Irregularity detection in artificial signal using time-frequency analysis

A typical time signal contain overwhelming amounts of data and some of the signal components represent for irregularity such as crack and leak which greatly important to be identified precisely instead of using traditional method. The strategy can be done using signal processing method through high-quality time-frequency representation (TFR) for analysing such time dependent signals to accurately discover these superposition signal components. A few popular TFR methods such as wavelet transform analysis and relatively new, synchrosqueezed wavelet transform were applied in current study using artificial signal. From the result, both methods successfully discover an irregularity in the signal with different degree of accuracy and it is shown that synchrosqueezed wavelet transform provide the best and detailed time-frequency representation

Selective versus stepwise removal of deep carious lesions in permanent teeth: a randomised controlled trial from Egypt-an interim analysis

OBJECTIVES: To compare the success, survival and costs of selective versus stepwise carious tissue removal (SE/SW) in permanent teeth with deep (>2/3 dentine depth) carious lesions. DESIGN: Randomised controlled, unicentre, clustered two-arm superiority trial. SETTING: Outpatient clinic of a private university in Cairo, Egypt. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and fifteen participants (n=132 teeth), aged 18-47 years, from Cairo, Egypt, were enrolled. Premolars/molars with occlusal/occlusal-proximal deep lesions (radiographically >2/3 dentine), sensible pulps, without spontaneous pain, were included. INTERVENTIONS: Peripheral carious tissue removal to hard dentine was performed. Pulpo-proximally, soft dentine was left. A glass ionomer (GI) restoration was placed. After 3-4 months, teeth were randomly allocated to SE (n=66), with reduction of the GI into a base and no further tissue removal, followed by a composite resin restoration, or SW (n=66), with full removal of the GI, additional excavation until firm dentine pulpo-proximally, followed by a GI-based composite restoration. Mean follow-up was 1 year. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome was success (absence of endodontic/restorative complications). Secondary outcomes were tooth survival and initial and total treatment costs. RESULTS: Zero/five pulp exposures occurred during SE/SW, and seven/five SE/SW teeth required endodontic therapy. Success after 12 months was 89.4% for SE and 84.9% for SW. The estimated mean time free of complications was 23 and 18 months for SE and SW, respectively, without significant differences between SE and SW (p>0.05/Cox). Initial treatment costs were significantly higher for SW (mean (SD): 507.5 (123.4) Egyptian pounds (EGP)) than SE (mean (SD): 456.6 (98.3) EGP), while total costs showed no significant difference (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of this interim analysis, and considering the depth of these lesions (>2/3 dentine), SE and SW showed similar risk of failure and overall costs after 1 year

The Impact of Intangible Capital and Diversity Reputation on Firm Performance

This dissertation examines the effects that intangible capital and diversity reputation have on firm performance. In Chapter 1, entitled “CEO Overconfidence and Intangible Corporate Investments,” we extend the corporate investment and CEO overconfidence literature by examining how CEO overconfidence affects investment-cashflow sensitivity using a new measure of Tobin’s q and cashflow. Specifically, we incorporate intangible capital, which neo-classical investment theory mostly ignores, in the empirical analysis. We develop three overconfidence measures and their interaction with the respective standard and new cashflow settings to capture the investment-cashflow sensitivity effect of CEO overconfidence. We use three investment measures (physical, intangible, and total investments) and find that the effect of managerial overconfidence on investment-cashflow sensitivity is more prominent for corporate intangible investments than physical investments. Moreover, our results show that the standard measure of physical capital weakly explains the intangible investment-cashflow density. Our study offers useful insights in that it explains the reason why investment-cashflow sensitivity has been weaker in recent years. We also show that investment-cashflow sensitivity is stronger when intangible capital is incorporated into the analysis. Chapter 2 is entitled “Diversity Reputation and Firm Performance.” The modern American workplace is a microcosm of modern American society. The increasing diversity of the American workforce has made the increasing diversity of the American workplace a necessity. We explore the impact of diversity reputation on firm performance. We measure a firm’s diversity reputation by its inclusion in DiversityInc’s list of Top 50 Companies for Diversity. We measure firm performance by various accounting measures (return on assets, return on investment, and return on sales) as well as one market-based measure, Tobin’s Q. We find that firms that have a better diversity reputation outperform firms that do not

