Evaluating the microstructure and mechanical properties of friction stir processed Al–Si alloy

In this study, mechanical behaviour and microstructural evolution in friction stir processing (FSP) of casting hypereutectic A390 aluminium alloy have been investigated. The mechanical behaviour of FSP samples was investigated by measuring the strain rate sensitivity using shear punch testing. The room-temperature shear punch tests were conducted at shear strain rates in the range of 10^?4–10^?1?s^?1. The results indicate that the strain rate sensitivity index increases from about 0.015 to 0.120 for as-cast A390 after third FSP pass and then experiences a further growth in FSP passes. The increase in the grain size and CuAl₂ intermetallic particle size result in a reduction in strain sensitivity index as well as shear strength after third FSP pass.     

Performance analysis for a guaranteed handover service in an LEOconstellation with a “satellite-fixed cell” system

It is anticipated that the satellite component of the future universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) will be based (partly or totally) on non-geostationary (nonGEO) constellations of satellites to serve mixed populations of users, each category being treated through different contracts stipulating different quality of service (QoS). In particular, we envisage a high-quality premium service which guarantees the success of each handover procedure, called guaranteed handover (GH) service, and a low-cost lower quality service called regular service, where handover failures are accepted provided that the probability of a call being unsuccessful does not exceed a given value. This paper proposes a strategy which eliminates forced call terminations due to handover failures, thus allowing the GH service. This procedure applies to low Earth orbit (LEO) constellations using the satellite-fixed cell technique. An analytical model has been derived to calculate QoS parameters for a mixed population of GH and regular users. Providing both GH service to some users and regular service to other users requires an increased satellite capacity with respect to the case where all the users are served with the regular service; this capacity increase has been evaluated as a function of the percentage of GH users, the traffic load per cell, and the considered satellite mobility environment. The GH approach has been validated through the comparison with another scheme which envisages the queuing of handover requests for privileged users     

Fabrication of antibacterial silver nanoparticle‐modified chitosan fibers using Eucalyptus extract as a reducing agent

Green chemical method could be a promising route to achieve large scale synthesis of nanostructures for biomedical applications. Here, we describe a green chemical synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) on chitosan‐based electrospun nanofibers using Eucalyptus leaf extract. A series of silver salt (AgNO₃) amounts were added to a certain composition of chitosan/polyethylene oxide aqueous acetic acid solution. The solutions were then electrospun to obtain nanofibrous mats and then, morphology and size of nanofibers were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Incubation of AgNO₃‐containing mats into Eucalyptus leaf extract led to the formation of Ag NP clusters with average diameter of 91 ± 24 nm, depicted by SEM and transmission electron microscopy. Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy also confirmed formation of Ag NPs on the nanofibers. The mats also showed antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria with bigger inhibition zone for extract‐exposed mats against S. aureus. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42133.     

Novel PEGylated Nanoassemblies Made of Self‐Assembled Squalenoyl Nucleoside Analogues

This study describes a new simple method to obtain high loading of anticancer or antiviral nucleoside analogues into “stealth” poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)‐coated nanoassemblies. These nanodevices are obtained by co‐nanoprecipitation in water of (i) squalenoyl prodrugs obtained by the bioconjugation of the natural lipid squalene with either the anticancer drug gemcitabine (Gem‐Sq) or the antiviral drug deoxycytidine (ddC‐Sq) with (ii) a PEG derivative of either cholesterol (Chol‐PEG) or squalene (Sq‐PEG). It was found that both PEG derivatives (Chol‐PEG or Sq‐PEG) were efficiently incorporated in the resulting composite nanoassemblies (CNAs), as shown by radioactivity studies, Zeta potential determination, and size measurements. Optimal compositions were defined for each PEG derivative to ensure the best stability in water and in buffer solutions. X‐ray diffraction and electron microscopy investigations revealed that depending on the structure of the squalenoyl nucleoside analogue used (Gem‐Sq or ddC‐Sq), these nanoassemblies might be toroids or cubosomes. Following PEGylation, the Gem‐Sq nanoassemblies displayed superior in vitro anticancer activity on gemcitabine‐resistant leukemia L1210 10K cells than either their non‐PEGylated counterparts or gemcitabine alone.     

