A Modified Hopfield Neural Network Algorithm (MHNNA) Using ALOS Image for Water Quality Mapping

Decreasing water pollution is a big problem in coastal waters. Coastal health of ecosystems can be affected by high concentrations of suspended sediment. In this work, a Modified Hopfield Neural Network Algorithm (MHNNA) was used with remote sensing imagery to classify the total suspended solids (TSS) concentrations in the waters of coastal Langkawi Island, Malaysia. The adopted remote sensing image is the Advanced Land Observation Satellite (ALOS) image acquired on 18 January 2010. Our modification allows the Hopfield neural network to convert and classify color satellite images. The samples were collected from the study area simultaneously with the acquiring of satellite imagery. The sample locations were determined using a handheld global positioning system (GPS). The TSS concentration measurements were conducted in a lab and used for validation (real data), classification, and accuracy assessments. Mapping was achieved by using the MHNNA to classify the concentrations according to their reflectance values in band 1, band 2, and band 3. The TSS map was color-coded for visual interpretation. The efficiency of the proposed algorithm was investigated by dividing the validation data into two groups. The first group was used as source samples for supervisor classification via the MHNNA. The second group was used to test the MHNNA efficiency. After mapping, the locations of the second group in the produced classes were detected. Next, the correlation coefficient (R) and root mean square error (RMSE) were calculated between the two groups, according to their corresponding locations in the classes. The MHNNA exhibited a higher R (0.977) and lower RMSE (2.887). In addition, we test the MHNNA with noise, where it proves its accuracy with noisy images over a range of noise levels. All results have been compared with a minimum distance classifier (Min-Dis). Therefore, TSS mapping of polluted water in the coastal Langkawi Island, Malaysia can be performed using the adopted MHNNA with remote sensing techniques (as based on ALOS images)

Involvement of beta-3-Adrenergic Gene Polymorphism in Insulin Resistance in Iraqi Type 2 Diabetic Patients

A tryptophan to arginine substitution (TGG?CGG) in codon 64 (Trp 64 Arg) of ?3-adrenergic receptor is thought to be important for binding of noradrenaline and G proteins with ?3-adrenergic receptor in adipose cells. ?3-adrenergic receptor polymorphism may lead to a decrease in thermogenesis and lipolysis in adipose tissue. Therefore, an impairment of ?3-adrenergic receptor function may lead to obesity and insulin resistance. The present study was designed to estimate prevalence and association of ?3-adrenergic receptor gene T?C (Trp 64 Arg) SNP in insulin resistance type 2 diabetic patients in Iraq. To achieve this aim, 103 of type 2 diabetic patients and 57 apparently healthy control group were subjected to the study. The results of present study show that the heterozygous genotype (TC) of  ?3-adrenergic receptor gene T?C (Trp 64 Arg) SNP was significantly increased (OR=4.12, CI 95% 1.14-15.86, P < 0.05) the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus four folds with respect to those of the wild genotype (TT). Also, the results revealed that significant increase (P < 0.05) in fasting insulin, HOMA, BMI and significant decrease (P < 0.05) in HDL-cholesterol of heterozygous genotype (TC) when compared with wild genotype (TT). Also, there are no significant differences in other clinical characteristics between wild genotype (TT) and heterozygous genotype (TC). The study concluded that ?3-adrenergic receptor gene T?C (Trp 64 Arg) SNP are associated and involved in the pathogenesis of insulin resistant type 2 diabetes mellitus. Keyword: Diabetes Mellitus, Insulin resistance, Obesity, ?3-adrenergic receptor,  Trp 64 Ar

Association of Insulin Receptor Substrate-1 Gene Polymorphism with Insulin Resistance in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Iraqi Population

A glycine to arginine substitution (GGG?AGG substitutions) in codon 972   (Gly 972 Arg) is the common polymorphism of the IRS-1 gene. This polymorphism interfere with the interaction between IRS-1 and PI3-kinase. It participate in the development of insulin resistance and diabetes by impairing the ability of insulin to activate the  IRS-1/PI3-kinase/Akt signaling pathway. The present study was designed to evaluate the association of insulin receptor substrate-1 gene G?A (Gly 972 Arg) polymorphism with insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes mellitus in Iraqi population. To achieve this aim, 103 of type 2 diabetic patients and 57 apparently healthy control group were subjected to the study. The results of present study show that the heterozygous genotype (GA) of insulin receptor substrate-1 gene G?A (Gly 972 Arg) SNP was significantly increased (OR=9.14, CI 95% 1.13-75.53, P < 0.05) the risk of type 2 DM by nine folds with respect to those of wild genotype (GG). The allele frequencies of G and A were 92.93% and 7.07% for the insulin resistant type 2 diabetic patients group and 99.04% and 0.96% for the control group respectively. Also, the results revealed that no significant differences in clinical characteristics between wild genotype (GG) and heterozygous genotype (GA). The study concluded that insulin receptor substrate-1 gene G?A (Gly 972 Arg) SNP are associated and involved in the pathogenesis of  insulin resistant type 2 diabetes mellitus. Keywords: Diabetes Mellitus, Insulin resistance, IRS-1, Gly 972 Ar

Review of Modeling and Simulation Technologies Application to Wind Turbines Drive Train

