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Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have advanced technologically, allowing for a wide range of Internet of Things (IoT) applications. The Internet of Things (IoT) provides a platform for connecting items to achieve a specific goal with minimal human intervention. Various practical sectors, such as environmental monitoring and defense, demand IoT support with maximum object connectivity, and low human participation, yet face security concerns from strong unauthorized entities. As location privacy is one of these major vulnerabilities, continual monitoring of contextual information may lead the attacker to the asset's position. The location privacy of the source node that detects and reports the presence of an event is critical. In this study, we provide a source location privacy (SLP) preservation technique based on confounding domain angular routing (SLP-CDAR) that attempts to improve security while increasing network lifespan. To avoid traffic analysis attacks, packets first undergo a random walk, followed by a perplexing time domain routing that creates additional diversionary pathways. The packets are then routed via angle routing, followed by a random path, and finally delivered to the base station using the forward random walk technique. The experimental results prove that the proposed scheme enhances the location privacy strength while providing an improved network lifetime, and a swift increase in the entropy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The usefulness of wireless sensor networks has grown throughout numerous areas, many of which demand constant monitoring of the event of interest by the sensor nodes. The wireless transfer of information and the connection of the sensors, however, present the network with a number of security risks. A real-world concern is a danger to source location privacy for networks when several events of interest are monitored. In this research, we present the quadrant-based boundary routing (QBR) method for multiple source location privacy protection. In the first phase, the packet is routed arbitrarily away from the source nodes by random routing, and then quadrant routing begins. Before being sent to the base station using a forward random walk, the packet is transmitted to either side of the network border. We present a theoretical analysis of the maximum delay for the proposed technique. Extensive simulations are carried out and results demonstrate that in contrast to Shortest Path Routing, QBR elevates security by 880.95%, entropy by 623.28%, and capture rate by 71.42% for multiple assets, whereas contemporary PRLPRW increases the corresponding metrics by 692%, 390%, and 49.28%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study how the topology of feature embedding space changes as it passes through the layers of a well-trained deep neural network (DNN) through Betti numbers. Motivated by existing studies using simplicial complexes on shallow fully connected networks (FCN), we present an extended analysis using Cubical homology instead, with a variety of popular deep architectures and real image datasets. We demonstrate that as depth increases, a topologically complicated dataset is transformed into a simple one, resulting in Betti numbers attaining their lowest possible value. The rate of decay in topological complexity (as a metric) helps quantify the impact of architectural choices on the generalization ability. Interestingly from a representation learning perspective, we highlight several invariances such as topological invariance of (1) an architecture on similar datasets; (2) embedding space of a dataset for architectures of variable depth; (3) embedding space to input resolution/size, and (4) data sub-sampling. In order to further demonstrate the link between expressivity & the generalization capability of a network, we consider the task of ranking pre-trained models for downstream classification task (transfer learning). Compared to existing approaches, the proposed metric has a better correlation to the actually achievable accuracy via fine-tuning the pre-trained model. • This paper categorizes the change in topological complexity through Betti-Numbers. • Attempts to characterize the learning ability of the DNNs through topological transformation of feature space. • Attempts to use the topological complexity of feature space for the task of ranking pre-trained models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the significance of Indian Sandalwood in global conservation efforts, aligning with international frameworks such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. It addresses the challenges of over-harvesting and smuggling that have resulted in the species being classified as "Vulnerable" by the IUCN. The article highlights initiatives focused on seedling production and plantations as potential solutions for Sandalwood conservation. It emphasizes the importance of sustainable harvesting practices to ensure the species' survival and promote a harmonious coexistence between human activities and biodiversity preservation. The article acknowledges the support of the Kerala Forest Department in India and the University Institute of Technology of Corsica in France. [Extracted from the article]

The discovery of epidermal growth factor receptor mutations in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) launched the era of personalized medicine in advanced NSCLC, which led to a dramatic shift in the therapeutic landscape of this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Nitrogen-bearing molecules (such as N2H+ and NH3) are excellent tracers of high-density and low-temperature regions, such as dense cloud cores. Notably, they could help advance the understanding of snow lines in protoplanetary discs and the chemical evolution of comets. However, much remains unknown about the chemistry of N-bearing molecules on grain surfaces, which could play an important role in their formation and evolution. Aims. In this work, we experimentally study the behaviour of NH3 on surfaces that mimic grain surfaces under interstellar conditions in the presence of some other major components of interstellar ices (i.e. H2O, CO2, CO). We measure the binding energy distributions of NH3 from different H2O ice substrates and also investigate how it could affect the NH3 snow line in protoplanetary discs. Methods. We performed laboratory experiments using the ultra-high vacuum (UHV) set-up VENUS (VErs des NoUvelles Syntheses). We co-deposited NH3 along with other adsorbates (H2O, 13CO, and CO2) and performed temperature programmed desorption (TPD) and temperature programmed-during exposure desorption (TP-DED) experiments. The experiments were monitored using a quadrupole mass spectrometer and a Fourier transform reflection absorption infrared spectrometer (FT-RAIRS). We obtained the binding energy distribution of NH3 on crystalline ice (CI) and compact amorphous solid water ice by analysing the TPD profiles of NH3 obtained after depositions on these substrates. Results. In the co-deposition experiments, we observed a significant delay in the desorption and a decrease of the desorption rate of NH3 when H2O is introduced into the co-deposited mixture of NH3–13CO or NH3–CO2, which is not the case in the absence of H2O. Secondly, we noticed that H2O traps roughly 5–9% of the co-deposited NH3, which is released during the phase change of water from amorphous to crystalline. Thirdly, we obtained a distribution of binding energy values of NH3 on both ice substrates instead of an individual value, as assumed in previous works. For CI, we obtained an energy distribution between 3780 K and 4080 K, and in the case of amorphous ice, the binding energy values were distributed between 3630 K and 5280 K; in both cases we used a pre-exponential factor of A = 1.94 × 1015 s−1. Conclusions. From our experiments, we conclude that the behaviour of NH3 is significantly influenced by the presence of water, owing to the formation of hydrogen bonds with water, in line with quantum calculations. This interaction, in turn, preserves NH3 on the grain surfaces longer and up to higher temperatures, making it available closer to the central protostar in protoplanetary discs than previously thought. It explains well why the NH3 freeze-out in pre-stellar cores is efficient. When present along with H2O, CO2 also appears to impact the behaviour of NH3, retaining it at temperatures similar to those of water. This may impact the overall composition of comets, particularly the desorption of molecules from their surface as they approach the Sun. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the evolution of an advanced power system concept, green power supplies, comprising transmission and distribution designed networks, were progressively implemented in this research. Consequently, optimum usage of cascaded H-bridge inverter topologies and power distribution activities is crucial for long-term production. Selective harmonics elimination techniques have always been required to attain the appropriate switching frequencies of multilevel inverters. This study aims to estimate the switching frequency for solar-integrated multilevel inverters utilizing boost converters to decrease the total harmonic contents utilized in grid applications. This study contributes to the optimum feasible solution by utilizing a number of recently discovered dynamic controller methods: Type I Fuzzy controller and Interval Type II Fuzzy controller. Seven-level, eleven-level, and fifteen-level MLIs minimize overall harmonic components. The dependability and convergent rates of simulation results with different modulation indices are produced and compared for seven-, eleven-, and fifteen-level MLIs. In addition, as compared to existing control systems, the suggested controller reduces Total Harmonic Distortion and delivers stabilized output power. The suggested IT2-FLC is compared against an T1-FLC and a standard mathematical PI controller. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a novel edge detection operator called 'vision transformer-based Dexinet (ViT-DexiNet)' to address the challenges of detecting small objects in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. SAR images are typically impacted by strong multiplicative noise, making edge detection difficult. Existing traditional methods have limited spectral data preservation capabilities and often result in a loss of clarity and integrity of salient features in SAR images. The proposed ViT-DexiNet operator employs a series of interconnected layers to extract and refine salient edge features from SAR images. It utilizes a vision transformer self-attention layer to capture the pattern and structural details of image features crucial for determining edges. The extracted feature maps are then processed by the DexiNet architecture, which consists of a dense block, transfer block, and upsampling network. This architecture helps preserve edge information at different scales in deeper layers. The series of layered blocks generate edge maps, which are concatenated and averaged through smoothing to remove noise and enhance edge details in SAR images, resulting in a final high-quality edge map. To evaluate the proposed ViT-DexiNet method, both qualitative and quantitative analyses are conducted using standard edge detection operators such as Canny and Sobel. The empirical results demonstrate that the ViT-DexiNet surpasses baseline edge detection operators. The achieved values of proposed edge detection operator are 97.92%, 97.72%, 97.64% and 97.41%, respectively for the metrics accuracy, precision, recall and f1-score. The ViT-DexiNet offers high-quality edge maps, simplifying the interpretation of data for small object detection. Overall, the ViT-DexiNet method shows promise in overcoming the limitations of traditional approaches and improving the detection of edges in SAR images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly efficient and convenient green method using highly efficient natural catalyst calcined eggshell (CES) is described for synthesis of 2-amino 4H-chromene derivatives in ethanol–water system. The new inexpensive green catalyst CES is obtained from waste natural resources. This method offers mild reaction conditions at ambient temperature, with short reaction times and clean work up procedures. This is an economical and green alternative for existing methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Survival analysis is a statistical technique mainly used to analyze time-to-event data. Identification of influential observation attains greater importance since it leads to discovering new prognostic factors. Influential observation in survival typically points to individuals whose survival time is extremely short or long in comparison to others. Particularly, when the data possess more covariates than the observations, all classical approaches fail to perform. Hence, dimensionality reduction is necessary for choosing appropriate variables and it has been done by popular techniques such as LASSO and elastic net algorithm. This paper consider high-dimensional breast cancer data, and its dimensionality is reduced using variable selection methods. Subsequently, the rank product test and martingale residuals are used to identify an influential observation. Furthermore, a resampling technique is used to validate the consistency and robustness of the methods. The novelty of this paper lies in comparing the prediction accuracy of datasets with and without outliers using Random Survival Forest (RSF) for different training fractions. Comparatively, the RSF result demonstrates that the LASSO approach outperform others in the absence of outliers. Therefore, we suggest reducing dimensionality using the LASSO variable selection technique first, followed by removing likely outliers to improve the performance of classification algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides an efficient torque and speed control method for brushless DC (BLDC) motor utilizing a fractional order proportional integral derivative (FOPID) controller based on the multiverse optimization algorithm and salp swarm optimization (SSO). When combined with a solar photovoltaic (PV) system and a voltage boosting architecture, standard PID controllers regulated the BLDC drive parameters due to their simplicity and improved steady-state performances. A solar PV system with a specific power range is chosen for the best output solution on the output side. The MPPT method employed is the incremental conductance approach for tracking maximum power from the source. However, it has a problem with unpredictability owing to load changes. The PID controller tuning also relates to the structure's parametric uncertainties. Therefore, precise control methods may be offered with the aid of the FOPID controller to address the aforementioned issues. Simulation results of the proposed MVO and SSO-based FOPID controller for BLDC speeds run in the Matlab Simulink platform. To confirm the adaptability of the suggested control scheme for BLDC motor, the outcomes are interrelated using genetic algorithm, gray wolf, and PSO-based FOPID controllers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, Deep Learning (DL) models, including Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs), and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), have been widely used for Human Activities Recognition (HAR). They have achieved considerable performance improvements over classical Machine Learning (ML) approaches due to their excellent feature representation capabilities. Simple human activities are performed in sequential order with no overlaps or concurrent actions. The paucity of labeled training activity samples, high computational cost, and system resource requirements of deep learning architectures