Using Web services choreography to support an extensible and flexible system development process

Systems Engineering (SE) controls a complex environment consisting of various collaborative subsystems. Each subsystem demands different kind of requirements and follows a specific strategy for its development process. Unifying and harmonizing the development process of all collaborative subsystems towards achieving the ultimate integrated system is one of the main challenges of SE. This work introduces a new approach towards having a generic SE unified process applicable to various environments. We suggest a service-oriented framework for SE process implemented using Web Services, and describe the process scenario in a machine-friendly abstract layer over the Development Process. This description layer choreographs collaborative subsystems and is implemented by a Web Services Choreography Description Language (WSCDL). It also covers Interface Management concerns of SE. In such an environment, as long as all services follow a unique framework for the SE process such as the one specified by the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE), each phase of the process would then be an anonymous service implemented by a different vendor. As the result, an organization could easily customize its own specific development environment by editing this choreography layer according to its specific development policies, and then tailor its own desired development environment by choosing and integrating various services available on the Web. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 45-01, page: 0351. Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 2006

Improved sensitivity RF photonics doppler frequency measurement system

An improved sensitivity Doppler frequency measurement system based on microwave photonics technology was demonstrated practically. The system employs a four-wave mixing effect to achieve broad radio-frequency (RF) frequency measurement. In addition, a lock-in amplification technique was utilized to achieve high-measurement sensitivity. The system is, thus, capable of Doppler frequency estimation of radar echoes with a carrier frequency up to 40 GHz and a power level as low as $-$35 dBm. © 2009-2012 IEEE

Safety and efficacy of PDpoetin for management of anemia in patients with end stage renal disease on maintenance hemodialysis: Results from a phase IV clinical trial

Recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) is available for correcting anemia. PDpoetin, a new brand of rHuEPO, has been certified by Food and Drug Department of Ministry of Health and Medical Education of Iran for clinical use in patients with chronic kidney disease. We conducted this post-marketing survey to further evaluate the safety and efficacy of PDpoetin for management of anemia in patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Patients from 4 centers in Iran were enrolled for this multicenter, open-label, uncontrolled phase IV clinical trial. Changes in blood chemistry, hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, renal function, and other characteristics of the patients were recorded for 4 months; 501 of the patients recruited, completed this study. Mean age of the patients was 50.9 (±16.2) years. 48.7 of patients were female. Mean of the hemoglobin value in all of the 4 centers was 9.29 (±1.43) g/dL at beginning of the study and reached 10.96 (±2.23) g/dL after 4 months and showed significant increase overall (P<0.001). PDpoetin dose was stable at 50-100 U/kg thrice weekly. Hemorheologic disturbancesand changes in blood electrolytes was not observed. No case of immunological reactions to PDpoetin was observed. Our study, therefore, showed that PDpoetin has significantly raised the level of hemoglobin in the hemodialysis patients (about 1.7±0.6 g/dL). Anemia were successfully corrected in 49 of patients under study. Use of this biosimilar was shown to be safe and effective for the maintenance of hemoglobin in patients on maintenance hemodialysis. © A.N. Javidan et al., 2014

Generating Diffusion MRI scalar maps from T1 weighted images using generative adversarial networks

Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (diffusion MRI) is a non-invasive microstructure assessment technique. Scalar measures, such as FA (fractional anisotropy) and MD (mean diffusivity), quantifying micro-structural tissue properties can be obtained using diffusion models and data processing pipelines. However, it is costly and time consuming to collect high quality diffusion data. Here, we therefore demonstrate how Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) can be used to generate synthetic diffusion scalar measures from structural T1-weighted images in a single optimized step. Specifically, we train the popular CycleGAN model to learn to map a T1 image to FA or MD, and vice versa. As an application, we show that synthetic FA images can be used as a target for non-linear registration, to correct for geometric distortions common in diffusion MRI

Spatial Monitoring of Wind Erosion and Some Heavy Metals in Suspended Load of Tabas City

