Search results for: experimental work

Authors: Pedro F. Albuquerque, Pedro V. Gamboa, Miguel A. Silvestre

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The present work describes the implementation of the Enhanced Collaborative Optimization (ECO) multilevel architecture with a gradient-based optimization algorithm with the aim of performing a multidisciplinary design optimization of a generic unmanned aerial vehicle with morphing technologies. The concepts of weighting coefficient and a dynamic compatibility parameter are presented for the ECO architecture. A routine that calculates the aircraft performance for the user defined mission profile and vehicle’s performance requirements has been implemented using low fidelity models for the aerodynamics, stability, propulsion, weight, balance and flight performance. A benchmarking case study for evaluating the advantage of using a variable span wing within the optimization methodology developed is presented.

Keywords: multidisciplinary, multilevel, morphing, enhanced collaborative optimization

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Authors: Yasaman Sanayei, Alireza Bahiraie

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This paper presents a systematic methodology based on the application of artificial neural networks for sequencing batch reactor (SBR). The SBR is a fill-and-draw biological wastewater technology, which is specially suited for nutrient removal. Employing reactive dye by Sphingomonas paucimobilis bacteria at sequence batch reactor is a novel approach of dye removal. The influent COD, MLVSS, and reaction time were selected as the process inputs and the effluent COD and BOD as the process outputs. The best possible result for the discrete pole parameter was a= 0.44. In orderto adjust the parameters of ANN, the Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) algorithm was employed. The results predicted by the model were compared to the experimental data and showed a high correlation with R2> 0.99 and a low mean absolute error (MAE). The results from this study reveal that the developed model is accurate and efficacious in predicting COD and BOD parameters of the dye-containing wastewater treated by SBR. The proposed modeling approach can be applied to other industrial wastewater treatment systems to predict effluent characteristics. Note that SBR are normally operated with constant predefined duration of the stages, thus, resulting in low efficient operation. Data obtained from the on-line electronic sensors installed in the SBR and from the control quality laboratory analysis have been used to develop the optimal architecture of two different ANN. The results have shown that the developed models can be used as efficient and cost-effective predictive tools for the system analysed.

Keywords: artificial neural network, COD removal, SBR, Sphingomonas paucimobilis

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Authors: R. Rishi Jain, S. V. Viswanath, R. Naveen Vasanthan

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Generally all the IC engines, alternators, air conditioner compressors, oil pumps and coolant pumps are driven by a crankshaft utilizing V-belt drivers. An increase in the number of idle pulleys results in the increase of frictional power. Further, components like idler and belt tensioner are also needed to run the belt drive which adds to the frictional power. The aspiration of this paper is to minimize the friction power by introducing a new system that could combine all the accessories in one shaft within a single casing. This is conceptualized to minimize the friction power, service and maintenance cost, space and also time. The validation of this work can be executed through a simpler drive transmitting power from the crank shaft.

Keywords: single drive, idler pulley, belt tensioner, friction power, casing, space and cost

