Optimum design of steel building structures using migration-based vibrating particles system

Acknowledgment This research is supported by a research grant of the University of Tabriz (Number: 1615). We sincerely express our gratitude to Assoc. Prof. Saeid Kazemzadeh Azad for providing the required data for the design examples.Peer reviewedPostprin

Sensitivity-Aware Mixed-Precision Quantization and Width Optimization of Deep Neural Networks Through Cluster-Based Tree-Structured Parzen Estimation

As the complexity and computational demands of deep learning models rise, the need for effective optimization methods for neural network designs becomes paramount. This work introduces an innovative search mechanism for automatically selecting the best bit-width and layer-width for individual neural network layers. This leads to a marked enhancement in deep neural network efficiency. The search domain is strategically reduced by leveraging Hessian-based pruning, ensuring the removal of non-crucial parameters. Subsequently, we detail the development of surrogate models for favorable and unfavorable outcomes by employing a cluster-based tree-structured Parzen estimator. This strategy allows for a streamlined exploration of architectural possibilities and swift pinpointing of top-performing designs. Through rigorous testing on well-known datasets, our method proves its distinct advantage over existing methods. Compared to leading compression strategies, our approach records an impressive 20% decrease in model size without compromising accuracy. Additionally, our method boasts a 12x reduction in search time relative to the best search-focused strategies currently available. As a result, our proposed method represents a leap forward in neural network design optimization, paving the way for quick model design and implementation in settings with limited resources, thereby propelling the potential of scalable deep learning solutions

Isolation and optimization of Asparaginase producing bacteria in solid state fermentation by Plackett-Burman desighn

زمینه و هدف: این تحقیق به روش تخمیر در بستر جامد به منظور بررسی انواع بسترهای جامد در تولید آنزیم آسپارژیناز توسط سویه ی جداسازی شده از منطقه لاکان استان گیلان از جنس باسیلوس انجام گردید. روش بررسی: در این بررسی تجربی جهت جداسازی باکتری های تولید کننده ال آسپارژیناز از محیط کشت M9 استفاده شد. جهت غربالگری در بستر جامد از بسترهای مختلف سبوس برنج، ساقه برنج، سبوس گندم و ساقه گندم به عنوان منابع کربن و همچنین از عصاره مخمر، پپتون، آسپارژین، تریپتون به عنوان منابع نیتروژن استفاده شد. جهت بهینه سازی محیط کشت و بررسی اثر منابع کربن و نیتروژن بر میزان تولید آنزیم آسپارژیناز با استفاده از روش Plackett-Burman تعداد 12 آزمایش در 2 سطح طراحی شد؛ سپس انواع بسترهای جامد با تغییر فاکتورهای تأثیرگذار در تولید آنزیم مورد ارزیابی قرار گرفت. یافته ها: بهترین بستر جامد، بستر سبوس برنج و بهترین منبع ازت آسپارژین، بیشترین تأثیر را در افزایش تولید آنزیم از خود نشان دادند. بهترین شرایط تولید آنزیم به دست آمده در بستر جامد در میزان غلظت سبوس برنج 5/1 وزنی/ وزنی و میزان غلظت آسپاراژین 5/0 وزنی/ وزنی و دمای 30 درجه سانتی گراد و به مدت زمان 72 ساعت به میزان 24/69 واحد آنزیم بر گرم مشاهده گردید. نتیجه گیری: در این تحقیق میزان تولید آنزیم با استفاده از سبوس برنج به عنوان منبع کربن در بستر جامد پس از بهینه سازی نسبت به شرایط بهینه سازی نشده افزایش قابل ملاحظه داش

Análise de habitabilidade das cidades iranianas e estratégias de fortalecimento (Estudo de caso: áreas antigas de Zabol, Irã)

