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Purpose: To analyse and compare the functional and radiological outcome of different methods of surgical management of humerus shaft fractures in 30 patients treated by conventional open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) or minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO). Methods: This prospective interventional study was conducted among 30 patients by dividing into two equal groups over one year and six months. All patients were followed up for a minimum of at least six months. Radiological outcome was assessed using fracture union in serial radiographs and functional outcome was measured using DASH scoring. Results: The majority of patients (26.7%) were between 18 to 30 years, overall mean age was 44.4 years, most of the patients (50%) had 12A3 AO type fractures, and 73.3% of patients had injuries following two-wheeler road traffic accidents. On comparing multiple factors, we found a statistically significant reduction of intra-operative blood loss in MIPO compared to ORIF. Though time taken for fracture union, functional outcome and complication rate were better in MIPO when compared to ORIF, these differences were not statistically significant. two patients in the MIPO group and one patient in the ORIF group had a peri-implant fracture following slip and fall again within the study period and underwent Revision plating. Excluding cases of peri-implant fractures, out of 13 patients in the MIPO group, only one patient developed fracture non-union. Of 14 patients in the ORIF group, three developed fracture non-union. Conclusion: MIPO is a safe, reproducible, efficient and good if not a better alternative to ORIF as it offers good radiological and functional outcomes with advantages of minimal soft tissue damage, minimal blood loss, better cosmesis, no incidence of radial nerve palsy and with few concerns such as the need for fluoroscopy, and a learning curve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this investigation, Cu-TiO2-Graphite hybrid composites were fabricated with variations in wt.% of TiO2 and fixed wt.% of Graphite contents through stir casting technique. The size of the grains measured after casting were 83 ± 04, 64 ± 10, 41 ± 10 and 29 ± 04 μm for 0, 3, 6, and 9 wt% hybrid composites, respectively. The addition of 1 wt.% graphite (Gr) was not only to enhance the mechanical and tribological properties but also to improve the wettability during casting. The influence of TiO2 and Gr in Cu-hybrid composite on compression test was investigated followed by characterisation studies involving XRD, EDS, TEM, EBSD. The results reveal that 9 wt% reinforced composite exhibits more strain hardening. Further, composite exhibits higher strength due to the presence of combined strengthening mechanisms such as grain boundary, Orowan and thermal expansion coefficient mismatch in commensurate with ceramic particle addition. Out of these, it is found that Orowan strengthening contributes significantly to the compression strength of the hybrid system investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the phytochemical composition, antimicrobial activity, and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Acanthus ilicifolius methanol extract. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of significant chemical components, including alkaloids, saponins, glycosides, flavonoids, and steroids. The absence of carbohydrates was also confirmed. GC-MS analysis identified 22 major compounds, with several possessing antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. FTIR spectroscopy provided further insight into the functional groups present in the plant extract. Specific absorption bands at 3313.71, 2974.23, 2885.51, 1670.35, 1450.47, 1382.96, 1087.85, 1047.35, and 881.47cm−1 were observed. The FTIR spectrum showed the presence of O–H bonds, indicating that the proteins or phenolic compounds were present. The MIC values of ethanol, methanol, and chloroform extracts of A. ilicifolius against five bacterial strains ranged from 2 to 64 μg/mL, with chloroform extract showing significant antibacterial action. The highest antibacterial activity was observed against E. coli, followed by B. subtilis. The results suggest that A. ilicifolius has potential therapeutic applications due to its diverse phytochemical composition and antimicrobial properties. Further research is needed to isolate and characterize individual bioactive compounds and assess their potential for pharmaceutical development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new shear-locking free polygonal elements is proposed for static bending and free vibration analysis of thin/thick functionally graded material plates. The domain is discretized with arbitrary polygons and Wachspress interpolants are employed for approximating the unknowns. The plate kinematics is based on Reissner-Mindlin plate theory and shear locking syndrome is suppressed by employing the novel n + 1 integration scheme based on Richardson extrapolation technique. Within this, a two stage sampling technique is introduced with the Weighted Richardson scheme to compute the system matrices. From the systematic study, it is inferred that the proposed scheme passes patch tests and yields accurate results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geometric distortion is a common occurrence in the manufacturing of fragile structures, especially in thin-walled parts. Current numerical prediction approaches in determining the extent of distortion are limited by the availability of extensive test data and the absence of specific identification of driving factor/s for distortion. To address the issue, this study proposes an innovative method to develop the hypothesis for identifying the critical contributing factors for distortion and a novel finite element based framework is developed for validating the hypothesis. The framework is implemented on a experimental non-prismatic industrial part and the results support the proposition that quenching is the most significant contributor to distortion in thin-walled parts made from Haynes 282 alloy. The framework/model provides valuable insights into the significant contributions of quenching induced thermal gradients and the material state towards part distortion. It is adaptable for predicting distortion in thin-walled geometries made of Haynes 282, overcoming the limitations of current numerical