Investigation of 9000 hours multi-stress aging effects on High-Temperature Vulcanized Silicone Rubber with silica (nano/micro) filler hybrid composite insulator

Degradation in the polymeric insulators is caused due to the environmental stresses. The main aim of this paper is to explore the improved aging characteristics of hybrid samples by adding nano/micro silica in High Temperature Vulcanized Silicone Rubber (HTV-SiR) under long term accelerated aging conditions for 9000 hours. As HTV-SiR is unable to sustain environmental stresses for a long time, thus a long term accelerated aging behavior is an important phenomenon to be considered for field application. The aging characteristics of nano/micro filled HTV-SiR are analyzed by using techniques such as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Leakage Current (LC), Fourier Transform Infrared Microscopy (FTIR), Hydrophobicity Classification (HC), and breakdown strength for the aging time of 9000 hours. FTIR and leakage currents are measured after every cycle. All the co-filled samples revealed escalated aging characteristics as compared to the neat sample except the SN8 sample (8% nano-silica+20% micro-silica) after 9000 hours of aging. The highest loading of 6% and 8% nano-silica with 20% micro-silica do not contribute to the improved performance when compared with the neat and hybrid samples. However, from the critical experimental analysis, it is deduced that SN2 sample (2% nano-silica+20% micro-silica) is highly resistant to the long term accelerated aging conditions. SN2 has no cracks, lower loss percentages in the important FTIR absorption peaks, higher breakdown strength and superior HC after aging as compared to the unfilled and hybrid samples

A Cost-Effective Electric Vehicle Intelligent Charge Scheduling Method for Commercial Smart Parking Lots Using a Simplified Convex Relaxation Technique

Deployment of efficient and cost-effective parking lots is a known bottleneck for the electric vehicles (EVs) sector. A comprehensive solution incorporating the requirements of all key stakeholders is required. Taking up the challenge, we propose a real-time EV smart parking lot model to attain the following objectives: (a) maximize the smart parking lot revenue by accommodating maximum number of EVs and (b) minimize the cost of power consumption by participating in a demand response (DR) program offered by the utility since it is a tool to answer and handle the electric power usage requirements for charging the EV in the smart parking lot. With a view to achieving these objectives, a linear programming-based binary/cyclic (0/1) optimization technique is developed for the EV charge scheduling process. It is difficult to solve the problems of binary optimization in real-time given that the complexity of the problem increases with the increase in number of EV. We deploy a simplified convex relaxation technique integrated with the linear programming solution to overcome this problem. The algorithm achieves: minimum power consumption cost of the EV smart parking lot; efficient utilization of available power; maximization of the number of the EV to be charged; and minimum impact on the EV battery lifecycle. DR participation provide benefits by offering time-based and incentive-based hourly intelligent charging schedules for the EV. A thorough comparison is drawn with existing variable charging rate-based techniques in order to demonstrate the comparative validity of our proposed technique. The simulation results show that even under no DR event, the proposed scheme results in 2.9% decrease in overall power consumption cost for a 500 EV scenario when compared to variable charging rate method. Moreover, in similar conditions, such as no DR event and for 500 EV arrived per day, there is a 2.8% increase in number of EV charged per day, 3.2% improvement in the average state-of-charge (SoC) of the EV, 12.47% reduction in the average time intervals required to achieve final SoC

Clinical Outcomes of Full Endoscopic Thoracic Discectomy in Acute Disc Herniation: A Case Report from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Objectives:  Thoracic disc herniations are rare relative to lumber and cervical spine herniations and account for 0.25% to 0.75% of cases in the general population. This case report presents a rare case of a 65-year-old male diagnosed with thoracic disc herniation and managed through full endoscopic thoracic discectomy. Clinical Presentation:  A 65-year-old wheelchair-bound male presented to OPD with complaints of paresthesia and sensory symptoms along with motor weakness from the past 2 weeks. No Symptoms of bowel and bladder dysfunction were present. Diagnosis/Intervention:  Sagittal and axial MRI findings revealed disc herniation at the T11 – T12 level. Full endoscopic thoracic discectomy through a transforaminal approach was performed to decompress the spinal cord. Conclusion:  Acute thoracic disc herniations although rare, can present with variable clinical manifestations. Full endoscopic thoracic discectomy through a transforaminal approach is a safe and effective surgical procedure associated with improved patient outcomes, increased satisfaction scores, and decreased chances of complications. Keywords:  Acute thoracic disc herniation, endoscopic discectomy, full endoscopic thoracic discectomy

Fractional order mathematical modeling of novel corona virus (COVID-19)

