Electron Microscopy Imaging Applications of Room Temperature Ionic Liquids in the Biological Field: A Review

For biological imaging using electron microscopy (EM), the use of room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) has been proposed as an alternative to traditional lengthy preparation methods. With their low vapor pressures and conductivity, RTILs can be applied onto hard-to-image soft and/or wet samples without dehydration – allowing for a more representative, hydrated state of material and opening the possibility for visualization of in situ physiological processes using conventional EM systems. However, RTILs have yet to be utilized to their full potential by microscopists and microbiologists alike. To this end, this review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of biological applications of RTILs for EM to bridge the RTIL, in situ microscopy, and biological communities. We outline future research avenues for the use of RTILs for the EM observation of biological samples, notably i) RTIL selection and optimization, ii) applications for live cell processes and iii) electron beam and ionic liquid interaction studies.     

Intelligent energy management of a fuel cell vehicle based on traffic condition recognition

Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy - This paper presents a methodological approach for intelligent control of fuel cell vehicles based on traffic condition recognition. For this purpose,...     

Finding the solution of nonlinear equations by a class of optimal methods

This paper is devoted to the study of an iterative class for numerically approximating the solution of nonlinear equations. In fact, a general class of iterations using two evaluations of the first order derivative and one evaluation of the function per computing step is presented. It is also proven that the class reaches the fourth-order convergence. Therefore, the novel methods from the class are Jarratt-type iterations, which agree with the optimality hypothesis of Kung–Traub. The derived class is further extended for multiple roots. That is to say, a general optimal quartic class of iterations for multiple roots is contributed, when the multiplicity of the roots is available. Numerical experiments are employed to support the theory developed in this work.     

Dithiocarbamate as an efficient intermediate for the synthesis of 2-(alkylthio)thiazol-4(5H)-ones

An effective approach for the synthesis of 2-(alkylthio)thiazol-4(5H)-ones from alkyl dithiocarbamates and chloroacetyl chloride in the presence of NaHCO₃ has been developed. Good to excellent yields of products, simple reaction conditions and general applicability are the most important advantages of this protocol.     

A computer-aided diagnosis system for malignant melanomas

The aim of this study is to provide an efficient way to segment the malignant melanoma images. This method first eliminates extra hair and scales using edge detection; afterward, it deduces a color image into an intensity image and approximately segments the image by intensity thresholding. Some morphological operations are used to focus on an image area where a melanoma boundary potentially exists and then used to localize the boundary in that area. The distributions of texture and a new feature known as AIBQ features in the next step provide a good discrimination of skin lesions to feature extraction. Finally, we rely on quantitative image analysis to measure a series of candidate attributes hoped to contain enough information to differentiate malignant from benign melanomas. The selected features are applied to a support vector machine to classify the melanomas as malignant or benign. By our approach, we obtained 95 % correct classification of malignant or benign melanoma on real melanoma images.     

New approach to bidding strategies of generating companies in day ahead energy market

In the restructured power systems, generating companies (Genco) are responsible for selling their product in the energy market. In this condition, the question is how much and for what price must each Genco generate to maximize its profit. Therefore, this paper intends to propose a rational method to answer this question. In the proposed methodology, the hourly forecasted market clearing price (FMCP) is used as a reference to model the possible and probable price strategies of Gencos. The forecasted price is the basis of the bidding strategies of each Genco, which can be achieved by solving a bi-level optimization problem using GAMS (general algebraic modeling system) language. The first level, called upper sub-problem is used to maximize the individual Genco’s payoffs for obtaining the optimal offered quantity of Gencos. The second one, hereafter called the lower sub-problem uses the results of the upper sub-problem and minimizes the consumer’s payment with regard to the technical and network constraints, which leads to the awarded generation of the Gencos. Similar to the other game problems, the Nash equilibrium strategies are the optimum bidding strategies of Gencos. A six bus system is employed to illustrate the application of the proposed method and to show its high precision and capabilities.     

Dimensionless number for identification of flow patterns inside a T-micromixer

Results are presented from a numerical study examining the flow dynamics of the liquid phase inside T-type micromixers. The main aim of the study was to determine an identification number for the differentiation of the different flow regimes in the liquid phase in T-type micromixers. The critical value for the identification number at which the transition from vortex flow to engulfment flow occurs was obtained. The results were used to optimize the geometrical parameters and the operating conditions to achieve high mixing performance for the liquid phase in T-type micromixers. The model results were found to be consistent with experimental data for different T-mixers available in the literature.     

Numerical Investigations of Fluid Flow and Lateral Fluid Dispersion in Bounded Granular Beds in a Cylindrical Coordinates System

Results are presented from a numerical study examining the flow of a viscous, incompressible fluid through a random packing of non‐overlapping spheres at moderate Reynolds numbers, spanning a wide range of flow conditions for porous media. By using a laminar model including inertial terms and assuming rough walls, numerical solutions of the Navier‐Stokes equations in three‐dimensional porous packed beds resulted in dimensionless pressure drops in excellent agreement with those reported in a previous study. This observation suggests that no transition to turbulence could occur in the range of the Reynolds number studied. For flows in the Forchheimer regime, numerical results are presented of the lateral dispersivity of solute continuously injected into a three‐dimensional bounded granular bed at moderate Peclet numbers. In addition to numerical calculations, to describe the concentration profile of solute, an approximate solution for the mass transport equation in a bounded granular bed in a cylindrical coordinates system is proposed. Lateral fluid dispersion coefficients are then calculated by fitting the concentration profiles obtained from numerical and analytical methods. Comparing the present numerical results with data available in the literature, no evidence has been found to support the speculations by others for a transition from laminar to turbulent regimes in porous media at a critical Reynolds number.