Abstract: Atmospheric plasma is emerging as a promising
technology for many industrial sectors, because of its ecological and
economic advantages respect to the traditional production processes.
For textile industry, atmospheric plasma is becoming a valid
alternative to the conventional wet processes, but the plasma
machines realized so far do not allow the treatment of fibrous
mechanically weak material.
Novel atmospheric plasma machine for industrial applications,
developed by VenetoNanotech SCpA in collaboration with Italian
producer of corona equipment ME.RO SpA is presented. The main
feature of this pre-industrial scale machine is the possibility of the inline
plasma treatment of delicate fibrous substrates such as fibre
sleeves, for example wool tops, cotton fibres, polymeric tows,
mineral fibers and so on, avoiding burnings and disruption of the
faint materials.
Abstract: Films of pure tin oxide SnO2 and in presence of
antimony atoms (SnO2-Sb) deposited onto glass substrates have
shown a sufficiently high energy gap to be transparent in the visible
region, a high electrical mobility and a carrier concentration which
displays a good electrical conductivity [1]. In this work, the effects of
polycrystalline silicon substrate on the optical properties of pure and
Sb doped tin oxide is investigated.
We used the APCVD (atmospheric pressure chemical vapour
deposition) technique, which is a low-cost and simple technique,
under nitrogen ambient, for growing this material. A series of SnO2
and SnO2-Sb have been deposited onto polycrystalline silicon
substrates with different contents of antimony atoms at the same
conditions of deposition (substrate temperature, flow oxygen,
duration and nitrogen atmosphere of the reactor). The effect of the
substrate in terms of morphology and nonlinear optical properties,
mainly the reflectance, was studied. The reflectance intensity of the
device, compared to the reflectance of tin oxide films deposited
directly on glass substrate, is clearly reduced on the overall
wavelength range. It is obvious that the roughness of the poly-c
silicon plays an important role by improving the reflectance and
hence the optical parameters.
A clear shift in the minimum of the reflectance upon doping level
is observed. This minimum corresponds to strong free carrier
absorption, resulting in different plasma frequency. This effect is
followed by an increase in the reflectance depending of the antimony
doping. Applying the extended Drude theory to the combining
optical and electrical obtained results these effects are discussed.
Abstract: This paper concerns a formal model to help the
simulation of agent societies where institutional roles and
institutional links can be specified operationally. That is, this paper
concerns institutional roles that can be specified in terms of a minimal behavioral capability that an agent should have in order to
enact that role and, thus, to perform the set of institutional functions that role is responsible for. Correspondingly, the paper concerns
institutional links that can be specified in terms of a minimal
interactional capability that two agents should have in order to, while
enacting the two institutional roles that are linked by that institutional
link, perform for each other the institutional functions supported by
that institutional link. The paper proposes a cognitive architecture
approach to institutional roles and institutional links, that is, an approach in which a institutional role is seen as an abstract cognitive
architecture that should be implemented by any concrete agent (or set of concrete agents) that enacts the institutional role, and in which
institutional links are seen as interactions between the two abstract
cognitive agents that model the two linked institutional roles. We
introduce a cognitive architecture for such purpose, called the
Institutional BCC (IBCC) model, which lifts Yoav Shoham-s BCC
(Beliefs-Capabilities-Commitments) agent architecture to social
contexts. We show how the resulting model can be taken as a means
for a cognitive architecture account of institutional roles and
institutional links of agent societies. Finally, we present an example
of a generic scheme for certain fragments of the social organization
of agent societies, where institutional roles and institutional links are
given in terms of the model.
Abstract: This paper reports on the theoretical performance
analysis of the 1.3 μm In0.42Ga0.58As /In0.26Ga0.74As multiple quantum
well (MQW) vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) on the
ternary In0.31Ga0.69As substrate. The output power of 2.2 mW has
been obtained at room temperature for 7.5 mA injection current. The
material gain has been estimated to be ~3156 cm-1 at room
temperature with the injection carrier concentration of 2×1017 cm-3.
The modulation bandwidth of this laser is measured to be 9.34 GHz
at room temperature for the biasing current of 2 mA above the
threshold value. The outcomes reveal that the proposed InGaAsbased
MQW laser is the promising one for optical communication
system.
