Functional grading of rubber tubes within the context of a molecularly inspired finite thermoelastic model

Summary. The concept of functional grading is applied to rubber-like materials within the framework of finite thermoelasticity. A phenomenological stress-strain relation is proposed to account for the finite chain extensibility, the entropic origin for the stress, as well as the graded nature of rubbers. As an application, the azimuthal shearing of a hollow rubber tube subjected to thermal loading is considered with a view toward minimizing the strain inhomogeneity, and an optimum grading for each temperature gradient is presented.     

Cellular neural network with trapezoidal activation function

This paper presents a cellular neural network (CNN) scheme employing a new non‐linear activation function, called trapezoidal activation function (TAF). The new CNN structure can classify linearly non‐separable data points and realize Boolean operations (including eXclusive OR) by using only a single‐layer CNN. In order to simplify the stability analysis, a feedback matrix W is defined as a function of the feedback template A and 2D equations are converted to 1D equations. The stability conditions of CNN with TAF are investigated and a sufficient condition for the existence of a unique equilibrium and global asymptotic stability is derived. By processing several examples of synthetic images, the analytically derived stability condition is also confirmed. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thermo-economic analysis of chlor-alkali electrolysis for hydrogen production in the electrochlorination plant: Real case

This study deals with the implementations of electrochemical technology for the on-site production of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and hydrogen from seawater for utilization in the steam power plant. The effects of electrical current and seawater temperature on the performance of electrochlorination system are investigated. The obtained results show that current efficiency increases with increasing electrical current. The current efficiency of the system is calculated as 94% at a maximum electric current with a value of 4000 A and maximum temperature with a value of 30 °C. Electricity consumption increases for the unit generation of available chlorine in the case of both enhancements of electrical current and seawater. Hydrogen generation is directly proportional to the variation of the electrical current. Also, improvement in seawater temperature provides more efficient hydrogen generation. Moreover, energy and exergy efficiencies of the whole system are positively affected by an increase of current. However, energy and exergy efficiencies are determined to be 50.4% and 3.04%, respectively, under the best operational conditions. Besides, the cheapest product cost of the hydrogen gas is calculated as $4.04/kg under the greatest electrical current and seawater temperatures.     

The Effect of Sintering Temperature in Bi1.7Pb0.2Sb0.1Sr2Ca2Cu3O y Superconductors

In this study, the effects of sintering temperature on the Bi-2223 phase formation and the influence of minor phases on the intergranular properties of Sb substituted Bi-2223 samples were investigated. The samples were prepared by solid-state reaction method with different sintering temperatures ranging from 800 to 855 °C. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and density measurements. We observed the optimal temperature of the Sb + Pb substituted Bi-2223 system as 845 °C.     

Effects of postchill application of acidified sodium chlorite to control Campylobacter spp. and Escherichia coli on commercial broiler carcasses

Experiments were performed to assess the reduction of Campylobacter spp. and Escherichia coli in commercial broiler carcasses by postchill dip applications of acidified sodium chlorite. Carcass rinses were collected before the inside-outside-bird washer (IOBW), post-IOBW, postchill, and after the postchill application of acidified sodium chlorite. Prevalence and counts of Campylobacter spp. and E. coli were determined. The mean values for Campylobacter spp. and E. coli counts differed significantly at sampling sites. The IOBW reduced the bacterial counts significantly in only one experiment. The chiller reduced Campylobacter counts significantly in both experiments but failed to significantly reduce the counts of E. coli in one experiment. No major reduction in the prevalence after enrichment for Campylobacter spp. was detected post-IOBW or postchill. However, a significant reduction in Campylobacter spp. and in E. coli counts and Campylobacter spp. prevalence was seen after the postchill application of acidified sodium chlorite. These results demonstrate that the antimicrobial effect of acidified sodium chlorite applied postchill may be used to significantly reduce Campylobacter spp. and E. coli in commercial broiler carcasses. Postchill systems may eventually be used in different applications, such as mist, spray, or bath, which could be applied closer to the final stages in processing.     