compared to lightweight models are some of the research challenges confronting the HAR community. We framed the lightweight DL-based CNNs, RNNs, and LSTM model for HAR to tackle these research challenges. The RNNs and LSTM have single layers with softmax activation functions, whereas the one-dimensional CNNs have two convolutional and single max-pooling layers. To evaluate the performance of our models, we used the publicly available benchmark WISDM experimental dataset, which includes the reading of six activities (walking, jogging, upstairs, downstairs, sitting, and standing) performed by 36 participants using a single accelerometer sensor. The experimental result illustrates the efficacy of our models in activity recognition, demonstrating that they attain higher accuracy while being computationally efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Mruda' is a Marathi term that signifies soil, and 'MrudaTest' shows soil testing. Crop yield is influenced by soil pH and macronutrients such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Precision agriculture, which has gained appeal on a global scale, can be achieved in part by managing fertilizers properly in accordance with soil health. The standard laboratory test is time-consuming and resource-intensive. Sample testing takes longer duration due to overworked soil testing labs, which discourages farmers from performing soil fertility tests. To address the aforementioned issue, portable, farmer-friendly, rapid-testing technology is required, and our effort is geared in that direction. Soil samples were treated with reagents that turn the clear solution into color as per soil nutrients. An android phone was used to detect and quantify color information using a built-in camera, computing hardware, graphical user interface, image processing, and machine learning classification techniques. The machine learning model was trained using 410 samples collected under various lighting situations, followed by labeling and validation. On 100 samples, it was examined, and the estimated variance was determined to be between 2–11%. Additionally, we used unidentified soil samples to confirm our method, and we estimated an average variance of 8.9–11.7% for the stated nutrients, which is similar to the PUSA STFR kit data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have become a crucial technology because they are used in several contexts, such as public safety, environmental monitoring, healthcare, military operations, and surveillance systems. The applications of WSNs have been increased because they can be deployed in areas where cable and power supply are difficult to use. However, a variety of security assaults can easily penetrate these networks. To solve this problem, a Firebug Optimized Modified Bee Colony algorithm (FOMBC) has been proposed, which achieves the maximum network security goal with lower energy consumption in WSN. The proposed method is carried out into two phases namely Secure node selection and Orthogonal Routing (OR). In the first phase, secure node among the WSN’s initial nodes is selected based on characteristics such as trust, delay, and Quality of Services. In the second phase, Firebug Optimized Modified Bee Colony (FOMBC) Optimization technique is used to find optimal route based on factors like trust, distance, latency, and quality of service. The effectiveness of the proposed FOMBC approach is evaluated against existing techniques like Trust-Aware Routing Framework (TARF), SOAR (Simple Opportunistic Adaptive Routing Protocol), Particle Swarm Optimization, and Whale Optimization Algorithm for Secure Routing (PSWOSR). According to the experimental findings, the proposed FOMBC technique achieves high detection, maximum throughput, least latency, and minimum range. The proposed method achieves network lifetime of 4.7%, 5.8%, and 9.87% than the existing TARF, SOAR, and PSWOSR, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports the 222Rn, 220Rn, and their progeny concentration in Shivamogga district by using SSNTD's based pin hole dosimeters and deposition-based progeny sensor. The average indoor 222Rn and 220Rn concentration varies from 8.14 to 146 Bq m−3 and 13.01 to 157 Bq m−3 with a mean value of 60.61 and 61.77 Bq m−3. The EEC for 222Rn and 220Rn ranges from 1.55 to 19 Bq m−3 and 0.44 to 6 Bq m−3 with a mean value of 7.29 and 2.66 Bq m−3. The annual average equilibrium factor for 222Rn is well within the global mean values of 0.4, while the thoron is bit higher than specified global mean values of 0.02. The annual effective dose varies from 0.31 to 2.5 mSvy−1 with a mean value of 1.1 mSvy−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smartphone sensor-based Human Activity Recognition (HAR) is a significant facilitator for many real-world applications such as smart homes, personal healthcare, and illness detection because it has the potential to discover activity patterns in daily life. While solutions for detecting sequential activities like walking or running are already matured, however recognizing additional forms of complex, concurrent, interleaved, and heterogeneous human activities remains a research challenge. Furthermore, several solutions have been developed for specific types of activity complexity. According to the best of our knowledge, there is no common solution for detecting all types of action-based activities. In this paper, we address the problem of recognizing all types of action-based human activities i.e. sequential, complex, concurrent, interleaved, and heterogeneous activities. The intention behind this paper is to present a generic methodology for HAR by leveraging transfer learning and evaluating the performance on a plethora of HAR datasets. In this regard, we have proposed a model called RecurrentHAR, which stands for Recurrent layers for HAR, a novel adversarial knowledge transfer approach that uses the Gated Recurrent Units (GRUs) architecture for smartphone sensor-based HAR. The performance of the proposed model is evaluated through extensive experiments using three public datasets namely WISDM (sequential activities), PAMAP2 (complex, concurrent, and interleaved activities), and KU-HAR (Heterogeneous activities), and the RecurrentHAR model has outperformed compared with other state-of-the-art approaches. The proposed model achieved 96.26%, 94.77%, and 98.98% of F1-score for WISDM, PAMAP2, and KU-HAR datasets, respectively. The experimental results provide insight into the applicability of the proposed model and future research possibilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Internet of Things (IoT) enabled wireless sensor network (WSN) is now widely employed in various sectors like smart city and vehicle transportation for their expanded capabilities such as data storage, access, and monitoring. The use of smart sensors that continuously collect data from the smart environment makes these possible. Furthermore, these facilitate the easy access of stored data over a secure IoT-gateway for mobile users. This device mobility that allows shifting to multiple locations, makes it challenging to route data across many access points. In this regard, it induces packet loss and improper node selection, which could result in connection failure and network unreliability. This study proposes a new data routing protocol called as Fuzzy Logic Nodes Distributed Clustering for Energy-Efficient Fault Tolerance (F-NDC-EEFT). It can be deployed on any network platform, including mobile and non-mobile nodes. It considers performance metrics such as delivery rate, withstand node aliveness, communication delay, and energy efficiency to find an optimized path for the better performance of IoT enabled WSNs. The clustering approach is applied to the instant data load, which divides it into the distinct node groups. When proposed algorithm is tested alongside existing routing protocols for performance, it is found to save energy, minimize the number of