Experimental Investigation Research Articles

Graph neural network based human detection in videos during occlusion environments

One of the most difficult perceptual problems for many applications is accurately recognizing the human object in a variety of circumstances. This can be difficult due to obstructions, weather, complex backdrops, cast shadows, and occlusions. Occlusion is a challenging open problem where a detector can only perceive a portion of the target human because of obstacles in the surrounding. In this research, an experimental investigation was conducted using the multi object tracking (MOT17) datasets to construct a graph neural network-based solution for the detection of humans in videos while considering the possibility of occlusion. Graph neural network (GNN) is used for the construction of neural solver model for detecting human object in occlusion scenario. The results obtained shows that this proposed method offers a considerable improvement in efficiency in comparison to the ways that have been used in the past. The values obtained for the standard performance metrics are higher than the state-of-the-art methods.

Experimental investigation and thermodynamic description of the Co–Mo–Ta system

38 annealed and 30 as-cast alloys were investigated to construct the isothermal sections at 1273 and 1473 K and the liquidus surface projection of the Co–Mo–Ta system by SEM/EDS and XRD methods. The three-phase regions Co3Mo+λ3+μ and fcc(Co)+Co3Mo+λ3 at 1273 K, and the three-phase region fcc(Co)+λ3+μ at 1473 K, were determined. In the liquidus surface projection, eight primary solidification phase regions, fcc(Co), bcc(Mo, Ta), σ, μ, λ1, λ2, λ3 and CoTa2, and five invariant reactions, liq.→fcc(Co)+λ3+μ, liq.→λ1+λ3+μ, liq.+λ2→λ1+λ3, liq.+CoTa2→μ+bcc(Mo, Ta) and liq.+bcc(Mo, Ta)+σ→μ, were obtained. On the basis of the experimental results, the Co–Mo–Ta system was evaluated to obtain a set of self-consistent thermodynamic parameters by CALPHAD method.

Experimental Investigation on the Performance of Cement Mortar by Partial Replacement of the Standard Sands with Sulfide-Contained Iron Tailings

Experimental Investigation on the Performance of Cement Mortar by Partial Replacement of the Standard Sands with Sulfide-Contained Iron Tailings

Experimental Investigation on the Effect of Water Saturation on the Failure Mechanism and Acoustic Emission Characteristics of Sandstone

Experimental Investigation on the Effect of Water Saturation on the Failure Mechanism and Acoustic Emission Characteristics of Sandstone

Experimental Investigation on the Residual Flexural Behavior of 28-Year-Old Decommissioned Prestressed Concrete Voided Slab Girders

Experimental Investigation on the Residual Flexural Behavior of 28-Year-Old Decommissioned Prestressed Concrete Voided Slab Girders

Analysis of the effect of mutual inductance on reducing output current ripple of the modified DC-DC Cuk converter

DC-DC converters exhibiting minimal input and output ripple are extensively employed across a diverse range of applications. This paper presents a proposed modification to the DC-DC Cuk converter. The converter is developed by modifying a conventional Cuk DC-DC converter to exhibit boost characteristics. The DC-DC converters possess the capability to function as versatile units that can be employed in a multitude of applications, ranging from DC-DC conversion to DC-AC conversion (inversion). This paper presents a novel DC-DC converter design that aims to achieve reduced ripple in both input and output currents. By employing the principle of mutual inductance, it is possible to further mitigate the presence of ripple current. The analysis of the impact of mutual inductance on the output voltage and ripple current of the proposed converter has been conducted. The validity of the derived analytical method has been confirmed through both simulated and experimental investigations. The utilization of mutual inductance in the proposed modified Cuk converter has been demonstrated to result in reduced current ripple.

