New Variants of Pattern Matching with Constants and Variables

Given a text and a pattern over two types of symbols called constants and variables, the parameterized pattern matching problem is to find all occurrences of substrings of the text that the pattern matches by substituting a variable in the text for each variable in the pattern, where the substitution should be injective. The function matching problem is a variant of it that lifts the injection constraint. In this paper, we discuss variants of those problems, where one can substitute a constant or a variable for each variable of the pattern. We give two kinds of algorithms for both problems, a convolution-based method and an extended KMP-based method, and analyze their complexity.Comment: 15 pages, 2 figure

Investigation of liquid phase characteristics in an inclined open microchannel

This paper was presented at the 3rd Micro and Nano Flows Conference (MNF2011), which was held at the Makedonia Palace Hotel, Thessaloniki in Greece. The conference was organised by Brunel University and supported by the Italian Union of Thermofluiddynamics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University of Thessaly, IPEM, the Process Intensification Network, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, the Heat Transfer Society, HEXAG - the Heat Exchange Action Group, and the Energy Institute.An important variable in the designing of gas-liquid reactors is the interfacial area available for the conduction of the two phases. Falling film microreactors (FFMR) are devices which can offer extended specific surfaces (up to 20,000m2/m3) and for this reason they are used in many multiphase processes. The aim of this work is to assess the effect of the microchannel width as well as the flow rate and the physical properties of the liquid phase on the geometrical characteristics (i.e. thickness and surface shape) of the liquid film, which were measured using Micro Particle Image Velocimetry (μ-PIV). The experiments were conducted in single microchannels with widths of 1200, 600 and 300μm and for Reynolds numbers between 0.9 and 39.7, while water and aqueous solutions of glycerol and butanol were used as working fluids. It was also verified that a common expression for predicting film thickness in macroscale is not applicable in microscale

Characterization of fluid flow in a microchannel with a flow disturbing step

This paper was presented at the 4th Micro and Nano Flows Conference (MNF2014), which was held at University College, London, UK. The conference was organised by Brunel University and supported by the Italian Union of Thermofluiddynamics, IPEM, the Process Intensification Network, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, the Heat Transfer Society, HEXAG - the Heat Exchange Action Group, and the Energy Institute, ASME Press, LCN London Centre for Nanotechnology, UCL University College London, UCL Engineering, the International NanoScience Community, www.nanopaprika.eu.The flow around a flow-disturbing step in a rectangular microchannel is studied by measuring the wall shear rate along the channel, using the electrodiffusion technique and by determining the velocity field using the -PIV method. A parametric study based on the Design of Experiments (DOE) and the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was then performed, and the effect of key design parameters on the flow characteristics was numerically investigated using CFD simulations. The computational results are in excellent agreement with the corresponding experimental ones. The CFD simulations cover both the laminar and the turbulent flow regime. It was revealed that in both flow regimes the step height has a major influence on the recirculation length. However, the Reynolds number (Re) value affects the recirculation length only in the laminar region, while the step length seems to have no significant effect compared to the Re and the step height. Finally, new correlations are proposed predicting the length of the bottom recirculation zone with reasonable accuracy and can be used as rough guidelines for the design of microdevices

Factors Affecting Quality of Life in Patients with End Stage of Renal Disease on Hemodialysis , Ras Al Khaimah-United Arab Emirates

