Some Properties of Two-Fuzzy Metric Spaces

Abstract In this paper we have provided the set ( ) be the set of all fuzzy set is bounded functions and we introduced of the define a two-fuzzy metric and we've made some properties of these sets by studying the open and closed balls, as well as studied property fuzzy convergence and fuzzy closure set in the two-fuzzy metric space

Interactive effect of replacing Dunaliella salina algae by agricultural by-products and probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus on digestive enzymes activity of Artemia franciscana

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of replacing Dunaliella salina algae by agricultural by-products (wheat bran, rice bran and wheat/rice bran) and probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus rhamnosus on digestive enzymes activity of Artemia franciscana in a 17-day period post hatch. The study was a 4×2 factorial experiment carried out as a completely randomized design trial consisting of different dietary treatments (combinations of various substitution levels of Dunaliella salina by wheat bran, rice bran and wheat/rice bran along with probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus). All treatments were performed in triplicates. At the end of the trial, digestive enzymes activity was assayed. The results revealed that Artemia fed wheat bran without any dietary probiotic supplementation showed significantly higher amylase activity (2.06±0.3μmol maltose mg protein-1 min-1) (p<0.05). Treatment fed Dunaliella salina algae and probiotic showed significantly higher alkaine protease activity (7.11±0.87 U mg protein-1 min-1) and those fed wheat/rice bran with probiotic had significantly higher lipase activity (0.09±0.005 mmol p-nitrophenol mg protein-1 min-1 ) (p<0.05). It was revealed that dietary probiotic inclusion resulted in decreased amylase activity whilst its effect on the alkaline protease and lipase activities were totally dependent upon the feed ingredients (e.g., simultaneous feeding of artemia by Dunaliella salina algae and probiotic led to higher alkaline protease activity, while receiving probiotic resulted in higher lipase activity in group fed wheat/rice bran). Our results also showed that digestive enzyme profile of Artemia franciscana was responsive to dietary treatment. Conclusively, using wheat/rice bran in artemia pond culture would result in inferior digestive enzymes activity especially alkaline protease and lipase with subsequent effects on nutrient digestion/absorption efficiency and undesirable effects on pond productivity and final product quality

Introducing standard protocol for enrichment of Artemia urmiana nauplii with Canola oil

This research was performed to introduce a standard protocol for enrichment of Artemia urmian with Canola oil. Artemia urmiana nauplii were enriched at three densities (50000, 100000 and 200000 nauplii L^-1) and three concentrations of Canola oil (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 g L^-1). Their effects were evaluated on survival, total length and profile of fatty acids at 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 hours after the onset of enrichment. Cysts of A.urmiana were hatched according to the standard method. A.urmiana nauplii were stocked at above densities in 7 L cylindrical containers. Canola oil emulsion was added at concentrations of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 g L^-1 at the beginning and 12 hours after the onset of enrichment. The results of analysis showed that enrichment of A.urmiana with 0.3 g L^ -1 Canola oil at 100000 nauplii L^-1 for 18 hours was considered as the best treatment. Artemia nauplii enriched in this treatment had significantly higher levels of (n-3) PUFA and survival and minimum total length comparing to other treatments. The treatment had significantly higher levels of (n-6) PUFA than all treatments except treatment with a density of 50,000 nauplii L^-1 with 0.1 g L^-1 Canola oil for 18 hours

Potentiation of the anticancer effect of valproic acid, an antiepileptic agent with histone deacetylase inhibitory activity, by the kinase inhibitor Staurosporine or its clinically relevant analogue UCN-01

Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) are novel anticancer agents with potent cytotoxicity against a wide range of malignancies. We have previously demonstrated that either Calphostin C (CC) (a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor) or Parthenolide (an NF-κB inhibitor) abrogates HDACI-induced transcriptional activation of NF-κB and p21, which is associated with profound potentiation of HDACI-mediated induction of apoptosis. Valproic acid (VA), a commonly used antiepileptic agent, has recently been shown to be an HDACI. This study was aimed to evaluate the anticancer property of VA in thoracic cancer cells and the development of clinically relevant strategies to enhance VA-mediated induction of apoptosis using kinase inhibitors Staurosporine (STP) or its analogue UCN-01. Treating cultured thoracic cancer cells with VA (0.62–10.0 mM) resulted in significant cell line- and dose-dependent growth inhibition (IC50 values: 4.1–6.0 mM) and cell cycle arrest at G1/S checkpoint with profound accumulation of cells at G0/G1 phase but little induction of apoptosis. Valproic acid, being an HDACI, caused significant dose-dependent accumulation of hyperacetylated histones, following 24 h of treatment. Valproic acid-mediated 5–20-fold upregulation of transcriptional activity of NF-κB was substantially (50–90%) suppressed by cotreatment with CC, STP or UCN-01. Whereas minimal death (<20%) was observed in cells treated with either VA (1.0 or 5.0 mM) alone or kinase inhibitors alone, 60–90% of cells underwent apoptosis following exposure to combinations of VA+kinase inhibitors. Kinase inhibitor-mediated suppression of NF-κB transcriptional activity played an important role in sensitising cancer cells to VA as direct inhibition of NF-κB by Parthenolide drastically synergised with VA to induce apoptosis (VA+Parthenolide: 60–90% compared to <20% following single-drug treatments). In conclusion, VA, a well-known antiepileptic drug, has mild growth-inhibitory activity on cultured cancer cells. The weak VA-mediated induction of apoptosis of thoracic cancer cells can be profoundly enhanced either by Parthenolide, a pharmacologic inhibitor of NF-κB, or by UCN-01 a kinase inhibitor that has already undergone phase I clinical development. Combinations of VA with either a PKC inhibitor or an NF-κB inhibitor are promising novel molecularly targeted therapeutics for thoracic cancers

Effects of piracetam as an adjuvant therapy on Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background: Stimulants are highly effective in controlling symptoms of Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but 30 of individuals with ADHD do not respond to them or cannot tolerate their side effects; thus, alternative treatment approaches need to be considered. Objectives: To evaluate the effect and safety of piracetam as an adjuvant therapy plus methylphenidate (MPH) in children with ADHD. Methods: Thirty-six children with ADHD (6-16 years old), admitted to three academic outpatient child psychiatric clinics in the second half of 2015, were randomly assigned to the "methylphenidate plus piracetam group"and the "methylphenidate plus placebo"group, in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, for 6 weeks. The "Conner's Parents' Rating Scale-Revised (CPRS-R), Children Symptom Inventory-4 (CSI-4), Clinical Global Impression-Improvement scale (CGI-I), and Children' Global Assessment Scale (CGAS) were completed at baseline and at the ends of the third and the sixth week, and the New York State Psychiatric Institute side effect forms were completed weekly, as outcome measures. Results: The level of improvement in CPRS-R, CSI-4, and CGI-I scales were significantly higher in the "methylphenidate plus piracetam"group compared with the "methylphenidate plus placebo"group. Side effects were not remarkable in any group. Conclusions: Piracetam as a short-term adjuvant treatment to methylphenidate can have considerable therapeutic effect and safety profile in children with ADHD and deserves further exploration to assess its potentialities in ADHD treatment. Copyright © 2021, Author(s)

On a New Three-Step Class of Methods and Its Acceleration for Nonlinear Equations

A class of derivative-free methods without memory for approximating a simple zero of a nonlinear equation is presented. The proposed class uses four function evaluations per iteration with convergence order eight. Therefore, it is an optimal three-step scheme without memory based on Kung-Traub conjecture. Moreover, the proposed class has an accelerator parameter with the property that it can increase the convergence rate from eight to twelve without any new functional evaluations. Thus, we construct a with memory method that increases considerably efficiency index from 81/4≈1.681 to 121/4≈1.861. Illustrations are also included to support the underlying theory

Surface/interface engineering of InAs quantum dot edge-emitting diodes toward III-V/SiN photonic integration

