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• Corms soaked in 5% MLE exhibited early sprouting and tallest plants in shorter time. • Corm soaking produced more flowers and marketable stems with longest vase life. • Foliar application of 3% MLE produced tallest plants with shortest production time. • MLE application significantly improved growth, quality and yield of Freesia hybrida. Moringa leaf extract (MLE) is an organic bio-stimulant that can enhance crop growth and alleviate various stresses. The use of MLE might address a number of production issues on freesia, which is a popular bulbous cut flower grown and shipped worldwide. A field study was conducted to compare the effects of corm soaking with preharvest foliar applications of MLE on various morphological, physiological and yield attributes of freesia (Freesia hybrida L.). Two experiments were conducted; in experiment I, corms were soaked in 1%, 2%, 5% or 10% MLE solution for 24 h followed by air drying before planting, while in experiment II, untreated corms were planted and MLE at 1%, 2%, 3% or 5% was sprayed until runoff at 30 and 60 days after planting. Corms soaked in 5% MLE exhibited rapid 50% sprouting (3.2 d earlier compared to control), produced tallest plants (58.6 cm) with shortest production time (9 d earlier than control), highest number of leaves per plant (21.6), leaf area (109.2 cm2), leaf total chlorophyll contents (64.1 SPAD), stem diameter (4.3 mm), number of flowers per stem (6.6), number of marketable stems (3.1) and longest vase life (9 d), while flower diameter was highest (36.7 mm) when corms were treated with 2% MLE. In experiment II, foliar application of 3% MLE at 30 and 60 d after planting produced the tallest plants (16.3 cm taller than control) with shortest production time (9 d earlier than control), greatest leaf area (88.6 cm2), leaf total chlorophyll contents (57.02 SPAD), flower diameter (34.9 mm), number of leaves per plant (21.9), stem length (53.3 cm), stem diameter (3.9 mm), number of flowers per stem (6.5), and number of marketable stems (2.8) with longest vase life (3.3 d longer than control). Results demonstrated that MLE application significantly improved growth, quality and yield of Freesia hybrida by providing growth substances and minerals required for optimal growth and may be used by the growers as corm soak or foliar application for high quality cut freesia production. Among application methods, corm soaks were better than foliar applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Battery is the sole power source for Internet of thing (IoT) sensors. Due to limited shelf life, the batteries are required to be replaced intermittently. This periodic replacement of batteries is inflated in terms of both logistics and time. This article illustrates conceptual design, development, and characterization of a flow‐based electromagnetic‐type energy harvester (F‐EH) using microplanar coil for IoT sensors application. The F‐EH converts hydro energy into useful electrical energy utilizing electromagnetic transduction mechanism. The microfabrication and macrofabrication techniques adopted to manufacture harvester's components are presented. The F‐EH has been successfully characterized by laboratory scale experimental flow test loop commissioned for this work. Experimentation with associated uncertainty analysis prevails that at a matching impedance, the F‐EH can generate a 686 μW of maximum power at an operating flow rate of 12 L/min with an uncertainty of 8.1%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamics of hyperbolic tangent nanofluid, coupled with thermal radiation and chemical reactions, find extensive applications in various fields, including drying processes, oil emulsions, ceramics, prevention of crop damage from freezing, and dehydration processes. Therefore, the primary objective of the present contribution is to scrutinize the dynamic behavior of hyperbolic tangent nanofluid with consideration for both chemical reactions and thermal radiation effects subject to a prescribed thermal system. To model the nanofluid’s behavior, we have employed Buongiorno’s nanofluid model, which incorporates random motion and thermo-diffusion of nanostructured particles. The thermal performance of the hyperbolic tangent nanofluid is analyzed under two boundary conditions: prescribed surface temperature (PST) and prescribed heat flux (PHF). To facilitate the analysis, we have transformed the transport PDEs in Cartesian configuration into ODEs. Subsequently, we have employed the highly efficient HAM (homotopy analysis method) to solve the obtained system. The study explores the influence of various flowing constraints on key configurations such as temperature formation, velocity formation, concentration formation, local drag formation, Nusselt number, and Sherwood number. Notably, the Nusselt number diminishes with the inclusion of thermo $\left({0.2 \le {N_t} \le 1.1} \right)$0.2≤Nt≤1.1 and Brownian $\left({0.3 \le {N_b} \le 1.1} \right)$0.3≤Nb≤1.1 diffusions of nanoparticles, while it increases with an escalation in the thermal radiation $\left({0.0 \le {R_d} \le 2.5} \right)$0.0≤Rd≤2.5 parameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, Homotopy Perturbation Method is applied to solve the nonlinear MHD Jeffery–Hamel arterial blood flow problem. Primarily, two-dimensional nonlinear Navier–Stokes equations have been converted into third order one-dimensional equation by means of transformation rule. Later the solution of governed equation is obtained by using Homotopy Perturbation Method. The proposed numerical results show a good agreement with reference solution for finite interval and emphasize to understand the human arterial blood flow rate. Further, accuracy and reliability of the proposed method is checked by increasing the iteration process up to third order. Finally, the results showed that product of angle between plates " α " and Reynolds number " Re " is directly proportional to the MHD Jeffery–Hamel flow. • A computing method is designed for nonlinear MHD Jeffery–Hamel arterial blood flow problem. • In modern studies related to flow rate of blood has been observed as a cross sectional dependent and time dependent. • Comparison is presented with reported results like RK-4 numerical results verify the correctness of the scheme. • Accuracy and convergence of the solver is verified from the statistical analysis. • Proposed scheme is an alternate and reliable method for such nonlinear systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper investigates the interfacial bonding, interfacial nanostructure and reinforcing ability of 4 vol% multi-walled carbon nanotubes (mw CNT) and 6 vol% silicon carbide nanoparticles (SiC NP) in inductively sintered alumina ceramic hybrid nanocomposites. Homogenously dispersed reinforcing inclusions led hybrid nanocomposites to three-fold finer microstructure and respective 81% and 25% higher fracture toughness and microhardness over the monolithic alumina. Better mechanical properties were correlated with distinctive toughening mechanisms of crack-deflection as well as crack-bridging induced by reinforcing phases upon establishing sturdy interfaces with the alumina matrix. Moreover, the bonding mechanisms and nanostructural development at the mw CNT/alumina and SiC NP /alumina interfacial regions were probed by means of both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The results show strong interfacial bonding of alumina with mw CNT and SiC NP through an intermediate interfacial layer in the former case and direct physical sticking in the latter one. The bonding chemistry and nanostructural features at the interfaces are meticulously discussed. We also discuss the high temperature stability of the hybrid nanocomposites under air and argon atmospheres. Highlights • Hybrid alumina nanocomposites containing SiC/CNT were inductively sintered. • Dense nanocomposite showed higher 81% toughness and 25% hardness over alumina. • Interfacial bonding was appraised by qualitative and quantitative methods. • Bonding chemistry and nanostructures at interface are scrupulously discussed. • Hybrid nanocomposite manifested high thermal stability under inert atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Hybrid alumina (Al 2 O 3) ceramic nanocomposites containing 3 wt% silicon carbide nanoparticles (SiCnp) and 0.5 wt% multilayer graphene (MLG) were consolidated to near theoretical density (99%) by an inductive hot-pressing (IHP) technology. The enhanced fracture toughness and hardness by 97% and 15% respectively, for the hybrid nanocomposites over the reference Al 2 O 3 were attributed to the