A New Weibull-G Family of Distributions

Statistical analysis of lifetime data is an important topic in reliability engineering, biomedical and social sciences and others. We introduce a new generator based on the Weibull random variable called the new Weibull-G family. We study some of its mathematical properties. Its density function can be symmetrical, left-skewed, right-skewed, bathtub and reversed-J shaped, and has increasing, decreasing, bathtub, upside-down bathtub, J, reversed-J and S shaped hazard rates. Some special models are presented. We obtain explicit expressions for the ordinary and incomplete moments, quantile and generating functions, Renyi entropy, order statistics and reliability. Three useful characterizations based on truncated moments are also proposed for the new family. The method of maximum likelihood is used to estimate the model parameters. We illustrate the importance of the family by means of two applications to real data sets

The Kumaraswamy Marshal-Olkin Family of Distributions

We introduce a new family of continuous distributions called the Kumaraswamy Marshal-Olkin generalized family of distributions. We study some mathematical properties of this family. Its density function is symmetrical, left-skewed, right-skewed and reversed-J shaped, and has constant, increasing, decreasing, upside-down bathtub, bathtub and S-shaped hazard rate. We present some special models and investigate the asymptotics and shapes of the family. We derive a power series for the quantile function and obtain explicit expressions for the moments, generating function, mean deviations, two types of entropies and order statistics. Some useful characterizations of the family are also proposed. The method of maximum likelihood is used to estimate the model parameters. We illustrate the importance of the family by means of two applications to real data sets

E-commerce through wireless devices

© 2001 IEEE. This paper presents the E-CWE (E-Commerce through Wireless dEvices) project. This project aims at investigating techniques and offering solutions that could support stationary and mobile users in secure wireless electronic commerce environments. In addition, the verification and demonstration of the suitability of software agents in these environments is discussed in this paper

Diet Selection by Goats at Kalemando, North Darfur, Sudan

Pressure on rangelands of Sudan has increased in the last few decades due to increase in human population and in animal numbers. The rangelands were also impacted by climate change, desertification, agricultural expansion, mining, and overgrazing. Decreased amounts of rainfall have impoverished the natural rangelands. Goats are capable of grazing on semi-desert regions characterized by low rainfall and scarce grazing plants. It is therefore necessary to know and enhance plant species preferred by goats to properly manage the rangelands. The present study was conducted at Kalemando, North Darfur State during the rainy season of year 2017 when most plants were flowering. The aim was to investigate plant preference by goats under free grazing conditions. A range site of one km2 was selected for the study. The Parker loop method was used to determine botanical composition of herbaceous plants while the point centre quarter method was used to determine density and relative density of trees and shrubs. The bite count technique was used to determine goat diet botanical composition. The herbaceous layer manifested 34 species of which 50.76% were forbs, while grasses constituted 49.24%. The dominant herbaceous plants were Dactyloctenium aegyptium (16.08%), Aristida spp (13.04%), Zaleya Pentandra (9.27%), Trigonella hamosa (8.70%), Echinocloa colona (6.38%) and Aerva javonica (5.36%). Tree and shrub of highest relative density were Acacia tortils (67.86%), Boscia sengalensis (14.29%), and Grewia tenax (3.57%). The diet selected by goats comprised trees/shrubs (42.17%), forbs (36.15%) and grasses (21.68%). Plants most preferred were Commelina kotschyi, Justicia kotschyi, Tribulus terrestris, Trigonella hamosa, Echinocloa colona, Permina resinosa, Grewia tenax. and Acacia mellifera. It is concluded that rehabilitation of rangelands can best be effected by resort to plant species preferred by goats

Software agents to support mobile services

The paper discusses mobile services (m-services) in the wireless world. This world has its own features that make it different from the wired world. For instance, new communication channels need to be used, new user-friendly services need to be suggested, and new types of computing resources need to be involved. The paper also discusses the use of software agents in addressing those features

Influence of hyperhomocysteinemia on the cellular redox state - Impact on homocysteine-induced endothelial dysfunction