Introduction Wind Erosion is the natural process of transportation and deposition of soil by wind. It is a common phenomenon occurred mostly in dry, sandy soils or anywhere the soil is loose, dry, and finely granulated. Heavy metals are found in the environment and soils may become contaminated by accumulation of heavy metals through emissions from the rapidly expanding industrial areas, mine tailings, disposal of high metal wastes, leaded gasoline and paints, land application of fertilizers, animal manures, sewage sludge, pesticides, wastewater irrigation, coal combustion residues, spillage of petrochemicals, and atmospheric deposition. Soils are the major sink for heavy metals released into the environment by the aforementioned anthropogenic activities and their total concentration in soils persists for a long time after their introduction. The heavy metal contamination of soil and its potential risks to humans and the ecosystem is a significant concern. Windy deposition, which is the process of heavy metals being transported by erosive winds and deposited onto soil, is one of the sources of heavy metal contamination. Due to the geographical situation and climatic conditions such as arid soil, erosive winds are blown in periods of year in Tabas. Since wind are erosion is severe in this area, huge amounts of wind deposition accompanied with erosive winds entered into this town. Heavy metals through the windy deposition are suspended, translated and finally deposited in residential regions, which can create some problems for human health. Therefore, the knowledge of wind erosion and the human risk of these deposits is essential. The aim of this research was to determine the rate of wind erosion and the concentration of some heavy metals in these deposits. Materials and Methods  For this purpose, the rate of suspended load was measured monthly from February 2021 to January 2022. Based on previous information from the erosive winds and storms, suspended depositions were gathered in some directions (north, northwest, northeast, west and southwest) of the Tabas entrance. In addition, the suspended load in the city center of Tabas was also measured. The cumulative load of suspended depositions was measured monthly and the concentration of some heavy metals such as manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cupper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) were measured in these suspended particles.  Soil digestion was made by Aqua regia (nitric acid and chloridric acid; ratio of 3:1), and after then atomic absorption was used to measure the total concentration of above heavy metals. Results and Discussion The results indicate that Tabas experiences significant wind deposition of suspended loads, with the highest rates entering from the northeast direction and the lowest rates from the southwest direction. This pattern aligns with the wind rose of Tabas, which illustrates the prevailing wind directions in the region. Additionally, substantial suspended loads are observed in the northwest and north directions. The variations in suspended load discharge reveal that the maximum discharge occurs in the city center of Tabas during the months of June and July 2021. This corresponds to the arid climate conditions of these months, where plant growth is limited, soil cohesion is low, and loose soil particles on the surface are susceptible to wind forces. As a result, these loose particles are easily detached by the wind, contributing to the high levels of suspended load. Regarding the spatial variation of heavy metals in suspended particles, the cumulative concentrations of Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn are found to be higher in the west, northwest, north, and west directions, respectively. This suggests that these heavy metals are transported and deposited in specific areas within Tabas due to the prevailing wind patterns. In terms of temporal variation, the highest concentrations of Mn and Fe in suspended particles are observed in April 2021, predominantly in the northeast and west directions, respectively. On the other hand, the highest concentrations of Cu and Zn are found in May 2021, with the southwest and northeast directions being the primary deposition areas for each metal, respectively. These findings highlight the spatial and temporal dynamics of suspended load and heavy metal deposition in Tabas, emphasizing the influence of wind patterns and climatic conditions on these processes. Understanding these variations is crucial for assessing the potential risks associated with heavy metal contamination and implementing appropriate mitigation measures in the region.  Conclusion The results of this research showed that most contents of the suspended load are entered from the northeast direction into Tabas. In addition, the spatial variation of heavy metals indicated that the concentrations of studied heavy metals (Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn) in suspended particles, especially in the western, northwestern, and northern in spring, are very high and they can cause carcinogenic effects on human life. Therefore, the management practices should be mostly made in these directions to control or reduce soil erosion and reduce its damage effects

Causes and risk factors of urinary incontinence: Avicenna's point of view vs. contemporary findings

