System uncertainties estimation based adaptive robust backstepping control for DC DC buck converter

This paper proposed a novel adaptive robust backstepping control scheme for DC-DC buck converter subjected to external disturbance and system uncertainty. Uncertainty in the load resistance and the input voltage represent the big challenge in buck converter control. In this work, an adaptive estimator for matched and mismatched uncertainties based backstepping control is applied for DC-DC buck converter. The updating laws are determined based on the lyapunov theorem. Thus, the difference between the estimated parameters and actual parameters converges to zero. The proposed control method is compared with the conventional sliding mode control and integral sliding mode control. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed controller

Estimation of Radiation Dose from Most Common Pediatrics Radiographic Examinations within Main Central Hospitals in Najaf City, Iraq

          تضمنت هذه الدراسة تقييم جرعة الدخول الاشعاعية المستلمة من قبل المرضى الاطفال الذين يجرون بعض فحص التصوير الطبي للصدر، البطن، والجمجمة. تمت الدراسة في مستشفيين رئيسيين في محافظة النجف حيث تضمنت الدراسة ثلاثة اجهزة شعاعية للتصوير الطبي. تم تقسيم عينة الدراسة الى اربعة فئات عمرية 0-1 , 1-5 , 5-10   و10-15 سنة. اجريت الحسابات باستخدام عوامل التعرض الاشعاعي والتي تشمل فرق الجهد والتيار الكهربائي لأنبوبة الاشعة السينية والمسافة بين مركز الاشعة وسطح جلد المريض بالإضافة الى عمر المريض. وقد حسبت جرعة الدخول الاشعاعية لكل من الفحص الامامي الخلفي للصدر والبطن والجمجمة. وتم تحليل النتائج ومقارنتها مع الحدود المسموحة دوليا لكل فحص شعاعي. وقد وجدت الدراسة ان الجرعة الاشعاعية الناتجة عن أي فحص تزداد بزيادة عمر الطفل.  وقد سجلت المستشفى رقم 1 بجهازها رقم 2 اقل الجرع الاشعاعية حيث كانت جرع الدخول الاشعاعية لها 19.93-67.66 ملي كري لأشعة الصدر، 39.03-82.63 ملي كري لأشعة البطن، و35.47-94.27 ملي كري لفحص الجمجمة. بينما اعلى الجرع الاشعاعية سجلت في المستشفى رقم 2 بالجهاز ذو الرقم 1 وكما يلي: بالنسبة لأشعة الصدر كانت اقل جرعة247.51 ملي كري واعلى جرعة 2393.12 ملي كري، ولأشعة البطن كانت اقل جرعة 269.05 ملي كري واعلى جرعة 5106.15 ملي كري، اما لأشعة الجمجمة كانت اقل جرعة 430.96 ملي كري والاعلى كانت 3072.77 ملي كري. وقد استنتجت الدراسة ان معظم الجرع الاشعاعية المسجلة للأطفال ضمن الحدود المسموح بها دوليا مع بعض القيم اعلى من ذلك.In this study the Entrance Surface Dose (ESD) received by pediatrics patients undergoing chest, abdomen and skull X-ray examinations was estimated. The study was conducted in two hospitals in Najaf city where three radiographic systems were considered. The study participants were classified into four age groups 0-1 ,  1-5 ,  5-10  and  10-15  years. Calculations were performed using exposure factors, kVp, mAs and focal-skin distance, together with patient data age. The ESD was calculated for the involved patients who underwent an Antero-posterior (AP) chest, abdomen and skull X-ray examination. The resulted data were analyzed and compared with international dose references. For all studied radiographic examinations and all X-ray machines, the ESD increases with age. The lowest recorded radiation dose was from hospital 1 machine 2. In this facility ESD ranged from 19.93  µGy to  67.66  µGy for chest X-ray, from  39.03  µGy to  82.63  µGy for abdomen (AP), and from  35.47  µGy to  94.27  µGy for skull (AP). In contrast the highest dose levels are recorded from hospital 2 machine 1; the minimum ESD for chest X-ray is 247.51  µGy and the maximum is  2393.12  µGy; for abdomen X-ray the lowest ESD is  269.05  µGy and the highest value is  5106.15  µGy; and for skull X-ray minimum values is  430.96  µGy and the maximum value is  3072.77  µGy. In conclusion, for the considered pediatrics examinations, most of ESD values are within the international acceptable level and some are higher >100%

Evaluation of Retinol Level Among Preschool Children, Pregnant and Lactating Women Attending Primary Health Care Centres in Baghdad