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Authors: David Schafer

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Critical Theory is in sore need of a workable account of technology. It had one in the writings of Herbert Marcuse, or so it seemed until Jürgen Habermas mounted a critique in 'Technology and Science as Ideology' (Habermas, 1970) that decisively put it away. Ever since Marcuse’s work has been regarded outdated – a 'philosophy of consciousness' no longer seriously tenable. But with Marcuse’s view has gone the important insight that technology is no norm-free system (as Habermas portrays it) but can be laden with social bias. Andrew Feenberg is among a few serious scholars who have perceived this problem in post-Habermasian critical theory and has sought to revive a basically Marcusean account of technology. On his view, while so-called ‘technical elements’ that physically make up technologies are neutral with regard to social interests, there is a sense in which we may speak of a normative grammar or ‘technical code’ built-in to technology that can be socially biased in favor of certain groups over others (Feenberg, 2002). According to Feenberg, those perspectives on technology are reified which consider technology only by their technical elements to the neglect of their technical codes. Nevertheless, Feenberg’s account fails to explain what is normatively problematic with such reified views of technology. His plausible claim that they represent false perspectives on technology by itself does not explain how such views may be oppressive, even though Feenberg surely wants to be doing that stronger level of normative theorizing. Perceiving this deficit in his own account of reification, he tries to adopt Habermas’s version of systems-theory to ground his own critical theory of technology (Feenberg, 1999). But this is a curious move in light of Feenberg’s own legitimate critiques of Habermas’s portrayals of technology as reified or ‘norm-free.’ This paper argues that a better foundation may be found in Axel Honneth’s recent text, Freedom’s Right (Honneth, 2014). Though Honneth there says little explicitly about technology, he offers an implicit account of reification formulated in opposition to Habermas’s systems-theoretic approach. On this ‘normative functionalist’ account of reification, social spheres are reified when participants prioritize individualist ideals of freedom (moral and legal freedom) to the neglect of an intersubjective form of freedom-through-recognition that Honneth calls ‘social freedom.’ Such misprioritization is ultimately problematic because it is unsustainable: individual freedom is philosophically and institutionally dependent upon social freedom. The main difficulty in adopting Honneth’s social theory for the purposes of a theory of technology, however, is that the notion of social freedom is predicable only of social institutions, whereas it appears difficult to conceive of technology as an institution. Nevertheless, in light of Feenberg’s work, the idea that technology includes within itself a normative grammar (technical code) takes on much plausibility. To the extent that this normative grammar may be understood by the category of social freedom, Honneth’s dialectical account of the relationship between individual and social forms of freedom provides a more solid basis from which to ground the normative claims of Feenberg’s sociological account of technology than Habermas’s systems theory.

Keywords: Habermas, Honneth, technology, Feenberg

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Authors: Stephen A. Akinlabi, Esther T. Akinlabi

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The drip irrigation system is one of the important areas that affect the livelihood of farmers directly. The use of drip irrigation system has been the most efficient system compared to the other types of irrigations systems because the drip irrigation helps to save water and increase the productivity of crops. But like any other system, it can be considered inefficient when the filters and the emitters get clogged while in operation. The efficiency of the entire system is reduced when the emitters are clogged and blocked. This consequently impact and affect the farm operations which may result in scarcity of farm products and increase the demand. This design work focuses on how to overcome some of the challenges affecting drip irrigation system through the design of an efficient filtration and flushing system.

Keywords: drip irrigation system, filters, soil texture, mechanical engineering design, analysis

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Authors: Mahmood Dehqan, Peyman Peyvasteh

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In recent years there has been a growing interest in issues concerning the impact of sociocultural theory (SCT) of learning on different aspects of second/foreign language learning. This study aimed to find the possible effects of sociocultural teaching techniques on reading strategy of EFL learners. Indeed, the present research compared the impact of peer and teacher scaffolding on EFL learners’ reading strategy use across two proficiency levels. To this end, a pre-test post-test quasi-experimental research design was used and two instruments were utilized to collect the data: Nelson English language test and reading strategy questionnaire. Ninety five university students participated in this study were divided into two groups of teacher and peer scaffolding. Teacher scaffolding group received scaffolded help from the teacher based on three mechanisms of effective help within ZPD: graduated, contingent, dialogic. In contrast, learners of peer scaffolding group were unleashed from the teacher-fronted classroom as they were asked to carry out the reading comprehension tasks with the feedback they provided for each other. Results obtained from ANOVA revealed that teacher scaffolding group outperformed the peer scaffolding group in terms of reading strategy use. It means teacher’s scaffolded help provided within the learners’ ZPD led to better reading strategy improvement compared with the peer scaffolded help. However, the interaction effect between proficiency factor and teaching technique was non-significant, leading to the conclusion that strategy use of the learners was not affected by their proficiency level in either teacher or peer scaffolding groups.