Potential Anomaly Separation and Archeological Site Localization Using Genetically Trained Multi‐level Cellular Neural Networks

In this paper, a supervised algorithm for the evaluation of geophysical sites using a multi‐level cellular neural network (ML‐CNN) is introduced, developed, and applied to real data. ML‐CNN is a stochastic image processing technique based on template optimization using neighborhood relationships of the pixels. The separation/enhancement and border detection performance of the proposed method is evaluated by various interesting real applications. A genetic algorithm is used in the optimization of CNN templates. The first application is concerned with the separation of potential field data of the Dumluca chromite region, which is one of the rich reserves of Turkey; in this context, the classical approach to the gravity anomaly separation method is one of the main problems in geophysics. The other application is the border detection of archeological ruins of the Hittite Empire in Turkey. The Hittite civilization sites located at the Sivas‐Altinyayla region of Turkey are among the most important archeological sites in history, one reason among others being that written documentation was first produced by this civilization.     

Effect of Nb addition on magnetic,structural and superconducting properties of (Bi,Pb)-2223 superconductors

In this work, the effects of Nb₂O₅ addition with different ratios on the structural and magnetic properties of Bi_1.7?xPb_0.3Nb_xSr₂Ca₂Cu₃O_y (x = 0.00–0.20) superconducting samples were investigated. (Bi, Pb)-2223 superconducting samples were prepared by conventional solid-state reaction method. The phase formation, phase fraction and lattice parameters were determined from X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) measurements, the microstructure, surface morphology analyses of the samples were carried out using scanning electron microscope (SEM). Additionally, ac susceptibility measurements were done in order to determine the critical current density (J_c) and hole concentration (p) of the samples. AC susceptibility measurements were done at various ac fields (ranging from 20 to 160 A/m) to understand the effect of Nb addition on magnetic properties of Bi_1.7?xPb_0.3Nb_xSr₂Ca₂Cu₃O_y superconductor. Critical onset (T _c ^on ) and loss peak temperatures (T_p) were estimated from the ac susceptibility curves. It was observed from ac susceptibility measurements that the critical onset temperatures decreased from about 108–98 K with increasing Nb addition (x = 0.00–0.20). The imaginary part of susceptibility was used to calculate the intergranular critical current density (J_c) by means of the Bean’s model. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the samples consisted of a mixture of Bi-2223 and Bi-2212 phases as the major constituents and non-superconducting phase Ca₂PbO₄ as the minor. It was also shown from XRD measurements that volume fraction of high-T_c phase decreases with increasing Nb addition up to x = 0.20. The sample with Nb addition of x = 0.20 showed the highest volume fraction of Bi-2223 phase (86 %). When Nb addition was increased, the surface morphology and grain connectivity are found to degrade, the grain sizes decrease and porosity of the samples were observed to increase from SEM images except the sample with x = 0.20 Nb addition.     

Novel aspects of wet milling for the production of microsuspensions and nanosuspensions of poorly water-soluble drugs

Micronization and nanoparticle production of poorly water-soluble drugs was investigated using single wet milling equipment operating in the attritor and stirred media modes. The drug particles in the median size range of 0.2?2??m were prepared by changing the milling mode and operating conditions of a Micros mill with a purpose of elucidating the dynamics of the wet milling process. It was determined that particle breakage due to mechanical stresses and aggregation due to insufficient stabilization are two competing mechanisms which together control the wet milling dynamics of the poorly water-soluble drugs. The study in the attritor mode using four different classes of stabilizers with six drugs indicated that steric stabilization worked better than electrostatic stabilization for the drugs studied. In addition, the existence of different minimum polymer concentrations for the stabilization of microsuspensions and nanosuspensions was indicated. The major role of a non-ionic polymer during the production of fine particles is its stabilization action through steric effects, and no experimental evidence was found to support the so-called Rehbinder effect. Periodic addition of the polymer as opposed to the addition of the polymer at the start of milling process was introduced as a novel processing method. This novel method of polymer addition provided effective stabilization and breakage of drug particles leading to a narrower and finer particle size distribution. Alternatively, it may allow shorter processing time and lower overall power consumption of the milling process for a desired particle size.     