higher densification, uniformly dispersed reinforcing constituents within the base matrix, toughening mechanisms of crack-deflection by the 0D-SiCnp and grain-anchoring as well as crack-bridging induced by the 2D-MLG. Thermal investigations of the hybrid nanocomposite verified the occurrence of a chemical reaction at the MLG/Al 2 O 3 interface and thermal diffusion at SiCnp/Al 2 O 3 interface during inductive hot-pressing. The bonding characteristics and interfacial microstructure were appraised by infra-red spectroscopy and high-resolution TEM microscope. Furthermore, the thermal stability in different gaseous environments and the ballistic performance of the hybrid nanocomposites were characterized and discussed. The produced hybrid nanocomposites may be suitable for high-temperature aerospace structural parts and may have applications in high-velocity impact technology. Highlights • Dense hybrid nanocomposites were prepared by inductive hot pressing method. • The hybrid nanocomposites demonstrated 97% higher fracture toughness over Al 2 O 3. • Hybrid nanocomposites manifested high thermal stability and ballistic performance. • Reinforcing phases (SiC and MLG) formed sturdy interface with Al 2 O 3 matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents a novel time series behavior matching algorithm for analyzing behavior (trend) similarity between two given time series. Unlike traditional approaches, our dynamic programming based approach "Behavior Matching (BM)" is based on trends and behavior rather than absolute distance as similarity measure. In order to compare the effectiveness of our proposed algorithm, we conduct an experimental study on real world stock data (DAX30). We compare our proposed algorithm with state-of-the-art algorithm Euclidean Distance, V-Shift and Dynamic Time Warping. The experimental results validates the performance guarantee and consistency of our proposed scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TThe contamination of soil and water with heavy metals is one of the major environmental problems in the world. Oil and gas exploration and production activities contaminate the environment with heavy metals. In this study, heavy metal concentration was assessed in drilling waste discharges of different oil and gas wells at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan. Moreover, the concentration of heavy metals in the soil surrounding the drilling waste discharges was determined. The representative samples were collected from seven oil and gas drilling waste discharges and the surrounding soil. The collected samples were analyzed for selected heavy metals (Ba, Pb Cr, Cd, Zn, Mn, and Ni) by atomic absorption spectrometric standard methods. Analysis showed that oil and gas well drilling operation waste is enriched with determined heavy metals. The high concentration of heavy metals, particularly Ba and Pb, was also found in the surrounding soil samples. In particular, Ba concentration varied from 1050 to 4168 mg/kg soil. Statistical correlational analysis depicted a common origin of the heavy metals in the soil of the study area, potentially the drilling waste discharges from oil and gas wells. The concentration of heavy metals in oil and gas well drilling waste discharge high, and also affects surrounding soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper addresses the attitude estimation problem for rigid bodies moving in 3D-space with not negligible and time varying acceleration. For this case, we propose a simple and efficient globally asymptotic attitude estimation by using measurements from low-cost IMU and GPS. It consists of an observer based on proportional-integral (PI) term with discontinuous switching function to estimate the linear acceleration in the inertial frame for which we obtain global exponential convergence, along with a complementary filter for raw vectors from IMU to remove noise and bias. For this one, we get global asymptotic convergence of the observer taking into account gyro bias. Thereafter the filtered data is processed with an algebraic algorithm (e.g. TRIAD) for the attitude estimation. Note that when no gyro bias is considered, we obtain global exponential convergence for the overall system. To show the importance of filtering these raw vectors and the convergence behaviour of the proposed observers, simulation results are also given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigate the numerical solution of nonlinear singular system represented with sixth Painlev́e equation by the strength of artificial intelligence using feed-forward artificial neural networks (ANNs) optimized with genetic algorithms (GAs), interior point technique (IPT), sequential quadratic programming (SQP), and their hybrids. The ANN provided a compatible method for finding nature-inspired mathematical model based on unsupervised error for sixth Painlev́e equation and adaptation of weights of these networks is carried out globally by the competency of GA aided with IPT or SQP algorithms. Moreover, a hybrid approach has been adopted for better proposed numerical results. An extensive statistical analysis has been performed through several independent runs of algorithms to validate the accuracy, convergence, and exactness of the proposed scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Radiochemical purity (RCP) is a routine quality control test carried out at nuclear medicine to determine the concentration of various chemical species present in the radiopharmaceuticals (RPs). The present work describes three years of experience in a single institute for the measurement of these impurities in the RPs preparations. Methods: The RCP of different cold kit preparations were performed by chromatographic methods. Specifically, a small drop of the aliquot was spotted on the specific paper acting as the stationary phase and then developed in different solvents as mobile phases. The developed chromatograms were then quantified for various chemical species by Mini TLC scanner or well type counter. Results: The retention factor (Rf) values for the different chemical species in the labeling of RP were measured by using single, double or triple solvent systems. It was observed that 2.70% of the kits had RCP less than the acceptable limit whereas 97.30% kits were found within the permissible levels. Conclusion: Chromatographic techniques used for the assessment of RCP offer sufficiently good results for identification and separation of different chemical impurities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed at the investigation of the Role of the Administrator in the Utilization of Human Resources in Education Department”. Non-probability purposive sampling technique was used for selection of sample. The objectives of the study were to diagnose factors inhibiting administrative practices/work performance of the administrators, identify the loopholes in the human resource utilization in education and find out relationship between administrative practices and human resource utilization in Education Department. Research questions were formulated for the study. The population of the study was all administrative staff of education office district Mardan. The sample of the study was both male and female management staff in District Mardan. Data were collected through a self-designed questionnaire from sample. Analysis was made through Mean, Standard Deviation. The study explored that administrators play a significant role in the utilization of human resources. This result was acquired via a measure focusing on the specialized leadership skills used in in the utilization of human resources. This finding furnishes support for policy initiatives designed to improve in the utilization of human resources by enhancing administrators’ leadership skills. Findings further revealed that the present situation is not up to the mark and needs special attention. It was also found that there was significant difference in the male and female administrators in the utilization of human resources. Based on these findings, it is recommended, among others; that administrators must be given trainings, attend periodic seminars, workshops, professional development training and management training to equip themselves with leadership and management skills for the better utilization of human resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is posing stresses on water resources, food security, population, environment and economy of the southern Punjab. Integrated climate change risk assessment is carried out using assessed likelihood approach for defined mean, hot & dry, central, warm & wet climate