Novel Kernel Function With a Hyperbolic Barrier Term to Primal-dual Interior Point Algorithm for SDP Problems

In this paper, we introduce for the first time a new eligible kernel function with a hyperbolic barrier term for semidefinite programming(SDP). This add a new type of functions to the class of eligible kernel functions. We prove that the interior-point algorithm based on the new kernel function meets O(n^3/4 logε/n)iterations as the worst case complexity bound for the large-update method. This coincides with the complexity bound obtained by the first kernel function with a trigonometri...     

Qualitative possibilistic influence diagrams based on qualitative possibilistic utilities

This paper proposes a new approach for decision making under uncertainty based on influence diagrams and possibility theory. The so-called qualitative possibilistic influence diagrams extend standard influence diagrams in order to avoid difficulties attached to the specification of both probability distributions relative to chance nodes and utilities relative to value nodes. In fact, generally, it is easier for experts to quantify dependencies between chance nodes qualitatively via possibility distributions and to provide a preferential relation between different consequences. In such a case, the possibility theory offers a suitable modeling framework. Different combinations of the quantification between chance and utility nodes offer several kinds of possibilistic influence diagrams. This paper focuses on qualitative ones and proposes an indirect evaluation method based on their transformation into possibilistic networks. The proposed approach is implemented via a possibilistic influence diagram toolbox (PIDT).     

Investigation of electrocoagulation reactor design parameters effect on the removal of cadmium from synthetic and phosphate industrial wastewater

This study investigates the effect of reactor design parameters on cadmium removal from industrial wastewater discharged by the Tunisian Chemical Group (TCG) to improve as much as possible efficiency and cost of electrocoagulation (EC) process. Based on an examination of the design parameters one by one, the best cadmium removal was achieved for an inter-electrode distance (d_ie) of 0.5 cm, monopolar connection mode, stirring speed of 300 rev min^?1, surface-area-to-volume ratio (S/V) of 13.6 m^?1, and an initial temperature of 50 °C. These operating conditions are allowed to achieve efficient removal in a relatively short operating time with the lowest energy consumption and cost possible. The present study proved that the parameters that have an effect on the operating cost are the electrode configuration, inter-electrode distance and S/V ratio. The energy consumption, the pH evolution, and the treatment cost were studied. The investigation of the effect of all the selected optimum EC design parameters together on the removal of cadmium from the TCG wastewater proved that the treatment was highly efficient; 100% of cadmium removal was reached in 5 min, with a very low power consumption (1.6 kW h m^?3) and very low cost (0.116 TND m^?3). Moreover, EC was found to be capable of removing cadmium as well as other pollutants at the same time from the case-study industrial wastewater. The investigation carried out in this work explores and proposes a very cost-effective treatment method to remove heavy metals from industrial wastewater if compared to results reported about cost of this treatment process through other widely used technologies such as coagulation (4.36 Tunisian National Dinar (TND) m^?3) and precipitation (9.96 TND m^?3) employed in previous studies.     

Speciation of Fe(II) and Fe(III) effect on CaCO3 crystallization

The present work was carried out to investigate separately the effect of Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ on the precipitation kinetics and the microstructure of CaCO₃. For this an experimental procedure was proposed. Precipitation tests were made by using the dissolved‐CO₂ degassing method. Both air and nitrogen were employed to strip the CO₂ from a Ca(HCO₃)₂ solution initially rich in this gas. At anoxic medium, it was shown that iron (II) prolongs the nucleation step and decelerates the crystalline growth rate. X‐ray diffraction analysis shows that its presence inhibits calcite and promotes aragonite variety. By using air, the reaction medium is rich in oxygen and iron (II) is rapidly oxidized. Seeing the higher solution pH (> 6.5), iron hydroxide forms before the onset of CaCO₃ precipitation and plays a role of seed permitting to initiate CaCO₃ nucleation. So, contrary to the observed effect of iron (II), the presence of iron (III) accelerates the precipitation rate of CaCO₃. As for iron (II), iron (III) inhibits calcite formation but favored the vaterite variety instead of the aragonite one.     

Gastroprotective Effect of Microencapsulated Myrtus communis Essential Oil against Ethanol/HCl-Induced Acute Gastric Lesions

Myrtus communis L. essential oil (EO), mainly composed of myrtenyl acetate (30.6%), linalool (14.9%), α-pinene (11.10%) and 1,8-cineole or eucalyptol (9.9%), was microencapsulated with maltodextrin by emulsification and spray-drying, reaching a yield and efficiency of 43.7 and 48.7%, respectively. The microencapsulated myrtle EO (MMEO) was then evaluated regarding its gastroprotective activity in a model of ethanol/HCl-induced acute gastric ulcer in Wistar rats. Pretreatment with MMEO induced a remarkable inhibition of gastric lesions and acidity, correlated to high healing and protection percentages. Moreover, it exerted a potent anti-inflammatory effect on the gastric mucosa, counteracting EtOH-induced gastric lipoperoxidation and preventing the depletion of the antioxidant enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Taken together, the gastroprotective action of encapsulated MMEO may be multi-factorial, and ascribable, at least in parts, to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.