Dual Band PIFA MIMO Antenna Design with High Isolation for Mobile and Wireless Applications by Using the Genetics Algorithms and Non-uniform Overlapping Method

Wireless Personal Communications - Due to the development and growth of Internet platforms and web services as communication resources, the competition for the network and its limited resources is...     

AI-12.5 wt % Si ribbons prepared by melt spinning

Aluminium-silicon alloy with composition 12.5 wt% Si was rapidly quenched from the melt at a cooling rate of about 10⁶ Ks^–1 using the melt-spinning technique. The resulting ribbons were investigated by resistivity measurements and X-ray diffraction. The resistivity of the 20 m thick ribbons was 26.6 cm. This is 4.4 times its bulk resistivity value. The activation energy calculated from isothermal ageing was 1.14 ± 0.1 eV. The limit of primary solid solubility is extended almost to the eutectic composition and the large supersaturation is relieved by thermal annealing.     

Détermination du facteur de multiplication M pour un fonctionnement optimal des photodétecteurs à avalanche

The purpose of this paper is relative to the determination of the multiplication factor Mfor an optimum behaviour of the avalanche photodetector. Two types of avalanche photodetector s are compared: a silicon structure n ⁺ πpπp ⁺ Read diode and a GaAlAs heterostructure. Calculating the Noise Equivalent Power (nep)of the whole system, the law S_i(f) =2q I_phoM_x is used, where the parameter x is determined experimentally in both avalanche photodetectors. The exponent x (between 2 and 4) dominates in the nep expression and the ideal nep for the avalanche photodetector system is obtained when x equals 2.     

Use of FRP for RC Frames in Seismic Zones: Part II. Performance of Steel-Free GFRP-Reinforced Beam-Column Joints

The use of FRP as reinforcement in concrete structures has been growing rapidly due to its advantages over conventional steel reinforcement (e.g., corrosion resistance, light weight, magnetic neutrality). A potential application of FRP reinforcement is in structural concrete frames. However, current seismic design standards and detailing criteria for beam-column joints were established for steel reinforcement and may be unsuitable for FRP reinforcement due to its different mechanical properties. During recent earthquakes, many structural collapses were initiated or caused by beam-column joint failures. Since there are no detailed specifications for the application of FRP reinforcement in seismic zones, research is needed to gain a better understanding of the behaviour of FRP-reinforced concrete under seismic loading. In this study, two full-scale beam-column joint specimens reinforced with steel and GFRP, respectively, were tested in order to investigate their performance in the event of an earthquake. The control steel-reinforced specimen is detailed according to the Canadian Code (CSA A23.3-94) recommendations. The GFRP-reinforced specimen is detailed in a similar scheme but using a GFRP grid. The behaviour of the two specimens under reversed cyclic loading, their load-storey drift envelope relationship and energy dissipation ability were compared. The GFRP-reinforced specimen showed a predominantly elastic behaviour up to failure. While its energy dissipation was low, its performance was acceptable in terms of total storey drift demand.     

New Beta-lactamases in Candidate Phyla Radiation: Owning Pleiotropic Enzymes Is a Smart Paradigm for Microorganisms with a Reduced Genome

The increased exploitation of microbial sequencing methods has shed light on the high diversity of new microorganisms named Candidate Phyla Radiation (CPR). CPR are mainly detected via 16S rRNA/metabarcoding analyses or metagenomics and are found to be abundant in all environments and present in different human microbiomes. These microbes, characterized by their symbiotic/epiparasitic lifestyle with bacteria, are directly exposed to competition with other microorganisms sharing the same ecological niche. Recently, a rich repertoire of enzymes with antibiotic resistance activity has been found in CPR genomes by using an in silico adapted screening strategy. This reservoir has shown a high prevalence of putative beta-lactamase-encoding genes. We expressed and purified five putative beta-lactamase sequences having the essential domains and functional motifs from class A and class B beta-lactamase. Their enzymatic activities were tested against various beta-lactam substrates using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and showed some beta-lactamase activity even in the presence of a beta-lactamase inhibitor. In addition, ribonuclease activity was demonstrated against RNA that was not inhibited by sulbactam and EDTA. None of these proteins could degrade single- and double-stranded-DNA. This study is the first to express and test putative CPR beta-lactamase protein sequences in vitro. Our findings highlight that the reduced genomes of CPR members harbor sequences encoding for beta-lactamases known to be multifunction hydrolase enzymes.     

