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The Internet of Things (IoT) based smart strategies are often resource constrained with respect to energy, computation and memory. Outdated communication protocols are inappropriate for IoT ecosystem because of large overhead, lack of Quality of Service (QoS) and increased complexity. As billions of devices are required to be deployed over diverse applications, the IoT communication system acts as a prominent aspect and so the selection of suitable IoT communication protocol is highly essential. Also, there is a greater need of analysing the protocol behaviour under diverse network conditions. Hence to select a suitable protocol by addressing the limitations, this research paper mainly focuses on comparing lightweight application layer protocols, including Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT), Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP) and MQTT for sensor Network (MQTTSN). Evaluating the performance of protocol libraries in real environment is highly significant because it helps to discover potential interoperability and compatibility challenges. Also, it can reveal the protocol's ability in handling scalability and its support in dealing a number of devices efficiently. A testbed named "ProtoLab" has been created for evaluating the performances of CoAP, MQTT and MQTTSN protocols under variable network condition. Using the testbed, the client and server can exchange the data packets under the variable network condition created with the help of network emulator. The data packets can be received and exported using the wireshark application to create a dataset for analysis. Different parameters like round trip time, duplication, round trip reliability, server response time, reliability towards the client to server and client overhead are analysed by configuring loss, corruption, reordering and network delay in the network emulator using wide area network emulator (WANEM) to evaluate the performance of IoT communication protocols. Variable network conditions are considered and analysed using real-time ProtoLab testbed by varying the parameters. The results and observations analyzed through this research can support IoT application developers in making informed decisions while selecting communication protocols for different applications. On analysing the parameters under diverse network conditions, the MQTTSN protocol performs comparatively better in terms of resource efficient delivery in constrained environment. Meanwhile, the MQTT protocol is analysed to be better when concerned with reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of boundary layer flow of heat transfer analysis on hybrid nanofluid across an extended cylinder is the main focus of the current research. In addition, the impressions of magnetohydrodynamic, porous medium and thermal radiation are part of this investigation. Arrogate similarity variables are employed to transform the governing modelled partial differential equations into a couple of highly nonlinear ordinary differential equations. A numerical approach based on the BVP Midrich scheme in MAPLE solver is employed for solution of the set of resulting ordinary differential equations and obtained results are compared with existing literature. The effect of active important physical parameters like Magnetic Field, Porosity parameter, Eckert number, Prandtl number and thermal radiation parameters on dimensionless velocity and energy fields are employed via graphs and tables. The velocity profile decreased by about 65% when the magnetic field parameter values increases from 0.5 to 1.5. On the other hand increased by 70% on energy profile. The energy profile enhanced by about 62% when the Radiation parameter values increases from 1.0 < Rd < 3.0. The current model may be applicable in real life practical implications of employing Engine oil-SWCNTs-MWCNTs-TiO2 nanofluids on cylinders encompass enhanced heat transfer efficiency, and extended component lifespan, energy savings, and environmental benefits. This kind of theoretical analysis may be used in daily life applications, such as engineering and automobile industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the future, intelligent transportation systems will rely heavily on vehicle to vehicle (V2V) communication-based cooperative vehicular networks since they can provide several applications for tackling traffic congestion and road safety. Future 6G and New Radio 5G (NR5G) technology will facilitate improving cellular vehicle to everything (CV2X) communication performance. Cellular-assisted V2V communications, in which cellular evolved Node base stations (eNBs) relay the transmission from one vehicle to another, have lately been proposed to overcome the performance restrictions of conventional dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) protocols (Kimura in IEEE Trans Veh Technol 70(4): 3396–3411, 2021. 10.1109/TVT.2021.3063694). These cellular-aided communications have demonstrated the potential for more reliable V2V communications with a larger capacity and longer transmission distances. In this paper, we theoretically examine the effectiveness of cellular vehicle to everything communications, where a vehicle broadcasts a message to its nearby vehicles or user equipment (UEs). It happens in two ways, i.e., direct vehicle to vehicle and via the closest eNB through an uplink. Then the closest eNB forwards the message to the destination vehicle via downlink i.e., vehicle to network (V2N) or vehicle to infrastructure (V2I). To obtain a suitable model for estimating the Bit Error Rate (BER) and the Packet Error Rate (PER), we consider the movement of three vehicles are in a straight line on the roadways with different velocities. Using numerical examples, we assess the analytical findings and show how different system factors affect the effectiveness of CV2X communications. A simulation has been carried out in the network (system) level context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 5G-heterogeneous system has become worldwide in the current life scenario, advancing in many wireless applications. However, managing Handoff is a major issue because the improper Handoff procedure leads to high power consumption and less throughput ratio. Hence, the lower throughput ratio tends to report a poor data transmission rate. So, the current research work has planned to end these issues by executing a novel Wolf-based Power-Optimized Handoff (WbPOH) strategy for managing signal drop and power usage. WiMax and cellular network macrocells are created with several Small Cells (SC) to make the heterogeneous system. Hereafter, the fitness process of the grey wolf has afforded continuous monitoring for forecasting the nearest incoming signal of Handoff and work-free node prediction. Moreover, the power usage in this designed system has been optimized by making the workless node the sleep position. Apart from that, during the Handoff process, the designed WbPOH first enabled the single strongest near signal, and then the previous signal was lost. After that, parameters like throughput, network efficiency, and Handoff behaviour have been measured and validated with other conventional models. Furthermore, in the proposed novel WbPOH, 5Mbps throughput is obtained for the cellular network, and 5.2Mbps throughput is gained for the Worldwide Inter-operability for Microwave Access (WiMax) network. In addition, the recorded cellular network efficiency is 95%, and the WiMax network efficiency is 96%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperspectral remote sensing is one of the important approaches in the area of remote sensing owing to the latest enhancements in the Hyper Spectral Imaging (HSI) technology. The classification represents a direct approach in the HSI field that provides every pixel a particular semantic label based on its behavior automatically. Nowadays, deep learning-oriented techniques have gained wide attention in the area of HSI classification. Although Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)-oriented techniques are subjected to the HSI classification, their