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Surface Water Mapping (SWM) is essential for studying hydrological and ecological phenomena. SWM holds significant importance in water resource management, environmental conservation, and disaster preparation. Recently, rapid urbanization, overutilization, and environmental degradation have seriously impacted surface water bodies. Rapid advancement in remote sensing data and technologies has promoted the SWM to a new era. Timely and precise SWM is crucial for water resource preservation and planning. This paper critically reviews the extraction of surface water bodies from optical sensors using Spectral Indices (SI), Machine Learning (ML), Deep Learning (DL), and Spectral unmixing with a comprehensive overview of satellite data, study areas, methodologies, results, advantages, and disadvantages, especially over the last decade. The extensive review of SWM reveals that DL outperforms ML and SI. DL outperforms other methods because it incorporates crucial elements in network design, like skip connections, dilation convolution, attention mechanisms, and residual blocks. The spectral unmixing addresses the mixed pixel misclassification problem. Some SI, ML, and DL methods are implemented, and the results are discussed. Integrating the DL technique with spectral unmixing, fusing multisource data (SAR and optical) and integrating it with ancillary data (DEM) is the future direction for improved SWM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fresh water is vital for all living creatures and maintains the hydrological cycle. Surface water bodies conserve freshwater and exhibit dynamic changes yearly due to high/low rainfall and over/underutilization. Therefore, extracting water bodies and determining their extent is imperative for effective water resource management. Water body extraction using Water Indices (WI) and Machine Learning (ML) face threshold selection and feature optimization challenges, respectively. This paper proposes a Lightweight Attention-based Multiscale Neural Network (LWAMNNet) for surface water body extraction from Linear Imaging Self Scanning‒III (LISS-III) remote sensing images. The LWAMNNet is an encoder-decoder architecture designed using a modified residual block in both the encoder and decoder to extract high-level features. Feature Extraction Module (FEM) is sandwiched between encoder and decoder to extract global contextual features. The LWAMNNet replaces convolutions with depthwise separable convolutions to reduce computation complexity. In the decoder, the attention module is incorporated to provide attention to fused features (i.e., combined deep features with spatial encoder features) at different scales. The LWAMNNet effectively extracts different-sized water bodies with non-linear boundaries. The proposed LWAMNNet qualitatively and quantitatively outperforms other DL models in performance metrics (accuracy of 99.5%) and computation complexity (in terms of trainable parameters and time). Additionally, the water extent of five major reservoirs in south India was determined annually from 2016 to 2019. Also, the reason for water dynamics is analyzed with the help of rainfall and water availability data provided by the Indian Metrological Department (IMD). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate weather forecasting plays a crucial component in everyday human life, especially in the agricultural and industrial sectors around the world. The time series prediction of meteorological variables by organizations or government agencies may assist in the decision-making process to plan their daily activities, safeguarding agricultural and water resources. However, the models used by them are computationally expensive. With the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI), a univariate time series model for forecasting average daily temperature and Relative Humidity prediction was developed using Deep Learning (DL) models. Feed-Forward Neural Networks (FFNN), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Gated Recurrent units, Bidirectional LSTM, Convolutional Neural Networks combined with LSTM (CNN+LSTM) and Convolutional LSTM (ConvLSTM) are the DL models considered for this study. In addition, the proposed models are trained and tested with different optimizers (Stochastic Gradient Descent, Root Mean Square Propagation, and Adaptive Moment Estimation (ADAM)). The experimental results show that the CNN+LSTM with ADAM optimizer is the best forecasting model for average temperature and Relative Humidity prediction, followed by ConvLSTM with ADAM optimizer compared to the other DL models. Highlights: Accurate Temperature and Relative Humidity forecasting plays an important role in planning everyday human activities in the agricultural and industrial sectors. Univariate deep learning forecasting models are designed and implemented to predict the future trends of these climatic variables. Experimental results show the CNN+LSTM outperforms other deep learning forecasting models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The food service industry is expanding quickly and is predicted to create a large number of jobs in the coming years.Indian food service industry is dominated by family owned businesses. In the post-pandemic times, the survival and sustainability of family-owned restaurants are posing a new set of challenges. Hence, this paper tries to ascertain whether the green initiatives, social engagement practices and customer centric approach have an influence on the firm performance of familyowned restaurants when they are moderated by risking taking and creative thinking abilities of the owner.The study employed a cross-sectional design and a quantitative methodology. The data was collected from 354 restaurant owners from different districts of south Indian states viz., Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa. The results revealed that green initiatives and societal engagement influenced firm performance. Customer centric approach only influenced firm performance when it was moderated by critical thinking abilities of the owner. Discussions are carried out based on the study findings and suggestions are made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to absorption, reflection, diffraction and, deplorable conditions, the capturing of underwater images present more challenges for the consumer. The proposed work focuses on Enhanced Augmented Lagrangian for image deblurring with additional performance-enhancing optical and sparse derivative prior to model the underwater imaging. The proposed method using Augmented Lagragian with Optical and Sparse Derivative prior is novel in the following ways: (i) usage of optical prior modeled after underwater imaging conditions, taking into account deformations and distortions that accompany the capture of underwater images (ii) sparse derivative prior helps to optimize fast convergence through regularization and faster computation with better edge preservation; (iii) the deblurring begins with the sparsest derivative beforehand and the final deblurred result achieving good dB improvements through sparse regulation. The weights with penalty and regularization