PSG INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND APPLIED RESEARCH

A modified decision based unsymmetrical trimmed median filter algorithm for the restoration of gray scale, and color images that are highly corrupted by salt and pepper noise is proposed in this paper. The proposed algorithm replaces the noisy pixel by trimmed median value when other pixel values, 0's and 255's are present in the selected window and when all the pixel values are 0's and 255's then the noise pixel is replaced by mean value of all the elements present in the selected window. This proposed algorithm shows better results than the Standard Median Filter (MF), Decision Based Algorithm (DBA), Modified Decision Based Algorithm (MDBA), and Progressive Switched Median Filter (PSMF). The proposed algorithm is tested against different grayscale and color images and it gives better Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) and Image Enhancement Factor (IEF).

The ability of organisms and organic compounds to reduce metal ions and stabilize them into nanoparticles (NPs) forms the basis of green synthesis. To date, synthesis of NPs from various metal ions using a diverse array of plant extracts has been reported. However, a clear understanding of the mechanism of green synthesis of NPs is lacking. Although most studies have neglected to analyze the green-synthesized NPs (GNPs) for the presence of compounds derived from the extract, several studies have demonstrated the conjugation of sugars, secondary metabolites, and proteins in these biogenic NPs. Despite several reports on the bioactivities (antimicrobial, antioxidant, cytotoxic, catalytic, etc.) of GNPs, only a handful of studies have compared these activities with their chemically synthesized counterparts. These comparisons have demonstrated that GNPs possess better bioactivities than NPs synthesized by other methods, which might be attributed to the presence of plant-derived compounds in these NPs. The ability of NPs to bind with organic compounds to form a stable complex has huge potential in the harvesting of precious molecules and for drug discovery, if harnessed meticulously. A thorough understanding of the mechanisms of green synthesis and high-throughput screening of stabilizing/capping agents on the physico-chemical properties of GNPs is warranted to realize the full potential of green nanotechnology.

Biosensors are modern engineering tools that can be widely used for various technological applications. In the recent past, biosensors have been widely used in a broad application spectrum including industrial process control, the military, environmental monitoring, health care, microbiology, and food quality control. Biosensors are also used specifically for monitoring environmental pollution, detecting toxic elements' presence, the presence of bio-hazardous viruses or bacteria in organic matter, and biomolecule detection in clinical diagnostics. Moreover, deep medical applications such as well-being monitoring, chronic disease treatment, and in vitro medical examination studies such as the screening of infectious diseases for early detection. The scope for expanding the use of biosensors is very high owing to their inherent advantages such as ease of use, scalability, and simple manufacturing process. Biosensor technology is more prevalent as a large-scale, low cost, and enhanced technology in the modern medical field. Integration of nanotechnology with biosensors has shown the development path for the novel sensing mechanisms and biosensors as they enhance the performance and sensing ability of the currently used biosensors. Nanoscale dimensional integration promotes the formulation of biosensors with simple and rapid detection of molecules along with the detection of single biomolecules where they can also be evaluated and analyzed critically. Nanomaterials are used for the manufacturing of nano-biosensors and the nanomaterials commonly used include nanoparticles, nanowires, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), nanorods, and quantum dots (QDs). Nanomaterials possess various advantages such as color tunability, high detection sensitivity, a large surface area, high carrier capacity, high stability, and high thermal and electrical conductivity. The current review focuses on nanotechnology-enabled biosensors, their fundamentals, and architectural design. The review also expands the view on the materials used for fabricating biosensors and the probable applications of nanotechnology-enabled biosensors.

Green finance is a core part of the low carbon green growth, because it connects the financial industry, environmental improvement and economic growth. The objective of this paper is to study the green finance and to validate the concept as feasible in the Indian industries for balancing the ecological depreciation due to the assimilation of carbon gases in atmosphere. Green Finance is a market-based investing or lending program that factors environmental impact into risk assessment, or utilizing environmental incentives to drive business decisions. Therefore, the paper also discusses the recent trends and the future opportunities and challenges in green finance in the emerging India. Green investing recognizes the value of the environment and its natural capital and also seeks to improve the human well-being and social equity while reducing environmental risks and improving the ecological integrity.