Keywords: peer scaffolding, proficiency level, reading strategy, sociocultural theory, teacher scaffolding

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Authors: J. Y. Tan, L. C. Lum, M. G. Lee, S. Mansouri, K. Hapgood, X. D. Chen, M. W. Woo

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Folic acid (FA) is known to be an important supplement to prevent neural tube defect (NTD) in pregnant women. Similar to some commercial formulations, sodium bicarbonate solution is used as a solvent for FA. This work uses the antisolvent vapor precipitation (AVP), incorporating ethanol vapor as the convective drying medium in place of air to produce branch-like micro-structure FA particles. Interestingly, the dissolution rate of the resultant particle is 2-3 times better than the particle produce from conventional air drying due to the higher surface area of particles produced. The higher dissolution rate could possibly improve the delivery and absorption of FA in human body. This application could potentially be extended to other commercial products, particularly in less soluble drugs to improve its solubility.

Keywords: absorption, antisolvent vapor precipitation, dissolution rate, folic acid

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Authors: Sumara Khursheed, Jitendra Sharma

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The present work reports synthesis of nanocomposites (NCs) of phosphor (KCaVO4:Sm3+) embedded poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) using solution casting method and their optical properties measurements for their possible application in making flexible luminescent films. X-ray diffraction analyses were employed to obtain the structural parameters as crystallinity, shape and size of the obtained NCs. The emission and excitation spectra were obtained using Photoluminescence spectroscopy to quantify the spectral properties of these fluorescent polymer/phosphor films. Optical energy gap has been estimated using UV-VIS spectroscopy while differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was exploited to measure the thermal properties of the NC films in terms of their thermal stability, glass transition temperature and degree of crystallinity etc.

Keywords: nanocomposites, luminescence, XRD, differential scanning calorimetry, PMMA

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Authors: Allen B. Baylosis

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Chamber Theatre has been one of the least articulated staging devices in the field of theatre and performance studies. This creative exploratory-descriptive study responds to this gap by employing the staging technique in a Chamber Theatre production based on Nick Joaquin’s The Summer Solstice. Specifically, this study opts to understand three processes involved in the Chamber Theatre creative thesis production of The Summer Solstice as performance: performance of the theatre-maker, performance of the spect-actors, and performance of the spectators. For this purpose, the theatre-maker describes the creative process of transforming The Summer Solstice text to a Chamber Theatre production—from text to staging. The theatre-maker also analyzes the performers’ experiences and the spectators’ responses as they participate in a Chamber Theatre performance. In doing so, the theatre-maker collects qualitative data from seventeen (17) performers and qualitative feedback from twenty (20) spectators. For the mode of data analysis, this study employed Ranciere’s concept on the Emancipated Spectator (2008) and Schechner’s Performance Theory (1988). The study’s findings examine how the theatre-maker, the performers, and the spectators become distant viewers of their respective restored behavior performances. Through these viewed performances, this study implies that it is possible to ascertain a reasonable definition of purpose for Chamber Theatre. Hence, despite the existence of other modern staging devices in the field of theatre and performance studies, this study concludes that Chamber Theatre remains to be a relevant staging technique.

Keywords: adaptation of text, chamber theatre, experimental theater, oral interpretation

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Authors: Érick Aragão Ribeiro, George André Pereira Thé, José Marques Soares

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Several problems in industrial supervision software development projects may lead to the delay or cancellation of projects. These problems can be avoided or contained by using identification methods, analysis and control of risks. These procedures can give an overview of the possible problems that can happen in the projects and what are the immediate solutions. Therefore, we propose a risk management method applied to the teaching and development of industrial supervision software. The method is developed through a literature review and previous projects can be divided into phases of management and have basic features that are validated with experimental research carried out by mechatronics engineering students and professionals. The management is conducted through the stages of identification, analysis, planning, monitoring, control and communication of risks. Programmers use a method of prioritizing risks considering the gravity and the possibility of occurrence of the risk. The outputs of the method indicate which risks occurred or are about to happen. The first results indicate which risks occur at different stages of the project and what risks have a high probability of occurring. The results show the efficiency of the proposed method compared to other methods, showing the improvement of software quality and leading developers in their decisions. This new way of developing supervision software helps students identify design problems, evaluate software developed and propose effective solutions. We conclude that the risk management optimizes the development of the industrial process control software and provides higher quality to the product.