ensure that each iteration through steep descent reaches a global minimum. The proposed algorithm performs better as compared to state-of-the-art approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water Body Extraction (WBE) is a challenging task in remote sensing, owing to the complexity of recognizing surface body objects with rich texture, spatial, spectral, temporal, and radiometric features. The use of spectral indices has shown to be successful in separating surface water from its surroundings at the cost of knowledge of appropriate threshold values. In the absence of knowledge on threshold values, extracting the water from remote sensing data is challenging, which is addressed by several Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) algorithms. However, the effectiveness of both ML and DL classifications is witnessed from visual features to semantic categories at the cost of distinct recognition between the water body and non-water body features. In this paper, a novel Multi Scale Feature Extraction Network (MSFEN) for extracting the pixel-level features from medium resolution remote sensing images is proposed and used traditional ML classifiers to extract the surface water bodies using pixel-level features extracted by MSFEN. The proposed framework is trained and tested on Linear Imaging Self Scanning Sensor – III (LISS-III) multispectral satellite images over major water reservoirs in Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha. Experimental results indicate that the proposed model MSFEN+SVM provides accurate extraction results by outperforming the existing state-of-the-art models (Fully Convolutional Network (FCN), Unet, SegNet, Multi Scale Convolutional Neural Network (MSCNN), Deepwater Map, Pyramid Scene Parsing Network (PSPNet), Improved PSPNet, Multi-scale Water Extraction Convolutional Neural Network (MWEN) and Multi-Scale Lake Water Extraction Network (MSLWENet) in terms of performance metrics considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer-based nanocomposites are being considered as replacements for conventional materials in medium to high-temperature applications. This article aims to discover the synergistic effects of reinforcements on the developed polymer-based nanocomposite. An epoxy-based polymer composite was manufactured by reinforcing graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) and h-boron nitride (h-BN) nanofillers. The composites were prepared by varying the reinforcements with the step of 0.1 from 0.1 to 0.6%. Ultrasonication was carried out to ensure the homogenous dispersion of reinforcements. Mechanical, thermal, functional, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis was carried out on the novel manufactured composites. The evaluation revealed that the polymer composite with GNP 0.2 by wt % has shown an increase in load-bearing capacity by 265% and flexural strength by 165% compared with the pristine form, and the polymer composite with GNP and h-BN 0.6 by wt % showed an increase in load-bearing capacity by 219% and flexural strength by 114% when compared with the pristine form. Furthermore, the evaluation showed that the novel prepared nanocomposite reinforced with GNP and h-BN withstands a higher temperature, around 340 °C, which is validated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) trials. The numerical simulation model is implemented to gather the synthesised nanocomposite's best composition and mechanical properties. The minor error between the simulation and experimental data endorses the model's validity. To demonstrate the industrial applicability of the presented material, a case study is proposed to predict the temperature range for compressor blades of gas turbine engines containing nanocomposite material as the substrate and graphene/h-BN as reinforcement particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of the present work was to develop a value-added product of biodegradable material for sustainable packaging. The use of agriculture waste-derived carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) mainly is to reduce the cost involved in the development of the film, at present commercially available CMS is costly. The main focus of the research is to translate the agricultural waste-derived CMC to useful biodegradable polymer suitable for packaging material. During this process CMC was extracted from the agricultural waste mainly sugar cane bagasse and the blends were prepared using CMC (waste derived), gelatin, agar and varied concentrations of glycerol; 1.5% (sample A), 2% (sample B), and 2.5% (sample C) was added. Thus, the film derived from the sample C (gelatin + CMC + agar) with 2.0% glycerol as a plasticizer exhibited excellent properties than other samples A and B. The physiochemical properties of each developed biodegradable plastics (sample A, B, C) were characterized using Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The swelling test, solubility in different solvents, oil permeability coefficient, water permeability (WP), mechanical strength of the produced material was claimed to be a good material for packaging and meanwhile its biodegradability (soil burial method) indicated their environmental compatibility nature and commercial properties. The reflected work is a novel approach, and which is vital in the conversion of organic waste to value-added product development. There is also another way to utilize commercial CMC in preparation of polymeric blends for the packaging material, which can save considerable time involved in the recovery of CMC from sugarcane bagasse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• RbCaF3:Dy3+ Phosphors were synthesized through solid state reaction technique. • Dual-luminescence properties of the RbCaF 3 :Dy3+ phosphors were investigated. • The sharp and strong emission was obtained at 484 nm for RbCaF 3 :Dy3+ phosphor. • The concentration quenching occurs at 0.06 mol% and calculated R c value is 3.91 Å. A series of Dy3+ activated RbCaF 3 phosphors was synthesized by the conventional high temperature solid state reaction technique under ambient atmosphere. The structural properties and morphology of synthesized compounds were analyzed by PXRD and FE-SEM, respectively. The chemical composition of synthesized phosphors was obtained by EDAX. The phosphor was excited at 386 nm and monitored at 484 and 574 nm, and the strongest peak was located at 484 nm (blue region). In addition, the point of RbCaF 3 :Dy3+ with calculated chromaticity coordinates in the CIE diagram was located in the yellow region. TL characteristics of the RbCaF 3 :Dy3+ phosphor was analyzed and the glow curve peak was emitted at 355 K. The symmetry factor, Balarin parameter, activation energy and frequency factor were calculated by Chen method from the TL glow curve, and the TL signal degradation was also analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Survey on the floral diversity is an important activity to assess the existing flora. This study was carried out from December 2017 to December 2018 to document the flora existing in the Udumalpet Taluk, Tiruppur District, Tamil Nadu, India. As a result, a total of 370 taxa belonging to 263 genera of 82 angiosperm families have been documented. 