Identification and analysis of oncogenic non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms in the human NRAS gene: An exclusive in silico study

BackgroundN-ras protein is encoded by the NRAS gene and operates as GDP-GTP-controlled on/off switching. N-ras interacts with cellular signaling networks that regulate various cellular activities including cell proliferation and survival. The nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (nsSNPs)-mediated alteration can substantially disrupt the structure and activity of the corresponding protein. N-ras has been reported to be associated with numerous diseases including cancers due to the nsSNPs. A comprehensive study on the NRAS gene to unveil the potentially damaging and oncogenic nsSNPs is yet to be accomplished. Hence, this extensive in silico study is intended to identify the disease-associated, specifically oncogenic nsSNPs of the NRAS gene. ResultsOut of 140 missense variants, 7 nsSNPs (I55R, G60E, G60R, Y64D, L79F, D119G, and V152F) were identified to be damaging utilizing 10 computational tools that works based on different algorithms with high accuracy. Among those, G60E, G60R, and D119G variants were further filtered considering their location in the highly conserved region and later identified as oncogenic variants. Interestingly, G60E and G60R variants were revealed to be particularly associated with lung adenocarcinoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and prostate adenocarcinoma. Therefore, D119G could be subjected to detailed investigation for identifying its association with specific cancer. ConclusionThis in silico study identified the deleterious and oncogenic missense variants of the human NRAS gene that could be utilized for designing further experimental investigation. The outcomes of this study would be worthwhile in future research for developing personalized medicine.

Phytochemical and Pharmacological Attributes of Nerium oleander: A Review

Background: Nerium Oleander is an Indian folk medicine popularly known as oleander, contains numerous phytoconstituents and nutritional agents for the treatment of multiple ailments. Objective: The prime objective for the current comprehensive review is to focus on the elaboration of phytochemistry along with the Pharmacological significance of N. oleander. Methods: As per literature investigations it was noticed that plant contains various phytochemical constituents, including Oleandric acid, Kaneroside, Cardenolide, Nerizoside, Neritaloside, Odoroside- H,3-Ocaffeoylquinic acid along with structural isomer, 5-Ocaffeoylquinic acid, α-tocopherol, Oleandrin, Digitoxgenin along with nutritional ingredients viz essential fatty acids like omega- 3 fatty acids, and other polyphenols reported in N. oleander. Results: In recent investigations, it was observed that oleander possesses a wide range of medicinal attributes viz. anti-inflammatory, larvicidal, anti-cancer, Antidiabetic, Cellular/humoral immune response, Hepatoprotective, Wound healing, Anti-microbial, Antioxidant, Antinociceptive, Locomotor, Diuretic, and Anti leukemic activities. Conclusion: N. oleander could be an excellent candidate for discovering new medications because of its wide range of pharmacological action and the large diversity of active phytochemicals. However, to disclose the favorable therapeutic, safety, and pharmacological virtues of N. oleander and its phytoconstituents, more clinical and experimental investigations are needed.

Development of ions adsorption onto nanoparticles from water/wastewater sources via novel nanocomposite materials: A machine learning-based approach

In current decades, adsorption process of prevalent pollutants from water/wastewater source has been of paramount attention. To improve the efficiency of pollutants adsorption, various types of nanocomposite materials have been employed. The use of machine learning-based models is a highly effective and promising approach for analysing data obtained from experimental investigations. This study involves the use of three distinct regression models, namely K-nearest neighbours (KNN), Boosted multilayer perceptron (MLP), and Boosted K-nearest neighbours for the purpose of regression analysis on a limited dataset consisting of two inputs and two outputs. The input features are C0 (Initial concentration) and the type of ion, while the output parameters are Ce (equilibrium concentration) and Qe (adsorption amount). By utilizing these regression models, the study aims to extract useful insights from the available data. By tuning their hyper-parameters, the final models have been carried out, then, evaluated through various metrics. Boosted MLP and Boosted KNN both have R2-score values greater than 0.998. Also, when it comes to MAE (Mean absolute error), Boosted MLP shows 0.0755 for Ce which is more accurate than the other previously implemented methods. As a result, the Boosted MLP model illustrates the same optimized value with the dataset: (Ion = Nickel, C0 = 250, Ce = 206.0). Moreover, it is varied for Qe and equals (Ion = Mercury, C0 = 238.11, Ce = 528.52). The results indicated that machine learning models are promising in adsorption science for prediction and correlation of solute concentration data to optimize the process.