Background: Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a major public health nutrition problem in the developing world. There have been no studies on this topic in Iraq. This study was designed to evaluate the serum retinol levels of preschool children, pregnant and lactating women. Objectives: The present study is an attempt to estimate the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency among preschool children, pregnant and lactating women attending primary health care centers in Baghdad, in addition to figure out the relation between vitamin A deficiency with some demographical, clinical, variables. Subjects and Methods: The study was conducted during the period from October to December 2009. The sample was comprised of 490 subjects, Lactating women pregnant women and under 6 year's old children attending ten primary health care centers in Baghdad. The data were collected through direct interview; blood samples were taken and analyze for serum retinol (SR) by HPLC analysis and hemoglobin (Hb) level, anthropometric measurement were obtained for the study sample. Results: The study showed that the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency in preschool aged children (below 6 years) was (38.3 %); and that for lactating women and pregnant women were (7.1 %) and (25 %) respectively. Forty percent of pregnant women, (25.8 %) of lactating women and a total of (58.6 %) preschool children were anemic, A correlation coefficient between SR and Hb concentrations was significant (N=490, r=0.533, P<0.0001). Conclusion: Vitamin A deficiency is a public health problem, this study shows that subjects in the 3 groups (preschool children, pregnant and lactating women) are at risk of VAD and anemia; nearly half of them had the co-occurrence of VAD and anemia. A close association between vitamin A deficiency and anemia with a correlation coefficient between SR and Hb concentrations was significant

Number of sources estimation using a hybrid algorithm for smart antenna

The number of sources estimation is one of the vital key technologies in smart antenna. The current paper adopts a new system that employs a hybrid algorithm of artificial bee colony (ABC) and complex generalized Hebbian (CGHA) neural network to Bayesian information criterion (BIC) technique, aiming to enhance the accuracy of number of sources estimation. The advantage of the new system is that no need to compute the covariance matrix, since its principal eigenvalues are computed using the CGHA neural network for the received signals. Moreover, the proposed system can optimize the training condition of the CGHA neural network, therefore it can overcome the random selection of initial weights and learning rate, which evades network oscillation and trapping into local solution. Simulation results of the offered system show good responses through reducing the required time to train the CGHA neural network, fast converge speed, effectiveness, in addition to achieving the correct number of sources

Two-level scheduling scheme for integrated 4G-WLAN network

In this paper, a novel scheduling scheme for the Fourth Generation (4G)-Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) network is proposed to ensure that end to end traffic transaction is provisioned seamlessly. The scheduling scheme is divided into two stages; in stage one, traffic is separated into Actual Time Traffic (ATT) and Non-Actual-Time Traffic (NATT), while in stage two, complex queuing strategy is performed. In stage one, Class-Based Queuing (CBQ) and Deficit Round Robin (DRR) are used for NATT and ATT applications, respectively to separate and forward traffic themselves according to source requirements. Whereas in the stage, two Control Priority Queuing (CPQ) is used to assign each class the appropriate priority level. Evaluation of the performance of the integrated network was done according to several metrics such as end-to-end delay, jitter, packet loss, and network’s throughput. Results demonstrate major improvements for AT services with minor degradation on NAT applications after implementing the new scheduling scheme

Edge Detection Based on Standard Deviation Value and Back Propagation Algorithm of Artificial Neural Network

This paper presents a proposed neural network based edge detection algorithm. we have used artificial neural network system to decide about whether each pixel is edge or not. First standard deviation values are computed for mask (3*3), Then after training a neural network system to recognize structural patterns (these pattern represents edges), it decides on each pixel if its edge or not. Finally we have test the proposed method on different images. Experimental results show the ability and high performance of proposed algorithm

Camel Milk as Adjuvant to Treat Alloxan Diabetes: Effect of Heat Treatment on this Property

Diabetes is one of the most frequent and serious chronic diseases in humans all over the world. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of heat treatment on antidiabetic activity of camel milk on serum glucose and lipid profile of alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced in Wistar albino rats by intraperitoneal injection of alloxan (120 mg/kg BW once). Albino rats each weighing 180-230g were divided into 3 equal groups (n=4) as following: G1- normal rats fed on normal diet, G2 - diabetic rats fed on normal diet, and G3 - diabetic rats were fed with raw camel milk. Fasting blood glucose was measured lipid profile was assessed. Results: Our study showed a significant effect of raw camel milk on blood glucose and lipid profile parameters in alloxan induced diabetic rats, there was a significant reduction in lipid profile of T. Cholesterol, Triglycerides, LDL-C in (Diabetic+ Raw camel milk) comparing to (Diabetic+ Pasteurized camel milk) and Positive control group with values 121.4 mg/dl, 80.4 mg/dl, 17.9 mg/dl and 141.5 mg/dl, 90.7 mg/dl, 28.7 mg/dl and 181.6 mg/dl, 113.8 mg/dl, 48.9 mg/dl respectively. Diabetic+ Boiled camel milk group died at the end of experiment. Conclusion: Raw camel milk improved the glycemic and lipid profile in diabetic rats but not in Diabetic+ Boiled camel milk group. These findings indicate that boiling of raw camel milk may have reducing potential benefits in the treatment of diabetes. Future studies will be needed to establish its safety and mechanism of action