52% of species of them are herbaceous. Euphorbiaceae and Fabaceae with 23 taxa each, Asteraceae with 21 species, Acanthaceae with 20 species and Amaranthaceae with 18 species are observed as the dominant families. In this article, family, botanical name, habit, vernacular name and various applications of the recorded plants are enumerated systematically. Threats to these plants and possible conservation strategies are also discussed briefly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analyses of more than 2000 spectro-temporal receptive fields (STRFs) obtained from the ferret primary auditory cortex revealed their dominant encoding properties along time and frequency domains. Results showed that the peak responses of the STRFs were roughly aligned along the time axis, and enhanced low modulation components of the signal around 3 Hz. On the contrary, the peaks of the STRF population along the frequency axis varied and were distributed widely. Further analyses revealed that there were some general properties along the frequency axis around the best frequency of each STRF. The STRFs enhanced modulation frequencies around 0.25 cycles/octave. These findings are consistent with techniques that have been reported in the literature to result in improvements in speech recognition performance, highlighting the significant potential of biological insights into the design of better machines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, the structural and optical properties of borotellurite glasses co-doped with Dy 3+ ions and Ag nanoparticles were investigated. From HR-TEM analysis, the average Ag nanoparticle diameter was calculated as 13.7 ± 1 nm. The negative sign of the bonding parameter explored the ionic nature of metal-ligand (Dy O) bonds. The emission spectra exhibited three emission bands in blue, yellow and red regions corresponding to 4 F 9/2  →  6 H 15/2 , 4 F 9/2  →  6 H 13/2 and 4 F 9/2  →  6 H 11/2 transitions, respectively. The Yellow/Blue (Y/B) ratio of optimal BTD0.5A glass was found to be 1.881 and this low Y/B ratio indicated the fact that Dy 3+ ions were located in higher symmetrical ligand environment. The CCT values are found to vary from 3717 to 3800 K and hence the present glasses may emit cool white light when excited with UV lamp. The radiative parameters were calculated for all the emission transitions by using JO theory. The decay curves are found to show non-exponential behavior for all the studied glasses. The obtained results were discussed in detail and compared with similar reported glasses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past few years, significant research efforts have been directed toward improving the electrochemical capabilities of supercapacitors by advancing electrode materials. The present work signifies the development of poly(lactic acid)/alloysite nano-clay as an electrode material for supercapacitors. Physico-chemical characterizations were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, wide-angle X-ray diffraction, and a universal testing machine. Cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and galvanostatic charge–discharge techniques were employed to evaluate electrochemical characteristics. The optimized poly(lactic acid)/halloysite nano-clay film revealed the highest specific capacitance of 205.5 F g−1 at 0.05 A g−1 current density and showed 14.6 Wh kg−1 energy density at 72 W kg−1 power density. Capacitance retention of 98.48% was achieved after 1000 cycles. The microsupercapacitor device presented a specific capacitance of 197.7 mF g−1 at a current density of 0.45 mA g−1 with 10.8 mWh kg−1 energy density at 549 mW kg−1 power density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new series of Sm 3 + doped alkaliborate glasses have been prepared by melt quenching technique and their structural and spectroscopic properties were analysed employing XRD, FTIR, optical absorption, photoluminescence and decay spectral measurements in order to explore their suitability for photonic applications. The amorphous nature have been confirmed through XRD analysis and the FTIR spectra reveal the presence of fundamental stretching and bending vibrations of the borate networks in the prepared glasses. From the absorption peak positions, bonding parameter (δ) values were calculated to examine the nature of the metal-ligand bond. The optical band gap (E opt ) corresponds to the direct and indirect allowed transitions and the Urbach energies (ΔE) were calculated from the absorption spectra to understand the electronic band structure of the studied glasses. The Judd-Ofelt (JO) intensity parameters Ω λ (λ = 2, 4 and 6) were determined to explore the symmetry of the ligand environment around the Sm 3 + ions in the studied glasses. The luminescence spectra exhibit four emission bands in the visible region due to the 4 G 5/2 → 6 H 5/2 , 6 H 7/2 , 6 H 9/2 and 6 H 11/2 transitions. The radiative parameters such as transition probability (A), stimulated emission cross-section ( σ P E ), branching ratios (β R ) and radiative lifetime (τ R ) have been determined from the luminescence spectra using JO theory to ensure the suitability of the studied glasses for optoelectronic applications. The luminescence spectra were characterized through CIE 1931 chromaticity diagram to examine the dominant emission color of the studied glasses. The lifetime values of the Sm 3 + doped studied glasses pertaining to the 4 G 5/2 excited level have been determined through decay curve measurements and the non-exponential decay curves were fitted to the Inokuti-Hirayama model to analyze the energy transfer mechanism between the nearby Sm 3 + ions. The obtained results were discussed and compared with the similar reported glasses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) from bacteria are known to posses both defensive and protective functions and thus participate in community related functions. In the present study, outer membrane vesicles have been shown to protect the producer bacterium and two other bacterial species from the growth inhibitory effects of some antibiotics. The OMVs isolated from E. coli MG1655 protected the bacteria against membrane-active antibiotics colistin, melittin. The OMVs of E. coli MG1655 could also protect P. aeruginosa NCTC6751 and A. radiodioresistens MMC5 against these membrane-active antibiotics. However, OMVs could not protect any of these bacteria against the other antibiotics ciprofloxacin, streptomycin and trimethoprim. Hence, OMVs appears to protect the bacterial community against membrane-active antibiotics and not other antibiotics, which have different mechanism of actions. The OMVs of E. coli MG1655 sequester the antibiotic colistin, whereas their protein components degrade the antimicrobial peptide melittin. Proteomic analysis of OMVs revealed the presence of proteases and peptidases which appear to be involved in this process. Thus, the protection of bacteria by OMVs against antibiotics is situation dependent and the mechanism differs for different situations. These studies suggest that OMVs of bacteria form a common defense for the bacterial community against specific antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flash pulmonary edema (FPE) is a rare clinical presentation of renal artery stenosis. It is an episode of abrupt onset pulmonary edema that resolves rapidly. It occurs in patients with bilateral renal artery stenosis or unilateral renal artery stenosis with a solitary functioning kidney. We report a patient of diabetic end-stage renal disease on maintenance hemodialysis who manifested FPE on a few occasions which responded to renal revascularization. The indications of renal revascularization have been narrowed to poor blood pressure control, when progressive loss of renal function is encountered, or when circulatory congestion is a prominent feature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subgranular zone (SGZ) of the hippocampal dentate gyrus harbors neural stem cells that provide continued adult neurogenesis. The signals from the microenvironment maintain the neural stem cell population in this region. Nonetheless, the identity of these signals is largely unknown. In our study, we analyzed the existence of activated Notch1 (NICD), Hes1, and NF-kB in the SGZ of the murine hippocampus to elucidate the involvement of the Notch pathway in the maintenance of neural stem cell population in this zone. We performed immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting for the above molecules on adult and postnatal developing murine hippocampal tissues. The immunoblot analysis showed a gradual increase in the expression of NICD, Hes1, and NF-kB, as the postnatal hippocampus develops. Immunohistochemical analysis showed a highly positive immunoreactive staining for NICD, Hes1, and NF-kB in cells of the SGZ. Altogether, our own data suggest that the Notch pathway is activated in the SGZ and can play an important role in the regulation of the neural stem cell population in the above. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Human-β-defensins HBD-1–3 are important components of the innate immune system. Synthetic peptides Phd-1–3 with a single disulphide bond, spanning the cationic C-terminal region of HBD-1–3, have antimicrobial activity. The interaction of Phd-1–3 with model membranes was investigated using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and steady-state fluorescence polarization to understand the biophysical basis for the mechanism of antimicrobial action. Calorimetric titration of POPE:POPG (7:3) vesicles with peptides at 25°C and 37°C showed complex profiles with two distinct regions of heat changes. The data indicate binding of Phd-1–3 at 37°C to both negative and zwitterionic lipid vesicles is exothermic with low enthalpy values (ΔH~ −1.3 to −2.8kcal/mol) as compared to amphipathic helical antibacterial peptides. The adsorption of peptides to negatively charged lipid membranes is modulated by electrostatic interactions that are described by surface partition equilibrium model using Gouy–Chapman theory. However, this model could not explain the isotherms of peptide binding to zwitterionic lipid vesicles. Fluorescence polarization of TMA-DPH (1-[4-(trimethylammonio) phenyl]-6-phenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene) and DPH (1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene) located in the head group and acyl chain region respectively, indicates that the peptides interact with interfacial region of negatively charged membranes. Based on the results obtained, we conclude that adsorption of cationic peptides Phd-1–3 on lipid surface do not result in conformational change or pore formation. It is proposed that interaction of Phd-1–3 with the negatively charged lipid head group causes membrane destabilization, which in turn affects the efficient functioning of cytoplasmic membrane proteins in bacteria, resulting in cell death. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • Lower Ω 2 values suggest that higher symmetrical ligand environment. • Judd-Ofelt parameters for all Sm3+ doped samples were analyzed. • 4G 5/2 → 6H 7/2 of 6 mol % exhibits higher A, σ P E and β R values suitable for lasers. • KBaScSi 3 O 9 :Sm3+ acts as a novel orange-red phosphor for display systems. A new series of reddish-orange emitting KBaScSi 3 O 9 :Sm3+ phosphors prepared by a solid-state reaction method. The X-ray diffraction study confirmed the single phase of monoclinic structure. The Ω 2 , Ω 4 and Ω 6 parameters were estimated for silicate phosphors, from the absorption spectra using Judd-Ofelt theory. Photo-luminescence spectra exhibit four emission bands under the excitation at 403 nm. The radiative parameters were predicted from luminescence spectra for the prepared phosphors to check their applicability in lasing and photonic applications. However, the KBSS:0.06Sm phosphor shows higher luminescence intensity when compared to other studied phosphors and the same can be used as a potential candidate for devices emitting in the reddish-orange zone. The decay spectra traced for silicate phosphors have been used to calculate the experimental lifetimes and inter-related further with radiative lifetimes to determine the luminescence quantum efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Synthesis of Dy3+ activated KBaScSi 3 O 9 phosphors using solid state reaction method. • Energy transfer among Dy3+ ions is due exchange interaction. • 4F 9/2 → 6H 13/2 of 5 mol % exhibits higher A, σ P E and β R values suitable for laser systems. • KBaScSi 3 O 9 :Dy3+ acts as novel white light emitting silicate phosphors. A novel white light emitting silicate-based phosphor of Dy3+ activated KBaScSi 3 O 9 (x DyKBS) was prepared by a conventional solid state method. Powder X-ray diffraction patterns represent the pure phase of synthesized materials that was formed with monoclinic structure. The metal–ligand bonding nature and electronic band structure have been examined optical absorption spectra. The luminescence emission curves of the silicate phosphors display an intense yellow emission peak at 579 nm and a blue emission peak at 491 nm. Among the emission bands, the band observed in the yellow region due to 4F 9/2 →6H 13/2 transition was found to be higher intensity. The radiative parameters like transition probabilities (A R), branching ratios (β R) and stimulated emission cross-section (σ P E) values were calculated using Judd–Ofelt parameters and refractive index values for the observed transitions in emission spectra. The life time measurements were made for 4F 9/2 → 6H 13/2 transition of all the studied samples by keeping an excitation at 350 nm and emission at 579 nm and decay curves were fitted to bi-exponential fitting method. The CCT values obtained from the color coordinates suggested that present x DyKBS phosphors can emit warm and neutral white light depending upon the dopant concentration under near-UV excitation. Our results demonstrated that the optimum concentration 0.05DyKBS phosphor can be successfully utilized as a promising and potential candidate for various innovative photonic applications like warm white LEDs, solar cells, optical sensors and lasers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of radiation attenuation materials with lean cross-sections is the need of the hour. However, the inherent threat of radiations accompanying these processes is of major concern. Thus, in an attempt to shield unnecessary radiations, several novel materials have been fabricated alongside the conventional materials available. Yet, there is a need for cost-effective, efficient shielding materials that have good mechanical strength and effective shielding properties. The present work investigates ceramic composite behaviors and radiation shielding capacity reinforced with lead oxide nano-powder. Developed nano-lead-based cement composites were subjected to mechanical tests to determine flexural and compressive strengths to check their suitability for structural applications. Further, the gamma attenuation test of the composites was conducted to determine their neutron absorption capacity. The addition of nano-leadoxide in the control beams was varied from 0.7 to 0.95 and 1 wt.