Sharif Digital Repository

Optical tweezers are indispensable force spectroscopes. The trap stiffness and the linear force range of the instrument determine the working force range of the instrument. Here we show both theoretically and experimentallythat utilizing a circular obstruction at the back focal plane of the objective can significantly increase the maximumlinear force. For instance, utilizing a disk with an obstruction ratio of 0.773 could increase the maximum linearforce by a factor of ∼39 when a 3.4 μm polystyrene bead is trapped. We also show that this simple beam shapingmethod can significantly improve the maximum applicable force per unit power of the laser entering the objectivelens. © 2018 Optical... 

In today competitive world, productivity or lack of it is a major challenge facing the construction industry. The term "productivity" is defined as the amount of output per unit of input. In order to boost productivity in the construction industry, influencing factors should be recognized and improved. Researchers have identified a myriad of factors affecting construction productivity that can be broadly classified as "external" and "internal" factors. In this paper it has been tried to identify and categorize different factors influencing construction productivity. As a result the intended audience is practitioners in the construction industry and project managers who are eager to improve... 

The transverse energy (E T) in Pb-Pb collisions at 2.76 TeV nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy (√s NN) has been measured over a broad range of pseudorapidity (η) and collision centrality by using the CMS detector at the LHC. The transverse energy density per unit pseudorapidity (dE T/dη) increases faster with collision energy than the charged particle multiplicity. This implies that the mean energy per particle is increasing with collision energy. At all pseudorapidities, the transverse energy per participating nucleon increases with the centrality of the collision. The ratio of transverse energy per unit pseudorapidity in peripheral to central collisions varies significantly as the... 

The effect of substrate thickness and its Debye temperature on the bolometric response of the freestanding-membrane type of superconductor transition-edge detectors is investigated. The investigation is based on the calculation of the variation of the specific heat per unit volume and the heat conductivity using the finite-size scaling method for different Debye temperatures and micron size thickness of substrate. We also calculated the heat capacity and time constant for various materials with Debye temperatures in the range of 600-1400 K. The calculated results are compared with previously reported response values obtained theoretically and experimentally for the thermal-based infrared... 

This paper deals with a two-echelon inventory system consisting of onesupplier and N retailers. Each retailer faces an independent Poisson demand withthe same rate and applies a new ordering policy called one-for-one- periodordering policy for its inventory control. In this ordering policy the ordersize is equal to one and the time interval between any two consecutive ordersforms a common fixed cycle. Thus, the supplier faces a deterministic demand andadopts a deterministic inventory policy. At each cycle he orders a batch of sizeN to his own supplier. Upon receipt of each batch he sends 1 unit of theproduct to each retailer with a transportation cost. In this paper, for theabove system we... 

In this paper we consider a two- echelon inventory system consisting of one supplier and a number of retailers with independent Poisson demand. Unsatisfied demands in retailers are lost and it is assumed that there is a constraint on total lost sales for the system. Each retailer applies a new ordering policy called one-fer-one-peried ordering policy for its inventory control. In this ordering policy the order size is equal to one and the time interval between any two consecutive orders is fixed. Thus, the supplier faces a uniform and deterministic demand originated from each retailer and applies one for one ordering policy in response to orders received from all retailers. For this system... 

The development and application of inventory models for deteriorating items is one of the main concerns of subject matter experts. The inventory models developed in this field have focused mainly on supply chains under the assumption of constant lead time. In this study, we develop an inventory model for a main class of deteriorating items, namely perishable products, under stochastic lead time assumption. The inventory system is modeled as a continuous review system (r, Q). Demand rate per unit time is assumed to be constant over an infinite planning horizon and the shortages could be backordered completely. For modeling the deterioration process, a non-linear holding cost is considered.... 

Shell and tube heat exchanger with single twisted tube bundle in five different twist angles, are studied using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and compared to the conventional shell and tube heat exchanger with single segmental baffles. Effect of shell-side nozzles configurations on heat exchanger performance is studied as well. Heat transfer rate and pressure drop are the main issues investigated in the paper. The results show that, for the same shell-side flow rate, the heat transfer coefficient of heat exchanger with twisted tube bundle is lower than that of the heat exchanger with segmental baffles while shell-side pressure drop of the former is even much lower than that of the... 