connection failures, boost the throughput, and increase the network's lifetime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This current research proposes a novel method for a Fuel Cell Thermal Management System (FTMS) by Integrating Phase Change Material (PCM) in the Cavities of the Fin-Based Cooling Plate. Stearyl alcohol is proposed as a PCM, which has a suitable melting temperature (56°C to 59°C) and reasonably a high phase change enthalpy (260 J/g) for managing the thermal load of a fuel cell. The experimental investigation has been performed at different power densities (0.25 to 0.50 W/cm2) for different modes [cooling plate with fin (Mode 1), cooling plate with fin and PCM (mode 2), cooling plate with fin & fan (mode 3) and cooling plate with fin, fan & PCM (mode 4)]. The experimental results show that under mode 1, the FTMS can be operated without any cooling techniques till 0.25 W/cm2. In Mode 2, FTMS has the potential to handle a 20% higher thermal load (0.30 W/cm2) as compared to mode 1 by maintaining the cooler plate temperature below 60°C. This result implies that the utilization of PCM aids in achieving better thermal management performance. Mode 3 delivered better performance than mode 1 and mode 2 for all the power densities. It is revealed that FTMS operated under mode 4 showed improved thermal management performance as compared to mode 3 in all power densities. These results imply that integrating fan cooling with passing cooling techniques helps us to achieve enhanced thermal management performance. Further, under mode 3, the cooler plate almost reaches a safe operating temperature at 0.45 W/cm2 power density. On the other hand, under mode 4, the temperature of the cooling plate can be contained well below 60°C at 0.45 W/cm2. In addition, under mode 4, the FTMS held the desired temperature for an 86% longer duration as compared to mode 3 at 0.50 W/cm2. Based on the above results, it is concluded that the proposed cooling plate can deliver enhanced thermal management performance by utilizing a lower mass of PCM, and it will be beneficial for applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An organic nonlinear optical crystal of L-histidinium-4-nitrophenolate 4-nitrophenol (LHPNP), was grown by employing the conventional growth process of slow evaporation method. The grown LHPNP crystal was characterized by the spectral measurement (FTIR, UV-Visible, and PL) and Vicker's hardness test. The grown crystal was found to be in the system of monoclinic with non-centrosymmetric space group P21 with dimension 12 × 9 × 6 mm3. The optical band gap value of the LHPNP crystal is Eg = 2.71 eV. The dielectric studies (dielectric constant, dielectric loss and ac conductivity) of the grown crystal were measured for the frequency ranging between 100 Hz and 1200 Hz. The thermal stability of the grown crystal has been put forth by the standard thermal method of TG-DTA. The LDT analysis was carried out making use of Q-switched Nd: YAG laser and the value of LDT is estimated to be greater as compared to KDP. The SHG efficiency of the grown crystal of LHPNP is 3.5 times greater than that of a standard KDP crystal. The Hirshfeld Analysis has been carried out to understand the crystal surface properties, stability and intermolecular interaction of the LHPNP crystal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is a comparative study of supercapacitor performance of CeO2/PANI composite electrode prepared by two different synthesis methods, namely, in situ polymerization and solution mixing. The chemical composition of materials was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The electrochemical studies such as cyclic voltammetry (CV), charge–discharge, electrochemical impedance and cyclic test of the composite were studied in two symmetrical electrode systems in an aqueous electrolyte medium. The CeO2/PANI (CP10) composite prepared by in situ polymerization has resulted in better specific capacitance than solution mixing in an aqueous electrolyte (0.5 M H2SO4) with the capacitance value of 240 F/g at 0.5 A/g. The in-situ polymerization method evenly spreads polyaniline (PANI) all over the cerium oxide (CeO2) material and reduces charge transfer resistance ( R ct ) which is lacking in the solution mixing method. After 4000 cycles at 5 A/g, the CP10 composite retained 72.8% of capacitance retention and energy density of 33.33 Wh/Kg at power density of 249.87 W/Kg. The purpose of this work is to increase CeO2 specific capacitance affected by its high intrinsic resistance. Polyaniline is one of the most effective conducting polymers with high electrical conductivity. By using in-situ polymerization, these two materials are composited, and the composite exhibits 240 Fg–1 at 0.5 Ag–1 and shown cyclic stability of 72.8% after 4000 cycles. A uniform distribution of Polyaniline was achieved by using in-situ polymerization, resulting in an improved conductivity for the Cerium Oxide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• rGO-NiO NC thin films were prepared on Al-substrates by solvothermal and dip-coating techniques. • XRD patterns of thin films confirmed the presence of NiO in the NC. • EDX spectrum showed presence of carbon in rGO-NiO NC thin film due to rGO. • XPS analysis disclosed presence of rGO in rGO-NiO NC thin film. • The 0.2% rGO-NiO NC thin film delivered a highest solar spectral selectivity of 19.56. Commercial solar selective absorbers prepared through several techniques have encountered drawbacks of necessitating complicated and expensive equipment, substantial materials requirement, and polluting environment. In this context, carbon incorporated metal oxide thin films have shown promise of low-cost, non-toxic, and efficient solar selective absorbers. In particular, association of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and nickel oxide (NiO) could facilitate highly ascertained optical properties, environment friendliness, and low-cost. Present study focuses on preparing a novel, high performance, and low-cost rGO-NiO solar selective absorber thin films. Thin films comprised of reduced graphene oxide modified nickel oxide nanocomposites (rGO-NiO NCs) were prepared through solvothermal route and coated on aluminum (Al) substrates by dip-coating technique. The rGO-NiO NCs examined using X-ray diffractometer revealed formation of face centered cubic crystallite structure. The scanning electron microscope images disclosed spherical morphology of NiO decorated on the rGO sheets. The spectra derived from energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy ascertained absence of peaks corresponding to impurities. The Raman investigation exhibited high intensity ratio (0.97) of the rGO-NiO NCs that described higher disorder and binding sites. The optical property analysis of the rGO-NiO NC (0.2 wt% rGO) thin film performed in UV–vis-NIR reflectance spectroscopy showed high absorptance (α = 88.03 %) and low thermal emittance (ε = 4.5 %), which eventually delivered high solar selectivity (ξ) of 19.56. These findings suggest that the prepared 0.2 % rGO-NiO NC thin film can be utilized as an appropriate selective absorber for solar to thermal energy conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Celebrating 75 years of publication, Cancer continues to serve as a beacon for scientific research that is fundamental to achieving cures for cancer. Heading into the future, the journal will continue to maintain its unique identity and strive to bring the best of science to the broadest of the audience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smoke detection is an advance caution to the unforeseen great damage events. Therefore, it is required to identify the smoke in the course of initial stages for preventing fire events. A new technique is proposed to lessen the rate of incorrect alarm by identify the smoke and examine its distinctive texture attributes. Initially, the smoke-colored regions are segmented