% of the ceramic matrix. The percentage of nano-leadoxide that gives the best results in both enhanced properties and economic aspects was determined to be 0.6 wt.% of the cement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis and characterization of membrane proteins and hydrophobic peptides by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) is a considerable challenge because of their lower ionization efficiency. Detergents are used to solubilize hydrophobic peptides and proteins. However, in MALDI-MS, the presence of detergents can cause considerable loss of signal intensity. The extent of interference depends on the matrix/sample preparation method and experimental conditions. In the present study, we have analyzed the MALDI response of multiple fatty acylated peptides in the presence of the matrices α-cyano-4-hydroxy cinnamic acid (HCCA) and 2,5-dihydroxy benzoic acid (DHB). The effect of adding the nonionic detergent n-octylglucoside (OG) was also examined. The presence of OG facilitated detection of tetrapalmitoylated peptide, particularly when HCCA was used as the matrix. When DHB was used as the matrix, good signal intensity was observed in the absence of OG. Lower laser pulse rate in the linear mode of analysis resulted in good signal intensity for the tetrapalmitoylated peptide. Conditions for obtaining good signal intensities for dipalmitoylated and N-myristoyl peptides with both HCCA and DHB as matrices were also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structure and biological activities of synthetic peptides corresponding to human α-defensin HNP-1, AC[sup 1]YC[sup 2]RIPAC[sup 3]IAGERRYGTC41YQGRLWAFC[sup 5]C[sup 6] with the S-S connectivities: C[sup 1]-C[su 6], C[sup 2]-C[sup 4], C[sup 3]-C[sup 5], and its variants with one, two and three disulfide bridges were investigated. Oxidation of synthetic, reduced HNP-1 yielded a peptide with S-S connectivities C[sup 1]-C[sup 3], C[sup 2]-C[sup 4] and C[sup 5]-C[sup 6], and not with the S-S linkages as in naturally occurring HNP-1. Selective protection of cysteine sulfhydryls was necessary for the formation of S-S bridges as in native HNP-1. Likewise, oxidation of peptide encompassing the segment from C[sup 2] to C[sup 5], resulted in the S-S linkages C[sup 2]-C[sup 3] and C[sup 4]-C[sup 5] instead of the expected linkage C[sub 2]-C[sup 4] and C[sup 3]-C[sup 5]. Antibacterial activities were observed for all peptides, irrespective of how the S-S bridges were linked. Linear peptides without S-S bridges were inactive. Circular dichroism (CD) spectra suggest that peptides constrained by one and two S-S bridges do not form rigid I@-sheet structures in an aqueous environment. The spectrum of HNP-1 in an aqueous environment suggests the presence of a β-hairpin conformation. In the presence of lipid vesicles, the S-S constrained peptides tend to adopt a β-structure. Although the S-S connectivities observed in HNP-1 may be necessary for other physiological activities, such as chemotaxis, they are clearly not essential for antibacterial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Brevinin 1E, which has the sequence FLPLLAGLAANFLPKIFCKITRKC, is an antimicrobial peptide isolated from the skin secretions of the European frog Rana esculenta. Both the linear and the disulfide-bridged forms have relatively broad-spectrum antibacterial as well as hemolytic activities. The antibacterial and hemolytic activities and biophysical properties of synthetic peptides corresponding to brevinin 1E and its analog in which the segment CKITRKC has been transposed to a central location resulting in the sequence FLPLLAGLCKITRKCAANFLPKIF have been investigated. Our studies indicate that the analog peptide has antibacterial activity comparable with brevinin 1E, but with considerably reduced hemolytic activity. The linear variant of the analog has no hemolytic activity, unlike the linear form of brevinin 1E. The biological activities can be explained on the basis of relative affinities for anionic and zwitterionic lipids. A cluster of cationic amino acids flanked on one side by a hydrophobic stretch of amino acids and another side composed of apolar amino acids appears to favor preferential antibacterial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The biological activities of synthetic retro and diastereo analogs of PKLLKTFLSKWIG (SPFK), a 13-residue peptide with antimicrobial and hemolytic activities, have been investigated. Retro peptides with C-terminal acid and amide exhibited antibacterial activities comparable with those of SPFK. Their hemolytic activities were, however, only marginally lower. The diastereo analog with C-terminal acid was not antibacterial and was weakly hemolytic. Amidation of this analog could restore antibacterial activity. Both retro analogs were unordered in aqueous medium but had a propensity for a helical structure in trifluoroethanol. However, diastereo analogs were unordered in both aqueous medium and trifluoroethanol. Thus, reversing the sequence in a short amphiphilic peptide may not always result in the selective loss of biological activity such as hemolytic activity. Also, introduction of enantiomeric amino acids in a short peptide to generate a diastereomer may result in loss of structure as well as antimicrobial and hemolytic activities, unless compensated by an increase in positive charges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high-ordered crystal structure of a thermoelectric material does not delimit the phonon conductivity but shows improved electrical properties. Disordered crystal structures act as scattering centers for phonon, but at the expense of the electrical properties of the material. Hence, a diminished thermal (phonon) conductivity and improved electronic conductivity can be obtained from an incommensurate (IC) phase structure. This paper reports that TlBiSe 2 polycrystal material exhibits incommensurate (IC) phase (disordered structure). The 'Tl+' connecting chains and the disordered structure inherent in the IC phase enhance the TE properties in TlBiSe 2. The crystalline phase was confirmed for TlBiSe 2 by X-ray diffraction (XRD). These polycrystals have shown their characteristic Raman modes and micro flake-like morphology, as observed by Raman spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the IC phase formation by observing