Nucleon structure functions in noncommutative space-time

In the context of noncommutative space-time, we investigate the nucleon structure functions which plays an important role to identify the internal structure of nucleons. We use the corrected vertices and employ new vertices that appear in two approaches of noncommutativity and calculate the proton structure functions in terms of noncommutative tensor \theta_{\mu\nu}. To check our result, we plot the nucleon structure function (NSF), F_2(x), and compare it with experimental data and the result coming out from the GRV, GJR and CT10 parametrization models. We show that new vertex which is arising the noncommutativity correction will lead us to better consistency between theoretical result and experimental data for NSF. This consistency would be better at small values of x-Bjorken variable. To indicate and confirm the validity of our calculations, we also act conversely and obtain an lower bound for the numerical values of \Lambda_{NC} scale which are corresponding to the recent reports.Comment: 28 pages, 5 figure

The relation of TSH and depression in hypothyroid patients

Background and aims: Many of hypothyroid patients that are under treatment with levothyroxine. In spite of normal blood level of thyroid hormones, are suffering from depression symptoms that show it is necessary the normal level of TSH should be detected specificially related to depression. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 174 hypothyroid patients under treatment with levothyroxine who referred to endocrinology clinic with TSH levels of 0.5-5 MIU/L for more than one year. Laboratory tests including TSH, T4 and T3 were performed. Beck depression questionnaire was completed for all patients by trained experts. Based on Beck depression test, scoreless and more than 10 was considered healthy and depressed, respectively. Then, TSH cut-off values based on depression was determined by Roc Curve analysis. Results: 174 hypothyroid patients (Female: 116, Male: 58) with mean age 45.5±11.7 years old were entered to the study. According to Roc Curve analysis, the optimal cut-off value of TSH based on depression was estimated 2.5 MIU/L with 89.66% sensitivity. Conclusion: The present study suggested that a TSH cut-off value for treatment of depression in hypothyroid patients should be based on depression, not just based on population studies. Based on the assessment of depression, our study concludes that a TSH cut-off value of 2.5 MIU/L is optimal. This cut point can provide the greatest effect in terms of depression improvement and quality of life for these patients

An algorithm for pulsed activation of solenoid valves for variable rate application of agricultural chemicals

An alternative algorithm to Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) for pulsed activation of solenoid valves for applying chemicals through agricultural sprayer nozzles is presented. Solenoid valves attached to individual spray nozzles on a modified EMDEK tractor-mounted sprayer system are activated by electronic pulsation to vary the application rate of agricultural chemicals, varying the output by location according to Geographical Information System (GIS) data and a GPS system. A potential advantage of this alternative algorithm over pulse width modulation based systems is the use of lower-cost industrial solenoid valves with slower opening and closing times instead of the more expensive high speed valves normally used in PWM systems

Resilient wireless sensor networks

University of Technology Sydney. Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology.With the increase in wireless sensor networks’ (WSN) applications as the result of enhancements in sensors’ size, battery-life and mobility, sensor nodes have become one of the most ubiquitous and relied-upon electrical appliances in recent years. In harsh and hostile environments, in the absence of centralised supervision, the effects of faults, damages and unbalanced node deployments should be taken into account as they may disturb the operation and quality of service of networks. Coverage holes (CHs) due to the correlated failures and unbalanced deployment of nodes should be considered seriously in a timely manner; otherwise, cascaded failures on the rest of the proximate sensor nodes can jeopardise networks’ integrity. Although different distributed topology control (TC) schemes have been devised to address the challenges of node failures and their dynamic behaviours, little work has been directed towards recovering CHs and/or alleviating their undesirable effects especially in Large Scale CHs (LSCH). Thus, devising CH recovery strategies for the swift detection, notification, repair and avoidance of damage events are important to increase the lifetime and resiliency of WSNs and to improve the efficacy and reliability of error-prone and energy-restricted nodes for many applications. In this research, the concepts of resiliency, fault management, network holes, CHs, TC schemes and stages of CH recovery are reviewed. By devising new TC techniques, CHs recovery strategies that partially or wholly repair LSCHs and increase the coverage of WSNs are presented such that a global pattern emerges as a result of nodes’ local interactions. In this study, we propose (1) CH detection and boundary node (B-node) selection algorithms, which B-nodes around the damaged area self-select solely based on available 1-hop information extracted from their simple geometrical and statistical features. (2) A constraint node movement algorithm based on the idea of virtual chord (v-chords) formed by B-nodes and their neighbours to partially repair CHs. By changing each B-node’s v-chord, its movement and connectivity to the rest of network can be controlled in a distributed manner. (3) Fuzzy node relocation models based on force-based movement algorithms are suitable to consider the uncertainty governed by nodes’ distributed and local interactions and the indefinite choices of movements. (4) A model of cooperative CHs recovery in which nodes move towards damaged areas in the form of disjoint spanned trees, which is inspired by nature. Based on nodes’ local interactions with their neighbours and their distances to CHs, a set of disjoint trees around the CH spans. (5) A hybrid CH recovery strategy that combines sensing power control and physical node relocation using a game theoretic approach for mobile WSNs. (6) A sink-based CH recovery via node relocation where moving nodes consider the status of sink nodes. The proposed node relocation algorithm aims to reduce the distances of moving nodes to the deployed sink nodes while repairing the CHs. The results show that proposed distributed algorithms (1)-(6) either outperform or match their counterparts within acceptable ranges. The significances of proposed algorithms are as follow: Although they are mainly designed base on the available 1-hop knowledge and local interactions of (autonomous) nodes, they result in global behaviours. They can be implemented in harsh and hostile environments in the absence of centralised operators. They are suitable for time-sensitive applications and scenarios with the security concerns that limit the amount of information exchange between nodes. The burden of decision making is spread among nodes

