Volterra algorithm for modelling sea surface current circulation from satellite altimetry data

This paper was utilized a new approach for modelling sea surface current from JASON-1 satellite altimetry data. This was based on utilizing of the Volterra series expansion in order to transform the time series satellite altimetry data into a real ocean surface current. Thus,the basic equation of hydrodynamic has been solved by second order Volterra model. Then, the Volterra kernel inversion used to obtain the sea surface current velocity. The finite element model of Lax-Wendorff schemes used which was based on triangular space-time elements to map the spatial current variation in the South China Sea over different monsoon periods. In situ sea surface current measurements were collected along the east coast of peninsular Malaysia by using electromagnetic current meters. The study shows that the maximum current magnitude of 1.2 m/s was occurred during the northeast monsoon period as compared to other monsoon periods. The main noticeable feature was an existence of anticlockwise eddy in the Gulf of Thailand. The results also shows a good correlation between in situ current measurements and the Volterra-Lax-Wendrof scheme with high R2 of 0.91. It can be said that Volterra-Lax-Wendrof scheme can be used as numerical scheme for modelling sea surface current from altimetry data

Optimal Biomethane Injection into Natural Gas Grid – Biogas from Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) in Malaysia

The Malaysian government aims to facilitate the renewable energy (RE) sector by introducing the National Renewable Energy Policy and Action Plan during 2010. 4,000 MW of installed RE capacity is targeted by 2030, with 410 MW biogas capacity. Palm oil mill effluent (POME), agro-based industries and farming industries are identified as potential sources of biogas. It was studied that more than 500 kt of biomethane could be produced yearly if all the POME is treated anaerobically. The utilization of biomethane has remained unexplored for its injection into natural gas grid. This papers aims to identify the potential of POME biomethane injection into natural gas grid by using the BeWhere model, a techno-economic spatial explicit model. The locations, capacity and technology of biogas refinery plants will be identified based on cost minimization of the full supply chain of biogas production. The result shows that 135 - 227 biogas plants were selected, supplying 40% - 67% residential fossil gas demand, under different carbon price implementation and fossil gas subsidy scenarios

Shrimps of the family Pandalidae (Caridea) from Indian waters, with new distributional record of Plesionika adensameri (Balss, 1914)

Twenty four species of Pandalid shrimps reported from the Indian waters, of which six genera (Chlorotocella, Chlorotocus, Chlorocurtis, Dorodotes, Heterocarpoides and Stylopandalus) are represented by single species each. The genera, Plesionika and Heterocarpus are represented by eleven and seven species respectively. Plesionika adensameri (Balss, 1914) a deep-sea shrimp hitherto unreported from Indian waters is recorded from west coast of India. Information on some biological aspects of few Pandalid shrimps from Indian waters is also reported in the present paper

Account on the deepsea shrimp Aristaeopsis edwardsiana (Johnson, 1867) from the Indian EEZ

Aristaeopsis edwardsiana (Johnson,1867) is a deepsea shrimp of the continental slope that has not yet been reported in the targeted deepsea crustacean fishery along the Indian coast. An exploratory survey on-board FORV Sagar Sampada in the Arabian sea at a depth of 950 m off Trivandrum (lat. 8 0 28’ N and long. 76 014’ E) yielded a catch of A. edwardsiana at a high catch per unit effort (CPUE) of 14 kg h-1. The biological aspects of this less known deepsea shrimp species such as length frequency distribution, morphometric relations, sex ratio and the additional sexual dimorphism manifested in the antennal scale of males are reported

Reduced graphene oxide-multiwalled carbon nanotubes hybrid film with low Pt loading as counter electrode for improved photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitised solar cells

In this work, the role of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) with hyperbranched surfactant and its hybridisation with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and platinum (Pt) nanoparticles (NPs) as counter electrode (CE) were investigated to determine the photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitised solar cells (DSSCs). Sodium 1,4-is(neopentyloxy)-3-(neopentyloxycarbonyl)- 1,4-dioxobutane-2-sulphonate (TC14) surfactant was utilised as dispersing and stabilising agent in electrochemical exfoliation to synthesise graphene oxide (GO) as initial solution for rGO production prior to its further hybridisation and fabrication as thin film. A chemical reduction process utilising hydrazine hydrate was conducted to produce rGO due to the low temperature process and water-based GO solution. Subsequently, hybrid solution was prepared by mixing 1 wt% MWCNTs into the produced rGO solution. TC14-rGO and TC14-rGO_MWCNTs hybrid solution were transferred into fluorine-doped tin oxide substrate to fabricate thin film by spraying deposition method. Finally, the CE films were prepared by coating with thin Pt NPs. Photoanode film was prepared by a two-step process: hydrothermal growth method to synthesise titanium dioxide nanowires (TiO2 NWs) and subsequent squeegee method to apply TiO2 NPs. According to solar simulator measurement, the highest energy conversion efficiency (η) was achieved by using CE-based TC14-rGO_MWCNTs/Pt (1.553%), with the highest short current density of 4.424 mA/cm2. The highest η was due to the high conductivity of CE hybrid film and the morphology of fabricated TiO2 NWs/TiO2 NPs. Consequently, the dye adsorption was high, and the photovoltaic performance of DSSCs was increased. This result also showed that rGO and rGO_MWCNTs hybrid can be used as considerable potential candidate materials to replace Pt gradually

