioxidant in cooked goat meat patties during refrigerated storage was investigated, and its efficiency was evaluated against butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). The extract exhibited high phenolic content (48.36 mg of gallic acid equivalent per g), flavonoid (31.42 mg g^?1 of sample) being the major component. Moringa oleiferia mature leaves extract showed excellent antioxidant activity as determined by radical‐scavenging activity of 1, 1‐diphenyl 2 picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). The IC₅₀ value of MOL extract for 2, 2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging was 18.54 μg mL^?1. Total phenolic content (as gallic acid equivalent) significantly (P < 0.05) increased from 285.56 in control to 379.45 in patties with MOL extract. MOL extract (0.1%) when added to meat was found to retard lipid peroxidation of cooked goat meat patties as measured by TBARS number during refrigerated storage. The increase in TBARS number in MOL extract–treated samples was very slow and remained lowest (0.53 mg malonaldehyde per kg sample) up to 15 days. The antioxidant activity of MOL extract was found to be comparable to BHT. Addition of MOL extract did not affect any of the sensory attributes of patties. The MOL extract at a level of 100 mg/100 g meat was sufficient to protect goat meat patties against oxidative rancidity for periods longer than the most commonly used synthetic antioxidant like BHT.