Experimental investigation on shape segregation of 3d printed particles using an ft4 freeman rheometer

This study examines how granular mixtures of differently shaped particles segregate in a Freeman (FT4) rheometer apparatus. The mixtures contained two sets of particles with varying shapes and relative sizes. While our focus was on the effect of particle shape on segregation, we recognized that even slight differences in size could lead to segregation. We specifically investigated when particles of different shapes have the same effective size, exploring three cases: 1) the largest sphere within a cubic particle (inscribed sphere), 2) the smallest sphere enclosing a cubic particle (circumscribed sphere), and 3) a sphere and cube with equal volume. Our key finding indicates that binary mixtures of cubical and spherical particles can significantly segregate either axially or radially in the particle bed with a circumscribed sphere configuration. We propose that the primary mechanism for this is percolation and additionally, in the case of radial segregation, ordering of cubes adjacent to the cylinder wall.

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Ballistic Impact Response of Polymethylmetacrylate

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Ballistic Impact Response of Polymethylmetacrylate

Combined experimental and CALPHAD investigation of equimolar AlCoCrFeNiX (X=Mo,Ta,W) High-Entropy Alloys

Aiming to evaluate the effect of refractory metal additions to a quinary AlCoCrFeNi High-Entropy Alloy (HEA), three novel equimolar AlCoCrFeNi-X (X = Mo, Ta, W) HEAs were designed, arc-melted, annealed, and characterized by SEM-EDS, XRD and microhardness measurements. CALPHAD thermodynamic calculations were exploited to design compositions and thermal treatments of the selected HEAs as well as to predict constitution and interpret microstructure of the samples. On the other hand, the experimental results contributed to the validation of the in-house built GHEA thermodynamic database (including the Al, Co, Cr, Fe, Ni, Mo, Ta, W elements) used for the calculations. No TCP intermetallic was found to form in the quinary AlCoCrFeNi alloy. However, the formation of σ, Laves-C14 and μ phases was observed in the samples containing Mo, Ta, and W, respectively, in agreement with the most accepted VEC-based phases stabilization criteria. The addition of the refractory metals led to a microhardness increase for all the investigated alloys. Overall, good agreement was observed between experiments and calculations, especially for compositional trends and phase amounts, allowing the database validation and supporting its applicability to phase equilibria simulation in the six-component HEAs belonging to the Al–Co–Cr–Fe–Ni-X (X = Mo, Ta, W) systems.

Experimental and numerical investigation on heat transfer analysis of square slotted pin-fin heat sinks

This paper introduces two novel designs of pin-fin heat sink (PHFS), namely the inline slotted pin-fin (ISP) and the V-shaped slotted pin-fin (VSP), to address rapid heat dissipation for one central/graphics processing unit (CPU/GPU) in a single-phase liquid cooling system. Experimental and numerical investigations are conducted to observe the effect of heat transfer for non-slotted and slotted pin-fin heat sinks under different Reynolds numbers (225-720) and heating powers (90-120 W). Parameters such as average wall temperature, Nusselt number, thermal resistance, pressure drop, and hydrothermal performance factor are evaluated. Comparative analyses show that the slotted pin-fin heat sinks exhibit higher Nusselt numbers (Nu) and lower thermal resistance (Rth) levels than that in the non-slotted pin-fin heat sinks, particularly at lower Reynolds numbers. At the Reynolds number 225 and power of 120 W, the inline and V-shaped slotted pin-fin heat sinks experience a 13.98% and 19.69% increase in Nu and a 12.65% and 15.41% reduction in Rth compared to the non-slotted one, respectively. The V-shaped slotted pin-fin heat sink achieves more than 5 ∘C reduction in the maximum wall temperature than the non-slotted one. The slotted structure reduces pressure drop losses by minimizing dead flow areas on one hand. On the other hand, the inclined slots generate vortices behind the fins, increase shear-induced mixing and thus improve the force convection cooling performance.