Purpose: To extract the causes and risk factors of urinary incontinence from an old medical text by Avicenna entitled "Canon of Medicine" and comparing it with contemporary studies. Materials and Methods: In this study, etiology and risk factors of urinary incontinence were extracted from Avicenna's "Canon of Medicine". Commentaries written on this book and other old reliable medical texts about bladder and its diseases were also studied. Then the achieved information was compared with contemporary findings of published articles. Results: Urinary incontinence results from bladder dysfunction in reservoir phase. Bladder's involuntary muscles and voluntary external sphincter are two main components which are involved in this process. Urinary incontinence can exist without obvious structural and neuronal etiologies. According to Avicenna, distemperment of muscular tissue of bladder and external sphincter is the cause for urinary incontinence in such cases. Distemperment is the result of bothering qualities in tissue, i.e.: "wet" and "cold". They are the two bothering qualities which are caused by extracorporeal and intracorporeal factors. Interestingly, the positive associations of some of these factors with urinary incontinence have been shown in recent researches. Conclusion: "Cold" and "wet" distemperment of bladder and external sphincter can be independent etiologies of urinary incontinence which should be investigated

The guanine nucleotide exchange factor Vav2 is a negative regulator of parathyroid hormone receptor/G(q) signaling.

The parathyroid hormone receptor (PTHR) is a class B G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that mediates the endocrine and paracrine effects of parathyroid hormone and related peptides through the activation of phospholipase C beta-, adenylyl cyclase-, mitogen-activated protein kinase-, and beta-arrestin-initiated signaling pathways. It is currently not clear how specificity among these downstream signaling pathways is achieved. A possible mechanism involves adaptor proteins that affect receptor/effector coupling. In a proteomic screen with the PTHR C terminus, we identified vav2, a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for Rho GTPases, as a PTHR-interacting protein. The core domains of vav2 bound to the intracellular domains of the PTHR independent of receptor activation. In addition, vav2 specifically interacted with activated G alpha(q) but not with G alpha(s) subunits, and it competed with PTHR for coupling to G alpha(q). Consistent with its specific interaction with G alpha(q), vav2 impaired G(q)-mediated inositol phosphate generation but not G(s)-mediated cAMP generation. This inhibition of G(q) signaling was specific for PTHR signaling, compared with other G(q)-coupled GPCRs. Moreover, the benefit for PTHR-mediated inositol phosphate generation in the absence of vav2 required the ezrin binding domain of Na+/H+-exchanger regulatory factor 1. Our results show that a RhoA GEF can specifically interact with a GPCR and modulate its G protein signaling specificity

Effect of fiber orientation on shape and stability of air-water interface on submerged superhydrophobic electrospun thin coatings

To better understand the role of fiber orientation on the stability of superhydrophobicelectrospun coatings under hydrostaticpressures, an integro-differential equation is developed from the balance of forces across the air–water interface between the fibers. This equation is solved numerically for a series of superhydrophobicelectrospun coatings comprised of random and orthogonal fiber orientations to obtain the exact 3D shape of the air–water interface as a function of hydrostaticpressure. More important, this information is used to predict the pressure at which the coatings start to transition from the Cassie state to the Wenzel state, i.e., the so-called critical transition pressure. Our results indicate that coatings composed of orthogonal fibers can withstand higher elevated hydrostaticpressures than those made up of randomly orientated fibers. Our results also prove that thin superhydrophobic coatings can better resist the elevated pressures. The modeling methodology presented here can be used to design nanofibrous superhydrophobic coatings for underwater applications

