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Sodium cooled fast breeder reactors (SFR) are designed to operate at high-temperature conditions to achieve very high thermal efficiency (> 40%). Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) is a typical medium-sized SFR nearing the final stage of commissioning activities at Kalpakkam. High-temperature service conditions pose challenges in the structural design of PFBR components. Slenderness is the main characteristic of PFBR components. Thus, the PFBR design standard (RCC MRx) imposes tight manufacturing tolerances to achieve the required dimensional stability and improve the design life. Austenitic stainless steel (ASS) is the primary structural material used in manufacturing PFBR components poses challenges due to welding distortion. This paper discusses the engineering solutions adopted to qualify the manufacturing deviation of two selected prototype components without compromising the safety. They are, viz., (i) Main vessel-roof slab (MV-RS) in situ weld joint and (ii) Inclined Fuel Transfer Machine (IFTM) welded chain. A simulated creep experiment is conducted to demonstrate the required life of the selected MV-RS weld joint. Fatigue and break tests are performed to qualify the welded IFTM chain. These test results suggest that the imposed acceptance criteria were stringent, and those components met the safety requirements with sufficient margin.

The most important view of image segmentation is a process of analyzing image in to individual pixel values for each boundary. All the more definitely, segmentation is the strategy of doling out a mark to each and each pixel in a photograph to such an extent that pixels with the equivalent name share positive traits. This article implements an image segmentation method based on Mean-Shift Clustering Algorithm with a Gaussian Mixture Models. Mean shift is a non-parametric feature-space analysis technique for locating the maxima of a density function, a so-called mode-seeking algorithm. Application domains include cluster analysis in computer vision and image processing. The proposed method is used to evaluated in terms of accuracy, precision and actual solution. For this analysis produced accurate image with minimum time period. This new technique is used to analyze the varies lung nodules by means of lowering the noise the usage of computerized segmentation algorithm in specific region.

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are regarded as the engine of the growth of the world economy. They had recently experienced rapid growth and improved their business activities in terms of customers’ number and revenue expansion when they began to embrace e-commerce and started using it in their business. However, although there is a growing interest in e-commerce, its use is still insufficient in Algeria. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the factors that influence the adoption of e-commerce by SMEs in Algeria. This study adopts a qualitative methodology which involves in-depth, structured interviews to identify the factors that affect SMEs for the adoption of e-commerce in Algeria. The result of research found the main factors hindering the adoption of e-commerce by SMEs in Algeria are the e-payment methods, non-readiness of banks, lack of legal protection and lack in awareness of the benefits of e-commerce, as well as fear of risks. However, some other elements are less significant to influence the adoption of e-commerce. These research findings will give an addition in terms of bringing and giving a chance to the SMEs' leaders and the Algerian economic officials and a clear view of e-commerce practices. This can help them to design a strategy to remove barriers tactfully to its advantage.

On-demand vehicle acquisition with a driver on internet-based platform (e-hailing) has become one of the standard transport modes nowadays. Accordingly, different stakeholders have shown high interest in this concept, including the research community; thus, several types of research have been carried out from different perspectives. The current researchers investigate this phenomenon from Service Quality Perspective. Finding the antecedents of user/passenger use intention is the main objective of this study. A conceptual framework was developed mainly based on RECSA model. Affordability, Reliability, Safety, and Service were considered as the antecedents of customer intention to use. The proposed model was tested using data collected from 352 Malaysian university students. The outcome of the path analysis performed using SMART PLS (3.0) proved that all four factors considered in this study are statistically significant antecedence of user intention.