Keywords: supervision software, risk management, industrial supervision, project management

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Authors: J. Klofac, P. Bazant, I. Kuritka

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This work is focused on the preparation of polymeric blend composed of polyamide (PA) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with the intention to explore its basic characteristics important for potential use in medicine, especially for drug delivery systems. PA brings brilliant mechanical properties to the blend while PVA is inevitable due to its water solubility. Blend with different PA/PVA ratios were prepared and the release study of PVA into the water was carried out in a time interval 0-48 hours via the gravimetric method. The weight decrease is caused by the leaching of PVA domains what can be also followed by the optical and scanning electron microscopy. In addition, the thermal properties and the miscibility of blend components were evaluated by the differential scanning calorimeter. On the bases of performed experiments, it was found that the kinetics, continuity development and micro structure features of PA/PVA blends is strongly dependent on the blend composition and miscibility of its components.

Keywords: releas study, polyvinyl alcohol, polyamide morphology, polymeric blend

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Authors: Sumit Sen, Sohan Khedekar, Umang Shinde, Shivam Bhargava

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This study has been undertaken to investigate whether the deep learning models are able to predict the future stock prices by training the model with the historical stock price data. Since this work required time series analysis, various models are present today to perform time series analysis such as Recurrent Neural Network LSTM, ARIMA and Facebook Prophet. Applying these models the movement of stock price of stocks are predicted and also tried to provide the future prediction of the stock price of a stock. Final product will be a stock price prediction web application that is developed for providing the user the ease of analysis of the stocks and will also provide the predicted stock price for the next seven days.

Keywords: Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average, Deep Learning, Long Short Term Memory, Time-series

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Authors: Hamid El Qarnia

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This study investigates the impact of the eccentricity of the central tube on the thermal and fluid characteristics of a triplex tube used in latent heat energy storage technologies. Two triplex tube orientations are considered in the proposed study: vertical and horizontal. The energy storage material, which is a phase change material (PCM), is placed in the space between the inside and outside tubes. During the thermal energy storage period, a heat transfer fluid (HTF) flows inside the two tubes, transmitting the heat to the PCM through two heat exchange surfaces instead of one heat exchange surface as it is the case for double tube heat storage systems. A CFD model is developed and validated against experimental data available in the literature. The mesh independency study is carried out to select the appropriate mesh. In addition, different time steps are examined to determine a time step ensuring accuracy of the numerical results and reduction in the computational time. The numerical model is then used to conduct numerical investigations of the thermal behavior and thermal performance of the storage unit. The effects of eccentricity of the central tube and HTF mass flow rate on thermal characteristics and performance indicators are examined for two flow arrangements: co-current and counter current flows. The results are given in terms of isotherm plots, streamlines, melting time and thermal energy storage efficiency.

Keywords: energy storage, heat transfer, melting, solidification

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Authors: Jugoslav Jokovic, Tijana Dimitrijevic, Nebojsa Doncov

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The goal of this paper is to investigate the possibilities and effectiveness of the TLM (Transmission Line Matrix) method for modelling of up-to-date microstrip antennas with circular geometry that have significant application in modern wireless communication systems. The coaxially fed microstrip antenna configurations with circular patch are analyzed by using the in-house 3DTLMcyl_cw solver based on computational electromagnetic TLM method adapted to the cylindrical grid and enhanced with the compact wire model. Opposed to the widely used rectangular TLM mesh, where a staircase approximation has to be used to describe curved boundaries, precise modelling of circular boundaries can be accomplished in the cylindrical grid irrespective of the mesh resolution. Using the compact wire model incorporated in cylindrical mesh, it is possible to model coaxial feed and include the influence of the real excitation in the antenna model. The conventional and inverted configuration of a coaxially fed circular patch antenna are considered, comparing the resonances obtained using TLM cylindrical model with results reached by the corresponding model in a rectangular grid as well as with experimental ones. Bearing in mind that accuracy of simulated results depends on a relevantly created model, besides structure geometry and dimensions, it is important to consider additional modelling issues, regarding appropriate mesh resolution and a relevant extension of a mesh around the considered structure that would provide convergence of the results.