The Relationship between the Slope Hill and Bedrock with Some Soil Properties

Introduction Changes in soil properties depend on factors such as climate, topography, landscape features, altitude, parent material, and vegetation. The quantity and quality of soils obtained from different rocks (igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks) depend on the minerals that make up the rock, as well as weather and other factors. Soil parent material is one of the primary and important issues in soil classification in terms of physical quality and also one of the most important effective factors in soil erodibility. The topographical factor of each region is one of the important and influential features on the soil quality of that region. The present research was conducted with the aim of understanding the spatial changes of soil properties in different slopes and different types of rocks. Material and Methods The studied area is located in Razavi Khorasan province in the cities of Mashhad, Chenaran, Sarakhs and Torbat-Haidarieh. The geographic location of the region ranges from 58 degrees and 52 minutes to 60 degrees and 40 minutes east longitude and 35 degrees and 38 minutes to 36 degrees and 25 minutes north latitude. This research was carried out on seven types of rocks: granite, Sarakhs paleogene limestone, Chenaran jurassic limestone, marl, shale, sandstone and ophiolite from relatively pure rocks of Razavi Khorasan province. In the present study, two factors of rock type and slope were investigated as effective factors of soil properties. Soil samples were taken from the surface layer (0-20 cm) and from three slope classes ie., less than 10%, 10-25% and more than 25%, as well as all soil samples from the southern slopes. Tree soil samples were taken from each slope and a total of 63 samples were taken and the samples were transfered to the laboratory for physical and chemical tests. In this study, the soil particle size distribution (texture) was measured by hydrometer method, organic carbon and calcium carbonate were determined by wet oxidation and titration with HCl 6 M, the mean weight diameter of soil aggregates and surface crust factor were calculated by related equations. To measure soil cohesion and penetration resistance were used pocket vane test and pocket penetrometer, respectively. Comparison of means was done through Duncan test in spss software. Results and Discussion The results showed that all the studied variables in different types of stones had a significant difference at the level of 1%. There was no significant difference in the variable of surface level in different slopes. Also, the variables of calcium carbonate percentage and saturated conductivity at 5% level had significant differences in different slopes. Other characteristics of soil, including percentage of organic matter, the mean weight diameter of soil aggregates, the number of drops impact, and soil cohesion and penetration resistance in different slopes had a significant difference at the level of 1%. Althoug the soil texture class was not significantly different in different slopes, the percentage changes of clay, silt and sand had a lot of difference along the slope. The highest and lowest parameters of organic matter percentage, Soil cohesion and penetration resistance were observed in granite and shale, respectively. The highest percentage of calcium carbonate was observed in Chenaran limestone (40.41%) and the lowest in granite (14.72 %). The mean weight diameter of soil aggregates was the highest in ophiolite (1.005 mm) and the lowest in marl (0.403 mm). The mean weight diameter of soil aggregates in the medium slope was significantly higher than the other two slopes. The parameter of the number of drops impact was the highest in granite (47.14 number) and the lowest in marl (27.70 number). The highest value of saturated conductivity variable was observed in marl rock and the lowest value was observed in Chenaran limestone. Conclusion The results showed that all the investigated variables had significant differences in different types of stones. Also, some of the investigated variables such as percentage of organic matter, percentage of equivalent calcium carbonate and the mean weight diameter of soil aggregates had significant changes along the hillside. As a general conclusion, given that the physical and chemical properties of the soil are partly under the influence of the parent material and the slope, and also with the presence of good geological information in the country, it can be suggested to provide suitable management solutions to prevent soil erosion and degradation by comprehensive examination of soil properties under different slope and types of stones

Electric-magnetic duality and the conditions of inflationary magnetogenesis

The magnetogenesis scenarios triggered by the early variation of the gauge coupling are critically analyzed. In the absence of sources, it is shown that the electric and magnetic power spectra can be explicitly computed by means of electric-magnetic duality transformations. The remnants of a pre-inflationary expansion and the reheating process break explicitly electric-magnetic duality by inducing Ohmic currents. The generation of large-scale magnetic field and the physical distinction between electric and magnetic observables stems, in this class of models, from the final value reached by the conductivity of the plasma right after inflation. Specific numerical examples are given. The physical requirements of viable magnetogenesis scenarios are spelled out.Comment: 25 pages, 9 figure