prediction methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a review of the position-sensitive detector (PSD) sensor, covering different types of PSD and recent works related to this field. Furthermore, it explains the theoretical concepts and provides information about its structure and principles of operation. Moreover, it includes the main information about the available commercial PSDs from different companies, along with a comparison between the common modules. The PSD features include high position resolution, fast response, and a wide dynamic range. These features make it suitable for various fields and applications, such as imaging, spectrometry, spectroscopy and others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work deals with phytochemical synthesis of TiO2 nanoparticles by using leaf extract of Ficus benghalensis tree and evaluation of their antibacterial and photocatalytic activities. The synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles were characterized by using X-ray diffraction, Attenuated total reflectance Infrared, UV visible spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy as well as scanning electron microscopy techniques. The characterizations revealed formation of stable, spherical nanoparticles of anatase phase of TiO2 with average diameter of 21 nm. The particles showed excellent antibacterial activity against Bacillus cereus (Gram-positive) and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) bacteria. The photocatalytic testing showed complete degradation of model pollutants from cationic and anionic dye family namely methylene blue (cationic dye) and methyl orange (anionic dye) that confirmed the excellent photocatalytic activity of the particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to synthesize and test Mn-Sb/TiO2-CNT catalysts with different Sb/Mn molar ratios to be used in NH3-SCR reaction. Design/methodology/approach: A series of Sb-loaded carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-based Mn/TiO2 catalysts were prepared by the incipient wetness co-impregnation method and tested for the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NOx with NH3. Findings: The Sb-loaded Mn/TiO2-CNTs catalyst outperformed other catalysts and presented the highest activity in the temperature regime of 100–400°C. The catalyst loaded with Sb also showed good SO2 and H2O resistance and exhibited better thermal stability. A stepwise study of SO2 addition evidenced that Mn-Sb/TiO2-CNTs catalyst exhibited better SO2 resistance than the base catalyst Mn/TiO2, where the Sb doping greatly inhibited the sulphating of active phase of the catalyst. Originality/value: In Sb-loaded catalysts, the formed SOx species fused with SbOx instead of MnOx. This favoured interaction of SO2 with SbOx successfully prevents the MnOx from being sulphated by SO2 which substantially improves the SO2 tolerance of Sb-loaded catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface engineering and surface-engineered materials are increasingly used in engineering. This study's major goal is to understand the effects of heat treatment on AA 6061-T6. This experiment uses many parameters such as heat treatment temperature, steel heat treatment duration at the same temperature and cooling medium. In this experiment an attempt to improve the result for the mechanical properties and electrical conductivity values at different levels to use the technique which is called Taguchi method and ranking algorithm. Through this study aims to do optimization of various process parameters. To get the precise results used as a standard ASTM A370-E8 method to find out the response of the treated samples in the L9 orthogonal experimental design. During the experiments, nine samples of AA6061-T6 and all the nine pieces quenched at three different temperature pre-aging temperature of 300, 350 and 400℃, pre-aging time of 1, 2 and 3 hours, re-aging temperature of 350, 400 and 450 ℃ and quenching medium of water/air/oil. The model implemented this with TOPSIS - Technique of Order Preference Similarity to the Ideal Solution by Taguchi method and to conclusion that the optimum parameters for better response like pre-aging temperature of 350 ℃, pre-aging time of 1 hr., re-aging temp. of 350 ℃ and quenching medium of water. The current study found distinct characteristics for mechanical and electrical conductivity in heat treatment ageing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Climate change, nutritional security, land shrinkage, and an increasing human population are the most concerning factors in agriculture, which are further complicated by deteriorating soil health. Among several ways to address these issues, themost prominent and cost-effectivemeans is to adopt an integrated farming system (IFS). Integrating farming systems with livestock enables a way to increase economic yield per unit area per unit of time for farmers in small and marginal categories. This system effectively utilizes the waste materials by recycling them via linking appropriate components, thereby minimizing the pollution caused to the environment. Further integrating livestock components with crops and the production of eggs, meat, and milk leads to nutritional security and stable farmer's income generation. So, there is a dire need to develop an eco-friendly, ecologically safe, and economically profitable IFS model. Methods: An experiment was conducted to develop a crop-livestock-based integrated farming system model for the benefit of irrigated upland farmers in the semi-arid tropics for increasing productivity, farm income, employment generation, and food and nutritional security through efficient utilization of resources in the farming system. Results and discussion: The IFS model has components, viz., crop (0.85 ha) + horticulture (0.10 ha) + 2 cattles along with 2 calves in dairy (50 m²) + 12 female goats and 1 male goat (50 m²) + 150 numbers of poultry birds (50 m²) + vermicompost (50 m²) + kitchen garden (0.02 ha) + boundary planting + supporting activities (0.01 ha) in a one-hectare area. Themodel recorded a higher totalMEY (162.31 t), gross return (689,773), net return (317,765), and employment generation (475 mandays). Further negative emissions of -15,118 CO2-e (kg) greenhouse gases were recorded under this model. The study conclusively reveals that integration of crop, horticulture, dairy, goat, poultry, vermicompost production, kitchen garden, and boundary