Description logics (DLs) are a suitable formalism for representing knowledge about domains in which objects are described not only by attributes but also by binary relations between objects. Fuzzy ...extensions of DLs can be used for such domains when data and knowledge about them are vague and imprecise. One of the possible ways to specify classes of objects in such domains is to use concepts in fuzzy DLs. As DLs are variants of modal logics, indiscernibility in DLs is characterized by bisimilarity. The bisimilarity relation of an interpretation is the largest auto-bisimulation of that interpretation. In DLs and their fuzzy extensions, such equivalence relations can be used for concept learning. In this paper, we define and study fuzzy bisimulation and bisimilarity for fuzzy DLs under the Gödel semantics, as well as crisp bisimulation and strong bisimilarity for such logics extended with involutive negation. The considered logics are fuzzy extensions of the DL ALCreg (a variant of PDL) with additional features among inverse roles, nominals, (qualified or unqualified) number restrictions, the universal role, local reflexivity of a role and involutive negation. We formulate and prove results on invariance of concepts under fuzzy (resp. crisp) bisimulation, conditional invariance of fuzzy TBoxes/ABoxes under bisimilarity (resp. strong bisimilarity), and the Hennessy-Milner property of fuzzy (resp. crisp) bisimulation for fuzzy DLs without (resp. with) involutive negation under the Gödel semantics. Apart from these fundamental results, we also provide results on using fuzzy bisimulation to separate the expressive powers of fuzzy DLs, as well as results on using strong bisimilarity to minimize fuzzy interpretations.
This study consists of two parts. In the first, the woven polyester fabric, after washing to remove lubricant oils, was treated with the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma at the short plasma ...exposure time (from 15 to 90 s). The effect of the plasma exposure time on the activation of the polyester fabric was assessed by the wicking height of the samples. The results show that the wicking height in the warp direction of the plasma-treated samples improved but was virtually unchanged in the weft direction. Meanwhile, although the tensile strength in the warp direction of the fabric was virtually unaffected despite the plasma treatment time up to 90 s, in the weft direction it increased slightly with the plasma treatment time. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images and the X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) spectra of the samples before and after the plasma treatment were used to explain the nature of these phenomena. Based on the results of the first part, in the second part, two levels of the plasma treatment time (30 and 60 s) were selected to study their effect on the polyester fabric dyeability with disperse dyes. The color strength (K/S) values of the dyed samples were used to evaluate the dyeability of the fabric. The SEM images of the dyed samples also showed the difference in the dyeability between the plasma-treated and untreated samples. A new feature of this study is the DBD plasma treatment condition for polyester fabrics. The first is the use of DBD plasma in air (no addition of gas). Second is the very short plasma treatment time (only 15 to 90 s); this condition will be very favorable for the deployment on an industrial scale.
The paper reported preparation, characterization and application of novel ordered mesoporous silica supported NiGaCo catalyst in direct conversion of carbon dioxide to methanol. The catalyst was ...prepared by doping Ni
2+
, Ga
3+
and Co
2+
onto ordered mesoporous amorphous silica support (MSO) through wet impregnation–condensation method followed by calcination and reduction to transfer the metallic cation states to the alloy ones. The catalyst was assigned as NiGaCo/MSO, being prepared under conditions such as room temperature, time of 24 h, calcination at 600 °C for 6 h, and reduction in NaBH
4
/ethanol solution, and could be used for converting CO
2
to methanol at low pressure. Investigations illustrated high activity of the catalyst at high pressure of 35 bars but at low pressure of 5 bar, the catalyst still showed considerable activity and selectivity. Many techniques were applied for the catalysis characterization including Small Angle X-Ray Diffraction (SAXRD), Wide Angle X-Ray Diffraction (WAXRD), Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Thermal Gravimetric–Differential Scanning Calorimetry–Mass Spectroscopy (TG–DSC–MS) and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Gas Chromatography (GC) coupled Thermal Conductivity Detector (TCD) and Flame Ionized Detector (FID) were used for determining the gas composition.