models over selected time slices and adaptation plans. Climate models are based on the 5 th , 50 th & 95 th percentiles of PRECIS RCM projections of temperature & precipitation under IPCC A2 & A1B scenarios. Four time slices 2015, 2035, 2065 and 2085 are selected to assess the temporal climate change risk and to evaluate the performance of selected adaptations to reduce climate threats over considered assets. Results are presented in terms of risk indices and risk reduction units (RRUs). In first half of the 21 st century, climate change risk will continue to increase from current level and is high (>10) in most of the selected time slices. Maximum ensembles of climate models, time slices and adaptation plans observe moderate (37–40 RRUs) and high (40–55 RRUs) risk class. Cumulative risk has been calculated through integration of sectoral sensitivity e.g. population density, land use, food security and multidimensional poverty to climate change risk class using AHP and overlaying in GIS environment. About 90% and 83% area of southern Punjab is falling in high cumulative risk. About 13% area, comprising Muzaffargarh and Rajanpur district is under very high cumulative risk. Water induced adaptations like development of water resources, dam & flood control protection, temporary flood barriers and water resource acquisition are the preferred and suitable adaptations as these observed >100 RRUs for most of the ensembles. Assessing baseline vulnerability and sectoral sensitivity to climate stimuli are the hot spots requiring priority attention and firm decision making by disaster management authorities and communities residing in southern Punjab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the development of multi-mode vibration based electromagnetic type micro power generator (MPG). Along the stainless steel planar spring (SPS) and magnet assembly, a movable coil (MC) is a novel addition to the resonant frequencies of the device. The design with MCs on either side of the magnet provide higher power generation for the same footprint of the device at multiple modes. Computer numerical control (CNC) milling machine, wire-cut electric discharge machine (EDM) and 3D printer are used to fabricate the MCs, SPS and spacers respectively to yield a MPG with an overall volume of 29.03 cm 3 . The developed MPG is characterized to generate power at four different resonant frequencies below 100 Hz. At 3 rd mode (82 Hz) the developed MPG is able to produce a maximum 33 mV open circuit voltage, 14.5 mV load voltage and a power of 68.4 μW. Furthermore, the present development and experimentation of the MPG with a yielded power density of 2.35 μW/cm 3 at 2 g acceleration can be regarded as guidelines for multi-mode devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper the IRIS (Integrated Router Interconnected spectrally), an optical domain architecture for datacenter network is analyzed. The IRIS integrated with advanced modulation formats (M-QAM) and coherent optical receiver is analyzed. The channel impairments are compensated using the DSP algorithms following the coherent receiver. The proposed scheme allows N2 multiplexed wavelengths for N×N size. The performance of the N×N-IRIS switch with and without wavelength conversion is analyzed for different Baud rates over M-QAM modulation formats. The performance of the system is analyzed in terms of bit error rate (BER) vs OSNR curves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photovoltaic (PV) system generates energy that varies with the variation in environmental conditions such as temperature and solar radiation. To cope up with the ever increasing demand of energy, the PV system must operate at maximum power point (MPP), which changes with load as well as weather conditions. This paper proposes a nonlinear backstepping controller to harvest maximum power from a PV array using DC-DC buck converter. A regression plane is formulated after collecting the data of the PV array from its characteristic curves to provide the reference voltage to track MPP. Asymptotic stability of the system is proved using Lyapunov stability criteria. The simulation results validate the rapid tracking and efficient performance of the controller. For further validation of the results, it also provides a comparison of the proposed controller with conventional perturb and observe (P&O) and fuzzy logic-based controller (FLBC) under abrupt changes in environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Ultrasonography is a safe rapid cost effective and readily available imaging tool in pediatric clinics. The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic value of ultrasonography in clinically suspicious maxillary sinusitis in pediatric patients taking computed tomography (CT) as gold standard. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This prospective study was conducted from January to July 2015 enrolling patients of age 3-12 years old and presenting with clinical symptoms of maxillary sinusitis. Both ultrasonography and CT were carried out in all patients. RESULTS: The data were analysed and quantitative metric like sensitivity (Sn= 45%) specificity (Sp = 93%) positive predictive values (PPV = 94%) negative predictive values (NPV = 41%) and accuracy (.Acc = 94%) of ultrasonography for detection of maxillary sinusitis were calculated. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasonography offer low sensitivity and high specificity in diagnosis of maxillary sinusitis in pediatric population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, biologically inspired intelligent computing approached based on artificial neural networks (ANN) models optimized with efficient local search methods like sequential quadratic programming (SQP), interior point technique (IPT) and active set technique (AST) is designed to solve the higher order nonlinear boundary value problems arise in studies of induction motor. The mathematical modeling of the problem is formulated in an unsupervised manner with ANNs by using transfer function based on log-sigmoid, and the learning of parameters of ANNs is carried out with SQP, IPT and ASTs. The solutions obtained by proposed methods are compared with the reference state-of-the-art numerical results. Simulation studies show that the proposed methods are useful and effective for solving higher order stiff problem with boundary conditions. The strong motivation of this research work is to find the reliable approximate solution of fifth-order differential equation problems which are validated through strong statistical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Narcissus ( Narcissus tazetta L.) and tuberose ( Polianthes tuberosa L.) are commercially important cut flowers being grown in various countries, but their postharvest handling procedures need to be optimized to preserve quality and extend vase life. Effect of storage method (wet vs. dry) and durations were compared to improve the postharvest performance of cut narcissus and tuberose stems. Increasing storage duration reduced vase life, but more rapidly for stems stored dry compared to wet storage for both tested species. Narcissus stems last 1.4 d longer when stored in buckets containing water, while tuberose spikes lasted 1.2 d longer than dry-stored stems. Moreover, as storage duration increased from 0 to 6 d for narcissus and to 12 d for tuberose vase life gradually decreased. Narcissus stems stored up to 2 days at 3 ± 1 °C had a similar vase life to unstored stems, while storage duration of 4 or 6 days reduced vase life by 1.2 or 1.5 d, respectively. For tuberose, vase life decreased by 0.7 days when stored for 3 days to 2.1 d when stems were stored for 12 d. Water uptake also gradually decreased with increase in storage duration. In summary, storage in water may be used for short durations for holding cut stems of narcissus and tuberose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene nanosheets (GNS) reinforced Al2O3 nanocomposites were prepared by a rapid sintering route. The microhardness and fracture toughness values of the resulting nanocomposites simultaneously increased due to efficient graphene nanosheet incorporation and chemical interaction with the Al2O3 matrix grains. The properties enhancement is attributed to uniformly dispersed graphene nanosheet in the consolidated structure promoted by high surface roughness and ability of graphene nanosheet to decorate Al2O3 nanoparticles, strong GNS/Al2O3 chemical interaction during colloidal mixing and pullout/crack bridging toughening mechanisms during mechanical testing. The GNS/Al2O3 interaction during different processing stages was thoroughly