Slicing Strategies for the Generalised Type-2 Mamdani Fuzzy Inferencing System

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/[insert DOI]".As a three-dimensional object, there are a number of ways of slicing a generalised type-2 fuzzy set. In the context of the Mamdani Fuzzy Inferencing System, this paper concerns three accepted slicing strategies, the vertical slice, the wavy slice, and the horizontal slice or alpha -plane. Two ways of de ning the generalised type-2 fuzzy set, vertical slices and wavy slices, are presented. Fuzzi cation and inferencing is presented in terms of vertical slices. After that, the application of all three slicing strategies to defuzzi cation is described, and their strengths and weaknesses assessed

Periplasmic expression of Pseudomonas fluorescens peroxidase Dyp1B and site-directed mutant Dyp1B enzymes enhances polymeric lignin degradation activity in Pseudomonas putida KT2440

Expression of lignin-oxidising Pseudomonas fluorescens Dyp1B in the periplasm of Pseudomonas putida KT2440, using a tat fusion construct, was found to lead to enhanced whole cell activity for oxidation of DCP and polymeric lignin substrates. Four amino acid residues predicted to lie at the manganese ion binding site of Pseudomonas fluorescens peroxidase Dyp1B were investigated using site-directed mutagenesis. Mutants H127R and S223A showed 2-fold and 4-fold higher kcat for Mn(II) oxidation respectively, and mutant S223A showed 2-fold enhanced production of low molecular weight phenolic products from a polymeric soda lignin. The mutant Pfl Dyp1B genes were expressed as tat fusions to investigate their effect on lignin oxidation by P. putida KT2440

Interval type-2 fuzzy modelling and stochastic search for real-world inventory management

Real-world systems present a variety of challenges to the modeller, not least of which is the problem of uncertainty inherent in their operation. In this research, an interval type-2 fuzzy model is applied to a real-world problem, the goal being to discover a suitable optimisation configuration to enable a search for an inventory plan using the model. To this end, a series of simulated annealing configurations and the interval type-2 fuzzy model were used to search for appropriate inventory plans for a large-scale real-world problem. A further set of tests were conducted in which the performance of the interval type-2 fuzzy model was compared with a corresponding type-1 fuzzy model. In these tests the results were inconclusive, though, as will be discussed there are many ways in which type-2 fuzzy logic can be exploited to demonstrate its advantages over a type-1 approach. To conclude, in this research we have shown that a combination of interval type-2 fuzzy logic and simulated annealing is a logical choice for inventory management modelling and inventory plan search, and propose that the benefits that a type-2 model offers, can make it preferable to a corresponding type-1 system

Nonlinear spectral calculus and super-expanders

Nonlinear spectral gaps with respect to uniformly convex normed spaces are shown to satisfy a spectral calculus inequality that establishes their decay along Cesaro averages. Nonlinear spectral gaps of graphs are also shown to behave sub-multiplicatively under zigzag products. These results yield a combinatorial construction of super-expanders, i.e., a sequence of 3-regular graphs that does not admit a coarse embedding into any uniformly convex normed space.Comment: Typos fixed based on referee comments. Some of the results of this paper were announced in arXiv:0910.2041. The corresponding parts of arXiv:0910.2041 are subsumed by the current pape

Остеоартрит и возраст. Роль старения в этиологии и патогенезе заболевания

The paper considers current views on the mechanisms for the development and progression of osteoarthritis (OA) and gives the definition of the disease. It describes the processes underlying aging and OA at the molecular and cellular level, with emphasis on the role of chronic nonspecific inflammation. The possible mechanisms of chronic age-related inflammation (inflammaging), the mainstay of which is systemic aging of the immune system, are characterized. On the basis of the data available in the literature, it is concluded that aging and OA have common intracellular transcription cascades and pathophysiological mechanisms: chronic nonspecific inflammation and metabolic disorders are substantially implicated in the pathogenesis of these conditions. Metabolic and structural changes occurring in the cartilage and other tissues of the locomotor apparatus with aging are noted to serve as a favorable platform for the further development and progression of OA.В статье рассмотрены современные представления о механизмах развития и прогрессирования остеоартрита (ОА), дана дефиниция заболевания. На молекулярном и клеточном уровне описаны процессы, лежащие в основе старения и ОА, с акцентом на роль хронического неспецифического воспаления. Охарактеризованы возможные механизмы развития хронического возраст-ассоциированного воспаления (inflammaging/инфламэйджинг), базовым из которых является общее старение системы иммунитета. На основании данных литературы сделан вывод о том, что старение и ОА имеют общие каскады внутриклеточной транскрипции и патофизиологические механизмы: хроническое неспецифическое воспаление и метаболические нарушения существенно вовлечены в патогенез этих состояний. Отмечено, что метаболические и структурные изменения, происходящие в хряще и других тканях опорно-двигательного аппарата при старении, служат благоприятной платформой для дальнейшего развития и прогрессирования О

