Performance analysis of classical, model-based and eigenvector methods: Ophthalmic arterial disorders detection case

In this study, ophthalmic arterial Doppler signals recorded from 214 subjects were processed using classical, model-based, and eigenvector methods. The classical method (fast Fourier transform), two model-based methods (Burg autoregressive, least squares modified Yule-Walker autoregressive moving average methods), and three eigenvector methods (Pisarenko, multiple signal classification, and Minimum-Norm methods) were selected for performing spectral analysis of the ophthalmic arterial Doppler signals. Doppler power spectral density estimates of the ophthalmic arterial Doppler signals were obtained using these spectrum analysis techniques. The variations in the shape of the Doppler power spectra were examined in order to detect variabilities such as stenosis, ocular Behcet disease, and uveitis disease in the physical state of ophthalmic arterial Doppler signals. These power spectra were then used to compare the applied methods in terms of their frequency resolution and the effects in detecting stenosis, Behcet disease and uveitis disease in ophthalmic arteries.     

Detection of electrocardiogram beats using a fuzzy similarity index

Abstract: A new approach based on the computation of a fuzzy similarity index (FSI) is presented for the detection of electrocardiogram (ECG) beats. Four types of ECG beats (normal beat, congestive heart failure beat, ventricular tachyarrhythmia beat, atrial fibrillation beat) obtained from the Physiobank database were analysed. The ECG signals were decomposed into time–frequency representations using the discrete wavelet transform and wavelet coefficients were calculated to represent the signals. The aim of the study is detection of ECG beats by the combination of wavelet coefficients and the FSI. Toward achieving this aim, fuzzy sets were obtained from the feature sets (wavelet coefficients) of the signals under study. The results demonstrated that the similarity between the fuzzy sets of the studied signals indicated the variabilities in the ECG signals. Thus, the FSI could discriminate the normal beat and the other three types of beats (congestive heart failure beat, ventricular tachyarrhythmia beat, atrial fibrillation beat).     

Electron‐Deficient and Quinoid Central Unit Engineering for Unfused Ring‐Based A1–D–A2–D–A1‐Type Acceptor Enables High Performance Nonfullerene Polymer Solar Cells with High Voc and PCE Simultaneously

Here, a pair of A₁–D–A₂–D–A₁ unfused ring core‐based nonfullerene small molecule acceptors (NF‐SMAs), BO2FIDT‐4Cl and BT2FIDT‐4Cl is synthesized, which possess the same terminals (A₁) and indacenodithiophene unit (D), coupling with different fluorinated electron‐deficient central unit (difluorobenzoxadiazole or difluorobenzothiadiazole) (A₂). BT2FIDT‐4Cl exhibits a slightly smaller optical bandgap of 1.56 eV, upshifted highest occupied molecular orbital energy levels, much higher electron mobility, and slightly enhanced molecular packing order in neat thin films than that of BO2FIDT‐4Cl . The polymer solar cells (PSCs) based on BT2FIDT‐4Cl:PM7 yield the best power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 12.5% with a V_oc of 0.97 V, which is higher than that of BO2FIDT‐4Cl ‐based devices (PCE of 10.4%). The results demonstrate that the subtle modification of A₂ unit would result in lower trap‐assisted recombination, more favorable morphology features, and more balanced electron and hole mobility in the PM7:BT2FIDT‐4Cl blend films. It is worth mentioning that the PCE of 12.5% is the highest value in nonfused ring NF‐SMA‐based binary PSCs with high V_oc over 0.90 V. These results suggest that appropriate modulation of the quinoid electron‐deficient central unit is an effective approach to construct highly efficient unfused ring NF‐SMAs to boost PCE and V_oc simultaneously.     

Statin use is associated with lower inflammation and erythropoietin responsiveness index in hemodialysis patients

Patients with end-stage renal disease are prone to inflammation and inflammation is related to erythropoietin-stimulating agent hyporesponsiveness and mortality in this population. Statins have been demonstrated to reduce cardiovascular mortality in selected populations of end-stage renal disease patients. These drugs have pleiotrophic effects such as anti-inflammation. In this retrospective analysis, we determined whether the use of statins improves inflammation and inflammation-related anemia in a cohort of hemodialysis patients. Data were analyzed from Fresenius Medical Care Dialysis Clinics in Turkey between 2005 and 2007. Seventy prevalent hemodialysis patients who were on statins at the start of the study and have been on statins during follow-up (statin users) and 1293 patients who were not on statin at the start of the study and had never been prescribed any lipid-modifying drugs during follow-up (statin nonusers) were included in the study. High-sensitive C-reactive protein levels were significantly decreased in statin users (1.50±1.49 vs. 1.33±1.11 mg/L, P=0.05) compared with nonusers (1.93±3.22 vs. 2.05±2.77 mg/L). Hemoglobin levels and the rate of erythropoietin-stimulating agent users were similar. However, the prescribed erythropoietin-stimulating agent dose (31.6±27.5 vs. 47.3±45.2 U/kg/week, P<0.05) and the erythropoietin response index (2.90±2.73 vs. 4.51±4.48 U/kg/week/Hb, P=0.001) were lower in statin users compared with statin nonusers. On stepwise multiple regression analysis, gender, high-sensitive C-reactive protein, duration of hemodialysis, serum ferritin, and statin use were independent determinants of the erythropoietin responsiveness index. Our results suggest that statin treatment leads to lower inflammation and improves hematopoiesis in hemodialysis patients.     

