Surface-Active Properties and Antimicrobial Study of Conventional Cationic and Synthesized Symmetrical Gemini Surfactants

Symmetrical gemini surfactants of cationic series α,ω-alkanediyl bis (dimethyl ammonium bromide) commonly referred as “m–s–m” have been synthesized. Spectral analysis was performed to confirm compound structures and purity. Conductivity and surface tension measurements provide better understanding of the micellization process. Their self-assembly behavior in aqueous solution is also discussed in detail. The antimicrobial efficacy was measured by bacterial and fungal growth inhibition expressed as minimal inhibitory concentration values against five strains of a representative group of microorganisms viz. Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumonia, Salmonella paratyphi B and Aspergillus niger. All of the synthesized surfactants showed antimicrobial activity against them, but at different levels depending on their structures. The surfactants possessing longer alkyl chains (more hydrophobic environment) demonstrated better antimicrobial functionality. The antimicrobial potency was found to be dependent on the representative target microorganism (Gram-positive bacteria > fungi > Gram-negative bacteria), as well as on the ionic nature of the surfactant (cationic), alkyl chain length (m = 12, 16) and spacer length (s = 2, 4, 6) of the synthesized compounds. Gemini surfactants such as 12-2-12 and 12-4-12 were found to be weakly active whereas 16-2-16 and 16-4-16 compounds proved to be the most potent antimicrobial surface-active agents among the synthesized gemini homologues.     

A Bayesian approach to visualization-oriented hyperspectral image fusion

In this paper, we propose a Bayesian approach towards fusion of hyperspectral images for the purpose of efficient visualization. Fusion has been posed as an estimation problem where the observed hyperspectral bands have been related to the fused image through a first order model of image formation. The parameters of the model indicate the quality of the pixel captured locally. As visualization is our primary aim of fusion, we expect higher contribution of the “visually important” pixels towards the final fused image. We propose a two-step framework for fusion of hyperspectral image, where the first step identifies the quality of each pixel of the data based on some of the local quality measures of the hyperspectral data. Subsequently, we formulate the problem of the estimation of the fused image in a MAP framework. We incorporate the total variation (TV) norm-based prior which preserves the sharp discontinuities in the fused image. The fused images, thus, appear sharp and natural where the edges and boundaries have been retained. We have provided visual as well as quantitative results to substantiate the effectiveness of the proposed technique.     

Adaptive Distance Relaying Scheme for Transmission Network Connecting Wind Farms

This article presents an adaptive distance relay setting for a power transmission network connecting more than one wind farm. The ideal trip characteristics of the distance relay is greatly affected in the presence of complex mutual coupling of transmission lines, as the apparent impedance is significantly affected. Similarly, the reach setting of the relay for the lines connecting wind farms is significantly affected, as the relaying voltage fluctuates continuously. Thus, the proposed study focuses on developing an adaptive relay setting for a transmission network including more than one wind farm and considering variations in operating conditions of wind farms and mutual coupling of transmission lines together. The proposed relay algorithm is extensively tested on two-terminal as well as multi-terminal power networks with wide variations in operating parameters. The performance testing of the proposed adaptive relay characteristics for faults and faults during power swing indicates the potential ability of the approach in handling distance relaying in a transmission system.     

Security services as coping mechanisms: an investigation into user intention to adopt an email authentication service

Email plays an important role in the digital economy but is threatened by increasingly sophisticated cybercrimes. A number of security services have been developed, including an email authentication service designed to cope with email threats. It remains unknown how users perceive and evaluate these security services and consequently form their adoption intention. Drawing on the Technology Acceptance Model and Technology Threat Avoidance Theory, this paper investigates the factors that affect user intention to adopt an email authentication service. Our results show that user intention to adopt an email security service is contingent upon users' perception of risk and evaluation of both internal and external coping strategies. This study contributes to research in security service adoption, service success and design, and information security behaviour.     

A two-dimensional frost-heave model for buried pipelines

The rigid-ice model of frost heave is one of the most comprehensive frost-heave models but is restricted to one-dimensional cases in its present form. In this paper, the model is extended to two-dimensional problems. The complete formulation of the partial differential equations governing heat, moisture and ice transport in freezing soils is provided. The equations are subsequently solved using the Galerkin finite element method in space and the finite difference method in time. A computer program is developed for the two-dimensional rigid-ice model. A case of freezing around chilled gas pipeline is solved and the numerical results are compared with experimental values, with good agreement between the two sets of results.     

