A Novel Approach for Direction of Arrival Estimation in Co-Located MIMO Radars by Exploiting Extended Array Manifold Vectors.

Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radars enable better estimation accuracy with improved resolution in contrast to traditional radar systems; thus, this field has attracted attention in recent years from researchers, funding agencies, and practitioners. The objective of this work is to estimate the direction of arrival of targets for co-located MIMO radars by proposing a novel approach called flower pollination. This approach is simple in concept, easy to implement and has the capability of solving complex optimization problems.

Hydrogel-Anchored Fe-Based Amorphous Coatings with Integrated Antifouling and Anticorrosion Functionality.

Biofouling and corrosion of underwater equipment induced by marine organisms have become major issues in the marine industry. The superior corrosion resistance of Fe-based amorphous coatings makes them suitable for marine applications; however, they have a poor antifouling ability. In this work, a hydrogel-anchored amorphous (HAM) coating with satisfactory antifouling and anticorrosion performance is designed, utilizing an interfacial engineering strategy involving micropatterning, surface hydroxylation, and a dopamine intermediate layer to increase the adhesion strength between the hydrogel layer and the amorphous coating.

IoMT-Enabled Computer-Aided Diagnosis of Pulmonary Embolism from Computed Tomography Scans Using Deep Learning.

The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) has revolutionized Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) by interconnecting smart medical devices. These devices generate a large amount of data without human intervention. Learning-based sophisticated models are required to extract meaningful information from this massive surge of data.

Synthesis and Characterization of Cobalt-Doped Ferrites for Biomedical Applications.

Novel materials for biomedical applications are in critical need of time. In the present work, the antibacterial properties of Co Ni Mg FeO nanoparticles (NPs) are assessed by the disc diffusion method for the common pathogen, that is, Gram-negative ( and ) and Gram-positive () bacteria. Overnight grown bacterial cultures were individually lawn-cultured on nutrient agar plates.

2-Dimensional (2D) Beam Steering-Antenna Using Active PRS for 5G Applications.

This paper presents a compact coaxial-fed square microstrip patch antenna integrated with a beam-steering Partially Reflective Surface (PRS). The proposed design has a two-dimensional (2-D) Fabry-Perot Cavity (FPC) antenna acting as a radiator and the PRS as a beam-steering superstrate operating at 5.5 GHz.

Enhanced Ferroelectric and Dielectric Properties of Niobium-Doped Lead-Free Piezoceramics.

Lead-free ceramics are promising candidates for replacing lead-based piezoelectric materials such as lead-zirconate-titanate (PZT) if they can compete in dielectric and ferroelectric characteristics. In this work, for lead-free piezoelectric ceramic, 0.74(BiNaTiO)-0.

Antiviral role of nanomaterials: a material scientist's perspective.

The present world continues to face unprecedented challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Collaboration between researchers of multiple disciplines is the need of the hour. There is a need to develop antiviral agents capable of inhibiting viruses and tailoring existing antiviral drugs for efficient delivery to prevent a surge in deaths caused by viruses globally.

Correlation coefficients for T-spherical fuzzy sets and their applications in pattern analysis and multi-attribute decision-making.

T-spherical fuzzy set is an effective tool to deal with vagueness and uncertainty in real-life problems, especially in a situation when there are more than two circumstances, like in casting a ballot. The correlation coefficient of T-spherical fuzzy sets is a tool to calculate the association of two T-spherical fuzzy sets. It has several applications in various disciplines like science, management, and engineering.

Phyto-Synthesis, Characterization, and In Vitro Antibacterial Activity of Silver Nanoparticles Using Various Plant Extracts.

, (mint), (coriander), and (lemongrass) leaf extracts were used to synthesize stable silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) by green chemistry. UV-vis spectrophotometry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy techniques were used to characterize these biosynthesized nanoparticles. The data indicated that the silver nanoparticles were successfully synthesized, and the narrower particle size distribution was at 10-22 nm by maintaining a specific pH.

Improved finite element method for flow, heat and solute transport of Prandtl liquid via heated plate.

In the current study, a vertical, 3D-heated plate is used to replicate the generation of heat energy and concentration into Prandtl liquid. We discuss how Dufour and Soret theories relate to the equations for concentration and energy. In order to see how effectively particles, interact with heat and a solvent, hybrid nanoparticles are used.

Development and Characterization of Chitosan and Chondroitin Sulfate Based Hydrogels Enriched with Garlic Extract for Potential Wound Healing/Skin Regeneration Applications.

Hydrogels can provide instant relief to pain and facilitate the fast recovery of wounds. Currently, the incorporation of medicinal herbs/plants in polymer matrix is being investigated due to their anti-bacterial and wound healing properties. Herein, we investigated the novel combination of chitosan (CS) and chondroitin sulfate (CHI) to synthesize hydrogels through freeze gelation process and enriched it with garlic (Gar) by soaking the hydrogels in garlic juice for faster wound healing and resistance to microbial growth at the wound surface.

Shape Memory Hybrid Composites.

Smart structures can help to resolve many issues related to conventional materials that are being used in different industries. Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are smart materials with better actuation response, vibration damping characteristics, and large strain recovery, making them good candidates due to their high strength and corrosion resistance for various engineering applications. The performance of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials that are replacing many conventional materials due to their good strength, stiffness, and lightweight potential especially in fuel-consuming industries such as aerospace and automotive, can further be improved by impregnation with SMAs.