Keywords: computational electromagnetic, coaxial feed, microstrip antenna, TLM modelling

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Authors: Basma Hamdi, Lakdar Kairouani, Ezzedine Nahdi

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The objective of this work is to present a thermodynamic analysis of low temperature solar Rankine cycle with ejector for power generation using zeotropic mixtures. Based on theoretical calculation, effects of zeotropic mixtures compositions on the performance of solar Rankine cycle with ejector are discussed and compared with corresponding pure fluids. Variations of net power output, thermal efficiency were calculating with changing evaporation temperature. The ejector coefficient had analyzed as independent variable. The result show that (R245fa/R152a) has a higher thermal efficiency than using pure fluids.

Keywords: zeotropic mixture, thermodynamic analysis, ejector, low-temperature solar rankine cycle

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Authors: Jacob Msughter Gwa, Rhys Williams

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It is widely known that food security is a major concern in Sub-Saharan Africa. In many regions, including Nigeria, this is due to an agriculture-old problem of soil erosion beyond replacement levels. It seems that the use of fertilizer would be an immediate solution as it can boost agricultural productivity, and low agricultural productivity is attributed to the low use of fertilizers in Nigeria. The Government of Nigeria has been addressing the challenges of food shortage but with limited success. The utilisation of a practical and efficient subsidy programme in addressing this issue seems to be needed. However, the problem of procurement and distribution changes from one stage of subsidy to another. This paper looks at the difference between the ideal and the actual implementation of agricultural fertilizer policies in Nigeria, as it currently runs the risk of meeting required standards on paper but missing the desired real outcomes, and recognises the need to close the gap between the paper work and the realities on the ground.

Keywords: agricultural productivity, fertilizer distribution, fertilizer procurement, Nigeria

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Authors: A. Rinaldi, A. Proietti, C. Aquarelli, F. Marra, A. Tamburrano, M. Ciminello, M. S. Sarto

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A new type of high sensitive piezoresistive sensors based on graphene was developed within the SARISTU project for application on Structural Health Monitoring (SHM). The new sensor consists of a graphene-based film, obtained through the spray deposition of a colloidal suspension of Multi-Layer Graphene (MLGs) nano platelets over a substrate. MLGs are produced by liquid exfoliation of thermally expanded Graphite Intercalation Compound. An array of 8 sensors is produced by spray deposition over an aeronautical CFRC plate of dimensions 550 mm (length) × 550 mm (width) × 3 mm (thickness). Electromechanical tests were performed in order to assess the sensitivity of the new piezoresistive sensors, which are characterized by an isotropic response. In the quasi-static characterizations, the CFRC plate was clamped on one side and loaded on the opposite one. The local strain map of the plate was then obtained from displacement measurements and numerical analysis. The dynamic tests were performed lying the plate over an anti-vibration table and actuating a piezoelectric element located in the middle of the sensing array. The obtained experimental results demonstrated that the sensors possess a good repeatability and a high constant gauge factor (~200) in the applied strain range 0.001%-0.02%. Moreover, they can follow dynamics up to 400 kHz and for this reason they are good candidates for Lamb-wave analysis.

Keywords: graphene, strain sensor, spray deposition, lamb-wave analysis

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Authors: Nika Botchorishvili, Olgha Giorgishvili

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Many-year investigations of the nature of damping creep of rigid bodies and materials led to the discovery of the fundamental character of this phenomenon. It occurs only when a rigid body comes in contact with a surface-active medium (liquid or gaseous), which brings about a decrease of the free surface energy of a rigid body as a result of adsorption, chemo-sorption or wetting. The reversibility of the process consists of a gradual disappearance of creep deformation when the action of a surface-active medium stops. To clarify the essence of processes, a physical model is constructed by using Griffith’s scheme and the well-known representation formulas of deformation origination and failure processes. The total creep deformation is caused by the formation and opening of microcracks throughout the material volume under the action of load. This supposedly happens in macroscopically homogeneous silicate and organic glasses, while in polycrystals (tuff, gypsum, steel) contacting with a surface-active medium micro crack are formed mainly on the grain boundaries. The creep of rubber is due to its swelling activated by stress. Acknowledgment: All experiments are financially supported by Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia. Study of Properties of Concretes (Both Ordinary and Compacted) Made of Local Building Materials and Containing Admixtures, and Their Further Introduction in Construction Operations and Road Building. DP2016_26. 22.12.2016.

