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A generalized form of modal logic can be created within the context of coalgebraic logic. Coalgebraic geometric logic was recently developed by adding modalities to the language of propositional geometric logic using the coalgebra approach. However, as far as we are aware, no studies have been done specifically on fuzzy geometric modal logic. This study is the first step towards developing fuzzy geometric modal logic using coalgebra theory. This new logic might potentially be used to model and reason about transition systems that involve uncertainty in behaviour. We propose a theoretical framework based on coalgebra theory to add modalities into the language of fuzzy geometric logic. Coalgebras for an endofunctor on a category of fuzzy topological spaces and fuzzy continuous maps serve as the foundation for models of this logic. Our key finding is the existence of a final model in the category of models for endofunctors defined on sober fuzzy topological spaces. Furthermore, we present a comparative analysis of the notions of behavioural equivalency, bisimulation, and modal equivalency on the resulting class of models.

The concerns towards sustainable development have triggered the need of adopting biodegradable products in different applications. The natural fibers are being widely explored in the field of composites for various applications. Sustainable architecture is also seeking the research and development of new materials to minimize the negative environmental effect of the traditional structural materials. A bast fiber obtained from Grewia Optiva (G.O.) tree is abundantly available in the sub-Himalayan terrains and is still underutilized in the field of biocomposites. The promotion of G.O. fiber in fabrication of biocomposites may give a source of income and employment to rural hilly populations. This research work utilizes the G.O. fiber collected from the Okhalkanda block of Nainital district of Uttarakhand to develop biocomposites. The effect of mercerization on the water absorption behavior and mechanical properties has been also studied. It is found that the treatment of fibers with NaOH reduces the water absorption tendency of G.O. Natural Fiber Reinforced Biocomposites (NFRB) upto 41.05% and the mechanical properties are also improved by appreciable amount. The tensile and flexural strength obtained are 141.45 MPa and 109.84 MPa respectively for mercerized fiber reinforcement. Impact strength and mode-I fracture toughness have been recorded as 11.97 KJ/m2 and 1.85 MPa√m respectively. SEM images of fractured surfaces indicate good bonding of mercerized fibers as compared to untreated fibers with epoxy matrix. Hence the Grewia Optiva biocomposites have potential to be used in different architectural applications like wall panels, false ceilings, doors, windows, etc.

The electrochemical conversion of oxygen holds great promise in the development of sustainable energy for various applications, such as water electrolysis, regenerative fuel cells, and rechargeable metal-air batteries. Oxygen electrocatalysts are needed that are both highly efficient and affordable, since they can serve as alternatives to costly precious-metal-based catalysts. This aspect is particularly significant for their practical implementation on a large scale in the future. Herein, highly porous polyhedron-entrapped metal–organic framework (MOF)-assisted CoTe2/MnTe2heterostructure one-dimensional nanorods were initially synthesized using a simple hydrothermal strategy and then transformed into ZIF-67 followed by tellurization which was used as a bifunctional electrocatalyst for both the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The designed MOF CoTe2/MnTe2nanorod electrocatalyst exhibited superior activity for both OER (η = 220 mV@ 10 mA cm–2) and ORR (E1/2= 0.81 V vs RHE) and outstanding stability. The exceptional achievement could be primarily credited to the porous structure, interconnected designs, and deliberately created deficiencies that enhanced the electrocatalytic activity for the OER/ORR. This improvement was predominantly due to the enhanced electrochemical surface area and charge transfer inherent in the materials. Therefore, this simple and cost-effective method can be used to produce highly active bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts.