Cotton fabric treated by Pyrovatex CP New (PCN) and Knittex FFRC (K-FFRC) using the Pad-dry-cure method showed an excellent fire-retardant effect. However, it needed to be cured at high temperatures ...for a long time leading to a high loss of mechanical strength. In this study, atmospheric-pressure dielectric barrier discharge (APDBD) plasma was applied to the cotton fabric, which then was treated by flame retardants (FRs) using the pad–dry-cure method. The purpose was to have a flame-retardant cotton fabric (limiting oxygen index (LOI) ≥ 25) and a mechanical loss of the treated fabric due to the curing step as low as possible. To achieve this goal, 10 experiments were performed. The vertical flammability characteristics, LOI value and tensile strength of the treated fabrics were measured. A response model between the LOI values of the treated fabric and two studied variables (temperature and time of the curing step) was found. It was predicted that the optimal temperature and time-to-cure to achieve LOI of 25 was at 160 °C for 90 s, while the flame-retardant treatment process without plasma pretreatment, was at 180 °C and 114 s. Although the curing temperature and the time have decreased significantly, the loss of mechanical strength of the treated fabric is still high. The tensile strength and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the fabric after plasma activation show that the plasma treatment itself also damages the mechanical strength of the fabric. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) spectra of the fabric after plasma activation and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis of the flame retardant-treated (FRT) fabric clarified the role of plasma activation in this study.
This report aimed to publish a novel study on thermal and hydrothermal behaviors of ordered mesoporous carbon based catalysts derived from rice husk. Two types of the catalysts used in the study were ...the ones prepared with and without the silica content in the rice husk, assigned as MRCO and MRCS catalysts, respectively. The catalysts were prepared by condensation-evaporation method where water solvent was slowly and gradually evaporated from the reaction media leaving a gel-like mixture product at the end of the process. The hydrothermal and thermal stabilities of these catalysts were tested based of the stability of their ordered mesoporous structure under heating conditions. The results showed that the MRCO catalyst had lower hydrothermal stability (500 °C), but had higher thermal stability (the (110) peak could stand at 140 °C), compared to the MRCS catalyst (400 °C and the (110) peak could stand at 120 °C, respectively). The catalyst activity was tested in synthesis of biolubricant stock from castor oil at the temperature, time and stirring speed of 130 °C, 6 h and 400 rpm, respectively, and the biolubricant yield reached over 90% with the high purity of the product (no trace of –OH and epoxides). Some major characterizations were applied in this study including XRD and TG-DSC coupled with MS detector for determining the compounds in the gas products.
In this study, the commercial organophosphorus compound Pyrovatex CP New was used as a flame retardant for cotton
fabric. Citric acid and a modified dihydroxy ethylene urea (DHEU) labelled Knittex ...FFRC were used as crosslinking to
increase the flame-retardant laundering durability of treated cotton fabric. There have been some studies showing that
Chitosan has the potential to improve flame retardancy and laundering durability of flame retardant treated cotton fabric.
Thus, Chitosan, which has the molecular weight of 2.600 (water soluble) and the deacetylation degree of approximately
75%, is added to finishing solution for flame retardant treatment of cotton fabric. The padding-drying-curing method was
used in this study. After treatment, all samples were examined to determine the chemical absorption level. The 45°
flammability test characteristics and LOI value of untreated and treated samples after different number of washing cycle
were determined to assess the flame retardancy of the treated fabric and its laundering durability. In addition, to assess
the impact of this treatment on the mechanical strength and ecology of the fabric, the tensile strength and free
formaldehyde content of the treated fabric were also evaluated
This article raises awareness regarding the new challenges associated with the supply chain of the export-oriented Vietnamese aquaculture sector, including market situation, exportation, feed ...industry, middlemen, and concepts for sustainable aquaculture, which policy makers, the industry, and business should consider for the sector's future development. The article concludes that there is a lack of attention toward the need for sustainable and comprehensive action plans to increase Vietnam's animal-based aquatic food exports, which can have many negative impacts on the environment, the economy, and society, such as low value-added, weak reaction toward international market fluctuations, limitations in traceability, food safety issues, and a lack of branding/eco certification.
