A matching game framework for users clustering and resource allocation with wireless power transfer in a CR-NOMA network

This paper investigates the resource allocation in a massively deployed user cognitive radio enabled non-orthogonal multiple access (CR-NOMA) network considering the downlink scenario. The system performance deteriorates with the number of users who are experiencing similar channel characteristics from the base station (BS) in NOMA. To address this challenge, we propose a framework for maximizing the system throughput that is based on one-to-one matching game theory integrated with the machine learning technique. The proposed approach is decomposed to solve users clustering and power allocation subproblems. The selection of optimal cluster heads (CHs) and their associated cluster members is based on Gale-Shapley matching game theoretical model with the application of Hungarian method. The CHs can harvest energy from the BS and transfer their surplus power to the primary user (PU) through wireless power transfer. In return, they are allowed to access the licensed band for secondary transmission. The power allocation to the users intended for power conservation at CHs is formulated as a probabilistic constraint, which is then solved by employing the support vector machine (SVM) algorithm. The simulation results demonstrate the efficacy of our proposed schemes that enable the CHs to transfer the residual power while ensuring maximum system throughput. The effects of different parameters on the performance are also studied.     

Nanoparticles in Clinical Translation for Cancer Therapy

The advent of cancer therapeutics brought a paradigm shift from conventional therapy to precision medicine. The new therapeutic modalities accomplished through the properties of nanomaterials have extended their scope in cancer therapy beyond conventional drug delivery. Nanoparticles can be channeled in cancer therapy to encapsulate active pharmaceutical ingredients and deliver them to the tumor site in a more efficient manner. This review enumerates various types of nanoparticles that have entered clinical trials for cancer treatment. The obstacles in the journey of nanodrug from clinic to market are reviewed. Furthermore, the latest developments in using nanoparticles in cancer therapy are also highlighted.     

Differential scanning calorimetric and free volume study of reactive compatibilization by EPM‐g‐MA of poly(trimethylene terephthalate)/EPDM blends

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and positron annihilation lifetime measurements have been carried out to study the effect of the compatibilizer maleic anhydride grafted ethylene propylene copolymer (EPM‐g‐MA) in poly trimethylene terephthalate and ethylene propylene diene monomer (PTT/EPDM) immiscible blends. The DSC results for the blends of 50/50 and 30/70 compositions show two clear glass transition temperatures, indicating that the blends are two‐phase systems. With the addition of compatibilizer, the separation between the two glass transitions decreased, suggesting an increased interaction between the blend components with compatibilizer. At 5 wt % of compatibilizer, the separation between the T_gs reduced in both 50/50 and 30/70 blends. The positron results for the blends without compatibilizer showed an increase in relative fractional free volume, as the EPDM content in the blend is increased. This suggests the coalescence of free volume of EPDM with the free volumes of PTT due to phase separation. However, the effect of compatibilizer in the blends was clearly seen with the observed minimum in free volume parameters at 5% of the compatibilizer, further suggesting that this percent of compatibilizer seems to be the optimum value for these blends. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 100: 740–747, 2006     

Carbon dioxide emission and its regulation at land–water interface downstream of a point source at Ganga River (India)

The streams and rivers are considered hotspots of CO₂ exchange; and representative direct CO₂ emission measurements are essential for a correct regional estimate. We measured CO₂ emission flux at 15 sites at land–water interface downstream of a point source during low flow for three consecutive months for the year 2017. The general range of CO₂ efflux observed here was close to the results of regional studies, although values near the point source were disproportionately high (>350 mg/m²/h). CO₂ emission flux showed strong dependence on total organic carbon (TOC; R² = 0.96; P < 0.001), (R² = 0.88; P < 0.001), soluble reactive‐P (SRP; R² = 0.91; P < 0.001) and microbial activity measured in terms of fluorescein diacetate activity (FDAase; R² = 0.92; P < 0.001) and substrate induced respiration (SIR; R² = 0.96; P < 0.001). Because point source‐associated interfaces provide heterogeneous habitats, our study suggests the need for large scale monitoring of CO₂ emission at land–water interface of major rivers for more correctly presenting the regional scale CO₂ budget.     

Efficiency enhancement in DSSC using metal nanoparticles: A size dependent study

The photoelectrode of Eosin-Y sensitised DSSC was modified by incorporating Au-nanoparticles to enhance the power conversion efficiency via scattering from surface plasmon polaritons. Size dependence of Au nanoparticle on conversion efficiency was performed in DSSC for the first time by varying the particle size from 20 to 94 nm. It was found that, the conversion efficiency is highly dependent on the size of the Au nanoparticles. For larger particles (>50 nm), the efficiency was found to be increased due to constructive interference between the transmitted and scattered waves from the Au nanoparticle while for smaller particles, the efficiency decreases due to destructive interference. Also a reduction in the V_oc was observed in general, due to the negative shifting of the TiO₂ Fermi level on the adsorption of Au nanoparticle. This shift was negligible for larger particles. When 94 nm size particles were employed the conversion efficiency was doubled from 0.74% to 1.52%. This study points towards the application of the scattering effect of metal nanoparticle to enhance the conversion efficiency in DSSCs.     