Today, cities are facing many economic, social and environmental challenges. Meanwhile, population growth with an ever-increasing proportion of urbanization has led to adverse effects on cities. The continuation of this urbanization is associated with social, economic, environmental problems, leading to crisis and urban instability. In the meantime, other problems such as different types of pollution, traffic, and psychological problems greatly reduce the quality of life and, consequently, the livability of cities. Therefore, the necessity and importance of livability and sustainable development in cities is quite evident. Livability and sustainable development are approaches which ultimately result in cities free from different types of pollutions, traffic, and social, environmental, economic, and physical problems. The purpose of this study is to identify the internal and external factors affecting the livability of the old region of Zabol, Iran in terms of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, ad threats and assess the livability capabilities. It also offers the best strategies using the time-spatial considerations in line with the sustainable development. SWOT technique was applied to identify the environmentally internal (weaknesses and strengths) and external (opportunities and threats) accelerating and slowing down factors and offer practical and scientific strategies in order to strengthen the livability in the study area. AHP was employed to prioritize the strategies. This is a descriptive-analytical field and desk studies. The results of SWOT-AHP model based on the pairwise comparison at different decision-making and hierarchical structure (tree) levels of this model (choices, criteria, and goal) show that the defensive strategy (with the score of 0.367) yields relative superiority compared to other four strategies. Therefore, livability strengthening strategies need to be determined in a way to meet the weaknesses, remove the threats, and optimize the livability status quo using a detailed and strategic planning approach.Hoy en día, las ciudades enfrentan muchos desafíos económicos, sociales y ambientales. Mientras tanto, el crecimiento de la población con una proporción cada vez mayor de la urbanización ha tenido efectos adversos en las ciudades. La continuación de esta urbanización está asociada con problemas sociales, económicos y ambientales que conducen a la crisis y la inestabilidad urbana. Mientras tanto, otros problemas como los diferentes tipos de contaminación, el tráfico y los problemas psicológicos reducen en gran medida la calidad de vida y, en consecuencia, la habitabilidad de las ciudades. Por lo tanto, la necesidad y la importancia de la habitabilidad y el desarrollo sostenible en las ciudades es bastante evidente. La habitabilidad y el desarrollo sostenible son enfoques que finalmente resultan en ciudades libres de diferentes tipos de contaminación, tráfico y problemas sociales, ambientales, económicos y físicos. El propósito de este estudio es identificar los factores internos y externos que afectan la habitabilidad de la antigua región de Zabol, Irán en términos de fortalezas, debilidades, oportunidades, amenazas publicitarias y evaluar las capacidades de habitabilidad. También ofrece las mejores estrategias usando las consideraciones espaciotemporales en línea con el desarrollo sostenible. La técnica SWOT se aplicó para identificar los factores de aceleración y desaceleración ambientalmente (debilidades y fortalezas) y externos (oportunidades y amenazas) y ofrecer estrategias prácticas y científicas para fortalecer la habitabilidad en el área de estudio. AHP fue empleado para priorizar las estrategias. Este es un campo descriptivo-analítico y estudios de escritorio. Los resultados del modelo SWOT-AHP basados en la comparación por pares a diferentes niveles de toma de decisiones y estructura jerárquica (árbol) de este modelo (elecciones, criterios y objetivos) muestran que la estrategia defensiva (con el puntaje de 0.367) produce una superioridad relativa en comparación con otras cuatro estrategias. Por lo tanto, las estrategias de fortalecimiento de la habitabilidad deben determinarse de forma que se cumplan las debilidades, se eliminen las amenazas y se optimice el status quo de la habitabilidad mediante un enfoque de planificación detallado y estratégico.Hoje, as cidades enfrentam muitos desafios econômicos, sociais e ambientais. Enquanto isso, o crescimento da população com uma proporção crescente de urbanização teve efeitos adversos nas cidades. A continuação dessa urbanização está associada a problemas sociais, econômicos e ambientais que levam à crise e à instabilidade urbana. Enquanto isso, outros problemas, como diferentes tipos de poluição, problemas de tráfego e psicológicos reduzem enormemente a qualidade de vida e, consequentemente, a habitabilidade das cidades. Portanto, a necessidade e a importância da habitabilidade e do desenvolvimento sustentável nas cidades é bastante evidente. Habitabilidade e desenvolvimento sustentável são abordagens que acabam resultando em cidades livres de diferentes tipos de poluição, tráfego e problemas sociais, ambientais, econômicos e físicos. O objetivo deste estudo é identificar os fatores internos e externos que afetam a habitabilidade da antiga região de Zabol, o Irã, em termos de pontos fortes, pontos fracos, oportunidades, ameaças de publicidade e avaliar as capacidades de habitabilidade. Também oferece as melhores estratégias usando considerações espaço-temporais em linha com o desenvolvimento sustentável. A técnica SWOT foi aplicado para identificar aceleração fatores e desaceleração (forças e fraquezas) e externo (oportunidades e ameaças) ambientalmente e fornecer práticas científicas e fortalecer a habitabilidade nas estratégias da área de estudo. O AHP foi usado para priorizar as estratégias. Este é um estudo descritivo-analítico e estudos de mesa. comparação pareada Os resultados do modelo SWOT-AHP com base em diferentes níveis de tomada de decisão e estrutura hierárquica (árvore) deste modelo (eleições e critérios objetivos) mostram que a estratégia defensiva (com pontuação 0367) produz uma superioridade relativa em comparação com outras quatro estratégias. Portanto, as estratégias para fortalecer a habitabilidade devem ser determinadas de forma que as fraquezas sejam atendidas, as ameaças eliminadas e o status quo da habitabilidade seja otimizado por meio de uma abordagem detalhada e de planejamento estratégico