Isolation of extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) producing bacterial strains capable of using sludge as low-cost growth substrate was carried out in this study. A total of 110 EPS-producing ...strains were isolated from different sources, which include sludge of beer and winery wastewater treatment plant (WWTP); young, 2-month-old and 10-year-old leachate. Thirty-seven isolated strains showed good growth in sludge medium with cell count varying from 10
6
to 10
10
most probable number (MPN)/mL and total EPS concentration from 2737 to 6639 mg/L. Twenty-one strains produced EPS with high flocculation activity (FA
max
varied from 72.0% to 80.2%). The highest FA
max
(80.2%) was observed with EPS produced by strain BES 19, which was isolated from sludge of beer WWTP. Sludge of beer WWTP, young leachate and 10-year-old leachate were good sources for isolation of EPS-producing bacteria.
Copper-doped TiO
2
nanoparticles were synthesised using an ultrasonic-assisted sol-gel method with various doping concentrations from 0 to 2.5 at.%. The samples were characterised by X-ray ...diffraction, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area determination, and zeta potential. The presence of copper in TiO
2
crystal structure was revealed by UV-vis spectra, and the TEM analysis showed that particles are mainly spherical around the size range of 15-20 nm. In addition, doping copper into TiO
2
lattice caused a decrease in the surface area due to the aggregation of nanoparticles and a shift of isoelectric point towards lower pH when the dopant concentration increased. The photocatalytic reactivity of these materials was evaluated by the degradation of methylene blue and methyl orange under the UV light. The effect of the initial solution pH on the adsorption capacity and the photocatalytic behaviour of the Cu-doped TiO
2
in the decolourisation of these dyes were also studied.
ObjectiveBlood culture (BC) sampling is recommended for all suspected sepsis patients prior to antibiotic administration. We examine barriers and enablers to BC sampling in three Southeast Asian ...countries.DesignA Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF)-based survey, comprising a case scenario of a patient presenting with community-acquired sepsis and all 14 TDF domains of barriers/enablers to BC sampling.SettingHospitals in Indonesia, Thailand and Viet Nam, December 2021 to 30 April 2022.Participants1070 medical doctors and 238 final-year medical students were participated in this study. Half of the respondents were women (n=680, 52%) and most worked in governmental hospitals (n=980, 75.4%).Outcome measuresBarriers and enablers to BC sampling.ResultsThe proportion of respondents who answered that they would definitely take BC in the case scenario was highest at 89.8% (273/304) in Thailand, followed by 50.5% (252/499) in Viet Nam and 31.3% (157/501) in Indonesia (p<0.001). Barriers/enablers in nine TDF domains were considered key in influencing BC sampling, including ‘priority of BC (TDF-goals)’, ‘perception about their role to order or initiate an order for BC (TDF-social professional role and identity)’, ‘perception that BC is helpful (TDF-beliefs about consequences)’, ‘intention to follow guidelines (TDF-intention)’, ‘awareness of guidelines (TDF-knowledge)’, ‘norms of BC sampling (TDF-social influence)’, ‘consequences that discourage BC sampling (TDF-reinforcement)’, ‘perceived cost-effectiveness of BC (TDF-environmental context and resources)’ and ‘regulation on cost reimbursement (TDF-behavioural regulation)’. There was substantial heterogeneity between the countries. In most domains, the lower (higher) proportion of Thai respondents experienced the barriers (enablers) compared with that of Indonesian and Vietnamese respondents. A range of suggested intervention types and policy options was identified.ConclusionsBarriers and enablers to BC sampling are varied and heterogenous. Cost-related barriers are more common in more resource-limited countries, while many barriers are not directly related to cost. Context-specific multifaceted interventions at both hospital and policy levels are required to improve diagnostic stewardship practices.
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