Study the effect of sun, oven and microwave drying on quality of onion slices

Sun, oven (50 and 70 °C) and microwave oven (210 and 700 W) drying of onion slices were carried out to monitor the drying kinetics and quality degradation of the product. Page, “Modified Page” and “Midilli and Küçük” models exhibited high coefficient of determination (R²) values, ranging between 0.994 and 0.999. The calculated effective diffusivity (D_eff) values (m²/s) of onion slices for the sun, oven 50 °C and oven 70 °C, microwave 210 W and microwave 700 W drying process were 8.339 × 10⁻¹⁰, 7.468 × 10⁻¹⁰, 1.554 × 10⁻⁹, 4.009 × 10⁻⁸ and 4.869 × 10⁻⁸, respectively. Fresh and dried onion slices had high amounts of K (696.82-16357.55 mg/kg), Ca (69.64-340.03 mg/kg), Na (37.72-1895.43 mg/kg), Mg (3.31-964.77 mg/kg) and P (46.47-3384.07 mg/kg) minerals. The highest mineral values were determined in oven dried samples. Sun (L^∗ 58.00 ± 4.83, a^∗ 0.27 ± 0.10, b^∗ 14.36 ± 2.40) and microwave oven drying (210 W) (L^∗ 54.78 ± 7.54, a^∗ −0.71 ± 0.09, b^∗ 13.17 ± 1.05) revealed better colour values in the dried products. The phenolic contents of microwave oven dried samples (1664.39 ± 134.12 and 1623.59 ± 140.02 for 210 W and 700 W, respectively) were higher than those of the other dried onion slices.     

Electrocatalytic hydrogen production on GCE/RGO/Au hybrid electrode

We have prepared a nanocomposite hybrid film to produce a collaborative network of gold (Au) nanoparticles that are highly dispersed on reduced graphene oxide (RGO) sheets, and tested it for electrocatalytic hydrogen production. The RGO/Au nanocomposite film synthesized on glassy carbon electrode (GCE) allows significant improvements to the electron-transfer process. The Au nanoparticles decorated on the surface of graphene increases the electron density, which synergistically promote the adsorption of hydrogen atoms on the graphene sheets and consequently enhance the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity. The surface properties of the composite was characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and the electrocatalytical performances evaluated as-prepared electrocatalyst toward (HER) by linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), Tafel polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analyses. The GCE/RGO/Au nanohybrid electrode exhibited good catalytic activity for HER with an onset potential of ?0.3 V and a Tafel slope of 136 mV dec^?1, achieving a current density of 10 mA cm^?2 at an overpotential of ?0.43 V.     

New insights on the mechanism of vapour phase hydrolysis of sodium borohydride in a fed-batch reactor

This study aims to produce H₂ from sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) and to initiate its hydrolysis at elevated temperature in the absence of a catalyst. Experimental results indicated that the hydrogen generation yield increased up to %99 at 150 °C in the NaBH₄ concentration of %5 wt in the acidic medium. It can be concluded that experimental characterization of the by-products is quite important since they affected the reaction mechanism or pathway. When the experiments are carried out under aqueous condition, the primary by- product is sodium metaborate while it is boric acid under acidic condition. It is postulated that by-product boric acid decreased the mass transfer limitation due to its higher solubility that prevents the formation of shell and thus increases the contact area between NaBH₄ and vapor. A series of fed-batch reactions were performed to confirm the hypothesis, and the conversions of NaBH₄ reached 99% under the acidic condition.     

Microbiological aspects and challenges of whey powders – I thermoduric,thermophilic and spore-forming bacteria

For dairy processors, spoilage and pathogenic spore-forming bacteria are key sources of concern, not only due to their ability to remain dormant in a desiccated state in powders and to survive heat treatments, but also their ability to form biofilms in the vegetative state that lead to contamination of foods. These include members of the genera Bacillus, Geobacillus, Anoxybacillus, Brevibacillus, Paenibacillus and Clostridium, many of which are associated with food poisoning and spoilage. Here, we review the common bacterial species that form spores in whey powders and their sources and provide insights into their risks and strategies to control them.