Investigation of response of reinforced concrete (RC) structures due to axisymmetric macrocell corrosion of rebars is of concern after propagation of microcracks within the concrete medium. The geometry, boundary and interfaces conditions of the present problem are identical to those stated in part I. As seen in the companion paper, the exact solution to the boundary value problem corresponding to the uncracked steel-rust-concrete composite was possible. After appearance of the microcracks the concrete behavior becomes nonlinear anisotropic with post-cracking softening, and the associated problem is analytically intractable. Therefore, it is proposed to employ a novel meshless method, namely... 

Potent carbon-neutral energy carriers bring a vital solution for sustained industrialization and environmental protection. Hydrogen as a novel zero-emission energy carrier offers more than twice energy per unit mass compared to other fuels. Membrane reactor technology transforms gray hydrogen to blue by selective hydrogen separation and carbon dioxide capture from the product mixture. Moreover, improved reactant conversion during reversible steam reforming of methane, methanol, and ethanol; water gas-shift; and dehydrogenation of cyclic and aliphatic hydrocarbons as well as enhanced hydrogen yield are results of selective and distributed hydrogen separation from membrane reactor. In this... 

The coefficient of performance (COP) of a photovoltaic panel or module is defined as the ratio of the total electrical energy produced by the panel during its life to the total energy spent for its manufacture. All processes involved for the manufacture of photovoltaic panels were considered and the energy spent per unit mass of the final product during each process was determined. The total electrical energy spent for the manufacture of a photovoltaic module of 1×0.5 m dimensions, employing 340 micron wafers, with the net wafer area of 0.36 m2, was then determined. Monocrystalline and multicrystalline silicon cells were employed. It was found that for the manufacture of the PV module... 

An uncertain economic order quantity (UEOQ) model with payment in advance is developed to purchase high-price raw materials. A joint policy of replenishments and pre-payments is employed to supply the materials. The rate of demand is considered LR-fuzzy variables, lead-time is taken to be constant, and it is assumed that shortage does not occur in the cycles. The cycle is divided into three parts; the first part is the time between the previous replenishment-time to the next order-time (t0), the second part is the period between t0 to a payment-time (tk), and the third part is the period between tk to the next replenishment-time. At the start of the second part (t0), α% of the purchasing... 

A simple method for synthesis of W17O47 nanothick plates by annealing sol-gel-deposited tungsten oxide thin films on soda lime substrate has been reported. After heat treatment of the dried thin films at 700 °C in N2 ambient for 60 min, W17O47 nanothick plates with [100] orientation were obtained. The synthesized product was characterized and analyzed by, X-ray diffraction (XRD), SEM, XPS and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometery. According to SEM observations, nanothick plates grew with random orientations on the surface. In addition, it was observed that some of the nanothick plates were constituted from several nanosheets. XRD analysis determined that the nanothick plates were mainly... 

Iron oxide nanoparticles, γ-Fe2O3NP, were deposited onto the surface of multi-walled carbon nanotubes and CNT/γ-Fe2O3NP hybrid nanomaterials were obtained. Then linear-dendritic ABA type block copolymers consisting of polyethylene glycol as B block and poly(citric acid) as A block, PCA-PEG-PCA, were synthesized and cisplatin (cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (CDDP) - a platinum-based chemotherapy drug) was conjugated with their carboxyl functional groups and CDDP/PCA-PEG-PCA anticancer prodrugs were prepared. Noncovalent interactions between CDDP/PCA-PEG-PCA anticancer prodrugs and CNT/γ-Fe2O3NP hybrid nanomaterials led to CDDP/PCA-PEG-PCA/CNT/γ-Fe2O3NP drug delivery systems. There are several... 

This paper experimentally investigates the influence of hydrogen enrichment on the combustion and emission characteristics of a diesel HCCI engine using a modified Cooperative Fuel Research (CFR) engine. Three fuels, n-heptane and two middle distillates with cetane numbers of 46.6 and 36.6, are studied. The results show that hydrogen enrichment retards the combustion phasing and reduces the combustion duration of a diesel HCCI engine. Besides, hydrogen enrichment increases the power output and fuel conversion efficiency, and improves the combustion stability. However, hydrogen enrichment may narrow the operational compression ratio range and increase the knocking tendency. Both the overall... 

This research investigates the relationship between the microstructures of thermomechanically affected zone (TMAZ) and heat input in friction stir welding (FSW) of 5086 aluminum alloy. First, welding heat input has been predicted using a three-dimensional finite element analysis; then, welding experiments have been carried out on annealed and work-hardened conditions to study the developed microstructures and the mechanical properties of the welded metal. The results show that the temperature field in the FSW process is asymmetrically distributed with respect to the welding line. Also, both experimental and predicted data illustrates that peak temperatures are higher on the advancing side...