Keywords: process reversibility, surface-active medium, Rebinder’s effect, micro crack, creep

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Authors: Alok Kumar Kamal, Vinod Kumar

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The trench gate MOSFET has shown itself as the most appropriate power device for low to medium voltage power applications due to its lowest possible ON resistance among all power semiconductor devices. In this research work a double-epilayer PSGT structure using a thin layer of N+ polysilicon as gate material. The total ON-state resistance (RON) of UMOSFET can be reduced by optimizing the epilayer thickness. The optimized structure of Double-Epilayer exhibits a 25.8% reduction in the ON-state resistance at Vgs=5V and improving the switching characteristics by reducing the Reverse transfer capacitance (Cgd) by 7.4%.

Keywords: Miller-capacitance, double-Epilayer;switching characteristics, power trench MOSFET (U-MOSFET), on-state resistance, blocking voltage

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Authors: Ahmed Saheel

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Enhanced oil recovery using carbon dioxide (CO₂-EOR) is a method that can increase oil production beyond what is typically achievable using conventional recovery methods by injecting, and hence storing, carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the oil reservoir. In Libya, plans are under way to source a proportion of this CO₂ from subsurface geology that is known from previous drilling to contain high volumes of CO₂. But first these subsurface volumes need to be more clearly defined and understood. Focusing on the Al-Harouj region of central Libya, ground gravity and airborne magnetic data from the LPI database and the African Magnetic Mapping Project respectively have been prepared and processed by Libyan Petroleum Institute (LPI) and Reid Geophysics Limited (RGL) to produce a range of grids and related products suitable for interpreting geological structure and to make recommendations for subsequent work that will assist CO₂ exploration for purposes of enhanced oil recovery (EOR).

Keywords: gravity, magnetic, deduced lineaments, upward continuation

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Authors: Devyani D. Samarth, Sachin V. Bakre, Ratnesh Kumar

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This work deals with two buildings adjacent to each other connected with dampers. The “Imperial Valley Earthquake - El Centro", "May 18, 1940 earthquake time history is used for dynamic analysis of the system in the time domain. The effectiveness of fluid joint dampers is then investigated in terms of the reduction of displacement, acceleration and base shear responses of adjacent buildings. Finally, an extensive parametric study is carried out to find optimum damper properties like stiffness (Kd) and damping coefficient (Cd) for adjacent buildings. Results show that using fluid dampers to connect the adjacent buildings of different fundamental frequencies can effectively reduce earthquake-induced responses of either building if damper optimum properties are selected.

Keywords: energy dissipation devices, time history analysis, viscous damper, optimum parameters

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Authors: D. Majumdar, M. Baskey, S. K. Saha

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Graphene has already been identified as a promising material for future carbon based electronics. To develop graphene technology, the fabrication of a high quality P-N junction is a great challenge. In the present work, we have described a simple and general technique to grow single crystalline polyaniline (PANI) films on graphene sheets using in situ polymerization via the oxidation-reduction of aniline monomer and graphene oxide, respectively, to fabricate a high quality P-N junction, which shows diode-like behavior with a remarkably low turn-on voltage (60 mV) and high rectification ratio (1880:1) up to a voltage of 0.2 Volt. The origin of these superior electronic properties is the preferential growth of a highly crystalline PANI film as well as lattice matching between the d-values [~2.48 Å] of graphene and {120} planes of PANI.