Testing Rotational Mixing Predictions with New Boron Abundances in Main Sequence B-type Stars

(Abridged) New boron abundances for seven main-sequence B-type stars are determined from HST STIS spectroscopy around the BIII 2066A line. Boron abundances provide a unique and critical test of stellar evolution models that include rotational mixing since boron is destroyed in the surface layers of stars through shallow mixing long before other elements are mixed from the stellar interior through deep mixing. Boron abundances range from 12+log(B/H) = 1.0 to 2.2. The boron abundances are compared to the published values of their stellar nitrogen abundances (all have 12+log(N/H) < 7.8, i.e., they do not show significant CNO-mixing) and to their host cluster ages (4 to 16 Myr) to investigate the predictions from models of massive star evolution with rotational mixing effects (Heger & Langer 2000). Only three stars (out of 34) deviate from the model predictions, including HD36591, HD205021, and HD30836. These three stars suggest that rotational mixing could be more efficient than currently modelled at the highest rotation rates.Comment: 10 figures, 7 tables; accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

Influence of soluble or matrix-bound isoforms of vascular endothelial growth factor-A on tumor response to vascular-targeted strategies

Antiangiogenic therapy based on blocking the actions of vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF) can lead to "normalization" of blood vessels in both animal and human tumors. Differential expression of VEGF isoforms affects tumor vascular maturity, which could influence the normalization process and response to subsequent treatment. Fibrosarcoma cells expressing only VEGF120 or VEGF188 isoforms were implanted either subcutaneously (s.c.) or in dorsal skin-fold "window" chambers in SCID mice. VEGF120 was associated with vascular fragility and hemorrhage. Tumor-bearing mice were treated with repeat doses of SU5416, an indolinone receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor with activity against VEGFR-2 and proven preclinical ability to induce tumor vascular normalization. SU5416 reduced vascularization in s.c. implants of both VEGF120 and VEGF188 tumors. However, in the window chamber, SU5416 treatment increased red cell velocity in VEGF120 (representing vascular normalization) but not VEGF188 tumors. SU5416 treatment had no effect on growth or necrosis levels in either tumor type but tended to counteract the increase in interstitial fluid pressure seen with growth of VEGF120 tumors. SU5416 pretreatment resulted in the normally fragile blood vessels in VEGF120-expressing tumors becoming resistant to the vascular damaging effects of the tubulin-binding vascular disrupting agent (VDA), combretastatin A4 3-O-phosphate (CA4P). Thus, vascular normalization induced by antiangiogenic treatment can reduce the efficacy of subsequent VDA treatment. Expression of VEGF120 made tumors particularly susceptible to vascular normalization by SU5416, which in turn made them resistant to CA4P. Therefore, VEGF isoform expression may be useful for predicting response to both antiangiogenic and vascular-disrupting therapy

Acceptability, feasibility and cost of point of care testing for sexually transmitted infections among South African adolescents where syndromic management is standard of care

BACKGROUND: Young people (YP) in southern Africa are at substantial risk of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Despite the epidemiological and biological link between STIs and HIV transmission and acquisition, infections such as Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) remain widely undiagnosed. Syndromic STI management is the standard of care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) despite a high prevalence of asymptomatic infections. We conducted an observational study to explore the acceptability, feasibility, and cost of a STI test-and-treat service for YP in Cape Town. METHODS: YP attending a mobile clinic (MC) and a youth centre clinic (YC) were offered STI screening. Urine testing for CT and NG using a 90-min molecular point-of-care (POC) test on the GeneXpert platform was conducted and treatment provided. Data were collated on demographics, sexual behaviour, presence of symptoms, uptake of same-day treatment, prevalence of CT/NG, and service acceptability. RESULTS: Three hundred sixty six participants were enrolled (median age 20, 83% female).57% (209/366) of participants tested positive for either CT (126/366, 34%) or NG (57/366, 16%) or co-infection (26/366, 7%). Clinical symptoms were a poor predictor of GeneXpert diagnosed CT or NG, with a sensitivity of 46.8% and 54.0% for CT and NG respectively. Although half of participants initially chose to receive same day results and treatment, only a third waited for results on the day. The majority of participants (91%) rated the service highly via a post-visit acceptability questionnaire. CONCLUSION: Curable STIs are highly prevalent in this population. STI screening using POC testing was feasible and acceptability was high. The study provides further impetus for moving policy beyond syndromic management of STIs in South Africa

Legislative History: An Act Concerning the Operation of Emergency Medical Vehicles (SP482)(LD 1303)

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