Dual Band PIFA MIMO Antenna Design with High Isolation for Mobile and Wireless Applications by Using the Genetics Algorithms and Non-uniform Overlapping Method

Wireless Personal Communications - Due to the development and growth of Internet platforms and web services as communication resources, the competition for the network and its limited resources is...     

Towards quantum reversible ternary coded decimal adder

Quantum ternary logic is a promising emerging technology for the future quantum computing. Ternary reversible logic circuit design has potential advantages over the binary ones like its logarithmic reduction in the number of qudits. In reversible logic all computations are done in an invertible fashion. In this paper, we propose a new quantum reversible ternary half adder with quantum cost of only 7 and a new quantum ternary full adder with a quantum cost of only 14. We termed it QTFA. Then we propose 3-qutrit parallel adders. Two different structures are suggested: with and without input carry. Next, we propose quantum ternary coded decimal (TCD) detector circuits. Two different approaches are investigated: based on invalid numbers and based on valid numbers. Finally, we propose the quantum realization of TCD adder circuits. Also here, two approaches are discussed. Overall, the proposed reversible ternary full adder is the best between its counterparts comparing the figures of merits. The proposed 3-qutrit parallel adders are compared with the existing designs and the improvements are reported. On the other hand, this paper suggested the quantum reversible TCD adder designs for the first time. All the proposed designs are realized using macro-level ternary Toffoli gates which are built on the top of the ion-trap realizable ternary 1-qutrit gates and 2-qutrit Muthukrishnan–Stroud gates.     

Alteration of Fatty Acid Profile in Fragile X Syndrome

Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is the most prevalent monogenic cause of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). Despite a common genetic etiology, the affected individuals display heterogenous metabolic abnormalities including hypocholesterolemia. Although changes in the metabolism of fatty acids (FAs) have been reported in various neuropsychiatric disorders, it has not been explored in humans with FXS. In this study, we investigated the FA profiles of two different groups: (1) an Argentinian group, including FXS individuals and age- and sex-matched controls, and (2) a French-Canadian group, including FXS individuals and their age- and sex-matched controls. Since phospholipid FAs are an indicator of medium-term diet and endogenous metabolism, we quantified the FA profile in plasma phospholipids using gas chromatography. Our results showed significantly lower levels in various plasma FAs including saturated, monosaturated, ω-6 polyunsaturated, and ω-3 polyunsaturated FAs in FXS individuals compared to the controls. A decrease in the EPA/ALA (eicosapentaenoic acid/alpha linoleic acid) ratio and an increase in the DPA/EPA (docosapentaenoic acid/eicosapentaenoic acid) ratio suggest an alteration associated with desaturase and elongase activity, respectively. We conclude that FXS individuals present an abnormal profile of FAs, specifically FAs belonging to the ω-3 family, that might open new avenues of treatment to improve core symptoms of the disorder.     

Two successive occasions resubmitted sampling scheme-based control chart

In this paper, a resubmitted sampling-based successive sampling over two successive occasions control chart is proposed to monitor the underlying characteristic of interest. Auxiliary information of the first occasion is utilized to monitor the relative change in the study variable over the second occasion successively despite high degree of correlation. The structural and operational design is presented along with the comparative performance evaluation. The average run length is used as a performance evaluation measure and proved the argument in favor of the presented concept in comparison with the other auxiliary data control charts. The implementation is explained through two real examples.     

Ethanol and lactic acid production using sap squeezed from old oil palm trunks felled for replanting