planting models increases the net returns, B:C ratio, employment generation, nutritional security, and livelihoods of small and marginal farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Performing a surgical task subjects the surgeon to multitudinal stressors, especially with the newer 3D technology. The quantum of cognitive workload using this modern surgical system in comparison to the Conventional microscope system remains unexplored. We evaluate the surgeon's cognitive workload and the surgical outcomes of macular hole(MH) surgery performed on a 3D versus a Conventional microscope operating system. Methods: 50 eyes of 50 patients with MH undergoing surgery using the 3D or Conventional microscope visualization system. Cognitive workload assessment was done by real-time tools(Surgeons' heart rate [HR] and oxygen saturation[SPO2]) and self-report tool(Surgery Task Load Index[SURG-TLX] questionnaire) of three Vitreoretinal surgeons. Based on the SURG-TLX questionnaire, an assessment of the workload was performed. Results: Of the 50 eyes, 30 eyes and 20 eyes underwent surgery with the Conventional microscope and the 3D system, respectively. No difference was noted in the MH basal-diameter(p = 0.128), total surgical-duration(p = 0.299), internal-limiting membrane(ILM) peel time(p = 0.682), and the final visual acuity (VA; p = 0.515) between the two groups. Both groups showed significant improvement in VA(p < 0.001) with a 90% closure rate at one-month post-surgery. Cognitive workload comparison, the intraoperative HR(p = 0.024), total workload score(P = 0.005), and temporal-demand dimension(p = 0.004) were significantly more in Conventional microscope group as compared to 3D group. In both the groups, the HR increased significantly from the baseline while performing ILM peeling and at the end. Conclusion: The surgeon's cognitive workload is markedly reduced while performing macular hole surgery with a 3D viewing system. Moreover, duration of surgery including ILM peel time, MH closure rates, and visual outcomes remains unaffected irrespective of the operating microscope system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buildings are amongst the world's largest energy consumers and simultaneous peaks in demand from networks of buildings can decrease electricity system stability. Current mitigation measures either entail wasteful supply-side over-specification or complex centralised demand-side control. Hence, a simple schema is developed for decentralised, self-organising building-to-building load coordination that requires very little information exchange and no top-down management—analogous to other complex systems with short range interactions, such as coordination between flocks of birds or synchronisation in fireflies. Numerical and experimental results reveal that a high degree of peak flattening can be achieved using surprisingly small load-coordination networks. The optimum reductions achieved by the simple schema can outperform existing techniques, giving substantial peak-reductions as well as being remarkably robust to changes in other system parameters such as the interaction network topology. This not only demonstrates that significant reductions in network peaks are achievable using remarkably simple control systems but also reveals interesting theoretical results and new insights which will be of great interest to the complexity and network science communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerical analysis of complex problems invariably requires the use of inputs from experimental methods like photoelasticity to validate the boundary conditions as well as the numerical modelling. In this era where the engineering community follows open-source culture to solve numerical problems, this brief note brings out a procedure to plot the photoelastic contours from FE results. The methodology is verified using a benchmark problem of a disk under diametral compression with experimental results and applied to a plate with an edge crack problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Summary: A general technique to develop arbitrary‐sided polygonal elements based on the scaled boundary finite element method is presented. Shape functions are derived from the solution of the Poisson's equation in contrast to the well‐known Laplace shape functions that are only linearly complete. The application of the Poisson shape functions can be complete up to any specific order. The shape functions retain the advantage of the scaled boundary finite element method allowing direct formulation on polygons with arbitrary number of sides and quadtree meshes. The resulting formulation is similar to the finite element method where each field variable is interpolated by the same set of shape functions in parametric space and differs only in the integration of the stiffness and mass matrices. Well‐established finite element procedures can be applied with the developed shape functions, to solve a variety of engineering problems including, for example, coupled field problems, phase field fracture, and addressing volumetric locking in the near‐incompressibility limit by adopting a mixed formulation. Application of the formulation is demonstrated in several engineering problems. Optimal convergence rates are observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal Energy Storage (TES) is a valuable tool for improving the energy efficiency of renewable energy conversion systems. One of the most effective methods for harnessing thermal energy from solar sources is through energy storage using phase change materials (PCMs). However, the thermal performance of PCMs is hindered by their low thermal conductivity. This research focuses on enhancing the thermal performance of salt hydrate PCM using multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and surfactants. Through experimental investigations, a salt hydrate PCM with varying concentrations of MWCNTs (ranging from 0.1% to 0.9%) was prepared using a two-step technique and their thermophysical properties were thoroughly characterized. Various techniques such as field emission scanning electron microscope, thermal conductivity analyzer, ultraviolet-visible spectrum, thermogravimetric analyzer, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were utilized to study the effect of surfactant on the nanocomposites and examine their morphology, thermal conductivity, optical properties, thermal stability, and