examined by thermal and structural investigation of the interfacial area. We report formation of an intermediate aluminum oxycarbide phase via a confined carbothermal reduction reaction at the GNS/Al2O3 interface. The graphene nanosheet surface roughness improves GNS/Al2O3 mechanical attachment and chemical compatibility. The Al2O3/GNS interface phase facilitates efficient load transfer, thus delaying failure through impediment of crack propagation. The resulting nanocomposites, therefore, offer superior toughness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated morphometric parameters of the Haro River drainage network to determine flooding potential in the river basin. The drainage network is derived from topographic maps while using shuttle radar topography mission digital elevation model (SRTM-DEM) and geographic information systems (GIS). A total of 2917 streams (dendritic to semi-dendritic) are recognized, among which 1,536 are identified as first-order streams, followed by 731 as second order, 360 as third order, 173 as fourth order, 78 as fifth order, and 39 as sixth order. Linear and areal morphometric parameters revealed lower values for form factor (0.25), stream frequency (0.99), and drainage density (0.84 km/sq.km), which suggest that the basin is being elongated with permeable strata; whereas lower values of mean bifurcation ratio (2.0) and relief ratio (20.68) indicate less potential for flooding in the main river channel. Understanding drainage morphometry could bring better hydrological solutions for similar studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, stochastic numerical computing approach is developed by applying artificial neural networks (ANNs) to compute the solution of Lane-Emden type boundary value problems arising in thermodynamic studies of the spherical gas cloud model. ANNs are used in an unsupervised manner to construct the energy function of the system model. Strength of efficient local optimization procedures based on active-set (AS), interior-point (IP) and sequential quadratic programming (SQP) algorithms is used to optimize the energy functions. The performance of all three design methodologies ANN-AS, ANN-IP and ANN-SQP is evaluated on different nonlinear singular systems. The effectiveness of the proposed schemes in terms of accuracy and convergence is established from the results of statistical indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data analysis is developing rapidly in a fast emerging society, because of temporal and spatial resolution and the inoffensive feature of their acquisition in human brains. Spatial resolution governs how 'sharp' the image is in appearance, whereas temporal resolution denotes the precision of a measurement with respect to time. The goal of fMRI technique is to identify the activation pattern and functional connectivity in the brain regions. In our study, artificial neural network technique was used for the identification and classification of decision-making voxels of fMRI data based on Brodmann areas 10 and 47 from the prefrontal cortex of human brain. The total number of voxels of Brodmann areas was 159, and we determined that some particular voxels played dominant role for decision-making process while performing a visual task. We also analyzed true positive and false positive classification rates between two decisions in the context of a well-known receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the artificial intelligence techniques have been used for the solution of Falkner-Skan (FS) equations based on neural networks optimized with three methods including active set technique, sequential quadratic programming and genetic algorithms (GA) hybridization. Log-sigmoid activation function is used in artificial neural network architecture. The proposed techniques are applied to a number of cases for Falkner-Skan problems, and results were compared with GA hybrid results in all cases and were found accurate. The level of accuracy is examined through statistical analyses based on a sufficiently large number of independent runs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myocardial infarction (MI), a cause of significant morbidity and mortality, is typically followed by microstructural alterations where the necrotic myocardium is steadily replaced with a collagen scar. Engineered remodeling of the fibrotic scar via stem cell regeneration has been shown to improve/restore the myocardium function after MI. Nevertheless, the heterogeneous nature of the scar patch may impair the myocardial electrical integrity, leading to the formation of arrhythmogenesis. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) offers an effective treatment for focal arrhythmias where local heating generated via electric current at specific spots in the myocardium ablate the arrhythmogenic foci. Characterization of these myocardial pathologies (i.e., infarcted, stem cell regenerated, and RFA-ablated myocardial tissues) is of potential clinical importance. Optical polarimetry, the use of light to map and characterize the polarization signatures of a sample, has emerged as a powerful imaging tool for structural characterization of myocardial tissues, exploiting the underlying highly fibrous tissue nature. This study aims to review the recent progress in optical polarimetry pertaining to the characterization of myocardial pathologies while describing the underlying biological rationales that give rise to the optical imaging contrast in various pathologies of the myocardium. Future possibilities of and challenges to optical polarimetry in cardiac imaging clinics are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine the outcome of trabeculotomy in patients presenting with primary congenital glaucoma at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan. Design: It was a descriptive case series. Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Department of Ophthalmology, Allied Hospital Faisalabad over 3 years from January 2014 to December 2016. Material and Methods: 45 consecutive children presenting with primary congenital glaucoma were included after written informed consent. These children underwent trabeculotomy. Outcome variable was frequency of successful treatment which was defined as persistent intraocular pressure below 20 mmHg without medication for at least six months and reduction or stabilization of cupping of the optic disc. A predesigned proforma was used to record patient's demographic details along with outcome variables. Results: The mean age of the patients was 17.47±5.77 months. There were 28 (62.2%) male and 17 (37.8%) female children with a male to female ratio of 1.6:1. It was bilateral in 37 (82.2%) patients. There was significant improvement in the mean intraocular pressure (12.69±2.12 vs. 25.09±4.52 mmHg; p<0.00001), horizontal corneal diameter (11.96±1.49 vs. 14.87±2.03mm; p<0.00001), axial length (20.16±2.51 vs. 20.69±2.37mm; p=0.0002) and cup-disc ratio (0.30±0.15 vs. 0.51±0.19; p<0.00001) from baseline at 6 months follow-up after trabeculotomy. Treatment was successful in 39 (86.7%) patients. There was no significant difference in the frequency of successful treatment across age and gender groups. Conclusion: Trabeculotomy is an easy to perform procedure with high success rate of 86.7% in children with primary congenital glaucoma. The complications observed in the present series were related to surgical skill and technique and were successfully managed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vibration and acoustic energies are widely harvested for the power requirements of wireless sensor nodes (WSNs) but rarely we can see the simultaneous conversion of vibration and acoustic using a single energy harvester. To attain the self-sustained long-standing operation of WSNs, we present a novel hybrid vibro-acoustic energy harvester (HVA-EH) utilizing a spherical magnet to harvest acoustic and vibration energies at the same time. The development, characterization, and power management of the proposed HVA-EH are illustrated in this paper. The Prototype comprises of 3D printed structure, a cantilever beam with a cavity for the spherical magnet which is used to add more resonance to the system, a Helmholtz cavity (HC) and a flexible micro planar coil (FMPC). Due to base excitation, the cantilever beam vibrates and as a result, the magnet oscillates, while on the other side the acoustic waves enter the HC through its neck and oscillate the FMPC. Because of these oscillations, the FMPC experiences variation in magnetic flux and an electromotive force is generated. The device was tested under standalone vibration and