Keywords: epitaxial growth, PANI, reduced graphene oxide, rectification ratio

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Authors: Nikhil Byanna, Abdolghani Ebrahimi, Diego Klabjan

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How does one objectively measure the performance of an individual offensive lineman in the NFL? The existing literature proposes various measures that rely on subjective assessments of game film, but has yet to develop an objective methodology to evaluate performance. Using a variety of statistics related to an offensive lineman’s performance, we develop a framework to objectively analyze the overall performance of an individual offensive lineman and determine specific linemen who are overvalued or undervalued relative to their salary. We identify eight players across the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 NFL seasons that are considered to be overvalued or undervalued and corroborate the results with existing metrics that are based on subjective evaluation. To the best of our knowledge, the techniques set forth in this work have not been utilized in previous works to evaluate the performance of NFL players at any position, including offensive linemen.

Keywords: offensive lineman, player performance, NFL, machine learning

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Authors: Amelia Morris, Lizzie Coles-Kemp, Will Jones

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This paper examines how community welfare initiatives transform how individuals use and experience an ostensibly universal welfare system. This paper argues that the digitalisation of welfare overlooks the complex reality of being unemployed or in low-wage work, and erects digital barriers to accessing welfare. Utilising analysis of ethnographic research in food banks and community groups, the paper explores the ways that Universal Credit has not abolished face-to-face support, but relocated it to unofficial sites of welfare. The apparent efficiency and simplicity of the state’s digital welfare apparatus, therefore, is produced not by reducing the ‘messiness’ of welfare, but by rendering it invisible within the digital framework. Using the analysis of the study’s data, this paper recommends three principles of service design that would render the messiness visible to the state.

Keywords: welfare, digitalisation, food bank, Universal Credit

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Authors: Ligia Alberto

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This study examined the underrepresentation of women of color in school leadership roles. Using social capital as the theoretical framework, this study explored the role of mentoring relationships in the career advancement and promotion of Latina school leaders. This study showed that informal mentoring relationships are essential to the promotion of women of color. Most of the mentoring relationships were established through close work with their immediate supervisors. This study suggests having informal mentors facilitated Latina women's aspirations to become school leaders and counteract the pattern of underrepresentation of Latinas in such roles.

Keywords: women of color, school leadership, social capital, mentoring

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Authors: Krishnaiah Arkanti, Ramulu Malothu

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The experiments have been conducted to study the mechanical properties of commercially pure copper processing at room temperature by severe plastic deformation using equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE) through a die of 90^oangle up to 3 passes by route B_C i.e. rotating the sample in the same direction by 90^o after each pass. ECAE is used to produce from existing coarse grains to ultra-fine, equiaxed grains structure with high angle grain boundaries in submicron level by introducing a large amount of shear strain in the presence of hydrostatic pressure into the material without changing billet shape or dimension. Mechanical testing plays an important role in evaluating fundamental properties of engineering materials as well as in developing new materials and in controlling the quality of materials for use in design and construction. Yield stress, ultimate tensile stress and ductility are structure sensitive properties and vary with the structure of the material. Microhardness and tensile tests were carried out to evaluate the hardness, strength and ductility of the ECAE processed materials. The results reveal that the strength and hardness of commercially pure copper samples improved significantly without losing much ductility after each pass.

Keywords: equal channel angular extrusion, severe plastic deformation, copper, mechanical properties

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Authors: Feyza Tatar, Alime Cengiz, Dilara Sandikçi, Muhammed Dervisoglu, Talip Kahyaoglu

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Blueberries are known for their bioactive properties such as high anthocyanin contents, antioxidant activities and potential health benefits. However, anthocyanins are sensitive to environmental conditions during processes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of spray drying conditions on the blueberry microcapsules by Plackett-Burman experimental design. Inlet air temperature (120 and 180°C), feed pump rate (20% and 40%), DE of maltodextrin (6 and 15 DE), coating concentration (10% and 30%) and source of blueberry (Duke and Darrow) were independent variables, tested at high (+1) and low (-1) levels. Encapsulation efficiency (based on total phenol) of blueberry microcapsules was the dependent variable. In addition, anthocyanin content, antioxidant activity, water solubility, water activity and bulk density were measured for blueberry powders. The antioxidant activity of blueberry powders ranged from 72 to 265 mmol Trolox/g and anthocyanin content was changed from 528 to 5500 mg GAE/100g. Encapsulation efficiency was significantly affected (p<0.05) by inlet air temperature and coating concentration. Encapsulation efficiency increased with increasing inlet air temperature and decreasing coating concentration. The highest encapsulation efficiency could be produced by spray drying at 180°C inlet air temperature, 40% pump rate, 6 DE of maltodextrin, 13% maltodextrin concentration and source of duke blueberry.