chemical stability. The results indicated that the inclusion of MWCNTs with salt hydrate significantly improved the thermal conductivity by 68.09% at a concentration of 0.7 wt %, compared to pure salt hydrate. However, this enhancement in thermal performance was accompanied by a reduction in optical transmittance in the developed nanocomposite PCM. Additionally, the formulated nanocomposite demonstrated excellent thermal and chemical stability up to temperatures as high as 468 °C. As a result, this nanocomposite shows great promise as a potential candidate for solar TES applications, offering favourable characteristics for efficient energy storage from solar sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) and Pulmonary Embolism (PE) are more common following orthopaedic surgeries around the hip than other surgeries. However, there is still a dilemma among orthopaedic surgeons regarding whether routine thromboprophylaxis is justified in patients. Aim: To describe current practices among orthopaedic surgeons regarding routine thromboprophylaxis among patients with proximal femur fractures. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional exploratory study was conducted at Department of Orthopaedics, Saveetha Medical College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India between March 2022 and May 2022 among orthopaedic surgeons. A Google survey form, containing 10 prevalidated multiple-choice questions, was shared on social media and medical groups. Descriptive analysis was undertaken, and statistical analysis was done with International Business Machines (IBM) Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 28.0. Results: Among the 141 respondents, 72% were from private sector institutions/hospitals. Over 90.78% of the respondents indicated that there was a role for anticoagulation therapy in proximal femur fractures, and 92% used low molecular weight heparin. The responses varied slightly depending on whether anticoagulant treatment was used preoperatively (51%) or postoperatively (48%), and if there was a waiting time of less than 24 hours to 3-5 days before surgery. Most orthopaedic surgeons opted for anticoagulation therapy in the presence of a previous history of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)/PE (79%), age greater than 70 years (61%), and use of hormone replacement therapy (64%), or if the surgery lasted more than two hours (61%). Conclusion: The present study concludes that 9.2% of orthopaedic surgeons do not use anticoagulation therapy and nearly half (48%) do not administer anticoagulation therapy preoperatively. As the proportion of elderly patients increases, consensus building will enable the formulation of practice guidelines based on evidence generated through such surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This contribution discusses surrogate models that emulate the solution field(s) in the entire simulation domain. The surrogate uses the most characteristic modes of the solution field(s), in combination with neural networks to emulate the coefficients of each mode. This type of surrogate is well known to rapidly emulate flow simulations, but rather new for simulations of elastoplastic solids. The surrogate avoids the iterative process of constructing and solving the linearized governing equations of rate-independent elastoplasticity, as necessary for direct numerical simulations or (hyper-)reduced-order-models. Instead, the new plastic variables are computed only once per increment, resulting in substantial time savings. The surrogate uses a recurrent neural network to treat the path dependency of rate-independent elastoplasticity within the neural network itself. Because only a few of these surrogates have been developed for elastoplastic simulations, their potential and limitations are not yet well studied. The aim of this contribution is to shed more light on their numerical capabilities in the context of elastoplasticity. Although more widely applicable, the investigation focuses on a representative volume element, because these surrogates have the ability to both emulate the macroscale stress-deformation relation (which drives the multiscale simulation), as well as to recover all microstructural quantities within each representative volume element. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of load, Tomato Methyl Ester (TME), and Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) enriched diesel on engine performance and exhaust gas emissions was examined in this study using the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) optimization technique. TME blend biodiesel (20,40, and 60%) and EGR (10,20 and 30%) were selected to maximize BTE and minimize BSFC, NOx, CO, smoke, and HC. The engine was operated using the RSM technique by load (0-100%). The results showed that the response variables were significantly influenced by load, TME and EGR concentration of engine. The results of the constructed quadratic models' analysis of variance (ANOVA) suggested that each model was an appropriate fit. Additionally, an optimal was found by optimizing the user-defined historical design of an experiment. The responses corresponding to optimal study factors were load 100%, TME Blend 20 % and EGR 10% gives maximum BTE of 32.5%. The fuel consumption 0.2 kg/kW.h is reduced when load 50%, TME Blend 60 % and EGR 10%. Smoke and NOx emissions were decreased by 15.09% and 49.04%, while CO and HC emissions were increased by 27.54% and 21.76%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generally, in Visible Light Communication (VLC) systems, Position Sensitive Device (PSD) sensor is used only for tracking purposes. However, the tracking process functions until both transmitter and receiver align, thus the PSD sensor remains idle for a long time. This interval can be exploited to achieve other functions by modifying its architecture. In this paper, a modification of the PSD structure has been achieved to make it able to perform energy harvesting and data acquisition as well as tracking. As the PSD is mainly formed of an array of photodiodes, our main idea is to use transistors to switch between the two modes of operation of the photodiodes (photoconductive and photovoltaic). Furthermore, switching between the output pins could be achieved depending on the desired function. The proposed sensor can extend the battery lifetime, increase the integration and the functionality, and reduce the physical