Computing the Zero Forcing Number for Generalized Petersen Graphs

Let G be a simple undirected graph with each vertex colored either white or black, u be a black vertex of G, and exactly one neighbor v of u be white. Then change the color of v to black. When this rule is applied, we say u forces v, and write u ® v . A zero forcing set of a graph G is a subset Z of vertices such that if initially the vertices in Z are colored black and remaining vertices are colored white, the entire graph G may be colored black by repeatedly applying the color-change rule. The zero forcing number of G, denoted Z(G), is the minimum size of a zero forcing set.In this paper, we investigate the zero forcing number for the generalized Petersen graphs (It is denoted by P(n,k)). We obtain upper and lower bounds for the zero forcing number for P(n,k). We show that Z(P(n,2))=6 for n ³ 10, Z(P(n,3))=8 for n ³ 12 and Z(P(2k+1,k))=6 for k ³ 5

Towards eco-flowable concrete production

Environmental concerns have increased due to the amount of unused/expired plastic medical waste generated in hospitals, laboratories, and other healthcare facilities, in addition to the fact that disposing of such wastes with extremely low degradation levels causes them to remain in the environment for extended periods of time. These issues have led researchers to develop more environmentally friendly alternatives for disposing of plastic medical waste in Australia. This study is an attempt to assess the impacts of using expired plastic syringes as fine aggregate on fresh and hardened characteristics of flowable concrete, which might provide a solution to environmental concerns. Six mixtures of flowable concrete with water-to-cement ratios of 0.38 were studied. It was found that using recycled aggregate in up to 20% can improve the workability and increase the V-funnel values of flowable concrete mixtures. However, using waste aggregates in more than 30% caused an inapt flowability. Adding waste aggregate at the 30%–50% replacement level led to a decrease in the L-box ratio. To verify the utility and the efficacy of this experiment, the connections between different rheological test measurements were also compared by implementing the Pearson correlation function. The mechanical properties of the mixes containing recycled aggregates were decreased at the age of seven days; however, at later ages, waste aggregates increased the strength at the 10%–30% replacement levels

Wolfram Syndrome presenting with optic atrophy and diabetes mellitus: two case reports

Wolfram syndrome is the constellation of juvenile onset diabetes mellitus and optic atrophy, known as DIDMOAD (Diabetes Insipidus, Diabetes Mellitus, Optic Atrophy, and Deafness)

Decision Support Systems

The current decision-making problems is more complex than it was in the past, prompting the need for decision support. Most real-world decision-making situations are subject to bounded rationality; whereby the technical and economic evaluation of all solution alternatives (branches) is bounded by the consideration of dominant subjective constraints. The early definition of DSS introduced it as a system that intended to support decision makers in semi-structured problems that could not be completely supported by algorithms. DSSs were planned to be an accessory for managers to expand their capabilities but not to replace them. Decision support systems could provide the means to complement decision makers by quantitatively supporting managerial decisions that could otherwise be based on personal intuition and experience. In addition to the traditional DSS characteristics (i.e., data and model orientation, interactivity), the inclusion of an intelligent knowledge base would be required to quantify the impacts of both technical (hard) and subjective (soft) constraints

Forced Convection Heat Transfer of Giesekus Viscoelastic Fluid in Concentric Annulus with both Cylinders Rotation

A theoretical solution is presented for the forced convection heat transfer of a viscoelastic fluid obeying the Giesekus constitutive equation in a concentric annulus under steady state, laminar, and purely tangential flow. A relative rotational motion exists between the inner and the outer cylinders, which induces the flow. A constant temperature was set in both cylinders, in this study. The fluid properties are taken as constants and axial conduction is negligible, but the effect of viscous dissipation is included. The dimensionless temperature profile, the normalized bulk temperature, and the inner and outer Nusselt numbers are derived from solving non-dimensional energy equation as a function of all relevant non-dimensional parameters. The effects of Deborah number (De), mobility factor (α), Brinkman number (Br) and velocity ratio (β) on the normalized temperature profile and Nusselt number are investigated. The results indicate the significant effects of these parameters on the dimensionless temperature distribution and Nusselt number.</span

The Relationship between Body Fat Distribution and Postmenopausal and Menopausal Women’s Quality of Life

Introduction: Considering the issue in the population of postmenopausal women, no study has been conducted in Iran so far on the relationship between body fat distribution and quality of life. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between body fat distribution and quality of life in menopausal women.Methods: The present descriptive study was conducted on 250 premenopausal and menopausal women aged 40-65 years. Samples were selected by a multi-stage random sampling method. Data were collected through a two-part questionnaire including demographic variables and a questionnaire on the postmenopausal women’s life quality in health centers. The data were analyzed using Statistical tests, distribution, frequency percentage mean score, Standard deviation, and independent sample t-tests.Results: The mean age of participants was 55.17 years. There was a statistically significant difference between the two forms of body fat distribution in the vasomotor domain (p = 0.021), the physical domain (p = 0.044), and the sexual domain (p = 0.001), but no statistically significant difference was observed for the psychological domain (p = 0.148).Conclusion: The results of the present study showed a significant difference in some aspects of the postmenopausal women’s life quality with pear-shaped and gynoid fat distribution

Luteinizing hormone changes in gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist protocol in in vitro fertilization cycles: A cross-sectional study

Background: Because of the unexpected and often dramatic inhibition of luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion related with the usage of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-antagonist, there has been a probable need for exogenous LH supplementation. There is a basic and clinical evidences that show late development of follicle needs an LH but there is a threshold for LH requirements during folliculogenesis.Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes in serum LH and the identification of patients who benefit from the addition of LH.Materials and Methods: Seventy volunteers for antagonist protocol in IVF cycle were enrolled in this prospective cross-sectional study. The study was carried out in Reproductive Health Research Center, University of Medical Sciences between July 2016 and February 2016. Serum LH level was estimated 24 h before and after the first(GnRH) antagonist injection. The primary outcome was the serum level of LH and its change in the three groups and the secondary outcome was Egg and Embryo quality.Results: LH changes above or below 50% had no effect on the number of follicle, the number of oocyte, Germinal vesicle oocyte, metaphase 1 oocyte, metaphase 2 oocyte, endometrial thickness, and chemical and clinical pregnancy.Conclusion: We evaluated the changes of serum LH in the patients who were entered in the antagonist protocol. Our study showed no significant difference in LH levels 24h before and after the injection of the antagonist between the three groups, and LH changes did not affect the outcome of pregnancy