PxEBCA: Proximity Expansion Based Clustering Algorithm

Cluster analysis is one of the main techniques for analysing data. It is a technique for detecting groups of objects which are similar without specifying any criteria for the grouping. The matter of detecting clusters is challenging when the clusters are of varied size, density and shape. DBSCAN can find arbitrary shaped clusters along with outliers but it cannot handle different density. This paper presents a new method for detecting density based clusters which works on datasets having varied density. In this paper we propose PxEBCA that discovers clusters with arbitrary shape and also with varying density.Experimental evaluation of the effectiveness and efficiency of PEBCA was done using synthetic data. The results of experiments demonstrated that PxEBCA is significantly more effective in discovering clusters of arbitrary shapes with varying densities.

Directional growth of octacalcium phosphate using micro-flow reactor mixing and subsequent aging

Well-defined octacalcium phosphate particles with varied size and aspect ratio were prepared by a micro-flow reactor mixing and subsequent aging in different temperature and aging time.

Meta-Study on Integrated Cooling of Modern Integrated Circuits using Microfluidics

The substantial increase in the transistor density of integrated circuits (ICs) in recent times has allowed considerable improvements in computing power. With increasing transistor and power density, the heat produced by modern ICs has increased significantly. This in turn has negative effects on the performance, reliability, and power consumption of the ICs. A solution to the IC’s complications caused by overheating is integrated cooling, in which cooling fluid is delivered through microchannel heat sinks on the backside of an IC. This meta-study will investigate two microfluidic cooling technologies. First, implementing varied size microfluidic channels close to the silicone substrate of the IC. Additionally, a micro-pin fin heat sink is integrated into the ICs’ fluidic microchannels. Different sized pin fins were used, to achieve a wider understanding of the application of pin fins in microfluidic cooling and compare the thermal performances of each cooling method. Integrated cooling subverts the need for suboptimal thermal interfaces and bulky heat-sinks, as well as reducing the intensity of localised hotspots commonly present in high-power electronics. Further, by locating the main heat exchange medium closer to the die of an IC, we reduce the number of thermal interfaces. This meta-study suggests that cylindrical micro-pin fin arrays with pitch longitude and latitude of 60μm and 120μm, are more thermally efficient than plain microfluidic cooling channels.

Structural Modelling of Hybrid ZnO–CdSe Nano-Compounds Using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy Depth-Profiling Technique

In the present work, ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized using chemical route method. Composition ratio for Zn:O and various oxidation states were determined using XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) technique. The 1 hr calcined ZnO nanoparticles were found to the best due to their monodispersed nature (size ˜20 nm) and high purity. These nanoparticles were then used for synthesizing ZnO–CdSe nano-compounds. These nanocrystals were integrated with CdSe qdots (synthesized using Hot-Injection technique) of varied size (5 nm and 8 nm) via MPA (mercaptopropionic acid) as a linker to develop hybrid nano-compounds for photoactive applications like Quantum Dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSC’s) etc. Here, the main objective of the work was to explore the structure of hybrid nano-compounds. XPS-depth-profiling technique was used as an investigation technique for the compositional and structural analyses of ZnO–CdSe nano-compounds. The compositional structure was analyzed layer wise (obtained by etching at different time of sputtering) for the exact position of ZnO and CdSe nanoparticles. On the basis of above study utilizing depth profiling technique of XPS and TEM images, it was found that high quality of hybrid nano-compounds can be synthesized with smaller sized quantum dots, as compared to larger sized quantum dots because of unbounded phosphorus (P) and selenium (Se). Also, it confirms the role of linker that strengthens the binding of CdSe quantum dots on the surface of ZnO thus making it hard to separate the anchored, interstitial CdSe completely which paves the way for the development of stoichiometric, structurally and morphologically-stable ZnO–CdSe nano-compounds.

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OF PRIVATE PRESCHOOL

Early childhood services and education industry have grown steadily with a wide range of local and international franchise brands. This raises questions about the ability of private kindergartens and nurseries to compete in the market. The objective of this study is to analyze the basic aspects of the financial management of this institution and its ability to be viable and competitive. Data is obtained through questionnaires that are distributed to selected entrepreneurs and managers in the state of Selangor. Feedback from 52 institutions found that a large number of institutions have a sufficient number of children. Teachers are qualified but paid salaries on a low scale. Student management assistant is not provided due to small and varied size of classes. More kindergartens are in high-income categories compared to nurseries, but both institutional spendings are in lower categories. The registration fee varies between institutions but the kindergarten charges an additional fee at a higher rate compared to nurseries. There are preferential differences in operating expenses incurred between kindergartens and nurseries. Some recommendations to reduce the financial burden of private pre-school operators are discussed at the end of this article.