Proper knowledge management (KM) is vital for any organization to perform to the expectation including higher learning institutions (HLIs). Hence, struggling to perform is an indication of lack of KM initiatives. Though many facets of KM have been investigated in HLIs, more studies are needed as the previous empirical works have focused only on knowledge sharing behavior among academicians. An intensive literature review exposes that nonexistence of works employing KM-related theories. Therefore, this study seeks to investigate academicians’ perceived intention (KM Intention) and involvement in KM initiatives (KM Behavior) and its predictors in a Malaysian HLI, which is struggling to perform, by relating theory of knowledge creation. KM intention explains the perception and the attitudes towards KM while the KM behavior illustrates the real behavior. Both these variables were operationalized based on knowledge creation theory through the socialization, externalization, combination, and internalization (SECI) process. A conceptual framework was developed based on the theory of reasoned action and the theory of planned behavior. Six independent variables representative of the socio-cultural nature of KM - trust, management support, decentralization, IT support, performance expectancy, and effort expectancy - were considered as the predictors of KM intention, which in turn, predict KM behavior. Data were collected from 156 academicians from an HLI in Malaysia using questionnaires. The questionnaire items were adapted from previous studies. The structural model analysis confirmed that out of seven proposed hypotheses, four are supported: Trust, performance expectancy, and effort expectancy influence KM Intention, while KM Intention influences KM Behavior. Even though further research works are needed to generalize the findings, the current research and the findings can enrich the KM literature and provide some insights to the decision makers of the selected HLI on the appropriate KM implementation strategies.

Large leak sodium-water reaction in the steam generator is one of the important events to be considered for the Liquid Metal cooled Fast Breeder Reactor (LMFBR). For the design of secondary sodium circuit components a design basis water/steam leak has been defined. For PFBR (Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor), under commissioning at Kalpakkam, India, a computer code SWEPT developed for the pressure transient analysis is used for estimating the maximum design pressure of the components. In order to study the possibility of any cliff edge effect, large scale sodium-water reaction analyses beyond the design basis leak have been carried out using SWEPT and CAST3M computer codes and the results are presented in this paper. Based on the studies it is found that simultaneous double ended guillotine failure of 15 tubes can be managed with the available design margin. Possibility of core sub assembly vibration is also studied using the CAST3M computer code.

The focus of this research is to investigate IT competence and IT students' readiness to face the industrial revolution 4.0 based on student perception. In this preliminary study, a survey was distributed through an online survey to 50 Indonesian IT students. Respondents were students of Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University who were between 18–24 years old. The results show that the hard skills that are more in demand are Information Technology Governance and Management, and the least desirable is Information Technology Enterprise Architecture. Regarding soft skills, most of the students agreed that the important trait the IT graduates should uphold to is honesty. In general, 92 percent of respondents were ready to enter the era of the industrial revolution 4.0. These findings confirm that competence in the form of hard skills, soft skills, and readiness to face the era of the industrial revolution 4.0 is one of the core elements to determine the extent of preparation of IT students facing the era of the industrial revolution 4.0. Enhancing one competency to embark on the new industrial revolution is a must, and agility is indeed a critical identity that must be inherent in IT students in facing the industrial revolution 4.0.

e-hailing apps dominate the public taxi transport sector all over the globe. Different researchers study this disruptive business model from a different perspective. The current researchers look at this phenomenon from the technology acceptance perspective. Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) make the base for the study. The variables Performance Expectancy (PE) and the Effort Expectancy (EE) and another two variables Trust, and Enjoyment are also considered in this study. Data were collected from 352 university students who are millennials. Out of the four hypotheses proposed, Effort Expectancy (H2), Trust (H3), and Enjoyment (H4) positively influence Intention. The hypothesis related to PE (H1) was not supported. Implications are discussed.

In a Liquid Metal cooled Fast Breeder Reactor (LMFBR), liquid sodium is used as the reactor coolant to extract the heat energy from the core of the reactor. Liquid sodium has a chemical characteristic that makes it to violently react with water or steam. When large sodium-water reaction occurs due to defect, leakage or breakage in the steam generator tubes, high pressure waves will be generated and get transmitted throughout the secondary sodium circuit and interact with the components like sodium headers on top/bottom of steam generator, surge tank, intermediate heat exchanger etc., which also affects the safety of primary sodium circuit and core subassemblies. In LMFBR, sodium water reactions are included in the Design Basis Events. This dynamic event needs to be analyzed from the perspective of integrity of core subassemblies considering the phenomenon of fluid structure interaction. To evaluate the integrity of core subassemblies, the behavior of high pressure waves at intermediate heat exchanger is considered and the response of the subassemblies to the dynamic pressure load has been studied. The dynamic analysis of the reactor model is carried out using a three-dimensional finite element analysis in CAST3M computer code. In the code, the fluid elements are represented by volume elements and the coupling between fluid and structure by surface elements. Fluid damping is considered in the simulation. Validation of the code has been carried out using an experimental setup. Analysis results shows the maximum displacement of the primary circuit components viz., IHX, Inner vessel and subassemblies are 5.0 mm, 2.0 mm and 0.07 mm respectively for a design basis sodium water reaction event. Due to this displacement there is negligible change in the reactivity of the core.

We examined the temporal variation of heavy metals in different sexes of three brackish water shrimp species with emphasis on the relationship between Fulton's K condition indices and metal polluti...

Ballooning in fuel clad and pressure tubes of light water reactors due to the Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA) has been a topic of intense research for the past few decades. The possibility of the phenomenon in fast reactors has been ignored due to the preclusion of LOCA in the design relatively low operating pressure and better high temperature resistant structural materials. Albeit these merits, the high burn-up, high flux and therefore, high temperature in fast reactors poses an onus to the fuel clad. The key question is thus whether ballooning will take place in fast reactors and at what conditions. Experimental investigation of the behavior of the clad tubes at various operating conditions of pressure, temperature and heating rates suggest that ballooning takes place in fast reactor fuel clad at higher burn-up (which results in an increase in pressure and temperature of the clad tube) and lower heating rates. This paper gives an insight into the first of its kind approach for the investigation of ballooning in fast reactors using the Rupture And Ballooning In Tubes (RABITS) facility which is indigenously developed. It is observed from the experimental results that the rupture life of the clad at high temperature, i.e. 950 °C, is considerably lower than that predicted by the creep rupture equation available for the material. This reduction in life of the clad is attributed to the change in damage mechanisms at higher temperature (∼0.6 Tmelting point), which can be the damage due to the ballooning phenomenon.

This article discusses the temporal variation and stress of heavy metal accumulation in Scylla serrata (Forskal) with reference to sexes. Cd and Sn were undetected (i.e., below the method detection limits of 0.001 Cd mg/kg wet weight and 0.005 Sn mg/kg) in both sexes. However, Scylla serrata (Forskal) consistently exhibited high accumulation of As, Pb, Hg and Zn. Zn was the most abundant metal in both sexes. (Average Zn content in males and females was around 40.76 ± 2.51 and 45.10 ± 2.24 mg/kg wet weight, respectively.) Pb and Hg levels exceeded EU and Sri Lankan admissible limits on many occasions (0.02 Pb mg/kg wet weight and 0.5 Hg mg/kg wet weight). Bioconcentration factors (BCFs) of As and Zn from the water > 1 in both sexes indicating effective direct uptake from the water. However, temporal variation of Zn and Hg and the interaction between temporal variation of these metals and the two sexes were insignificant (P > 0.05). Nevertheless, temporal variation of Pb (P

In a pool-type fast breeder reactor, the shutdown by SCRAM involves crash cooling of primary sodium at the rate of 480 K/h. This high cooling rate can develop high thermal stresses at the thicker junctions that are immersed in sodium, due to a lower Fourier number and a higher Biot number, which results in higher Fitz number. Thermo-mechanical analysis of various critical locations within sodium with the transient loading, and parametric studies with varying cooling rates and thicknesses has been carried out. Due to the drop in sodium temperature during crash cooling, there is a fall in the sodium level, resulting from the volumetric contraction of sodium. Thus the locations of the hot pool components that are at the free level interface of sodium and argon experience an abrupt shift in the ambience, i.e., from sodium to argon cover gas. A numerical model has been developed to simulate the complex loading condition using CAST3M code. The model has been validated with theoretical equations and the overall heat balance equations. Transient analysis of all the hot pool components has been performed to estimate the structural damage due to thermo-mechanical behavior during crash cooling. Based on this study, it is concluded that for the future design of fast reactors with 60 years of design life, controlled cooling is not essential from the structural damage point of view. The recommendation simplifies the design of decay heat removal system.

Fat extracted from pork is prohibited under halal and kosher food regulations. A study was carried out on Madhuca longifolia seed fat and palm oil to compare their physicochemical, solidification and melting characteristics to formulate halal alternative lipid substitutes. Various blends of Madhuca longifolia (ML) and palm oil (PO) was formulated in order to become similar to lard (LD). A total of three binary blends were prepared: ML:PO (97:3; w/w), ML:PO (95:5), ML:PO (93:7), and identified by the mass ratio of ML to PO. The fat blends were compared with LD in terms of the fatty acid and triacylglycerol compositions using gas chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography, respectively. In addition, the fat blends also being studied for thermal properties using differential scanning calorimetry and solid fat content using p-nuclear magnetic resonance. Although there were considerable differences between LD and the fat blends with regard to fatty acid and triacylglycerol compositions, some similarities were seen regarding to thermal properties and solid fat content profiles. The blend of ML:PO (97:3) displayed closer similarity to LD with respect to melting transition at -3.59°C and its solid fat content profile showed the least difference to that of LD throughout the temperature range measured.

Tropical coastal lagoons comprise several habitats, which have great importance for avifauna by providing nesting, roosting or foraging sites. However, various anthropogenic activities have caused coastal habitat degradation globally. To sustain conservation, it is crucial to understand the seasonal habitat utilization patterns of avifauna. Additionally, how coastal habitats are influencing terrestrial avifaunal distribution is not well documented. Therefore, this study was carried out to examine the habitat utilization patterns by aquatic and terrestrial avifauna in Batticaloa Lagoon in eastern Sri Lanka from September 2017–August 2018. Compared with past studies, our study indicated a lower diversity of aquatic birds. Findings revealed that 47% and 27% of aquatic and terrestrial avifaunal species, respectively occurred in all habitats indicating their utilization of different habitats as alternative habitats. However, terrestrial bird composition was more similar between the different habitats (compared with aquatic birds) as per non-metric multi-dimensional scaling (NMDS) plots. Overall bird density variation was significant with season and habitat. Considering the avifaunal density, both aquatic and terrestrial birds mostly preferred swamp habitat. Abandoned shrimp farms were least preferred by aquatic birds and terrestrial birds indicating that anthropogenic habitats do not provide many of the required resources that are provided by natural habitats. Mangroves (comprising true mangrove species and mangrove associates) support a relatively high diversity of terrestrial birds, but recorded the lowest diversity of aquatic birds. Suggestions were made to improve habitats to attract more species especially aquatic birds.

This article discusses bioaccumulation and temporal variation of heavy metals in three edible lagoon fish species with references to gender. Cd and As were undetected in the three fish species (i.e., below the method detection limits of 1 μg Cd/kg wet weight and 2 μg As/kg wet weight) irrespective of the periods, and Cd was undetected in the water too (i.e., below the detection limit of 0.0003 mg/L). Except for Zn (which was mainly available as Zn2+ in the water), Pb was present largely as low labile metal-chloride complexes and As as HAsO4 2− as per Visual MINTEQ, version 3.1. Bio-transfer factors of Sn (which was also undetected in the water; below the detection limit of 0.05 mg/L), Hg, Pb, and Zn were

Management of organizational Knowledge is considered crucial in the present knowledge era. As a result, organizational readiness for knowledge management (KM) has been studied comprehensively from diverse viewpoints lately. KM enablers such as organizational culture, organizational structure and information technology infrastructures, and organizational members’ perception towards KM are assumed to be the predictors of KM readiness. Nevertheless, those dimensions could be part of KM readiness rather than just merely being its predictors considering the inevitable nature of those variables for KM implementation. Accordingly, the current study hypothesis that these factors with behavioral intention of organizational members form a holistic dimension of organizational readiness for KM. To verify this claim a questionnaire based survey was conducted among 313 executives in the Sri Lankan telecommunication industry. To validate the research instruments used a first order measurement model was formulated using AMOS version 16. Then, to test hypotheses a second order analysis was performed. The indices for model fit are good and the structural coefficients are significant showing the data fit to the model. Hence, the present work recommends that the KM enablers, organizational members’ perception and their behavioral intentions can be the dimensions of organizational readiness for KM.