Modeling of Chaotic Behavior of Benchmark Datasets using Hybrid Heuristic Optimization

Optimization is required for producing the best results. Heuristic algorithm is one of the techniques which can be used for finding best results. By making use of artificial neural network and particle swarm optimization values can be predicted and chaotic signals can be modeled which forms the base of this project. The chaotic signals here use are Mackey series and Box Jenkins Gas Furnace data series. The results of this work shows the comparative study of predicted number of neurons in the second hidden layer also it gives the value of mean square error while making the prediction

Effect of Nano Cr2O3 in HTPB/AP/Al Based Composite Propellant Formulations

Different compositions have been prepared by incorporating nano sized chromium oxide from 0.25 % to 1 % in HTPB/AP/Al based composite propellant formulation having 86% of solid loading and studied its effect on viscosity build-up, thermal, mechanical and ballistic properties. The findings reveal that on increasing the percentage of nano Cr2O3 in the composition, there is an increase in end of mix viscosity, elastic modulus and tensile strength while elongation decreases accordingly. The data on thermal properties envisage the reduction in thermal decomposition temperature of ammonium perchlorate as well as formulations based on HTPB/AP/Al. The data on ballistic properties reveal that there is an enhancement in burning rate from 6.11 mm/s to 7.88 mm/s at 6.86 MPa, however, marginal increase in  pressure exponent (‘n’ values) from 0.35 to 0.53 with 1 wt % of nano Cr2O3 was observed  in comparison to reference composition without chromium oxide

Development Of Real-Time Drinking Water Distribution Systems (DWDS) Modeling Technology Using The EPANET Extended Period Simulation (EPS) Modeling Toolkit

Real-time hydraulic and water quality modeling involves the modification of the EPS network model every few minutes to reflect the SCADA data, and this paper shares how this type of real-time modeling framework, HydroTrek, was built on top of the EPS foundation provided by the EPANET toolkit. The real-life applications of HydroTrek posed some interesting modeling challenges when the hydraulic time-step was reduced to match the SCADA time-step of one to five minutes. For example, a physical pump usually does not instantaneously, but a model pump does. In a sensitive network, that can mean a significant mismatch between the SCADA and model tank demands, and consequently in the modeled tank levels. If the real-time model is updated by discarding ‘all model rules’ and strictly run on the basis of the SCADA component status values, then the tank level discrepancies can get further exacerbated through the opening or closing of valves that influence these tanks . Some systems also operate multiple valves in parallel in a lead-lag configuration and switch the active configuration in a manner that can’t be represented in an EPS model. Increasing the hydraulic time-step can reduce the ‘hydraulic’ problems but has the unfortunate consequence of masking the water quality spikes which are important for anomaly detection and for reduction of false positives in contaminant warning systems. Also, an EPS model may represent a battery of pumps with a single pump curve and may include simple tank mixing, and those may not be sufficient for real-time modeling. The authors conclude that although the EPS toolkit behaves well through the major portion of the real-time simulation, further hydraulic and water quality modeling advances and refinements are needed to improve the match with SCADA data

Studies on the High Performance Characteristics of an Aluminized Ammonium Perchlorate Composite Solid Propellant Based on Nitrile Butadiene Rubber

n the present study, a high performance composite solid propellant formulation was prepared based on nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) plasticizer, which has a longer pot life and high density specific impulse. The developed cost effective novel binder system was prepared with readily available raw materials (NBR and DBP). The formulation of the composition was performed by varying the content of the NBR/DBP binder in the range of 14-20%. The rocket performance characteristics were determined theoretically using PROPEP and compared with those of an HTPB based propellant. The rheological, mechanical, physical, ballistic and thermal properties of the NBR/DBP propellant were studied and compared with literature data for similar compositions based on an HTPB/dioctyl adipate (DOA) binder. The yield stress was determined by spreadibilty measurements, and indicated the superiority of this binder based propellant over existing composite propellants. It was concluded that following decreasing the content of the NBR/DBP binder in the propellant from 20 to 14%: in the range 58.83-78.45 bar (5.883-7.845 MPa), the pressure index increased from 0.159 to 0.371, – at 68.64 bar (6.864 MPa), the burning rate increased from 4.10 to 6.54 mm/s, but the theoretical specific impulse value did not change significantly (258.0259.8 s), – the tensile strength and E-modulus increased from 6.03 to 9.88 (0.591-0.969) to and from 18.00 to 75.00 kgf/cm2 (1.765 to 7.355 MPa), respectively. Moreover, a DSC and TGA study indicated a lower decomposition temperature for the NBR/DBP propellant compared to the HTPB propellant. The NBR/DBP propellant exhibited a pot life more than double that of a conventional HTPB/ DOA based propellant

Studies on Curing of an Aluminized Ammonium Perchlorate Composite Propellant Based on Nitrile Butadiene Rubber Using a Quinol Ether of 1,4-Benzoquinone Dioxime