A laboratory study was conducted to understand the kinetics and mechanism of adsorption of micronutrients and S onto Lantanasp., Pinussp. and wheat straw biochars pyrolyzed at 300 °C and 450 °C. Adsorption kinetics of these nutrients onto phyto-biochars conformed well to pseudo-first-order kinetics and intra-particle diffusion model. Boyd’s plots revealed the involvement of other adsorption mechanisms besides intra-particle diffusion. Simple correlation analysis revealed that higher contents of N and humin-like C fraction but lower content of alcoholic-OH groups in phyto-biochars increased the equilibrium adsorption coefficient (qe) and intra-particle diffusion rate coefficient (kid) of Fe while higher contents of total acidity and phenolic-OH groups decreased qeand kidof Zn, Cu and Mn. Higher S content in phyto-biochars increased the initial adsorption (c) for Zn and Mn adsorption. Higher cation exchange capacity of phyto-biochars increased qeand kidof B which indicated the cation bridging of B onto phyto-biochars. A significant positive correlation between the pseudo-first-order rate constant (k01) of B and the contents of H, total acidity and phenolic-OH group but a negative correlation with pH, P and water-soluble C content in biochars showed the involvement of ligand exchange mechanism for B adsorption. Higher contents of total acidity and phenolic-OH groups in phyto-biochars increased c for S adsorption. Thus, the adsorption kinetics of micronutrients and S onto phyto-biochars followed the pseudo-first-order kinetics and intra-particle diffusion process and the properties of phyto-biochars have an important bearing on the progress of the adsorption reaction of these nutrients.

AbstractThe hepatitis A virus (HAV), which causes hepatitis A, is a contagious liver ailment. The infections are not specifically treated by any medications. Therefore, the development of less harmful, more effective and cost-effective antiviral agents are necessary. The present work highlighted the in-silicoactivity of phytocompounds from tinospora cordifoliaagainst HAV. The binding interaction of HAV with the phytocompounds was analyzed through molecular docking. Molecular docking revealed that chasmanthin, malabarolide, menispermacide, tinosporaside, and tinosporinone compounds bind with HAV more efficiently than other compounds. Further evaluation using 100 ns molecular dynamics simulation, MM/GBSA and free energy landscape indicated that all phytocompounds studied here were found to be most promising drug candidate against hepatitis A virus. Our computational study will encourage promoting in further investigation for in vitroand in vivoclinical trials.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

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Plasmodium falciparum(Pf) causes the most fatal form of malaria owing to its ability to cytoadhere in the microvasculature of various organs in the body. In addition to the Pf erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) family that binds diverse host receptors, CX3CL1 binding proteins 1 and 2 (CBP1 and 2) also bind the endothelial chemokine ‘CX3CL1’ to effect cytoadhesion of parasite infected erythrocytes. CBP2 is a multifaceted protein that binds nucleic acids, Pf skeleton binding protein (PfSBP1) and ATP. ATP binding to the cytoplasmic domain of CBP2 (cCBP2) induces structural changes in the protein, and hints at its role in cell signalling. In this study, we have attempted to identify the ATP-binding pocket of CBP2 using an in silico approach. We have also delineated the type of interactions and amino acid residues that are likely to bind ATP. As CX3CL1 binding proteins are central to parasite biology, the obtained information is likely to form the basis for inhibitor and drug design against this molecule.

In this paper, the analysis and control of renewable energy sources (RESs) integrated 4D power system model are reported. Wind energy systems and photovoltaic panels are integrated as RESs into the power system model. A power system is a very complex, dynamic system that exhibits nonlinear behaviours. Consequently, the power system may experience serious scenarios like voltage instability or voltage collapse. The bifurcation and chaos behaviours of the RESs integrated power system model are studied and verified using the Lyapunov exponent, Lyapunov spectrum, and bifurcation diagram. Since chaotic oscillations are unlike and highly dangerous for stable operation of a power system, an adaptive higher order PID sliding mode control (SMC) technique is designed to control the chaotic oscillation. The required asymptotic stability condition is derived using Lyapunov stability theory. A comparative study is done based on different performance indices to analyse the performance of the designed control with four existing adaptive SMC techniques.

