Flexible and stretchable physical sensors that can measure and quantify electrical signals generated by human activities are attracting a great deal of attention as they have unique characteristics, such as ultrathinness, low modulus, light weight, high flexibility, and stretchability. These flexible and stretchable physical sensors conformally attached on the surface of organs or skin can provide a new opportunity for human-activity monitoring and personal healthcare. Consequently, in recent years there has been considerable research effort devoted to the development of flexible and stretchable physical sensors to fulfill the requirements of future technology, and much progress has been achieved. Here, the most recent developments of flexible and stretchable physical sensors are described, including temperature, pressure, and strain sensors, and flexible and stretchable sensor-integrated platforms. The latest successful examples of flexible and stretchable physical sensors for the detection of temperature, pressure, and strain, as well as their novel structures, technological innovations, and challenges, are reviewed first. In the next section, recent progress regarding sensor-integrated wearable platforms is overviewed in detail. Some of the latest achievements regarding self-powered sensor-integrated wearable platform technologies are also reviewed. Further research direction and challenges are also proposed to develop a fully sensor-integrated wearable platform for monitoring human activity and personal healthcare in the near future.

Flexible and Stretchable Physical Sensor Integrated Platforms for Wearable Human-Activity Monitoringand Personal Healthcare.

Cereal grains form a major source of dietary nutrients for all people, particularly those in the developing countries. However, the nutritional quality of cereal grains and sensory properties of their products are inferior due to lower protein content, deficiency of certain essential amino acids, lower protein and starch availabilities, presence of certain antinutrients, and the coarse nature of the grains. The consumption of sprouted cereals is becoming popular in various parts of the world. Sprouting of grains for a limited period causes increased activities of hydrolytic enzymes, improvement in the contents of certain essential amino acids, total sugars, and B-group vitamins, and a decrease in dry matter, starch, and antinutrients. The digestibilities of storage proteins and starch are improved due to their partial hydrolysis during sprouting. The magnitude of the nutritional improvement is, however, influenced by the type of cereal, seed quality, sprouting conditions, and it is not large enough to account for in feeding experiments with higher animals. In this review, the available literature concerning the nutritional improvement of cereals by sprouting and utilization of sprouted cereals in traditional and processed foods has been compiled and is critically reviewed.

Nutritional improvement of cereals by sprouting

The residue of cottonseed oil extraction industry popularly known as cottonseed meal (CSM) is a fairly good source of protein (222.0 to 560.2gkg-1) and metabolizable energy (7.4 to 11.99MJkg-1). The use of CSM in poultry diet is limited due to the presence of gossypol, cyclopropenoid fatty acids (CPFA), high fibre and poor protein quality. The most critical amino acid in CSM is lysine. During the oil extraction from cotton- seeds, a portion of free gossypol (FG) binds with the epsilon amino group of lysine, thereby reducing the availability of lysine to the chicken. The concentration of nutrients, FG, CPFA in CSM depends on the variety of cultivars, methods of oil extraction, proportion of kernel to husk, lint and seed coat. The concentration of FG in various varieties of CSM ranges from 200 and 5300mgkg-1. In glandless variety, the FG concentration is less (>130mgkg-1). Gossypol inhibits the activity of pepsin and trypsin in gastro-intestinal tract, thereby reducing the digestibility of protein. The reported toxic effects of gossypol are growth depression, lameness, decreased egg size and hatchability. Gossypol and CPFA also deteriorates the internal egg quality by causing yolk mottling and pinkish discoloration of albumen, respectively. The tolerance levels of FG in birds vary widely depending on the age and strain of birds, protein content and quality, duration of feeding, presence of minerals especially the iron content in the diet. The tolerance of FG in chicks varies widely (90 to 1000mgkg-1 diets), however performance of layer chicks could be affected even at a lower FG intake of 2.02mg day-1 bird-1. Though, growth was not affected in broilers at FG concentration in diet below 150mgkg-1, feed efficiency was reduced at lower levels i.e. 60-100mgkg-1. The depression in egg production in layers fed diets containing more than 100mgkg-1 was mainly due to lowered feed intake. The egg weight and egg quality was not affected at FG levels upto 200mgkg-1 diet. Iron treatment (4 : 1; Fe : FG) proved to be effective in alleviating the negative effects on egg quality, but could not alleviate the depression in laying performance. Lysine supplementation to CSM containing diets is also effective in counteracting the ill effects of FG in chicken, especially chicks and broilers. Other processing methods like solid substrate fermentation, production of glandless cotton seed and use of organic solvents were though effective in improving the nutritive value of CSM and reducing the FG content in CSM, these methods are of little practical relevance and uneconomical. Production of glandless variety of cottonseed through genetic modification (Bacillus thuringiensis cotton) is one of the recent trends of reducing the FG content. Some other methods like pelleting, extrusion, cooking and Ca (OH)2 treatment of CSM could be tried for improving the feeding value of CSM in poultry.