In this manuscript, the mathematical model of COVID-19 is considered with eight different classes under the fractional-order derivative in Caputo sense. A couple of results regarding the existence and uniqueness of the solution for the proposed model is presented. Furthermore, the fractional-order Taylor\u27s method is used for the approximation of the solution of the concerned problem. Finally, we simulate the results for 50 days with the help of some available data for fractional differential order to display the excellency of the proposed model

Clinical outcomes of three Level Interlaminar Endoscopic Decompression Surgery in the Treatment of Multilevel lumber Spinal Stenosis

This is the first case report to test the efficacy of three-level endoscopic spine surgery for the treatment of lumber spinal stenosis. The patient was a 50-year-old entrepreneur with pain on standing and walking and all activities that compress the canal such as lumber extension. Three-level endoscopic surgery was performed at L3-L4, L4-L5, and L5-S1. Certain clinical and surgical outcomes were selected such as the Visual Analogue Scale for pain, Oswestry Disability Index score for level of disability and functional limitation, pain on certain aggravating activities involving extension like walking and moving downstairs, spinal and core stability using prone segmental instability test and patient satisfaction values taken at baseline and after the endoscopic surgery at two levels i.e. immediately after surgery and after one month follow up. Multiple-level interlaminar endoscopic surgery was successful in terms of reducing pain, improving score on the Oswestry disability index, improving daily life activities, increasing spinal and core stability, and increasing patient satisfactio

Common Radiological Findings in Children with Suspected Foreign Body Inhalation

Background: Aspirated foreign bodies, an emergency situation, affecting children mostly in the first decade of life, either go undetected, are misdiagnosed or discovered unexpectedly. The purpose of this study was to determine the common radiological findings among children with suspected foreign body inhalation at Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar Pakistan.Material and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at the Department of ENT, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, from April 2017 to October 2017. All patients (n=141) were subjected to detailed history and clinical examination. X ray chest (AP and lateral views) was performed to detect common radiological findings i.e., radiopaque foreign body (FB), pneumonia, emphysema, atelectasis and air trapping. The age and gender-stratified radiological findings were analyzed using Chi square test to see effect modifications, with P-value < .05 as statistically significant.Results: In this study, mean age was 8±3.563 years, with most of the children with suspected FB inhalation presenting in the 1-6 years age group (n=82; 58%). Sixty percent children were male while 40% were female, with emphysema (28%) and air trapping (25%) as the most common radiological findings. Radiopaque FB was detected in 16% of children on X-ray chest.Conclusions: Children with suspected foreign bodies should be thoroughly evaluated by both clinical and radiological examination

Intelligent Sensors and Environment Driven Biological Comfort Control Based Smart Energy Consumption System

The smart energy consumption of any household, maintaining the thermal comfort level of the occupant, is of great interest. Sensors and Internet-of-Things (IoT)-based intelligent hardware setups control the home appliances intelligently and ensure smart energy consumption, considering environment parameters. However, the effects of environment-driven consumer body dynamics on energy consumption, considering consumer comfort level, need to be addressed. Therefore, an Energy Management System (EMS) is modeled, designed, and analyzed with hybrid inputs, namely environmental perturbations, and consumer body biological shifts, such as blood flows in skin, fat, muscle, and core layers (affecting consumer comfort through blood-driven-sensations). In this regard, our work incorporates 69 Multi-Node (MN) Stolwijik’s consumer body interfaced with an indoor (room) electrical system capable of mutual interactions exchange from room environmental parameters and consumer body dynamics. The mutual energy transactions are controlled with classical PID and Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy-Type II (NF-II) systems inside the room dimensions. Further, consumer comfort, room environment, and energy consumption relations with bidirectional control are demonstrated, analyzed, and tested in MATLAB/Simulink to reduce energy consumption and energy cost. Finally, six different cases are considered in simulation settings and for performance validation, one case is validated as real-time hardware experimentation

Sarcoidosis: an experience from a tertiary care center in Karachi Pakistan

Objectives: To assess the demographic and clinical characteristics and treatment of patients with sarcoidosis in tertiary care settings. Method: The descriptive retrospective study was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and comprised data from 2017 to 2019 of patients with established diagnosis of sarcoidosis.  Data was collected on a predesigned proforma and it was analysed using SPSS 23. Results: Of the 974 patients evaluated, sarcoidosis was established in 108(11.1%); 58(53.7%) of them being females. The overall mean age was 50.9±12.9 years. Hypertension 49(45.4%) and diabetes mellitus 37(34.3%) were the most frequent co-morbidities. Extra-pulmonary manifestations were found in 27(25%) patients; ophthalmic 9(33.3%), musculoskeletal 8(29.6%) and skin 7(25.9%). Prednisolone was the mainstay of treatment in 93(86.1%) patients. Conclusion: Sarcoidosis was not found to be rare in Pakistan. Key Words: Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary, Extra-pulmonary, Karachi, Pakistan. Continue...