Viologens are fascinating redox-active organic compounds that have been widely explored in electrochromic devices (ECDs). However, the combination of electrochromic and resistive random-access memory in a single viologen remains unexplored. We report the coexistence of bistate electrochromic and single-resistor (1R) memory functions in a novel viologen. A high-performance electrochromic function is achieved by combining viologen (BzV2+2PF6) with polythiophene (P3HT), enabling a “push–pull” electronic effect due to the efficient intermolecular charge transfer in response to an applied bias. The ECDs show high coloration efficiency (ca. 1150 ± 10 cm2C–1), subsecond switching time, good cycle stability (>103switching cycles), and low-bias operation (±1.5 V). The ECDs require low power for switching the color states (55 μW cm–2for magenta and 141 μW cm–2for blue color). The random-access memory devices (p+2-Si/BzV2+2PF6/Al) exhibit distinct low and high resistive states with an ON/OFF ratio of ∼103, bipolar and nonvolatile characteristics that manifest good performances, and “Write”–“Read”–“Erase” (WRE) functions. The charge conduction mechanism of the RRAM device is elucidated by the Poole–Frenkel model where SET and RESET states arise at a low transition voltage (VT= ±1.7 V). Device statistics and performance parameters for both electrochromic and memory devices are compared with the literature data. Our findings on electrochromism and nonvolatile memory originated in the same viologen could boost the development of multifunctional, smart, wearable, flexible, and low-cost optoelectronic devices.

We have successfully prepared a challenging and wonderful material, reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/graphene with improved quality from high pure graphite (HPG) efficiently by planetary ball milling process followed by arc plasma treatment under hydrogen atmosphere. Graphene oxides (GO) have been synthesized with varying degrees of oxidation via the planetary ball milling route by milling HPG between 3 –8 h. The lowest C/O ratio (0.965) was observed for the 8 h ball milled sample. The as-prepared GOs were taken for only five min of arc plasma treatment under a hydrogen atmosphere. As the typical GO (prepared by 8 h ball milling) underwent a reduction by plasma treatment for producing a typical RGO sample, it was found that the C/O ratio increased from 0.965 in GO to 14.86 in RGO. RGO shows a hexagonal structure with well-defined crystallinity. Bi-layered and transparent types of structures were found in the RGO sample. The typical plasma treated RGO sample (prepared from 8 h ball milled GO sample) exhibits extraordinary BET surface area and electrical conductivity values of 1230.0 m2g−1and 4.587 × 103S cm−1, respectively, compared to those of HPG.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to address supplier evaluation and selection in a constrained environment of advance purchasing. The study presents the potential solutions to supplier evaluation and selection issues in the Indian automobile sector where advance purchases are carried out to fulfill the supply chain demand. Design/methodology/approach: Based on the literature review and expert elicitation, nine major factors which are responsible for the successful implementation of supplier selection in a constrained environment of advance purchasing are identified. This paper explores supplier selection in constrained environment issues based on an integrated method based on Shannon entropy, analytic hierarchy process (AHP) techniques and failure mode effects analysis (FMEA). Findings: Analysis of the results of the study suggests that traditional suppliers are not suitable in advance purchasing scenarios; hence, criteria developed in this paper to accommodate the requirement of advance purchasing with possible risk considerations are of high importance. This research paper is an original attempt to develop supplier selection criteria for advance purchasing with special identification of deliverability, flexibility, innovation and productivity factors through a case demonstration. Research limitations/implications: This study uses data from secondary sources, literature reviews and expert opinions. It formalizes the important factors of successful supplier selection in the constrained environment of advance purchasing in the automotive industry context. Practical implications: The paper shows how the engagement of suppliers through advance purchasing helps automotive companies in developing a competitive advantage. The integrated approach of Shannon entropy, AHP techniques and FMEA is an effective and useful method that can be applied to the supplier selection process. Originality/value: The proposed FMEA-AHP method integrated with Shannon entropy used for evaluation represents a useful tool to embrace the suitable functioning tactics for efficient supplier selection. The study is unique as supplier evaluation and selection in a constrained environment of advance purchasing is not investigated much and has good industry applicability.