The Endothelium and COVID-19: An Increasingly Clear Link Brief Title: Endotheliopathy in COVID-19

The endothelium has a fundamental role in the cardiovascular complications of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) particularly affects endothelial cells. The virus binds to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptor (present on type 2 alveolar cells, bronchial epithelial cells, and endothelial cells), and induces a cytokine storm. The cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1 beta, and interleukin-6 have particular effects on endothelial cells—leading to endothelial dysfunction, endothelial cell death, changes in tight junctions, and vascular hyperpermeability. Under normal conditions, apoptotic endothelial cells are removed into the bloodstream. During COVID-19, however, endothelial cells are detached more rapidly, and do not regenerate as effectively as usual. The loss of the endothelium on the luminal surface abolishes all of the vascular responses mediated by the endothelium and nitric oxide production in particular, which results in greater contractility. Moreover, circulating endothelial cells infected with SARS-CoV-2 act as vectors for viral dissemination by forming clusters that migrate into the circulation and reach distant organs. The cell clusters and the endothelial dysfunction might contribute to the various thromboembolic pathologies observed in COVID-19 by inducing the formation of intravascular microthrombi, as well as by triggering disseminated intravascular coagulation. Here, we review the contributions of endotheliopathy and endothelial-cell-derived extracellular vesicles to the pathogenesis of COVID-19, and discuss therapeutic strategies that target the endothelium in patients with COVID-19.     

A Multi-Expert System for chlorine electrolyzer monitoring

The Chlor-Alkali production is one of the largest industrial scale electro-synthesis in the world. Plants with more than 1000 individual reactors are common, where chlorine and hydrogen are only separated by 0.2 mm thin membranes. Wrong operating conditions can cause explosions and highly toxic gas releases, but also irreversible damages of very expensive cell components with dramatic maintenance costs and production loss. In this paper, a Multi-Expert System based on first-order logic rules and Decision Forests is proposed to detect any abnormal operating conditions of membrane cell electrolyzers and to advice the operator accordingly. Robustness to missing data – which represents an important issue in industrial applications in general – is achieved by means of a Dynamic Selection strategy. Experiments performed with real-world electrolyzer data indicate that the proposed system can significantly detect the different operating modes, even in the presence of high levels of missing data – or “wrong” data, as a consequence of maloperation –, which is essential for precise fault detection and advice generation.     

Continuous size-based focusing and bifurcating microparticle streams using a negative dielectrophoretic system

Dielectrophoresis (DEP) is an electrokinetic phenomenon which is used for manipulating micro- and nanoparticles in micron-sized devices with high sensitivity. In recent years, electrode-based DEP by patterning narrow oblique electrodes in microchannels has been used for particle manipulation. In this theoretic study, a microchannel with triangular electrodes is presented and a detailed comparison with oblique electrodes is made. For each shape, the behavior of particles is compared for three different configurations of applied voltages. Electric field, resultant DEP force, and particle trajectories for configurations are computed by means of Rayan native code. The separation efficiency of the two systems is assessed and compared afterward. The results demonstrate higher lateral DEP force, responsible for particle separation, distributed wider across the channel width for triangular shape electrodes in comparison with the oblique ones. The proposed electrode shape also shows the ability of particle separation by attracting negative DEP particles to or propelling them from the flow centerline, according to the configuration of applied voltages. A major deficiency of the oblique electrodes, which is the streamwise variation of the lateral DEP force direction near the electrodes, is also eliminated in the proposed electrode shape. In addition, with a proper voltages configuration, the triangular electrodes require lower voltages for particle focusing in comparison with the oblique ones.     

Nanotechnology: Advantages and drawbacks in the field of construction and building materials

Nanotechnology seems to hold the key that allows construction and building materials to replicate the features of natural systems improved until perfection during millions of years. This paper reviews current knowledge about nanotechnology and nanomaterials used by the construction industry. It covers the nanoscale analysis of Portland cement hydration products, the use of nanoparticles to increase the strength and durability of cimentitious composites, the photocatalytic capacity of nanomaterials and also nanotoxicity risks.     

Saturation swelling and the seeded emulsion polymerisation of styrene at high ionic strength

The effects of adding inorganic electrolyte (below the critical coagulation concentration) have been investigated in two systems for the emulsion polymerisation of styrene. In one system, potassium chloride, at different concentrations, was added at the end of interval I, using three different ionic emulsifiers: potassium octadecanoate which has a low critical micelle concentration (CMC), potassium dodecanoate and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), which have moderately high CMC. A significant increase in the rate of polymerisation was observed in all cases even at the higher levels of electrolyte at which the rate is reduced if the electrolyte is added from the onset of polymerisation. In the second system, the effects of adding sodium chloride, in concentrations up to 0.2_M, on the seeded emulsion polymerisation of styrene have been followed. A significant increase in the rate was observed as electrolyte level was increased, with no significant change in particle size. Saturation swelling measurements indicated a slight increase in monomer concentration inside the particles as electrolyte concentration was increased. Evaluation of the average number of free radicals per particle, n¯, by a steady state approach indicates an increase in the value of n¯ as electrolyte level is increased. The value of n¯ is below 0.5 but approaches this value at the highest electrolyte concentration. The increased surface area of the particles may account for this effect by increasing the capture efficiency of the radicals by the particles.