based on color at the YUV color locality. Then the tentative frame differencing is used to segment the candidate smoke region from the smoke-colored region. In the next phase, the candidate distinctive texture attributes in the smoke region are extracted using Co-occurrence of Hamming Distance based Local Binary pattern (CoHDLBP) and Co-occurrence of Local Binary pattern (CoLBP); these features include homogeneity, energy, correlation and contrast. Finally, the ELM classifier is proficient for the take-out features from the candidate smoke region, and then the decision has been taken with the assistance of a smoke alarm. Investigational outcomes proved that the suggested smoke recognition process executes better compared with all the usual smoke recognition methods by achieving better detection accuracy and processing time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary goal of this study was to determine the risk due to radon concentration in drinking water. Water is essential for most of the life on the Earth, and the quality of drinking water is a key criterion for one's health. Radon (222Rn) and radium (226Ra) are the radioactive elements that can be found in water. Thirty samples of drinking water were collected in Haliyal, Joida, and Mundgod taluks of Uttara Kannada district. Emanometry technique was used to determine the concentration of 222Rn activity. The activity concentration of 222Rn in water varies between 3.78 ± 0.38 Bq l-1. and 135.96 ± 1.72 Bq l-1 with a mean value of 26.23 ± 0.65 Bq l-1. The cumulative average annual effective doses for all of the samples under investigation are well below the safe limit of 100 µSv y-1 suggested by WHO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Metal-free organic dye sensitizers in nanocrystalline ZnO nanoparticles thin film photoanode based DSSC. • Higher adsorption tendency towards ZnO photoanode, molar-extinction coefficient. • DFT study was performed in terms of energy level, band gap and electron driving force. • Higher driving force of dye regeneration and electron injection were found in eosin-Y. • DSSC with eosin-Y sensitizer delivered an overall energy transformation efficiency (η) of 0.95%. Metal-free organic dyes, viz. eosin yellow (eosin-Y), fluorescein and curcumin were used as sensitizers in zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles thin film photoanode based dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) and also investigated by density functional theory (DFT). UV–vis spectrophotometer was employed to determine absorption feature of dyes in solar spectrum, adsorption tendency towards ZnO photoanode surface, molar-extinction coefficient and desorbed dye molecules from the photoanode surface. The photovoltaic performance of metal-free organic DSSCs employing imidazole based liquid electrolyte and platinum counter electrode was evaluated under standard light exposure of 85 mW/cm2. Among the dyes, eosin-Y DSSC delivered overall energy conversion efficiency (η) of 0.95 % with short-circuit photocurrent density (J sc) of 2.98 mA cm−2, open-circuit photovoltage (V oc) of 0.54 V and fill factor (FF) of 0.50, which was about 20 % and 40 % higher than that of the energy conversion efficiency of DSSCs sensitized with fluorescein and curcumin dyes, respectively. The better photovoltaic performance exhibited by the eosin-Y DSSC is credited to its high molar extinction coefficient, intense light absorption in the solar spectrum and good adsorption on ZnO thin film photoanode surface. The maximum driving force for dye molecules regeneration and electron injection value of eosin-Y dye attached on the surface of ZnO cluster (eosin-Y + ZnO) resulted in higher V oc. The outcomes of this experimental data are in well agreement with DFT results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to urbanization and industrialization pollution level increases. Air pollution directly affects to human health. Air Quality Indices (AQI) method is related to measuring the concentration of different pollutants PM10, NO2, SO2 and other pollutants. The fuzzy Logic air quality index calculates in single value of AQI defines limits 0 to 1. In this study, a comparison of air quality data of three cities was conducted with the help of fuzzy logic algorithm. It used to evaluating Indices through fuzzy multi criteria decision making (MCDM) framework in which linguistic terms of experts opinion and perception, accordingly computing matrix is constructed for sub criteria. There are five linguistic terms used in this framework to create membership functions such as high significant, significant, average significant, low significant and not significant. The three cities, Bangalore, Mysore, and Hubli-Dharwad air quality datas was taken for analysis and evaluating indices during pre-COVID years (2017, 2018, and 2019). The AQI value shows that Bangalore has the highest pollution level while Mysore has the lowest. Using the fuzzy theory, results show that Bangalore and Hubli-Dharwad decrease in pollution level by -0.074921% and -0.04797%. Negative sign shows the decrease pollution level while Mysore increase pollution level by 0.011792%. Overall the results show that AQI of Mysore city is low compared to Bangalore and Hubli-Dharwad. Also, this study reveals air quality disseminated through industrial processes and automobile emissions in India cities during pre-COVID pandemic years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prime objective of this study is to estimate the natural radioactivity and their associated radiological hazards in soil samples of Uttara Kannada district having different geological conditions. The 226Ra, 232Th and 40K activities were estimated using HPGe detector based gamma ray spectrometer. The average 226Ra, 232Th and 40K activity concentrations are 36.13 ± 0.96, 48.47 ± 1.26 and 415.76 ± 6.83 Bq kg−1 respectively. The mean annual effective dose equivalent value was found to be 0.40 mSv y−1 and is less than the ICRP proposed value of 1 mSv y−1. The radiological hazard indices were computed and compared with internationally agreed values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Mn-doped perovskite BaSnO 3 films deposited by pulsed laser deposition technique. • Mn-doping results in unusual film thickness increase. • Induced Magnetic field-assisted Particle Convergence results in thickness hike. • High crystallinity and improved electrical/ optical performances for doped films. High crystalline, improved surface topography and defect-free Mn-doped BaSnO 3 films are fabricated using pulsed laser deposition. Structural analysis reveals enormous enhancement in crystallinity with Mn-doping. The highest intensity and lowest full-width-at-half-maximum of (1 1 0) peak suggest excellent crystalline nature of the 5 wt% Mn-doped films. Lateral electron microscopic and Ellipsometry analysis reveal an unusual film thickness enhancement (606.13 ± 0.5 to 1128 ± 2.4 nm), though the deposition parameters remain the same except Mn-doping level, which we proposed to "Induced magnetic field-assisted particle convergence." The 5 wt% and 7 wt% Mn-doped films exhibit a pin-hole free, continuous surface morphology revealing suitability for optoelectronic applications, including excitonic solar cells. The films exhibit good transparency and bandgap renormalization (3.06 to 2.81 eV) with Mn-doping. A drastic enhancement in electrical properties is observed on Mn-doping (mobility and conductivity increases by two orders with 7 wt% Mn-doping). The X-ray Photoelectron Spectral peaks reveal Ba2+, Sn4+, and Mn4+ states in the films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ethylenediamine functionalized NH 2 -TiO 2 NB/Ag plasmonic NCs were prepared by simple solution protocol. • NH 2 functionalization improved interfacial contact between TiO 2 NBs and Ag NPs crystallinity of NH 2 -TiO 2 NB/Ag NC photoanodes. • DSSC NH 2 -TiO 2 NB/Ag-2 NC photoanode delivered a best PCE of 7.56 %. • Ag in amine functionalized TiO 2 NBs accelerates electron transfer and reduces electron recombination. • Amine that plays as bridge for faster electron transport between Ag-TiO 2 /FTO interface. An efficient photoanode is a decisive requirement for attaining impressive performance in dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). Consequently, in the present study, TiO 2 nanobelts (TiO 2 NBs) are synthesized by solvothermal route and silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) are anchored on TiO 2 NBs surface through ethylenediamine functionalization (NH 2 -TiO 2 NB/Ag). Ethylenediamine plays dual roles of reducing agent and linker molecule between TiO 2 and Ag NPs by means of metal-ligand bonding with Ag NPs. The prepared plasmonic NH 2 -TiO 2 NB/Ag nanocomposites (NCs) are characterized by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, XRD, HR-TEM and XPS. The NH 2 -TiO 2 NB/Ag NCs have strong light absorption and high dye loading. The DSSC integrated with 2wt% Ag NPs anchored NH 2 -TiO 2 NB/Ag-2 NC photoanode has exhibited improved photovoltaic performance with power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.56 %, which was ∼97 % greater over the PCE of DSSC constructed using unmodified TiO 2 NBs photoanode (3.84 %). [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolic activation of the human carcinogen 1,3‐butadiene (BD) by cytochrome 450 monooxygenases gives rise to a genotoxic diepoxide, 1,2,3,4‐diepoxybutane (DEB). This reactive electrophile alkylates guanine bases in DNA to produce N7‐(2‐hydroxy‐3,4‐epoxy‐1‐yl)‐dG (N7‐DE‐dG) adducts. Because of the positive charge at the N7 position of the purine heterocycle, N7‐DEB‐dG adducts are inherently unstable and can undergo spontaneous depurination or base‐catalyzed imidazole ring opening to give N6‐[2‐deoxy‐D‐erythro‐pentofuranosyl]‐2,6‐diamino‐3,4‐dihydro‐4‐oxo‐5‐N‐1‐(oxiran‐2‐yl)propan‐1‐ol‐formamidopyrimidine (DEB‐FAPy‐dG) adducts. Here we report the first synthesis and structural characterization of DEB‐FAPy‐dG adducts. Authentic standards of DEB‐FAPy‐dG and its 15N3‐labeled analogue were used for the development of a quantitative nanoLC‐ESI+‐HRMS/MS method, allowing for adduct detection in DEB‐treated calf thymus DNA. DEB‐FAPy‐dG formation in DNA was dependent on DEB concentration and pH, with higher numbers observed under alkaline conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors may synergize with programmed cell death receptor‐1 (PD‐1) inhibitors to enhance adaptive and innate antitumor immune responses. In the phase 2 JASPER study (NCT04475939), the PARP inhibitor niraparib was evaluated in combination with the PD‐1 inhibitor pembrolizumab in patients with metastatic and/or locally advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: Patients whose tumors had programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD‐L1) tumor proportion scores (TPS) ≥50% (cohort 1) or 1%‐49% (cohort 2) received first‐line niraparib (200 mg once daily) plus pembrolizumab (200 mg every 3 weeks). The primary end point was investigator‐assessed objective response rate (ORR). Secondary end points included duration of response (DoR), progression‐free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), safety, and pharmacokinetics. Results: Thirty‐eight patients were enrolled in cohorts 1 and 2. In cohort 1, ORR (95% confidence interval [CI]) was 56.3% (9 of 16 patients; 29.9%‐80.2%); 2 of 16 patients had complete responses and 7 of 16 had partial responses (PRs). In cohort 2, ORR was 20.0% (5.7%‐43.7%) with 4 of 20 PRs. In cohorts 1 and 2, the median DoR was 19.7 months (95% CI, 4.2 months to not estimable [NE]) and 9.4 months (95% CI, 4.2 months to NE), the median PFS was 8.4 months (95% CI, 3.9‐22.1 months) and 4.2 months (95% CI, 2.0‐6.2 months), and the median OS was NE (95% CI, 6.0 months to NE) and 7.7 months (95% CI, 4.0‐12.5 months), respectively. Grade ≥3 treatment‐emergent adverse events occurred in 88.2% and 85.7% of patients in cohorts 1 and 2, respectively. Safety was consistent with known profiles of single‐agent niraparib and pembrolizumab. Conclusions: Niraparib plus pembrolizumab showed clinical activity in patients with advanced and/or metastatic NSCLC. Lay Summary: The JASPER clinical trial studied a new combination treatment for advanced or metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Pembrolizumab, a drug approved for NSCLC, was given with niraparib.Previous research showed that these 2 drugs together might work better than either drug alone.This study found that more than half of patients with high levels of a tumor marker responded to the combination, and one‐fifth of patients with lower levels of the marker responded.The types of side effects from the combination were similar to side effects from both drugs alone.These results support more research on this combination. The poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase inhibitor niraparib, in combination with the programmed cell death receptor 1 inhibitor pembrolizumab, shows clinical activity and a manageable safety profile in patients with advanced or metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the phase 2 JASPER study. These results warrant further evaluation of this novel combination in NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA‐protein cross‐links (DPCs) between DNA epigenetic mark 5‐formylC and lysine residues of histone proteins spontaneously form in human cells. Such conjugates are likely to influence chromatin structure and mediate DNA replication, transcription, and repair, but are challenging to study due to their reversible nature. Here we report the construction of site specific, hydrolytically stable DPCs between 5fdC in DNA and K4 of histone H3 and an investigation of their effects on DNA replication. Our approach employs oxime ligation, allowing for site‐specific conjugation of histones to DNA under physiological conditions. Primer extension experiments revealed that histone H3‐DNA crosslinks blocked DNA synthesis by hPol η polymerase, but were bypassed following proteolytic processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinal surgery has evolved through decades. At present it is performed like any other surgery with safety and durability. Spinal instrumentation evolved mostly in the last century. There were natural teething problems in its evolution to the current state. Still, we are in search for the ideal implant materials and ideal implants. The quest for implants without imaging artefacts, biodegradable implants with most biocompatibility, ideal implant for disc replacement, less prominent implants etc need further research to fine tune them from the present status. In this review of literature and from the difficulties encountered in routine day to day clinical practice of the author, the current status of the spinal implants, its problems and the future perspectives are looked upon. This review describes the current state of affairs of the biomaterials and implants in spine surgery and gives a binocular view into the future state of affairs. Literature search from the pub med, current text books and author's personal experiences have been included. The current status of the implants and the materials used are widely covered. Areas for future research are pointed out. Spine surgery enjoys the reputation as a safe surgery similar to other surgical disciplines, still it can be fine-tuned by focussed research on selected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA‐protein cross‐links (DPCs) between DNA epigenetic mark 5‐formylC and lysine residues of histone proteins spontaneously form in human cells. Such conjugates are likely to influence chromatin structure and mediate DNA replication, transcription, and repair, but are challenging to study due to their reversible nature. Here we report the construction of site specific, hydrolytically stable DPCs between 5fdC in DNA and K4 of histone H3 and an investigation of their effects on DNA replication. Our approach employs oxime ligation, allowing for site‐specific conjugation of histones to DNA under physiological conditions. Primer extension experiments revealed that histone H3‐DNA crosslinks blocked DNA synthesis by hPol η polymerase, but were bypassed following proteolytic processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