Effects of homogenous soil characteristics to the transient responses of a single long horizontal ground conductor model

This study presents various transient responses behaviours of a single long horizontal ground conductor due to various types of its surrounding homogenous soil. The study is done in time domain using TLM method for the transient node voltages and transient node currents along the ground conductor are demonstrated to be dissipated faster into its surrounding soil with a low resistivity value. It also shown that soil at low hills with rich soil and trees environments is more suitable to be the burial medium of a ground conductor compared to soil at high-rise city streets and industrial areas

Population dynamics of cobia Rachycentron canadum (Linnaeus, 1766) off Cochin coast, south-eastern Arabian Sea

Estimated landings of cobia from the Indian EEZ by the commercial fishing vessels are mostly as bycatch in hooks and line cum gillnet and trawl nets. However, the catches are substantial compared to that reported in several other countries of Asia. The species is also gaining considerable importance as a favoured candidate species for sea farming using cages. Very little is known about the fishery and biological characters such as maturation, fecundity and feeding preferences of cobia in Indian seas. Study indicated a fast growth rate with estimates of L∞ = 184 cm (FL) and K = 2.6 (yr-1) in cobia. The total mortality rate (Z) was estimated as 5.18, natural mortality (M) was 2.01 and fishing mortality (F) was 3.17 with an exploitation rate (E) of 0.61. The length at first capture (Lc50) estimated from the catch curve was 72 cm. Fecundity was found to be high and variable, with mean fecundity estimated as 12,37,545 eggs with a coefficient of variation (CV) of 16.7. As inferred from the oocyte development pattern, spawning activity is brief and fish is classified as synchronous ovulatory type. The growth parameters and condition factor estimated in this study indicate that relatively high growth rates are also possible in wild stocks considering that food is abundant and the environmental temperature is in the optimum range. Feeding preferences indicated balistid fish and shrimps with a wide variety of food items including finfishes, crustaceans and molluscs present

New distributional records of deep-sea sharks from Indian waters

This paper reports the first documented record of three deepwater sharks from Indian waters i.e., Hexanchus griseus (Hexanchidae), Deania profundorum (Centrophoridae), pygmy false catshark (undescribed) (Pseudotriakidae) and presents a taxonomic account of smooth lanternshark, Etmopterus pusillus (Etmopteridae) and leafscale gulper shark, Centrophorus squamosus (Centrophoridae), caught by hooks & line units operated in the Arabian Sea, west coast of India and landed at Cochin Fisheries Harbour (Kerala), southwest coast of India

Visual signatures in video visualization

Video visualization is a computation process that extracts meaningful information from original video data sets and conveys the extracted information to users in appropriate visual representations. This paper presents a broad treatment of the subject, following a typical research pipeline involving concept formulation, system development, a path-finding user study, and a field trial with real application data. In particular, we have conducted a fundamental study on the visualization of motion events in videos. We have, for the first time, deployed flow visualization techniques in video visualization. We have compared the effectiveness of different abstract visual representations of videos. We have conducted a user study to examine whether users are able to learn to recognize visual signatures of motions, and to assist in the evaluation of different visualization techniques. We have applied our understanding and the developed techniques to a set of application video clips. Our study has demonstrated that video visualization is both technically feasible and cost-effective. It has provided the first set of evidence confirming that ordinary users can be accustomed to the visual features depicted in video visualizations, and can learn to recognize visual signatures of a variety of motion eventspeer-reviewe

Preliminary investigation of myo-inositol phosphates produced by ASUIA279 phytase on MCF-7 cancer cells.

Phytate or myo-inositol hexakisphosphates (IP6) is widely distributed in plants like rice brans. The production of myo-inositol phosphate intermediates has received much attention due to the remarkable potential health benefits offered by the compounds. In this study, the cytotoxicity of the partially purified myo-inositol phosphate fractions and commercial IP1 and IP6 were investigated against MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines. The study showed that the commercial standard IP1 and IP6 showed good inhibition towards the MCF-7 cell line. The MCF-7 cells growth was inhibited in minimum concentration of myo-inositol phosphates (<1000 µg/ml). However, no inhibition observed on the MCF-7 cell line by the myo-inositol phosphates fractions partially purified from rice bran at concentration <1000 ?g/ml. The inhibition of MCF-7 was only observed at concentration more than 30 mg/ml with more than 40% cells were inhibited. This indicates that the partially purified rice bran myo-inositol phosphates degraded by ASUIA279 phytase on MCF-7 breast cancer cells exhibit positive results towards the inhibition of cancer cells growth at relatively high concentration