The Stability of Gauss Model Having One-Prey and Two-Predators

The study of the dynamics of predator-prey interactions can be recognized as a major issue in mathematical biology. In the present paper, some Gauss predator-prey models in which three ecologically interacting species have been considered and the behavior of their solutions in the stability aspect have been investigated. The main aim of this paper is to consider the local and global stability properties of the equilibrium points for represented systems. Finally, stability of some examples of Gauss model with one prey and two predators is discussed

An evaluation model for the implementation of hospital information system in public hospitals using multi-criteria-decision-making (MCDM) approaches

Background: Hospital Information System (HIS) is implemented to provide high-quality patient care. The aim of this study is to identify significant dimensional factors that influence the hospital decision in adopting the HIS. Methods: This study designs the initial integrated model by taking the three main dimensions in adopting HIS technology. Accordingly, DEMATEL was utilized to test the strength of interdependencies among the dimensions and variables. Then ANP approach is adapted to determining how the factors are weighted and prioritized by professionals and main users working in the Iranian public hospitals, in-volved with the HIS system. Results: The results indicated that "Perceived Technical Competence" is a key factor in the Human dimension. The respondents also believed that "Relative Advantage," "Compatibility" and "Security Concern" of Technology dimension should be further assessed in relation to other factors. With respect to Organization dimension, "Top Management Support" and "Vendor Support" are considered more important than others. Conclusion: Applying the TOE and HOT-fit models as the pillar of our developed model with significant findings add to the growing literature on the factors associated with the adoption of HIS and also shed some light for managers of public hospitals in Iran to success-fully adopt the HIS

An evaluation model for the implementation of hospital information system in public hospitals using multi-criteria-decision-making (MCDM) approaches

Background: Hospital Information System (HIS) is implemented to provide high-quality patient care. The aim of this study is to identify significant dimensional factors that influence the hospital decision in adopting the HIS. Methods: This study designs the initial integrated model by taking the three main dimensions in adopting HIS technology. Accordingly, DEMATEL was utilized to test the strength of interdependencies among the dimensions and variables. Then ANP approach is adapted to determining how the factors are weighted and prioritized by professionals and main users working in the Iranian public hospitals, in-volved with the HIS system. Results: The results indicated that "Perceived Technical Competence" is a key factor in the Human dimension. The respondents also believed that "Relative Advantage," "Compatibility" and "Security Concern" of Technology dimension should be further assessed in relation to other factors. With respect to Organization dimension, "Top Management Support" and "Vendor Support" are considered more important than others. Conclusion: Applying the TOE and HOT-fit models as the pillar of our developed model with significant findings add to the growing literature on the factors associated with the adoption of HIS and also shed some light for managers of public hospitals in Iran to success-fully adopt the HIS. © 2018 Ali Aliakbar Esfahani et al

An evaluation model for the implementation of hospital information system in public hospitals using multi-criteria-decision-making (MCDM) approaches

Background: Hospital Information System (HIS) is implemented to provide high-quality patient care. The aim of this study is to identify significant dimensional factors that influence the hospital decision in adopting the HIS. Methods: This study designs the initial integrated model by taking the three main dimensions in adopting HIS technology. Accordingly, DEMATEL was utilized to test the strength of interdependencies among the dimensions and variables. Then ANP approach is adapted to determining how the factors are weighted and prioritized by professionals and main users working in the Iranian public hospitals, in-volved with the HIS system. Results: The results indicated that "Perceived Technical Competence" is a key factor in the Human dimension. The respondents also believed that "Relative Advantage," "Compatibility" and "Security Concern" of Technology dimension should be further assessed in relation to other factors. With respect to Organization dimension, "Top Management Support" and "Vendor Support" are considered more important than others. Conclusion: Applying the TOE and HOT-fit models as the pillar of our developed model with significant findings add to the growing literature on the factors associated with the adoption of HIS and also shed some light for managers of public hospitals in Iran to success-fully adopt the HIS. © 2018 Ali Aliakbar Esfahani et al

A multimodal deep learning framework using local feature representations for face recognition

YesThe most recent face recognition systems are mainly dependent on feature representations obtained using either local handcrafted-descriptors, such as local binary patterns (LBP), or use a deep learning approach, such as deep belief network (DBN). However, the former usually suffers from the wide variations in face images, while the latter usually discards the local facial features, which are proven to be important for face recognition. In this paper, a novel framework based on merging the advantages of the local handcrafted feature descriptors with the DBN is proposed to address the face recognition problem in unconstrained conditions. Firstly, a novel multimodal local feature extraction approach based on merging the advantages of the Curvelet transform with Fractal dimension is proposed and termed the Curvelet–Fractal approach. The main motivation of this approach is that theCurvelet transform, a newanisotropic and multidirectional transform, can efficiently represent themain structure of the face (e.g., edges and curves), while the Fractal dimension is one of the most powerful texture descriptors for face images. Secondly, a novel framework is proposed, termed the multimodal deep face recognition (MDFR)framework, to add feature representations by training aDBNon top of the local feature representations instead of the pixel intensity representations. We demonstrate that representations acquired by the proposed MDFR framework are complementary to those acquired by the Curvelet–Fractal approach. Finally, the performance of the proposed approaches has been evaluated by conducting a number of extensive experiments on four large-scale face datasets: the SDUMLA-HMT, FERET, CAS-PEAL-R1, and LFW databases. The results obtained from the proposed approaches outperform other state-of-the-art of approaches (e.g., LBP, DBN, WPCA) by achieving new state-of-the-art results on all the employed datasets