Background: Nowadays, a dramatically increase on the incidence and prevalence of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) were more than one million ESRD suffer worldwide, thus, ESRD is an important public health concern for it has considerable repercussion on the quality of life (QoL) of patients and the community’s increased social and health care needs. Purposes: Were to describe the quality of life in patients with end stage of renal disease on hemodialysis and to examine the contributing factors that may affect quality of life. Methodology: A cross sectional design was used to describe the QoL in patients with ESRD on hemodialysis and to determine the contributing factors that may affect quality of life; and a correlational design was utilized to examine associations among the independent variables (demographic characteristics and biological factors) that may influence the dependent variable (QoL). Setting of the study: It was at dialysis unit located in Ibrahim Bin Hamad Obaidulla Hospital (IBHOH), affiliated to the Ministry of Health , Medical District in Ras Al-Khaimah Emirate - UAE which provided the medical services to all patients regularly attending the in-patient hemodialysis (Emirates citizens and Non- Emirates citizens) and were managed by medical and paramedical staff working within the same hospital. Sampling: A purposive sampling was conducted and the accessible population was comprised of 129 regular patients. Out of 129 patients, 74 patients were qualified in the inclusion criteria to participate in the research. Participants were interviewed individually to measure Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) using Kidney Disease Quality of Life-36TM (KDQoL 36TM) scale and compared KDQoL scores by demographic factors, and biological factors. Results: the overall quality of life of patients with ESRD on hemodialysis was low, with M+SD(39.57+16.13). Increase poor quality was independently associated with female gender, aged >60 years, low educational level, unemployment status have poor QoL. The Physical Component Summary (PCS) domain came in the first rank with the lowest rated and scored with M+SD (32.66+17.30), whereas the mean of the Burden of Kidney Disease domain came in second rank with M+SD (34.61+12.26). Meanwhile, the Symptoms and Problems domain came in third rank with M+SD (38.56+22.8), followed by the Effects of Kidney Disease on Daily Life domain that came in fourth rank with M+SD (42.22+10.56), and then lastly, Mental Component Summary (MCS) domain came in fifth rank with M+SD (49.84+17.73). In this study, the results revealed that the level of serum albumin and gender were the most significant predictors that influence QoL in patients with (ESRD) undergoing hemodialysis at (P>0.05). Conclusion and Recommendation: The results of the present study shown the evidence that patients with ESRD have poor QoL. Lowest score of KDQoL 36TM scale was found in the "PCS , while highest score was MCS. Furthermore , the study revealed that level of the serum albumin was the most significant predictor influence QoL in patients with ESRD and the most modifiable factor which has a strong association with poorer HRQoL was education, whereas non-modifiable factor was female gender. Because of those factors attention should be given to the nurses and other health care providers as formal caregivers for early interventions that prevent further morbidity and minimize the mortality as well as provide the evidence-based for clinical practice that assist the nurses to have a comprehensive assessment of their patients’ lives and integrated all these crucial aspects in inclusive plan for appropriate nursing intervention and improve quality of patient’s life and HRQoL. Keywords : End stage renal disease, hemodialysis, Quality of lif

Rare Earth Elements Around the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, UAE

© 2020, International Association for Mathematical Geosciences. Rare earth element (REE) contamination has major consequences for the environment and humans. Some forms of REEs have more serious environmental impacts than others. It is thus crucial to monitor their levels in areas where they are expected to be released. Concentrations of 13 REEs (La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu) around the Barakah nuclear power plant (NPP) area, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), were measured. Shore, soil, and marine samples were collected. REE concentrations were measured using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. On average, REE concentrations were highest in the soil samples, followed by the marine samples and then the shore samples. La and Nd were the most abundant REEs in the soil, marine, and shore. The average (La/Yb)n ratios for shore, soil, and marine samples were 8.96, 9.75, and 9.39, respectively. The REE concentrations were strongly positively correlated with Al2O3 values, suggesting low mobility of the REEs in the Barakah NPP area. Light REEs (LREEs) were more enriched than heavy REEs (HREEs). The shore samples have minor enrichments in La and Tm. Otherwise, based on enrichment factors that do not exceed 1.2 and geoaccumulation indices that were all below zero, the Barakah NPP area was considered uncontaminated with REEs. This area was not polluted according to the pollution load indices (0.67, 0.52, and 0.17 for shore, soil, and marine sediments, respectively). The spatial distribution maps show the highest concentrations of REEs in the south area of the Barakah NPP. Overall, the Barakah NPP area does not have any alarming REE concentrations, and the baseline values were provided as a reference for future comparisons

Prediction of the characteristics of the liquid film in open inclined micro-channels

