A NEW APPROACH TO SYNTHESIS METHACRYLIC MONOMERS N-ALKYLMETHACRYLAMIDE USING AN ECOLOGIC AND FRIENDLY CATALYST MAGHNITE H+

In this paper, we have developed a novel procedure to synthesize four monomers formulated as 1,4-bis(Methacryloyl)Piperazine, N-Methacryloylmorpholine, N-Phenylmethacrylamide and N-Formyldimethacrylamide. N-Alkylmethacrylamide monomers are synthesized by the condensation of primary amine aniline and formamide or heterocyclic secondary amines such as piperazine and morpholine with methacrylic anhydride using an ecologic and friendly catalyst “Maghnite H+”, a proton exchanged montmorillonite clay by replacing a toxic reactant acryloyl chloride and triethylamine which are using in previously published studies. This new approach is even more interesting since this synthesis is carried out in bulk (without solvent) and at 0 °C for 2 hours, obtaining a better yield around 70% and selectivity to the product 100%. These monomers are characterized and confirmed by Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy

Simultaneous optimal integration of photovoltaic distributed generation and battery energy storage system in active distribution network using chaotic grey wolf optimization

Goal. The integration of photovoltaic distributed generations in the active distribution network has raised quickly due to their importance in delivering clean energy, hence, participating in solving various problems as climate change and pollution. Adding the battery energy storage systems would be considered as one of the best choices in giving solutions to the mentioned issues due to its characteristics of quick charging and discharging, managing the quality of power, and fulfilling the peak of energy demand. The novelty of the proposed work is the development of new multi-objective functions based on the sum of the three technical parameters of total active power loss, total voltage deviation, and total operation time of the overcurrent protection relay. Purpose. This paper is dedicated for solving the allocation problem of hybrid photovoltaic distributed generation and battery energy storage systems integration in the standard IEEE 33-bus and IEEE 69-bus active distribution networks. Methodology. The optimal integration of the hybrid systems is formulated as minimizing the proposed multi-objective functions by applying a newly developed metaheuristic technique based on various chaotic grey wolf optimization algorithms. The applied optimization algorithms are becoming increasingly popular due to their simplicity, lack of gradient information needed, ability to bypass local optima, and versatility in power system applications. Results. The simulation results of both test systems confirm the robustness and efficiency of the chaotic logistic grey wolf optimization algorithm compared to the rest of the algorithms in terms of convergence to the global optimal solution and in terms of providing the best and minimum multi-objective functions-based power losses, voltage deviation and relay operation time values. Practical significance. Recommendations have been developed for the use of optimal allocation of hybrid systems for practical industrial distribution power systems with the renewable energy sources presence.Мета. Інтеграція фотоелектричної розподіленої генерації в активну розподільчу мережу швидко зросла завдяки її важливості для доставки чистої енергії, отже, участі у вирішенні різних проблем, таких як зміна клімату та забруднення. Додавання акумуляторних систем накопичення енергії може бути розглянуто як один з найкращих варіантів вирішення зазначених питань завдяки своїм характеристикам швидкої зарядки та розрядки, управління якістю енергії та задоволення піку енергетичних потреб. Новизна запропонованої роботи полягає у розробці нових багатоцільових функцій на основі суми трьох технічних параметрів сумарних втрат активної потужності, загальних відхилень напруги та загального часу спрацьовування реле захисту від перевантаження по струму. Мета. Стаття присвячена вирішенню проблеми розподілу гібридних фотоелектричних розподілених систем генерації та інтеграції систем накопичення енергії в стандартні активні розподільчі мережі з 33-шинами IEEE та 69-шинами IEEE. Методологія. Оптимальна інтеграція гібридних систем сформульована як мінімізація запропонованих багатоцільових функцій шляхом застосування нещодавно розробленої метаевристичної методики, заснованої на різних хаотичних алгоритмах оптимізації сірого вовка. Застосовані алгоритми оптимізації стають дедалі популярнішими завдяки своїй простоті, відсутності необхідної інформації щодо градієнту, можливості обходу локальних оптимумів та універсальності в застосуваннях щодо енергосистеми. Результати. Результати моделювання обох тестових систем підтверджують надійність та ефективність хаотичного логістичного алгоритму оптимізації сірого вовка в порівнянні з іншими алгоритмами з точки зору збіжності до глобального оптимального розв‘язання та з точки зору забезпечення найкращих і мінімальних багатоцільових функцій на основі втрат потужності, відхилення напруги та значень часу спрацювання реле. Практичне значення. Розроблено рекомендації щодо використання оптимального розподілу гібридних систем для реальних промислових розподільчих енергосистем із наявністю відновлюваних джерел енергії