Defects in the Moral Rights Regimes of the Countries of the Middle East

This article focuses on the protection of moral rights in Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, and the UAE. While moral rights are recognised in the four jurisdictions subject to this study, the level of protection is unsatisfactory. This article analyses the many defects surrounding the subsistence and exercise of moral rights and makes a host of suggestions to enhance the level of protection granted under national laws

Experimental and Theoretical Analysis of the Fast Charging Polymer Lithium-Ion Battery Based on Cuckoo Optimization Algorithm (COA)

Fast charging of the electric-vehicles is one of the paramount challenges in solar smart cities. This paper investigates intelligent optimization methodology to improvise the existing approaches in order to speed up the charging process whilst reducing the energy consumption without degradation in the light of the outrageous demand for lithium-ion battery in the electric vehicles (EVs). Two fitness functions are combined as the targeted objective function: energy losses (EL) and charging interval time (CIT). An intelligent optimization methodology based on Cuckoo Optimization Algorithm (COA) is implemented to the objective function for improving the charging performance of the lithium-ion battery. COA is applied through two main techniques: The Hierarchical technique (HT) and the Conditional random technique (CRT). The experimental results show that the proposed techniques permit a full charging capacity of the polymer lithium-ion battery (0 to 100% SOC) within 91 mins. Compared with the constant current-constant voltage (CCCV) technique, an improvement in the efficiency of 8% and 14.1% was obtained by the Hierarchical technique (HT) and the Conditional random technique (CRT) respectively, in addition to a reduction in energy losses of 7.783% and 10.408% respectively and a reduction in charging interval time of 18.1% and 22.45% respectively. Experimental and theoretical analyses are performed and are in good agreement on the polymer lithium-ion battery fast charging method

β-mangostin suppresses LA-7 cells proliferation in vitro and in vivo: involvement of antioxidant enzyme modulation; suppression of matrix metalloproteinase and α6β4 integrin signalling pathways

β-mangostin (βM) was isolated from Cratoxylum arborescens to investigate anti-breast cancer effect in vitro and in vivo. βM exhibited an inhibitory effect on the growth of LA-7 cells in vitro with apoptosis formation. In the animal model, βM treatment was found to be effective in improving the tissue antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase and catalase activity (P < 0.05). βM treatment clearly exhibited apoptosis in mammary tumour tissues, and it was associated with regulation of PCNA and p53. The cDNA microarray gene expression followed by qRT-PCR based validation demonstrated that βM could mediate tumour reduction and prevent metastasis by reduction of MMP-9, MMP-13, and MMP-27. Moreover, the reduction of both 14-3-3β and ITGB4 genes indicated the involvement of α6β4 integrin signalling pathway. These findings showed that β-mangostin is a promising compound candidate as an anti-tumour agent against breast cancer

Modification of Microclimate for Better Growth and Develop of Summer Tomato Crop

Tomato cultivars grown in Sudan are affected by the hot dry&nbsp; summer climate and are highly susceptible to Tomato Yellow leaf&nbsp; Curl Virus disease (TYLCV). Modification of the microclimate may decrease the effects of the hot dry conditions and improve develop- ment and yield of summer tomatoes. The present study was conducted ducted during the summer of 1998 and 1999 at the Gezira University Farm, Wad Medani, Sudan, to investigate the effects of two type of shelterbelts (Abusabeen and pigeon pea) and two irrigation intervals (3 and 7 days) on growth and development of five tomato cultivars )Omdurman, Gezira 96, Summerset 98, Strain B and Peto 86).&nbsp; The results showed that the short irrigation interval was effective in &nbsp;reducing the air temperature compared to long irrigation interval &nbsp;Abusabeen shelter coupled with the short irrigation interval was effective in improving the microclimate, and that the pigeon pea shelter was effective in conserving soil moisture content under the two irrigation intervals. Tomato cultivars Omdurman, Gezira 96 and Summerset 98 had more vigorous growth, larger canopies and&nbsp; low percentage of. flower shedding per plant within the two types of shelters under the shorter irrigation interval compared to both long irrigation interval and the control