From the beginning of humanity, our generation has been on the edge of finding suitable solutions to increase the product’s life-cycle and reduce the environmental impact of the product. Life-cycle assessment is a process to evaluate the effects of products or services whereas environmental impact assessment is an inter-related process of evaluating the environmental impact of a product or service. Plant fibre reinforced composites are developed by researchers, which are kindled by economic and environmental trepidations. The forest’s wood resources will decline and deplete due to environmental issues caused by natural and renewable resources. The main objective of this review is to conduct life-cycle assessment and environmental impact assessment studies on plant fibres and manufacturing of bio-composites from these fibres. It identifies the differences and causes to the environment, in particular about the total effect on the surrounding atmosphere. Another aim of this work is to assess a techno-economic feasibility based on the environmental impact category. In addition to this, inventory assessments of these composites are also dealt with, alongside the industrial applications. This review concludes a summary of current research and point out the opportunities and challenges for future researchers.

Abstract The current day target for material scientists and researchers is developing a wholesome material to satisfy the parameters such as durability, manufacturability, low cost, and lightweight. Extensive research studies are ongoing on the possible application of polymer matrix composites in engineering and technology, since these materials have an edge over conventional materials in terms of performance. Hybridization of reinforcements is considered to be a better option to enhance the efficiency and performance of composite materials. Accordingly, research studies focus on the surface treatment of natural fibers and the addition of nanofillers (natural or synthetic) by industry and academia to take the properties and application of composites to the next level. This review purely focuses on the influence of fillers on the properties of composites along with the probable application of filler-based polymer composites.

Purpose The purpose of this literature review is to identify and propose a list of few vital critical success factors (CSFs) of total quality management (TQM) for the benefit of researchers and industries. Design/methodology/approach Even though there has been a large number of articles published related to TQM in the last few decades, only a very few articles focused on documenting the CSFs of TQM using statistical methods. The main objective of this literature review is to investigate and list the CSFs of TQM according to the descending order of frequencies of occurrences. The domain of review is the scale development studies and the TQM effect versus performance measurement studies. The review period is between 1989 and 2003. Rigorous statistical reliability tests and validity tests were conducted during these studies to factorize the CSFs and hence these studies were chosen for the literature review. Finally, the quality tool “Pareto analysis” was used to sort and arrange the CSFs according to the order of criticality. Findings An examination of 37 such TQM empirical studies resulted in compilation of 56 CSFs. Implementation difficulties exist to operationalize such a large number of CSFs in organizations. This study analyzed and sorted the CSFs in descending order according to the frequency of occurrences using Pareto analysis. A few vital CSFs were identified and reported. The results of this study will help in a smoother penetration of TQM programs in organizations. Practical implications In future, the researchers in quality management may develop models to measure and sustain the level of implementation of TQM in industries. CSFs are the essential constructs based on which further statistical analysis can be carried out. The present study will guide the researchers in selecting the reliable set of CSFs for empirical studies. Industries can benefit by adopting the results of this study for effective implementation of TQM. Originality/value This paper presents a solution to the difficulties hitherto faced by the organizations in operationalizing the very large number of CSFs proposed by the various empirical studies published in TQM during the last two decades.

The application of nanoscale materials and structures, usually ranging from 1 to 100 nanometers (nm), is an emerging area of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Synthesis of noble metal nanoparticles for applications such as catalysis, electronics, textiles, environmental protection, and biotechnology is an area of constant interest. Recently, an awareness of general sanitation, contact disease transmission, and personal protection has led to the development of antimicrobial textiles. The development of antimicrobial cotton fabrics using Zinc oxide nanoparticles has been investigated in this present work. The ZnO nanoparticles were prepared by wet chemical method and were directly applied on to the 100% cotton woven fabric using pad-dry-cure method. The antibacterial activity of the finished fabrics was assessed qualitatively by agar diffusion and parallel streak method, quantitatively by percentage reduction test. The topographical analysis of the treated fabric and untreated fabric were studied and compared. The results show that the finished fabric demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against S. aureus in both qualitative and quantitative tests. The SEM analysis revealed the embedding of ZnO nanoparticles in treated fabrics. The wash durability study of the treated fabric was also carried out and found to withstand up to 25 wash cycles. Keywords: Nanoparticles, zinc oxide, antimicrobial finish, wash durability

