A new facial expression recognition based on curvelet transform and online sequential extreme learning machine initialized with spherical clustering

In this paper, a novel algorithm is proposed for facial expression recognition by integrating curvelet transform and online sequential extreme learning machine (OSELM) with radial basis function (RBF) hidden node having optimal network architecture. In the proposed algorithm, the curvelet transform is firstly applied to each region of the face image divided into local regions instead of whole face image to reduce the curvelet coefficients too huge to classify. Feature set is then generated by calculating the entropy, the standard deviation and the mean of curvelet coefficients of each region. Finally, spherical clustering (SC) method is employed to the feature set to automatically determine the optimal hidden node number and RBF hidden node parameters of OSELM by aim of increasing classification accuracy and reducing the required time to select the hidden node number. So, the learning machine is called as OSELM-SC. It is constructed two groups of experiments: The aim of the first one is to evaluate the classification performance of OSELM-SC on the benchmark datasets, i.e., image segment, satellite image and DNA. The second one is to test the performance of the proposed facial expression recognition algorithm on the Japanese Female Facial Expression database and the Cohn-Kanade database. The obtained experimental results are compared against the state-of-the-art methods. The results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can produce effective facial expression features and exhibit good recognition accuracy and robustness.     

Synthesis and characterization of injectable chitosan cryogel microsphere scaffolds

Treatment of tissue defects involves invasive processes such as implanting the tissue engineered scaffold to the defected area. Injectable scaffolds are increasingly being developed to achieve tissue regeneration in a less invasive manner. In this study, injectable chitosan cryogels in the form of microspheres were synthesized combining the water in oil emulsification method with the crosslinking of microspheres during cryogelation. The effects of polymer ratio, crosslinker concentration, cryogelation temperature, and stirring speed on the resulting cryogels’ chemistry, pore morphology, microsphere size, swelling ratio, degree of crosslinking, and degradation rate were examined for a possible noninvasive tissue engineering application. Microspheres with optimized properties were developed with an average pore and particle size of 5.50?±?0.63 and 220.11?±?25.58?µm at a chitosan ratio of 1%, glutaraldehyde concentration of 3%, reaction temperature of ?16°C, and stirring rate of 1,000?rpm.     

Quantum Henry gas solubility optimization algorithm for global optimization

Engineering with Computers - In this article, the lightweight design problems of Timoshenko composite beams with and without considering the uncertainties of input data (i.e., the geometry of beam,...     

Investigation of alkaline water electrolysis performance for different cost effective electrodes under magnetic field

Alkaline water electrolysis is the easiest methods for hydrogen production because of their simplicity. Although the simplicity is an advantage; reducing the energy consumption and maintaining the durability and the safety of these systems are the main challenges. In this paper, alkaline water electrolysis system, that uses cost effective electrode materials and magnetic field effects are presented. Cost effective electrodes such as high carbon steel, 304 stainless steel, 316L low carbon steel and graphite material are used for the hydrogen production. After the selection of the best electrode pair, effects of magnetic field to hydrogen production and change of current density are investigated for KOH electrolytes in different concentrations (5 wt%, 10 wt% and 15 wt%). According to the experimental observations the direction of the Lorentz Force affects the hydrogen production and current density. When the Lorentz Force is directed upward, it enhances the hydrogen production for 5 wt% and 15 wt% KOH solution by almost 17%. The increase in current density for 5 wt%, 10 wt% and 15 wt% concentration is 19%, 5%, 13%, respectively. Forced convection in the magnetic field enhances the separation of gas bubbles from electrode surface. Downward directed Lorentz Force decreases hydrogen production and current density values significantly. For 5 wt%, 10 wt% and 15 wt% the hydrogen production decreases by 14%, 8%, 7%, respectively. Similarly, current density for downward directed Lorentz Force decreases by 11%, 7%, 4%, respectively.     