4-Aminobutyltriethoxysilane functionalized TiO2 nanoparticles (TiO2-ABTES) dispersed diglycidyl ethers of bisphenol-A (DGEBA-GY260) were studied for antimicrobial applications. Epoxy nano-hybrid coatings of four different concentrations (1, 3, 5 and 7 wt %) were developed using TiO2-ABTES as the dispersed phase and a commercially available DGEBA as the matrix phase. Triethylenetetramine (TETA) used to cure the nanocomposites films. The structural characteristics of these materials were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectral studies, Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscope analysis. The surface characteristics of the samples were estimated from contact angle measurements and calculated surface free energy and adhesion energy. The bacteriological tests were done using the agar diffusion method with different concentrations of TiO2-ABTES. The antimicrobial activity test noted that the antimicrobial activity of 7 wt% TiO2-ABTES nanoparticles loaded epoxy nanocomposite film has a better inhibition zone against all pathogens under study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports the gamma absorbed dose rate (GADR) in 88 locations within five different geological regions of Uttara Kannada district. The measurements were made using a UR-705 environmental radiation dosimeter. The outdoor gamma absorbed dose rate varies from 44.5 to 220.0 nGy h–1 with the mean value of 78.0 nGy h–1, which is 1.3 times higher than the international average value of 59 nGy h–1. The indoor gamma absorbed dose rate varies from 57.3 to 242.5 nGy h–1 with an average of 90.0 nGy h–1, which is slightly higher than the world average of 84 nGy h–1 as suggested by UNSCEAR-2000. The estimated dose rate varies with the geological background and soil type. The total AEDE ranges from 0.3 to 1.38 mSv year–1 with an average of 0.53 mSv year–1. The average total AEDE is lower than the dose limit of 1 mSv year–1 for public, suggested by ICRP-1991. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dielectric and thermal behavior of 4-aminobutyltriethoxysilane-functionalized TiO2 nanoparticle (ABTES-TiO2 NPs)-loaded diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA-GY260) nanocomposites was chosen for investigation. The synthesized TiO2-ABTES-DGEBA nanocomposite films were distinguished using FT-IR spectra to access the chemical bonding between fillers and epoxy resin. SEM and AFM analysis facilitated access to the homogeneously dispersed nanoparticles in epoxy matrix. Triethylenetetramine (TEPA), also denoted as tetrene, is utilized as a curing agent. TGA and DSC analysis are used to investigate the thermal behavior of epoxy nanocomposite samples. Moreover, thermodynamic parameters were computed using Coats–Redfern method. There is an increase in thermal behavior with an increase in loading concentrations. The dielectric measurements were studied in the frequency range from 50 to 5 × 106 Hz and at temperatures 30, 60 and 120 °C, which exhibited outstanding results. The variation in dielectric constant, dielectric loss and AC conductivity makes ABTES-TiO2-loaded epoxy nanocomposites is the most compatible for high-performance electrical and thermal applications. The highlight of the work is the temperature and frequency that are especially more pronounced in 5%-TiO2-ABTES-DGEBA and 7%-TiO2-ABTES-DGEBA samples. The complete analysis put forward that loading epoxy resins with TiO2-ABTES augment the electrical and thermal properties of epoxy resin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over a decade, coal-based thermal power plants are upgraded to operate at supercritical pressure conditions due to its high efficiency and low emissions. Water wall panels of a typical supercritical boiler are structured spirally in the lower furnace and vertically placed in the upper furnace. The spiral tubes are inclined at 19 to 22 degrees in which fluid behaves as in horizontal tubes. The design of water wall panels plays the key role in designing a supercritical boiler. The present work aims to numerically investigate the heat transfer behavior of both vertical and horizontal tubes at the supercritical conditions. Since the temperature distribution across the cross-section of vertical tube is uniform, a 2D axis symmetry tube has been considered for analyzing the vertical tube. Unlike vertical tube, the heat transfer characteristics is different for horizontal tubes. Therefore, a 3D tube has been modelled for the computation of horizontal tubes. In order to gain confidence, the present simulations are validated with experiments results available in the literature. Ansys-Fluent has been used in the present simulation. SST k-ω turbulence model is used in this analysis. In the present work, 10 mm diameter of 4m length of vertical tube has been chosen and simulated at low heat flux to mass flux ratio 0.27 and high heat flux to mass flux ratio 0.67 with pressure 241 bar. The effect of heat flux (q) to mass flux (G) ratio which is responsible for heat transfer enhancement and heat transfer deterioration has been studied for both vertical and horizontal tubes. The wall temperature has been plotted along the length of the tube for both top and bottom portion of horizontal tube and compared with wall temperature of vertical tube. The effect of buoyancy plays a vital role in the heat transfer behavior of horizontal tube compared to vertical tube. Heat transfer deterioration occurs due to buoyancy which has a direct linkage with gravity. Three cases were studied, one with full gravity (factor 1), half gravity (factor 0.5) and zero gravity (factor 0). It has been observed that, sudden rise in wall temperature occurs for the case gravity factor 1.0, i.e, considering the gravity effect. For the case of zero gravity, no sudden peak of local wall temperature is observed due to the absence of buoyancy term in the Navier-Stokes equations. Some of the thermo-physical properties like velocity, turbulent kinetic energy, density, wall temperature and turbulent viscosity are analyzed for three cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2022, two major storms in Western New York brought blizzard conditions and historic snowfall amounts to the region. Beyond the immediate impact to life and property, these weather events resulted in disruptions to cancer care as a result of hazardous travel conditions, and facility closures as a result of regional travel bans. We sought to understand the impact of these disruptive incidents on departmental operations to develop better contingency plans for future occurrences. The radiation treatment machine schedules for a large academic center in Western New York, as well as a neighboring affiliated satellite clinic were queried for daily treatment adherence rates from November 1, 2022 through February 4, 2023. We classified "severe weather days" based on travel advisories issued by the National Weather Service or from local county officials. Out of a total of 68 working days during the study period, 15 days were classified as having severe weather. We compared the percentage of scheduled patients treated (adherence rates) on severe weather days compared with days without severe weather. Statistical analysis was performed using a two-tailed Z-test for proportions. Under routine operating conditions, out of a total of 7045 scheduled treatment visits, we found a mean daily treatment adherence rate of 93.57%. On severe weather days, out of a total of 2093 scheduled treatments, we found a mean daily treatment adherence rate of 77.83%. Out of these 