acoustic environment as well as under a hybrid environment and the output parameters were noted. It was observed that when the device was exposed to a hybrid environment, the results showed enhanced output parameters and generates higher energy. By adding vibration to the standalone acoustic device, an increase of 44.72% was observed in the output power. The developed prototype was also connected to a power management circuit developed in this work, and an output DC power of 5056 μW was achieved. Additionally, a 1.5 V AAA battery was successfully charged by the HVA-EH in an hour's time duration. The output power produced by the novel HVA-EH is significant and is quite enough to operate the WSNs. This work paves a new way for developing hybrid environment-type energy harvesters for efficiency enhancement. [Display omitted] • A novel spherical magnet-based electromagnetic type of hybrid vibro-acoustic energy harvester is presented. • The developed prototype shows its effectiveness by harvesting vibration and acoustic energies simultaneously. • A 1.5 V battery was successfully charged by the developed prototype in an hour time duration. • A maximum output DC power of 5056 μW was achieved at an acceleration level of 0.3 g under sound level pressure of 130 dB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To find the magnitude of clinically overt hypocalcaemia post-total thyroidectomy and its relation with the age of the patient. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital, Bahawalpur Pakistan, from Jan 2017 to Dec 2019. Methodology: Sixty patients who were to undergo total thyroidectomy were included in the study in strict compliance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Patients were divided into two groups according to their ages. In Group-A, patients younger than 50 and Group-B, patients older than 50 years were included. All the patients were followed up by clinical examination for the development of clinically overt hypocalcaemia and confirmed by measurement of serum calcium. Results: Mean age of the patients was 42.75±13.05 years, with an age range of 20 to 68 years. Of all the patients, 14(23.3%) were male, and 46(76.7%) were females. Seven patients in Group-A developed post-thyroidectomy hypocalcaemia clinically, whereas, in Group-B, only one developed this condition. Clinical post-thyroidectomy hypocalcaemia developed more often in the younger age group and these results were statistically significant (p= 0.023). Conclusion: Clinically overt hypocalcaemia develops more often in younger patients after total thyroidectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considerable development in software-based configurable hardware has paved the way for a new networking paradigm called software-defined vehicular networks (SDVNs). The distinctive features of SDN, such as its flexibility and programmability, can help fulfill the performance and management requirements for VANETs. Although several studies exist on VANET and SDN, a tutorial on SDVNs is still lacking. In this article, we initially investigate recent premier research advances in the SDVN paradigm. Then we categorize and classify SDVN concepts and establish a taxonomy based on important characteristics, such as services, access technologies, network architectural components, opportunities, operational modes, and system components. Furthermore, we identify and outline the key requirements for SDVNs. Finally, we enumerate and outline future research challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A study was conducted to investigate the effects of seed priming (halopriming with 25 mM, 50 mM and 100 mM of calcium chloride (CaCl2), potassium nitrate (KNO3), potassium chloride (KCl) and Hydropriming) on germination and seedling vigor of Gerbera jamesonii and Zinnia elegans. Seeds of Gerbera jamesonii and Zinnia elegans were primed in salt solutions and distilled water for 24 h and 12 h, respectively, and germinated at 25 ± 1 °C with 40-60% R.H. in 16/8 hours day/night conditions. Results revealed that pre-sowing seed treatment particularly halopriming with CaCl2 was the most effective for invigoration of gerbera and zinnia seeds. For Gerbera jamesonii, 25 mM CaCl2 and for Zinnia elegans, 50 mM CaCl2 proved best priming treatments followed by 100 mM KCl and 50 to 100 mM KNO3 for both tested species. This was interpreted by reduced time to 50% germination (1.2 d for gerbera and 2.4 d for zinnia), higher final germination %age (11% for gerbera and 7% for zinnia), seedling vigor (83% for gerbera and 46% for zinnia), and fresh weight (0.95 g for gerbera and 2.29 g for zinnia) and dry weight (0.3 g for gerbera and 0.5 g for zinnia) of the seedlings. These halopriming treatments (25 to 50 mM CaCl2 or 50 to 100 mM KCl and KNO3) can be commercially used by the growers for early, uniform and healthy nursery stand of the tested species, which can ensure uniform maturity and flower harvesting of ornamentals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical polarimetry has previously imaged the spatial extent of a typical radiofrequency ablated (RFA) lesion in myocardial tissue, exhibiting significantly lower total depolarization at the necrotic core compared to healthy tissue, and intermediate values at the RFA rim region. Here, total depolarization in ablated myocardium was used to segment the total depolarization image into three (core, rim and healthy) zones. A local fuzzy thresholding algorithm was used for this multi-region segmentation, and then compared with a ground truth segmentation obtained from manual demarcation of RFA core and rim regions on the histopathology image. Quantitative comparison of the algorithm segmentation results was performed with evaluation metrics such as dice similarity coefficient (DSC = 0.78 ± 0.02 and 0.80 ± 0.02), sensitivity (Sn = 0.83 ± 0.10 and 0.91 ± 0.08), specificity (Sp = 0.76 ± 0.17 and 0.72 ± 0.17) and accuracy (Acc = 0.81 ± 0.09 and 0.71 ± 0.10) for RFA core and rim regions, respectively. This automatic segmentation of parametric depolarization images suggests a novel application of optical polarimetry, namely its use in objective RFA image quantification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although organic nitrogen (N) compounds are ubiquitous in soil solutions, their potential role in plant N nutrition has been questioned. We performed a range of experiments on Arabidopsis thaliana genetically modified to enhance or reduce root uptake of amino acids. Plants lacking expression of the Lysine Histidine Transporter 1 (LHT1) displayed significantly lower contents of 13C and 15N label and of U-13C5,15N2 L-glutamine, as determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry when growing in pots and supplied with dually labelled L-glutamine compared to wild type plants and LHT1-overexpressing plants. Slopes of regressions between accumulation of 13C-labelled carbon and 15N-labelled N were higher for LHT1-overexpressing plants than wild type plants, while plants lacking expression of LHT1 did not display a significant regression between the two isotopes. Uptake of labelled organic N from soil tallied with that of labelled ammonium for wild type plants and LHT1-overexpressing plants but was significantly lower for plants lacking expression of LHT1. When grown on agricultural soil plants lacking expression of LHT1 had the lowest, and plants overexpressing LHT1 the highest C/N ratios and natural δ15N abundance suggesting their dependence on different N pools. Our data show that LHT1 expression is crucial for plant uptake of organic N from soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous evidence suggests that Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) is linked with Employee Performance (EP), whereas according to other studies EP is based on Job Satisfaction (JS). This study attempts to explore whether independent variable (OHS) predicts the dependent variable (EP) directly or through mediating variable (JS) indirectly. Besides what is the role of demographic attributes of the respondents in this framework of relationships. OHS (variable X) has three attributes; legislative, medical & engineering measures. Dependent variable (variable Y) has been expressed into four attributes; effectiveness, efficiency, responsiveness & innovativeness. JS as mediating variable (M) has pay, promotion, supervision, colleagues, work & work environment as attributes. The objective of the study was to investigate existing literature in order to explore the relationship between perceptions of OHS, EP & JS in the workplace, thereby extracting a conceptual framework regarding the topic for future