Jack vertex operators and realization of Jack functions

We give an iterative method to realize general Jack functions from Jack functions of rectangular shapes. We first show some cases of Stanley's conjecture on positivity of the Littlewood-Richardson coefficients, and then use this method to give a new realization of Jack functions. We also show in general that vectors of products of Jack vertex operators form a basis of symmetric functions. In particular this gives a new proof of linear independence for the rectangular and marked rectangular Jack vertex operators. Thirdly a generalized Frobenius formula for Jack functions was given and was used to give new evaluation of Dyson integrals and even powers of Vandermonde determinant.Comment: Expanded versio

Effect of Addition of PET in the Thermal Properties of Polymer-Mortar Composite Materials

The polymer-mortar composites are often used as low-cost promising materials for preventing or repairing various reinforced concrete structures. The Thermal behavior of the ¶building materials ¶is relevant to any use of concrete or composite, especially in relation to structures where it is desirable to have low thermal conductivity, dimensional stability, high specific heat and little or no decrease of stiffness upon heating. Although much work has been done on the effect of admixture and the mechanical properties of concrete or composite, relatively little work has been done on the thermal conductivity. So, Thermal conductivity (l), thermal resistance (R) and the surface coefficients of transmission (U) of polymer-mortar composites made up of mixtures of polyethylene terephthalate PET waste were measured. To determine the effect of the PET on the thermal conductivity of PET-mortar composites, PET was added as replacement for cement by decreasing the cement weights in the ratios of 2.5%, 5% and 7.5% by weight. The highest thermal conductivity of 1.45 W/mK was observed with the samples containing only plain cement. It decreased with the increase of PET as replacement for cement. The lowest value of thermal conductivity and the surface coefficient of transmission were obtained with the samples prepared with PET waste polymer at 7.5 % replacement of cement. The composites were also observed by DTA, MOP led to the positive identification of the products’. In this way, the results obtained highlight the beneficial effect of waste PET as thermal insulation in comparison with other insulation materials. In addition, the obtained PET-mortar composites would appear to be low-cost materials which would contribute to resolving some of the solid waste problems in addition to conserving energy

Multicentre, prospective, double-blind, randomised controlled clinical trial comparing different non-opioid analgesic combinations with morphine for postoperative analgesia: the OCTOPUS study

BACKGROUND: Head-to-head comparisons of combinations of more than one non-opioid analgesic (NOA) with morphine alone, for postoperative analgesia, are lacking. The objective of this multicentre, randomised, double-blind controlled trial was to compare the morphine-sparing effects of different combinations of three NOAs-paracetamol (P), nefopam (N), and ketoprofen (K)-for postoperative analgesia. METHODS: Patients from 10 hospitals were randomised to one of eight groups: control (C) received saline as placebo, P, N, K, PN, PK, NK, and PNK. Treatments were given intravenously four times a day during the first 48 h after surgery, and morphine patient-controlled analgesia was used as rescue analgesia. The outcome measures were morphine consumption, pain scores, and morphine-related side-effects evaluated 24 and 48 h after surgery. RESULTS: Two hundred and thirty-seven patients undergoing a major surgical procedure were included between July 2013 and November 2016. Despite a failure to reach a calculated sample size, 24 h morphine consumption [median (inter-quartile range)] was significantly reduced in the PNK group [5 (1-11) mg] compared with either the C group [27 (11-42) mg; P<0.05] or the N group [21 (12-29) mg; P<0.05]. Results were similar 48 h after surgery. Patients experienced less pain in the PNK group compared with the C, N, and P groups. No difference was observed in the incidence of morphine-related side-effects. CONCLUSIONS: Combining three NOAs with morphine allows a significant morphine sparing for 48 h after surgery associated with superior analgesia the first 24 h when compared with morphine alone. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: EudraCT: 2012-004219-30; NCT01882530