size of the system. Simulation using MATALB was performed to validate the concept of the proposed structure and its operation. The results showed that the proposed sensor works successfully and it can be considered for further manufacturing levels. The presented sensor might be used in Free Space Optical (FSO) communication like cube satellite, or even in Underwater Wireless Optical Communication (UWOC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research work aims to study the performance of biochar-supported manganese-based catalysts for conversion of NOx in the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) process. Biochar, a high energy density solid generated from biomass pyrolysis, usually is combusted to provide extra heat to the pyrolysis process. Compared to other carbonaceous materials, biochar has a larger surface area, large surface functional groups and is more economically advantageous. An experimental and observational methodology was adopted in which biochar with activation temperatures of 500 °C, 600 °C, and 700 °C were used as additional catalytic support to the Manganese-based SCR catalyst. The prepared samples were analyzed by various techniques like X-ray diffraction, Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, NH3-Temperature-programmed desorption and H2-Temperature programmed reduction to study various parameters like crystallographic structure and crystal properties, chemical states and elemental composition, surface acidity, and reducibility of the catalyst. Upon adding biochar, it was observed that the pore volume increased by 150% and the surface area by 114%. Subsequently, catalytic activity tests were conducted on the effect of biochar on NOx removal, SO2, and H2O tolerance, and the optimum catalyst composition were found. Catalytic performance increases with the addition of biochar over all temperature ranges, with Mn/TiO2-Char700 reaching a maximum NOx conversion rate of 90%, indicating that biochar is a viable alternative to existing catalytic supports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past years studies were conducted on natural fibre reinforced polymer composites to observe their mechanical properties in order to decide their industrial applications. These composites have already been used in many applications from aerospace to sporting equipment. These green composites can be used as a replacement for synthetic composites. This is because the natural fibres are eco-friendly, biodegradable, renewable, etc. In this work, an attempt is made to reinforce fly ash, coir fibre and sugarcane fibre with epoxy polymer matrix. Central composite design under response surface methodology (RSM), one of the approaches of design of experiments (DOE) is used to determine optimum sample preparation conditions of fly ash, coir fibre and sugarcane fibre. Both tensile and flexural (three-point bending) tests are conducted on these fabricated composites to determine their materialistic characteristics. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) is carried out using Minitab software to find the influence of fly ash, coir fibre, sugarcane fibre on composites. Regression equations obtained from analysis of variance is used to calculate values. Experimental and calculated values are compared and their error % are calculated and tabulated. Response surface optimization study is carried to find the optimized parameters of composites. It is observed that, increase in wt.% of coir fibre and decrease in wt.% of fly ash and sugarcane fibre, increases yield stress and these parameters have mixed impact on ultimate tensile stress. The addition of fly ash, coir fibre and sugarcane fibre in low percentages increases Young’s modulus. Increase in wt.% of fly ash and coir fibre and decrease in wt.% of sugarcane, increases flexural modulus and flexural stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

: With advances in deepfake generating technology, it is getting increasingly difficult to detect deepfakes. Deepfakes can be used for many malpractices such as blackmail, politics, social media, etc. These can lead to widespread misinformation and can be harmful to an individual or an institution’s reputation. It has become important to be able to identify deepfakes effectively, while there exist many machine learning techniques to identify them, these methods are not able to cope up with the rapidly improving GAN technology which is used to generate deepfakes. Our project aims to identify deepfakes successfully using machine learning along with Heart Rate Analysis. The heart rate identified by our model is unique to each individual and cannot be spoofed or imitated by a GAN and is thus susceptible to improving GAN technology. To solve the deepfake detection problem we employ various machine learning models along with heart rate analysis to detect deepfakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we analyze the virtual element method for the quasilinear convection-diffusion-reaction equation. The most important part in the analysis is the proof of existence and uniqueness of the branch of solution of the discrete problem. We extend the explicit analysis given by Lube (Numer. Math.61, 335–357, 1992) for the finite element discretization to virtual element framework. We prove the optimal rate of convergence in the energy norm. In order to reduce the overall computational cost incurred for the nonlinear equations, we have performed the numerical experiments using a two-grid method. We validate the theoretical estimates with the computed numerical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In India, post economic liberalisation period starting from early 1990s opened up new vistas for rapid development of Indian stock markets accompanied by high volatility in stock exchanges. The volume of trade increased rapidly with more number of retail investors beginning to invest in equity shares of listed companies in specific industry sectors. This brought to the fore the importance of analysis of business and financial risks associated with such investment decisions. Every rational investor will do well to analyse the risk and return before investing in any stock or security. The investment process must be considered in terms of both risk and return. The present study deals with the estimation of business risk and financial risk of the selected companies in selected industries, based on empirical analysis. For the