Many engineering components are subjected to random nature of loading during their life period. In this work, the fatigue crack growth in friction stir welded dissimilar AA6061 and AA7075 was investigated under different stress ratio. AA6061 was kept on the advancing side due to having a higher solidus temperature and softer than AA7075 for smooth material flow. The microstructure characterization, tensile and crack growth behavior was studied. It was observed that the joint material exhibited lower strength and ductility as compared to the base material. About 41%, 34%, and 66% reduction in tensile strength, yield strength, and percentage of elongation as compared to AA6061 (base material) were observed. About 27% higher hardness in the HAZ of retreating side than the advancing side was noticed. The crack deflection and tortuosity features were observed in the fatigue fractured specimens. In this paper, a comparative study using different crack growth models has been studied and a simple crack growth rate equation has been proposed considering the crack closure effect.

The effects of relative humidity, and fiber treatment on the mechanical properties of Grewia Optiva natural fibres reinforced composites were studied. The results revealed that the fiber reinforcement composition with Benzoyl peroxide treatment on NaOH pretreated fiber (BP) shows optimum results at 90% relative humidity. The corresponding experimental results of the tensile strength (MPa), % elongation, flexural strength (MPa), impact strength (kJ/m2), and fracture toughness (MPa vm) were 260.895, 5.230, 52.572, 33.226, and 2.565 respectively. The surface response method yielded the optimum properties with D value as 0.768 and properties variation between 1 to 6%. TGA analysis shows a considerable amount of variation in the rate of degradation after the chemical treatment of fibers. Decrease in the damping factor and increase in glass transition temperature due to chemical treatment shows increased fiber matrix interfacial bonding and cross linking. SEM images show that BP treatment is more suitable than NaOH treatment to remove the undesirable elements from the fiber surface and higher surface roughness to obtain better bonding between fibre and matrix. The fiber diameter reduction due to BP and NaOH treatment is about 57 %, and 52.62 % as compared to untreated fiber.

A mobile phone is now a commonly used device for digital media and communication among all age groups. Young adolescents use it for longer durations, which exposes them to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR). This exposure can lead to neuropsychiatric changes. The underlying cellular mechanism behind these changes requires detailed investigation. In the present study, we investigated the effect of RF-EMR emitted from mobile phones on young adolescent rat brains. Wistar rats (5 weeks, male) were exposed to RF-EMR signal (2115 MHz) at a head average specific absorption rate (SAR) of 1.51 W/kg continuously for 8 h. Higher level of lipid peroxidation, carbon-centered lipid radicals, and single-strand DNA damage was observed in the brain of rat exposed to RF-EMR. The number of BrdU-positive cells in the dentate gyrus (DG) decreased in RF-EMR-exposed rats, indicating reduced neurogenesis. RF-EMR exposure also induced degenerative changes and neuronal loss in DG neurons but had no effect on the CA3 and CA1 neurons of the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. The activity of Pro-caspase3 did not increase upon exposure in any of the brain regions, pointing out that degeneration observed in the DG region is not dependent on caspase activation. Results indicate that short-term acute exposure to RF-EMR induced the generation of carbon-centered lipid radicals and nuclear DNA damage, both of which likely played a role in the impaired neurogenesis and neuronal degeneration seen in the young brain's hippocampus region. The understanding of RF-EMR-induced alteration in the brain at the cellular level will help develop appropriate interventions for reducing its adverse impact.