Hyperhomocysteinemia is an independent risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis. An increasing body of evidence has implicated oxidative stress as being contributory to homocysteines deleterious effects on the vasculature. Elevated levels of homocysteine may lead to increased generation of superoxide by a biochemical mechanism involving nitric oxide synthase, and, to a lesser extent, by an increase in the chemical oxidation of homocysteine and other aminothiols in the circulation. The resultant increase in superoxide levels is further amplified by homocysteinedependent alterations in the function of cellular antioxidant enzymes such as cellular glutathione peroxidase or extracellular superoxide dismutase. One direct clinical consequence of elevated vascular superoxide levels is the inactivation of the vasorelaxant messenger nitric oxide, leading to endothelial dysfunction. Scavenging of superoxide anion by either superoxide dismutase or 4,5-dihydroxybenzene 1,3-disulfonate (Tiron) reverses endothelial dysfunction in hyperhomocysteinemic animal models and in isolated aortic rings incubated with homocysteine. Similarly, homocysteineinduced endothelial dysfunction is also reversed by increasing the concentration of the endogenous antioxidant glutathione or overexpressing cellular glutathione peroxidase in animal models of mild hyperhomocysteinemia. Taken together, these findings strongly suggest that the adverse vascular effects of homocysteine are at least partly mediated by oxidative inactivation of nitric oxide

ISOLATION OF EGG DROP SYNDROME VIRUS AND ITS MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION USING SODIUM DODECYL SULPHATE POLYACRYLAMIDE GEL ELECTROPHORESIS

Six isolates of egg drop syndrome (EDS) virus were recovered from five different outbreaks of EDS in commercial laying hens in and around Faisalabad. The aberrant eggs were fed to the susceptible laying hens for experimental induction of infection. The samples from infected birds (egg washing, cloacal swabs, oviducts and spleens) were collected, processed and inoculated into 11-day old duck embryos. The presence of virus in harvested allanto-amniotic fluid was monitored by spot and microhaemagglutination tests and confirmed by haemagglutination inhibition and agar gel precipitation tests. The EDS virus grew well in duck embryos and agglutinated only avian but not mammalian red blood cells. These isolates were purified through velocity density gradient centrifugation. Protein concentration was determined through Lowry method and sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was conducted by loading 300 µg protein concentration on 12.5% gel using discontinuous buffer system. All the six isolates showed 13 polypeptides, which were identical to those described in the referral EDS-76 virus (strain-127). The molecular weights of the polypeptides ranged from 6.5 KDa to 126 KDa

Ad-hoc collaboration between messengers: Operations and incentives

This paper discusses how ad-hoc collaboration boosts the operation of a set of messengers. This discussion continues the research we earlier initiated in the MESSENGER project, which develops data management mechanisms for UDDI registries of Web services using mobile users and software agents. In the current operation mode of messengers, descriptions of Web services are first, collected from UDDI registries and later on, distributed to other UDDI registries. This distribution mode of Web services descriptions does not foster the tremendous opportunities that both wireless technologies and mobile devices offer. When mobile devices are in the vicinity of each other, they can form a mobile ad-hoc network, which enables the exchange of data between these devices without any preexisting communication infrastructure. By authorizing messengers to engage in collaboration, collecting additional descriptions of Web services from other messengers can happen, too. © 2006 IEEE

Computational study on encapsulation of 5-fluorouracil drug in nanotubes

Cancer remains a major health concern worldwide, causing high rates of morbidity and mortality. Although chemotherapy with antitumor drugs is the most common treatment for cancer, certain disadvantages limit its usage, such as the damage caused to healthy cells, side effects, and toxicity. Owing to their geometric and mechanical properties, nanotubes are promising nanocarriers of anticancer drugs. Here, the interaction energies of the encapsulation of an anticancer drug by single-walled nanotubes were calculated through the application of the 6–12 Lennard-Jones function with a continuous approach. In particular, the interaction energies of the 5-fluorouracil drug entering three different nanotubes (carbon, silicon and boron nitride) and the offset equilibria inside the nanotubes were obtained. This study aimed at determining the appropriate type and favorable size of nanotubes that can be used to encapsulate the 5-fluorouracil drug. The results showed that the optimal radii of nanotubes for encapsulating the 5-fluorouracil drug were approximately 6.08, 6.05 and 5.98 Å for carbon, boron nitride and silicon nanotubes, corresponding to -16.55, -18.20 and -17.81 kcal/mol, respectively