Environmental awareness and attitude among Iranian students in Malaysian universities

This study focuses on environmental awareness and attitude among Iranian students in Malaysian universities. It evaluates the awareness and attitude of a group of 541 from 14 universities. The figure to 541 is considered the representative of these students and the selection was based on Stratified Random sampling method and G-power soft ware. A set of questionnaire which comprised of 25 questions was applied as instrument for data collection. The results revealed that environmental awareness was overall moderate while environmental attitude was high. The study also found that there was no significant difference observed between sex groups while environmental awareness results indicated that there were significant difference among different levels of education. This trend was in contrast with observation for environment alattitude status. The age groups analysis results revealed significant difference in environmental awareness and attitude. It was also found that the media positively affected the level of environmental awareness and attitude among students. The study concluded that increase on age and level of education would improve the level of awareness and attitude regarding to environmental issues

Dosimetric evaluation of scattered and attenuated radiation due to dental restorations in head and neck radiotherapy

Abstract In radiotherapy of head and neck cancer, the presence of high density materials modifies photon dose distribution near these high density materials during treatment. The aim of this study is to calculate the backscatter and attenuation effects of a healthy tooth, Amalgam, Ni-Cr alloy and Ceramco on the normal tissues before and after these materials irradiated by 6 and 15 MV photon beams, respectively. All measurements were carried out in a water phantom with dimension of 50 × 50 × 50 cm 3 with an ionization chamber detector. Two points before and four points after the dental sample were considered to score the photon dose. The depth dose on the central beam axis was explored in a water phantom for source to surface distance (SSD) of 100 cm in a 10 × 10 cm 2 field size. The percentage dose change was obtained relative to the dose in water versus depth of water, tooth, Amalgam, Ni-Cr alloy and Ceramco for the photon beams. The absolute dose (cGy) was measured by prescription of 100 cGy dose in the water phantom at depth of 2.0 and 3.1 cm for 6 and 15 MV photons, respectively. At depth of 0.6 cm, the maximum percentage dose increase was observed with values of 6.99% and 9.43%for Ni-Cr and lowest percentage dose increase of 1.49% and 2.63% are related to the healthy tooth in 6 and 15 MV photon beams, respectively. The maximum absolute dose of 95.58 cGy and 93.64 cGy were observed at depth of 0.6 cm in presence of Ni-Cr alloy for 6 and 15 MV photon beams, respectively. The presence of dental restorations can cause backscattering dose during head and neck radiation therapy. Introduction of compositions and electron density of high density materials can improve the accuracy of dosimetric calculations in treatment planning systems to deliver the relevant dose to target organ and reduce the backscattering dose in healthy tissues in the surrounding of tooth

NILAI-NILAI ISLAM PADA BUDAYA TAKZIYAH MASYARAKAT GADING CEMPAKA KOTA BENGKULU

Implementing local traditions and culture in their religious behavior, many do not have Islamic values, some even conflict with Islamic teachings. However, basically culture is something that is quite central in human life. Culture and traditions are also inherent in a particular community group and a particular religion. In the city of Bengkulu there is a Takziyah tradition, which has its own uniqueness and method of implementation. This research aims to describe and explain again how Islamic values are in local traditions and culture of worship in Bengkulu City, in terms of Islamic Law. This research is field research, which examines phenomena directly, as well as reviewing literature related to takziyah. This research concludes that Takziyah in Bengkulu City has Islamic values, namely: the value of helping, the value of solidarity, the value of faith, the value of tolerance and the value of responsibility

Crystal structure optimization approach to problem solving in mechanical engineering design

PurposeIn this paper, the authors aim to examine and comparatively evaluate a recently-developed metaheuristic called crystal structure algorithm (CryStAl) – which is inspired by the symmetries in the internal structure of crystalline solids – in solving engineering mechanics and design problems.Design/methodology/approachA total number of 20 benchmark mathematical functions are employed as test functions to evaluate the overall performance of the proposed method in handling various functions. Moreover, different classical and modern metaheuristic algorithms are selected from the optimization literature for a comparative evaluation of the performance of the proposed approach. Furthermore, five well-known mechanical design examples are utilized to examine the capability of the proposed method in dealing with challenging optimization problems.FindingsThe results of this study indicated that, in most cases, CryStAl produced more accurate outputs when compared to the other metaheuristics examined as competitors.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper can provide motivation and justification for the application of CryStAl to solve more complex problems in engineering design and mechanics, as well as in other branches of engineering.Originality/valueCryStAl is one of the newest metaheuristic algorithms, the mathematical details of which were recently introduced and published. This is the first time that this algorithm is applied to solving engineering mechanics and design problems.</jats:sec