Abstract: In this paper, a heuristic method for simultaneous
rescue robot path-planning and mission scheduling is introduced
based on project management techniques, multi criteria decision
making and artificial potential fields path-planning. Groups of
injured people are trapped in a disastrous situation. These people are
categorized into several groups based on the severity of their
situation. A rescue robot, whose ultimate objective is reaching
injured groups and providing preliminary aid for them through a path
with minimum risk, has to perform certain tasks on its way towards
targets before the arrival of rescue team. A decision value is assigned
to each target based on the whole degree of satisfaction of the criteria
and duties of the robot toward the target and the importance of
rescuing each target based on their category and the number of
injured people. The resulted decision value defines the strength of the
attractive potential field of each target. Dangerous environmental
parameters are defined as obstacles whose risk determines the
strength of the repulsive potential field of each obstacle. Moreover,
negative and positive energies are assigned to the targets and
obstacles, which are variable with respects to the factors involved.
The simulation results show that the generated path for two cases
studies with certain differences in environmental conditions and
other risk factors differ considerably.
Abstract: Yam starch obtained from the water yam (munlued)
by the wet milling process was studied for some physicochemical
properties. Yam starch film was prepared by casting using glycerol as
a plasticizer. The effect of different glycerol (1.30, 1.65 and
2.00g/100g of filmogenic solution) and starch concentrations (3.30,
3.65 and 4.00g /100g of filmogenic solution) were evaluated on some
characteristics of the film. The temperature for obtaining the
gelatinized starch solution was 70-80°C and then dried at 45°C for 4
hours. The resulting starch from munlued granular morphology was
triangular and the average size of the granule was 26.68 μm. The
amylose content by colorimetric method was 26 % and the gelatinize
temperature was 70-80°C. The appearance of the film was smooth,
transparent, and glossy with average moisture content of 25.96% and
thickness of 0.01mm. Puncture deformation and flexibility increased
with glycerol content. The starch and glycerol concentration were a
significant factor of the yam starch film characteristics. Yam starch
film can be described as a biofilm providing many applications and
developments with the advantage of biodegradability.
Abstract: The present investigation is concerned with
sub-impacts taken placed when a rigid hemispherical-head block
transversely impacts against a beam at different locations. Dynamic
substructure technique for elastic-plastic impact is applied to solve
numerically this problem. The time history of impact force and energy
exchange between block and beam are obtained. The process of
sub-impacts is analyzed from the energy exchange point of view. The
results verify the influences of the impact location on impact duration,
the first sub-impact and energy exchange between the beam and the
block.
Abstract: The crystalline quality of the AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) structure grown on a 200 mm silicon substrate has been investigated using UV-visible micro- Raman scattering and photoluminescence (PL). The visible Raman scattering probes the whole nitride stack with the Si substrate and shows the presence of a small component of residual in-plane stress in the thick GaN buffer resulting from a wafer bowing, while the UV micro-Raman indicates a tensile interfacial stress induced at the top GaN/AlGaN/AlN layers. PL shows a good crystal quality GaN channel where the yellow band intensity is very low compared to that of the near-band-edge transition. The uniformity of this sample is shown by measurements from several points across the epiwafer.
Abstract: The ever growing sentiment of environmentalism across the globe has made many people think on the green lines. But most of such ideas halt short of implementation because of the short term economic viability issues with the concept of going green. In this paper we have tried to amalgamate the green concept with social entrepreneurship for solving a variety of issues faced by the society today. In addition the paper also tries to ensure that the short term economic viability does not act as a deterrent. The paper comes up three sustainable models of social entrepreneurship which tackle a wide assortment of issues such as nutrition problem, land problems, pollution problems and employment problems. The models described fall under the following heads: - Spirulina cultivation: The model addresses nutrition, land and employment issues. It deals with cultivation of a blue green alga called Spirulina which can be used as a very nutritious food. Also, the implementation of this model would bring forth employment to the poor people of the area. - Biocomposites: The model comes up with various avenues in which biocomposites can be used in an economically sustainable manner. This model deals with the environmental concerns and addresses the depletion of natural resources. - Packaging material from empty fruit bunches (EFB) of oil palm: This one deals with air and land pollution. It is intended to be a substitute for packaging materials made from Styrofoam and plastics which are non-biodegradable. It takes care of the biodegradability and land pollution issues. It also reduces air pollution as the empty fruit bunches are not incinerated. All the three models are sustainable and do not deplete the natural resources any further. This paper explains each of the models in detail and deals with the operational/manufacturing procedures and cost analysis while also throwing light on the benefits derived and sustainability aspects.