study, six industries such as Automobile, Cement, Paint, Paper, Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care(FMCG) have been selected from the Indian industries from April 1996 to March 2020. The findings of the study revealed the extent of the relationship between business and financial risk and return in specific sectors of industry in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, an Acacia concinna filler was blended in a polylactic acid matrix using a single-screw extruder. A composite filament material made from an extruder was used to fabricate polylactic acid/25 wt% A. concinna (PLA/25 wt% AC) composites via a fused deposition modeling (FDM) technique. Composites were fabricated by varying layer thickness, infill density, and printing speed based on Taguchi L9 experimental design. Tensile, flexural, and impact tests were conducted on the printed composite samples as per the ASTM standards. The significance of factors impacting the mechanical properties was determined using analysis of variance. To estimate the strength of PLA/AC composites, mathematical models were developed. In addition, the fractured specimen was examined using scanning electron microscopy to determine the mechanism of fracture. Both the layer height and the infill percentage exhibited a positive influence on strength, which suggests that the layer height or the infill percentage, or both, will increase the material's strength. The printing speed had a negative influence on the strength, which indicates that the strength decreases as the printing speed increases. The findings suggested that PLA/AC composites could be used to fabricate high-strength, lightweight components using FDM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we consider the discretization of nonlocal coupled parabolic problem within the framework of the virtual element method. The presence of nonlocal coefficients not only makes the computation of the Jacobian more expensive in Newton's method, but also destroys the sparsity of the Jacobian. In order to resolve this problem, an equivalent formulation that has very simple Jacobian is proposed. We derive the error estimates in the L 2 and H 1 norms. To further reduce the computational complexity, a linearized scheme without compromising the rate of convergence in different norms is proposed. Finally, the theoretical results are justified through numerical experiments over arbitrary polygonal meshes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we have considered a nonlinear nonlocal time dependent fourth order equation demonstrating the deformation of a thin and narrow rectangular plate. We propose C 1 conforming virtual element method (VEM) of arbitrary order, k ≥ 2 , to approximate the model problem numerically. We employ VEM to discretize the space variable and fully implicit scheme for temporal variable. Well-posedness of the fully discrete scheme is proved under certain conditions on the physical parameters, and we derive optimal order of convergence in both space and time variable. Finally, numerical experiments are presented to illustrate the behaviour of the proposed numerical scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims to evaluate the performance of the Lagrange-based finite element method and the non-uniform rational B-splines isogeometric analysis of time-harmonic acoustic exterior scattering problems using high-order local absorbing boundary conditions, in particular based on the Karp's and Wilcox's far-field expansions. The analysis of accuracy and convergence of both methods is achieved by observing the effect of the order of the approximating polynomial, the number of degrees of freedom, the wave number, and the absorbing boundary conditions tuning parameters. It is concluded that, regardless of the polynomial order, IGA provides a higher accuracy per degree of freedom compared to the traditional Lagrange-based finite element method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this present research, the coatings of SA209-T1 using high velocity oxygen fuel were employed for the application of boiler tubes. Due to the adaptation of corrosion easy in boiler material, the research of those properties is significant because of its criticality and functionality during the service time. A right coating was found and applied on the SA209-T1 surface against corrosive environments. Good corrosion resistance is achieved by WC-flyash coatings applied on SA209-T1 substrate. The 90% WC-10% flyash coatings were found to be more protective followed by SA209-T1 steel. WC-flyash covering was tracked down so that the covering is compelling to secure the SA209-T1 steel substrate. It is reasoned that the arrangement of NiO, Cr2O3, CoO, and NiCr2O4 could add to the advancement of consumption opposition in coatings. The steel of uncoated endured erosion as extraordinary stripping and spalling of the scale, which could be because of the development of Fe2O3 oxide scale unprotectively. This paper reveals the performance, applications, and development of 90wt.% WC and 10wt.% fly ash through HVOF coating in SA209-T1 for electrochemical corrosion studies at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of lanthanum addition on the microstructural changes and mechanical characteristics of Mg–9Li–3Al + xLa alloys are studied. The alloys are fabricated through a liquid metallurgy route involving stir casting by an electrical resistance furnace. The microstructural analysis showed that the as-cast alloys primarily comprises of α-Mg and β-Li phases. Irregular distribution of Al–Li lamellar and some granular fragments MgLi2Al observed over the magnesium-rich α-phase and lithium-rich β-phase. The influence of lanthanum addition to the alloy system leads to grain refinement by forming Al11La3 and Al4La intermetallics. Among the series of cast alloys, the Mg–9Li–3Al–1La alloy exhibits excellent ultimate tensile strength—178 MPa with 10.2% elongation. Addition of 1.5 wt% La and beyond tends to coarsen the grains leading to a reduction in mechanical strength. Hot extruded Mg–9Li–3Al–1La alloy exhibited more refinement in the microstructure and breakdown of intermetallic (Al4La and Al11La3) is observed. A significant improvement in the UTS values around 39% displayed by the Mg–9Li–3Al–1La alloy extruded at a ratio of 25:1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Despite several ongoing efforts in biomedicine and traditional medicine, there are