Hispidulin has been isolated from the leaves of Clerodendrum philippinumand identified with the help of physical and spectroscopic data. A high-performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method has been developed and validated for its accurate estimation in different plant parts of C. philippinum. Thin-layer chromatographic (TLC) analysis was performed on HPTLC plates by use of a ternary mobile phase consisting of chloroform‒methanol‒formic acid (9:1:0.1, V/V). It was quantified at the wavelength of its maximum absorbance at 267 nm, with a linear response in the range of 100‒500 ng per spot. The method was validated according to the International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) guidelines. The developed method was found to be more highly sensitive than the previously reported methods and gives consistent results when applied for the postchromatographic estimation of hispidulin. The developed method is very accurate, precise, and has been successfully applied for the analysis of hispidulin in C. philippinum, and also can be used for its quality control and standardization.

Purpose: Low grain zinc (Zn) content in cereal crops is a major nutritional constraint which is due to Zn deficient soils and its poor translocation from the source to the sink. The study was aimed to improve the translocation and accumulation of Zn in rice grains by the application of phytohormones like gibberellic acid (GA) and cytokinin. Methods: The study was carried out in three replications of seven levels of phytohormones (0, 10, 20 mg GA L−1; 10, 20 mg cytokinin L−1, 10 mg each of GA + cytokinin L−1and 20 mg each of GA + cytokinin L−1) and three modes of Zn application, i.e., control (Zn0), soil application (ZnS), and soil + foliar application (ZnS + F). Four rice varieties (Jaya, NDR359, PD16, and Pant Sugandh 17) were tested under various treatments for superoxide dismutase (SOD), carbonic anhydrase (CA) activities, grain and straw yield, and Zn content in various plant parts in three factorial completely randomized block design. Results: Activities of CA and SOD enzymes were increased by 49.5% and 53.3% in variety PD16 with 20 mg L−1of cytokinin and 10 mg L−1of GA respectively, under ZnS + F method. Variety PD16 produced maximum grain (61.5% greater than control) and straw yield (32.3% greater than control) by the foliar spray of 10 mg L−1of GA and 20 mg L−1of GA respectively, under ZnS + F mode. As regard the concentration of Zn, Pant Sugandh 17 accumulated the maximum Zn concentration in all the plant parts (leaves, pseudostem, intact, and dehusked grains). Foliar spray of 10 and 20 mg L−1GA along with ZnS + F mode was noted to be the most effective strategy to increase the Zn accumulation and improved the Zn concentration in dehusked grains by 72.8% than control. Conclusion: Overall, this study highlighted the soil + foliar method of Zn application along with 10 and 20 mg L−1GA, which is a promising method to enhance the grain biofortification of rice varieties.

In recent years, flooding has become a major problem, encountered in many places all over the world, causing damage to property ranging from human life to economic losses. Floods cannot be prevented and eliminated, but the catastrophic damage caused by them can be mitigated. Floods can be predicted in advance with the help of emerging technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT). Using such technologies, the people can be warned in advance and evacuated from affected areas to safe places, along with their valuable possessions. In this context, a real-time application is required that can provide an early flood warning based on the seamless data received from IoT devices about various parameters. In this work, we have developed an IoT-based prototype to collect hydrological data of rivers, such as water flow, water level, and water discharge. The proposed system is also able to collect meteorological data, such as temperature, humidity, wind speed, and wind direction. Furthermore, the collected data have been analyzed and classified by using the long short-term memory (LSTM) model with water discharge, water level, rainfall, and temperature as input parameters. The LSTM model then classified the flood events either into “no alert,” “yellow alert,” “orange alert,” or “red alert.” As rivers have dynamic geographical features, measuring the total discharge of water becomes a complex task. To address this vulnerability, a novel approach for determination of water discharge using water flow, sectional area width, and sectional average depth is proposed. In addition, the difficulties in measuring the total amount of rainfall due to the erratic behavior of the weather conditions of the unique geographical location have been addressed. The system is found to accurately predict the flood event state with F1-score of 97% for “no alert,” 97% for “yellow alert,” 96% for “orange alert,” and 98% for “red alert.”