Exposure to varied cage-size habitats alters pain sensitivity and inflammation-related biomarkers

Background Nature and size of rodent cages vary from one laboratory or country to another. Little is however known about the physiological implications of exposure to diverse cage sizes in animal-based experiment. Here, we exposed male Swiss mice to various cage sizes used across laboratories in Nigeria, top-rated paradigms were used to profile changes in physiological behaviours, and this was followed by evaluation of modified biochemical metrics. Results The study showed a better systemic regulation of glucose metabolism in cage migrated mice compared to cage stationed. Strikingly, peripheral oxidative stress and pain sensitivity decreased significantly in cage-to-cage migrated mice despite increased pro-inflammation mediators (IL-6 and NF-κB) which contrast the norm reported in inflammatory conditions. Interestingly, emotion-linked behaviours, neurotransmitters (serotonin, noradrenaline and GABA) and body electrolytes were not altered by cage-to-cage migration. Conclusion Taken together, these results suggest that varied size cage-to-cage migration of experimental mice could affect targeted behavioural and biomolecular parameters of pain and inflammation, thus diminishing research reproducibility, precipitating false negative/positive results and leading to poor translational outcomes.

Observations on the predation of the snail Huttonella bicolor on the snail Allopeas gracile

The predatory snail Huttonella bicolor (Hutton 1834) (Gastropda: Streptaxidae) was encountered along with Allopeas gracile (Hutton 1834) (Gastropoda: Subulinidae) during a survey of small land snail species from several terrestrial habitats in Kolkata, India. An evaluation of the predation of H. bicolor as a function of prey size and predator density was carried out using A. gracile as a model prey snail. The predatory interactions were noted with an increasing ratio of 1, 2 and 4 H. bicolor against 10 A. gracile of varied size classes in a defined terrarium. At the end of a 48 h period of exposure, H. bicolor was observed to consume on an average 5.32 ± 0.50 snails depending on the size class and the predator density. The predation pattern varied significantly with the prey size class, as revealed through the logistic equation, y (prey-consumed) = 1 / (1 + exp (-(0.97–0.71*size class-prey))). In a separate experiment, it was observed that the presence of H. bicolor induced a reduction in the fecundity in A. gracile, as revealed through the logistic regression, y (egg laid) = 1 / (1 + exp(-(3.45–0.67*predator-density))). The direct effect of predation and indirect effect of oviposition reduction reflect the efficacy of H. bicolor on population regulation of A. gracile. In view of conservation biological control, the use of the snail H. bicolor as a biocontrol agent may prove beneficial in situations where A. gracile is a pest.

Metallic Surface Coating Defect Detection Using Firefly Based Adaptive Thresholding and Level Set Method

An innovative approach is introduced to detect surface defects on titanium coated steel surfaces with varied size through the use of image processing techniques. This paper provides techniques which are useful to discover numerous kinds of surface defects present on coating surface. For defect detection, Firefly Algorithm (FA) based adaptive thresholding is proposed and is applied for the gray scale images. The FA ensuing nature inspired algorithm utilized expansively in support of determining various optimization problems and from the reconstructed image contours are extracted using level set method, the predictable images not including textures besides defects contours be compassed. The morphological post processing removes the noise in image and makes defects more distinguishable from the background. The speculative result persists in utilizing synchronous images of metal surface and shows that the proposed method can efficiently segment surface defects and obtain better performance than existing methods.

Rancang Bangun Mesin Pencetak Terasi Untuk Memudahkan Proses Penjualan Dengan Berat 110 Dan 250 Gram

Terasi is one of the basic ingredients in the food processing, particularly in the area of the base Kep.Bangka Belitung province. The paste of the terasi in the market are generally shaped in the massive beams that make them difficult to distribute to the sellers because the market demand such varied size of 110 and 250 grams. The purpose of this study is to design and make the terasi paste printing machine which can cut to size shrimp paste with a uniform weight of 110 and 250 grams. The method used in solving this problem is based on the method design: Identification of Problems, collecting data by observation, interview, and literature, and performing data processing, Creating the design, manufacture machinery / fabricating, assembling and final testing and analyzing. The test result is that the form of paste printed measuring 61x30x45 with an average weight of 110 grams and the paste to paste the printed results of measuring 150x30x45 with an average weight of 250 grams shrimp paste.