no drugs or vaccines for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as of May 2020; Kabasura Kudineer (KSK), a polyherbal formulation from India's Siddha system of medicine, has been traditionally used for clinical presentations similar to that of COVID-19. We explored the efficacy of KSK in reducing viral load and preventing the disease progression in asymptomatic, COVID-19 cases.Methods: A prospective, single-center, open-labeled, randomized, controlled trial was conducted in a COVID Care Centre in Chennai, India. We recruited reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-confirmed COVID-19 of 18 to 55 years of age, without clinical symptoms and co-morbidities. They were randomized (1:1 ratio) to KSK (60 mL twice daily for 7 days) or standard of care (7 days supplementation of vitamin C 60,000 IU morning daily and zinc 100 mg evening daily) groups. The primary outcomes were reduction in the SARS-CoV-2 load [as measured by cyclic threshold (CT) value of RT-PCR], prevention of progression of asymptomatic to symptomatic state, and changes in the immunity markers including interleukins (IL-6, IL-10, IL-2), interferon gamma (IFNγ), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF α). Siddha clinical assessment and the occurrence of adverse effects were documented as secondary outcomes. Paired t-test was used in statistical analysis.Results: Viral load in terms of the CT value (RdRp: 95% CI = 1.89 to 5.74) declined significantly on the seventh day in the KSK group and that of the control group, more pronounced in the study group. None progressed to the symptomatic state. There was no significant difference in the biochemical parameters. We did not observe any changes in the Siddha-based clinical examination and adverse events in both groups.Conclusion: KSK significantly reduced SARS-CoV-2 viral load among asymptomatic COVID-19 cases and did not record any adverse effect, indicating the use of KSK in the strategy against COVID-19. Larger, multi-centric trials can strengthen the current findings.Trial Registration: Clinical Trial Registry of India CTRI2020/05/025215 . Registered on 16 May 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio-inspired designs have been serving as a great inspiration for Aerodynamists for the past several decades. The biological features of each species have evolved through generations that play a substantial role in their ultimate survival. Manmade technologies have significantly benefited from these evolutionary attributes by mimicking such optimal features through artificial means of engineering. Biologically mimicking a particular feature of a natural species for scientific applications has introduced an interdisciplinary field of study that is popularly termed as "Biomimetics". Biomimetic solutions have gained greater scope because of their unique potential to address the existing design challenges. The present review article approaches the state-of-the-art biomimetic techniques in a qualitative as well as quantitative perspective by mainly focusing on the potential aerodynamic applications. Through a quantitative approach, emerging researchers can have a firm basis from a pool of existing techniques. Drag reduction, lift enhancement, and flow separation control are the major design optimization challenges existing in the field of aerodynamics. The Biomimetic techniques discussed herein are evaluated on such qualities through consecutively organized sections which are the key instruments for non-flapping applications. A critical review on the well-liked biomimetic techniques for flow control is addressed with their potential applications in relevance to the aerospace industry. Few patented techniques from allied fields like hydrodynamics are also discussed because of their conceptual effectiveness in aerodynamic applications. Furthermore, the flow control effectiveness of Humpback Whale (HW) inspired biomimetic leading edge tubercles is numerically investigated with straight and sweptback wing configurations. The results clearly indicate the potentials of biomimetic techniques to transform the future designs of aerodynamic surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Torsional fatigue behaviour of steel is influenced by various significant factors on the surface of steel such as the stress state, the metallurgical conditions and the surface roughness etc. This research presents the results of the studies conducted on the torsional fatigue life of steel for different surface stresses, conditions and microstructures. Based on the results, inferences were derived out of the factors and conditions which are instrumental in increasing the fatigue performance. This research is done with the purpose of increasing the fatigue performance of power train shafts processed through vacuum carburizing followed by second tempering. The fatigue tests were conducted using a bi-directional torsional cyclic loading in a MTS make torque testing machine. Various researches has been conducted in this paper to find out the impact of surface roughness, second tempering, inter granular oxidation and carbon case depth on the transmission shafts. The existence of surface retained austenite has not yielded a notable enhancement in fatigue performance in the power train shaft whereas existence of martensite with minimum fraction of retained austenite enhanced the fatigue performance significantly from 12,000 to 35,000 cycles on ± 3100 N m torque load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research demonstrates the feasibility of filler rod fabrication to develop nanocomposite weldment to enhance the joint strength via ARB technique. Al 3003 alloys were joined through GTAW by melting fabricated nanocomposite filler metal. TiO2 nanoparticles were chosen as reinforcement from 0 to 3 wt%. Roll bonding is desired owing to the proper distribution of TiO2 particles. SEM depicted the distribution of reinforcement particles in the grain boundaries. TEM disclosed the uniformity in particulates distribution, peening of dislocation and strain fields in 12 wt% TiO2 reinforced nanocomposite weldment. EBSD portrayed the grain refinement occurred in the weld zone due to reinforcement addition. The improvement in impact and bending strength were due to excellent bonding between the Al and reinforcement particles and excellent load transfer ability provided by reinforcement particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for high speed