Search Results (5)

Effective X-ray photon-counting spectral imaging (x-CSI) detector design involves the optimisation of a wide range of parameters both regarding the sensor (e.g., material, thickness and pixel pitch) and electronics (e.g., signal-processing chain and count-triggering scheme). Our previous publications have looked at the role of pixel pitch, sensor thickness and a range of additive charge sharing correction algorithms (CSCAs), and in this work, we compare additive and subtractive CSCAs to identify the advantages and disadvantages. These CSCAs differ in their approach to dealing with charge sharing: additive approaches attempt to reconstruct the original event, whilst subtractive approaches discard the shared events. Each approach was simulated on data from a wide range of x-CSI detector designs (pixel pitches 100–600 µm, sensor thickness 1.5 mm) and X-ray fluxes (10⁶–10⁹ photons mm⁻² s⁻¹), and their performance was characterised in terms of absolute detection efficiency (ADE), absolute photopeak efficiency (APE), relative coincidence counts (RCC) and binned spectral efficiency (BSE). Differences between the two approaches were explained mechanistically in terms of the CSCA’s effect on both charge sharing and pule pileup. At low X-ray fluxes, the two approaches perform similarly, but at higher fluxes, they differ in complex ways. Generally, additive CSCAs perform better on absolute metrics (ADE and APE), and subtractive CSCAs perform better on relative metrics (RCC and BSE). Which approach to use will, thus, depend on the expected operating flux and whether dose efficiency or spectral efficiency is more important for the application in mind. Full article

This paper presents an effective hybrid optimization technique based on a chaotic sine cosine algorithm (CSCA) and pattern search (PS) for the coordinated design of power system stabilizers (PSSs) and static VAR compensator (SVC)-based controllers. For this purpose, the design problem is considered as an optimization problem whose decision variables are the controllers’ parameters. Due to the nonlinearities of large, interconnected power systems, methods capable of handling any nonlinearity of power networks are preferable. In this regard, a nonlinear time domain-based objective function was used. Then, the proposed hybrid chaotic sine cosine pattern search (hCSC-PS) algorithm was employed for solving this optimization problem. The proposed method employed the global search ability of SCA and the local search ability of PS. The performance of the new hCSC-PS was investigated using a set of benchmark functions, and then the results were compared with those of the standard SCA and some other methods from the literature. In addition, a case study from the literature is considered to evaluate the efficiency of the proposed hCSC-PS for the coordinated design of controllers in the power system. PSSs and additional SVC controllers are being considered to demonstrate the feasibility of the new technique. In order to ensure the robustness and performance of the proposed controller, the objective function is evaluated for various extreme loading conditions and system configurations. The numerical investigations show that the new approach may provide better optimal damping and outperforms previous methods. Nonlinear time-domain simulation shows the superiority of the proposed controller and its ability in providing efficient damping of electromechanical oscillations. Full article

In this study, we manufactured biocompatible hemostatic crosslinked chitosan (CS) patches and analyzed their physicochemical and biological properties for femoral arterial puncture applications. CS is a representative hemostatic material but has some drawbacks, such as swelling, shrinkage, and brittleness. Thus, it was crosslinked via a 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC)/N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) coupling reaction and a nucleophilic addition reaction with citric acid (CA), glutaraldehyde (GTA), and genipin (GP) to remedy its shortcomings. The CSCA (crosslinked CS with CA/EDC), CSGTA (crosslinked CS with GTA), and CSG (crosslinked CS with GP) films showed low swelling degrees and good mechanical properties (excluding CSCA) compared with those of neat CS films. Additionally, every crosslinked CS film coated with thrombin (TB-CS) showed enhanced hemostatic ability in the whole blood clotting and activated partial thromboplastin time tests. Furthermore, the CSCA, CSGTA, and CSGP were nontoxic in an in vitro cell cytotoxicity test (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay) using L-929 mouse fibroblasts cells. Full article

Chitosan/cellulose acetate (CS/CA) used as a biopolymer systema, with the addition of TiO₂ as photocatalyst (C-T/CA) were fabricated by alternating electrospinning/electrospraying technology. The uniform dispersion of TiO₂ and its recovery after the removal of methyl orange (MO) was achieved by incorporating TiO₂ in CS electrosprayed hemispheres. The effects of pH values, contact time, and the amount of TiO₂ on adsorption and photocatalytic degradation for MO of the C-T/CA were investigated in detail. When TiO₂ content was 3 wt %, the highest MO removal amount for fiber membranes (C-T-3/CA) reached 98% at pH value 4 and MO concentration of 40 mg/L. According to the data analysis, the pseudo-second-order kinetic and Freundlich isotherm model were well fitted to kinetic and equilibrium data of MO removal. Especially for C-T-3/CA, the fiber membrane exhibited multiple layers of adsorption. All these results indicated that adsorption caused by electrostatic interaction and photocatalytic degradation were involved in the MO removal process. This work provides a potential method for developing a novel photocatalyst with excellent catalytic activity, adsorbing capability and recycling use. Full article

Cockle shell is an external covering of small, salt water edible clams (Anadara granosa) that dwells in coastal area. This abundant biomaterial is hard, cheap and readily available with high content of calcium carbonate in aragonite polymorphic form. At present, cockle shell-derived calcium carbonate nanoparticles (CSCaCO₃NPs) with dual applications has remarkably drawn significant attention of researchers in nanotechnology as a nanocarrier for delivery of different categories of drugs and as bone scaffold due to its beneficial potentials such as biocompatibility, osteoconductivity, pH sensitivity, slow biodegradation, hydrophilic nature and a wide safety margin. In addition, CSCaCO₃NP possesses structural porosity, a large surface area and functional group endings for electrostatic ion bonds with high loading capacity. Thus, it maintains great potential in the drug delivery system and a large number of biomedical utilisations. The pioneering researchers adopted a non-hazardous top-down method for the synthesis of CSCaCO₃NP with subsequent improvements that led to the better spherical diameter size obtained recently which is suitable for drug delivery. The method is therefore a simple, low cost and environmentally friendly, which involves little procedural steps without stringent temperature management and expensive hazardous chemicals or any carbonation methods. This paper presents a review on a few different types of nanoparticles with emphasis on the versatile most recent advancements and achievements on the synthesis and developments of CSCaCO₃NP aragonite with its applications as a nanocarrier for drug delivery in nanomedicine. Full article