Influence of dose and ion concentration on formation of binary Al–Ni alloy nanoclusters

Colloidal Al–Ni nanoclusters were prepared in an aqueous polyvinyl alcohol solution containing aluminum chloride and nickel chloride as metal precursors, polyvinyl alcohol as a capping agent, isopropanol as a scavenger of hydroxyl radicals, and distilled water as a solvent. Gamma irradiations were carried out in a ⁶⁰Co gamma source chamber at doses up to 100 kGy. The nanocluster properties were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV–visible spectrophotometry, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). By controlling the dose and precursor concentration, nanoclusters with different particle sizes were obtained. The average particle diameter increased with increase of precursor concentration and decreased with increase of dose. This is owing to the competition between nucleation, growth, and aggregation processes in the formation of nanoclusters during irradiation.     

Semi-empirical study of ortho-cresol photo degradation in manganese-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles suspensions

ABSTRACT: The optimization processes of photo degradation are complicated and expensive when it is performed with traditional methods such as one variable at a time. In this research, the condition of ortho-cresol (o-cresol) photo degradation was optimized by using a semi empirical method. First of all, the experiments were designed with four effective factors including irradiation time, pH, photo catalyst's amount, o-cresol concentration and photo degradation % as response by response surface methodology (RSM). The RSM used central composite design (CCD) method consists of 30 runs to obtain the actual responses. The actual responses were fitted with the second order algebraic polynomial equation to select a model (suggested model). The suggested model was validated by a few numbers of excellent statistical evidences in analysis of variance (ANOVA). The used evidences include high Fvalue (143.12), very low P-value (<0.0001), non-significant lack of fit, the determination coefficient (R2 = 0.99) and the adequate precision (47.067). To visualize the optimum, the validated model simulated the condition of variables and response (photo degradation %) by a few number of three dimensional plots (3D). To confirm the model, the optimums were performed in laboratory. The results of performed experiments were quite close to the predicted values. In conclusion, the study indicated that the model is successful to simulate the optimum condition of o-cresol photo degradation under visible-light irradiation by manganese doped ZnO nanoparticles.     

A harmony search algorithm for university course timetabling

One of the main challenges for university administration is building a timetable for course sessions. This is not just about building a timetable that works, but building one that is as good as possible. In general, course timetabling is the process of assigning given courses to given rooms and timeslots under specific constraints. Harmony search algorithm is a new metaheuristic population-based algorithm, mimicking the musical improvisation process where a group of musicians play the pitches of their musical instruments together seeking a pleasing harmony. The major thrust of this algorithm lies in its ability to integrate the key components of population-based methods and local search-based methods in a simple optimization model. In this paper, a harmony search and a modified harmony search algorithm are applied to university course timetabling against standard benchmarks. The results show that the proposed methods are capable of providing viable solutions in comparison to previous works.     

Accurate analysis of a high data rate UWB-DTR system in dense multipath fading channels

In this paper, we develop an analytical framework to evaluate the exact bit error rate (BER) performance of a high data rate Ultra-Wideband Differential Transmitted-Reference (UWB-DTR) system over a perfect IEEE 802.15.3a Channel Model 1 (CM1). Our analytical framework includes noise, inter-path/pulse interference (IPI), inter-symbol interference (ISI), and log-normal fading. We consider log-normal fading, which is an essential characteristic of CM1, for the first time. We show that the UWB-DTR system reaches an error floor in the high data rate mode of operation. It is shown that in high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regimes both the faded and the unfaded performance curves converge. The exact BER performance of the DTR system in CM1 is also derived via simulations to justify the derived formulas. Both the analytical and the simulation results show that the DTR-UWB receiver is too susceptible to a small change in the integration interval.     

EFFECT OF COMPOSITION AND PROCESSING CONDITION ON MICROSTRUCTURAL PROPERTIES AND DURABILITY OF FLUOROPOLYMER/ACRYLIC BLENDS

Fluoropolymer blends have been widely used as binders for exterior coatings because of their excellent resistance to ultra-violet (UV) radiation as well as to many corrosive chemical agents.It is known that the fluorinated component usually has a lower glass transition temperature and easily crystallizes in the final structure depending upon the blend composition and sample annealing condition.We investigated the effect of blend composition and annealing process (slow and fast cooling) on the surface mor...     

Shortest Path Problem on a Network with Imprecise Edge Weight

A network with its arc lengths as imprecise number, instead of a real number, namely, interval number and triangular fuzzy number is considered here. Existing ideas on addition and comparison between two imprecise numbers of same type are introduced. To obtain a fuzzy shortest path from a source vertex to all other vertices, a common algorithm is developed which works well on both types of imprecise numbers under consideration. In the proposed algorithm, a decision-maker is to negotiate with the obtained fuzzy shortest paths according to his/her view only when the means are same but the widths are different of the obtained paths. Otherwise, a fuzzy optimal path is obtained to which the decision-maker always satisfies with different grades of satisfaction. All pairs fuzzy shortest paths can be found by repeated use of the proposed algorithm.     

The Role of the Pars Recta and Pars Oblique of Cricothyroid Muscle in Speech Production

To evaluate the functional difference of the pars recta and pars oblique during speech production, the electromyographic activities of these muscles were measured in thyroidectomized patients. The hooked wire electrodes were inserted into the normal side of the bellies of the pars recta and pars oblique bundles. Two kinds of sentences were used to obtain pitch changes, a simple interrogative sentence and a complex sentence with stress contrasts. The pars recta and pars oblique were simultaneously activated for initial lengthening and tensing of vocal folds to produce speech. The pars oblique might be initially more active than the pars recta at the initial task of speech and the pars recta might be more active at the pitch elevation in the interrogative sentence and the stress contrast of the complex sentence. The maximum electromyographic activity range of the pars recta and pars oblique seemed to be nearly equal. These results demonstrated that the patterns of electrical activities of the two bellies are different during speech and the combined activities of the pars recta and pars oblique are important in the adjustment of the vocal fold length during speech.     

Validated spectrophotometric methods for the determination of amiodarone hydrochloride in commercial dosage forms using p-chloranilic acid and 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone.

Two simple, sensitive and economical spectrophotometric methods have been developed for the determination of amiodarone hydrochloride in pure form and commercial dosage form. These methods (A and B) are based on the reaction of amiodarone base as n-electron donor with p-chloranilic acid and 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone (DDQ) as pi-acceptors to give highly colored complex species which absorb maximally at 535 and 570 nm, respectively. Beer's law is obeyed in the concentration ranges 10.0 - 360.0 and 2.0 - 65.0 microg ml(-1) for methods A and B, respectively. Application of the proposed methods to commercial pharmaceutical tablets are presented.     

Functional model of oxomolybdoenzymes: Synthesis and characterization of a molybdenum complex with sulphur and pterin ligands exhibiting saturation kinetics with pyridine N-oxide

Redox reaction between 6-acetonylisoxanthopterin (H₂pte) and [Mo^VIO₂ (ssp)] [ssp = anion of 2-(salicylideneamino) benzenethiol] in CH₃OH-C₂H₅OH medium produces a new mixed ligand compound [Mo^IV (ssp) (Hpte) (OCH₃)] (1). It has been characterized by elemental analysis, ESMS data, UV-Vis, IR,¹HNMR (1D and 2D) spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. Kinetics of formation of this compound as well as that of its reaction with pyridine N-oxide have been followed spectrophotometrically. Both the reactions follow substrate saturation kinetics and involve metal-centred oxygen atom transfer process. Large negative values of entropy of activation indicate the operation of associative mechanism.