Abstract: Batch fermentation of 5, 10 and 25 g/L biodiesel
derived crude glycerol was carried out at 30, 37 and 450C by
Clostridium pasteurianum cells immobilized on silica. Maximum
yield of 1,3-propanediol (PDO) (0.60 mol/mol), and ethanol (0.26
mol/mol) were obtained from 10 g/L crude glycerol at 30 and 370C
respectively. Maximum yield of butanol (0.28 mol/mol substrate
added) was obtained at 370C with 25 g/L substrate. None of the three
products were detected at 45oC even after 10 days of fermentation.
Only traces of ethanol (0.01 mol/mol) were detected at 450C with 5
g/L substrate. The results obtained for 25 g/L substrate utilization
were fitted in first order rate equation to obtain the values of rate
constant at three different temperatures for bioconversion of glycerol.
First order rate constants for bioconversion of glycerol at 30, 37 and
45oC were found to be 0.198, 0.294 and 0.029/day respectively.
Activation energy (Ea) for crude glycerol bioconversion was
calculated to be 57.62 kcal/mol.
Abstract: Twelve lactating Etawah Crossedbred goats were used
in this study. Goat feed consisted of Cally andra callothyrsus,
Pennisetum purpureum, wheat bran and dried fermented cassava
peel. The cassava peels were fermented with a traditional culture
called “ragi tape" (mixed culture of Saccharomyces cerevisae,
Aspergillus sp, Candida, Hasnula and Acetobacter). The goats were
divided into 2 groups (Control and Treated) of six does. The
experimental diet of the Control group consisted of 70% of roughage
(fresh Callyandra callothyrsus and Pennisetum purpureum 60:40)
and 30% of wheat bran on dry matter (DM) base. In the Treated
group 30% of wheat bran was replaced with dried fermented cassava
peels. Data were statistically analyzed using analysis of variance
followed SPSS program. The concentration of HCN in fermented
cassava peel decreased to non toxic level. Nutrient composition of
dried fermented cassava peel consisted of 85.75% dry matter;
5.80% crude protein and 82.51% total digestible nutrien (TDN).
Substitution of 30% of wheat bran with dried fermented cassava peel
in the diet had no effect on dry matter and organic matter intake but
significantly (P< 0.05) decreased crude protein and TDN
consumption as well as milk yields and milk composition. The study
recommended to reduced the level of substitution to less than 30% of
concentrates in the diet in order to avoid low nutrient intake and milk
production of goats.
Abstract: The paper compares the treatment of fractions in a
typical undergraduate college curriculum and in abstract algebra
textbooks. It stresses that the main difference is that the
undergraduate curriculum treats equivalent fractions as equal, and
this treatment eventually leads to paradoxes and impairs the students-
ability to perceive ratios, proportions, radicals and rational exponents
adequately. The paper suggests a simplified version of rigorous
theory of fractions suitable for regular college curriculum.
Abstract: An experimental study of anaerobic treatment was performed by hybrid upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (HUASB) reactor to treat produced water (PW) of an onshore crude oil terminal (COD: 1597 mg/L, NH3-N: 14.7 mg/L, phenol: 13.8 mg/L, BOD5: 862 mg/L, sodium: 6240 mg/L and chloride 9530 mg/L). The produced water with high salinity and other toxic substances will inhibit the methanogens performance if there is no adaptation on biomass before anaerobic digestion. COD removal from produced water was investigated at five different dilutions of produced water and tap water (TW) without any nutrient addition and pre-treatment. The dilution ratios were 1PW:4TW, 2PW:3TW, 3PW:2TW, 4PW:1TW and 5PW:0TW. The reactor was evaluated at mesophilic operating condition (35 ± 2 °C) at 5 days of HRT for 250 days continuous feed. The average COD removals for 1PW:4TW, 2PW:3TW, 3PW:2TW, 4PW:1TW and 5PW:0TW were found to be approximately 76.1%, 73.8%, 70.3%, 46.3% and 61.82% respectively, with final average effluent COD of 123.7 mg/L, 240 mg/L, 294 mg/L, 589 mg/L and 738 mg/L, respectively.