Keywords: blueberry, microencapsulation, Plackett-Burman design, spray drying

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Authors: Erhan Zor, Funda Copur, Asli I. Dogan, Haluk Bingol

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Current trends in the wide-scale sensing technologies rely on the development of miniaturized, rapid and easy-to-use sensing platforms. Quantum dots (QDs) with strong and easily tunable luminescence and high emission quantum yields have become a well-established photoluminescent nanomaterials for sensor applications. Although the majority of the reports focused on the cadmium-based QDs which have toxic effect on biological systems and eventually would cause serious environmental problems, carbon-based quantum dots (CQDs) that do not contain any toxic class elements have attracted substantial research interest in recent years. CQDs are small carbon nanostructures (less than 10 nm in size) with various unique properties and are widely-used in different fields during the last few years. In this respect, chiral nanostructures have become a promising class of materials in various areas such as pharmacology, catalysis, bioanalysis and (bio)sensor technology due to the vital importance of chirality in living systems. We herein report the synthesis of chiral CQDs with D- or L-tartaric acid as precursor materials. The optimum experimental conditions were examined and the purification procedure was performed using ethanol/water by column chromatography. The purified chiral CQDs were characterized by UV-Vis, FT-IR, XPS, PL and TEM techniques. The resultants display different photoluminescent characteristics due to the size and conformational difference. Considering the results, it can be concluded that chiral CQDs is expected to be used as optical chiral sensor in different platforms.

Keywords: carbon quantum dots, chirality, sensor, tartaric acid

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Authors: Yinggang Guo, Zongchun Li

Abstract:

In order to decrease the accumulated survey error of tunnel installation control network of particle accelerator, a sectional control method is proposed. Firstly, the accumulation rule of positional error with the length of the control network is obtained by simulation calculation according to the shape of the tunnel installation-control-network. Then, the RMS of horizontal positional precision of tunnel backbone control network is taken as the threshold. When the accumulated error is bigger than the threshold, the tunnel installation control network should be divided into subsections reasonably. On each segment, the middle survey station is taken as the datum for independent adjustment calculation. Finally, by taking the backbone control points as faint datums, the weighted partial parameters adjustment is performed with the adjustment results of each segment and the coordinates of backbone control points. The subsections are jointed and unified into the global coordinate system in the adjustment process. An installation control network of the linac with a length of 1.6 km is simulated. The RMS of positional deviation of the proposed method is 2.583 mm, and the RMS of the difference of positional deviation between adjacent points reaches 0.035 mm. Experimental results show that the proposed sectional control method can not only effectively decrease the accumulated survey error but also guarantee the relative positional precision of the installation control network. So it can be applied in the data processing of tunnel installation control networks, especially for large particle accelerators.

Keywords: alignment, tunnel installation control network, accumulated survey error, sectional control method, datum

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Authors: M. J. Reis Lima, J. Oliveira, A. C. Sousa Pereira, M. C. Castilho, E. Teixeira-Lemos

Abstract:

The increasing interest in plant sterol enriched foods is due to the fact that they reduce blood cholesterol concentrations without adverse side effects. In this context, enriched foods with phytosterols may be helpful in protecting population against atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. The aim of the present work was to evaluate in a population of Viseu, Portugal, the consumption habits low-fat, plant sterol-enriched yoghurt. For this study, 577 inquiries were made and the sample was randomly selected for people shopping in various supermarkets. The preliminary results showed that the biggest consumers of these products were women aged 45 to 65 years old. Most of the people who claimed to buy these products consumed them once a day. Also, most of the consumers under antidyslipidemic therapeutics noticed positive effects on hypercholesterolemia.

Keywords: consumption habits, fermented milk, functional foods, low fat, phytosterols

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