performances are not up to the expectation. This is because; the majority of the traditional techniques cannot utilize the intrinsic behavior of distinct pixels in HSI efficiently. The inherent relationships are ignored between distinct category dependencies, distinct spectral bands, and distinct spatial pixels. Moreover, deep learning methods are required to build a huge and complicated network, and hence the training process tends to be time-consuming. Hence, these work tactics to design and implement a novel HSI classification method using deep structured architectures. The major stages of the offered method are feature extraction, and classification. Initially, the HSI from RIT-18 benchmark sources is collected. Before processing it for feature extraction, the images are split into 'n' number of patches, where the length of every patch is 16 × 16. Then the feature extraction begins, in which the spatial and spectral features, as well as the Enhanced CNN, are utilized for acquiring the deep features from the entire patches. In the CNN, the architecture is enhanced by the "Modified Velocity-based Colliding Bodies Optimization (MV-CBO)". Then, the entire features acquired from all the patches are concatenated. Finally, the utilization of deep structured architectures termed modified Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) is utilized in the classification phase, which classifies the images into different categories as per the dataset. The RNN architecture is also modified by the MV-CBO to attain high classification accuracy. From the simulation results, the accuracy rate of the MV-CBO-M-RNN at a 75% learning rate is correspondingly secured at 3.16%, 4.26%, 1.03%, and 2.08% more advanced than DNN, RNN, CNN, and NN. The validation of the recommended technique on challenging public datasets, and the experimental evaluation over baseline approaches validates the efficiency and robustness of the suggested model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a comprehensive study on the implementation and analysis of PID controllers in an automated voltage regulator (AVR) system. A novel tuning technique, Virtual Time response-based iterative gain evaluation and re-design (V-Tiger), is introduced to iteratively adjust PID gains for optimal control performance. The study begins with the development of a mathematical model for the AVR system and initialization of PID gains using the Pessen Integral Rule. Virtual time-response analysis is then conducted to evaluate system performance, followed by iterative gain adjustments using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) within the V-Tiger framework. MATLAB simulations are employed to implement various controllers, including the V-Tiger PID controller, and their performance is compared in terms of transient response, stability, and control signal generation. Robustness analysis is conducted to assess the system's stability under uncertainties, and worst-case gain analysis is performed to quantify robustness. The transient response of the AVR with the proposed PID controller is compared with other heuristic controllers such as the Flower Pollination Algorithm, Teaching–Learning-based Optimization, Pessen Integral Rule, and Zeigler-Nichols methods. By measuring the peak closed-loop gain of the AVR with the controller and adding uncertainty to the AVR's field exciter and amplifier, the robustness of proposed controller is determined. Plotting the performance degradation curves yields robust stability margins and the accompanying maximum uncertainty that the AVR can withstand without compromising its stability or performance. Based on the degradation curves, robust stability margin of the V-Tiger PID controller is estimated at 3.5. The worst-case peak gains are also estimated using the performance degradation curves. Future research directions include exploring novel optimization techniques for further enhancing control performance in various industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though biosecurity and best management practices (BMPs), vaccines, immunostimulants, probiotics and prebiotics are often used for health management in aquaculture, the use of chemotherapeutics/antibiotics often becomes the preferred method of choice once the infectious disease outbreak occurs. Phage-based control of bacterial pathogens (phage therapy) has recently re-emerged as an attractive therapeutic alternative due to the global emergence of antimicrobial-resistant bacterial pathogens. Target specificity with minimal disruption of natural microbiota, auto-dosing, safety, no production of toxic metabolites/residues and relatively inexpensive production are some of the distinct advantages of phages over antibiotics. In vivo, experimental studies have demonstrated the efficacy of phage therapy through immersion, oral, injection, topical application, and anal intubation routes against Aeromonas hydrophila, A. salmonicida, Edwardsiella tarda, Flavobacterium columnare, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus iniae, Vibrio anguillarum, V. harveyi, V. parahaemolyticus, etc. in aquaculture. Several factors such as phage selection, therapeutic dose, age of fish, specific targeting of the pathogen, disease condition of fish, environmental conditions, and administration route influence the efficacy of phage therapy in aquaculture. The application of a mixture of phages (phage cocktail) has also been suggested to overcome the narrow host range of phages and the development of phage resistance in bacteria. At present, a few commercial phage cocktail-based products are also available for control of Yersinia ruckeri, Aeromonas spp., Pseudomonas spp., and shrimp pathogenic vibrios in aquaculture. To successfully implement phage therapy, there is a need to develop region-specific/localized phage repositories with associated safety and efficacy data which could be used to quickly formulate effective phage cocktails after the identification of pathogenic bacterial strains in specific aquaculture areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ternary logic has an advantage over conventional binary logic since it uses less power and promises to take up less space on chips and in interconnects. When ternary logic is used to design multiplier circuits, they exhibit good efficiency. A device known as a carbon nanotube field-effect transistor (CNTFET) offers more benefits than a MOSFET, including low off-current characteristics like low power and good performance. In this paper, a new 1-trit multiplier design is suggested along with a comparison of four 1-trit multiplier ideas based on CNTFETs. Power, latency, PDP, and the number of transistors is compared. Power, speed, and PDP are all improved by the suggested 1-trit multiplier. There are fewer transistors required. The Cadence Virtuoso Tool simulates each of these circuits using CNTFET 32 nm technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the influence of surfactant on the specific capacitance of nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiO NPs) for supercapacitor applications is studied. We synthesized nickel oxide (NiO) and nickel oxide with sodium dodecyl sulphate (NiO/SDS) NPs using solution combustion synthesis SDS is significant in synthesizing nanomaterials that allow control over particle size, shape and stability. They can enhance the performance of nanoscale materials as energy storage materials by improving their electrochemical activity and charge transfer kinetics. The synthesized material’s performance was further characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The typical crystalline sizes of NiO and NiO/SDS nanomaterials were 28 and 22 nm, respectively. XRD analysis reveals that the structure of NiO is FCC. In addition, the electrochemical performance of the active material was investigated in the electrolyte 6M with potassium hydroxide. Accordingly, specific capacitances of NiO and NiO/SDS are observed as 955 and 1024 F g–1 at a 2 mV s–1 scan rate. It was established that NiO/SDS NPs offer considerably superior electrochemical performance due to the surfactant SDS’s inclusion in