A model for the handover traffic in low earth-orbiting (LEO) satellite networks for personal communications

The spectacular growth of cellular telephone networks has demonstrated the demand for personal communications. Communication systems based on low earth orbit (LEO) constellations of satellites seem to be an adequate approach to achieve a world-wide network. When defining the capacity in terms of satellite circuits, the network designer has to take into account the handover traffic. Unfortunately, in a LEO communication network where handover is most often due to the network nodes motion, handover traffic models for terrestrial cellular networks cannot be used. Hence specific models must be developed. This paper proposes an analytical model for the handover in LEO satellite networks. This model is applied to different network configurations and compared to discrete-time simulations. Simulation results agree with those obtained from the analytical model.     

Amines release from schiff bases polymers and diffusion from dosage forms with eudragit RL in acidic medium

Chloromethylstyrene 1 (mixture meta and para; 60/40) can be oxydized in corresponding aldehyde 2 . Vinylbenzaldehyde 2 reacts with primary amines such as aniline, benzylamine, 2-phenylethylamine, 3-phenylpropylamine, and 2-aminopyridin to give Schiff bases that are polymerized in bulk with a radical initiator. Poly(vinyl benzaldehyde) 6 prepared from corresponding monomer 2 also reacts with primary amines to give polymeric Schiff bases. Hydrolyses of these polymeric imines have been carried out either in heterogeneous acidic medium or basic heterogeneous medium; a suitable percentage of amines has been released after some hours. Finally, a study of hydrolysis and of diffusion of released amines in a dosage form (Eudragit RL) has been also carried out with some polymeric Schiff bases.     

Simvastatin Therapy Reduces Prooxidant-Antioxidant Balance: Results of a Placebo-Controlled Cross-Over Trial

Oxidative stress is thought to play an important role in atherogenesis. The statin group of cholesterol-lowering drugs have been shown to reduce cardiovascular events and possess antioxidant properties. We aimed to assess the effects of simvastatin on a novel measure of prooxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB) in dyslipidemic patients. The PAB assay can measure the prooxidant burden and the antioxidant capacity simultaneously in one assay, thereby giving a redox index. We treated 102 dyslipidemic individuals with simvastatin, or a placebo in a double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled trial. PAB values were measured before and after each treatment period. Seventy-seven subjects completed the study. We found that statin therapy was associated with a significant reduction in PAB values (P < 0.001). This effect appeared to be independent of the cholesterol-lowering effects of statins. We conclude that serum PAB values are decreased by simvastatin therapy. Regarding previous reports on the elevation of PAB in conditions associated with oxidative stress, the PAB assay, along with other markers of oxidative stress, may be applied to estimate the extent of oxidative stress in patients, assessment of the antioxidative efficacy of medication such as statins and perhaps also for the identification of those individuals who need antioxidant therapy.     

Artificial neural network (ANN) approach for modeling of Cr(VI) adsorption from aqueous solution by zeolite prepared from raw fly ash (ZFA)

In this present work, artificial neural networks (ANN) are applied for prediction of percentage adsorption efficiency for the removal of Cr(VI) ions from aqueous solution by zeolite (ZFA) prepared from raw fly ash (RFA). The off operational parameters such as initial pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time and temperature is studied to optimize the conditions for maximum removal of Cr(VI) ions. Three equations, i.e. Morris–Weber, Lagergren, and pseudo second order have been tested to track the kinetics of removal process. The Langmuir, Freundlich, Redlich–Peterson, Temkin, and D-R are subjected to sorption data to estimate sorption capacity. Thermodynamic parameters showed that the adsorption of Cr(VI) onto ZFA was feasible, spontaneous and endothermic. Artificial neural networks are effective in modeling and simulation of highly non-liner multivariable relationships. The comparison of the removal efficiencies of Cr(VI) using ANN model and experimental results showed that ANN model can estimate the behavior of the Cr(VI) removal process under different conditions.     

Méthode de calcul rapide de convolution entre deux séquences dont l’une est binaire

This article presents a method for the fast calculation of the convolution between two numerical sequences when one of the sequence is made up of binary elements with values +1 and -1. The method is based on the decomposition of the non binary sequence into segments and the combination of the polynomial products resulting from this decomposition. Under these conditions, the only operations needed are additions and substructions. Compared to the direct calculation, this method involves a reduced number of such operations and results in the order of 4 to 10-fold reductions in calculation load for sequence lengths ranging from 100 to 1 000.