Energy balanced data gathering approaches,issues and research directions

Telecommunication Systems - Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) and Internet of Things domain comprise of numerous small sized battery powered sensor nodes. Energy efficiency and energy balancing are...     

Design of a Variable Depth Axially Corrugated Horn Antenna at X-Band for Low Cross-Polarization Applications

Wireless Personal Communications - This paper presents a study of a class of iris localization algorithms in the presence of blurring. The effect of blurring is a serious problem in most image...     

Electrolyte effects on recirculating dense bubbly flow: An experimental study using X-ray imaging

In this work, the effect of an electrolyte (up to 2 M of NaCl dissolved in water) on a homogeneous dense bubbly flow, in an airlift bubble column, is studied using nonintrusive techniques. X-ray and high-speed imaging are used to investigate the bubble size distribution, the local and the global gas-fraction profiles. The major effect of the electrolyte is the bubble size distribution at the fine-pore sparger, which is a consequence of the bubble coalescence inhibition promoted by the electrolyte. The bubble plume widening, the increase in overall gas fraction, and the onset of bubble recirculation in the column can all be explained by the bubble size reduction at the fine-pore spargers. As a result of the bubble size reduction, the overall role of the electrolyte is in a reduction of the driving force for the liquid recirculation. Furthermore, an accumulation of the small bubbles causes a layer of foam at the free surface, which is dynamic in nature and induces additional bubble recirculation.     

Al-4.5Cu-2Mg合金应力-应变定位及分布的有限元分析（英文）

通过有限元方法分析不同加工路线和条件对Al-4.5Cu-2Mg合金微观形变行为的影响。合金采用4种不同的加工技术和条件制备,分别为有或无细化剂的常规重力铸造、流变铸造和SIMA工艺。以合金的光学显微结构作为代表性体积元(RVEs),采用两种不同的边界条件模拟合金在单轴载荷作用下的变形行为,最后将模拟的应力-应变行为与实验结果进行比较。结果表明,微观结构形态对应力和应变分布及承载能力具有显著影响,共晶相比α(Al)相能承受更高的载荷,具有较薄且均匀分布的共晶网络结构的球状α(Al)相能提供更好的应力和应变分布。因此,SIMA加工合金比其他技术加工合金拥有更好的应力和应变分布。最后,将该合金的模拟屈服强度与实验进行验证,结果具有较好的一致性。     

Shallow spherical shell on Pasternak foundation subjected to elevated temperature

Nonlinear static behaviour of clamped shallow spherical shell at elevated temperature and resting on Pasternak type elastic foundation is examined, using Berger's approximation. Variation of non-dimensional central deflection with foundation parameters for a given thermal loading is investigated.     

Analysis of the Disintegration of Distiller's Spent Grain Compacts as Affected by Drying in Superheated Steam

Breaking and disintegrating of biomass compacts while they are being dried in superheated steam (SS) is a common problem observed during the initial stage of SS drying. The present work investigated the moisture and temperature changes, volume and density variation, crushing resistance, and tensile strength of single cylindrical compacts produced from wet distiller's spent grain (WDG) under SS drying conditions. The wet compacts were dried in SS at 110, 130, and 150°C with SS velocities of 0.9, 1.1, and 1.4 m/s. For a specific temperature and velocity, the compacts were exposed to SS for time periods of 5, 120, 300, and 600 s and the changes in physical properties were analyzed. An increase in a percentage increase in volume by 78–130% and a decrease in density by 51–61% were observed as a result of drying the compact in SS. The results obtained from the study were compared with hot-air dried compacts for 600 s, indicating that SS drying had a substantial role in stimulating the relaxation of stresses stored in the compacts as compared with a convection hot-air drying process.     

RAPTAP: a socio-inspired approach to resource allocation and interference management in dense small cells

Wireless Networks - Femto Cells offer higher data rates to users within closed spaces. Dense deployment of small cells is a characteristic of pre-5G/LTE-Advanced Pro (LTE-A Pro) networks and is a...     

Novel approach for the development of dietary fibre-anthocyanin enriched functional bread from culinary banana bract

Dietary fibre (DF)-anthocyanin formulation was incorporated in bread to develop anthocyanin rich DF powder (ARDFP) fortified bread. Prior to incorporation of DF-anthocyanin formulation in bread preparation, the cytotoxicity of DF and anthocyanin extracts was assessed. The effect of incorporation of different level of ARDFP with moisture on bread quality characteristics such as specific volume, textural, colour, sensory properties and starch digestibility was studied. The results revealed that extracted DF and anthocyanin of culinary banana bracts were nontoxic towards peripheral blood mononuclear cell and cytotoxic towards HT29 cancerous cell line. Incorporation of 2% ARDFP with 68% moisture was rated as best with higher specific volume (5.50 cm³ g⁻¹), improved textural properties (high springiness and cohesiveness), anthocyanin content (9.08 mg per 100 g), colour characteristics and sensory acceptability next to control. The in vitro digestibility study suggested increased incorporation of ARDFP in bread flour reduced the rate of starch digestibility (0.0035 min⁻¹).     

Autonomous bioremediation of a microbial protein (bioremediase) in Pozzolana cementitious composite

The self-bioremediation in cementitious composite material is one of the most interesting avenues relating to damage management and self-life of constructions, which needs to be cogitated. The self-bioremediation of a microbial protein-impregnated cementitious material has been explored in this work. The bioremediase protein was isolated from a hot spring bacterium (BKH1) and incorporated at three different concentrations into commercial Pozzolana cements that are widely used for mortar sample preparation. Artificial cracks were generated within the mortar samples by applying partial breaking load (50 %) and the samples were cured under water for different days. Image analysis by Crackscope and microstructure analysis by field emission scanning electron microscope ascertained the formation of irregular crystalline healing material within the cracks of the test samples. X-ray diffractometer and energy dispersive spectra analyses confirmed that the irregular crystalline structures were due to the deposition of new silicate phase (Gehlenite) within the cracks. Increase of ultrasonic pulse velocity and compressive strength, augmentation of sulphate resistance, decrease of chloride permeability and water absorption capacity revealed that there were overall improvement of mechanical properties and durability of the protein-incorporated mortar samples compared to the control (without protein incorporation) mortar samples. This cost effective and eco-friendly self-bioremediation phenomenon observed in mortar is evolved due to the biosilicification activity of bioremediase protein when amended in mortar samples. The exceptional potential of the microbial bioremediase protein for self-bioremediation attribute may add a new dimension in self-healing construction technology in near future.