Modern insulation materials for warming of walls

Biodiversity hotspots understandably attract considerable conservation attention. However, deserts are rarely viewed as conservation priority areas, due to their relatively low productivity, yet these systems are home to unique species, adapted to harsh and highly variable environments. While global attention has been focused on hotspots, the world's largest tropical desert, the Sahara, has suffered a catastrophic decline in megafauna. Of 14 large vertebrates that have historically occurred in the region, four are now extinct in the wild, including the iconic scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah). The majority has disappeared from more than 90% of their Saharan range, including addax (Addax nasomaculatus), dama gazelle (Nanger dama) and Saharan cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus hecki) - all now on the brink of extinction. Greater conservation support and scientific attention for the region might have helped to avert these catastrophic declines. The Sahara serves as an example of a wider historical neglect of deserts and the human communities who depend on them. The scientific community can make an important contribution to conservation in deserts by establishing baseline information on biodiversity and developing new approaches to sustainable management of desert species and ecosystems. Such approaches must accommodate mobility of both people and wildlife so that they can use resources most efficiently in the face of low and unpredictable rainfall. This is needed to enable governments to deliver on their commitments to halt further degradation of deserts and to improve their status for both biodiversity conservation and human well-being. Only by so-doing will deserts be able to support resilient ecosystems and communities that are best able to adapt to climate change. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd

TUMEUR D’ASKIN. A PROPOS DE HUIT OBSERVATIONS

La tumeur d’Askin est une tumeur neuroectodermique primitive de la région thoracopulmonaire. Elle est rare représentant 6.5% des sarcomes, survenant chez l’enfant et le sujet jeune. Son pronostic est très défavorable ; la survie à 2 ans étant de 38% [1]. Le traitement est basé sur la chimiothérapie néo-adjuvante, suivie d'une chirurgie radicale si possible et/ou d'une irradiation, puis d'une chimiothérapie adjuvante selon la réponse de la tumeur à la chimiothérapie initiale [2,3] .Nous rapportons 8 cas de tumeurs d’Askin traités dans notre service. C’est une étude rétrospective de 8 cas de tumeurs d’Askin colligés au centre d’oncologie Ibn Rochd de Casablanca, durant la période 1998 -2003. Nous rapportons les résultats de notre expérience ainsi qu’une revue de la littérature

The Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) on the Herschel Space Observatory

The Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) is one of the three science instruments on ESA's far infrared and submillimetre observatory. It employs two Ge:Ga photoconductor arrays (stressed and unstressed) with 16x25 pixels, each, and two filled silicon bolometer arrays with 16x32 and 32x64 pixels, respectively, to perform integral-field spectroscopy and imaging photometry in the 60-210\mu\ m wavelength regime. In photometry mode, it simultaneously images two bands, 60-85\mu\ m or 85-125\mu\m and 125-210\mu\ m, over a field of view of ~1.75'x3.5', with close to Nyquist beam sampling in each band. In spectroscopy mode, it images a field of 47"x47", resolved into 5x5 pixels, with an instantaneous spectral coverage of ~1500km/s and a spectral resolution of ~175km/s. We summarise the design of the instrument, describe observing modes, calibration, and data analysis methods, and present our current assessment of the in-orbit performance of the instrument based on the Performance Verification tests. PACS is fully operational, and the achieved performance is close to or better than the pre-launch predictions

Embedded Vision Systems: A Review of the Literature

Over the past two decades, the use of low power Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) for the acceleration of various vision systems mainly on embedded devices have become widespread. The reconfigurable and parallel nature of the FPGA opens up new opportunities to speed-up computationally intensive vision and neural algorithms on embedded and portable devices. This paper presents a comprehensive review of embedded vision algorithms and applications over the past decade. The review will discuss vision based systems and approaches, and how they have been implemented on embedded devices. Topics covered include image acquisition, preprocessing, object detection and tracking, recognition as well as high-level classification. This is followed by an outline of the advantages and disadvantages of the various embedded implementations. Finally, an overview of the challenges in the field and future research trends are presented. This review is expected to serve as a tutorial and reference source for embedded computer vision systems