ABSTRACTThis article has implemented a robust type-II fuzzy PID controller for automatic generation control (AGC) of a diverse energy source-based multi-area power system under various operating conditions. The AGC aims to make stability over frequency and tie-line power of the power system. The proposed controller is accessed with Type-II Fuzzy systems with trapezoidal-based membership functions. In controller design concern, a novel soft computing algorithm called an improved-grey wolf optimizer (I-GWO) is approached for this study. The performance of the proposed trapezoidal membership function-based type-II fuzzy controller (TM-T2FC) has been extensively compared with the existing triangular membership-function based fuzzy-II controller (TrM-T2FC), type-I fuzzy controller (T1FC) and PID controller for AGC of the multi-area power system. Furthermore, the viability and effectiveness of the anticipated I-GWO algorithm have been separately assessed through suitable comparative studies. The robustness of the proposed TM-T2FC controller is investigated through different sensitive analyses and further assessment has been carried out by extending the proposed controller to a five area power system. It is observed from extensive studies and performance assessment that the proposed TM-T2FC controller can be a potential candidate for the AGC of the multi-area power system.

The trehalase enzyme of Rhizoctonia solaniis the target site for validamycin, a common fungicide used for controlling the sheath blight disease of rice. However, rampant use of validamycin has resulted in emergence of fungicide resistance necessitating the search for newer fungicide molecules. Thus, molecular docking analysis was carried out to screen phytogenic compounds with high trehalase inhibitory effect. The 3-dimensional structure of the protein was generated by Swiss-model using the sequence information available in UniProt database (entry no. L8WUM1). Eighteen compounds from plants previously reported to have antagonistic effect against R. solaniwere selected for the study. Molecular docking carried out by Autodock 4.2 showed that the compounds, Cycloartenol (− 8.64), β-Sitosterol (− 8.58), Nimbiol (− 8.29), Nimbandiol (− 7.32), Menthone (− 7.31), Nimbin (− 7.22) had high binding energies whereas validamycin had a binding energy of − 4.08. Among these, Nimbiol, Nimbandiol, Menthone, Nimbin were obeying all the Tice rule criteria and appeared to be good fungicide candidates against R. solani.

AbstractThe main objective of this study is to examine the influence of carbon emission intensity on firm performance, in the context of top 100 companies listed in Bombay Stock Exchange. For the purpose of this study, secondary data has been collected from annual reports and environmental report and the study period is 5 years i.e. 2016-17 to 2020-21. By employing System GMM model, we found that the effect of carbon emission on firm performance is negative and statistically significant.

• Effects of mono- and co-doping of N and Co ions in anatase TiO2 are investigated. • Anatase phase retained even after doping using sol-gel auto combustion technique. • Electrical properties explained in terms of crystal structure and ionic character of dopants. • Optical band gap tuning towards the visible region (from 3.2 to 2.1 eV) is achieved. Pure (pristine) anatase and mono–doped and co–doped derivatives of TiO 2 having nitrogen (N) and cobalt (Co) as dopants with respective fixed doping concentrations of 0.7 mol.% and 1.0 mol.% were synthesized using auto–combustion sol–gel technique. The doping effects at corresponding non–metal and transition metal sites of TiO 2 on the basis of the structural, optical and electrical properties have been investigated. X–ray diffraction (XRD) measurement confirms the formation of pure anatase phase of TiO 2 for all samples having I4 1 /amd space group of tetragonal structure which has been also verified by the Raman spectroscopy measurement. Various crystallographic parameters have been calculated by performing Rietveld refinement of XRD data including average crystallite size that has been observed in the range of 10–15 nm. Pure anatase phase indicates the incorporation of Co2+ into TiO 2 lattice which assists the substitution of N in place of oxygen in co–doped TiO 2. The band gap tuning towards the visible region from 3.2 to 2.1 eV has been achieved with mono–doping and co–doping of the N and Co in TiO 2 lattice. This can be described in terms of the formation of localized levels of N–2p and Co–3d states in mono–doping and an isolated intermediate band formation in co–doping case. Electrical properties have been investigated in details and explained as the synergetic effects of structural and inherent ionic characters of various dopants. The observed band gaps of all doped samples lie within the visible region which makes them pertinent as the solar energy harnessing materials for photocatalytic and photovoltaic applications. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, rough elliptic bore journal bearing performance is predicted using an artificial neural network (ANN) technique. The effects of non-circularity and roughness are quantified to elliptic and isotropic in macro and micro scale, respectively. The numerically estimated performance parameters like load, friction, and flow-in at different eccentricities [0.3 (low), 0.5 (medium), and 0.8 (high)], non-circularities [0.5 (low), 1.0 (medium), and 2.0 (high)], and roughness factors [0.1 (low), 0.2 (medium), 0.3 (medium), and 0.4 (high)] are used to train and build the ANN model. The training continued until the maximum mean square error is achieved, and the best-fitting plot is generated. With a confidence level of 99.75% or an R-value of 0.99757, the results predicted are found to be satisfactory.Graphical Abstract