PbS and PbO Thin Films via E-Beam Evaporation: Morphology, Structure, and Electrical Properties.

Thin films of lead sulfide (PbS) are being extensively used for the fabrication of optoelectronic devices for commercial and military applications. In the present work, PbS films were fabricated onto a soda lime glass substrate by using an electron beam (e-beam) evaporation technique at a substrate temperature of 300 °C. Samples were annealed in an open atmosphere at a temperature range of 200-450 °C for 2 h.

Spatio-temporal landslide inventory and susceptibility assessment using Sentinel-2 in the Himalayan mountainous region of Pakistan.

The 2005 Kashmir earthquake has triggered widespread landslides in the Himalayan mountains in northern Pakistan and surrounding areas, some of which are active and are still posing a significant risk. Landslides triggered by the 2005 Kashmir earthquake are extensively studied; nevertheless, spatio-temporal landslide susceptibility assessment is lacking. This can be partially attributed to the limited availability of high temporal resolution remote sensing data.

IoT malware detection architecture using a novel channel boosted and squeezed CNN.

Interaction between devices, people, and the Internet has given birth to a new digital communication model, the internet of things (IoT). The integration of smart devices to constitute a network introduces many security challenges. These connected devices have created a security blind spot, where cybercriminals can easily launch attacks to compromise the devices using malware proliferation techniques.

Thermal efficiency in hybrid (AlO-CuO/HO) and tri-hybrid (AlO-CuO-Cu/HO) nanofluids between converging/diverging channel with viscous dissipation function: Numerical analysis.

Heat transfer and energy storage remain a core problem for industrialists and engineers. So, the concept of new heat transfer fluids, namely, nanofluids and hybrid nanofluids, has been introduced so far. Recently, a new third generation of heat transfer fluids has been developed known as modified hybrid nanofluids (MHNs), synthesized by ternary nanomaterials and the host fluid.

Genetic algorithm with a new round-robin based tournament selection: Statistical properties analysis.

A round-robin tournament is a contest where each and every player plays with all the other players. In this study, we propose a round-robin based tournament selection operator for the genetic algorithms (GAs). At first, we divide the whole population into two equal and disjoint groups, then each individual of a group competes with all the individuals of other group.

Micro-Mechanical Investigation of Interfacial Debonding in Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Composites Using Extended Finite Element Method (XFEM) Approach.

The interface debonding in carbon fiber-reinforced polymers is analyzed and evaluated using the extended finite element method (XFEM). In order to accurately evaluate the bonding properties between fibers and matrix, different tests were carried out, including the multiple tests for different orientations to study longitudinal, transversal, and shear properties of unidirectional carbon fiber-reinforced composites. Extensive experimentation has been performed in all the different groups and categories with different dimensions and parameters in order to ascertain the values of strength and the prediction of the damage to the structure.

Changes in temporal pattern and spatial distribution of environmental pollutants in 8 Asian countries owing to COVID-19 pandemic.

This study investigated the changes in air pollutant's concentration, spatio-temporal distribution and sensitivity of changes in air pollutant's concentration during pre and post COVID-19 outbreak. We employed Google Earth Engine Platform to access remote sensing datasets of air pollutants across Asian continent. Air pollution and cumulative confirmed-COVID cases data of Asian countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia) have been collected and analyzed for 2019 and 2020.

Development and Characterization of Zein/Ag-Sr Doped Mesoporous Bioactive Glass Nanoparticles Coatings for Biomedical Applications.

Implants are used to replace damaged biological structures in human body. Although stainless steel (SS) is a well-known implant material, corrosion of SS implants leads to the release of toxic metallic ions, which produce harmful effects in human body. To prevent material degradation and its harmful repercussions, these implanted materials are subjected to biocompatible coatings.

Galerkin finite element analysis for the augmentation in thermal transport of ternary-hybrid nanoparticles by engaging non-Fourier's law.

Boosting of thermal transportation is the demand of current era. Several techniques have been used to do so. One of an important way is the mixing of nanoparticles to boost thermal performance.

Biodegradable Polymer Matrix Composites Containing Graphene-Related Materials for Antibacterial Applications: A Critical Review.

For the first time, the present review critically evaluates biodegradable polymer matrix composites containing graphene-related materials (GRMs) for antibacterial applications while discussing their development, processing routes, mechanical properties, and antibacterial activity. Due to its suitable biological properties and processability, chitosan has been the most widely used biodegradable polymer for the fabrication of GRM-containing composites with antibacterial properties. The majority of biodegradable polymers (including cellulose-, gelatine-, PVA-, PCL-, and PHA-based polymers) exhibit little to no antibacterial effect alone; however, they show significant antibacterial activity (>70%) when combined with GRMs.

A Study on the Adoption of Blockchain for IoT Devices in Supply Chain.

The integration of blockchain and IoT enables promising solutions in decentralized environments in contrast with centralized systems. The blockchain brings forth features such as fault tolerance, security, and transparency of the data in IoT devices. As there is requirement of consensus among the network nodes to agree on a single-state-of-ledger, nonetheless, the extensive computational requirement for the consensus protocol becomes a limitation in resource-constrained IoT devices with limited battery, computation, and communication capabilities.