Cottonseed meal in poultry diets: A review

Two-stage fractional least mean square identification algorithm for parameter estimation of CARMA systems

Micro- and nano-celluloses derived from hemp stalks and their effect as polymer reinforcing materials

P3HT:PCBM blend based photo organic field effect transistor

In this paper the influence of micro-sized (3 μm) and nano-sized (10 nm) silica (SiO2) on mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties of silicon rubber (SiR), epoxy, and ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) composites is presented. The microand nano-sized SiO2 particle-filled SiR, epoxy, and EPDM composites were formulated with 20% microsilica and 5% nanosilica by weight respectively. Among these composites, SiR-SiO2 amalgamation was performed by mixing using an ultrasonication procedure. Epoxy-SiO2 was compounded in two steps, i.e. dispersion of fillers and mixing, whereas EPDM-SiO2 compounding was performed with a two roll mill technique. With the addition of micro/nano-SiO2 , the composites showed enhanced tensile strength of ∼2.7 MPa, improved hardness, and reduced elongation at break. Further incorporation of micro/nano-sized particles resulted in high thermal stability for SiRnano composites (SNCs) as compared to epoxy and EPDM composites. Compared to SiR and EPDM composites, epoxy-nano composites showed the highest value of dielectric strength, i.e. 38.8 kV/mm. Meanwhile, the volume and surface resistivity of SNCs were found higher as compared to other investigated samples. Promising properties of SiR nanocomposites among all the investigated samples suggest that their application is more suitable for utilization in outdoor electrical insulations.

https://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/elektrik/issues/elk-17-25-2/elk-25-2-62-1603-20.pdf

Effect of micro/nano-SiO$_{2}$ on mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties of silicone rubber, epoxy, and EPDM composites for outdoor electrical insulations

Efficient utilization of limited radio frequency spectrum is only possible to use smart/adaptive antenna system. Smart antenna radiates not only narrow beam towards desired users exploiting signal processing capability but also places null towards interferers, thus optimizing the signal quality and enhancing capacity. Least mean square (LMS) and normalized least mean square (NLMS) are two adaptive beamforming algorithms which are presented in this paper. Smart antenna incorporates these algorithms in coded form which calculates complex weights according to the signal environment. The efficiency of LMS and NLMS algorithms is compared on the basis of normalized array factor and mean square error (MSE) for mobile communication. Simulation results reveal that both algorithms have high resolution for beam formation. However LMS has good performance to minimize MSE as compared to NLMS. Therefore, LMS is found more efficient algorithm to implement in the mobile communication environment to minimize MSE and enhancing capacity. General Terms Adaptive filtering, Adaptive signal processing algorithm

/pdf/performance-analysis-of-lms-and-nlms-algorithms-for-a-smart-46ss3xky44.pdf

Performance Analysis of LMS and NLMS Algorithms for a Smart Antenna System

Insecticide resistance in Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) was evaluated against nine insecticides, representing conventional group of neuro-toxic insecticides such as endosulfan, profenofos, carbosulfan, and deltamethrin and new chemistry insecticides such as emamectin benzoate, abamectin, spinosad, lufenuron and methoxyfenozide at IPM Sub Station (PARC), Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan during 2010-11 . Two bioassay techniques i.e. residual method through leaf dip and topical method through micro-applicator were used for comparison. Low to moderate levels of resistance were recorded against these conventional and new chemistry insecticides at different locations of Southern Punjab, Pakistan e. g. in residual method, endosulfan (05-23 folds), profenofos (02-13 folds), carbosulfan (06-64 folds), deltamethrin (07-108 folds), emamectin benzoate (01-42 folds), abamectisn (03-06 folds), spinosad (01-07 folds), lufenuron (02-08 folds), methoxyfenozide (03-14 folds) and in topical method, endosulfan (05-36 folds),profenofos (02-65 folds), carbosulfan (19-105 folds), deltamethrin (13-35 folds), emamectin benzoate (02-06 folds), abamectin (01-04 folds), spinosad (04-61 folds), lufenuron (02-07 folds), methoxyfenozide (02-07 folds .The results indicated the development of multiple resistances in the field populations of H. armigera. Bioassay techniques showed no significant effects on the toxicity of insecticides. Resistance ratios in topical method were found higher as compared to the residual method, which may be attributed to the delayed cuticular penetration and enhanced metabolism of the insecticides. A significantly negative correlation was observed between conventional and new chemistry insecticides. It is suggested that the rotational use of conventional insecticides along with the new chemistry insecticides may be an effective tool in the insecticide resistance management program of H. armigera.

Status of insecticide resistance in Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) in southern Punjab, Pakistan.

The aim of current research is to confirm early findings of geologists regarding the abundance of frame work mineralogy such as major minerals, rock fragments, accessory minerals, matrix minerals and cement minerals inside rocks by studying their modal analysis in the dwelling of Poonch and Sudhunhoti, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. For this purpose, the samples were first soaked, etched and stained using different chemicals during thin section preparation. Then, the percentage of frame work minerals was counted under petrographic microscope using visual acuity technique. The study indicates that the varieties of quartz (23% to 45%) and feldspar (3% to 13%) minerals are in profusion and their plethora inside the rock declared them major minerals. The rock fragments (29% to 56%) of igneous (Basalts, granite), sedimentary (limestone, dolomite, mudstone, siltstone, sandstone) and metamorphic (marble, schists and other pelites as well as quartzite) origin also exist in prodigious amount and abound inside rocks. The accessory minerals such as biotite (1% to 3%), muscovite (up to 2%), tourmaline (few traces), zircon (1%), chlorite, hornblende, rutile, hematite and pyrite (each with 1% to few traces) with exiguous amount form accessories. The clay minerals and mica (0 to 16%) due to their fine size form the matrix of rocks. The calcite (6% to 18%) and silica (2% to 3%) binds matrix and cementing material inside rocks. Furthermore, stratigraphic sections prepared in the area were helpful in understanding the geology of outcrops.

https://zibelinepub.com/archives/2pjg2017/2pjg2017-07-15.pdf

Muhammad Yasin

Papers

P3HT:PCBM blend based photo organic field effect transistor

Effect of micro/nano-SiO$_{2}$ on mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties of silicone rubber, epoxy, and EPDM composites for outdoor electrical insulations

Performance Analysis of LMS and NLMS Algorithms for a Smart Antenna System

Status of insecticide resistance in Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) in southern Punjab, Pakistan.

The modal analysis of rocks in the dwelling of poonch and sudhunhoti, azad jammu and kashmir, pakistan