Falling Film Microreactor (FFMR) is one of the most important microfluidic devices for gas-liquid applications. In these devices extended specific surfaces (up to 20,000m2/m3) can be obtained while the liquid film remains stable over a wide range of gas and liquid flow rates. In an effort to propose new design correlations for these devices, in a previous work we proposed correlations for the prediction of the gas-liquid interface and the thickness of the liquid film. In this study we aim to investigate the validity of these correlations when different channel materials are used, namely brass and silicon. Velocity profiles have been also obtained by a μ-PIV system, while the thickness of the liquid film and the shape of the interface were also determined using the μ-PIV system. It was proved that the shape of the interface can be predicted with reasonable accuracy by the previously proposed correlations. Also the film thickness can be predicted with acceptable accuracy provided that some of the constants are modified according to the material of the test section

Photomechanical and Photochromic Behavior of a Molecule Containing Multiple Photoactive Groups

Photomechanical and photochromic activities are reported for single crystals of a new multirespon-sive material, 2,4-di-tert-butyl-6-((E)-((4-((E)-phenyldiazenyl)phenyl)imino)methyl)phenol (Azim-1), with two photoactive groups that can undergo photoisomerization (azo and imine), and an ortho-hydroxy group that is capable of proton transfer. Upon irradiation with UV light, platy and needle-shaped crystals of Azim-1 rapidly bend towards the light source and return to their initial shape as soon as the irradiation is terminated. Upon prolonged exposure to UV light, the crystals change their color from yellow to red. The crystal structure of non-irradiated Azim-1 is reported, and the mecha-nisms of the photomechanical and photochromic responses are discussed

Distribution of heavy metals around the Barakah nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates

© 2017, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. Inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy was used to measure the concentrations of heavy metals in 58 samples collected from the Barakah nuclear power plant (BNPP) area, UAE. The grain size distribution was symmetric, but the samples ranged from fine to coarse sand. The inverse relationship between grain size and heavy metal contaminations was validated. The pre-operational average heavy metal contaminations around the BNPP were 0.03, 0.40, 1.2, 2.05, 1.66, 1.6, 5.9, 7.3, 7, 8.8, 60, and 2521 ppm for Cd, Mo, Co, Cu, Pb, As, Zn, Ni, V, Cr, Mn, and Fe, respectively. The spatial distribution was more compact in the south compared to the north, with less severe contaminations in the east and west. The negative geoaccumulation indices suggest an uncontaminated area, and the BNPP has minor enrichments. All concentrations were significantly below the safe limits set by the Dutch guidelines. The levels of heavy metals reported in the UAE were lower than levels reported in countries around the world

Endoplasmic Reticulum Quality Control Is Involved in the Mechanism of Endoglin-Mediated Hereditary Haemorrhagic Telangiectasia

Hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is an autosomal dominant genetic condition affecting the vascular system and is characterised by epistaxis, arteriovenous malformations and mucocutaneous and gastrointestinal telangiectases. This disorder affects approximately 1 in 8,000 people worldwide. Significant morbidity is associated with this condition in affected individuals, and anaemia can be a consequence of repeated haemorrhages from telangiectasia in the gut and nose. In the majority of the cases reported, the condition is caused by mutations in either ACVRL1 or endoglin genes, which encode components of the TGF-beta signalling pathway. Numerous missense mutations in endoglin have been reported as causative defects for HHT but the exact underlying cellular mechanisms caused by these mutations have not been fully established despite data supporting a role for the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) quality control machinery. For this reason, we examined the subcellular trafficking of twenty-five endoglin disease-causing missense mutations. The mutant proteins were expressed in HeLa and HEK293 cell lines, and their subcellular localizations were established by confocal fluorescence microscopy alongside the analysis of their N-glycosylation profiles. ER quality control was found to be responsible in eight (L32R, V49F, C53R, V125D, A160D, P165L, I271N and A308D) out of eleven mutants located on the orphan extracellular domain in addition to two (C363Y and C382W) out of thirteen mutants in the Zona Pellucida (ZP) domain. In addition, a single intracellular domain missense mutant was examined and found to traffic predominantly to the plasma membrane. These findings support the notion of the involvement of the ER's quality control in the mechanism of a significant number, but not all, missense endoglin mutants found in HHT type 1 patients. Other mechanisms including loss of interactions with signalling partners as well as adverse effects on functional residues are likely to be the cause of the mutant proteins' loss of function