A penalty approach for nonlinear optimization with discrete design variables

Introduced here is a simple approach to minimization problems with discrete design variables by modifying the penaly function approach of converting the constrained problems into sequential unconstrained minimization technique (SUMT) problems. It was discovered, during the course of the present work, that a similar idea was suggested by Marcal and Gellatly. However, no further work has been encountered. A brief description of the SUMT is presented. The form of the penalty function for the discrete-valued design variables and strategy used for the implementation of the procedure is discussed next. Finally, several design examples are used to demonstrate the procedure, and results are compared with the ones available in the literature

Composite materials for rail transit systems

The potential is explored for using composite materials in urban mass transit systems. The emphasis was to identify specific advantages of composite materials in order to determine their actual and potential usage for carbody and guideway structure applications. The literature was reviewed, contacts were made with major domestic system operators, designers, and builders, and an analysis was made of potential composite application to railcar construction. Composites were found to be in use throughout the transit industry, usually in secondary or auxiliary applications such as car interior and nonstructural exterior panels. More recently, considerable activity has been initiated in the area of using composites in the load bearing elements of civil engineering structures such as highway bridges. It is believed that new and improved manufacturing refinements in pultrusion and filament winding will permit the production of beam sections which can be used in guideway structures. The inherent corrosion resistance and low maintenance characteristics of composites should result in lowered maintenance costs over a prolonged life of the structure

Molekularna dijagnostika i serološka istraživanja pestivirusa u ovaca.

In this research, the virological and serological presence of pestiviruses, such as border disease virus (BDV) was investigated in a sheep in the Central and Eastern Black Sea Regions of Turkey. The study material consisted of 40 organ materials collected from 13 aborted lambs, which were suspected to have pestiviruses, BDV and Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus (BVDV). Viral nucleic acids were investigated by using the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Nine of 13 aborted lambs (69.2%) and 24 of 40 organ samples (60%) obtained from those sheep were BDV RNA positive, whilst all the animals and organ samples were BVDV-RNA negative. Serum samples collected from 401 randomly selected sheep were investigated for pestivirus antibodies using competitive ELISA (cELISA) and the serum microneutralisation test (SNT) using BVDV-NADL strain. Seropositivity was found in between 7.22 and 74.38% with cELISA and 4.81 and 67.76% with SNT. Seropositivity rates in Amasya and Tokat provinces were higher than in Samsun and Giresun. The obtained data indicated that pestivirus infection in sheep is widespread in the Central and Eastern Black Sea Region.U radu su prikazana virološka i serološka istraživanja pestivirusa odnosno borderske bolesti u ovaca na središnjem i istočnom području Crnoga mora u Turskoj. Ukupno je bilo pretraženo 40 uzoraka tkiva različitih organa uzetih od 13 pobačenih plodova pod sumnjom da je uzročnik bio virus borderske bolesti ili virus virusnog proljeva goveda. Uzorci su bili pretraženi na prisutnost virusne nukleinske kiseline lančanom reakcijom polimerazom uz prethodnu reverznu transkripciju (RT-PCR). Devet od 13 pobačenih plodova (69,2%) i 24 od 40 uzoraka tkiva organa (60%) sadržavalo je RNA virusa borderske bolesti. Svi pretraženi uzorci bili su negativni na virus virusnoga proljeva. Uzorci seruma nasumce prikupljeni od 401 ovce bili su pretraženi na prisutnost specifičnih protutijela uporabom kompetitivnoga imunoenzimnoga testa (cELISA) i serum neutralizacijskoga testa (SNT) sa sojem NADL virusa virusnoga proljeva goveda. Ustanovljeno je da sepostotak serološki pozitivnih cELISA-om kretao od 7,22 do 74,38%, a SNT-om od 4,81 do 67,76%. Postotak serološki pozitivnih životinja u provincijama Amasya i Tokat bio je veći nego u provincijama Samsun i Giresun. Rezultati upućuju na zaključak da su pestivirusne zaraze rasprostranjene u ovaca na središnjem i istočnom području Crnoga mora