The availability of safe drinking water in non-networked rural areas and disaster-affected zones is dependent on point-of-use water filters. This study describes the design and performance assessment of a personal portable ceramic water filter named “sip-up.” Four sample variants were made using clay, exfoliated graphite (EG), and sawdust as raw materials. Samples were made using a mold to ensure uniformity and sintered at 850 °C. The experimental results showed that the sample containing the maximum amount of sawdust had the highest porosity of 36.07 ± 1.8%, providing an average flow rate of 0.61 ml/min in passive mode. The average pore size radius of all variants varied in the range of 1–10 nm, classifying the material as having a mesoporous structure. Compressive test results indicate that the addition of an organic additive (sawdust) decreases the compressive strength of filters as compared to non-organic additives. It has been observed that the addition of EG to clay does not significantly improve water filtration parameters as compared to samples containing only sawdust and clay. However, due to the smaller pore size, samples containing EG performed better in E. coliremoval as compared to sawdust-containing samples. The final prototype can act as a single-use personal water filtration device that can be inserted into any commercial water bottle, making it an affordable and effective solution for hikers, travelers, and natural disasters such as floods and cyclones.

Excess nitrate contamination was lucratively addressed using the novel adsorbents prepared from waste seed pods of the Guilandina bonduc(L.) plant. Adsorbents BFP and EBFP (amino-grafted) were synthesized following a green pathway of thermo-chemical transformation. Adsorbents were successfully implemented for nitrate adhesion from natural and wastewater. The morphology of the adsorbents was studied using SEM-EDS, TGA, XRD, FTIR-ATR, and BET, including zeta potential and point of zero charges. The batch mode nitrate removal study was carried out using a colorimeter. The optimum efficiency in nitrate trapping was found to be 173.8 mg/g (EBFP) and 78.74 mg/g (BFP). The adsorption efficiency of the sorbents was further optimized using the RSM-CCD and found to be suitable. The batch sorption study was also supported by the column study with a breakthrough curve at 90% (EBFP) and 60% (BFP) for the regeneration study. The optimum value for EBFP was attained at an initial nitrate concentration of 110 mg/L, pH∼8, and a dosage of 12 g/L at room temperature within 75 minutes of contact. The Freundlich isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetics fit satisfactorily with the sorption trends followed by other isotherm and kinetic models. The influence of various competing ions e.g., PO43−, Cl−, HCO3−, SO42−etc., on nitrate adsorption study was investigated. The physicochemical sorption of nitrate was confirmed, and a plausible mechanism has been suggested accordingly. The field sample experiment, including the start-up opportunities with this work, has been highlighted. EBFP could be an excellent sorbent of choice at present that is ready for commercialization.