Abstract: In this paper a new approach is proposed for the
adaptation of the simulated annealing search in the field of the
Multi-Objective Optimization (MOO). This new approach is called
Multi-Case Multi-Objective Simulated Annealing (MC-MOSA). It
uses some basics of a well-known recent Multi-Objective Simulated
Annealing proposed by Ulungu et al., which is referred in the
literature as U-MOSA. However, some drawbacks of this algorithm
have been found, and are substituted by other ones, especially in
the acceptance decision criterion. The MC-MOSA has shown better
performance than the U-MOSA in the numerical experiments. This
performance is further improved by some other subvariants of the
MC-MOSA, such as Fast-annealing MC-MOSA, Re-annealing MCMOSA
and the Two-Stage annealing MC-MOSA.
Abstract: According to FDA (Food and Drug Administration of the United States), vinegar is definedas a sour liquid containing at least 4 grams acetic acid in 100 cubic centimeter (4% solution of acetic acid) of solution that is produced from sugary materials by alcoholic fermentation. In the base of microbial starters, vinegars could be contained of more than 50 types of volatile and aromatic substances that responsible for their sweet taste and smelling. Recently the vinegar industry has a great proportion in agriculture, food and microbial biotechnology. The acetic acid bacteria are from the family Acetobacteraceae. Regarding to the latest version of Bergy-s Mannual of Systematic Bacteriology that has categorized bacteria in the base of their 16s RNA differences, the most important acetic acid genera are included Acetobacter (genus I), Gluconacetobacter (genus VIII) and Gluconobacter (genus IX). The genus Acetobacter that is primarily used in vinegar manufacturing plants is a gram negative, obligate aerobe coccus or rod shaped bacterium with the size 0.6 - 0.8 X 1.0 - 4.0 μm, nonmotile or motile with peritrichous flagella and catalase positive – oxidase negative biochemically. Some strains are overoxidizer that could convert acetic acid to carbon dioxide and water.In this research one Acetobacter native strain with high acetic acid productivity was isolated from Iranian white – red cherry. We used two specific culture media include Carr medium [yeast extract, 3%; ethanol, 2% (v/v); bromocresol green, 0.002%; agar, 2% and distilled water, 1000 ml], Frateur medium [yeast extract, 10 g/l; CaCO3, 20 g/l; ethanol, 20 g/l; agar, 20 g/l and distilled water, 1000 ml] and an industrial culture medium. In addition to high acetic acid production and high growth rate, this strain had a good tolerance against ethanol concentration that was examined using modified Carr media with 5%, 7% and 9% ethanol concentrations. While the industrial strains of acetic acid bacteria grow in the thermal range of 28 – 30 °C, this strain was adapted for growth in 34 – 36 °C after 96 hours incubation period. These dramatic characteristics suggest a potential biotechnological strain in production of cherry vinegar with a sweet smell and different nutritional properties in comparison to recent vinegar types. The lack of growth after 24, 48 and 72 hours incubation at 34 – 36 °C and the growth after 96 hours indicates a good and fast thermal flexibility of this strain as a significant characteristic of biotechnological and industrial strains.
Abstract: Deaminated lesions were produced via nitrosative oxidation of natural nucleobases; uracul (Ura, U) from cytosine (Cyt, C), hypoxanthine (Hyp, H) from adenine (Ade, A), and xanthine (Xan, X) and oxanine (Oxa, O) from guanine (Gua, G). Such damaged nucleobases may induce mutagenic problems, so that much attentions and efforts have been poured on the revealing of their mechanisms in vivo or in vitro. In this study, we employed these deaminated lesions as useful probes for analysis of DNA-binding/recognizing proteins or enzymes. Since the pyrimidine lesions such as Hyp, Oxa and Xan are employed as analogues of guanine, their comparative uses are informative for analyzing the role of Gua in DNA sequence in DNA-protein interaction. Several DNA oligomers containing such Hyp, Oxa or Xan substituted for Gua were designed to reveal the molecular interaction between DNA and protein. From this approach, we have got useful information to understand the molecular mechanisms of the DNA-recognizing enzymes, which have not ever been observed using conventional DNA oligomer composed of just natural nucleobases.
