Sharif Digital Repository

This chapter is dedicated to the surface properties of mixed protein/surfactant adsorption layers, formed by two different experimental approaches, i.e. by sequential and simultaneous adsorption, respectively. A special modification of a drop profile analysis tensiometer, consisting of a coaxial double capillary, provides a unique protocol for studies of mixed surface layers formed by sequential adsorption of the individual components in addition to the traditional simultaneous adsorption from their mixed solution. A CFD simulation allowed to optimize the drop exchange process performed with the special double capillary arrangement. The experiments show that properties of sequentially formed... 

A traditional approach to monitor both the location and the scale parameters of a quality characteristic is to use two separate control charts. These schemes have some difficulties in concurrent tracking and interpretation. To overcome these difficulties, some researchers have proposed schemes consisting of only one chart. However, none of these schemes is designed to work with individual observations. In this research, an exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA)-based control chart that plots only one statistic at a time is proposed to simultaneously monitor the mean and variability with individual observations. The performance of the proposed scheme is compared with one of the two... 

Evaluation of spinal range of motions (RoMs) and movement coordination between its segments (thorax, lumbar, and pelvis) has clinical and biomechanical implications. Previous studies have not recorded three-dimensional primary/coupled motions of all spinal segments simultaneously. Moreover, magnitude/direction of the coupled motions of the thorax/pelvis in standing posture and lumbopelvic rhythms in the frontal/transverse planes have not been investigated. This study, hence, used an inertial tracking device to measure T1, T5, T12, total (T1-T12) thoracic, lower (T5-T12) and upper (T1-T5) thoracic, lumbar (T12-S1), and pelvis primary and coupled RoMs as well as their movement coordination in... 

Purpose: There is a scarcity of studies evaluating the variability of couplings between proximal segments (trunk, pelvis, and thigh) in individuals with patellofemoral pain (PFP) while emerging evidence has suggested that aberrant motions of trunk and pelvis can have a contributory role in the etiology of PFP. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to evaluate the trunk, pelvis, and thigh intersegmental coordination variability in PFP compared with healthy individuals. Methods: Thirty-four participants (17 with PFP and 17 healthy controls) walked (at preferred speed) and ran (at preferred and fixed speed) on a treadmill each trial for 30 seconds. Three-dimensional kinematics were recorded... 

The earned value is a leading technique in monitoring and analyzing project performance and project progress. Although, it allows exact measurement of project progress, and can uncover any time and cost deviations from the plan, its capability in reporting accepted level of deviation is not well studied. This study presented an approach to overcome this limitation by applying statistical quality control charts to monitor earned value indices. For this purpose, project time and cost performance indices of a real construction project were monitored regularly on individual control charts. The results were quite promising, and not only competed well against traditional approaches, but also... 

Context. Caustic crossing is the clearest signature of binary lenses in microlensing. In the present context, this signature is diluted by the large source star but a detailed analysis has allowed the companion signal to be extracted. Aims. MOA 2009-BLG-411 was detected on August 5, 2009 by the MOA-Collaboration. Alerted as a high-magnification event, it was sensitive to planets. Suspected anomalies in the light curve were not confirmed by a real-time model, but further analysis revealed small deviations from a single lens extended source fit. Methods. Thanks to observations by all the collaborations, this event was well monitored. We first decided to characterize the source star properties... 

Today, energy crises attracted many researchers’ attention to renewable energy technologies especially photovoltaic (PV) systems. The main challenge of PV systems is unpredictable nature of solar power generation. To overcome this challenge, a storage system is integrated which reduces demand reliance on electricity grid and uses excess energy that solar panels produce. As investment cost of the storage system is considerable, finding an optimal technology, size, and configuration are crucial. In this paper, the optimal battery system is excluded from existing PV plant installing in a commercial building located in Mashhad/Iran. Here, the sizing procedure is based on a financial evaluation... 

Particulate back-reflector films are conventionally used for the improvement of light harvesting in dye solar cells (DSC). The back-reflection of the films is directly related to the scattering efficiency of the individual particles. Inspired by the idea of multilayer optical thin films, here it is demonstrated theoretically and experimentally that putting a SiO2 shell around spherical rutile-TiO2 particles leads to improved light scattering by the particles. These dielectric core-shells not only enhance the overall diffuse reflection of the films, but they also cause a relative improvement in the red and near infrared regions. Back-reflector films of these core-shell particles employed in...