A stable clustering algorithm using the traffic regularity of buses in urban VANET scenarios

Wireless Networks - Vehicular ad-hoc networks (VANETs) use clustering to manage data dissemination among vehicles. However, the high dynamic mobility of vehicles can lead to frequent re-clustering...     

Effect of high-K dielectric on differential conductance and transconductance of ID-DG MOSFET following Ortiz-Conde model

Microsystem Technologies - Differential conductance and transconductance of double-gate MOSFET are analytically computed in presence of high-K dielectric following Ortiz-Conde model....     

Full Gamut Wall Tunability from Persistent Micelle Templates via Ex Situ Hydrolysis

The predictive self‐assembly of tunable nanostructures is of great utility for broad nanomaterial investigations and applications. The use of equilibrium‐based approaches however prevents independent feature size control. Kinetic‐controlled methods such as persistent micelle templates (PMTs) overcome this limitation and maintain constant pore size by imposing a large thermodynamic barrier to chain exchange. Thus, the wall thickness is independently adjusted via addition of material precursors to PMTs. Prior PMT demonstrations added water‐reactive material precursors directly to aqueous micelle solutions. That approach depletes the thermodynamic barrier to chain exchange and thus limits the amount of material added under PMT‐control. Here, an ex situ hydrolysis method is developed for TiO₂ that mitigates this depletion of water and nearly decouples materials chemistry from micelle control. This enables the widest reported PMT range (M:T = 1.6–4.0), spanning the gamut from sparse walls to nearly isolated pores with ≈2 Å precision adjustment. This high‐resolution nanomaterial series exhibits monotonic trends where PMT confinement within increasing wall‐thickness leads to larger crystallites and an increasing extent of lithiation, reaching Li_0.66TiO₂. The increasing extent of lithiation with increasing anatase crystallite dimensions is attributed to the size‐dependent strain mismatch of anatase and bronze polymorph mixtures.     

Rare earth and transition metal based entropy stabilised perovskite type oxides

Multicomponent oxides with perovskite type of structure containing up to 10 different cations in equiatomic amounts have been synthesised for the first time. Out of eleven systems synthesised, only six systems crystallised as single phase perovskite type compounds with random and homogenous cation distribution on the respective sites. The formation of phase pure 10-cationic system, (Gd_0.2La_0.2Nd_0.2Sm_0.2Y_0.2)(Co_0.2Cr_0.2Fe_0.2Mn_0.2Ni_0.2)O₃, in contrast to the multiphase mixtures observed in five of the lower entropy systems (containing 6 cations) indicates a possible role of entropy in the stabilisation of a single phase crystal structure. The entropy driven structural stabilisation effect is further supported by the reversible phase transformation, from single phase to multiple phase upon cyclic heat treatment, observed in the (Gd_0.2La_0.2Nd_0.2Sm_0.2Y_0.2)MnO₃ system. This type of entropic signature has been observed in rocksalt based high entropy oxide systems. However, it has not been reported before for perovskite based compounds, as shown in this study.     

Mapping customer needs to design parameters in the front end of product design by applying deep learning

The key to successful product design is better understanding of customer needs (CNs), and efficiently translating CNs into design parameters (DPs). With the recent trend toward the diversification of CNs, the rapid introduction of new products, and shortened lead times, there is a growing need to speed up the mapping from CNs to DPs. By leveraging on product review data extracted e-commerce websites, this paper proposes a deep learning-based approach to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of mapping CNs to DPs. The results show that the proposed approach can meet customer needs with high efficiency.     

An insight into third-phase formation in the extraction of thorium nitrate by tris(2-methylbutyl) phosphate and tri-n-alkyl phosphates

Third phase (TP) formation in the extraction of Th(IV) by tris(2-methylbutyl) phosphate (T2MBP) from HNO₃ media was studied and compared with tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) systems. Concentrations of Th(IV) and HNO₃ and densities of organic phases were determined as a function of Th(NO₃)₄ concentration. Extractant concentrations and volume ratios in the triphasic regions were also measured. The extraction experiments show lower TP formation tendency of T2MBP. The aggregation behaviour of Th(IV) loaded solutions of tri-n-amyl phosphate (TAP), T2MBP and TBP in n-C₈D₁₈ and n-C₁₂D₂₆ were investigated using small angle neutron scattering technique and found to be in correlation with TP formation trends.     

Metabolic stimulation of phenolic biosynthesis and antioxidant enzyme response in dark germinated barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) sprouts using bioprocessed elicitors

Food Science and Biotechnology - Sprouting and seed elicitor treatments stimulate the biosynthesis of health relevant phenolic bioactives in plants partly by upregulating proline-associated pentose...     

Effective disinfection of airborne microbial contamination in hospital wards using a zero‐valent nano‐silver/TiO2‐chitosan composite

A novel antimicrobial composite of zero‐valent silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), titania (TiO₂), and chitosan (CS) was prepared via photochemical deposition of AgNPs on a CS‐TiO₂ matrix (AgNPs@CS‐TiO₂). Electron microscopy showed that the AgNPs were well dispersed on the CS‐TiO₂, with diameters of 6.69‐8.84 nm. X‐ray photoelectron spectra indicated that most of the AgNPs were reduced to metallic Ag. Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that some AgNPs formed a chelate with CS through coordination of Ag⁺ with the CS amide II groups. The zones of inhibition of AgNPs@CS‐TiO₂ for bacteria (Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis) and fungi (Aspergillus niger and Penicillium spinulosum) were 6.72‐11.08 and 5.45‐5.77 mm, respectively, and the minimum (critical) concentrations of AgNPs required to inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi were 7.57 and 16.51 µg‐Ag/mm², respectively. The removal efficiency of a AgNPs@TiO₂‐CS bed filter for bioaerosols (η) increased with the packing depth, and the optimal filter quality (qF) occurred for packing depths of 2‐4 cm (qF = 0.0285‐0.103 Pa^?1; η = 57.6%‐98.2%). When AgNPs@TiO₂‐CS bed filters were installed in the ventilation systems of hospital wards, up to 88% of bacteria and 97% of fungi were removed within 30 minutes. Consequently, AgNPs@TiO₂‐CS has promising potentials in bioaerosol purification.