In this paper, a review of past and recent developments in the wind turbine drive train is being studied. The objective is to review some of the basic approaches of drive train configuration in wind turbines and to identify drive train models including the modeling and simulation results of these models. In recent years, considerable effort has been devoted to modeling, design, and control of wind turbine including drive train .The number of publications on computational strategies (multibody dynamics) are widely used for design and simulation of wind turbines components has been steadily increasing. Lists and reviews many contributes of design and simulation method are given in survey papers [1], [2]

A cryptographic cloud-based approach for the mitigation of the airline cargo cancellation problem

In order to keep in good long-term relationships with their main customers, Airline Cargo companies do not impose any fee for last minute cancellations of shipments. As a result, customers can book the same shipment on several cargo companies. Cargo companies try to balance cancellations by a corresponding volume of overbooking. However, the considerable uncertainty in the number of cancellations does not allow to fine-tune the optimal overbooking level, causing losses. In this work, we show how the deployment of cryptographic techniques, enabling the computation on private information of customers and companies data can improve the overall service chain, allowing for striking and enforcing better agreements. We propose a query system based on proxy re-encryption and show how the relevant information can be extracted, still preserving the privacy of customers\u2019 data. Furthermore, we provide a Game Theoretic model of the use case scenario and show that it allows a more accurate estimate of the cancellation rates. This supports the reduction of the uncertainty and allows to better tune the overbooking level

Assessing the usefulness of an online chat room in the integrated renal and cardiovascular courses

Background: Pharmacy students in their first professional year (P1) often struggle to adapt to the demands of the rigorous curriculum. The integrated renal and cardiovascular courses at the University of Rhode Island (URI) facilitate learning of renal and cardiovascular disorders and the medications used to treat them. The courses are challenging but important to the students’ future practice. There have been no studies assessing the impact or usefulness of using online chat rooms to supplement traditional teaching methods for pharmacy students. Objective: The objective of the online chat room was to provide an additional resource that students could use to clarify course material. We hypothesized that the chat room would serve as a useful supplemental learning tool for pharmacy students. Method: The online chat room function of the course management system at URI (Sakai) was offered throughout the spring semester to P1 students. During chat room settings, P1 students submitted questions in a real-time list format. The P3 students or professor then responded to the questions and posed questions to the students to encourage discussion. At the end of the semester, the students were asked to fill out a brief, electronic survey via Survey Monkey. The survey asked 12 questions about the chat room using a 5-point Likert scale, including asking if they attended the chat room and, if they did not, the reason(s) why, as well as the impact of the chat room on their learning. The survey was approved by the URI Institutional Review Board. Results: 63 students responded to the survey (response rate = 53%). Seventy percent attended the live chat and 95% viewed the archived transcript. The majority of students agreed that chat room sessions encouraged faculty-student interaction outside of the classroom, encouraged them to ask questions and helped them learn by asking questions and seeking answers. Students who attended the live session were more likely to agree that the chat room sessions were helpful and encouraged them to stay up to date in their work. Conclusion: Survey results showed supported the online chat room as a useful adjunct that P1 students can use to enhance their understanding of the renal and cardiovascular course material. Overall, the chat room encouraged students to stay up-to-date in their studying, encouraged student-faculty interaction outside of class, helped the students learn more by asking their own questions, and facilitated their learning. In addition, the chat room clarified material the students did not understand and encouraged them to ask questions about the material. The feedback provided by the students who participated will be used in the future to further improve the chat room

Decorative Articles Based On Polymeric Materials

The aim of the research is to create decorative articles based on polymeric materials, study the effects of fillers and the type of moulds that it can cope with the exothermic reaction nature of resin to create a scientific background on the usage of the resins in daily life products. The polymeric materials that will be concentrated on are the unsaturated polyester resins and epoxy resins. The unsaturated polyester is of many types and chemical constituents, the used experimentally is a general-purpose type and the epoxy also have different types and the used is a commercially 3D floor coating type. The resulted articles that were achieved in the research from unsaturated polyester resins are two tables with different dimensions, vase, candle, decorative articles and bricks. As for Epoxy, two different dimensions 3D tiles with artificial flower immersed within it

Support for political mobilization and protest in Egypt and Morocco: an online experimental study

Why do individuals engage in or support acts of contentious politics? Building from previous work, this article uses a 2 (high/low grievance) × 2 (high/low risk) × 2 (high/low opportunity) online experimental design to examine the impact of these factors on political action with participants from Egypt (n = 517) and Morocco (n = 462). Participants assumed a first-person perspective as a member of a fictional oppressed ethnic minority group in one of eight vignettes. Participants then indicated the extent to which they would engage in various forms of protest and violence, and how justified such actions were. Participants answered several social-personality measures: Social Dominance Orientation (SDO), Right Wing Authoritarianism (RWA), and Activism and Radicalism Intentions Scale (AIS and RIS). Analyses show that higher SDO and RIS scores largely drive violent engagement and justification for these actions. Higher AIS scores predicted protest engagement and justification, while SDO negatively influenced non-violence. RWA scores decreased engagement in and support for any form of political action. In contrast with previous experimental findings, grievance did not impact decisions about political mobilization