rail networks is rapidly increasing in developing countries like India. One of the major constraints in the design and implementation of high speed train is the braking efficiency with minimum friction losses. Recently, the aerodynamic braking concept has received good attention and it has been incorporated for high speed bullet trains as a testing phase. The braking performance is extremely important to ensure the passenger safety specifically for the trains moving at more than 120 km/h. In this paper, an Indian train configuration WAP7 (wide gauge AC electric passenger, Class 7) has been assumed with the locomotive and one passenger car. Aerodynamic braking system design is done by opening a spoiler over the train to amplify the aerodynamic drag at high speeds. The magnitude of braking force depends on the position and orientation of the braking spoiler. It creates differential drag forces at various deflection angles to decelerate the trains instantaneously in proportion to the running speeds. Drag created by the braking spoiler is observed numerically with the help of CFD simulation tools for further validation through wind tunnel experiments. Striking aerodynamic results are obtained with and without braking spoilers on the passenger cars and the spoiler at 4 0 ∘ − − 5 0 ∘ orientation makes greater drag coefficient as compared to the other angles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is an emerging preventable cause of blindness in India. All India Ophthalmology Society (AIOS) and Vitreo-Retinal Society of India (VRSI) have initiated several measures to improve of DR screening in India. This article is a consensus statement of the AIOS DR task force and VRSI on practical guidelines of DR screening in India. Although there are regional variations in the prevalence of diabetes in India at present, all the States in India should screen their population for diabetes and its complications. The purpose of DR screening is to identify people with sight-threatening DR (STDR) so that they are treated promptly to prevent blindness. This statement provides strategies for the identification of people with diabetes for DR screening, recommends screening intervals in people with diabetes with and without DR, and describes screening models that are feasible in India. The logistics of DR screening emphasizes the need for dynamic referral pathways with feedback mechanisms. It provides the clinical standards required for DR screening and treatment of STDR and addresses the governance and quality assurance (QA) standards for DR screening in Indian settings. Other aspects incorporate education and training, recommendations on Information technology (IT) infrastructure, potential use of artificial intelligence for grading, data capture, and requirements for maintenance of a DR registry. Finally, the recommendations include public awareness and the need to work with diabetologists to control the risk factors so as to have a long-term impact on prevention of diabetes blindness in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present research, aluminum expanded mesh grids are considered for negative electrodes in lead-acid batteries. The conventional negative electrodes made from lead alloy grids are replaced by the expanded mesh grids that are made from a commercial aluminum alloy as they are lightweight, have higher conductivity, and are available in bulk. To accomplish this, aluminum grids were considered with their surfaces modified by lead coatings prior to electrode preparation. Hence Al grids find an envious place in lead-acid battery applications. In this study, Al grids were pretreated for surface cleaning followed by Zn coating, electroplating with Cu and hot-dip coating in a molten Pb alloy bath. The surface coated Al grids were analyzed using X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray analysis elemental mapping. Microhardness measurements were made on the prepared specimens. Electrochemical performance tests on 2V batteries at higher discharge rates and life cycles were conducted. The specific energy of batteries with Al grids was 80 W h/kg, which is 20% higher than that of a Pb grid type. By replacing Pb grids with surface modified Al grids in lead-acid batteries, the consumption of lead gets reduced by 5%, resulting in a cost-effective and environment-friendly approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In this paper, a h-adaptive methodology based on the polytopal meshes is proposed for capturing high stress gradients at the materials corners and the stress singularities at the vicinity of a crack tip. The adaptive refinement is based on the error indicator directly computed from the displacement solutions of the scaled boundary finite element method. Based on the error indicator, a polygon of n-sides which has an error exceeding a specified tolerance is subdivided recursively into (n + 1) child polygons. The salient features of the proposed framework are: (a) circumvents a need for post-processing techniques for error estimation; (b) elements with hanging nodes are treated as polygons without a need for special treatment and (c) stress gradients and stress singularities are accurately captured due to the semi-analytical formulation. The robustness and the convergence properties of the proposed framework is demonstrated with three benchmark examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents an assumed strain formulation over polygonal meshes to accurately evaluate the strain fields in nonlocal damage models. An assume strained technique based on the Hu-Washizu variational principle is employed to generate a new strain approximation instead of direct derivation from the basis functions and the displacement fields. The underlying idea embedded in arbitrary finite polygons is named as Polytopal composite finite elements (PCFEM). The PCFEM is accordingly applied within the framework of the nonlocal model of continuum damage mechanics to enhance the description of damage behaviours in which highly localized deformations must be captured accurately. This application is helpful to reduce the mesh-sensitivity and elaborate the process-zone of damage models. Several numerical examples are designed for various cases of fracture to discuss and validate the computational capability of the present method through comparison with published numerical results and experimental data from the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]