Thermal and mechanical properties of polypropylene nanocomposite materials reinforced with cellulose nano whiskers

We use polypropylene (PP, an apolar polymer) and cellulose nano whiskers (CNW, a polar material) to produce nano polymer composites with enhanced mechanical and thermal properties. To improve compatibility, maleic anhydride grafted PP has also been used as a coupling agent. To enhance the uniform distribution of CNW in the composite, the matrix polymer is dissolved in toluene, and sonification and magnetic stirring are applied. Good film transparency indicates uniform CNW dispersion, but CNW domains in the composite film observed under an scanning electron microscope may indicate slight agglomeration of CNW in the composite film. The tensile strength of the composite compared with neat PP improves by 70–80% with the addition of CNW. The crystallinity has also been improved by about 50% in the CNW reinforced samples. As the content of CNW increases, the composite exhibits higher thermal degradation temperature, higher hydrophilicity, and higher thermal conductivity. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Ketimine substituted polyphenol: Synthesis,characterization and investigation of its thermal and electrochemical properties

Oxidative polycondensation of 3‐(1‐(2‐phenylhydrazono)ethyl)phenol (3‐PHEP) was studied using oxidants such as sodium hypochlorite, air (O₂) and hydrogen peroxide in an aqueous alkaline medium under various polymerization conditions. The polymerization yield, molecular weight, solubility, and thermostability of the polymer were investigated. The macromolecular structure of the resulting polymer was characterized by elemental analysis, ultraviolet–visible, Fourier transform infrared, and nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. Thermogravimetric analysis showed poly(3‐PHEP) to be highly stable against thermo‐oxidative decomposition. Mass loss of the polymer was found to be only 16.3% at 1000°C. In addition, the highest occupied molecular orbital–lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy levels, electrochemical (E_g′) band gaps and optical (E_g) band gaps were calculated from cyclic voltammetry and ultraviolet–visible measurements, respectively. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity of Raspberry and Blackberry Cultivars

ABSTRACT: Raspberry (Aksu Kırmızısı, Rubin, Newburgh, Hollanda Boduru, Heritage) and blackberry (Bursa 1, Bursa 2, Jumbo, Chester) cultivars were assayed for antioxidant activity (determined as 2,2-azino-di-[3-ethylbenzothialozine-sulphonic acid][ABTS], 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical [DPPH], and cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity [CUPRAC]), total phenol, total flavonoid, and total anthocyanin contents. In addition, 10 anthocyanins and anthocyanidins were determined in raspberry and blackberry by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Raspberry and blackberry had the highest ABTS, DPPH, CUPRAC, total phenol, and total flavonoid contents in methanol extracts, whereas total anthocyanin contents were the highest in water extracts. The antioxidant activity of the raspberry and blackberry was directly related to the total amount of phenolic compounds detected in the raspberry and blackberry. All antioxidant activity values were highly correlated with anthocyanin content in blackberry (0.93 ≤ r ≤ 0.99, P = 0.05). On the other hand, high correlation between total flavonoid content and antioxidant activity was recorded in water extract of blackberry (0.91 ≤ r ≤ 0.93, P = 0.05). ABTS value was highly correlated with total flavonoid content in methanol extract (r = 0.90), whereas total flavonoid content was relatively less correlated with DPPH (r = 0.85) and CUPRAC (r = 0.89).     

Synthesis, characterization and catalytic properties of an N-heterocyclic carbene palladium-based complex

A palladium(II) complex, bis[1,3-bis-(2,4,6-trimethylbenzyl)benzimidazol-2-ylidene]palladium(II) chloride, Pd(NHC), bearing N-heterocyclic carbenes has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy and ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. Crystal structure details of Pd(NHC) are also presented. The palladium centre in the complex lies on a crystallographic inversion centre and occupies a square-planar environment, with both chloride and N-heterocyclic carbene ligands adopting a trans arrangement with Cl–Pd–Cl and C–Pd–C angles are precisely 180°. The palladium–carbene complex was tested as a catalyst in the Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reaction.