Bond behaviour of staggered/non-staggered lap-spliced GFRP bars in concrete

This paper reports on the results of an experimental and analytical investigation into the bond behaviour of glass fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) splices in concrete. Eleven full-scale beam specimens in which GFRP bars were spliced within the constant-moment zone are examined. The study incorporates several key test variables, encompassing the ratio of bars lapped (33%, 50%, and 100%), surface characteristics (including sand-coated, ribbed, and wrapped bars), bar diameter (12 mm and 16 mm), and splice length (ranging from 30 to 40 times the bar diameter). The findings reveal a reduction in bond strength ranging from 12 to 24% for staggered bars when compared to their non-staggered counterparts. Furthermore, an increase in bar diameter is shown to decrease bond strength by 16%, whilst surface treatment also influences both bond strength and the pattern of cracking in the splice region. Increasing the splice length from 30 to 40 times the bar diameter enhances bar failure stress by 26%, but it also reduces the average bond strength by 9%. A new predictive equation for the design bond strength of fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) bars is developed by utilizing a data base of 151 test results. The predicted bond strengths demonstrate greater consistency with experimental outcomes in comparison to previous models.

Experimental and analytical investigation of the tensile mechanism of textile-reinforced mortar (TRM) composites and fabric grids in elevated temperatures

The textile-reinforced mortar (TRM) combines high-strength fabric textiles with cementitious mortar matrix to enhance mechanical behaviour and durability, especially at high temperatures. The current study investigated how basalt, carbon, and glass textile grids and TRM composites respond under direct tensile and thermal loading up to 800 ℃. Changes in microstructure were analyzed using scan electron microscopy (SEM), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), and ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV). The results indicated that temperature significantly affected the coating material and cementitious mortar, weakening the grids and composite specimens. Carbon and glass fibre grids proved more resilient, and the carbon and glass TRM reduced 50% of their ultimate stress at 500 ℃, while for basalt TRM is 200 ℃. A slight gain of strength was observed for all TRM specimens at 300 ℃, and SEM analysis revealed critical changes in the mortar matrix and interfacial transition region. The results were further utilized to calibrate the Gibson model considering humidity and early-stage coating material changes, and yielding results consistent with experimental data.

Experimental investigation of a hybrid photovoltaic-thermal energy system for hot air production

Solar energy as a non-fossil alternative energy source has become the best choice to overcome the problem of energy demand in most countries in the world. There are two different techniques to convert solar energy: photovoltaic (PV) panels to produce electricity and thermal collectors to generate heat. The two technologies can be combined to provide electrical and thermal energy either simultaneously or separately. In order to optimize the performance of a hybrid photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) solar air heater, it is necessary to collect experimental data on solar irradiation and temperature. This paper emphasized the development of a PVT energy system for hot air production in a temperature range of 50-55 °C. Additionally, experiments were constructed to monitor the information acquired from the proposed PVT solar air heater and the environment, such as hot air temperature, ambient temperature, and solar irradiation. The real-time monitoring system was set for five sample days. A microcontroller unit was used to control the hot air temperature and save the measurement data into memory. The experimental results showed that the proposed PVT solar air heater is capable of maintaining a certain level of hot air temperature throughout the day and night.

Experimental investigation of bidirectional series resonant DC-DC converter in different operating modes

This paper presents a study of bidirectional series resonant DC/DC converter. The main operating modes of the converter with phase-shift control technique are observed. An experimental survey with a laboratory model of such type of converter working over the resonant frequency is made. The functionality of the studied device operating in a wide area of loading is demonstrated with waveforms of the main parameters. The conducted measurements are used to build the experimental output characteristics of the converter. A similarity of the experimental results with the theoretical are denoted, and the ability to achieve current source characteristics for the whole range of loading is proven. The possibility of the studied converter for operation both in forward and reverse modes of energy flow is proved, which positions the device as an appropriate variant for implementation in the storage system control area.