Abstract: Most scientific programs have large input and output
data sets that require out-of-core programming or use virtual memory
management (VMM). Out-of-core programming is very error-prone
and tedious; as a result, it is generally avoided. However, in many
instance, VMM is not an effective approach because it often results
in substantial performance reduction. In contrast, compiler driven I/O
management will allow a program-s data sets to be retrieved in parts,
called blocks or tiles. Comanche (COmpiler MANaged caCHE) is a
compiler combined with a user level runtime system that can be used
to replace standard VMM for out-of-core programs. We describe
Comanche and demonstrate on a number of representative problems
that it substantially out-performs VMM. Significantly our system
does not require any special services from the operating system and
does not require modification of the operating system kernel.
Abstract: Recently, bianisotropic media again received
increasing importance in electromagnetic theory because of advances
in material science which enable the manufacturing of complex
bianisotropic materials. By using Maxwell's equations and
corresponding boundary conditions, the electromagnetic field
distribution in bianisotropic solenoid coils is determined and the
influence of the bianisotropic behaviour of coil to the impedance and
Q-factor is considered. Bianisotropic media are the largest class of
linear media which is able to describe the macroscopic material
properties of artificial dielectrics, artificial magnetics, artificial chiral
materials, left-handed materials, metamaterials, and other composite
materials. Several special cases of coils, filled with complex
substance, have been analyzed. Results obtained by using the
analytical approach are compared with values calculated by
numerical methods, especially by our new hybrid EEM/BEM method
and FEM.
Abstract: Hemodialysis patients might suffer from unhealthy
care behaviors or long-term dialysis treatments. Ultimately they need
to be hospitalized. If the hospitalization rate of a hemodialysis center
is high, its quality of service would be low. Therefore, how to decrease
hospitalization rate is a crucial problem for health care. In this study
we combined temporal abstraction with data mining techniques for
analyzing the dialysis patients' biochemical data to develop a decision
support system. The mined temporal patterns are helpful for clinicians
to predict hospitalization of hemodialysis patients and to suggest them
some treatments immediately to avoid hospitalization.
Abstract: This paper presents design features of a rescue robot, named CEO Mission II. Its body is designed to be the track wheel type with double front flippers for climbing over the collapse and the rough terrain. With 125 cm. long, 5-joint mechanical arm installed on the robot body, it is deployed not only for surveillance from the top view but also easier and faster access to the victims to get their vital signs. Two cameras and sensors for searching vital signs are set up at the tip of the multi-joint mechanical arm. The third camera is at the back of the robot for driving control. Hardware and software of the system, which controls and monitors the rescue robot, are explained. The control system is used for controlling the robot locomotion, the 5-joint mechanical arm, and for turning on/off devices. The monitoring system gathers all information from 7 distance sensors, IR temperature sensors, 3 CCD cameras, voice sensor, robot wheels encoders, yawn/pitch/roll angle sensors, laser range finder and 8 spare A/D inputs. All sensors and controlling data are communicated with a remote control station via IEEE 802.11b Wi-Fi. The audio and video data are compressed and sent via another IEEE 802.11g Wi-Fi transmitter for getting real-time response. At remote control station site, the robot locomotion and the mechanical arm are controlled by joystick. Moreover, the user-friendly GUI control program is developed based on the clicking and dragging method to easily control the movement of the arm. Robot traveling map is plotted from computing the information of wheel encoders and the yawn/pitch data. 2D Obstacle map is plotted from data of the laser range finder. The concept and design of this robot can be adapted to suit many other applications. As the Best Technique awardee from Thailand Rescue Robot Championship 2006, all testing results are satisfied.