The recovery of fructose from inverted sugar beet molasses using continuous chromatography

The continuous chromatographic separation of inverted beet molasses resulting in a fructose rich product and a product containing glucose and other non-sugars was carried out using a semi-continuous countercurrent chromatographic refiner (SCCR6), consisting of ten 10.8 cm diameter by 75 cm long stainless steel columns packed with a calcium charged 8% cross-linked polystyrene resin, zerolit SRC14. It was found that cations present in beet molasses displaced calcium ions from the resin resulting in poor separation of the glucose and fructose. Three methods of maintaining the calcium form of the resin during the continuous operation of the equipment were established. Passing a solution of calcium nitrate through the purge column for half a switch period was found to be most effective as there was no contamination of the main fructose rich product and the product concentrations were increased by 50%.     

Software monitoring with controllable overhead

We introduce the technique of software monitoring with controllable overhead (SMCO), which is based on a novel combination of supervisory control theory of discrete event systems and PID-control theory of discrete time systems. SMCO controls monitoring overhead by temporarily disabling monitoring of selected events for as short a time as possible under the constraint of a user-supplied target overhead o _t. This strategy is optimal in the sense that it allows SMCO to monitor as many events as possible, within the confines of o _t. SMCO is a general monitoring technique that can be applied to any system interface or API. We have applied SMCO to a variety of monitoring problems, including two highlighted in this paper: integer range analysis, which determines upper and lower bounds on integer variable values; and non-accessed period detection, which detects stale or underutilized memory allocations. We benchmarked SMCO extensively, using both CPU- and I/O-intensive workloads, which often exhibited highly bursty behavior. We demonstrate that SMCO successfully controls overhead across a wide range of target overhead levels; its accuracy monotonically increases with the target overhead; and it can be configured to distribute monitoring overhead fairly across multiple instrumentation points.     

Performance validation tests on 80 K bubble type of shields for SST-1

The 80 K thermal shields of Steady State Superconducting Tokamak (SST-1) minimize the steady state heat loads on the superconducting magnet system at 4.5 K from ambient. Uniform temperature, vacuum and cryo compatibility is desired for the 80 K shields. In order to meet these requirements, the bubble/embossed type of design concept is adopted. This design ensures lower pressure drop and better temperature uniformity within ±5 K. Special attention has been given for preventing direct radiation on the magnet system. As part of performance validation tests, a group of 80 K thermal shields have undergone rigorous testing protocols and procedures. The temperature distribution, helium leak tightness and insulation resistance tests have been carried out for SST-1 thermal shields before final assembly of the machine. The test design, procedures and results of the 80 K thermal shields will be discussed in this paper.     

Multi-unit controlled release systems of nifedipine and nifedipine:pluronic F-68 solid dispersions: characterization of release mechanisms

Nifedipine (N) and nifedipine:Pluronic® F-68 solid dispersion (SD) pellets were developed and characterized for drug release mechanisms from a multi-unit erosion matrix system for controlled release. Nifedipine was micronized using a jet mill. Solid dispersion with Pluronic F-68 was prepared by the fusion method. Nifedipine and SD were characterized by particle size analysis, solubility, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and x-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. Samples were subsequently processed into matrix pellets by extrusion/spheronization using Eudragit® L 100-55 and Eudragit® S 100 as release rate-controlling polymers. Drug release mechanisms from pellets were characterized by microscopy and mercury intrusion porosimetry; DSC and XRD studies indicated no polymorphic changes in N after micronization and also confirmed the formation of SD of N with Pluronic F-68. Pellets of N showed a 24-hr drug release profile following zero-order kinetics. Pellets of SD showed a 12-hr release profile following first-order kinetics. Aqueous solubility of N after SD formation was found to be increased 10-fold. Due to increased solubility of N in SD, the drug release mechanism from the multi-unit erosion matrix changed from pure surface erosion to an erosion/diffusion mechanism, thereby altering the release rate and kinetics.