The isocyanate-based curing agents used for polyurethane are toxic and hygroscopic in nature. In the present work, an alternate approach was adopted, a reaction between the unsaturated rubber having an α-methylene hydrogen atom and a dinitrosobenzene (DNB) - generating system (quinol ether of 1,4-benzoquinone dioxime, QE) without a catalyst, thus generating a cured system. QE is a novel curing agent for propellant applications which imparts the necessary curing. The curing reaction between nitrile butatadiene rubber (NBR) and quinol ether (QE) was studied by FTIR and the results revealed the formation of anil groups (Ar–C=N). The anil group results from the reaction between NBR and DNB, generated on decomposition of QE. Propellant formulations were prepared with variation of the curing agent from 0.2 to 0.5%. The composition and rheological, mechanical, ballistic and thermal properties of the resulting cured systems were investigated. The viscosity and spreadability were suitable for casting. The tensile strength, modulus, and hardness show an increasing trend and the elongation decreases on varying QE from 0.2 to 0.5% in the propellant. However, all of the compositions showed nearly the same burning rate and pressure exponent. The QE based curing system is non-hygroscopic and has extremely low toxicity. The experimental results revealed that the proposed curing agent may find application in explosives and propellants

Rlip76: An Unexplored Player in Neurodegeneration and Alzheimer’s Disease?

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder and is the most common cause of dementia in older people. AD is associated with the loss of synapses, oxidative stress, mitochondrial structural and functional abnormalities, microRNA deregulation, inflammatory responses, neuronal loss, accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) and phosphorylated tau (p-tau). AD occurs in two forms: early onset, familial AD and late-onset, sporadic AD. Causal factors are still unknown for a vast majority of AD patients. Genetic polymorphisms are proposed to contribute to late-onset AD via age-dependent increases in oxidative stress and mitochondrial abnormalities. Recent research from our lab revealed that reduced levels of Rlip76 induce oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and synaptic damage, leading to molecular and behavioral phenotypes resembling late-onset AD. Rlip76 is a multifunctional 76 kDa protein encoded by the RALBP1 gene, located on chromosome 18. Rlip is a stress-protective ATPase of the mercapturic acid pathway that couples clathrin-dependent endocytosis with the efflux of glutathione–electrophile conjugates. Rlip is evolutionarily highly conserved across species and is ubiquitously expressed in all tissues, including AD-affected brain regions, the cerebral cortex and hippocampus, where highly active neuronal metabolisms render the cells highly susceptible to intracellular oxidative damage. In the current article, we summarize molecular and cellular features of Rlip and how depleted Rlip may exacerbate oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and synaptic damage in AD. We also discuss the possible role of Rlip in aspects of learning and memory via axonal growth, dendritic remodeling, and receptor regulation. We conclude with a discussion of the potential for the contribution of genetic polymorphisms in Rlip to AD progression and the potential for Rlip-based therapies

Rlip Reduction Induces Oxidative Stress and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Mutant Tau-Expressed Immortalized Hippocampal Neurons: Mechanistic Insights

RalBP1 (Rlip) is a stress-activated protein that is believed to play a large role in aging and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other tauopathies. The purpose of our study was to understand the role of Rlip in mutant Tau-expressed immortalized hippocampal HT22 cells. In the current study, we used mutant Tau (mTau)-expressed HT22 neurons and HT22 cells transfected with Rlip-cDNA and/or silenced RNA, and studied the cell survival, mitochondrial respiration, mitochondrial function, immunoblotting, and immunofluorescence analysis of synaptic and mitophagy proteins and the colocalization of Rlip and mTau proteins. We found Rlip protein levels were reduced in mTau-HT22 cells, Rlip silenced HT22 cells, and mTau + Rlip RNA silenced HT22 cells; on the other hand, increased Rlip levels were observed in Rlip cDNA transfected HT22 cells. We found cell survival was decreased in mTau-HT22 cells and RNA-silenced HT22 cells. However, cell survival was increased in Rlip-overexpressed mTau-HT22 cells. A significantly reduced oxygen consumption rate (OCR) was found in mTau-HT22 cells and in RNA-silenced Rlip-HT22 cells, with an even greater reduction in mTau-HT22 + Rlip RNA-silenced HT22 cells. A significantly increased OCR was found in Rlip-overexpressed HT22 cells and in all groups of cells that overexpress Rlip cDNA. Mitochondrial function was defective in mTau-HT22 cells, RNA silenced Rlip in HT22 cells, and was further defective in mTau-HT22 + Rlip RNA-silenced HT22 cells; however, it was rescued in Rlip overexpressed in all groups of HT22 cells. Synaptic and mitophagy proteins were decreased in mTau-HT22 cells, and further reductions were found in RNA-silenced mTau-HT22 cells. However, these were increased in mTau + Rlip-overexpressed HT22 cells. An increased number of mitochondria and decreased mitochondrial length were found in mTau-HT22 cells. These were rescued in Rlip-overexpressed mTau-HT22 cells. These observations strongly suggest that Rlip deficiency causes oxidative stress/mitochondrial dysfunction and Rlip overexpression reverses these defects. Overall, our findings revealed that Rlip is a promising new target for aging, AD, and other tauopathies/neurological diseases