Old oil palm trunks that had been felled for replanting were found to contain large quantities of high glucose content sap. Notably, the sap in the inner part of the trunk accounted for more than 80% of the whole trunk weight. The glucose concentration of the sap from the inner part was 85.2 g/L and decreased towards the outer part. Other sugars found in relatively low concentrations were sucrose, fructose, galactose, xylose, and rhamnose. In addition, oil palm sap was found to be rich in various kinds of amino acids, organic acids, minerals and vitamins. Based on these findings, we fermented the sap to produce ethanol using the sake brewing yeast strain, Saccharomyces cerevisiae Kyokai no.7. Ethanol was produced from the sap without the addition of nutrients, at a comparable rate and yield to the reference fermentation on YPD medium with glucose as a carbon source. Likewise, we produced lactic acid, a promising material for bio-plastics, poly-lactate, from the sap using the homolactic acid bacterium Lactobacillus lactis ATCC19435. We confirmed that sugars contained in the sap were readily converted to lactic acid with almost the same efficiency as the reference fermentation on MSR medium with glucose as a substrate. These results indicate that oil palm trunks felled for replanting are a significant resource for the production of fuel ethanol and lactic acid in palm oil-producing countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia.     

Synthesis,Structural and Biomedical Characterization of Hydroxyapatite/Borosilicate Bioactive Glass Nanocomposites

Journal of Inorganic and Organometallic Polymers and Materials - In this work, a borosilicate glass sample (5SiO2–45B2O3–20Na2O–25CaO–5Ag2O) was added to nano-sized...     

Enhancement of mechanical and thermal properties of polycaprolactone/chitosan blend by calcium carbonate nanoparticles

This study investigates the effects of calcium carbonate (CaCO(3)) nanoparticles on the mechanical and thermal properties and surface morphology of polycaprolactone (PCL)/chitosan nanocomposites. The nanocomposites of PCL/chitosan/CaCO(3) were prepared using a melt blending technique. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results indicate the average size of nanoparticles to be approximately 62 nm. Tensile measurement results show an increase in the tensile modulus with CaCO(3) nanoparticle loading. Tensile strength and elongation at break show gradual improvement with the addition of up to 1 wt% of nano-sized CaCO(3). Decreasing performance of these properties is observed for loading of more than 1 wt% of nano-sized CaCO(3). The thermal stability was best enhanced at 1 wt% of CaCO(3) nanoparticle loading. The fractured surface morphology of the PCL/chitosan blend becomes more stretched and homogeneous in PCL/chitosan/CaCO(3) nanocomposite. TEM micrograph displays good dispersion of CaCO(3) at lower nanoparticle loading within the matrix.     

Effects of silver nanoparticles on thermal properties of DBSA-doped polyaniline/PVC blends

Dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid (DBSA)-doped polyaniline (PAND) has been synthesized by redoping (PANDR) and aqueous polymerization (PANDA) methods. Silver nanoparticles were incorporated into the PANDR/tetrahydrofuran solution (PANDS) and then mixed with poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC) solution to prepare PANDS/PVC nanocomposites. In the present study, effects of silver nanoparticles on thermal properties of PAND/PVC blends have been investigated by employing thermal gravimetric analysis and heat flow microcalorimetry techniques. From these results it has been observed that the thermal stability of blends have increased by increasing the concentration of PAND in blends and nanocomposites. Addition of silver nanoparticles has suppressed the dehydrochlorination process and evolution/degradation of DBSA in PANDS/PVC nanocomposites. Presence of silver nanoparticles in PAND/PVC nanocomposites has reduced the mobility of PANI chains which in turn inhibited the transfer of free radicals formed during degradation of PAND and PVC through inter-chain reactions; hence, degradation process has been slowed down and thermal stability has been improved. Embedment of silver nanoparticles has reduced thermal weight loss corresponding to polymer degradation step and attains lower heat flow level in inert atmosphere for nanocomposites in contrast to those with no nanoparticles, thereby further improving thermal stability of nanocomposites. The heats of oxidation measured for blends and nanocomposites were independent of PAND/PVC blends composition.     

On the Refinement Mechanism of Silicon in Al-Si-Cu-Zn Alloy with Addition of Bismuth

Obtained results of micro and nano studies reveal that bismuth refines the silicon in which the flake silicon changed to lamellar structure with reduction in twin spacing from 160 to 75 nm. Bismuth segregates towards the inter-dendritic regions and decreases the Al-Si contact angle resulting in suppression of the silicon growth causing refinement of the eutectic structure. Increased recalescence temperature and time confirmed that the refinement effect is attributed to the growth stage.