Deep transfer modeling for classification of Maize Plant Leaf Disease

Multimedia Tools and Applications - Currently, Deep Learning is playing an influential role for Image analysis and object classification. Maize’s diseases reduce production that subsequently...     

Multi-objective particle swarm optimisation based integrated production inventory routing planning for efficient perishable food logistics operations

Sustainable and efficient food supply chain has become an essential component of one’s life. The model proposed in this paper is deeply linked to people's quality of life as a result of which there is a large incentive to fulfil customer demands through it. This proposed model can enhance food quality by making the best possible food quality accessible to customers, construct a sustainable logistics system considering its environmental impact and ensure the customer demand to be fulfilled as fast as possible. In this paper, an extended model is examined that builds a unified planning problem for efficient food logistics operations where four important objectives are viewed: minimising the total expense of the system, maximising the average food quality along with the minimisation of the amount of CO₂ emissions in transportation along with production and total weighted delivery lead time minimisation. A four objective mixed integer linear programming model for intelligent food logistics system is developed in the paper. The optimisation of the formulated mathematical model is proposed using a modified multi-objective particle swarm optimisation algorithm with multiple social structures: MO-GLNPSO (Multi-Objective Global Local Near-Neighbour Particle Swarm Optimisation). Computational results of a case study on a given dataset as well as on multiple small, medium and large-scale datasets followed by sensitivity analysis show the potency and effectiveness of the introduced method. Lastly, there has been a scope for future study displayed which would lead to the further progress of these types of models.     

Spray dryer processed graphene oxide/reduced graphene oxide for high-performance supercapacitor

This study deals with the utility of mini spray dryer process to improve the dispersibility, of graphene oxide(GO) and its application for high-performance supercapacitor. Initially, the neutral solution of GO was obtained using the modified Hummer's method. After this, the prepared GO solution was processed by mini spray dryer to obtain a more purified, lighter, and dispersed form of GO which is named as spray dryer processed GO (SPGO). The SPGO thus obtained showed excellent dispersibility behavior with various solvents, which is not found in case of conventional oven drying. Furthermore, utility of SPGO and its reduced form (r-SPGO) for supercapacitor applications have been investigated. Results obtained from the cyclic voltammetry(CV) analysis, impedance, and charge-discharge behavior of supercapacitor fabricated using r-SPGO shows enhanced features. Therefore, the simple spray dried GO and its reduced form, that is, r-SPGO can be utilized as a potential candidate for the supercapacitor application. Herein, as synthesized SPGO exhibited the specific capacitance of 12.07 and 37.6 F/g with PVA-H₃PO₄ and 1 mol/L H₃PO₄, respectively, at a scan rate of 5 mV/s. On the other hand, reduced form of SPGO, that is, r-SPGO showed the specific capacitance of 27.16 and 230 F/g with PVA-H₃PO₄ and 1 mol/L H₃PO₄, respectively.     

Identifying crop water stress using deep learning models

Neural Computing and Applications - The identification of water stress is a major challenge for timely and effective irrigation to ensure global food security and sustainable agriculture. Several...     

Large Area Self-Assembled Ultrathin Polyimine Nanofilms Formed at the Liquid–Liquid Interface Used for Molecular Separation

Separation membranes with higher molecular weight cut-offs are needed to separate ions and small molecules from a mixed feed. The molecular sieving phenomenon can be utilized to separate smaller species with well-defined dimensions from a mixture. Here, the formation of freestanding polyimine nanofilms with thicknesses down to ≈14 nm synthesized via self-assembly of pre-synthesized imine oligomers is reported. Nanofilms are fabricated at the water–xylene interface followed by reversible condensation of polymerization according to the Pieranski theory. Polyimine nanofilm composite membranes are made via transferring the freestanding nanofilm onto ultrafiltration supports. High water permeance of 49.5 L m^-2 h⁻¹ bar⁻¹ is achieved with a complete rejection of brilliant blue-R (BBR; molecular weight = 825 g mol⁻¹) and no more than 10% rejection of monovalent and divalent salts. However, for a mixed feed of BBR dye and monovalent salt, the salt rejection is increased to ≈18%. Membranes are also capable of separating small dyes (e.g., methyl orange; MO; molecular weight = 327 g mol⁻¹) from a mixed feed of BBR and MO. Considering a thickness of ≈14 nm and its separation efficiency, the present membrane has significance in separation processes.     