15 days, the satellite clinic closed for a total of 3 days, while the academic center closed for 1 day. Excluding the dates of facility closure, overall treatment adherence rate was 84.76% on severe weather days (Risk Ratio: 0.91). We found that the difference in treatment adherence rates between regular and severe weather days was statistically significant (p<0.001), even when excluding dates of facility closure. This study demonstrates a significant reduction in treatment adherence rates around severe winter storms, even when excluding dates of facility closure. We suggest that preparation for such incidents be a part of facility contingency planning. Weekend openings can be considered for closures ≥ 2 days, or sustained adherence rates of 85% or less for 3 or more days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the design and simulation of two stage interleaved boost converter (IBC) for electric vehicle (EV) applications. The IBC is considered as a better solution among the different DC-DC topologies for EV for reducing the current ripple, power loss and the size of the components. Traditional DC-DC boost converter (BC) is not applicable for high power applications. Use of interleaving technique minimizes the voltage stress on the switching devices and to be improving the converter performance. Simulation is carried out using MATLAB/Simulink software. The prototype of two stage IBC is fabricated to test the performance. Hardware results shows that the inductor power loss is minimum at a switching frequency of 5 kHz compared to that of 10 kHz. The output power at the load end is maximum for 5 kHz switching when compared with 10 kHz switching. The study shows that the operation of IBC at 5 kHz improves the performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method has been proposed for the green and efficient synthesis of xanthenediones and their corresponding open-chain analogs aryl-methylene bis(3-hydroxy-5,5'-dimethyl-2-cyclohexene-1-ones) using natural acid, Lemon juice, as the catalyst. This method involves the use of lemon juice as a surfactant-type bronsted acid, which makes it non-polluting and produces a high-purity product with excellent yield. Additionally, the work-up procedure is clean and straightforward. Dimedone and aldehydes are the starting materials for this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an alternative to expensive Nafion membrane, SPEEK (Sulfonated Poly Ether Ether Ketone) membrane reinforced with hydroxylated boron nitride is investigated as a potential proton exchange membrane for vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB). SPEEK based hybrid membranes are characterized for their thermal, mechanical and chemical stability along with proton conductivity and vanadium permeability. The results reveal that the hydroxylated boron nitride enhances the physicochemical properties of SPEEK and shown to improve selectivity of ions (52.629 *103. S.cm−3.min) with better stability. The improved properties are attributed to hydrogen bond formation between hydroxyl moieties of born nitride and sulfonic acid group in SPEEK. Among the hybrid membrane, SPEEK reinforced with 0.05 wt % of hydroxylated boron nitride exhibits a higher coulombic efficiency of 93.6 % (91.8 % for Nafion), higher self-discharge time of 14.21 h (11.36 h for Nafion) in VRFB single cell performance study. Cyclic performance study in VRFB with hybrid membrane shows stable characteristics during 50 cycles and it reaffirms the structural, thermal and chemical stability of hybrid membranes. Thus, this study provides insight into replacing commercial Nafion with hydroxylated boron nitride reinforced SPEEK hybrid membrane for vanadium redox flow battery. [Display omitted] • Low cost SPEEK membrane with boron nitride is reported here for first time in VRFB. • Improved ion selectivity and stability is observed in hybrid membrane. • Enhanced Coulombic efficiency and self-discharge time in VRFB with hybrid membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • TiO 2 NS/rGO/g-C 3 N 4 ternary nanocomposite was prepared by facile synthesis. • Introduction of rGO and g-C 3 N 4 does not change crystallographic planes of anatase TiO 2 NS. • TiO 2 NS/rGO/g-C 3 N 4 nanocomposite displayed significant visible light absorption from 400 nm to 700 nm. • TiO 2 NS are composed of very small and homogeneous TiO 2 nanoparticles with average diameter of ∼25. • TiO 2 NS/GO/g-C 3 N 4 nanocomposite based DSSC delivered PCE of 5.77 %, a hike in ∼41 % over TiO 2 NS photoanode DSSC. Titanium dioxide/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites (TiO 2 /rGO NCs) have been broadly utilized as photoanode materials for dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). Nevertheless, photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of DSSC is diminished due to recombination of charges takes place between photoanode and electrolyte interface. Herein, we have prepared a triplet structure nanocomposite composed of TiO 2 nanospheres, rGO and graphitic carbon nitride (TiO 2 NS/rGO/g-C 3 N 4 NC) for photoanode of DSSC. The ternary TiO 2 NS/rGO/g-C 3 N 4 NC photoanode has enhanced dye absorption considerably and as a consequence, improved light harvesting efficiency. Besides, the introduction of rGO and g-C 3 N 4 on the TiO 2 NS has effectually speeded up the transport of electrons and minimized the recombination of photogenerated charges. Consequently, the DSSC integrated with ternary TiO 2 NS/rGO/g-C 3 N 4 NC photoanode has exhibited ∼41 % increment in the PCE of 5.77 % when compared to PCE of the pristine TiO 2 NS photoanode (4.10 %). This finding has proposed a simplistic approach to advance photovoltaic performance of the DSSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reduced graphene oxide integrated copper oxide nanocomposite thin film (rGO-CuO NC TF) solar selective absorber coatings were devised on aluminum substrate using dip-coating procedure. The prepared coatings were subjected to characterization by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, PL spectroscopy, UV–vis–NIR spectrophotometer, Emissometer and Raman spectroscopy. XRD and Raman analyses disclosed presence of mono-phase with highly crystalline monoclinic structured CuO in the rGO-CuO NC TFs. The SEM images revealed grain-like morphology of CuO, which are randomly distributed on rGO sheets. EDX and XPS investigations confirmed presence of anticipated chemical constituents and chemical composition, respectively in the NC TFs. The rGO-CuO NC TF with 1.0 wt% GO disclosed absorptance (α) of 79.92% and emittance (ε) of 4.2% with a highest selectivity (ξ) of 19.03 that suggests its promising prospect for solar absorber coating in solar thermal devices. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design of an efficient, recyclable, visible light photocatalytic system was examined as a viable new green way to address environmental challenges such as removal of pollutants from wastewater and N2 fixation. The exfoliated boron (Bexf)‐Titanium oxide (TiO2) composite visible light active photocatalysts were successfully constructed via a simple wet chemical method by utilizing acetone as a solvent. The composite was evaluated for the photodegradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) dye and reduction of N2, which exhibits improved photocatalytic activity for degradation of RhB as well as for reduction of N2. Experiments with different quenchers indicate that the photogenerated superoxide radical anion (O2⋅−) plays a significant role in the degradation of RhB as well as for N2 reduction reactions. The composite catalyst shows good photostability and there is no significant reduction of the catalyst activity for dye degradation up to 4 cycles of reaction. This work affords a significant view into the design of reusable TiO2 composite materials for photocatalytic RhB degradation and nitrogen fixation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]