Migration behavior of landfill leachate contaminants through alternative composite liners

Four identical pilot-scale landfill reactors with different alternative composite liners were simultaneously operated for a period of about 540 days to investigate and to simulate the migration behaviors of phenolic compounds (phenol, 2-CP, 2-MP, 3-MP, 4-MP, 2-NP, 4-NP, 2,4-DNP, 2,4-DCP, 2,6-DCP, 2,4,5-TCP, 2,4,6-TCP, 2,3,4,6-TeCP, PCP) and heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Zn, Cr, Cd, Ni) from landfill leachate to the groundwater. Alternative landfill liners of four reactors consist of R1: Compacted clay liner (10 cm + 10 cm, k = 10⁻⁸ m/sn), R2: Geomembrane (2 mm HDPE) + compacted clay liner (10 cm + 10 cm, k = 10⁻⁸ m/sn), R3: Geomembrane (2 mm HDPE) + compacted clay liner (10 cm, k = 10⁻⁸ m/sn) + bentonite liner (2 cm) + compacted clay liner (10 cm, k = 10⁻⁸ m/sn), and R4: Geomembrane (2 mm HDPE) + compacted clay liner (10 cm, k = 10⁻⁸ m/sn) + zeolite liner (2 cm) + compacted clay liner (10 cm, k = 10⁻⁸ m/sn). Wastes representing Istanbul municipal solid wastes were disposed in the reactors. To represent bioreactor landfills, reactors were operated by leachate recirculation. To monitor and control anaerobic degradation in the reactors, variations of conventional parameters (pH, alkalinity, chloride, conductivity, COD, TOC, TKN, ammonia and alcaly metals) were also investigated in landfill leachate samples. The results of this study showed that about 35-50% of migration of organic contaminants (phenolic compounds) and 55-100% of migration of inorganic contaminants (heavy metals) to the model groundwater could be effectively reduced with the use of bentonite and zeolite materials in landfill liner systems. Although leachate contaminants can reach to the groundwater in trace concentrations, findings of this study concluded that the release of these compounds from landfill leachate to the groundwater may potentially be of an important environmental concern based on the experimental findings.     

Inhibition of nalidixic acid-resistant salmonella on marinated chicken skin

Marination is widely used to enhance flavor and increase consumer acceptability of meat and poultry products. The impact of such marination on the safety and shelf life of poultry meat was evaluated in this study. A series of experiments were conducted to determine the efficacy of teriyaki and lemon pepper marinades against multiple strains of nalidixic acid (NAL)-resistant Salmonella. NAL-resistant Salmonella serovar (Typhimurium, Heidelberg, and Senftenberg) cultures were inoculated onto chicken skin at 0.6 to 3.14 log CFU/g in a 12-well titer plate. Inoculated chicken skin was exposed to teriyaki or lemon pepper marinades for up to 32 h and stored at 4 or 25°C to determine the prevalence of Salmonella. To determine Salmonella survival, a three-strain cocktail of Salmonella was inoculated at low (ca. 4 log CFU/g) and high (8 log CFU/g) levels onto chicken skin that was then marinated with either teriyaki or lemon pepper marinade for up to 32 h and stored at 4 or 25°C. Prevalence of Salmonella was significantly reduced (P ≤ 0.05) by teriyaki marinade at all levels of contamination regardless of storage temperature. Lemon pepper marinade reduced Salmonella prevalence (P ≤ 0.05) at low levels of contamination (101 and 102 CFU/g), whereas no significant effect (P > 0.05) was observed at higher levels of contamination. Marination of chicken skin with teriyaki marinade greatly reduced Salmonella prevalence and survival (P ≤ 0.05) regardless of the storage temperature, indicating the antimicrobial potential of this marinade for poultry and meat products.