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Beyond von Neumann's architecture, artificial neural network-based neuromorphic computing in a simple two-terminal resistive switching device is considered the future potential technology for simultaneous data processing and storage. These are also compatible with low-power consumption nanoelectronic devices and, thus, suitable for applications such as image recognition toward solving complex pattern recognition problems. Herein, motivated by the human biological brain, we successfully synthesized low-cost RRAM devices using the thermal oxidation of Cu, i.e., CuO as the active material together with Cu as the top electrode and FTO as the bottom contact for a two-terminal resistive switching device, and investigated characteristics for neuromorphic computing. Cu/CuO/FTO-based devices showed excellent bipolar analog RRAM characteristics with 150 repeatable cycles, retention for 11 000 s, and DC pulse endurance for 5000 cycles. Moreover, devices exhibit a remarkable mimicking ability, demonstrating spike time-dependent plasticity (STDP), pulse-paired facilitation (PPF), synaptic weight, and learning and forgetting characteristics, substantiating the recognition ability. Furthermore, the artificial neural network synaptic membrane exhibits excellent long-term (LTP) and short-term (STP) potentiation for six consecutive cycles. Thus, the present work on Cu/CuO/FTO-based devices provides a detailed understanding of CuO active material-based resistive switching with a potential for neuromorphic computing beyond the von Neumann architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A quantitative gait assessment system is crucial for clinical analysis and decision‐making. Such rigorous evaluation involves costly clinical setups and domain experts for observation and analysis. To circumvent such constraints, the proposed work is conducted in a markerless environment and divided into three stages: First, we prepared a markerless gait database using videos from MNIT RAMAN LABORATORY in Jaipur. Second, we adapt the skeletal landmark data to generate kinematic gait characteristics comparable to gold‐standard marker‐based techniques. We provide a novel set of parameters based on video sequences and spatiotemporal and sagittal kinematic parameters to optimize accuracy and reliability. Third, we develop multi‐feature based gait analysis, an ensemble model based on Convolutional Neural Networks + LSTM (Long‐Short Term Memory), for gait classification. In addition, we deployed transfer learning models to correlate with our ensemble model. The findings indicate that gait analysis can be used successfully in a low‐cost clinical gait monitoring system in a constraint‐free environment. While considering the multiple gait variables, our proposed model attained an accuracy of 95.3%. Our model for quantifying gait analysis will improve access to quantitative gait analysis in clinics and rehabilitation centers and enable researchers to conduct large‐scale studies for gait‐related disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fluorinated 5‐membered N‐containing heterocyclic compounds have wide utility in varied fields. The importance of these compounds has encouraged researchers to explore environment‐friendly synthetic techniques for their synthesis. In this context, microwave‐assisted synthesis has proved beneficial for the synthesis of fluorinated 5‐membered N‐heterocycles in an environmentally benign and energy‐efficient manner. Compared to conventional heating, it offers several advantages, including quick heating, short reaction times, higher yields, and fewer side reactions. This article highlights the microwave‐assisted fluorination of 5‐membered N‐heterocyclic compounds along with the synthesis of fluorinated 5‐membered N‐heterocyclic compounds using fluorinated starting materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe residual effect of low doses of lantana, pine needles and wheat straw phyto-biochars pyrolyzed at 300 °C and 450 °C and enriched with 0, 50, 75 and 100% of recommended doses of fertilizers (RDF) of micronutrients and S was studied on the yields, nutrient concentration and uptake of second crop, i.e. rice (Oryza sativa L.) after fodder maize to validate their nutrient slow-release characteristics. The residual effect of phyto-biochars averaged over different RDF increased rice grain yield significantly under lantana and pine needles phyto-biochars pyrolyzed at 300 °C, but decreased with pine needles biochar pyrolyzed at 450 °C as compared to the control. The highest grain yield (9.43 g pot−1) was under pine needles phyto-biochar pyrolyzed at 300 °C and enriched initially with 75% of RDF, which was 7.8 per cent higher than that with 75% of RDF applied through conventional fertilizer sources. The residual effect of some treatments significantly increased the readily oxidizable C and extractable Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn, B and S in the soil after rice harvest. For fodder maize + rice crops together, pine needles phyto-biochar pyrolyzed at 300 °C or lantana phyto-biochar pyrolyzed at 450 °C with enrichment of 75% RDF of micronutrients and S gave the higher apparent per cent utilization of Zn, Fe, Mn, and S, but numerically closer per cent utilization values for Cu and B in comparison to the conventional chemical fertilizer sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis research emphasizes enhancing air conditioning (AC) system performance through the integration of a phase change material (PCM)-based annulus heat exchanger (HEX) within the condenser unit. The present study delves into how aspect ratio (AR), inlet velocities, and inlet air temperature impact the coefficient of performance (COP) and melting rate. Moreover, it considers the variable specific heat of the PCM, a less-explored aspect in AC-integrated PCM systems. Results have revealed that the AR notably affects the complete melting time. Specifically, an increase in the AR from 15 to 21 has led to a noteworthy reduction of 30.07% in the total melting time under fixed velocity conditions at 2.55 m/sec and θ = 0.429. The present study has also established a correlation to demonstrate how total melting time is influenced by AR, inlet air temperature, and inlet velocity. Also, modifying AR and inlet velocity to the HEX could lead to lower outlet temperatures from the HEX. Initially, at a given velocity of 2.55 m/sec and θ of 0.429, increasing the AR from 15 to 18 leads to a 1.61% decrease in the outlet air temperature from the HEX, while increasing AR from 15 to 21 results in a 3.12% decrement. PCM-enhanced AC systems consistently exhibit improved COP values, especially in low-velocity scenarios, outperforming systems without PCM. At the onset of melting, for a given velocity of 2.55 m/sec and θ of 0.429, the percentage increase in the COP for the altered system compared to a system without the PCM is found to be 11.28%, 12.84%, and 14.01% for ARs of 15, 18, and 21, respectively. Configurations with higher ARs are found to be more suitable for higher cooling loads with shorter working periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the effect of using a phase change material (PCM)-based latent heat storage (LHS) integrated with an air-conditioning system. The study has filled the knowledge gap regarding the dependence of melting rate and operational time of the AC system on PCM volume. Additionally, the study has examined the influences of important parameters such as inlet velocity and Stefan number on melting rates, outlet temperature, and COP. The results have revealed that higher inlet air velocity and Stefan number have led to shorter melting duration. Specifically, an increase in velocity from 1.6 to 2.14 m/sec has reduced the time required for complete melting by 19.16% at a fixed Ste value and D value of 2. Further increasing the velocity to 2.67 m/sec has reduced the time by 31.59%. However, increasing the volume of the PCM has resulted in a longer melting duration, with the total melting time increasing from 3.35 to 7.11 h. Better COP values have been obtained for low-velocity cases. For all cases examined, the COP of the AC system with PCM has been superior to the COP without the PCM at any given time. Increasing inlet velocity and Ste raised the outlet temperature of the HEX, while PCM volume had little impact. The results have also indicated that lower inlet velocity is suitable for longer working periods and lower AC cooling loads, whereas higher inlet velocity is appropriate for shorter working periods and higher AC cooling loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present research work approaches the accumulation of fluoride ions from contaminated water using an aquatic plant Monochoria hastate L. in hydroponic culture. A design of experiment (DOE) has been adopted and an analysis of variance has been conducted to establish the statistical significance of various process parameters. The different experimental factors are root and shoot (Factor A), fluoride concentration (Factor B), and experimental days (Factor C) largely influence the output response. Plants treated with 5 mg/L of fluoride solutions accumulated the highest concentration in root biomass 1.23 mg/gm, and shoot biomass 0.820 mg/gm, dry weight after 21 days' experimentation. The accumulation mechanism and potentiality of treated plants depend on root cells of the plasma membrane and energy-capturing molecules of adenosine triphosphate. Monochoria hastate L. root biomass was characterized to confirm the accumulation of fluoride ions in the experimented plants using scanning electron micrographs-energy dispersive spectrum (SEM-EDS), and Fourier transforms infrared analysis (FTIR) analysis. The novelty of this study is the high fluoride accumulation efficiency in hydroponic treatment by Monochoria hastate L an excellent choice for phytoremediation technique. The Design of Experiment (DOE) has a good approach for the optimization of fluoride in the accumulation process. The maximum absorption of fluoride ions in root biomass is 1.23 mg/gm, and shoot biomass is 0.820 mg/gm, dry weight after 21 days of treatment. To know the fluoride ions in shoot and root biomass are characterized using scanning electron micrographs-energy dispersive spectrum (SEM-EDS), and Fourier transforms infrared analysis (FTIR). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floods are the most frequent of all natural disasters that occur in India. Although one of the main reasons for these disasters is the variations in monsoon and heavy inflows during the four months of the rainy season, India's asymmetric geomorphic features play an important role in determining the nature and intensity of floods in different regions. The destruction due to floods can be monitored with Internet of Things (IoT) systems. Flood forecasting can be done to warn people and evacuate them to safer places. A real-time end-to-end system generates an early flood alert based on various hydro-meteorological parameters received from sensing devices. In this study, an IoT-based system senses the hydrological data such as water discharge and water level, as well as data related to climate like rainfall, humidity, temperature, wind direction and speed. The task of estimating the water discharge gets difficult since rivers have changing geographic properties. To resolve this issue, a novel technique is proposed to estimate river discharge based on the sectional area and flow of the river. Additionally, the challenges associated with quantifying the overall quantity of rainfall resulting from the unpredictable behaviour of the local meteorological conditions have been addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces nonlinear analysis and control of a fraction order small-scale grid (SSG) under the influence of disturbances and noise. Random wind power supply and uncertain load demand are considered as disturbances while the additive white Gaussian noise is considered as external noise. The nonlinear dynamic behaviours such as multistability and coexisting bifurcation behaviours are investigated along with period-2, period doubling bifurcation route to chaos and instability (chaos breaking) of the rotor angle which is not expected under normal operating condition and reveal stability issue in the proposed SSG. Also, the presence of nontrivial behaviours, multistability and coexistence of attractors, may be of capital importance in understanding dynamic remedy of the fractional order SSG behaviour since serious impediments may occur even after the present required safeguard. An adaptive fractional second order PID sliding mode control (AFSO-PIDSMC) is proposed to control the chaos and multistability behaviours in the fractional order SSG. The proposed control technique includes the design adaptive control based on the designed fractional and second-order PID sliding mode control. Required asymptotic stability condition is derived by using Lyapunov stability theory. Furthermore, the proposed control technique is compared and has fast convergence, parameter estimation and chatter-free response. Numerical simulations are performed in MATLAB environment and validate the theoretical aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitapivat, a first‐in‐class, oral, small‐molecule, allosteric activator of the red blood cell‐specific form of pyruvate kinase (PKR), was approved for the treatment of hemolytic anemia in adults with pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency. In this phase I mass balance study in healthy males, we administered a single ~120 mg oral dose of [14C]mitapivat and a concomitant intravenous ~0.1 mg microdose of [13C6]mitapivat. We determined (1) the routes of total radioactivity excretion, including the mass balance of total radioactivity in urine and feces; (2) the pharmacokinetics of mitapivat and [13C6]mitapivat in plasma and total radioactivity in whole blood and plasma; (3) the absolute oral bioavailability of mitapivat; and (4) the metabolite profiles in plasma and excreta. Mean recovery of the radioactive dose was 89.1% (49.6% in urine and 39.6% in feces). [14C]Mitapivat was rapidly absorbed and extensively metabolized as <4% of the total radioactive dose was excreted unaltered in urine and feces. Mean absolute oral bioavailability was 72.7%. A total of 17 metabolites were identified. Mitapivat accounted for 57% and 34% of plasma radioactivity in AUC0–24 and AUC0–72 pooled samples, respectively. The remaining radioactivity was attributable to several metabolites, each representing <10% of the total radioactivity in pooled samples; none were disproportionate metabolites as defined by the US Food and Drug Administration and International Conference on Harmonisation M3 guidelines. Metabolite structures suggest that the primary metabolic pathways for [14C]mitapivat in humans include N‐dealkylation of the cyclopropylmethyl moiety, oxygenation of the quinoline‐8‐sulfonamide, oxidation/unsaturation, scission of the piperazine moiety, and amide hydrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Big data analytics has been transforming various industries and sectors including mining, metals, metallurgical, etc., and the mining sector, known for its complex and dynamic workforce requirements, is increasingly turning to Big Data Analytics to optimize its Human Resource Management (HRM) practices. The mining sector, being a significant economic segment, contributes to economic growth and is confronted with the dual challenges of a rapidly aging workforce and a shortage of skilled talent. As the mining industry is facing a talent crunch, HR has a significant role in attracting and retaining new talent in this industry, as well as ensuring that competent talent is brought in to meet the sector’s future demands Big data analytics for HR refers to the use of data analysis techniques to gain insights into employee behavior, engagement, productivity, and retention. The purpose of this paper is to explore the challenges and opportunities of big data analytics for HR, best practices for implementing it, and case studies of companies that have successfully implemented big data analytics for HR. The paper begins by outlining the importance of big data analytics for HR, highlighting its ability to provide HR professionals with a better understanding of employee behavior, engagement, and motivation. The challenges of big data analytics for HR are then discussed, including data quality and accessibility, integration of data from various sources, protection of data privacy, lack of expertise and resources, and resistance to change and adoption. The opportunities of big data analytics for HR are then presented, including predictive analytics for talent management, data-driven recruitment and selection, employee engagement and retention, performance management and productivity, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Best practices for implementing big data analytics for HR are also discussed, including defining clear objectives and metrics, selecting the right tools and technologies, building a data-driven culture, collaborating with IT and other departments, and ensuring data privacy and security. Case studies of successful big data analytics in HR are presented to provide real-world examples of companies that have leveraged big data analytics to improve their HR functions. Examples include IBM's talent analytics program, Google’s use of big data analytics to identify key drivers of employee satisfaction and engagement, and leading mining company, referred to as “MinerCo,” leveraged Big Data Analytics to address HRM challenges and harness opportunities for improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ossicular chain defects secondary to Chronic otitis media most frequently involves the incudo-stapedial joint. This study observes the effect of incudo-stapedial joint reconstruction using conchal cartilage interposition graft on hearing of the patient. Fifty-three patients with chronic otitis media of inactive mucosal type with incudostapedial necrosis of less than half of long process of incus were posted for tympanoplasty with incudostapedial joint reconstruction using autologus conchal cartilage. Their hearing outcome was analysed by comparing the pre-operative and 12 weeks post-operative Pure Tone Audiogram. A statistically significant improvement is seen in air conduction by 14.66 dB after incudo-stapedial joint reconstruction using conchal cartilage (p value 0.0001), whereas improvement seen in bone conduction was statistically insignificant. 52 (98.1%) patients had ≤ 40 dB post-op AC and 1 (1.9%) had > 40 dB.. Conchal cartilage is an easy-to-harvest, biocompatible and cost effective graft material. It gives hearing results comparable to other materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to identify the antecedents of community identity, ensuring social well-being, a feeling of inclusiveness and a sense of belonging ensuring its core of existence. The study has been carried out in the famous Baliyatra which has immense importance from the cultural point of view. The study has taken the views of the participants who has visited post covid with a feeling of belongingness and cultural identify. The research hypotheses were tested with a sample of 379 participants attending the Baliyatra Festival held in Cuttack, Odisha, India. The results indicated that sense of belongingness and feeling of inclusion are crucial predictors of participants' level. The results are expected to assist festival planners in managing and designing festivals that can appeal to participants who make up a significant percentage of cultural festival market. The study adds to the knowledge of how cultural identity can influence festival participants in Baliyatra, Cuttack, Odisha. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we are dealing with Cheney-Sharma Chlodovsky Durrmeyer operators and studying their approximation properties. The Bohman-Korovkin theorem is verified and estimated the convergence properties using of modulus of continuity, Lipschitz- type space, and Ditzian-Totik modulus of continuity. After that, the weighted approximation result is also given. Finally, some results related to the A-statistical convergence of the operators are obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the increased population and their overuse, estrogens are being detected in the environment at alarming levels. They act as endocrine disrupting compounds (EDC's) posing adverse effects on animals and humans. In this study, a strain belonging to Enterobacter sp. strain BHUBP7 was recovered from a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) situated in Varanasi city, U.P., India, and was capable of metabolizing both 17 α-Ethynylestradiol (EE2) and 17 β-Estradiol (E2) separately as a sole carbon source. The strain BHUBP7 exhibited high rates of E2 degradation as compared to EE2 degradation. The degradation of E2 (10 mg/L) was 94.3% after four days of incubation, whereas the degradation of EE2 (10 mg/L) under similar conditions was 98% after seven days of incubation. The kinetics of EE2 and E2 degradation fitted well with the first-order reaction rate. FTIR analysis revealed the involvement of functional groups like C = O, C–C, C–OH during the degradation process. The metabolites generated during degradation of EE2 and E2 were identified using HRAMS and a plausible pathway was elucidated. It was observed that metabolism of both E2 and EE2 proceeded with the formation of estrone, which was then hydroxylated to 4-hydroxy estrone, followed by ring opening at the C4–C5 position, and was further metabolized by the 4,5 seco pathway leading to the formation of 3-(7a-methyl-1,5-dioxooctahydro-1H-inden-4-yl) propanoic acid (HIP). It is the first report on the complete pathway of EE2 and E2 degradation in Enterobacter sp. strain BHUBP7. Moreover, the formation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) during the degradation of EE2 and E2 was observed. It was concluded that both hormones elicited the generation of oxidative stress in the bacterium during the degradation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pot culture experiment was conducted to examine the effect of low doses (equivalent to 0.5 t ha−1) of phyto-biochars (lantana, pine needles and wheat straw) pyrolyzed at 300 and 450 °C which were enriched with 0, 50, 75 and 100% of recommended doses of fertilizers (RDF) (micronutrients and S) prior to soil application on yield, nutrient concentration and uptake of fodder maize (Zea mays L.). The dry matter yields of fodder maize increased significantly with the application of enriched phyto-biochars in comparison to direct soil application of all the corresponding levels of RDF. The highest dry matter yield (24.05 g pot−1) was obtained with wheat straw biochar pyrolyzed at 450 °C enriched with 75% of RDF; which was 140.0% higher over the control (10.02 g pot−1) and 34.6% higher over the direct application of 75% of RDF, respectively. The concentrations of micronutrients and S in maize tissue and their total uptakes by maize were differentially influenced by different enriched phyto-biochars, however, the application of some enriched phyto-biochar significantly increased the total uptakes of Zn, Fe, Mn, and B by maize. The changes in soil pH, electrical conductivity and readily oxidizable soil organic C contents after the harvest of maize crop have been reported. The use of enriched phyto-biochars significantly increased the contents of soil extractable Zn, Fe, Mn, B and S in soil after the harvest of maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internet of Things abstracts the ability to remotely associate and observe things or objects over the Internet. When it comes to agriculture, this idea has been incorporated to make agriculture-related tasks smart, secure, and automated. Agriculture is vital for economic growth and also for the survival of humans. Farmers living in rural areas of India face a common problem of the theft of equipment like induction motors from small storage houses meant for storing commodities in crop fields. In this study, we present a remote security management framework for monitoring the crop field storage house, known as the farm security alert system (FSAS). FSAS is a small, energy efficient, low cost, and accurate security management system that uses microcontroller-based passive infrared (PIR) sensor and global system for mobile communication (GSM) module to generate an alert to the farm owner if there is an intrusion event at the crop field store. The microcontroller board utilized in the proposed model is the Arduino Uno, and PIR motion sensor is used to recognize the intruder. In addition, FSAS also can be used for monitoring of induction motor by utilizing a similar arrangement of sensors. The sensor signal is transmitted to the cloud whenever the intruder is within the sensing range of the sensor node. Naive Bayes' prediction model is used to identify the level of encroachment as no (green), mild (yellow), or high (red) threat. The status and the alarms can be received by the farm owners, either on their smartphones as application alerts or as a short message/phone call, at any distance, and independent of whether their cell phones are connected to the Internet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species diversification from major to minor carps for their sturdiness and initial higher growth, and also a quest for antibiotic-free aqua farming in the subcontinent, mandates search for and evaluation of alternatives. An experiment was performed to investigate the potential of fructooligosaccharide (FOS) and Bacillus subtilis (BS) (alone or as synbiotics) in promoting growth and immunity against infections in Labeo fimbriatus fingerlings. Six iso-nitrogenous and iso-lipidic diets containing combinations of two levels of FOS (0% and 0.5%) and three levels of BS (0, 104, 106 CFU/g feed) were fed to fish for 60 days. At the end of the feeding trial, twenty-four fish from each group were injected intra-peritoneally with pathogenic strain of Aeromonas hydrophila O:18 to test the immunoprotective efficacy of the supplements against bacterial infection. BS, but not FOS, significantly improved (P < 0.05) growth and feed utilisation attributes like percentage weight gain (PWG), specific growth rate (SGR) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). There were interactive effects of FOS and BS on PWG, SGR and FCR; however, the effects were not additive in nature. These beneficial effects of BS, alone or in combination with FOS, were corroborated by increased protease activity, microvilli density and diameter and number of goblet cells. Overall beneficial effects of FOS and BS included improved erythrocyte (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), total protein and globulin levels. Total leucocyte (WBC) count and immunological parameters like respiratory burst activity of leucocytes (NBT reduction), lysozyme activity, albumin: globulin ratio and post-challenge survival were significantly improved by both FOS and BS, and their dietary combination yielded the highest improvement in these parameters. Synergistic effects of FOS and BS as dietary supplements indicate that a combination of 106 CFU/g BS and 0.5% FOS is optimal to improve growth, feed utilisation, immune functions, and disease resistance in L. fimbriatus fingerlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing an efficient and inexpensive electrocatalyst is of paramount importance for realizing the green hydrogen economy through electrocatalytic water splitting. Here, we demonstrated a facile large-scale, industrially viable binder-free synthesis of Zn-doped NiS electrocatalyst on bare nickel foam (NF) through a hydrothermal technique. The present catalyst, i.e., nickel sulfide (NiS) nanosheets on nickel foam with optimized doping of Zn atom (Zn–NiS-3), displays excellent catalytic efficacy for both oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). It requires an overpotential of 320 mV for OER at a current density of 50 mA cm−2 and an overpotential of 208 mV for HER at a current density of 10 mA cm−2. The water electrolyser device having Zn–NiS-3 electrocatalyst as both cathode and anode show excellent performance, requiring a cell voltage of only 1.71 V to reach a current density of 10 mA cm−2 in an alkaline media. The density functional theory (DFT) based calculations showed enhanced density of states near Fermi energy after Zn doping in NiS and attributed to the enhanced catalytic activities. Thus, the present study demonstrates that Zn–NiS-3@NF can be coined as a viable electrocatalyst for green hydrogen production. • Binder free Zn–NiS-3 material is highly efficient electrocatalyst for water splitting. • OER overpotential is ∼320 mV at 50 mA cm–2 current density. • HER overpotential is ∼208 mV at 10 mA cm–2 current density. • The overall water splitting potential is ∼1.71 V at 10 mA cm–2 current density. • Zn doping enhances Ni-3d orbitals near Fermi energy, boosting the catalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, microstructure dependent impact-induced failure of hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB)–cyclo-tetra-methylene-tetra-nitramine (HMX) energetic material samples is studied using the cohesive finite element method (CFEM). The CFEM model incorporates experimentally measured viscoplastic constitutive behavior, experimentally measured interface level separation properties, and phenomenological temperature increase due to mechanical impact based on viscoplastic and frictional energy dissipation. Nanoscale dynamic impact experiments were used to obtain parameters for a strain-rate dependent power law viscoplastic constitutive model in the case of bulk HTPB and HMX as well as the HTPB–HMX interfaces. An in situ mechanical Raman spectroscopy (MRS) setup was used to obtain bilinear cohesive zone model parameters to simulate interface separation. During analyses, the impact-induced viscoplastic energy dissipation and the frictional contact dissipation at the failed HTPB–HMX interfaces is found to have a significant contribution toward local temperature rise. Microstructures having circular HMX particles show a higher local temperature rise as compared to those with diamond or irregularly shaped HMX particles with sharp edges indicating that the specific particle surface area has a higher role in temperature rise than particle shape and sharp edges. Regions within the analyzed microstructures near the HTPB–HMX interfaces with a high-volume fraction of HMX particles were found to have the maximum temperature increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A silicon photonic crystal waveguide based design of a highly-compact transverse-magnetic pass polarization filter has been proposed in this paper. The device utilizes both the index guiding and bandgap property simultaneously to realize its operation as a polarizer. Optimizations of different device-parameters, such as the radius of the holes, width, thickness, and length of the waveguide, have been performed for attaining its paramount performance. A small waveguide length, in the order of 5 μ m, has shown a high extinction ratio, i.e., 45 dB, at the wavelength of 1550 nm. A uniform bandwidth of ≈ 120 nm is observed, beyond the extinction ratio of 40 dB, along with a remarkably low insertion loss, i.e., ≈ 0.6 dB. Investigations are also performed to evaluate performances of the polarizer under possible fabrication disorders, which depicts a sustained performance up to at least a random fabrication disorder of 30 nm. These merits make the polarizer suitable for applications in densely integrable photonic integrated circuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron-induced experimental epilepsy in rodents reproduces features of post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) in humans. The neural network of the brain seems to be highly affected during the course of epileptogenesis and determines the occurrence of sudden and recurrent seizures. The aim of the current study was to evaluate astroglial and neuronal response as well as dendritic arborization, and the spine density of pyramidal neurons in the cortex and hippocampus of epileptic rats. We also evaluated the effect of exogenous administration of a neuroactive steroid, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), in epileptic rats. To induce epilepsy, male Wistar rats were given an intracortical injection of 100 mM solution (5 µL) of iron chloride (FeCl3). After 20 days, DHEA was administered intraperitoneally for 21 consecutive days. Results showed epileptic seizures and hippocampal Mossy Fibers (MFs) sprouting in epileptic rats, while DHEA treatment significantly reduced the MFs' sprouting. Astroglial activation and neuronal loss were subdued in rats that received DHEA compared to epileptic rats. Dendritic arborization and spine density of pyramidal neurons was diminished in epileptic rats, while DHEA treatment partially restored their normal morphology in the cortex and hippocampus regions of the brain. Overall, these findings suggest that DHEA's antiepileptic effects may contribute to alleviating astroglial activation and neuronal loss along with enhancing dendritic arborization and spine density in PTE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The materials showing write once read many (WORM) types of resistive switching characteristics are potential candidates for permanent storage. The negative differential resistance‐based memory devices have the potential to perform like nonlinear systems together with resistive switching simultaneously. The successful synthesis of Bi‐rich Bi12FeO20 sillenite material as phase pure thin film on fluorine tin oxide (FTO) using a solution process together with thermally deposited copper (Cu) as the top contact is demonstrated. Cu/Bi12FeO20/FTO/Glass resistive random‐access memory (RRAM) devices show the WORM characteristics with Ion/Ioff ratio103 and negative differential resistance simultaneously. Further, Bi12FeO20 active material also shows nonvolatile characteristics with analog switching for 200 cycles or more with large retention time, ≈5 × 103 s, and endurance for 103 cycles, substantiating the stability of the device. The space charge limited conduction and Schottky mechanisms explain the formation of a conductive filament in a high resistance state (HRS) and rupturing of a conductive filament in a low resistance state (LRS). The observed negative differential resistance is attributed to trapping, detrapping, and Schottky barrier interface between the top electrode and active layer together with ambient humidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores nonlinear analysis of a novel small-scale grid (SSG) and studies the impact of electromagnetic power, random wind power, periodic load and additive white Gaussian noise. Different behaviours such as period doubling bifurcation, chaos, chaos breaking and multistability are investigated and stability issues are revealed in the proposed small-scale grid. Qualitative and quantitative tools such as phase portraits, bifurcation diagrams, Lyapunov exponents, Lyapunov spectrum and basin of attraction are utilised to verify different dynamic behaviours. Erosion of basin region with varying parameter and external noise is reported. Further, the study of unlike behaviours, multistability and coexistence of attractors may be of capital importance in the dynamic evolution of SSG behaviour since serious impediment may occur even after the required safeguards. The present study is expected to be potentially useful in a variety of modern or future power systems, microgrids etc. Numerical simulation is achieved and presented in the MATLAB environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a Parametrically Upscaled Continuum Damage Mechanics (PUCDM) model for carbon fiber/epoxy matrix composites subjected to high strain-rate loading. The PUCDM model for predicting high strain-rate induced deformation and damage evolution at the macroscopic scale, explicitly incorporates microstructural morphology and micro-inertia in its constitutive coefficients. It is developed using self-consistent homogenization that uses a concurrent multiscale model to account for the effect of micro-inertia and stress wave interaction with the microstructure. The concurrent model embeds a statistically equivalent representative volume element (SERVE) of the microstructure in an exterior domain, whose constitutive and damage response are described by the PUCDM model. Micromechanical modeling for the composite microstructure involves a unified cohesive zone enhanced phase-field damage model for fiber-matrix interface debonding, fiber breakage, and matrix cracking. The PUCDM model parameters for the upscaled domain are determined through micro-macro-scale energy equivalence, along with traction reciprocity and displacement continuity at the SERVE-exterior domain interface that are enforced using a Lagrange multiplier-based approach. Simulations using the concurrent model analyze stress wave propagation and damage evolution in composite microstructures with three different fiber volume fractions at multiple strain rates in the range of 102 − 105 s −1. The fiber volume fraction and spatial distributions affect the overall stiffness and damage evolution in the PUCDM model. Results of the analysis demonstrate the need for representation of micro-inertia, strain rates and microstructure morphology in the PUCDM-based stiffness and damage model parameters for high strain-rates above ∼ 10 4 s − 1 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The materials exhibiting the negative differential resistance (NDR) and write once read many (WORM), simultaneously are potential candidates for electronic devices such as oscillators and permanent storage devices. Here in, we investigated the impact of crystallinity on coexistence of NDR and WORM resistive switching on Cu(top contact)/BiFeO3 (amorphous/crystalline) (BFO as active material)/FTO (bottom electrode) memory device. The multiferroic BiFeO3 (BFO) active material is synthesized using a low-cost solution process on FTO substrates and thermal evaporation was used for deposing metal copper as the top contacts. The present device Cu/am-BFO/FTO showed the coexistence of WORM with high Ion/Ioff ratio of ~ 103 and NDR with peak (Vp) and valley (Vv) voltages ~ − 0.26 V and − 1.23 V, respectively. The power consumption is significantly low, ~ 66.94 µW in NDR region for am-BFO. The device with active crystalline material, i.e., Cu/c-BFO/FTO exhibits peak (Vp) and valley (Vv) voltages ~ − 1.22 V and − 1.40 V, respectively, and the power consumption is ~ 1.08 mW for devices based on crystalline BFO as an active material. The retention and endurance values are ~ 103 s and 103 cycles. The repeatability of the bipolar resistive switching of c-BFO is measured for 100 cycles, and relative cumulative Weibull distribution plots show the filament's stability for both set and reset states. Thus, these results demonstrate the interplay between different switching characteristics in BFO, which can be tailored by manipulating the crystallinity of the active material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted at Post Graduate Institute of Veterinary Education and Research (PGIVER), Jaipur, Rajasthan, India during July-December 2020 to evaluate the effects of non-genetic factors on semen characteristics of bulls. The data of 4608 ejaculates during the period of 2017-2020 from Tharparkar and its cross with Holstein, Jersey and its cross with Sahiwal cows was maintained at Frozen Semen Bank (FSB), India. The Semen characteristics were recorded and stored in Information Network for Animal Productivity & Health (INAPH) application maintained at FSB and National Dairy Development Board (NDDB). The average semen volumes were estimated as 4.18±0.02 ml. Non-genetic factors viz. season, period, breed, ejaculation order and age of bulls showed significant effects on various semen parameters. Higher estimates of semen concentration, motility, Total Ejaculation Volume (TEV) and Post-thaw Motility (PTM) were recorded in Jersey Sahiwal crossbred bull whereas semen motility was observed as higher for Tharparkar bull. Seasonal analysis revealed that winter and autumn were favorable seasons for higher quantity and quality semen production. Age wise analysis presented significantly increased values with the increasing age except semen motility. Non-genetic factors under semi-arid climatic conditions revealed significant effects on semen characteristics of exotic, crossbred and indigenous genotypes and need to be accounted for quality semen production in a semen production centre. Present findings indicate that Jersey Sahiwal cross bulls were found better for quality semen production under semi-arid climatic condition than exotic and other crossbreed bulls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flavonoids, a group of natural compounds with phenolic structure, are becoming popular as alternative medicines obtained from plants. These compounds are reported to have various pharmacological properties, including attenuation of inflammatory responses in multiple health issues. Epilepsy is a disorder of the central nervous system implicated with the activation of the inflammatory cascade in the brain. The aim of the present study was to summarize the role of various neuroinflammatory mediators in the onset and progression of epilepsy, and, thereafter, to discuss the flavonoids and their classes, including their biological properties. Further, we highlighted the modulation of anti-inflammatory responses achieved by these substances in different forms of epilepsy, as evident from preclinical studies executed on multiple epilepsy models. Overall, the review summarizes the available evidence of the anti-inflammatory potential of various flavonoids in epilepsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present paper, we proposed a new sequence of summation-integral type operators involving Apostol-Genocchi polynomials. We study some approximation results of the proposed operators using first and second-order modulus of continuity, the global rate of convergence using Voronovskaja-type asymptotic theorem, Lipschitz-type space, and Ditzian-Totik modulus of smoothness. Lastly, we study the weighted approximation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two routes can offer the first stannylene cyanide [(L)SnCN] (5); the substitution reaction of either stannylene amide [(i-Bu)2ATISnN(SiMe3)2] (3) or stannylene pyrrolide [(i-Bu)2ATISn(NC4H4)] (4) using an excess of trimethylsilyl cyanide (L = aminotroponiminate (ATI)). Using 0.1–2.0 mol% of compound 5, catalytic cyanosilylation of a variety of aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes was achieved at rt−50 °C in 0.33–2.0 h. The mechanism of this catalytic reaction is authenticated by the isolation of a structurally characterized intermediate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Measurement to mitigate automotive emission varies from energy content modification of fuel to waste energy recovery through energy system upgradation. The proposed energy-averaged emission mitigation technique involves interfacing piston design exchange and gasoline–methanol blend replacement with traditional gasoline for low carbon high energy content creation. Here, we interlinked the CO, CO2, NOx, O2, and HC to different design exchanges of coated pistons through the available brake power and speed of the engine. We assessed the relative effectiveness of various designs and coating thicknesses for different gasoline–methanol blends (0%,5%,10%, and 15%). The analysis shows the replacement of 5%, 10%, and 15% by volume of gasoline with methanol reduces the fuel carbon by 4.167%, 8.34%, and 12.5%, respectively. The fuel characteristics of blends are comparable to gasoline, hence there is no energy infrastructure modification required to develop the same amount of power. The CO and HC reduced significantly, while CO2 and NOx emissions are comparable. Increasing the coating thickness enhances the surface temperature retention and reduces heat transfer. The Type_C design of the steel piston and type_A design of the AlSi piston show temperature retention values of 582 °C and 598 °C, respectively. Type_A and type_B pistons are better compared to type_C and the type_D piston design for emission mitigation due to decarbonization of fuel through gasoline-methanol blend replacement. Surface response methodology predicts Delastic, σvon Mises, and Tsurface with percentage errors of 0.0042,0.35, and 0.9, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminium (Al) is a potent neurotoxic metal known to cause neurodegeneration. Al exposure causes oxidative stress by accumulation of reactive oxygen species, followed by the activation of neuronal cell death in the brain. Asiatic acid (AA), the major bioactive compound of Centella asiatica (a medicinal plant), act as multifunctional drug as well as an antioxidant. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the potential neuroprotective effect of AA against Al neurotoxicity. Rats were orally administered aluminium chloride (AlCl3; 100 mg/kg b. wt.) dissolved in distilled water for 8 weeks or AA (75 mg/kg b. wt.) in combination with AlCl3. The results showed that AlCl3-intoxication causes significant impairment of memory, enhances anxiety-like behavior, acetyl cholinesterase (AChE) activity, malondialdehydes (MDA) level, and concomitant decrease in the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in the cortex and hippocampus regions of rat brain. In addition, AlCl3-intoxication enhanced neuronal loss and reactive astrogliosis in both regions. However, co-administration of AA with AlCl3 significantly attenuated the behavioral alterations, restored SOD and CAT activities, while reduced AChE activity and MDA content. Further, the study demonstrated that AA attenuates neuronal loss and reactive astrogliosis in rat brain. In conclusion, the study suggests that AA protects rat brain from Al neurotoxicity by inhibiting oxidative stress, neuronal loss and reactive astrogliosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Charpy Impact energy is used for XFEM simulation. • Tensile properties have been studied for both cryorolled and room temperature rolled, 6082 Al Alloy. • Fracture toughness finding through the CT specimen and Finite element method. • Performing EBSD, TEM and DSC for explaining recrystallization, recovery and grain growth. The fracture toughness (K IC) of cryo-rolled Al-6082 was experimentally determined and compared with the Extended Finite Element (XFEM) simulation results. In this work, the commercially available Al-6082 alloy was exposed to rolling operation-induced severe plastic deformation (SPD) to enhance strength by restricting the deformation accumulation of the strain. The experimental results of room-temperature-rolled (RTR) and cryo-rolled (CR) sheets show increased mechanical and fracture toughness properties. About 148 % and 98 % increase in yield strength and tensile strength of 90 % CR sample with marginal decrease of 1.0 % in ductility was obtained. The fracture toughness of CR and RTR specimens shows about a 39 % and 30 % increment in 90 % CR alloy and 90 % RTR Al-6082 alloy, respectively. The experimental results were compared with finite element simulation results, and found excellent agreement between the experimental and XFEM simulation results. The enhancements of the properties are discussed based on the microstructural observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of three plant biomasses and two pyrolysis temperatures were investigated on physical and structural properties of biochar. Biochars produced from woody species (lantana and pine needles) had higher mass yields (18.5%–47.8%), C (599.8–623.2 g kg−1), N (8.6–15.4 g kg−1), humin-like C component (486.8–536.4 mg g−1), B (14.5–42.5 mg kg−1) and Mo (1.3–2.4 mg kg−1) contents than wheat straw biochar. Wheat straw biochar had higher ash content (23.01%–36.14%), specific density (1.45–1.70 g cc−1), surface area (295.0–397.4 m2 g−1), O (672.1–753.2 g kg−1) content and CEC (0.93–1.43 m.e. g−1) compared to biochars from woody species. Compared to 300°C pyrolysis temperature of 450°C significantly increased apparent- and specific-density, ash content, pH, EC, O, P, K, water-soluble C, fulvic acid-like C, humic acid-like C, and carbonyl group contents and the content of all micronutrients except Mo, but decreased mass yield, surface area and the contents of humin-like C and some O-containing functional groups and CEC. The interaction effect between biomass sources and temperature influenced all investigated properties of biochars except H, N, S, Cu, Mo and C:N contents. Different carbon components and functional groups in biochar were correlated with biochar properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stringent containment and closure policies have been widely implemented by governments to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. Yet, such policies have significant impacts on people’s emotions and mental well-being. Here, we study the effects of pandemic containment policies on public sentiment in Singapore. We computed daily sentiment values scaled from 21 to 1, using high-frequency data of ∼240,000 posts from highly followed public Facebook groups during January to November 2020. The lockdown in April saw a 0.1 unit rise in daily average sentiment, followed by a 0.2 unit increase with partially lifting of lockdown in June, and a 0.15 unit fall after further easing of restrictions in August. Regarding the impacts of specific containment measures, a 0.13 unit fall in sentiment was associated with travel restrictions, whereas a 0.18 unit rise was related to introducing a facial covering policy at the start of the pandemic. A 0.15 unit fall in sentiment was linked to restrictions on public events, post lock-down. Virus infection, wearing masks, salary, and jobs were the chief concerns found in the posts. A 2 unit increase in these concerns occurred even when some restrictions were eased in August 2020. During pandemics, monitoring public sentiment and concerns through social media supports policymakers in multiple ways. First, the method given here is a near real-time scalable solution to study policy impacts. Second, it aids in datadriven and evidence-based revision of existing policies and implementation of similar policies in the future. Third, it identifies public concerns following policy changes, addressing which can increase trust in governments and improve public sentiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long term stability of an underground cavern is significant for construction engineers. For structures constructed in the geologically active regions of the Himalayas, continuous monitoring is required to ward off the sustained threats due to seismic activities and associated local geological hazards. Underground powerhouse of Tapovan Vishnugad Hydropower Power Project (TVHPP), Chamoli, Uttarakhand is one such powerhouse that encountered various types of rockmass failures both during and post construction. The project area is located about 2.0 km north of the Main Central Thrust (MCT) and the rockmass cavern has numerous joints, shear and seam zones and fractures. This pose threat to the long term stability of this underground powerhouse cavern. To analyse the rockmass stability of the powerhouse, real time microseismic monitoring system was installed in this underground cavern. Spatio-temporal variation of the recorded seismic events has been analysed for microseismic events distribution in terms of seismic energy, displacement, cumulative apparent volume and various other contours led to the identification of potentially hazardous zones in the underground rockmass structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this paper is to construct a new sequence of operators involving Apostol-Genocchi polynomials based on certain parameters. We investigate the rate of convergence of the operators given in this paper using second-order modulus of continuity and Voronovskaja type approximation theorem. Moreover, we find weighted approximation result of the given operators. Finally, we derive the Kantorovich variant of the given operators and discussed the approximation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, due to increased awareness and push toward more environmentally sustainable technology, nanocomposite materials obtained from natural and renewable resources have received significant interest. Nanofibrous composite thin film consisting of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), chitosan, and cellulose nanofiber (CNF) from sugarcane bagasse were prepared by solution casting method and ultrasonic processing. The dispersion of nanofiller in a solution is obtained by energetic agitation using the method of sonication, which resulted in improved mechanical properties. The results showed that an appropriate sonication time (30 min) with 40 wt% of bagasse cellulose nanofibers improved the film performance significantly as compared to other weight percentages of nanocellulose. The performance of the films containing different weight percentages of bagasse nanocellulose was comprehensively investigated in terms of mechanical properties, thermal stability, biodegradability, and antimicrobial properties. The highest mechanical strength of 80.47 MPa is recorded with treated CNF as compared to 70.13 MPa for untreated CNF. Thermal degradation of antibacterial PVA/CNF film was evaluated by thermogravimetric (TG%) values. The weight loss occurred at three temperature ranges, that is, 80–130, 250–350, and 380–430°C. The three spectrums reveal loss in water content, thermal deprivation of polymer chain, and detachment of bonds into molecules. Moreover, the homogeneous dispersion resulted due to the sonication process which was studied using scanning electron micrographs. Furthermore, the developed film exhibited strong antibacterial properties against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria and can be used in various applications in the field of agriculture and food packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resonant second harmonic generation by a Gaussian laser beam in a rippled density plasma is studied using the moment theory approach. The nonlinearity arises through the relativistic mass effect and ponderomotive forces. The laser beam creates a plasma channel and gives rise to electron density perturbation at the laser frequency. The density perturbation beats with electron quiver velocity to produce second harmonics. The ripple provides phase matching and makes the process a resonant one. The second harmonic power efficiency is increased effectively with density ripple. Self‐focusing causes enhancement in the efficiency of harmonic generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The uncertain nature of renewable sources and load demand makes modern power systems highly complex and causes the active power imbalance and frequency fluctuations. Intelligent controllers are to be designed for active power management to keep frequency steady and nominal under any uncertainty. Therefore, this article proposes a robust fractional ordered three-degree of freedom PID (3DOF-FOPID) controller for active power management of a wind/solar farm-integrated hybrid power system under various disturbances. The optimum parameters of the suggested 3DOF-FOPID controller are selected with employing a novel artificial intelligence (AI) technique-based modified-cuckoo search algorithm (M-CSA) under various operating. The performance of the suggested 3DOF-FOPID controller over 3DOF-PID and PID controller has been investigated in a common power system model and technique. The suggested 3DOF-FOPID controller offers more flexibility and controllability over other controllers in response to frequency regulation of hybrid power system. It is revealed from outcomes that under common M-CSA technique, the percentage improvement  in settling time of deviation in area-one frequency (ΔF1 ) with 3DOF-FOPID controller over 3DOF and PID are 122.4% and 328.6% respectively. Finally, it is verified that proposed 3DOF-FOPID approach is an efficient tool to regulate frequency of the hybrid power system under any operating situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are cornerstone half reactions involved in many renewable energy technologies. High‐density single‐atom catalysts maximize the atom utilization and isolated active sites. Furthermore, introduction of pyri‐N into the carbon‐based nanostructures as an oxygen electrocatalyst creates an abundance of active sites. Here, an innovative strategy is reported based on atomic scale dispersion of Co atoms into the pyri‐N enriched carbon nanotube encapsulated Ni nanoparticles grown on 3D electrospun carbon nanofiber nano‐assemblies. Notably, the CoSANi‐NCNT/CNF electrocatalyst exhibited excellent OER and ORR activity in terms of low overpotentials and higher half‐wave potentials. The atomically distributed Co allows the maximum exposure of active sites on the pyri‐N dominated multidimensional carbon skeleton, and synergistic effects with Ni nanoparticles greatly reduced the delocalization around the metal centers and provided an ideal environment for interactions with oxygen intermediates, thus facilitating the 4e− pathway, as evidenced by the DFT calculations. Moreover, Zn‐air batteries using a CoSANi‐NCNT/CNF air cathode exhibited a high‐power density and admirable specific capacity. This studies may provide an avenue for the rational modulation of single‐atom catalysts and cost‐effective, large‐scale synthesis of bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts for rechargeable Zn‐air batteries and anion exchange membrane fuel cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epilepsia partialis continua (EPC) is a rare form of status epilepticus and often refractory to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). Persistent seizure activity may increase pro-inflammatory biomarkers locally, which may respond to adjunctive corticosteroid treatment, especially in central nervous system (CNS) infections. We report four children with refractory EPC and the effect of adjunctive corticosteroid in controlling EPC. The duration of EPC ranged between 3 days and 7 months. One patient had secondary generalized convulsive status epilepticus. Cranial computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging was abnormal in three out of four patients; revealing old infarction in one, tuberculoma in one, and neurocysticercosis in one. Electroencephalography revealed spike and sharp wave discharges on the corresponding cerebral hemisphere. The EPC was refractory to 2-6 AEDs. Following corticosteroid treatment, EPC remitted in two patients with CNS infection, and those with infarction and cryptogenic EPC converted to discrete seizures. In AED-resistant EPC, a short course of corticosteroid may be helpful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by the occurrence of spontaneous and recurrent seizures. In post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE), the mechanism of epileptogenesis is very complex and seems to be linked with voltage-gated ion channels. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a neurosteroid have shown beneficial effect against various neurological disorders. We investigated antiepileptic effect of DHEA with respect to expression of voltage-gated ion channels subtypes in iron-induced epilepsy. Iron (FeCl3) solution was intracartically injected to induce epilepsy in rats and DHEA was intraperitoneally administered for 21 days. Results showed markedly increased epileptiform seizures activity along with up-regulation of Nav1.1 and Nav1.6, and down-regulation of Cav2.1α at the mRNA and protein level in the cortex and hippocampus of epileptic rats. Moreover, the study demonstrated that these channels subtypes were predominantly expressed in the neurons. DHEA treatment has countered the epileptic seizures, down-regulated Nav1.1 and Nav1.6, and up-regulated Cav2.1α without affecting their cellular localization. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates antiepileptic potential of DHEA, escorted by regulation of Nav1.1, Nav1.6, and Cav2.1α subtypes in the neurons of iron-induced epileptic rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present investigation, temperature dependence fatigue strength behavior of Ni‐based Inconel 825 super alloys is investigated. Based on the experimental results, different S–N models have been derived and a suitable model for the prediction of fatigue strength has been proposed. An inverse power as well as exponential relation between the fatigue strength and absolute temperature is demonstrated. The proposed models are used to predict the fatigue life using the well‐known Palmgren–Miner rule. Based on high to low load steps and low to high load steps datasets under identical test conditions, the damage constant of Miner rule is stochastically modeled for fatigue life prediction. The statistical model is developed combining the probabilistic nature of Miner rule damage constant and stress–life–temperature relation. It is also validated through sets of experimental data and found to be useful in reliability‐based design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• To implement a robust type-2 fuzzy cascade (T2F-CPIF) controller for mitigating frequency and tie-line power error issues under different abnormal conditions of the renewable energy based hybrid power system. • To defend effectiveness of the applied T2F-CPIF controller, an extensive relative study of this T2F-CPIF controller is synthesized over standard type-1 and type-2 fuzzy PID controllers. The work has tested the robust credential of the proposed T2F-CPIF controller through numerous sensitive studies. • This assignment on stability study empowers a crow-search algorithm (CSA) to furnish best optimum parameters of the above approached controllers. An extensive study on validation of this proposed CSA technique has been synthesized in comparison with few standard techniques like imperialist competitive algorithm (ICA), Sine–cosine algorithm (SCA), particle swarm optimization (PSO) and genetic algorithm (GA). • Finally, two FACTS devices such as IPFC and SMES are implemented with principal T2F-CPIF control approach to advance stability criteria of the proposed hybrid electrical grid. This research study aims to aware faster stabilization in inter-area power flow and frequency of a complex power grid under different disturbances with employing novel techniques and approaches. The objective of the power system is to generate electricity as per the load demand which commonly named as automatic generation control (AGC). In AGC controller concern, the study empowers a robust type-2 fuzzy cascaded PI fractional order (T2F-CPIF) approach to monitor system dynamics. Further, the novelty of the proposed T2F-CPIF has been compared over standard type-2, type-1 fuzzy PID and PID controllers to depict superiority of the controller. Again to produce optimum parameters of the proposed T2F-CPIF controller, the work has suggested a novel crow-search algorithm (CSA) under different situations. It has been noticed that T2F-CPIF approach is observed as an advanced tool to magnify settling time of ΔF 1 (area1 frequency discrepancy) by180.32%, 372.02% & 470% as compared to standard Type-2 fuzzy, Type-1 fuzzy and PID controllers respectively. An extensive exploration on all outcomes justifies advanced controllability of the CSA tuned T2F-CPIF controller for stability excursion of the proposed power grid network. Finally, the AGC attribution is supervised with the implementation of super conducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) and interline power flow control (IPFC) devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Develop a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model of ivosidenib using in vitro and clinical PK data from healthy participants (HPs), refine it with clinical data on ivosidenib co-administered with itraconazole, and develop a model for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and apply it to predict ivosidenib drug–drug interactions (DDI). Methods: An HP PBPK model was developed in Simcyp Population-Based Simulator (version 15.1), with the CYP3A4 component refined based on a clinical DDI study. A separate model accounting for the reduced apparent oral clearance in patients with AML was used to assess the DDI potential of ivosidenib as the victim of CYP3A perpetrators. Results: For a single 250 mg ivosidenib dose, the HP model predicted geometric mean ratios of 2.14 (plasma area under concentration–time curve, to infinity [AUC0-∞]) and 1.04 (maximum plasma concentration [Cmax]) with the strong CYP3A4 inhibitor, itraconazole, within 1.26-fold of the observed values (2.69 and 1.0, respectively). The AML model reasonably predicted the observed ivosidenib concentration–time profiles across all dose levels in patients. Predicted ivosidenib geometric mean steady-state AUC0-∞ and Cmax ratios were 3.23 and 2.26 with ketoconazole, and 1.90 and 1.52 with fluconazole, respectively. Co-administration of the strong CYP3A4 inducer, rifampin, predicted a greater DDI effect on a single dose of ivosidenib than on multiple doses (AUC ratios 0.35 and 0.67, Cmax ratios 0.91 and 0.81, respectively). Conclusion: Potentially clinically relevant DDI effects with CYP3A4 inducers and moderate and strong inhibitors co-administered with ivosidenib were predicted. Considering the challenges of conducting clinical DDI studies in patients, this PBPK approach is valuable in ivosidenib DDI risk assessment and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]