Electrochromic performance of a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-Prussian blue device encompassing a free standing proton electrolyte film

Electrochromic devices incorporating an electropolymerized poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) film and a free standing, transparent film of a proton conducting polymer electrolyte with high ambient temperature ionic conductivity of 10⁻² S cm⁻¹ have been fabricated with and without the ion storage electrodeposited Prussian blue (PB) counter electrode layer. While coloration efficiency increases as a function of applied potential in the sole PEDOT device with largest values of CE_(max,VIS) ∼ 120 cm² C⁻¹ and CE_(max,NIR) ∼ 133 cm² C⁻¹ attained at V_c = −1.9 V, the PEDOT:PB device shows a digression from this trend. Much higher coloration efficiencies in the visible (247 cm² C⁻¹ at 570 nm) and NIR (116 cm² C⁻¹ at 1100 nm) regions are achieved for the PEDOT:PB device at a relatively lower reducing voltage of −0.8 V. The PEDOT:PB device shows fast switching redox process (t_c = 2.6 s and t_b = 1.3 s for a 50% optical contrast at 632.8 nm) and a highly reversible charge density as the ratio of Q_inserted to Q_extracted was found to vary between 0.8 and 1.0. When switched between the clear and blue states for 2000 cycles, the insignificant drop in peak current density maxima observed for the PEDOT:PB device, i.e. the good cycling stability, the facile fabrication of device assembly, the ease of scaling up the electrolyte and electrochromic coatings, indicate that this method can be adapted as a simple and inexpensive alternative to conventional electrochromic windows with high cost components.     

Pyrochlore type semiconducting ceramic oxides in Ca-Ce-Ti-M-O system (M = Nb or Ta)—Structure, microstructure and electrical properties

A new series of pyrochlore type ceramic semiconducting oxides in Ca-Ce-Ti-M-O (M = Nb or Ta) system has been synthesized by the conventional ceramic route. The electrical conductivity measurements show that these oxides exhibit semiconducting behavior and the conductivity increases with the Ce content in the compound. Activation energy of the current carriers is in the range of 0.5-1.6 eV. The electrical conductivity in these oxides is due to the presence of Ce³⁺, which remains in the reduced state without being oxidized to Ce⁴⁺ by structural stabilization. The photoluminescence and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis corroborate the presence of Ce in the 3+ state. Impedance spectral analysis is carried out to evaluate the transport properties and indicates that the conduction in these compounds is mainly due to electronic contribution. The X-ray powder diffraction and Raman spectroscopy analysis establishes that these oxides belong to a cubic pyrochlore type structure.     

Application of Sequential Learning Neural Networks to Civil Engineering Modeling Problems

A sequential orthogonal approach to the building and training of a single hidden layer neural network is presented in this paper. The Sequential Learning Neural Network (SLNN) model proposed by Zhang and Morris [1]is used in this paper to tackle the common problem encountered by the conventional Feed Forward Neural Network (FFNN) in determining the network structure in the number of hidden layers and the number of hidden neurons in each layer. The procedure starts with a single hidden neuron and sequentially increases in the number of hidden neurons until the model error is sufficiently small. The classical Gram–Schmidt orthogonalization method is used at each step to form a set of orthogonal bases for the space spanned by output vectors of the hidden neurons. In this approach it is possible to determine the necessary number of hidden neurons required. However, for the problems investigated in this paper, one hidden neuron itself is sufficient to achieve the desired accuracy. The neural network architecture has been trained and tested on two practical civil engineering problems – soil classification, and the prediction o strength and workability of high performance concrete.     

Electrochemically deposited sol-gel-derived silicate films as a viable alternative in thin-film design

Sol-gel-derived silicate films were electrochemically deposited on conducting surfaces from a sol consisting of tetramethoxysilane (TMOS). In this method, a sufficiently negative potential is applied to the electrode surface to reduce oxygen to hydroxyl ions, which serves as the catalyst for the hydrolysis and condensation of TMOS. The electrodeposition process was followed by the electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance and cyclic voltammetry. The electrodeposited films were characterized for their surface morphology, porosity, and film thickness using atomic force microscopy, electrochemical probe techniques, surface area and pore size analysis, and profilometry. The electrodeposited films were found to have a completely different surface structure and to be significantly rougher relative to spin-coated films. This is likely due in part to the separation of the gelation and evaporation stages of film formation. The electrodeposited films were found to be permeable to simple redox molecules, such as ruthenium(III) hexaammine and ferrocene methanol. Film thickness can be easily varied from < 75 nm to > 15 microm by varying the electrode potential from -600 mV to more than -1000 mV, respectively. The electrodeposition process was further applied for the electroencapsulation of redox molecules and organic dyes within the silicate network. Cyclic voltammograms for the gel-entrapped ferrocene methanol (FcCH2OH) and ruthenium(II) tris(bipyridine) (Ru(bpy)3(2+)) exhibited the characteristic redox behavior of the molecules. The electroencapsulation of organic dyes in their "native" form proved to be more difficult because these species typically contain reducible functionalities that change the structure of the dye.