application in the upcoming empirical study. This review study was conducted at Department of Community Medicine, Gomal Medical College, Dera Ismail Khan from October, 2016 to November, 2016. Data collection method was literature search. Data type was qualitative & secondary. We searched the databases of MEDLINE (PubMed), Google scholar, Pakmedinet, Cochrane reviews and relevant web sites, over the period 2006-2017, using keywords as searching mechanism. Data was organized, summarized, analyzed and interpreted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study explores a new direction of research in which the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) effects on two-dimensional nanofluid boundary layer flow under the influence of radiation are investigated in a porous medium using inverse multiquadric (IMQ) radial basis neural networks (RBNNs) i.e. IMQ-RBNNs. A quite new computational approach is used here in which artificial neural networks (ANNs) acquired IMQ radial basis function as an activation function in an amalgam of globally searching solver named genetic algorithms (GAs) together with an efficient local searching sequential quadratic programming (SQP) solver. The basic equations that represent the fluid flow are first obtained in the form of partial differential equations (PDEs) and then converted into dimensionless ordinary differential equations (ODEs) by applying similarity transformations. The dynamical properties of the nanofluid including velocity, temperature along mass concentration are analyzed by varying physical parameters including radiation parameter, magnetic parameter, constant moving parameter, heat source parameter, Brownian motion parameter and Eckert number. Moreover, the escalation in the value of the constant moving parameter diminishes the fluid velocity but this effect is reversed in the case of magnetic parameter. The increasing values of heat source parameter, Brownian motion parameter and Eckert number inflate the nanofluid temperature but a reversal effect is observed in the case of radiation parameter. It is also observed that larger values of heat Brownian motion parameter and radiation parameter amplify the nanofluid concentration but an opposite effect is obtained in the case of heat source parameter. The numerical results of the proposed model obtained through the IMQ-RBNNs based solver optimized with GASQP algorithm. The efficacy and tendency of rapid convergence of the proposed solver are endorsed through graphical illustrations and tables using well-known statistical operators with various fitness analyses on MATLAB are also part of this research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In this era, the neuroscientists get attention to find a network of brain which is activated in resting state of mind. It is challenging for any analytical technique to find out the connectivity among Brodmann areas of brain in resting state. To find network, a study was conducted in which brains are scan by functional magnetic resonance imaging of four healthy right handed individuals. Exploratory factor analysis was used to explore that which Brodmann areas are related to each other and then structural equation model has applied on explored factors (lobes) to find a network of activated brain in resting state. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 26, 264-269, 2016 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synergic role of 2 wt% MWCNTs and 5 wt% SiC nanoparticles on the structure and properties of the hybrid alumina nanocomposites fabricated through fast sintering route was studied. The hybrid nanocomposite demonstrated fourfold reduced grain size with substantial improvement in fracture toughness (110%) and hardness (30%) against bench-marked monolithic Al 2 O 3 . Fine-grained microstructure and the harder SiC nanoparticles led hybrid nanocomposite to superior hardness while better toughness was attributed to the synergic toughening mechanisms induced by the 0D SiC nanoparticles and 1D MWCNTs. The stability of MWCNTs and SiC nanoparticles and their interfaces with Al 2 O 3 matrix were appraised by combined electron microscopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article unsteady 3-D MHD boundary layer flow and heat transfer analysis with constant temperature and constant heat flux in a porous medium is considered. The boundary layer flow is governed by a bi-directional stretching sheet. Similarity transformations are used to transform the governing non-linear partial differential equations to ordinary differential equations. Analytical solutions are constructed using homotopy analysis method. Convergence analysis is also presented through tabular data. The quantities of interest are the velocity, temperature, skin friction coefficient,t and Nusselt number. The obtained results are validated by comparisons with previously published work in special cases. The results of this parametric study are shown graphically and the physical aspects of the problem are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.), a high temperature tolerant geophyte is being successfully grown with minimal care, which makes it the only choice for the cut flower growers during summer season in Punjab, Pakistan. Currently growers, retailers and consumers hold their cut tuberose spikes in tap water. However, presence of salts in tap water poses threat to cut spikes and may shorten their postharvest longevity. Therefore, a study was conducted to evaluate the effect of water collected from various sources on postharvest longevity and keeping quality of cut tuberose spikes. The results demonstrated that spikes kept in carbonated plus distilled water (1:1) had longest vase life, with highest water uptake, and relative fresh weight. Moreover, it delayed floret opening time, increased open florets percentage and produced superior quality spikes as compared to other water sources. Spikes kept in distilled, deionized and reverse osmosis water also extended postharvest longevity of cut tuberose spikes. On the other hand, canal water or tap water available in local markets found unfit for handling cut tuberose spikes as these reduced vase life. Therefore, it is recommended that carbonated plus distilled water (1:1), distilled, deionized or reverse osmosis water should be used by the stakeholders instead of tap or canal water for extending vase life and maintaining quality of cut tuberose spikes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field and social survey was conducted to assess the effectiveness and visual quality of roadside landscape planning at canal road, Faisalabad, as landscape assessment is an important tool to check qualities and flaws of a landscape planning and proposed design for a place. In the field survey, previous and new vegetation was studied and an inventory of plantation was prepared, while for social survey, questionnaires were developed for residents and officials to acquire relevant information regarding their perceptions on environmental improvement, property value enhancement, encroachment control, health benefits, pollution control, and care and management of roadside plantation. The total sample size was 200 respondents, 100 from each side of canal, viz. east and west side. Collected data were analyzed statistically using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS; Version 11, 2003). Results of the study showed that majority of respondents, 94.5%, agreed that environment was improved in the vicinity, 68% of respondents agreed that pollution has reduced, 95.5% of respondents agreed that encroachment was controlled and 97% of respondents observed that property value was increased in the surroundings as a result of landscaping and plantation in roadside green spaces. Majority of respondents (91.5%) also believed that these improvements had positive impact on human health. Regarding public awareness about plantation, only 16.5% were aware and majority (83.5%) of respondents was not aware of type of plantation installed in the green spaces. About two-third (65%) of respondents noticed problems in the recently developed roadside green spaces, out of which majority assessed daily maintenance, development and management as major issues, while lack of irrigation system, labor, resources and machinery was reported by developers and landscape architects. However, the impact assessment of recent landscape improvements revealed that development of green spaces and proper plantation along the roads impart highly positive impact on environmental, social, health and economic status of an urban community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports novel hybrid computational methods for the solutions of nonlinear singular Lane-Emden type differential equation arising in astrophysics models by exploiting the strength of unsupervised neural network models and stochastic optimization techniques. In the scheme the neural network, sub-part of large field called soft computing, is exploited for modelling of the equation in an unsupervised manner. The proposed approximated solutions of higher order ordinary differential equation are calculated with the weights of neural networks trained with genetic algorithm, and pattern search hybrid with sequential quadratic programming for rapid local convergence. The results of proposed solvers for solving the nonlinear singular systems are in good agreements with the standard solutions. Accuracy and convergence the design schemes are demonstrated by the results of statistical performance measures based on the sufficient large number of independent runs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current global workforce stands at about 2.8 billion. Workers spend about one third of their lifetime at workplace. Workers expect safe working environment as their fundamental human right. However there are still poor working conditions especially in developing countries due to lack of practicing simple preventive measures. The standard of Occupational health and safety available at any work place is the main determinant of workers' health. Workers all over the world, face dual occupational hazards, the traditional as well as novel in the complex work settings due to rapid industrialization, technological advancement and globalization, over the last few years. An equally wide variety of chemical, physical and psychological hazards in production. Occupational health issues affect individuals, families and communities, as well as the citizens of the world. All the stake holders including the state, the manager, the employer and the worker have certain responsibilities to take up medical, engineering and legislative interventions to make work environment safer. This review study was conducted at Department of Community Medicine, Gomal Medical College, D.I.Khan from October 9, 2016 to November 30, 2016. Qualitative, secondary data was collected through literature search. MEDLINE (PubMed), Google scholar and Pakmedinet were searched out employing relevant keywords from 2000 onwards until January 2017. Data was organized, summarized, analyzed & interpreted. The objective of the study was to identify existing gaps on occupational health and safety in industries in developing countries and propose future research areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was carried out to elucidate the efficacy of different bacterial strains on controlling detrimental bacteria and on vase life extension of Gladiolus L. hybrids 'Mammoth'. In a preliminary study, three bacterial strains (Bacillus pumilus, Delftia acidovorans, and Herbasperillum sp.) were isolated from the vase solutions of cut Gladiolus, identified and cultured to obtain the bacteria to be used in the study. These isolated strains were compared with two strains of Pseudomonas fluorescens (PF- 279 and PF-417). All tested strains produced similar vase life of cut gladiolus stems, which was also similar to that of stems placed in tap water. However, stems placed in solutions with PF-279 Pseudomonas fluorecsens resulted in highest water uptake, while the stems placed in solutions with higher concentrations of Herbasperillum sp. (10 or 20 mL L-1) had lowest water uptake. Cut stems require low pH for sustaining water uptake and vase life extension, but use of nutrient broth to culture bacteria increased initial solution pH, which resulted in early senescence of cut stems due to rapid bacterial growth, vascular occlusion due to embolisms and reduced stem hydraulic conductance compared to the stems placed in tap water (control). In summary, tested bacterial strains had no effect on controlling detrimental bacteria present in the vase solutions or vase life extension of cut gladiolus and cannot be used in organic floral preservatives for holding cut stems after harvest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HBr/Cl2 plasma discharge is investigated to study the etchant chemistry of this discharge by using the self-consistent fluid model. A comprehensive set of gas phase reactions (83 reactions) including primary processes such as excitation, dissociation, and ionization are considered in the model along with 24 species. Our findings illustrate that the densities of neutral species (i.e., Br, HCl, Cl, H, and H2) produced in the reactor are higher than charged species (i.e., Cl2+, Cl-, HBr+, and Cl+). Density profile of neutral and charged species followed bell shaped and double humped distributions, respectively. Increasing Cl2 fraction in the feedback gases (HBr/Cl2 from 90/10 to 10/90) promoted the production of Cl, Cl+, and Cl2+ in the plasma, indicating that chemical etching pathway may be preferred at high Cl-environment. These findings pave the way towards controlling/optimizing the Si-etching process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basement complex of the Aravalli craton (NW India) known as the Banded Gneissic Complex (BGC) is classified into two domains viz. Archean BGC-I and Proterozoic BGC-II. We present first comprehensive geochemical study of the Archean metasedimentary rocks occurring within the BGC-I. These rocks occur associated with intrusive amphibolites in a linear belt within the basement gneisses. The association is only concentrated on the western margin of the BGC-I. The samples are highly mature (MS m ) to very immature (MS i ), along with highly variable geochemistry. Their major (SiO 2 /Al 2 O 3 , Na 2 O/K 2 O and Al 2 O 3 /TiO 2 ) and trace (Th/Sc, Cr/Th, Th/Co, La/Sc, Zr/Sc) element ratios, and rare earth element (REE) patterns are consistent with derivation of detritus from the basement gneisses and its mafic enclaves, with major contribution from the former. Variable mixing between the two end members and closed system recycling (cannibalism) resulted in the compositional heterogeneity. Chemical index of alteration (CIA) of the samples indicate low to moderate weathering of the source terrain in a sub-tropical environment. In A-CN-K ternary diagram, some samples deceptively appear to have undergone post-depositional K-metasomatism. Nevertheless, their petrography and geochemistry (low K 2 O and Rb) preclude the post-depositional alteration. We propose non-preferential leaching of elements during cannibalism as the cause of the deceptive K-metasomatism as well as enigmatic low CIA values of some highly mature samples. The Archean metasedimentary rocks were deposited on stable basement gneisses, making the BGC-I a plausible participant in the Archean Ur supercontinent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Development of detailed thermal modeling of a furnace in Aspen HYSYS and Aspen exchanger design and rating (EDR) environment. • Implementation of genetic algorithm (GA) based optimization technique for the maximization of efficiency. • Artificial neural network (ANN) model training and validation on the data generated from interfacing of Aspen HYSYS and MATLAB software. • Exergy analysis and comparison of the exergy efficiency predicted by the straight run and ANN. • Development of a graphical user interface (GUI) based on the proposed ANN model. The current work developed an integrated framework of artificial intelligence and genetic algorithm (GA) for the furnace of a petroleum refinery to predict the optimum amount of excess air and mass flow rates of crude oil and fuel stream in the presence of uncertainty in process conditions. A furnace model was built in Aspen Exchanger Design and Rating (EDR) using industrial data. Then interface between the furnace model and MATLAB was established using the com server. Data points were generated by varying the crude oil composition as well as the inlet temperature and pressure of cold crude oil, fuel, and air stream through ±1%, ±2%, ±3%, ±4%, and ±5% change in their original values. Then GA was used to determine the optimal amount of excess air and mass flow rates of crude oil and fuel for each data point. In total, 360 data points were generated and 70 % of the data set was utilized for training an Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) model while the remaining data points were evenly distributed for its validation and testing. The proposed ANN model achieved high performance with a correlation coefficient of 0.99984. Furthermore, exergy analysis of the standalone furnace model, the