the characteristic binding energy shift of 'Tl' and 'Se' states. The parallel plane symmetry break in the IC phase has resulted in a hall carrier concentration (n) of 3.49 × 1020 cm−3 and mobility (μ) of 8.27 m2V−1s−1. Further, Seebeck coefficient showed 80 μV/K; the Wiedemann Franz law calculation reserved a lower electronic thermal conductivity of 0.003381 Wm−1K−1 and a power factor of 2.956 μW/m K2 has been attained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of electrochemical supercapacitors is greatly affected by electrodes, which are considered one of the most significant components. This article sheds light on manganese dioxide (MnO2)-incorporated poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) membranes as electrodes for supercapacitor applications. The interaction between MnO2 and PMMA is justified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The surface morphology of MnO2@PMMA membranes was observed using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Techniques such as cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy indicated that a 7.5 wt% MnO2@PMMA membrane exhibited the highest electrochemical performance. GCD tests revealed that the 7.5 wt% MnO2@PMMA membrane showed a maximum specific capacitance of 361 F g−1 at a current density of 125 mA g−1 with a maximum energy density of 144 W h kg−1 and maximum power density of 1135 W kg−1. The membrane displayed 87% capacitance retention after 5000 cycles. The fabricated interdigital microsupercapacitor device revealed the highest specific capacitance of 528 mF g−1 at a current density of 0.15 mA g−1 with a maximum energy density of 47 mW h kg−1 and maximum power density of 400 mW kg−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combustion phenomena are always complex in nature due to the involvement of complex series and parallel reactions. There are various methods that are involved in analyzing combustion phenomena. Viscosity is the first and foremost factor that acts as the DNA of fuel. By evaluating the viscosity, it is possible initially to understand the combustion phenomena. Thermophysical and transport properties are helpful during the intensification of the combustion process. Combustion experiments are economically infeasible and time-consuming processes. Combustion simulations demand excellent computational facilities with detailed knowledge of chemical kinetics. So far, the majority of researchers have focused on analyzing coal combustion phenomena, whereas less work has been carried out on liquid fuels, especially biodiesel combustion analysis. Traditional engine testing provides only performance parameters, and it fails to have oversight of the thermodynamic aspects. The application of thermal analysis methods in combustion research is useful in the design, modeling, and operation of the systems. Such investigations are carried out extensively in the combustor, engine, and process industries. The use of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TG) to assess the properties of biofuels has been attracting researchers in recent years. The main objective of this paper is to discuss the application of TGA and DSC to analyze heat flow, enthalpy, thermal stability, and combustion indexes. Moreover, this paper reviews some of the other aspects of the kinetics of combustion, transport properties' evaluation, and combustion simulations for biodiesels and their blends. TG curves indicate two phases of decomposition for diesel and three phases for biofuel. The B-20 blend's (20% biodiesel and 80% diesel) performance was found to be similar to that of diesel with the combustion index and intensity of combustion nearly comparable with diesel. It is thermally more stable with a high offset temperature, confirming a longer combustion duration. A case study reported in this work showed diesel and B20 JOME degradation start from 40 °C, whereas jatropha oil methyl ester (JOME) degradation starts from 140 °C. JOME presents more decomposition steps with high decomposition temperatures, indicative of more stable compound formation due to the oxidation process. The peak temperature of combustion for diesel, JOME, and B20 JOME are 250.4 °C, 292.1 °C, and 266.5 °C, respectively. The ignition index for the B-20 blend is 73.73% more than that of diesel. The combustion index for the B20 blend is 37.81% higher than diesel. The B20 blend exhibits high enthalpy, better thermal stability, and a reduced peak temperature of combustion with an improved combustion index and intensity of combustion nearly comparable to diesel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, we report on luminescence properties of Eu3+ ions doped KBaScSi 3 O 9 silicate phosphors (KBSS) synthesized by high temperature solid state reaction method and the prepared phosphor samples were characterized through XRD, FE-SEM, photoluminescence and decay spectral measurements. The XRD pattern confirmed that the KBSS host lattice exhibited a monoclinic crystal structure. Room temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopic results reveal that, on Eu3+ ion doping in the KBSS host matrix, the magnetic dipole transition (5D 0 → 7F 1) at 593 nm responsible for orange light, dominates the red emission with respect to the electric dipole transition (5D 0 → 7F 2) at 611 nm. The Judd-Ofelt (JO) intensity parameters Ω λ (λ = 2 and 4) have been calculated from the emission spectra to understand the nature of ligand environment around the Eu3+ ions. The radiative parameters, such as transition probability (A), stimulated emission cross-section ( σ P E ), radiative lifetime (τ R) and branching ratios (β R) corresponding to the 5D 0 →7F 0 , 5D 0 →7F 1 , 5D 0 →7F 2 , 5D 0 →7F 3 and 5D 0 →7F 4 emission transitions have been determined by using JO parameters and the refractive indices respectively. The concentration quenching effect for Eu3+ was found at the optimum doping concentration of 7 mol %. The CIE chromaticity coordinates were calculated from the luminescence spectra to explore the dominant emission colour of the title phosphors. The experimental lifetime values of 5D 0 level of the Eu3+ doped silicate phosphors have been calculated and the obtained results were discussed in detail. Image 1 • Higher Ω 2 values indicate the higher asymmetry around the Eu3+ ion site. • CIE 1931 diagram confirms that studied phosphors give red emission when excited at 466 nm. • KBSS:xEu phosphors excited at 466 nm shows a very high color purity in the range of 97.4%–98.8%. • 5D 0.