Schiff Bases: Versatile Mediators of Medicinal and Multifunctional Advancements

Abstract: This review aims to shed light on the profound implications of Schiff Bases in combating a spectrum of pathogens by delving into their complex classification, synthesis, and reactions. The investigation also covers the varied molecular properties of Schiff bases, highlighting their potential use as chelating agents in coordination chemistry. Moreover, the investigation explores the discerning nature of Schiff Bases about metal ions and their adeptness in establishing intricate associations, highlighting their significance in metal coordination chemistry and specialized pharmaceutical transport mechanisms. Moreover, the review delves into the synthetic capacity of Schiff Bases, highlighting their importance in synthetic methodologies due to their exceptional adaptability, selectivity, and structural similarity to organic compounds. The methodology employs a rigorous systematic literature review to understand Schiff Bases comprehensively. This involves a meticulous analysis of various research articles and publications, allowing for a comprehensive exploration of the topic. The assessment of experimental investigations contributes to comprehending their molecular attributes, specificity for metal ions, and capacity for synthesis. The presented analysis amalgamates a multitude of sources to provide a nuanced and comprehensive viewpoint on the subject matter of Schiff Bases. The findings underscore the multifaceted utility of Schiff Bases in the fight against pathogens, their adaptability as chelating compounds, and their discerning affinity for metal ions. The examination of synthesis highlights their profound importance in synthetic methodologies and their striking resemblance to compounds found in living organisms. In conclusion, this analysis reveals Schiff Bases as highly adaptable compounds with potential in antimicrobial therapy, coordination chemistry, and precision drug delivery. The distinctive molecular attributes of these substances, functioning as chelators, contribute to their notable importance. The ability of Schiff bases to form complexes and their preference for metal ions highlight the wide range of applications for these molecules. Schiff Bases have a transformative effect on chemistry and medicine as we investigate their synthetic potential, driven by their versatility and structural similarity to biological compounds.

Role of aloe vera based nanofluids for cool thermal energy storage system: A comparative study

The present experimental investigation incorporates the preparation of aloe vera gel-based phase change nanofluid (NFPCM) for a cool thermal energy storage (CTES) system. Two sets of NFPCMs were produced by adding graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) in deionized water and aloe vera gel (0.20 wt%, 0.40 wt%, and 0.60 wt%). The zeta potential analysis shows that the NFPCM with aloe vera gel is more stable even after 60 days from the preparation (−44 mV). The thermal conductivity of NFPCMs was analyzed through the transient hot wire method and the enhancement of 42 %, and 37.5 % were measured in the ice phase for NFPCMs with aloe vera gel and DI water (0.60 wt%) respectively at the heat transfer fluid temperature of −15 °C. The NFPCMs with aloe vera gel show that the addition of GNP prepended the peak melting temperature from −16 °C to −10.5 °C, which is due to the quick formation of nuclei as compared to NFPCMs with DI water. Additionally, a slight reduction in the latent heat of only 7 % was observed. The charging characteristics of NFPCMs were studied in a single spherical capsule at −8 °C. The maximum reduction in total charging time of 25 % was recorded for the aloe vera gel-based NFPCM with a maximum concentration of GNP (0.60 wt%). The green synthesis of aloe vera gel-based NFPCM exhibited noteworthy enhancements in thermophysical properties. Additionally, it was observed that the long-term stability of the NFPCM was achieved by excluding surfactants during the preparation process. The incorporation of graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) into aloe vera gel as the foundational phase change material (PCM) facilitates the partial charging of the CTES system with a reduced energy input.

Experimental investigation of the small-scale prototype of the dew point water recovery system

The article presents experimental investigation of the Dew Point Water Recovery (DPWR) system designed for clean water recovery using the dew point cooling phenomenon. The technology is a novel distillation process which allows for highly efficient water recovery. It is a first distillation technology which allows for water distillation through direct contact with atmospheric air. The authors designed, built, and tested an original prototype of a laboratory-scale DPWR system to verify its basic operating principles and perform performance analysis. It was shown that on average 10 × 10−6 m3 of clean water could be recovered from each cubic meter of the supply air with an average GOR of 1.9. Although the operation of the DPWR system requires electricity to drive fans, pumps and other associated equipment, the actual driving force of the system is thermal energy. The average thermal energy demand of the DPWR system was 370 kWh/m3, and more than half of this energy was based on the thermodynamic potential of the supply air. Based on experimental data, the mathematical model of the DPWR system was verified and it was found that the average relative discrepancy in predicting air temperature did not exceed 8%, and in predicting air humidity: 5%. The conducted experiments confirmed that the proposed DPWR system is feasible and has the potential to fill the technological gap in terms of a low-energy and easily accessible water recovery method.