TASOM: a new time adaptive self-organizing map

The time adaptive self-organizing map (TASOM) network is a modified self-organizing map (SOM) network with adaptive learning rates and neighborhood sizes as its learning parameters. Every neuron in the TASOM has its own learning rate and neighborhood size. For each new input vector, the neighborhood size and learning rate of the winning neuron and the learning rates of its neighboring neurons are updated. A scaling vector is also employed in the TASOM algorithm for compensation against scaling transformations. Analysis of the updating rules of the algorithm reveals that the learning parameters may increase or decrease for adaptation to a changing environment, such that the minimum increase or decrease is achieved according to a specific measure. Several versions of the TASOM-based networks are proposed in this paper for different applications, including bilevel thresholding of grey level images, tracking of moving objects and their boundaries, and adaptive clustering. Simulation results show satisfactory performance of the proposed methods in the implemented applications.     

State-of-the-art technology: Recent investigations on laser-mediated synthesis of nanocomposites for environmental remediation

In both developing and industrialized/developed countries, various hazardous/toxic environmental pollutants are entering water bodies from organic and inorganic compounds (heavy metals and specifically dyes). The global population is growing whereas the accessibility of clean, potable and safe drinking water is decreasing, leading to world deterioration in human health and limitation of agricultural and/or economic development. Treatment of water/wastewater (mainly industrial water) via catalytic reduction/degradation of environmental pollutants is extremely critical and is a major concern/issue for public health. Light and/or laser ablation induced photocatalytic processes have attracted much attention during recent years for water treatment due to their good (photo)catalytic efficiencies in the reduction/degradation of organic/inorganic pollutants. Pulsed laser ablation (PLA) is a rather novel catalyst fabrication approach for the generation of nanostructures with special morphologies (nanoparticles (NPs), nanocrystals, nanocomposites, nanowires, etc.) and different compositions (metals, alloys, oxides, core-shell, etc.). Laser ablation in liquid (LAL) is generally considered a quickly growing approach for the synthesis and modification of nanomaterials for practical applications in diverse fields. LAL-synthesized nanomaterials have been identified as attractive nanocatalysts or valuable photocatalysts in (photo)catalytic reduction/degradation reactions. In this review, the laser ablation/irradiation strategies based on LAL are systematically described and the applications of LAL synthesized metal/metal oxide nanocatalysts with highly controlled nanostructures in the degradation/reduction of organic/inorganic water pollutants are highlighted along with their degradation/reduction mechanisms.     

Bibliometric and text mining approaches to evaluate landfill design standards

Scientometrics - In 2014, Canadians generated 961 kg of waste per capita. Landfilling is a logical choice for many Canadian communities because of land availability. This paper examines...     

Investigation the impact of additives on the displacement of the onset point of asphaltene precipitation using interfacial tension measurement

The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of additives on the displacement of the onset point of asphaltene precipitation in crude oil using the interfacial tension measurement method, based on the examined oil has been taken from Iran reservoirs. The experimental results suggest that the addition of surfactants of dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid (DBSA) and coconut diethanolamide (CDEA) to the oil has triggered the onset of asphaltene precipitation. These findings imply that CDEA has a more effective role in preventing asphaltene precipitation. Also, it was observed that increasing the concentration of the surfactants has led to obtaining greater results. Finally, critical micelle concentration was calculated to be 5000 and 4700 ppm in the cases of CDEA and DBSA, respectively.     

In-depth study of mechanical properties of poly(lactic acid)/thermoplastic polyurethane/hydroxyapatite blend nanocomposites

Journal of Materials Science - The present study evaluates the effect of adding different contents of hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles on the mechanical properties of poly(lactic...     

Effect of gravity in wheel/terrain interaction models

Predicting the motion of wheeled robots in unstructured environments is an important and challenging problem. The study of planetary exploration rovers on soft terrain introduces the additional need to consider the effect of nonterrestrial gravitational fields on the forces and torques developed at the wheel/terrain interface. Simply reducing the wheel load under Earth's gravity overestimates the traveled distance and predicts better performance than is actually observed in reduced‐gravity measurements. In this paper, we study the effect of gravity on wheel/terrain interaction. Experiments were conducted to assess the effect of reduced gravity on the velocity profile of the soil under the wheel, as well as on the traction force and sinkage developed by the wheel. It was shown that in the velocity field of the soil, the decay of the tangential velocity component becomes gradual with reducing gravity, and the decay of the normal to rim velocity is slower in Lunar gravity. It was also found that wheel flexibility can have an important effect on the dynamics as the contact patch and effective radius vary periodically. These results were then used together with traditional semiempirical terramechanics models to determine and validate the simulated drawbar pull values. The developed simulation model includes the effect of wheel flexibility, dynamic sinkage, and gravity.     

Production and characterization of polypropylene fiber upon addition of selective peroxide during melt spinning and comparison with conventional polypropylene fibers

In the present work, effect of selective peroxide on reactor grade polypropylene (PP) (known as V30S) during melt spinning process on the physical and thermal properties of as‐spun resultant multifilament yarn was studied. Attempts have also been made to compare this yarn sample with other fiber samples produced from reactor and controlled rheology grades polypropylene. The results show that the multifilament yarn spun from V30S/Peroxide sample shows higher birefringence and tensile strength and also lower modulus, elongation at break, and shrinkage compared with that of spun from pure V30S granule. Density and thermal behavior studies show low variations compared with original sample. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007     

Lead(II)‐ion removal by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid ligand functionalized magnetic chitosan–aluminum oxide–iron oxide nanoadsorbents and microadsorbents: Equilibrium,kinetics, and thermodynamics

Novel nanosized and microsized chitosan–Al₂O₃–Fe₃O₄ (CANF and CAMF, respectively) adsorbents were functionalized with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) ligands and applied to the removal of Pb(II) ions. The prepared adsorbents were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis, and their adsorption potentials were investigated with Pb(II) as a target metal under various experimental conditions. Our results show that the EDTA functionalization of CANF and CAMF increased their adsorption capacities about 31.5 and 38 times, respectively. The optimum dosage obtained was 1.0 g/L for both EDTA‐functionalized adsorbents, and the maximum adsorption took place at pH = 5.3. The kinetic results revealed that the adsorption obeyed the pseudo‐second‐order model and that the pore diffusion process played a key role in the adsorption kinetics. Also, the results of equilibrium isotherms indicate the good fit of the experimental data by the Langmuir isotherm model under the studied concentration and temperature ranges, and the adsorptions of Pb(II) ions from aqueous solution followed the monolayer coverage of the adsorbents. The maximum Pb(II)‐ion adsorption capacities of EDTA–CANF and EDTA–CAMF were 160 and 157 mg/g, respectively. These metal‐loaded adsorbents could be readily recovered from aqueous solution by magnetic separation and reused. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 44360.