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have become a topic of significant research in the last two decades because of their scientific importance in the area of energy conversion. Currently, DSSC is using inorganic ruthenium (Ru)-based, metal-free organic dyes, quantum-dot sensitizer, perovskite-based sensitizer, and natural dyes as sensitizer. The use of metal-free, quantum-dot sensitizer, perovskite-based sensitizer, and natural dyes has become a viable alternative to expensive and rare Ru-based dyes because of low cost, ease of preparation, easy attainability, and environmental friendliness. Most of the alternatives to Ru-based dyes have so far proved inferior to the Ru-based dyes because of their narrow absorption bands (Δλ ≈ 100–250 nm), adverse dye aggregation, and instability. This review highlights the recent research on sensitizers for DSSC, including ruthenium complexes, metal-free organic dyes, quantum-dot sensitizer, perovskite-based sensitizer, mordant dyes, and natural dyes. It also details and tabulates all types of sensitizer with their corresponding efficiencies. Plot of progress in efficiency (η) of DSSC till date based on different types of sensitizers is also presented. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A wind turbine power curve essentially captures the performance of the wind turbine. The power curve depicts the relationship between the wind speed and output power of the turbine. Modeling of wind turbine power curve aids in performance monitoring of the turbine and also in forecasting of power. This paper presents the development of parametric and nonparametric models of wind turbine power curves. Parametric models of the wind turbine power curve have been developed using four and five parameter logistic expressions. The parameters of these expressions have been solved using advanced algorithms like genetic algorithm (GA), evolutionary programming (EP), particle swarm optimization (PSO), and differential evolution (DE). Nonparametric models have been evolved using algorithms like neural networks, fuzzy c-means clustering, and data mining. The modeling of wind turbine power curve is done using five sets of data; one is a statistically generated set and the others are real-time data sets. The results obtained have been compared using suitable performance metrics and the best method for modeling of the power curve has been obtained.

Cloud computing has been build upon the development of distributed computing, grid computing and virtualization. Since cost of each task in cloud resources is different with one another, scheduling of user tasks in cloud is not the same as in traditional scheduling methods. The objective of this paper is to schedule task groups in cloud computing platform, where resources have different resource costs and computation performance. Due to job grouping, communication of coarse-grained jobs and resources optimizes computation/communication ratio. For this purpose, an algorithm based on both costs with user task grouping is proposed. The proposed scheduling approach in cloud employs an improved cost-based scheduling algorithm for making efficient mapping of tasks to available resources in cloud. This scheduling algorithm measures both resource cost and computation performance, it also improves the computation/communication ratio by grouping the user tasks according to a particular cloud resource's processing capability and sends the grouped jobs to the resource.

Abstract Tailoring personalized cancer nanomedicines demands detailed understanding of the tumor microenvironment. In recent years, smart upconversion nanoparticles with the ability to exploit the unique characteristics of the tumor microenvironment for precise targeting have been designed. To activate upconversion nanoparticles, various bio‐physicochemical characteristics of the tumor microenvironment, namely, acidic pH, redox reactants, and hypoxia, are exploited. Stimuli‐responsive upconversion nanoparticles also utilize the excessive presence of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), riboflavin, and Zn 2+ in tumors. An overview of the design of stimulus‐responsive upconversion nanoparticles that precisely target and respond to tumors via targeting the tumor microenvironment and intracellular signals is provided. Detailed understanding of the tumor microenvironment and the personalized design of upconversion nanoparticles will result in more effective clinical translation.

