150 research outputs found
Case-based reasoning approach to estimating the strength of sustainable concrete
Continuing from previous studies of sustainable concrete containing environmentally friendly materials and existing modeling approach to predicting concrete properties, this study developed an estimation methodology to predicting the strength of sustainable concrete using an advanced case-based reasoning approach. It was conducted in two steps: (i) establishment of a case database and (ii) development of an advanced case-based reasoning model. Through the experimental studies, a total of 144 observations for concrete compressive strength and tensile strength were established to develop the estimation model. As a result, the prediction accuracy of the A-CBR model (i.e., 95.214% for compressive strength and 92.448% for tensile strength) performed superior to other conventional methodologies (e.g., basic case-based reasoning and artificial neural network models). The developed methodology provides an alternative approach in predicting concrete properties and could be further extended to the future research area in durability of sustainable concrete
SciRecSys: A Recommendation System for Scientific Publication by Discovering Keyword Relationships
In this work, we propose a new approach for discovering various relationships
among keywords over the scientific publications based on a Markov Chain model.
It is an important problem since keywords are the basic elements for
representing abstract objects such as documents, user profiles, topics and many
things else. Our model is very effective since it combines four important
factors in scientific publications: content, publicity, impact and randomness.
Particularly, a recommendation system (called SciRecSys) has been presented to
support users to efficiently find out relevant articles
The point prevalence and associated factors of nasal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonisation in eight geriatric hospitals in Korea
ABSTRACTThe prevalence and associated factors of nasal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonisation were investigated among patients in geriatric hospitals in Korea. S. aureus was isolated from 317 (50.2%) of 632 patients. The nasal MRSA colonisation prevalence was 36.1%. In bivariate analysis, stay in an intensive care unit, decreased functional status, recent use of antibiotics, use of urinary catheters and the existence of skin breaks were associated with nasal MRSA colonisation (p < 0.05). Of these factors, only decreased functional status and recent use of systemic antibiotics were associated independently with nasal MRSA colonisation following logistic regression analysis
Mott Transition in An Anyon Gas
We introduce and analyze a lattice model of anyons in a periodic potential
and an external magnetic field which exhibits a transition from a Mott
insulator to a quantum Hall fluid. The transition is characterized by the anyon
statistics, , which can vary between Fermions, , and Bosons,
. For bosons the transition is in the universality class of the
classical three-dimensional XY model. Near the Fermion limit, the transition is
described by a massless Dirac theory coupled to a Chern-Simons gauge
field. Analytic calculations perturbative in , and also a large
N-expansion, show that due to gauge fluctuations, the critical properties of
the transition are dependent on the anyon statistics. Comparison with previous
calcualations at and near the Boson limit, strongly suggest that our lattice
model exhibits a fixed line of critical points, with universal critical
properties which vary continuosly and monotonically as one passes from Fermions
to Bosons. Possible relevance to experiments on the transitions between
plateaus in the fractional quantum Hall effect and the magnetic field-tuned
superconductor-insulator transition are briefly discussed.Comment: text and figures in Latex, 41 pages, UBCTP-92-28, CTP\#215
Non-zero temperature transport near quantum critical points
We describe the nature of charge transport at non-zero temperatures ()
above the two-dimensional () superfluid-insulator quantum critical point. We
argue that the transport is characterized by inelastic collisions among
thermally excited carriers at a rate of order . This implies that
the transport at frequencies is in the hydrodynamic,
collision-dominated (or `incoherent') regime, while is
the collisionless (or `phase-coherent') regime. The conductivity is argued to
be times a non-trivial universal scaling function of , and not independent of , as has been previously
claimed, or implicitly assumed. The experimentally measured d.c. conductivity
is the hydrodynamic limit of this function, and is a
universal number times , even though the transport is incoherent.
Previous work determined the conductivity by incorrectly assuming it was also
equal to the collisionless limit of the scaling
function, which actually describes phase-coherent transport with a conductivity
given by a different universal number times . We provide the first
computation of the universal d.c. conductivity in a disorder-free boson model,
along with explicit crossover functions, using a quantum Boltzmann equation and
an expansion in . The case of spin transport near quantum
critical points in antiferromagnets is also discussed. Similar ideas should
apply to the transitions in quantum Hall systems and to metal-insulator
transitions. We suggest experimental tests of our picture and speculate on a
new route to self-duality at two-dimensional quantum critical points.Comment: Feedback incorporated into numerous clarifying remarks; additional
appendix discusses relationship to transport in dissipative quantum mechanics
and quantum Hall edge state tunnelling problems, stimulated by discussions
with E. Fradki
Nanoparticles for Applications in Cellular Imaging
In the following review we discuss several types of nanoparticles (such as TiO2, quantum dots, and gold nanoparticles) and their impact on the ability to image biological components in fixed cells. The review also discusses factors influencing nanoparticle imaging and uptake in live cells in vitro. Due to their unique size-dependent properties nanoparticles offer numerous advantages over traditional dyes and proteins. For example, the photostability, narrow emission peak, and ability to rationally modify both the size and surface chemistry of Quantum Dots allow for simultaneous analyses of multiple targets within the same cell. On the other hand, the surface characteristics of nanometer sized TiO2allow efficient conjugation to nucleic acids which enables their retention in specific subcellular compartments. We discuss cellular uptake mechanisms for the internalization of nanoparticles and studies showing the influence of nanoparticle size and charge and the cell type targeted on nanoparticle uptake. The predominant nanoparticle uptake mechanisms include clathrin-dependent mechanisms, macropinocytosis, and phagocytosis
Risk profiles and one-year outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation in India: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF Registry.
BACKGROUND: The Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) is an ongoing prospective noninterventional registry, which is providing important information on the baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and 1-year outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). This report describes data from Indian patients recruited in this registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 52,014 patients with newly diagnosed AF were enrolled globally; of these, 1388 patients were recruited from 26 sites within India (2012-2016). In India, the mean age was 65.8 years at diagnosis of NVAF. Hypertension was the most prevalent risk factor for AF, present in 68.5% of patients from India and in 76.3% of patients globally (P < 0.001). Diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) were prevalent in 36.2% and 28.1% of patients as compared with global prevalence of 22.2% and 21.6%, respectively (P < 0.001 for both). Antiplatelet therapy was the most common antithrombotic treatment in India. With increasing stroke risk, however, patients were more likely to receive oral anticoagulant therapy [mainly vitamin K antagonist (VKA)], but average international normalized ratio (INR) was lower among Indian patients [median INR value 1.6 (interquartile range {IQR}: 1.3-2.3) versus 2.3 (IQR 1.8-2.8) (P < 0.001)]. Compared with other countries, patients from India had markedly higher rates of all-cause mortality [7.68 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval 6.32-9.35) vs 4.34 (4.16-4.53), P < 0.0001], while rates of stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding were lower after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Compared to previously published registries from India, the GARFIELD-AF registry describes clinical profiles and outcomes in Indian patients with AF of a different etiology. The registry data show that compared to the rest of the world, Indian AF patients are younger in age and have more diabetes and CAD. Patients with a higher stroke risk are more likely to receive anticoagulation therapy with VKA but are underdosed compared with the global average in the GARFIELD-AF. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01090362
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