GA based optimized model, and the ANN integrated model was performed. The GA based approach outperformed the standalone model in terms of exergetic efficiency. On the hand, the ANN based framework achieved comparable exergetic efficiency to the GA based approach within significantly lesser period of time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Process modeling and analysis of the oil shale retorting process. • Hybrid modeling by using MATLAB, Excel, and Aspen Plus software. • Comparison of Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Least Square Boosting (LSB), and Bagging techniques for the prediction model. • Using Polynomial Chaos Expansion (PCE) framework for the uncertainty analysis of oil shale in retorting process. • Sensitivity analysis of oil shale retorting process through Sobol and Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Test (FAST) techniques. Shale oil reserves exploration is getting huge investments due to the depletion of conventional reserves. Computational methods have been used to realize optimum design and operation of shale oil and gas reserves exploration and processing. The uncertainty associated with the composition of shale reserves and operating conditions during processing put a challenge to the realization of high yield and mitigation of environmental impact. In the current work, machine learning (ML) based models are proposed for the estimation of the yield and environmental impact of the oil shale retorting process under uncertainty. An artificial uncertainty of 1% was inserted in feed composition and process conditions of an Aspen model of the process to generate data for the development of the ML models. Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Least Square Boosting (LSB), and Bagging techniques were compared to find the best ML model. ANN models, with the highest correlation coefficient of 0.995 and 0.999 for the oil yield and CO 2 content respectively, are used as surrogates in a Polynomial Chaos Expansion (PCE) framework for the uncertainty analysis of the process. For 1% uncertainty in feed composition and process conditions, a mean absolute deviation of 0.319 and 0.580 was obtained for the oil yield and carbon dioxide emissions respectively. To find the hierarchy in the process inputs in terms of their effect on the oil yield and carbon dioxide emissions, the ANN model is used as a surrogate in sensitivity analysis through Sobol and Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Test (FAST) indices. The most sensitive input variables were feed temperature and air molar flow rate. The proposed modeling framework will provide a base for future real-time monitoring and analysis of the oil shale retorting processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, an artificial intelligence-based framework was developed to monitor the efficiency of the carbon capture unit, i.e., the Sour Compression Unit (SCU) and a cryogenic unit, in a cement manufacturing plant. Initially, an Aspen Plus-based model of the SCU and the cryogenic unit was developed. The process model was then transformed into dynamic mode through the interfacing of MATLAB and Excel with Aspen Plus to capture real-time process behavior. Five hundred fifty data samples were generated by varying the process conditions, i.e., inlet water flow rate, temperature, pressure, etc. The dataset was then used to develop ensemble models. Output compositions of the models were CO 2 , SO 2 , and NO. The ensemble models were used as surrogates in Sobol and Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Test (FAST) frameworks to find the most sensitive process conditions that affect the efficiency of the process. The correlation coefficients based on the ensemble models for estimation of the composition of CO 2 , SO 2 , and NO, were 0.9888, 0.9663, and 0.9970, respectively. Based on the sensitivity analysis, the inlet flue gas temperature and pressure were the dominant variables that affect the mole fraction of SO 2 and NO in the flue gas. Besides, the CO 2 recovery was found heavily dependent on temperature of the flash tanks. The proposed framework was highly accurate and will provide a base for real-time implementation of the concept of smart factory in cement manufacturing plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research-based study, the electro-magneto impacts are numerically observed during Darcy-Forchheimer (DF) viscous fluid flow having nonlinear form of thermal radiation. This two-dimensional fluid flow over a stretchable sheet is exposed to joule heating, thermal convection and viscous dissipation. The entire computational work is successfully performed using reliable neuro computing technique (NCT) through a viable combination of genetic algorithms (GAs) a well-known global solver and a famous local solver named sequential quadratic programming (SQP) i-e NCT-GA-SQP. Partial differential equations (PDEs) that express the DF viscous fluid flow are successfully converted into a third order nonlinear system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) through manipulation of similarity variables. Numerical illustrations with strong accuracy and effective graphical representations are adopted to visualize the velocity profile, thermal distribution and concentration of fluid flow due to the variational effects of various physical parameters namely the electric field parameter (E), magnetic parameter (M), the porosity parameter (λ), the radiation parameter (Rd), the Prandtl number (Pr), the chemical reaction parameter (γ) and the Schmidt number (Sc). The reference solutions attained through well-known Adams method are used to validate the numerical results gathered through complexity analysis and different statistical operators and are closely matched which guarantees the reliability of the proposed solver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Punjab-Pakistan, growing tuberose is a profitable business as returns are double than cost despite of certain bottlenecks such as fluctuations in the prices and unawareness of farmers regarding its post-harvest handling. Keeping in view high market demand in local flower markets, the present study was conducted to extend the postharvest life of cut tuberose spikes by pulsing cut spikes with various preservatives. Among various pulsing treatments, 10% sucrose plus 50 mg L-1 salicylic acid (SA) for 24 hours proved best with the longest vase life (10.2 d), more number of days required to open 50% florets (5.0 days), maximum dry weight percentage (13.2%) and superior quality spikes (7.6). Moreover, longest florets (7.0 cm) with greater floret diameter (4.2 cm), highest percentage of opened florets (90.0%) and minimum ion leakage of florets (140.0%) was recorded for spikes pulsed with 10% sucrose plus 50 mg L-1 salicylic acid for 24 hours. On the other hand, highest water uptake (106.0 mL) and the maximum relative fresh weight percentage (109.9%) were observed in cut tuberose spikes treated with 50 mg L-1 salicylic acid without sucrose solution. In summary, pulsing of cut tuberose spikes with 50 mg L-1 SA with or without 10% sucrose proved effective for extending vase life and improving postharvest performance of cut tuberose spikes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Asthma is a chronic allergic respiratory disease. The frequency and severity of asthma is rising in the developing countries. Severe asthma causes great morbidity and mortality affecting the quality of life of patients and their families. The objective of this study was to find the risk factors of asthma and their frequency and distribution in adults in District Dera Ismail Khan. Material & Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Department of Community Medicine, Gomal Medical College, D. I. Khan, Pakistan from March 16, 2015 to August 15, 2015. A sample of 200 subjects was selected by consecutive non probability technique. Results: Among 200 patients 123(61%) were males and 67 (39%) were females. Total number of asthmatics in age group of 20-29 years were 94 ( 47%), 30-39years were 40(20%), 40-49 years were 20(10%), 50-59 years were 23(11%), 60-69 years were 11(6%), 70-80 years were 12(6%)asthmatic. Further regarding residence 114(57%) were from urban areas and 86(43%) were from rural areas. Conclusions: As it is clear from our results that asthma is mainly found in the age group of 20-29 years. Most of our respondents are students. Males are more vulnerable to get asthma than female. So health care planners should focus on adult asthma patients generally and this vulnerable group especially. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]