contrast to NiO NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fine-grained micro-duplex AlCoCrFeNi2.1 eutectic high entropy alloy exhibited high strain rate superplasticity with an elongation to failure of ~ 960 pct at 1173 K and a strain rate of 10-1 s-1. Optimum superplasticity was associated with a strain rate sensitivity of ~ 0.5, and there were transitions to non-superplastic flow with strain rate sensitivities of < 0.5 at both low and high strain rates. Superplasticity is attributed to grain boundary sliding with the observed retention of an equiaxed grain morphology, with some grain growth. Cavities with dimensions in the range of 1 to 5 μm were observed in specimens pulled to failure. Although analysis revealed that cavity nucleation is likely under the experimental conditions, cavity growth was slow because of control by a plasticity growth rate that was proportional to the cavity size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orthoferrite is a class of chemical compounds with the formula RFeO3, where R is one or more rare-earth elements. This paper reports, the structural, electrical, magnetic and 57Fe Mossbauer study of Terbium (Tb) doped Holmium Orthoferrite i.e., Ho1−xTbxFeO3 (x = 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0) samples, synthesized through sol–gel method. The samples are found to be phase pure. Room temperature Raman study reveals that the lower wave number modes are strongly affected compared to the higher wave number modes with Tb doping. Structural modifications with Tb doping in different proportions were explained in detail by correlating room temperature Raman and XRD results. FESEM analysis suggests noticeable increase in the porosity with the increase of Tb doing. The lossy P–E loops were the signature of enhanced porosity in doped samples as compared to the parent compound. Space charge limited conduction (SCLC) mechanism dominates the conduction as described from the obtained slope values of J–E curves. The magnetization of HoFeO3 (x = 0.0) shows two transitions around TSR1 = 52 K and TSR2 = 35 K. Tb substitution, has resulted in the complete diminution of TSR1 with a simultaneous effect on TSR2. Eventually, Tb substitution suppresses the spin orientation transitions of HoFeO3. A sharp magnetically split 57Fe Mossbauer sextet indicates the presence of magnetic ordering in these othroferrites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All cases of ROCM received antifungal for a prolong period in step down phase. There is no definite guidelines regarding duration. We have formulated and followed an institutional protocol with good results. To determine the outcome of an institutional protocol and required optimum duration of oral posaconazole therapy to cure ROCM in step down phase, 30 ROCM patients were followed up in step down phase. Oral posaconazole tablet was given for minimum 3, 4 & 1/2 and 6 months to stage-II, III & IV cases respectively, with a provision of extension for another 6 weeks in suspected active diseases. Nasal endoscopy, MRI, histopathology /culture of suspected tissue and hematologic investigations were done routinely to identify the residual active disease or recurrences at earliest. Outcome of this protocol proved excellent as all cases of ROCM were cured. Oral posaconazole step down therapy for a duration according to the stages of disease cured 18 cases (60%) of ROCM. Fourteen patients required extended duration of therapy as per provision of our treatment protocol. Only one patient needed re-debridement. The cases with deformities needed extended period of posaconazole therapy. No one needed posaconazole therapy for more than 7and1/2 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructure and properties of CoCrFeNi2.1Nb0.2 high entropy alloy containing brittle Laves phase subjected to high pressure torsion (HPT) carried out to five rotations under 6 GPa pressure and subsequent annealing were studied. The results were further compared with conventional cold- and cryo-rolling. The FCC phase showed deformation-induced nanostructure formation, whereas the brittle Laves particles showed early fragmentation, a consistent decrease in particle size, and transformation to spherical morphology. The defect formation at the particle–matrix interfaces was hindered at high strains, although inhomogeneities in microstructure and hardness were observed. Annealing resulted in ultrafine microstructure, nanoscale ε-phase precipitation, improved hardness homogeneity, and high strength. Nevertheless, the strength-ductility synergy in the HPT processed and annealed material was significantly inferior to the material processed by cryo-rolling and annealing having a unique heterogeneous microstructure. The comparative insights elucidated that conventional cryo-rolling could override the benefits of severe deformation by HPT by achieving heterogeneous microstructure and improved-strength ductility balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring of vitamins and neurotransmitter levels in the human body is a crucial factor in human health diagnosis. In the current study, a novel electrochemical sensor has been constructed using Co-doped MgNi2O3 nanoparticles as electrode material for the simultaneous detection of riboflavin (RF), serotonin (SE), and pyridoxine (PY). At optimal conditions, the Co-MgNi2O3 nanoparticles–modified glassy carbon electrode exhibited three well-defined anodic peaks corresponding to the oxidation of RF, SE, and PY in phosphate buffer saline (pH 7.0). The fabricated electrode Co-MgNi2O3/GCE yielded enhanced peak currents over wide linear ranges of 1–900 μM, 0.1–70 μM, and 1–120 μM for RF, SE, and PY with the corresponding limits of detection (S/N = 3) for the analytes as 1.92, 0.70, and 1.04 μΜ, respectively. Real sample analysis of constructed sensors has been carried out successfully in human blood serum, urine, and pharmaceutical samples. The recoveries varied from 93.33 to 112% in spiked real samples, with relative standard deviations less than 8%. In the case of real samples, the recovery values vary from 95.0 to 103.33% with relative standard deviations less than 3.63%. The proposed relatively new electrode material Co-MgNi2O3 has been synthesized by chemical method which offers the potential for fabricating low-cost electrochemical sensors for biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the increasing interest in wireless networks, the availability of spectrum has become a challenge. With the help of cognitive radio, a promising technology, can be overcome this issue. One of the most challenging tasks in this technique is finding the available spectrum holes. The increasing interest in machine learning techniques for spectrum sensing (SS) has led to the development of several novel methods. In this paper, we use the support vector machine with the kernel transformation that are designed to improve the performance of SS, such as such as Linear kernel, Radial Basis Function or Gaussian kernel, Polynomial kernel and Sigmoid kernel. One of the main reasons why the kernel functions are used is due to the possibility of having a non-linear dataset. The performance of kernel functions is compared in terms of accuracy, precision, recall, f1_score and confusion matrix for different number of users such as 100, 500 and 1000. Among all these, Polynomial kernel SVM has shown better performance of 96%, 97% and 100% accuracy for 100, 500 and 1000 number of users. In addition, this paper presents a comparison of the proposed and existing methods, where the proposed method has shown a better performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethylene carbonate (EC) based plasticized solid polymer electrolyte (PSPE) systems have been prepared with PEO (polyethylene oxide) and PVdF (polyvinylidene fluoride) as copolymers, sodium nitrate as a salt by using solution casting technique. In this investigation the wt% of PEO, PVdF, NaNO3 maintain constant and EC wt% varies. The addition of small concentration of EC to PSPE systems facilitates fast ion conduction through it. As a result, the effective number of charge carriers mobility within the polymer matrix. The maximum conductivity has been observed for PPNE-5 system at ambient temperature. The characteristic studies (XRD, FTIR, SEM and DSC) have been carried out for all the systems. The electrical, dielectrical and complex impedance spectroscopic properties have been studied by using an impedance analyzer. Wagner’s polarization method has been used for the investigation of ion transference number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Recent developments characterizing the pathophysiological basis of infection in the Coronavirus disease - 19 (COVID-19) have stirred great interest in studying this disease outside the purview of respiratory involvement and especially focusing on the gastrointestinal (GI) system. The present study involving a large cohort of COVID-19-infected patients reports on the characteristics of GI manifestations in patients infected with COVID-19 as well as the predictive role in their association with disease severity and adverse outcomes. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was carried out in a tertiary care hospital in northern India. Descriptive analysis of GI symptoms was carried out followed by predictive analysis assessing COVID-19 severity and with the primary endpoint of 28-day in-hospital all-cause mortality. Results: Of 3842 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 2113 (55%) were symptomatic. GI symptoms were present in 163 (7.1%) patients. Common GI symptoms were diarrhea 65 (3.1%), anorexia 61 (2.9%) and vomiting 37 (1.8%). Mild and moderate-to-severe disease was seen in 1725 (81.6%) and 388 (18.4%) patients, respectively. Logistic regression showed greater odds of moderate-to-severe disease in patients with any GI symptoms (odds ratio [OR] 1.849, 95% CI 1.289–2.651 [p = 0.001]) and anorexia in particular (OR 2.797, 95% CI 1.647–4.753 [p = 0.001]); however, on multivariable-analysis, this association lost its significance. A total of 172 patients succumbed to illness. In the Cox proportional hazards model for mortality, patients with any GI symptom (HR 2.184, 95 CI 1.439–3.317 [p < 0.001]) and anorexia (HR 3.556, 95% CI 2.155–5.870 [p < 0.001]) had higher risk. In multi-variable analysis after adjustment to age, sex, oxygen saturation and comorbidities, the presence of any GI symptom was a significant predictor of mortality (hazard ratio adjusted [HRadj] 1.758, 95% CI 1.147–2.694 [p = 0.010]). Conclusion: GI symptoms were common among patients infected with COVID-19. The presence of any GI symptom was a significant predictor of the risk of mortality after adjustment to respiratory failure, age, sex and pre-existing comorbidities. The clinical and pathophysiological basis of these associations has been explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the structural, electrical, 57Fe Mossbauer, and high temperature dielectric studies of Er1−x Gdx FeO3 (x = 0.0, 0.4, 0.8, and 1.0) orthoferrites. The XRD data confirm the prepared samples are stabilized in the orthorhombic crystal structure, and the FESEM images confirm all compositions are in nanosize regimes. The Raman spectroscopic studies indicate that the Gd doping at the Er site induces a significant change in the Raman shift of A1g and B2g vibrational modes. The leakage current density of the samples has increased with the doping of Gd at the Er site, which is correlated with morphological studies. Magnetization studies confirm weak DM interactions caused by Fe3+ spins with increasing Gd doping at the Er site. The Mossbauer study at room temperature confirms the +3 charge state of Fe ions and the magnetic ordering of all the samples. The dielectric properties within a high-temperature range (350–920 K) and a frequency range spanning from 1 to 700 kHz, revealed distinct phenomena in different temperature regimes. Below 500 K, we observed polaronic relaxation, while above 550 K, both Maxwell-Wagner and dipolar-type relaxation mechanisms were observed. All there relaxations are mainly due to presence of oxygen vacancies arising at high sintering, which is confirmed by XPS spectra of O1s.The observed results confirm the complex dielectric behavior exhibited by the material across varying temperature and frequency conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An electrocardiogram (ECG) is an electrical signal produced by ECG sensors to examine and visualize the heart's functionality, quick identification of arrhythmia aids in proper care and reduction of the risk factor. This paper uses machine learning algorithms to detect and identify arrhythmia types by extracting simple dynamic features from the ECG signals. The workflow will undergo three stages: pre-processing, feature extraction, and classification. A Low Pass Filter (LPF) and a two-stage median filter are proposed to eliminate all the signaling artifacts for successful feature extraction. The pre-processed signal is then fed into extracts of dynamic ECG features. With the aid of extracted features, the proposed Sampling Vector Random Forest Classifier (SVRF) predicts the form of arrhythmia. The novelty of the proposed SVRF is the ensemble-based approach for multi-class classification has overcome the noise resistance and gained inaccuracy when compared to another state-of-the-art classifier. The proposed method was tested with all the possible eleven types of arrhythmia from the MIT-BIH arrhythmia database, as stated in the association for the advancement of medical instrumentations recommendations. With the help of the proposed (SVRF), 98.22% of accuracy is achieved, which is better than other existing techniques. These aid medical professionals in the early detection of arrhythmia stages. The performance and comparative analysis are presented in this paper to prove the efficiency of the proposed method with the performance metrics of the confusion matrix and receiver operating characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current system focuses on design & construction of a multistage reciprocating evaporative cooling test rig. Four packings that are used will undergo the reciprocating action, powered by the cam follower mechanism maintained at an actual rotation speed. Inlet dry bulb temperature & humidity values are varied to replicate the varying climatic conditions, and the output parameters such as cooling load, evaporation rate (ER), humidification efficiency (HE), coefficient of performance (COP) are obtained. Output results showed that as inlet humidity raises, the performance of system drops. With the rise in the camshaft speed or packing velocity, there is an upsurge in the performance until a cam speed of 10 r/min or packing velocity of 0.083 m/s and with further increases in the value, overall performance drops. The system gave a maximum COP, ER, and HE equal to 3.80, 73.87%, and 0.53 g/kg respectively. A rise in the inlet air temperature yielded a maximum change in dry bulb temperature of 8.2°C. Overall, results indicated that evaporative cooling is more effective in arid climates than the cold and humid climates. Air quality test is performed to measure CO2, Total Volatile Organic Compound (TVOC), and Formaldehyde (HCHO), and it is found that humidified air entering the defined space is of excellent quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present research is to create a pressure gradient for controlling fluid flow via a vertical microtube by examining the impact of heat transfer analysis on membrane propagation. In this situation, the membrane's motion generates pressure, which is then further regulated by buoyancy forces. Throughout the contraction cycle, the wall-connected membrane goes through intermittent periods of compression and expansion. The fluid is moved by the micro-pump due to wall deformation and membrane kinematics. The analytical solutions have been derived using the dimensional analysis and lubrication technique, which has been further simulated by utilizing the MATLAB software for the graphical demonstrations. The influence of functioning parameters on axial velocity, transverse velocity, stream function, isotherms, pressure gradient, temperature, volumetric flow rate, wall shear stress, and Nusselt number is visually shown. The results show that the volumetric flow rate of Debye length increases with progression through the micro-tube, whereas the Helmholtz-Smoluchowski has the reverse effect. Streamlines cannot be smaller or larger with varying parameters throughout the contraction phase, but extreme contour outlines are calculated in the downward path throughout the expansion phase in Helmholtz-Smoluchowski. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding radionuclides mass transfer mechanisms in monazite (LREEPO4) and the resulting features, from the micro- to the nanoscale, is critical to its use as a robust U–Th–Pb geochronometer. A detailed multiscale characterisation of discordant monazite grains from a granulite which records a polymetamorphic history explores the mechanisms of Th and Pb mobility in crystals. Some monazite grains display Th-rich linear features (0.1–1 µm thick) forming a regular network throughout the grain. They are interpreted as resulting from fluid ingress along crystallographically controlled pathways. Nanoscale features termed 'clusters' (Ø < 10 nm) are composed of radiogenic Pb (Pb*) ± Si ± Ca and are localised within monazite lattice defects. Their formation results from the competition, over millions of years, of both radiation damage production allowing element mobility (by diffusion) and accumulation in defects and α-healing inducing their trapping. Nanophases (Ø = 0.02–1 µm) containing Pb* are present in all grains and correspond to galena (PbS) or sesquioxide of Pb (Pb2O3). They are associated with a chemically varied suite of amorphous silicate (± Al, Mg, Fe) phases or sulphur (e.g. FeS). They are interpreted as precipitates within monazite crystals. They are formed during replacement mechanism of monazite through fluid interactions. Two generations of Pb*-bearing nanophases exist supported by previous geochronological data. The shielding effect of garnet and rutilated quartz (host minerals), limiting fluid access, induces plentiful Pb*-bearing nanophases precipitation (fluid saturation enhanced) and limits Pb*-loss at the grain scale. This multiscale study provides new insights for interpretations of meaningless geochronological information, thanks to nanoscale investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of elevated CO2 on groundnut growth, yield, kernel and haulm nutritional quality in the Open Top Chambers (OTC). Three regimes of CO2, ambient (380 ppm) and two elevated CO2 levels (550 and 700 ppm) are maintained in three different OTCs. Compared to the ambient CO2 conditions, the kernel yield per plant declined by 32.28% and 28.40% at 550 and 700 ppm, respectively, although the pod yield remained unaffected under elevated CO2. Under elevated CO2, plant height, specific leaf area, root area and root volume are reduced, while specific leaf weight increased because of leaf thickening. Root dry weight increased due to allocation of extra fixed carbon to roots for greater support to growth under CO2 enriched conditions. Haulm quality is reduced under elevated CO2, observed as reduced metabolizing energy and in-vitro organic matter digestibility at 550 ppm, and low ash and nitrogen content at 700 ppm. Kernel oil (6.54% and 2.98%) and protein content (7.07% and 4.56%) declined at 550 and 700 ppm as compared to ambient conditions, while fatty acid content remained unaffected. Among minerals, kernel iron and manganese content remained unaffected, while copper (13.93% and 26.19%) and calcium (24.33% and 8.20%) content declined at both elevated CO2 levels. The genotype by trait biplot analysis revealed ICGV 03043 as the best performing genotype with a superior trait profile alongside high kernel yield and oil content across three CO2 levels, making it a candidate for future studies to understand the insensitivity to elevated CO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backed by advances in digital electronics, signal processing, computation and storage technologies, aperture arrays, which had strongly influenced the design of telescopes in the early years of radio astronomy, have made a comeback. Amid all these developments, an international effort to design and build the world's largest radio telescope, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), is ongoing. With its vast collecting area of 1 km 2 , the SKA is envisaged to provide unsurpassed sensitivity and leverage technological advances to implement a complex receiver to provide a large field of view through multiple beams on the sky. Many pathfinders and precursor aperture array telescopes for the SKA, operating in the frequency range of 10–300 MHz, have been constructed and operationalized to obtain valuable feedback on scientific, instrumental and functional aspects. This review article looks explicitly into the progression of digital-receiver architecture from the Murchison Widefield Array (precursor) to the SKA1-Low. It highlights the technological advances in analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and central processing unit–graphics processing unit (CPU–GPU) hybrid platforms around which complex digital signal processing systems implement efficient channelizers, beamformers and correlators. The article concludes with a preview of the design of a new generation signal processing platform based on radio frequency system-on-chip (RFSoC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective capture of fugitive actinides and daughter radionuclides constitutes a major remediation challenge at legacy or nuclear accident sites globally. The ability of double-layered, anionic clay minerals known as hydrotalcites (HTC) to contemporaneously sequester a range of contaminants from solution offers a unique remedy. However, HTC do not provide a robust repository for actinide isolation over the long term. In this study, we formed HTC by in-situ precipitation in a barren lixiviant from a uranium mine and thermally transformed the resulting radionuclide-laden, nanoscale HTC. Atomic-scale forensic examination of the amorphized/recrystallised product reveals segregation of U to nanometre-wide mineral interfaces and the local formation of interface-hosted mineral grains. This U-phase is enriched in rare earth elements, a geochemical analogue of actinides such as Np and Pu, and represents a previously unreported radionuclide interfacial segregation. U-rich phases associated with the mineral interfaces record a U concentration factor of ~ 50,000 relative to the original solute demonstrating high extraction and concentration efficiencies. In addition, the co-existing host mineral suite of periclase, spinel-, and olivine-group minerals that equate to a lower mantle, high P–T mineral assemblage have geochemical and geotechnical properties suitable for disposal in a nuclear waste repository. Our results record the efficient sequestering of radionuclides from contaminated water and this novel, broad-spectrum, nanoscale HTC capture and concentration process constitutes a rapid solute decontamination pathway and solids containment option in perpetuity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) is the second most common subtype of lung cancer, accounting for a majority of lung cancer-related deaths. Detection or diagnosis of cancer at an early stage is an unmet clinical need that is being actively explored. In this study, we aimed to identify potential biomarkers for LUSC, by screening expression status of all human genes against LUSC patient samples available with The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). This led to the identification of several genes that are upregulated in LUSC. Further analysis revealed that many of these genes also show higher expression at the protein level not only in lung cancer but also in other cancers. Additionally, some of these genes show stage-dependent higher expression and are associated with statistically significant poor survival of LUSC patients. As per our results, more than 60 genes are overexpressed in LUSC at the level of mRNA and some at the protein level. Thus, we identified genes such as MCC1, MRPL47, CRYGS, HSP40, DNAJC19, GMPS and