We investigate the surface and interface engineering on InAs quantum dot (QD) emitters, by fabricating and measuring a series of edge-emitting light-emitting diodes. These diodes are encapsulated with non-stoichiometric silicon nitride (SiN) layers with various refractive indices. By analysing the optical and electrical characteristics, it is concluded that Si-rich SiN is an excellent candidate for both electrical and optical passisvations with reduced surface recombination. While the N-rich SiN deposited by the same method shows an improved device performance under optical pumping, the passivation does not appear to be as effective under electrical injection. Our findings provide important information related to the surface engineering of the interface between InAs QD stacks and non-stoichiometric SiN materials, which is arguably one of the crucial steps required to establish monolithic integration of InAs QD emitters with CMOS photonics components

Paradoxical augmented relapse in alcohol-dependent rats during deep-brain stimulation in the nucleus accumbens

Case reports indicate that deep-brain stimulation in the nucleus accumbens may be beneficial to alcohol-dependent patients. The lack of clinical trials and our limited knowledge of deep-brain stimulation call for translational experiments to validate these reports. To mimic the human situation, we used a chronic-continuous brain-stimulation paradigm targeting the nucleus accumbens and other brain sites in alcohol-dependent rats. To determine the network effects of deep-brain stimulation in alcohol-dependent rats, we combined electrical stimulation of the nucleus accumbens with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and studied neurotransmitter levels in nucleus accumbens-stimulated versus sham-stimulated rats. Surprisingly, we report here that electrical stimulation of the nucleus accumbens led to augmented relapse behavior in alcohol-dependent rats. Our associated fMRI data revealed some activated areas, including the medial prefrontal cortex and caudate putamen. However, when we applied stimulation to these areas, relapse behavior was not affected, confirming that the nucleus accumbens is critical for generating this paradoxical effect. Neurochemical analysis of the major activated brain sites of the network revealed that the effect of stimulation may depend on accumbal dopamine levels. This was supported by the finding that brain- stimulation-treated rats exhibited augmented alcohol-induced dopamine release compared with sham-stimulated animals. Our data suggest that deep-brain stimulation in the nucleus accumbens enhances alcohol-liking probably via augmented dopamine release and can thereby promote relapse

The internet of things software architectural solutions

The Internet of Things (IoT) is an ambiguous term. There are different definitions for this term, ranging from any system that has sensors and actuators to a solitary interconnected network of physical items. This Paper shows that this term does not give enough information to construct a software architecture on. This is accomplished by taking an inside look at the IoT described in literature as well as the types of applications that exist on the market today and using the concept of software architectural styles to show how different areas in the IoT will need varying styles. This paper continued to classify solutions in the Internet of Things into different classes. The outcomes are that for a subset of the classes there is a reasonable style, however for remaining classes there are still different decisions where more context information is needed

The Green Bank North Celestial Cap Pulsar Survey. IV: Four New Timing Solutions

We present timing solutions for four pulsars discovered in the Green Bank Northern Celestial Cap (GBNCC) survey. All four pulsars are isolated with spin periods between 0.26$\,$s and 1.84$\,$s. PSR J0038$-$2501 has a 0.26$\,$s period and a period derivative of ${7.6} \times {10}^{-19}\,{\rm s\,s}^{-1}$, which is unusually low for isolated pulsars with similar periods. This low period derivative may be simply an extreme value for an isolated pulsar or it could indicate an unusual evolution path for PSR J0038$-$2501, such as a disrupted recycled pulsar (DRP) from a binary system or an orphaned central compact object (CCO). Correcting the observed spin-down rate for the Shklovskii effect suggests that this pulsar may have an unusually low space velocity, which is consistent with expectations for DRPs. There is no X-ray emission detected from PSR J0038$-$2501 in an archival swift observation, which suggests that it is not a young orphaned CCO. The high dispersion measure of PSR J1949+3426 suggests a distance of 12.3$\,$kpc. This distance indicates that PSR J1949+3426 is among the most distant 7% of Galactic field pulsars, and is one of the most luminous pulsars.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure