Evapotranspiration Modeling Using Different Tree Based Ensembled Machine Learning Algorithm

Water Resources Management - The present study investigates and evaluate the scope and potential of modern computing tools and techniques such as ensembled machine learning methods in estimating...     

Planning for the Subernarekha river system in eastern India

The study describes the systems studies carried out to plan a river basin in order to determine the nature and size of water storage facilities and releases for irrigation and industrial uses, and the associated cropping pattern. The model has been formulated in the framework of a linear programming model for a specific target year. This model is developed in the context of planning the Subernarekha river basin. The results are discussed and these provide information and insight suggesting the need for more disaggregated analysis of interaction between irrigation and related agroeconomic parameters.     

Preparation of iodine containing quaternary amine methacrylate copolymers and their contact killing antimicrobial properties

A novel quaternary amine methacrylate monomer (QAMA) was synthesized by amination of dimethacrylate with piperazine followed by its quaternization using an alkyl iodide. Copolymerization of QAMA with 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate was carried out by free radical bulk polymerization technique at room temperature using ammonium persulfate and N,N,N′,N′‐tetramethyl ethylenediamine as a redox initiator. The monomer as well as copolymers was characterized by FTIR and ¹H NMR spectral studies. Thermal and physical characteristics of copolymers of varying compositions of QAMA were evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis, differential calorimetry, contact angle and scanning electron microscopy. The antibacterial activity of the synthesized quaternary amine dimethacrylate copolymers against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was studied by zone of inhibition and colony count method. QAMA copolymers showed broad‐spectrum contact killing antibacterial properties without releasing any active agent as checked by iodide‐selective ion meter. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102: 1038–1044, 2006     

One pot synthesis of nano Ag in calcium alginate beads and its catalytic application in p‐Nitrophenol reduction with kinetic parameter estimation and model fitting

In this work, one step process of synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Agnp) embedded in insitu formed calcium alginate (CA) beads is stated. CA, formed from the reaction between sodium alginate and calcium hydroxide, acts as reducing and stabilizing agent as well as support for nanoparticles. The reaction mechanism for the formation and stabilization of Agnp is proposed where the vicinal dihydroxy groups of alginate are assumed to act as the reducing agent for Ag⁺ to Ag°. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), x‐ray diffraction (XRD), UV‐vis spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) were used to characterize the Agnp. The formation of spherical nanoparticles with average size range of 4‐5 nm was confirmed by TEM. Catalytic activity of this nano silver‐calcium alginate (Agnp‐CA) composite was evaluated in the reduction of p‐nitrophenol. Concentrations of sodium alginate, calcium hydroxide, and AgNO₃ are found to be the parameters that critically affect the synthesis of Agnp. The efficacy of the catalyst is expressed on the basis of suitable reaction parameters. Both pseudo‐homogeneous and heterogeneous kinetic models are proposed for the reaction to find the best model and the Eley‐Riedel model is found to fit well with the experimental data. The novelty of this work is that the tandem process of CA bead formation, Agnp formation, and Agnp entrapment in CA have been transformed into a single‐step process. Moreover, elaborations of each step of the ionic mechanisms of Agnp formation and p‐NP reduction with Agnp and the establishment of a heterogeneous kinetic model for the reaction are reported for the first time here.     

Framework flexibility of sodium zirconium phosphate: role of disorder, and polyhedral distortions from Monte Carlo investigation

A detailed Monte Carlo investigation of the structural changes of the framework of sodium zirconium phosphate, [Zr₂P₃O₁₂]⁻,—NASICON (acronym for Na-SuperIonic CONductor)—accommodating alkali ions of varying sizes (Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Rb⁺ and Cs⁺) is carried out over a range of temperatures. Simulation results are critically compared with the structural models proposed earlier and available experimental results. Anisotropic changes of the rhombohedral cell parameters—a contracts while c expands with the size of the alkali ion substituted—is observed in good agreement with previous experimental results. The mechanism of anisotropic variation of lattice parameters involves dominantly, coupled rotations of the polyhedra as proposed by Alamo and co-workers. It is, however, observed that the distortions of the PO₄ tetrahedra and ZrO₆ octahedra are significant, and accounts for nearly one-third of the total change in a and c—parameters as the size of the alkali ion increases. This suggests that ‘rigid’ polyhedral models, permitting only angular distortions of the polyhedra, are of limited quantitative applicability in these solids. The same mechanism is found to be responsible for the low/anisotropic thermal expansion of these solids. Evidence that the polyhedral rotations are dynamic, opposed to a static-frozen-in disorder, is provided.     

Leading One Detection Hyperbolic CORDIC with Enhanced Range of Convergence

This paper focuses on developing an area efficient hyperbolic Coordinate Rotation Digital Computer (CORDIC) algorithm with performance improvement. The algorithm eliminates the need of scale factor calculation in the Range of Convergence (ROC). At the same time the range of convergence offered is higher than the conventional CORDIC ROC in the hyperbolic rotation mode. Being the only kind of algorithm in hyperbolic rotation with sign sequence μ?=?1 always, one complete operation requires just 5 iterations. Thus the pipelined implementation has 5 stages which provides a 50% increase in throughput in comparison to conventional CORDIC. As far as the area improvement is considered, 16-bit processor can be realized using 56% less number of full adders required by Flat-CORDIC. The x and y datapath are based on series expansion of hyperbolic functions. The complete algorithm design along with pipelined architecture implementation is detailed.     

Fabrication and Circuit Modeling of NMOS Inverter Based on Quantum Dot Gate Field-Effect Transistors

This paper presents the fabrication of a negative-channel metal–oxide–semiconductor (NMOS) inverter based on quantum dot gate field-effect transistors (QDG-FETs). A QDG-FET produces one intermediate state in its transfer characteristic. NMOS inverters based on a QDG-FET produce three states in their transfer characteristic. The generation of the third state in the inverter characteristic makes this a promising circuit element for multivalued logic implementation. A circuit simulation result based on the Berkley simulation (BSIM) circuit model of the QDG-FET is also presented in this paper, predicting the fabricated device characteristic.     

Exploring the main building blocks of SOA method: SOA maturity model perspective

The most successful enterprises plan its SOA adoption process as a series of maturity stages, where each stage acts as a foundation for the next. Various SOA maturity models (SOAMMs) are available to judge the current level of SOA adoption maturity of an enterprise. However, only a very few models review the formal use of SOA methods in the maturity assessment process. In this work, the SOAMMs are evaluated in terms of how they assess the methodological aspects of SOA adoption at each level of maturity. Based on methodical features, we introduce a set of building blocks for different maturity levels to assist the method engineers in SOA method definition. Welke’s SOAMM is selected as a base model to derive maturity guidelines for SOA methods. This work establishes the role of SOAMM in realizing the true potential of SOA and discusses why CMMI models are inapplicable to assess SOA adoption maturity. The main intention of this work is to develop a conceptual framework that describes the building block of SOA methods at different levels of maturity, including their processes, tools and technologies, and sourcing mechanisms. We adopt a real case study to determine the maturity level of SOA methodology dimension and to demonstrate how SOA adoption maturity can be improved by focusing on the methodical building blocks identified.     

Annual and seasonal variations in tropospheric ozone concentrations around Varanasi

This study examines the annual, seasonal and diurnal variations in the ambient concentrations of ozone at a suburban site of Varanasi, India, during 2002–2006. Prominent seasonal variations in ozone concentrations were recorded. Ozone concentrations were higher during the warmer months. Daytime 12‐hourly mean monthly ozone concentrations varied from 45.18 to 62.35 ppb during summer, from 28.55 to 44.25 ppb during winter and from 24 to 43.85 ppb during the rainy season from 2002 to 2006. Distinct diurnal variations in ozone concentrations were also observed. Daytime maxima in ozone concentration were recorded between 1200 and 1400 h, whereas morning and evening hours showed lower concentrations of ozone. Ozone concentrations in the atmosphere depended on several meteorological factors. Monthly average ozone concentration was significantly correlated with maximum temperature (p<0.001) and mean monthly temperature (p<0.05), maximum relative humidity (p<0.001), minimum relative humidity (p<0.001) and mean monthly relative humidity (p<0.001), and sunshine hours (p<0.001). Ozone concentrations in the ambient air have shown an increase in the past decade that was more in the winter and rainy seasons than in the summer. This study suggests that ozone concentrations around Varanasi were sufficiently high to cause significant damage to agricultural production. The present work can be extended to a regional level by incorporating modelling studies using recent remote sensing tools.     

Discovery of Quinoline‐Derived Trifluoromethyl Alcohols,Determination of Their in vivo Toxicity and Anticancer Activity in a Zebrafish Embryo Model

In this study the rational design, synthesis, and anticancer activity of quinoline‐derived trifluoromethyl alcohols were evaluated. Members of this novel class of trifluoromethyl alcohols were identified as potent growth inhibitors in a zebrafish embryo model. Synthesis of these compounds was carried out with an sp³‐C?H functionalization strategy of methyl quinolines with trifluoromethyl ketones. A zebrafish embryo model was also used to explore the toxicity of ethyl 4,4,4‐trifluoro‐3‐hydroxy‐3‐(quinolin‐2‐ylmethyl)butanoate ( 1 ), 2‐benzyl‐1,1,1‐trifluoro‐3‐(quinolin‐2‐yl)propan‐2‐ol ( 2 ), and trifluoro‐3‐(isoquinolin‐1‐yl)‐2‐(thiophen‐2‐yl)propan‐2‐ol ( 3 ). Compounds 2 and 3 were found to be more toxic than compound 1 ; apoptotic staining assays indicated that compound 3 causes increased cell death. In vitro cell proliferation assays showed that compound 2 , with an LC₅₀ value of 14.14 μm , has more potent anticancer activity than cisplatin. This novel class of inhibitors provides a new direction in the discovery of effective anticancer agents.