→7F 2 of KBSS:0.07Eu phosphor exhibits higher A σ P E , β R values suitable for lasers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Sm3+ activated RbCaF 3 phosphors were synthesized by solid state reaction method. • It was excited at 402 nm and the emissions were monitored at 564, 599, 651, 702 nm. • The quantum efficiency was studied for RbCaF 3 :0.6Sm3+ phosphor and value is 54.50%. • TL glow curve peak was obtained at 258 °C for RbCaF 3 :0.6Sm3+ phosphor. Polycrystalline compounds of Rubidium Calcium Fluoride doped with samarium were synthesized by conventional high temperature solid state reaction method. Phase purity of the title compound was analyzed by PXRD study. The presence of functional groups has been identified by FTIR. The morphology of as-synthesized phosphor was analyzed by FE-SEM. Presence of metal ions was confirmed using EDAX study. The sharp PL emission was obtained at 599 nm under the excitations of 402 nm and 469 nm. The luminescence decay profile time was analysed. The Commission Internationale del'Eclairage (CIE) chromaticity coordinates of Sm3+ doped RbCaF 3 phosphor were found to be 0.495 and 0.483. The thermoluminescence property of X-ray irradiated RbCaF 3 :0.6Sm3+ phosphor was analyzed by TL reader. The TL glow curve peak originated at 258° C. Order of kinetics, activation energy, symmetry factor and frequency factor were calculated by Chen's method. X-ray-induced luminescence was recorded and corresponding dominant emission peak is 603 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An organic 1,3-Dinitrobenzene (1,3-DNB) single crystal have been grown by Bridgman-Stockbarger method and their structural, optical, thermal and mechanical properties were analyzsed by employing powder-XRD, FTIR, optical absorption, transmission, photoluminescence, TG-DTA, microhardness and SHG measurements. The obtained results explore the well suitable nature of the grown crystal for the NLO and optolectronic applications. The crystalline nature and structural properties of the material has been confirmed by using powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis. FTIR spectral study reveals the presence of fundamental stretching and bending mode vibrations of grown 1,3-DNB crystal. Linear optical properties of the grown organic single crystal have been studied by using UV–Vis–NIR spectrum analysis, which exhibit the cut-off wavelength at 431 nm. From the tauc's plot, the calculated optical band gap energy value is 2.78 eV. The photoluminescence spectrum compresses three emission bands in the region centered at 388 nm, 452 nm and 569 nm and it is characterized through the CIE 1931 chromaticity diagram to observe the dominant emission color of the studied crystal. Thermal stability and melting point of the grown single crystal was carried out through the TG-DTA analysis. The microhardness test explores the mechanical strength of the titular crystal. Nonlinear optical efficiency of grown 1,3-DNB crystal was found to be 1.75 times greater than that of standard KDP crystal. In addition, theoretical studies of polarizability and hyperpolarizability, HOMO-LUMO energy gap and electrostatic potential (ESP) were also performed. Hirshfeld surface and two dimensional (2D) fingerprint plots were analyzsed from the crystal explorer 3.1 software and the results are discussed in detail. Image 1 • Organic 1,3-Dinitrobenzene single crystal have been grown by Bridgman method. • The crystal shows good transparency in the visible region. • CIE diagram indicates that the dominant emission color was located in the violet region. • Nonlinear optical efficiency is found to be higher than that of KDP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of the study in this article is analyzing the electrochemical properties of molybdenum disulfide on miscible poly(methyl methacrylate)-poly(lactic acid) blends for supercapacitors. The interaction between molybdenum disulfide and miscible poly(methyl methacrylate)-poly(lactic acid) blends, affinity toward water, surface morphology, and mechanical properties are inspected by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, water contact angle, scanning electron microscopy, and universal testing machine, respectively. Among the developed membranes, 0.75 wt% of molybdenum disulfide on poly(methyl methacrylate)-poly(lactic acid) shows better electrochemical performances. It exhibits a maximum specific capacitance of 255.5 F g−1 at a current density of 1.00 mA g−1, maximum energy density of 22.7 Wh kg−1, and maximum power density of 360 W kg−1. A cycle study reveals 92% capacitance retention after 2500 cycles. The designed supercapacitor device shows a maximum specific capacitance of 1240 μF g−1 at a current density of 0.5 μA g−1, maximum energy density of 43 μWh kg−1, and maximum power density of 700 μW kg−1. Flexible membranes of molybdenum disulfide are expected to be a potent combination for supercapacitor applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present work is the synthesis and characterization of iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles. These nanoparticles are coated with oleic acid and polyvinyl butyral and mixed with microspheres and further developed ferrofluids with silicon oil. Studies of the performance of the nanoparticles in these ferrofluids with and without coating agents were carried out. The nanoparticles were synthesized using the chemical co-precipitation technique and coated with oleic acid and polyvinyl butyral, and it further mixed with microsphere ferrofluids and developed using silicon oil. The prepared Fe3O4 nanoparticles and their coated forms of oleic acid and polyvinyl butyral were mixed with microspheres; furthermore, ferrofluids were developed with silicon oil. All forms of these ferrofluids are characterized for morphology and phase purity (SEM, XRD, and FTIR). The iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles have shown different magnetic properties, differentiating macroscopic iron oxide in suspended particles. The ratio of surface to volume increases along with the decrease in atomic size, essential for assessing the surface morphological properties. The magneto-rheological (MR) fluids were determined, and shear stress of Expancel microsphere mixed iron oxide nanoparticle with and without them was found almost equal. However, the ferrofluid with PVB coated nanoparticles and microspheres emerged as a stable rheological ferrofluid, sustaining high shear stress and low viscosity with increasing shear rate. Also, shear rates up to 650 s−1 have been observed, showing very high shear stress withstanding capacity. The stability and performance of the magnetic colloidal ferrofluids depend on the thermal contribution and the balance between attractive/repulsive interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid nanofluids are a promising class of fluids that combine the advantages of nanoparticles with a base fluid to enhance heat transfer performance. They have potential applications in various fields and are the subject of ongoing research and development. Understanding the properties and behaviour of hybrid nanofluids is essential to explore their potential and optimize their use in various applications. Heat exchangers represent the most widespread thermal devices, and increasing their efficiency is the key to significant energy savings. This review article mainly focuses on the overall heat transfer process analysing the influence of thermophysical properties of single-component and hybrid nanofluids (using different base fluids). Finally, a case study is performed with SiC nanoparticles suspended in a mixture of ethylene glycol (EG) and water (H2O) in a 20:80 volume ratio (20:80 EG–W), whose stability is confirmed by zeta potential determination and showed an increase in heat transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Arterio-venous (AV) access has been considered as an Achilles heel in the management and outcomes of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients on Maintenance Hemodialysis (MHD). Vascular Access Related Aneurysms (VARA) significantly impact the functional status of the AV access and thus affects the patients' outcomes. Our study was taken up in this context. This study was conducted to decipher the anatomical, functional, imaging, complications and management aspects of VARA. Methods: A cross-sectional, observational study was done on 429 patients of ESRD on MHD in our institute. The clinical aspects, demographics, imaging aspects were stressed followed by management. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used and aP value <0.05 was considered as significant. Results: Total number of study participants were 429. Of them, 48 patients developed AVF aneurysms (11.1%). The mean age of the patients was 52.9 years with a male: female ratio of 34: 14. Majority of them were ESRD due to diabetic nephroathy (62.5%). Morphologically majority of them were saccular (69%) while rest of them were fusiform (31%) None of our patients had downstream stenosis, and thrombus was seen in 5 patients (10.4%), complications secondary to rupture of AVF with hemorrhage, was seen in 6.25% (n = 3). Conclusions: We found VARA in 11.6% of our MHD population predominantly in men, in their middle age. They were more common in diabetic ESRDS. Aneurysmal rupture was seen in 6.25%. Our study highlights the importance of periodic evaluation for aneurysms and necessary management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field experiments were conducted for two seasons (2015-16 and 2016-17) to evaluate bio-rational insecticides against leaf miner (Liriomyza trifolii) damaging cantaloupes and it was found that among various insecticides viz. spinosad 45SC@0.32ml/l, abamectin 1.9EC @0.3ml/l, fipronil 5SC@2ml/l, fipronil 80WG@0.15g/l, cyantraniliprole 10OD@ 1.8ml/l, triazophos 40EC@2ml/l, diafenthiuron 50WP@1g/l, novaluron 10EC@1ml/l, neem soap@7.5g/l, pongamia soap@7.5g/l, azadirachtin 1%EC @5ml/l, abamectin (1.03 -2.33 mined leaves/10ft row) and spinosad (1.18-3.33 mined leaves/10ft row) in both the seasons prove to be highly effective in minimising the damage. All the treatments had significant effect on the yield as compared to control but among treatments they were non -significant in first season which was not the case in second season where highest yield was noted in spinosad (11.43t/acre) followed by azadirachtin(9.79t/acre) and abamectin (9.67t/acre). Though there was variation in yield within these treatments but they were statistically on par with each other. Similarly the treatments were on par with each other with respect to number of fruits per vine, fruit weight, TSS and number of seeds set per fruit. The overall findings indicate that the molecules viz., abamectin and spinosad can be recommended to control leaf miner in cantaloupes to achieve an appreciable yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The biochemical mechanisms by which inflammatory cytokines cause damage in the diabetic retina are poorly understood. Indoelamine 2, 3‐dioxygenase (IDO) is an inducible by IFN‐γ enzyme and is the first enzyme of the kynurenine pathway, which produces cytotoxic kynurenines. In this study we have investigated the role of IDO in apoptosis of human retinal capillary endothelial cells (HREC) under hyperglycemic conditions. Methods HREC were cultured in medium containing high glucose (25 mM) or low glucose (7.5 mM) and incubated with 1‐100 U/ml of IFN‐γ. IDO activity was measured by an HPLC assay. Expression of IFN‐γ receptor 1, and activation of the JAK‐STAT signaling pathway along with activation of PKC‐δ was assessed by Western blotting. HREC apoptosis was measured by Hoechst staining. The role of IDO in HREC apoptosis was evaluated in the presence specific chemical inhibitors of the kynurenine pathway. Results IFN‐γ dose‐dependently activated JAK‐STAT signaling and PKC‐δ, and upregulated IDO. The IDO‐mediated tryptophan oxidation led to formation of kynurenines, which was followed by chemical modification of proteins by kynurenines in HREC. These changes were accompanied by production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and depletion of protein‐free thiols. IFN‐γ inhibited cell cycle at low concentrations and caused caspase‐3‐mediated apoptosis and at higher concentrations, and those effects were amplified in the presence of high glucose in HREC. We found that IFN‐γ mediated cytotoxicity in HREC was primarily due to ROS generated by 3‐hydroxykynurenine. Conclusion Our results suggest that high glucose sensitizes HREC to deleterious effects IFN‐γ and provide a novel mechanistic pathway for retinal capillary endothelial cell death in diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphors exhibiting narrow-band emissions are necessary for wide-color gamut and high efficiency liquid crystal display (LCD) backlights, but most of them are usually activated by rare earth ions. In this work, rare earth free and narrow-band red-emitting BaZnBO 3 F:xBi2+ phosphors were synthesized and investigated. The BaZnBO 3 F:xBi2+ phosphor (x = 0.006) showed a narrow emission spectrum having the maximum of 685 nm and a full width at half maximum of 72.9 eV (17 nm) upon the 459 nm excitation. The critical distance (R c) of 31.17 Å suggested the multipole interaction responsible for the energy transfer in the title phosphors. The results indicate that the BaZnBO 3 F:xBi2+ phosphors could be used in blue excited w-LEDs. [Display omitted] • Single phase BaZnBO 3 F:xBi2+ phosphors were synthesized via solid state reaction technique. • Under 459 nm excitation, BZBF:0.006Bi2+ phosphor exhibits narrow-band (72.9eV/17 nm) red emission. • The 100% color purity was achieved for BZBF:0.006Bi2+ phosphor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyelectrolyte complex membranes (PECMs) were prepared by combining sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (NaCMC) and gelatin (Ge) with variations in the Ge content in the NaCMC matrix. Characterization methods, such as infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact angle analysis (CA), and universal testing machines (UTM) were used to investigate the physicochemical studies of the prepared membranes. The pervaporation characteristics of membranes with Ge content were investigated using an azeotropic mixture of water and bioethanol. The obtained data revealed that the membrane with 15 mass% of Ge (M-3) showed a maximum flux of 7.8403 × 10−2 kg/m2·h with separation selectivity of 2917 at 30 °C. In particular, the total and water flux of PECMs are shown as very close to each other indicating that the fabricated membranes could be employed to successfully break the azeotropic point of water–bioethanol mixtures. Using temperature-dependent permeation and diffusion data, the Arrhenius activation parameters were calculated, and the obtained values of water permeation (Epw) were considerably smaller than bioethanol permeation (EpE). Developed membranes showed the positive heat of sorption (ΔHs), suggesting that Henry's sorption mode is predominant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]