Imaging and quantification of spreading and trapping of carbon dioxide in saline aquifers using meter-scale laboratory experiments

The role of capillary forces during buoyant migrati on of CO2 is critical towards plume immobilization within the post-injection phase of a geological carbon sequestration operation. However, the inherent heterogeneity of the subsurface makes it very challenging to evaluate the effects of capillary forces on the storage capacity of these formations and to assess in-situ plume evolution. To overcome the lack of accurate and continuous observations at the field scale and to mimic vertical migration and entrapment of realistic CO2 plumes in the presence of a background hydraulic gradient, we conducted two unique long-te rm experiments in a 2.44 m × 0.5 m tank. X-ray attenuation allowed measuring the evolution of a CO2-surrogate fluid saturation, thus providing direct insight into capillarity- and buoyancy-domin ated flow processes occurring under successive drainage and imbibition conditions. The comparison of saturation distributions between two experimental campaigns suggests that layered-type h eterogeneity plays an important role on non- wetting phase (NWP) migration and trapping, because it leads to (i) longer displacement times (3.6 months vs. 24 days) to reach stable trapping c onditions, (ii) limited vertical migration of the plume (with center of mass at 39% vs. 55% of aquife r thickness), and (iii) immobilization of a larger fraction of injected NWP mass (67.2% vs. 51. 5% of injected volume) as compared to the homogenous scenario. While these observations confirm once more the role of geological heterogeneity in controlling buoyant flows in the s ubsurface, they also highlight the importance of characterizing it at scales that are below seismic resolution (1-10 m)

Role of Innate Immunity in the Pathogenesis of Chronic Rhinosinusitis: Progress and New Avenues

Chronic rhinosinusitis is a heterogeneous and multifactorial disease with unknown etiology. Aberrant responses to microorganisms have been suggested to play a role in the pathophysiology of the disease. Research has focused on the presence, detection, response to, and eradication of these potential threats. Main topics seem to center on the contribution of structural cells such as epithelium and fibroblasts, on the consequences of activation of pattern-recognition receptors, and on the role of antimicrobial agents. This research should be viewed not only in the light of a comparison between healthy and diseased individuals, but also in a comparison between patients who do or do not respond to treatment. New players that could play a role in the pathophysiology seem to surface at regular intervals, adding to our understanding (and the complexity) of the disease and opening new avenues that may help fight this incapacitating disease

Approaches in biotechnological applications of natural polymers

Natural polymers, such as gums and mucilage, are biocompatible, cheap, easily available and non-toxic materials of native origin. These polymers are increasingly preferred over synthetic materials for industrial applications due to their intrinsic properties, as well as they are considered alternative sources of raw materials since they present characteristics of sustainability, biodegradability and biosafety. As definition, gums and mucilages are polysaccharides or complex carbohydrates consisting of one or more monosaccharides or their derivatives linked in bewildering variety of linkages and structures. Natural gums are considered polysaccharides naturally occurring in varieties of plant seeds and exudates, tree or shrub exudates, seaweed extracts, fungi, bacteria, and animal sources. Water-soluble gums, also known as hydrocolloids, are considered exudates and are pathological products; therefore, they do not form a part of cell wall. On the other hand, mucilages are part of cell and physiological products. It is important to highlight that gums represent the largest amounts of polymer materials derived from plants. Gums have enormously large and broad applications in both food and non-food industries, being commonly used as thickening, binding, emulsifying, suspending, stabilizing agents and matrices for drug release in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. In the food industry, their gelling properties and the ability to mold edible films and coatings are extensively studied. The use of gums depends on the intrinsic properties that they provide, often at costs below those of synthetic polymers. For upgrading the value of gums, they are being processed into various forms, including the most recent nanomaterials, for various biotechnological applications. Thus, the main natural polymers including galactomannans, cellulose, chitin, agar, carrageenan, alginate, cashew gum, pectin and starch, in addition to the current researches about them are reviewed in this article.. }To the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientfíico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for fellowships (LCBBC and MGCC) and the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nvíel Superior (CAPES) (PBSA). This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit, the Project RECI/BBB-EBI/0179/2012 (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-027462) and COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684) (JAT)