Modification of a commercial PWM sprayer control system for precision farming application

The control system of a commercial sprayer was modified for variable–rate control of 12 individual solenoid shut off valves spaced 0.5 m apart on a sprayer boom. The variable-rate control system consisted of pulse width modulation (PWM) solenoids, a by pass control valve, and nozzle control system interfaced to a computer. An algorithm was developed to vary application rate across the booms with computing the best possible combinations of pulse width at the optimal boom through the computer control program for nozzles. This algorithm compensates inaccuracy of applying desired application rate due to pressure fluctuations across the booms

Efficiency enhancement of gas turbine systems with air injection driven by natural gas turboexpanders

The fuel source of many simple and combined-cycle power plants usually comes from a nearby natural gas transmission pipeline at a pressure from 50 to over 70 bar. The use of a turboex-pander instead of throttling equipment offers a promising alternative to regulate the pressure of natural gas introduced to the power plant. Specifically, it helps recover part of the available energy of the compressed gas in the transmission pipeline, increase the power output and efficiency of the gas turbine system, and decrease the fuel use and harmful emissions. In this paper, the addition of such a turboexpander in a gas pressure-reduction station is studied. The recovered power is then used to drive the compression of extra air added to the combustion chamber of a heavy-duty gas turbine. The performance of this configuration is analyzed for a wide range of ambient temperatures using energy and exergy analyses. Fuel energy recovered in this way increases the output power and the efficiency of the gas turbine system by a minimum of 2.5 MW and 0.25%, respectively. The exergy efficiency of the gas turbine system increases by approximately 0.36% and the annual CO2 emissions decrease by 1.3% per MW.Reza Shirmohammadi would like to acknowledge the Erasmus + International Credit Mobility (KA107-2020 project), Alianza 4 Universidades, and International Affairs at University of Tehran and Carlos III University of Madrid. Fontina Petrakopoulou would like to thank the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (Ramón y Cajal Programme, RYC-2016-20971)

Yield and morpho-physiological traits of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) as affected by azotobacter, mycorrhizal symbiosis and biochar application

The present study was performed to evaluate the effect of mycorrhizal symbiosis and azotobacter with the application of biochar on tobacco growth parameters, yield and nicotine content under rainfed conditions for two growing seasons (2016-2017 and 2017-2018). The factorial experiment was performed based on a randomized complete block design with four replications and three factors including biochar at three levels (0, 4 and 8 ton/ha), mycorrhizal fungi and Azotobacter chroococcum each one at two levels (without and with application). Results showed that biochar application had a significant and positive effect on all evaluated parameters. However, there was no statistically significant difference between 4 and 8 tons per hectare of biochar in yield. Mycorrhizal symbiosis had a significant effect on relative water content. Application of azotobacter had a positive and significant effect on growth parameters, yield and nicotine content under rainfed conditions for two growing seasons (2016-2017 and nicotine content. The greatest effect of azotobacter with a 17% increase was on leaf nicotine content. Whereas tobacco dry yield in rainfed conditions is lower, the combined use of biochar and these biofertilizers can be considered a desirable solution. Then in terms of economic aspects, the use of 4 tons biochar per hectare along with the use of mycorrhiza and azotobacter to achieve acceptable yield while maintaining chemical quality in tobacco farms is recommended

Analytical formulation of the integral square error for linear stable feedback control system

The paper aims to introduce a method for the analytical formulation of the integral square error (ISE). In this manner, the aim of the research is to create a parametric solution of the ISE for linear continuous feedback control systems while the closed-loop system is stable and the difference between reference and output, or error, is strictly proper. The potential advantage of this technique is that it allows the finding of an analytical solution for the ISE criterion and hence it is well adopted when a parametric solution of the ISE for optimal control problems is needed. This method is also superior to the numerical methods, because it returns the exact solution of the ISE. Comparisons with a powerful numerical method are given to validate the proposed method

Gas type identification at constant concentration level by system identification technique

The purpose of this paper is to explore the ability of the system identification technique in detecting a specific gas at a constant concentration level by a single sensor. Metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) gas sensor is used due to its wide range of applicability in gas monitoring systems. Using the Batch computer method, 115 outputs were recorded with sampling time of 0.57 Sec at a concentration level of 2600 (ppm) for Methanol, Ethanol, and Betanol gases. Applying the estimated model, each gas was successfully distinguished

Non-criminal responses to the issues of privacy violations in the criminal policy of Iran and Canada

The right to observe and respect private life is considered one of the fundamental freedoms, which is one of the concepts of developed legal systems and is closely related to human dignity. Advances in social life have changed the dimensions of privacy. These new dimensions should also be supported, but it does not mean the absolute prohibition of privacy violations, the Iranian legislator takes steps to protect this privacy by determining the limits of the government's powers and taking into account individual rights and freedoms, the interest of society and public order. . Opinions issued by international courts and leading countries, especially Canada, regarding privacy, which are basically based on the rules and arguments of human rights, can be considered as a model of national legislation in the protection of privacy. The laws of the two countries are inferred to respect and prohibit entry into privacy, except in cases where social interests and public order require it, in which case it is possible by following special formalitie