The modelling and nonlinear analysis of a multi-machine system using swing dynamics is explored in this paper. Four identical machines (synchronous generators) in parallel is considered as a special case. Some interesting and unique nonlinear characteristics such as (1) different dynamic transitions via period doubling bifurcation, (2) angular instability via multiscroll chaotic attractor and (3) the presence of coexisting attractors (multistability) are revealed. Nonlinear tools such as Lyapunov exponents, bifurcation diagrams, time series and phase portrait responses are utilized to explain and validate the different dynamic behaviours. Furthermore, an adaptive second order PI sliding mode control is used to suppress the chaotic oscillations in multi-machine system. Numerical simulations are carried out in the MATLAB environment which confirm that the objective is accomplished successfully.

ABSTRACTThe current research presents a case study of optimal allocation of water for irrigation and power generation at Hirakud reservoir with the application of meta-heuristic algorithm. Hirakud is a multipurpose project, which is situated in the Sambalpur district of Odisha, India. As the inflow to the reservoir is uncertain, it creates difficulties and complexities in dealing with the reservoir operation. In this work, an effort has been made to build a policy for reservoir operation in Hirakud multipurpose reservoir with a view to satisfying the aim of irrigation and hydropower generation. The conventional methods are not suitable to solve these types of problems involving complexity and nonlinearity in demand and supply. The advantages of using evolutionary algorithm for reservoir optimization are that they deal with objective function information and avoid complications associated with determining derivate or other auxiliary information. The optimization techniques like genetic algorithms, particle swarm optimization, ant colony optimization, etc., have been applied to find optimal release for irrigation and hydropower generation. The analysis indicates performance of ACO a meta-heuristics-based algorithm that provides better result as compared to other methods.

The impedance of a medium carrying electromagnetic waves had been one of the important metrics for designing devices. However, the conclusions of wave impedance in periodic media like photonic crystal (PhC) waveguides fail to describe different wave propagation phenomena. Instead, Bloch impedance fits more appropriately in such a case. However, the existing definition of Bloch impedance by Boscolo et al. [J. Lightwave Technol.20, 304 (2002)JLTEDG0733-872410.1109/50.983245] is also unable to encounter some typical characteristics of wave propagation. This work brings out these discrepancies by providing a detailed comparison between the wave impedance, and the said Bloch impedance in rods-in-air-type and holes-in-dielectric-type PhC (hole-type) structures. The theoretical analysis shows that the nature of wave propagation in a rods-in-air-type PhC waveguide can be successfully described by this Bloch impedance in the whole band, whereas the wave impedance fails in it at and beyond the point of transition (from positive to negative) in group velocity. Conversely, this Bloch impedance is unable to characterize the wave propagation at the point of transition in group velocity within a hole-type PhC. Thereby, a procedural change in the calculation of Bloch impedance is proposed, and the supremacy of this proposed calculation over existing ones has been established for both the types of PhC waveguides. Moreover, the unexplored odd mode of the hole-type PhC waveguide has also been examined along with its even band in order to signify the importance of Bloch impedance over wave impedance.

•A three area hybrid power system in inclusion with multi-power generating units is modelled through a Simulink protocol. This work has been conducted with employing a MATLAB loaded 8GB RAM desktop. In this software environment, the power system performances pull to unstable by the action of several electrical disturbances.•Under such disturbances, the work has intended a robust type-II fuzzy tilt controller (Type2-FTC) to pertain necessary control actions for AGC. The AGC gracefully governs the power generation for keeping system stable. The AGC function then extended with incorporating optimal scheduling in the system.•An advanced quassi oppositional-path finder algorithm (QO-PFA) is proposed to fabricate optimally to the Type2-FTC controller. The Type2-FTC controller only outperforms at this optimum level.•In an extensive validation study, the proposed Type2-FTC controller's performance is compared to that of a type-I fuzzy controller and a traditional PID controller to demonstrate its superiority.•In order to defend the superiority of the QO-PFA approach over standard PFA and conventional PSO techniques, a healthy comparison study at the technique level has been synthesized.•A close comparison sensitive study is conducted to demonstrate the Type2-FTC controller's robustness under various functional conditions.