As natural fibers are noise-absorbing materials, renewable and biodegradable nonwovens have been developed using natural fibers such as banana, bamboo, and jute fibers for the automotive interiors to reduce noise, which currently contain traditional materials such as glass and other manufactured fibers and foams that are difficult to recycle. Three types of nonwovens were developed using needle-punching technique by blending bamboo, banana, and jute fibers with polypropylene staple fibers in the ratio of 50 : 50. Sound absorption coefficient was tested by impedance tube method (ASTM E 1050). Comparison of physical properties such as areal density, thickness, stiffness, tensile strength, elongation, structural properties, and comfort properties such as air permeability and thermal conductivity were performed for all samples. It is observed that the bamboo/polypropylene nonwoven with its compact structure showed, higher tensile strength, higher stiffness, lower elongation, lower thermal conductivity, lower air permeability, and good absorption coefficient than others and it is suitable for the automotive interior noise control. At 800 Hz, the absorption coefficient of bamboo/polypropylene and jute/ polypropylene is equivalent to the target level but it is lower by 22% in banana/ polypropylene. But at higher frequencies (1600 Hz), there is a reduction from the target level in all the nonwovens, which could be improved by increasing the thickness of the nonwovens.

Peripheral nerve injuries (PNIs) are the most common injury types to affect the nervous system. Restoration of nerve function after PNI is a challenging medical issue. Extended gaps in transected peripheral nerves are only repaired using autologous nerve grafting. This technique, however, in which nerve tissue is harvested from a donor site and grafted onto a recipient site in the same body, has many limitations and disadvantages. Recent studies have revealed artificial nerve conduits as a promising alternative technique to substitute autologous nerves. This Review summarizes different types of artificial nerve grafts used to repair peripheral nerve injuries. These include synthetic and natural polymers with biological factors. Then, desirable properties of nerve guides are discussed based on their functionality and effectiveness. In the final part of this Review, fabrication methods and commercially available nerve guides are described.

Intracellular signalling pathways have provided excellent resource for drug development particularly in the development of cancer therapeutics. A wide variety of malignancies common in human exhibit aberrant NF-κB constitutive expression which results in tumorigenic processes and cancer survival in a variety of solid tumour, including pancreatic cancer, lung, cervical, prostate, breast and gastric carcinoma. Numerous evidences indicate that NF-κB signalling mechanism is mainly involved in the progression of several cancers which may intensify an enhanced knowledge on its role in disease particularly lung tumorigenesis. This has led to tremendous research in designing a variety of NF-κB antagonists with enhanced clinical applications through different approaches the most common being suppression of IκB kinase (IKK) beta activity. Many NF-κB inhibitors for lung cancer are now under clinical trials. Preliminary results of clinical trials for several of these agents include small-molecule inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies. A few combinatorial treatment therapies are currently under investigation in the clinics and have shown promise, particularly NF-κB inhibition associated with lung cancer.

In recent days, automobile and construction industries are focus on the light weight, environmental friendly materials with good mechanical properties. Glass fiber reinforced composites have excellent specific properties and are widely used because of reduced mass. However the manufacturing of glass fibers and end of life disposal are the major problem to the environment. To overcome these problems, natural fibers are used to manufacture composites. Flax is the one of the naturally available fiber having good mechanical properties than other natural fibers. It needs to be pointed out that most of research effort about the flax fiber reinforced composites focuses on the manufacturing techniques and primary mechanical properties and not on the secondary properties like sound absorption and vibration damping. In this paper, sound absorption and vibration damping properties of flax fiber reinforced composites were characterized and compared with the glass fiber reinforced composites. It was experimentally observed that the sound absorption coefficient of flax fiber reinforced composites has 21.42% & 25% higher than that of glass fiber reinforced composites at higher frequency level (2000 Hz) and lower frequency level (100 Hz). From the vibration study it was observed that the flax fiber reinforced composites have 51.03% higher vibration damping than the glass fiber reinforced composites. The specific flexural strength and specific flexural modulus for flax fiber reinforced composites also good. These results suggest that the flax fiber reinforced composites could be a viable candidate for applications which need good sound and vibration properties.

A common technique in geometrically nonlinear finite element analysis is to express the total potential in terms of Lagrangian displacement coordinates, differentiate the potential to obtain the equilibrium equations, and form the differentials of the equilibrium equations to obtain linear incremental equilibrium equations. The geometric nonlinearities in the strain-displacement equations give rise to incremental matrices in the preceding equations. The form of these matrices is not unique in the expression for the total potential. The paper presents expressions for incremental matrices that remain valid in the equilibrium equations and in the linear incremental equilibrium equations. The construction of such matrices is illustrated for truss elements, in-plane bending elements, membrane elements, and plate flexural elements. An examination of some of the recent literature indicates that some investigators have used inappropriate forms of these incremental matrices.