Role of Amblyomma lepidum in the transmission of Mycobacterium farcinogenes, the causal agent of Bovine farcy

ABSTRACT The present study was conducted to investigate the role of Amblyomma lepidum in the transmission of Mycobacterium farcinogenes, the causal agent of bovine farcy in Sudan. A total of 22 samples comprising of prescapular, submaxillary, mediastinal, parotid, retropharengeal and pulmonary lymph nodes, and subcutaneous nodules were collected for this study. M. farcinogenes was successfully isolated from the specimens by following traditional bacteriological techniques, and the bacteria were identified using standard biochemical assays, lipid analysis using Thin Layer Chromatography, and duplex Polymerase Chain Reaction. Larvae and nymphs of A. lepidum acquired M. farcinogenes from experimentally infected rabbits, and subsequently transmitted the infection to fresh rabbits within a maximum period of ten weeks. In contrast, adult A. lepidum failed to contract the organism from the infected rabbits; so, trans-ovarian transmission could be ruled out. In conclusion, this study confirmed the trans-stadial transmission of M. farcinogenes through larvae and nymphs of A. lepidum

A Comparative Study between Laser Hemorrhoidoplasty Procedure and Conventional Hemorrhoidectomy

      البواسير: هي من الأمراض الشرجية الشائعة جدا التي تصيب أي فئة عمرية ومن كلا الجنسين. هناك خيارات مختلفة وعديدة لعلاج المرضى الذين يعانون من البواسير. انطلاقا من العلاج التحفظي مع التعديلات الغذائية ، الربط باستخدام الشريط المطاطي ، حقن المعالجة بالتصلب ، التخثر الحراري ، أو عملية الجراحة المفتوحة ومؤخرا تم إدخال أنواع مختلفة من الليزر مثل ليزر ثاني أكسيد الكربون (CO2) ، والليوديميوم: الايتريوم والألومنيوم - العقيق (Nd: YAG).       في دراستنا ، اخترنا (1000 مريض) جميعهم كانوا خاليين من الأمراض الطبية ، وتكمن في مجموعتين رئيسيتين ، تم علاج 500 مريض (ذكور وإناث) مع فئات عمرية مختلفة باستخدام الجراحة التقليدية المفتوحة (ميليغان - مورغان) وتم علاج 500 مريض (ذكور وإناث) مع فئات عمرية مختلفة ايضا باستخدام تقنية ازالة البواسير بالليزر تستخدم تقنية ازالة البواسير بالليزر لعلاج المرضى الذين يعانون من البواسير من الدرجة الثانية والثالثة، كإجراء للمرضى في العيادات الخارجية دون التسبب في أي ضرر أو إصابات إضافية في الأنسجة الطبيعية (السليمة) المحيطة بها، ومضاعفات ما بعد العمليات الجراحية أقل بكثير مع وقت قصير جدا في الجراحة والعودة السريعة جدا إلى الأنشطة اليومية العادية.Hemorrhoids are very common anorectal diseases that affected any age groups and both genders.       There are different and several options for treatment of patients with hemorrhoids .ranging from conservative approach with dietary modifications ,rubber band ligation, sclerotherapy injection, diathermy coagulation, or minimal invasive procedures like; open surgical procedure and recently various types of laser was introduced such as carbon dioxide (CO2) laser, and the neodymium :yttrium – aluminum – garnet (Nd: YAG ) laser procedures.       In our study, we choose (1000 patients) all of them were free of  medical diseases, those lie into two main groups , 500 patients (males and females) with different  age groups  were  treated with conventional open surgical (Milligan – Morgan) hemorrhoidectomy operation ,and 500 patients (males and females) with different age groups were treated with minimally invasive diode laser hemorrhoidoplasty technique .       Laser hemorrhoidoplasty technique is used to treat the patients with 2nd and 3rd degree hemorrhoids, as an outpatients procedure without causing any additional harm or injuries to the surrounding normal (healthy) tissues, and significantly less post-operative complications with very short operative time and very rapid return to the normal daily activities