Editorial: health financing and spending in low- and middle-income countries

The World Bank has introduced the Atlas method to determine in an econometrically valid way borderline thresholds for classifications of all national economies into low, middle, and high-income categories in an objective and predictable manner. Although this approach may be challenged to some extent, it has long served well in observation and predictions of long-term trends in GDP growth and national health expenditures (1–3). The contribution of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) share in total health expenditures as observed through the (4) Global Health Expenditure criteria has almost doubled in terms of purchase power parity (PPP) basis from only 20% of the global share in 1995 up to almost 40% in 2013 (5, 6). These fiscal flows have been well-documented via WHO’s National Health Accounts database. This lengthy and rocky road forward for the LMICs contains many difficulties. A few core challenges include socioeconomic inequalities in medical care access and affordability, large out-of-pocket expenses, and vulnerabilities against catastrophic household expenditures. These challenges remain matters of grave concern in many LMICs (7). Broad trends give far greater grounds for optimism, however, since networks of rural and suburban health care facilities are growing and strengthening. Preventive lifestyle interventions, provision of essential medicines, and spreading of cost-effective basic medical technologies, designated in WHO policy as “best buys” interventions, all contributed to exceptionally improved early childhood survival and extended life expectancy. Current circumstances in most LMICs are characterized by aging populations, rapid urbanization, and increased citizen expectations in terms of health insurance coverage. Prescription drugs consumption is still dominated by generic medicines, with brand name originals gradually taking root. Hospital sectors are state or publicly owned in most former and modern day centrally-planned socialist economies. By contrast, in some regions like the Middle East and North African (MENA) Arabic nations, Latin America, and free-market Far East Asian economies, hospital property structure is predominantly privately owned (1).The authors would like to hereby express gratitude to Grant No.175014 of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia, out of which some underlying studies were partially financed. Publication of results was not contingent on Ministry’s censorship or approval.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A study on the genetic diversity of Androctonus crassicauda (Olivier, 1807; Scorpiones: Buthidae) from Turkey

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has been widely employed in phylogeographic and phylogenetic studies. In the present study, the genetic identification of the scorpion Androctonus crassicauda (Olivier, 1807) was carried out by using the 16S mitochondrial gene, since this scorpion represents the most important species in Turkey regarding scorpionism and antivenom production. Two genetic groups were found according to the sequence analysis results, while five different loci at the nucleotide level presented genetic variation in the 16S region when compared to a known A. crassicauda sequence data (GenBank, AJ277598). Nucleotide variations found in the current work constitute the first descriptive report for A. crassicauda. Moreover, future studies may enlighten the genetic and venom composition variations for this scorpion species

Computational speed-up with a single qudit

Quantum algorithms are known for providing more efficient solutions to certain computational tasks than any corresponding classical algorithm. Here we show that a single qudit is sufficient to implement an oracle based quantum algorithm, which can solve a black-box problem faster than any classical algorithm. For $2d$ permutation functions defined on a set of $d$ elements, deciding whether a given permutation is even or odd, requires evaluation of the function for at least two elements. We demonstrate that a quantum circuit with a single qudit can determine the parity of the permutation with only one evaluation of the function. Our algorithm provides an example for quantum computation without entanglement since it makes use of the pure state of a qudit. We also present an experimental realization of the proposed quantum algorithm with a quadrupolar nuclear magnetic resonance using a single four-level quantum system, i.e., a ququart.Comment: Combined version of arXiv:1403.5861 [quant-ph] and arXiv:1406.3579 [quant-ph

Fabrication of vertically aligned Pd nanowire array in AAO template by electrodeposition using neutral electrolyte

A vertically aligned Pd nanowire array was successfully fabricated on an Au/Ti substrate using an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template by a direct voltage electrodeposition method at room temperature using diluted neutral electrolyte. The fabrication of Pd nanowires was controlled by analyzing the current–time transient during electrodeposition using potentiostat. The AAO template and the Pd nanowires were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) methods and X-Ray diffraction (XRD). It was observed that the Pd nanowire array was standing freely on an Au-coated Ti substrate after removing the AAO template in a relatively large area of about 5 cm2, approximately 50 nm in diameter and 2.5 μm in length with a high aspect ratio. The nucleation rate and the number of atoms in the critical nucleus were determined from the analysis of current transients. Pd nuclei density was calculated as 3.55 × 108 cm−2. Usage of diluted neutral electrolyte enables slower growing of Pd nanowires owing to increase in the electrodeposition potential and thus obtained Pd nanowires have higher crystallinity with lower dislocations. In fact, this high crystallinity of Pd nanowires provides them positive effect for sensor performances especially