PARL as novel potential biomarkers for LUSC in this study. We believe that these genes hold great potential as LUSC biomarkers for early detection as the data are derived from patient samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute lung injury (ALI), is a severe inflammatory lung disease. We tested the prophylactic effect of a functional food mix comprising three anti-inflammatory plant products: turmeric, amla, and black pepper (TAB) against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI in rats. Two-month-old male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: control (C), LPS (5 mg/kg), and LPS with TAB (TAB). After 6 h of LPS injection, the rats were sacrificed by cervical decapitation to collect the lung tissue. Results showed that TAB partially ameliorated LPS-induced increase in circulating inflammatory cytokines (TNFα and IL6) and significantly prevented lung histopathological changes. TAB also suppressed LPS-activated ER stress markers (GRP78, pIRE1, and CHOP) and apoptotic markers (caspase-3 and − 12) in the lung. The anti-inflammatory effects of the TAB support its potential use as an adjuvant to mitigate ALI. Importantly, TAB's ingredients have been used for centuries as part of the diet with limited or no toxic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurological conditions such as neurodegenerative diseases and mental health disorders are a result of multifactorial underpinnings, leading to individual-based complex phenotypes. Demystification of these multifactorial connections will promote disease diagnosis and treatment. Personalized treatment rather than a one-size-fits-all approach would enable us to cater to the unmet healthcare needs based on protein–protein and gene-environment interactions. Gut–brain axis, as the name suggests, is a two-way biochemical communication pathway between the central nervous system (CNS) and enteric nervous system (ENS), enabling a mutual influence between brain and peripheral intestinal functions. The gut microbiota is a major component of this bidirectional communication, the composition of which is varied depending on the age, and disease conditions, among other factors. Gut microbiota profile is typically unique and personalized therapeutic intervention can aid in treating or delaying neurodegeneration and mental health conditions. Besides, research on the gut microbial influence on these conditions is gaining attention, and a better understanding of this concept can lead to identification of novel targeted therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guava fruits remain biologically active even after harvest as they continue respiration and other physioligical activites. Being climacteric in nature, guava fruits senesce fast duringstorage. To extend the storage life of guava fruits, they were treated with 1-MCP 500 ppb and found that 1-MCP could extend the storage life of guava. 1-MCP-treated fruits retained greater fruit texture (2.17 N) with reduced respiration (54.57 CO2 mg/kg/h), ethylene (5.02 µl/kg/h) and pectin methylestaerase activity (1.21 units/ml) after 21 days of storage period when compared to untreated fruits. To determine the effects of 1-MCP on ripening, various physiological, biochemcial and gene expression parameters were studied. The results showed that 1-MCP delayed respiration and ethylene peak by maintaining the quality parameters like ascorbic acid content (129.24 mg/100 g), antioxidant activity (199.2 AAE/100 g), phenols (528.93 GAE/100 g) and sugar acid ratio (16.05% acid) in the fruits. RNA isolation protocol was developed using Tris saturated phenol and sodium dodecyl sulfate. This rapid protocol allowed us to isolate quality RNA from guava pulp. Further, RT-qPCR gene expression analysis of expansin and ACC synthase genes reveled that the texture and ethylene production were significantly down regulated with 1-MCP treatment. The present reserach work highlighted the effect of 1-MCP in extending the shelf life of guava fruits by regulating physiological and biochemical processes during friut ripening, and their validation through gene expression studies provide insights for manipulaiton of genes involved in climacteric fruit ripening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physiology system loses its thermal energy in the form of blood perfusion to the neighbour cells. Such lost energy causes severe hypothermia, sudden death in heart surgeries, anaemia and high or low blood pressure. Therefore, physicians and biomedical engineers are increasingly interested in examining entropy generation to quantify biological systems' energy loss. Further, entropy generation is employed as the thermodynamic state to approach the cancer cells during the chemotherapy treatment. Because of these applications, the current mathematical model illustrates the entropy generation of gold-blood pseudoplastic nanofluid flow in a microchannel with electrokinetic force and electro-conductive heating. The dimensional form of momentum and thermal equations are transformed into the dimensionless form using long-wavelength and small Reynolds number approximations. HPM computations have been executed to solve the influences of various parameters such as radiation, Weissenberg number, Helmholtz–Smoluchowski velocity, Joule heating parameter, Hartmann number and electroosmotic parameter on velocity, temperature, pressure drop, streamlines, and heat transfer rate and are portrayed through graphs. The results elucidate that the Hartmann number diminishes the blood pseudoplastic velocity in the channel centre. The gold-blood temperature expresses the decreasing nature by elevating the electro-osmosis parameter. The streamlines are dissipated from the channel centre due to the negative value of the Helmholtz–Smoluchowski parameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultraviolet light-based devices have received great attention due to their applications in various fields including health, industry, and water purification. In this view, we have developed energetic ultraviolet light-emitting zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticle powders by co-doping of single and bivalent metal-ions namely silver and manganese ions, i.e., Ag1+ and Mn2+. The as-synthesized ZnO nanoparticle powders were analyzed by characterizing with X-ray diffractometry, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Raman microscopy, UV–Vis spectrometry, and Photoluminescence techniques. ZnO nanoparticle powders developed at a typical metal-ions doping concentration exhibited an enhanced optical band gap (~ 8.5%). Though the morphology and crystal structures of ZnO nanoparticle powders remain unchanged, their particle size decreased from 30 to 13 nm, and optical emission gradually decreased while increasing the doping concentrations of metal ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of new benzamidine derivatives have been synthesized in good yields by involving 1-(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)-2-bromoethanone, 4-(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)-1,3-thiazol-2-amine, and N-benzyli-dene-4-(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)-1,3-thiazol-2-amine as reactive intermediates. The synthesized compounds were characterized by spectral data. Molecular docking study of N-(4-(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)-1,3-thiazol-2-yl]-1-[(E)-phenyldiazenyl]-1-phenylmethanimine has been carried out as a representative case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid fiber-reinforced polymer nano-biocomposites were prepared from flax fiber, aloe vera fiber, polyamide 6 (PA6), and organically modified montmorillonite (OMMT) through the hot-pressing method. The effect of TAF/TFF/OMMT with PA6 content on mechanical, thermal, water absorption, and biodegradability properties was investigated. The coefficient of friction of neat-PA6 (Testing conditions: Load of 10 to 30 N, sliding distance of 1000 m, sliding velocity of 1 to 3 m/s) was measured. The improvement in mechanical, water resistance and thermal properties are achieved in PA6/10%(TFF/TAF)/1%OMMT nano-biocomposite compared to neat-PA6. The desired TFF/TAF/OMMT combination shows improvement of strength of material due to filling pores with fine fibers content, and Si-content in OMMT clay leads to increased strength. Microstructural morphology reveals that crack propagation minimizes with an increase in OMMT content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characterizing a pancreatic or periampullary mass lesion as benign or malignant on conventional imaging is difficult due to overlapping morphological features. 18F-FDG PET/CT is a molecular imaging technique with reportedly higher sensitivity and specificity in the differentiation of benign and malignant pancreatic and periampullary masses. In this prospective study, we evaluated the utility of 18F-FDG PET/CT in patients with recently diagnosed pancreatic and periampullary masses. Based on FDG uptake pattern, diffuse or absent uptake was considered benign and focal increased uptake as malignant. Among the 32 patients included in the study, pathological examination confirmed 25 as positive for malignancy and the remaining 7 as benign etiology. Based on FDG uptake pattern, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy of the study were 92%, 42.8%, 85.2%, 60%, and 81.3% respectively. 18F-FDG PET/CT had a statistically significant higher detection rate in the evaluation of regional lymph nodes and distant organ metastases compared to radiological imaging. In 7/25 (14%) malignant cases, 18F-FDG PET/CT detected additional distant metastases which were not detected by conventional imaging and thus resulting in change in management from curative resection to palliative therapy. To conculde, 18F-FDG PET/CT uptake pattern can characterize pancreatic and periampullary masses as benign or malignant with a relatively good accuracy. Using 18F-FDG PET/CT for initial staging of pancreatic and periampullary cancer helps in appropriate staging and optimal selection of treatment modality compared to conventional imaging techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exploitation of organic waste-derived products in industrially relevant chemical transformations is a brainstorming and indispensible task in chemical synthesis. Indeed, the ipso-functionalization of (hetero)arylboronic acids [(H)ABAs] under (transition)metal free condisitions is a challenging and intended goal in synthetic chemistry. Further, the synthesis of (hetero)aryl iodides [(H)AIs] under mild and benign conditions is urgently needed task since these are the highly reactive substrates in several state-of-the-art cross-coupling and aromatic functionalization reactions and a very few methods/reagents are available for their synthesis. In this article we have disclosed a mild and effective process for the (H)AIs synthesis via ipso-functionalization of (H)ABAs using water extract of pomegranate peel ash (WEPA) and environmentally benign iodinating agent such as molecular iodine (I2) under external oxidant/(transition)metal/base/additive/organic solvent free conditions. The (H)AIs are formed with high regioselctivity using this protocol has operational simplicity display exceptional functional group compatibility. Present (H)AIs synthesis avoid additional substances (including metals) as oxidizing reagents, additives/surfactants and catalysts, thus making this procedure as a highly sustainable asset using biorenewable waste based aqueous extract as catalytic media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrolyte membranes with PEO and PVdF complexed with KNO3 have been prepared using solution cast technique. Succinonitrile has been added in different weight percentages to PEO:PVdF + KNO3 blend polymer electrolyte system. The prepared electrolyte membranes were characterized using X-ray diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy, DSC and Fourier Transform IR Spectroscopy to examine the structural properties. Impedance spectroscopic analysis was carried out (between the frequency 101 – 30 × 106 Hz) for wide range (0–15 wt%) of succinonitrile concentrations on blend polymer electrolyte membranes in the temperature range of 303 K-353 K. The ionic conductivity of the electrolyte membrane has been enhanced with succinonitrile concentration and maximum ionic conductivity (8.79 × 10–5 S/cm) was identified for 12wt% at room temperature. The temperature dependent ionic conductivity followed the Arrhenius relation and is attributed to increase in ion dissociation which allows greater number of charge carriers for ion transport in the electrolyte. Wagner's method has been used to investigate the transference number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composite materials are used as structural components in many disciplines. The structures may become prone to damage during the service conditions. The damage types are surface crack, edge crack, and delamination. The damage may lead to abrupt failure of the big composite structures. To prevent the abrupt failure, the damage should be detected at the earliest by monitoring the damage indicators. The change in natural frequency of the structure is considered as one of the damage indicators. The cantilever beam is considered here to understand the natural frequency variation with crack location and crack length. The natural frequency decreases with increasing edge crack length and the natural frequency reduction is more toward the fixed end compared to the free end of the beam. The crack location and length of an edge crack of size 1 mm have also been predicted by using the feed forward neural network. The inputs to the neural network were frequency change rates and the outputs were crack location and length. Neural network of 3-12-2 architecture is able to predict the crack location and length with more than 94% accuracy. The accuracy of the location of the edge crack prediction is more when compared to the crack length prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activity Recognition and Classification (ARC) have enabled growth of many automated applications like recommender services, old age assistance, health monitoring, security and surveillance etc. This becomes possible due to advancement of technology in wearable devices and smartphones. The small size, easy availability of various relevant sensors, ever decreasing cost, ability to monitor continuously and handy to use features have made them prominent devices to use in ARC. In this work, we provide a comprehensive survey on ARC using smartphones and wearable sensors. The work begins with the understanding of the ARC process followed by description of inertial sensors present in the smartphones and wearables. It covers the various feature extraction methods and the models used in traditional methods and the trending deep learning based methods. It is observed that, performance of any ARC method largely depends on number of sensors, classification technique, kind of device and placement and orientation of the device among many other parameters considered in the work. In our study, we present a detailed comparison of work done in this area considering ten such important parameters, which, to the best of our knowledge, is the first of its kind of surveys. Finally, we present ten challenges in this area and provide prospective dimensions that can be explored in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To compare work absenteeism and short-term disability among adults with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis (PsA), versus controls in the USA. Methods: Adults eligible for work absenteeism and/or short-term disability benefits between 1/1/2009 and 4/30/2020 were screened in the IBM® MarketScan® Commercial and Health and Productivity Management Databases. The following groups were defined: (1) psoriasis: ≥ 2 psoriasis diagnoses ≥ 30 days apart and no PsA diagnoses; (2) PsA: ≥ 2 PsA diagnoses ≥ 30 days apart; (3) control: absence of psoriasis and PsA diagnoses. Controls were matched to psoriasis and PsA patients based on age, gender, index year, and comorbidities. Non-recreational work absences and sick leaves were evaluated in absentee-eligible patients, and short-term disability was evaluated in short-term disability-eligible patients. Costs (in 2019 USD) associated with each type of work absence were evaluated. Results: 4261 psoriasis and 616 PsA absentee-eligible and 25,213 psoriasis and 3480 PsA short-term disability-eligible patients were matched to controls. Average non-recreational work absence costs were $1681, $1657, and $1217 for the PsA, psoriasis, and control group, respectively. Compared with psoriasis patients and controls, more PsA patients had sick leaves after 1 year (56.2% versus 55.6% and 41.5%, p < 0.0001). Similarly, short-term disability was more frequent in PsA patients than psoriasis patients and controls at year one (8.8% versus 5.6% and 4.7%, p < 0.0001) and corresponding costs were higher ($605, $406, and $335 on average, p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Annual work absenteeism and short-term disability were consistently greater among patients with PsA and psoriasis than controls, highlighting the substantial economic burden of psoriatic disease. Key points • Patients with PsA had greater short-term disability compared with patients with psoriasis and patients with neither psoriasis nor PsA. • Patients with PsA and patients with psoriasis incurred greater non-recreational work absences and sick leaves than patients with neither psoriasis nor PsA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a potentially devastating clinical condition with a poor long-term prognosis. Cardiac arrhythmias are frequent in PH, and pulmonary hypertensives are particularly susceptible to the adverse haemodynamic effects of heart rhythm disorders. However, arrhythmia management in PH patients can be more challenging than in the general population due to the particular physiological idiosyncrasies associated with the condition. Here, we summarise and appraise the data pertaining to multimodality treatment of cardiac arrhythmias in PH to help refine the management strategy for this vulnerable patient group. Results: The majority of our understanding of the safety and effectiveness of different arrhythmia treatments in PH is based on observational and retrospective data. Rhythm control is the overall goal, and for atrial and ventricular tachyarrhythmias, referral for catheter ablation, ideally using electroanatomical mapping technology in specialist centres, is the preferable means of achieving this. Contradictory viewpoints are expounded regarding the safety of beta blocker use in PH, though in three small prospective clinical trials and at least six animal models they appear to be well-tolerated. Nevertheless, amiodarone remains the preferred pharmacological treatment. Direct current cardioversion can be carried out effectively to terminate tachyarrhythmias in both the emergency and elective setting, though mechanistic studies demonstrate a higher recurrence rate in PH patients. Individual reports and series suggest that device implantation may be technically challenging and associated with a higher complication rate due to anatomical distortion and chamber enlargement. Modulation of sympathetic input to the heart appears to reduce arrhythmia vulnerability in canine models of PH, and its clinical application in humans is a worthwhile area of further study. Conclusion: Prompt restoration of sinus rhythm improves outcomes in PH, and at present, the most reliable and safest strategy for long-term rhythm control is amiodarone and, where possible, ablation. Reinforcement of the evidence base with randomised prospective trials is necessary. This would be particularly beneficial to clarify the role of atrial fibrillation ablation and the safety and efficacy of beta-blockers. In addition, a more comprehensive assessment of the vulnerability of PH patients to potentially fatal brady- and ventricular tachyarrhythmias may help guide recommendations for provision of primary prevention device therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulsating heat pipes are a relatively newer generation of heat pipe which are wickless thus more economical and less fabrication-intensive. These devices are made of a capillary sized tube bent in a serpentine form to result in a closed system. In this study a single closed loop pulsating heat pipe made of 2 mm internal diameter copper tubing is experimentally investigated for two different bend radii. The performance comparison is made for two fluids – methanol and water, for varying heat loads from 10 W to 100 W, with various inclinations from vertical bottom heated mode to horizontal mode, for a constant fill ratio of 60%. The sharper bend, though making the device more compact, is found to reduce the performance. One of the bend geometries is further investigated for the effect of insulation on the adiabatic sections. The insulation is found to certainly widen the heat load range though a distinct performance improvement is not found. The variation of the frequency of pressure pulsations with respect to the fluid, heat load and inclination is also studied. Additionally, one of the geometry is tested with FC 72 fluid as well to arrive at a correlation for heat flux for varying fluids, heat fluxes and inclinations, covering 116 data points. The performance trends predicted by the correlation are in line with those reported in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intra-basin variations in sediment supply provide clues for understanding the erosion process and the role of local topographic features and climatic factors. Hence in this study, Bharathapuzha (BP) basin from tectonically quiescent Western Ghats (WG) was selected to examine the role of topography and climate on the sediment erosion process across its sub-basins. Multi-years daily water discharge and sediment load data of five monitoring stations were combined with morphometric parameters to visualize the local variability in sediment erosion rates. The average annual water discharge and sediment load of the BP basin to the Arabian Sea are 4.71 km3 and 0.37×106 tons. Interestingly, Kunthipuzha (KP) sub-basin, despite covering 17% of the total basin area, contributes around 41% and 27% of water discharge and sediment flux, respectively. The sediment yield (erosion rate) from the KP sub-basin is ten times higher than the same sized sub-basin within the BP catchment. For comprehending the role of topography and climate on these local variations, geomorphic indices such as Hypsometric integral (HI) and stream length (SL) index were calculated for the BP basin and sub-basins. Further, multiple regression was used to explore the quantitative relationships among the influencing factors. Results suggest that the rainfall and topography critically influenced basin erosion and explained 93% of the total variance. This study demonstrates the importance of intra-basin scale processes even for small mountainous rivers and signifies the role of local variations in topography and climate in erosion and material transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, binder-free, stable, high-performance and ultrasensitive platform is proposed for the accurate estimation of hydrazine by using a facile synthesized few-layered sulphur-doped graphene (SG)-modified glassy carbon electrode (SG/GCE). This proposed SG/GCE facilitates hydrazine to be catalytically oxidized at low overpotential. The SG was synthesized by a facile microwave-assisted solvothermal route, further examined by electron microscopy, Raman and FTIR spectroscopy and identified as a suitable catalyst material for sensing platform. Experiments were conducted to typify the electrode as a sensor for the estimation of hydrazine. The SG-modified electrode exhibited overpotential of hydrazine oxidation at 0.31 V, which is lower than many other electrochemical sensors. The linear calibration plots were obtained over the range of 0.5–6 µM in chronoamperometry and the limit of detection is as low as 0.25 μM. It is one of the finest reports in terms of high sensitivity and low limit of detection has also been achieved. It is concluded that SG exhibited an efficient sensor platform for hydrazine determination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]