Enhancement of thermal,mechanical, ignition and damping response of magnesium using nano-ceria particles

Magnesium (Mg)-based nanocomposites owing to their low density and biocompatibility are being targeted for transportation and biomedical sectors. In order to support a sustainable environment, the prime aim of this study was to develop non-toxic magnesium-based nanocomposites for a wide spectrum of applications. To support this objective, cerium oxide nanoparticles (0.5?vol%, 1?vol%, and 1.5?vol%) reinforced Mg composites are developed in this study using blend-press-sinter powder metallurgy technique. The microstructural studies exhibited limited amounts of porosity in Mg and Mg-CeO₂ samples (< 1%). Increasing presence of CeO₂ nanoparticles (up to 1.5?vol%) led to a progressive increase in microhardness, dimensional stability, damping capacity and ignition resistance of magnesium. The compressive strengths increased with the increasing addition of the nanoparticles with a significant enhancement in the fracture strain (up to ~48%). Superior energy absorption was observed for all the composite samples prior to compressive fracture. Further, enhancement in thermal, mechanical and damping characteristics of pure Mg is correlated with microstructural changes due to the presence of the CeO₂ nanoparticles.     

High slew-rate CMOS operational amplifier

A 0.8 /spl mu/m CMOS operational amplifier configuration with a slew rate in excess of 2 V/ns and a unity gain bandwidth of 55 MHz with a load capacitance of 15 pF is proposed. This employs a dynamic technique that turns on a large current source when the rate of change of input is larger than a pre-decided value.     

Mixed oxide supported hydrodesulfurization catalysts—a review

Support effects form important aspect of hydrodesulfurization (HDS) studies and mixed oxide supports received maximum attention in the last two decades. This review will focus attention on studies on mixed oxide supported Mo and W catalysts. For convenience of discussion, these are divided into Al₂O₃ containing mixed oxide supports, TiO₂ containing mixed oxide supports, ZrO₂ containing mixed oxide supports and other mixed oxide supports containing all the rest. TiO₂ containing mixed oxides received maximum attention, especially TiO₂–Al₂O₃ supported catalysts. A brief discussion about their prospects for application to ultradeep desulfurization is also included. An overview of the available literature with emphasis on research carried out in our laboratory form the contents of this publication.     

A novel compact circuit for 4-PAM energy-efficient high speed interconnect data transmission and reception

Transmission of signals, whether on-chip or off-chip, places severe constraints on timing and extracts a large price in energy. New silicon device technologies, such as back-plane CMOS, provide a programmable and adaptable threshold voltage as an additional tool that can be used for low power design. We show that one particularly desirable use of this freedom is energy-efficient high-speed transmission across long interconnects using multi-valued encoding. Our multi-valued CMOS circuits take advantage of the threshold voltage control of the transistors, by using the signal-voltage-to-threshold-voltage span, in order to make area-efficient implementations of 4-PAM (pulse amplitude modulation) transceivers operating at high speed. In a comparison of a variety of published technologies, for signal transmission with interconnects of 10-15 mm length, we show up to 50% improvement in energy for on-chip signal transmission over binary encoding together with higher limits for operating speeds without a penalty in circuit noise margin.     

Critical slowing down in lead magnesium niobate–zirconate ceramic

Dielectric relaxation behaviour of (1 − x)PMN − xPZ, for x = 0.10, 0.30 and 0.40 have been studied. The nature of relaxational behaviour was found to change with PZ concentration. A crossover from a static freezing to critical slowing down like behaviour is observed with increase in Zr⁴⁺ concentration. We have used Glazounov and Tangastev criterion to distinguish freezing and critical slowing down like behaviour.