This paper describes the method for stabilizing and trajectory tracking of Self Erecting Single Inverted Pendulum (SESIP) using Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR). A robust LQR is proposed in this paper not only to stabilize the pendulum in upright position but also to make the cart system to track the given reference signal even in the presence of disturbance. The control scheme of pendulum system consists of two controllers such as swing up controller and stabilizing controller. The main focus of this work is on the design of stabilizing controller which can accommodate the disturbance present in the system in the form of wind force. An optimal LQR controller with well tuned weighting matrices is implemented to stabilize the pendulum in the vertical position. The steady state and dynamic characteristics of the proposed controller are investigated by conducting experiments on benchmark linear inverted pendulum system. Experimental results prove that the proposed LQR controller can guarantee the inverted pendulum a faster and smoother stabilizing process with less oscillation and better robustness than a Full State Feedback (FSF) controller by pole placement approach.

Application of natural fiber-polymer composites (NFPCs) in different industrial applications provides competitive edge due to their lightweight, higher specific mechanical properties than glass fibers, sustainability, and lower cost involved in production. There are certain challenges associated with natural fibers and their reinforcement in composites such as poor bonding between the fibers and matrix due to their contradictory nature of characteristics, moisture absorption, lower thermal properties, and poor interfacial adhesion between the natural fiber and polymer matrix. The challenges involved in NFPCs need to be overcome to produce materials with relatively equivalent properties to those of conventional composites and other metallic structures. Several researchers around the globe have conducted investigations with the primary attention being paid to the modification of natural fibers and matrix by employing surface treatments and other chemical treatment methods. In order to address the need for eco-friendly and sustainable materials in different domains, a comprehensive review on natural fibers and their sources, available matrix materials, modification techniques, mechanical and thermal properties of NFPCs, is needed for better understanding of the behavior of NFPCs. This work provides the information and holistic view of natural fiber-reinforced composites based on the results obtained from modification techniques, with the view of focusing the review in terms of different chemical and physical treatment techniques, modification of fibers and matrix, and enhanced mechanical and thermal properties in the composites.

In an attempt to develop an efficient flame retardant for epoxy resin (EP), a hierarchical “dots-core–shell” structure [email protected]@PZE was prepared via simple two-step reactions including in-situ growth of Ag within halloysite nanotubes (HNT) and a crosslinking polymerization of polyphosphazene (PZE) coating on [email protected] surfaces. Wherein, the dots represented Ag nanoparticles, the core represented HNT, and the shell referred to PZE. Here, Ag encapsulated within HNT acts as an interfacial catalyst to effectively degrade toxicity gas (e.g. CO), while PZE acts as an interfacial compatibilizer for enhancing the dispersion and flame retardant efficiency of [email protected]@PZE in the matrix. The flammability and smoke toxicity of EP/[email protected]@PZE nanocomposites were both reduced greatly compared to neat EP. The limited oxygen index (LOI), UL-94 grade and char yield of composite EP/[email protected]@PZE reached 33.6 ± 0.72%, V-0 level and 22.8% respectively. Moreover, the peak heat release rate (pHRR) was reduced by 34.2%, accompanied by a higher ratio of graphitized char layer. It showed that flammable pyrolysis products released from EP during combustion were distinctly inhibited because Ag nanoparticles could catalyze the conversion of flammable gas CO to nonflammable CO2, which were verified by the density functional theory (DFT) calculations. It was assumed that halloysite-based hybrid flame retardant could have an impact on toxicity-suppressing and catalyze char formation to produce a barrier effect. The combination of metal-immobilized at clay nanotubes interiors for agglomeration-tolerant and PZE-modified at clay nanotubes exterior for shell-protective provides a potential way to develop efficient flame retardant for the manufacture of nanocomposites with higher fire safety.