Size/Layout Optimization of Truss Structures Using Vibrating Particles System Meta-heuristic Algorithm and its Improved Version

Vibrating Particles System (VPS) optimization is a newly made meta-heuristic algorithm to optimize problems by inspiration of the free vibration of viscous-damped systems with single degree of freedom. The agents are modeled as particles which systematically proceed toward their equilibrium conditions that are reached by the existing population and historically best position. To enhance the performance of the VPS algorithm, Enhanced Vibrating Particles System (EVPS) applies a new process for updating agent’s positions. This paper tries to improve the EVPS algorithm with the aim of reduction in the regulatory parameters’ effect on the algorithm's performance by reducing the regulatory parameters. To evaluate the performance of the proposed method, it is applied to four optimization problems of truss structures including mixed of discrete and continuous design search spaces with displacement, stress and buckling constraints. As a result, the proposed algorithm is a suitable method and more research can be done on it

Improving the Sphere-Packing Bound for Binary Codes over Memoryless Symmetric Channels

A lower bound on the minimum required code length of binary codes is obtained. The bound is obtained based on observing a close relation between the Ulam's liar game and channel coding. In fact, Spencer's optimal solution to the game is used to derive this new bound which improves the famous Sphere-Packing Bound.Comment: 5 pages,3 figures, Presented at the Forty-Seventh Annual Allerton Conference on Communication, Control, and Computing, Sep. 200

Annotated Raptor Codes

In this paper, an extension of raptor codes is introduced which keeps all the desirable properties of raptor codes, including the linear complexity of encoding and decoding per information bit, unchanged. The new design, however, improves the performance in terms of the reception rate. Our simulations show a 10% reduction in the needed overhead at the benchmark block length of 64,520 bits and with the same complexity per information bit.Comment: This paper has been Accepted for presentation in IEEE Information Theory Workshop (ITW) 2011, Paraty, Brazi

Performance Analysis of RIS/STAR-IOS-aided V2V NOMA/OMA Communications over Composite Fading Channels

This paper investigates the performance of vehicleto-vehicle (V2V) communications assisted by a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) and a simultaneous transmitting and reflecting intelligent omni-surface (STAR-IOS) under nonorthogonal multiple access (NOMA) and orthogonal multiple access (OMA) schemes. In particular, we consider that the RIS is close to the transmitter vehicle while the STAR-IOS is near the receiver vehicles. In addition, we assume that the STAR-IOS exploits the energy-splitting (ES) protocol for communication and the fading channels between the RIS and STAR-IOS follow composite Fisher-Snedecor F distribution. Under such assumptions, we first use the central limit theorem (CLT) to derive the PDF and the CDF of equivalent channels at receiver vehicles, and then, we derive the closed-form expression of outage probability (OP) under NOMA/OMA scenarios. Additionally, by exploiting Jensen's inequality, we propose an upper bound of the ergodic capacity (EC), and then, we derive an analytical expression of the energy efficiency (EE) for both NOMA and OMA cases. Further, our analytical results, which are double-checked with the Monte-Carlo simulation, reveal that applying RIS/STAR-RIS in V2V communications can significantly improve the performance of intelligent transportation systems (ITS). Besides, the results indicate that considering the NOMA scheme provides better performance in terms of the OP, EC, and EE as compared with the OMA case for the considered V2V communication

The Efficacy of Ivabradine of Beta Blockers in Comparison of Atenolol and Metoprolol in Patients with Mitral Stenosis in Sinus Rhythm: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Introduction The Mitral Stenosis is a common disease, which increased heart rate can be a sign of deterioration. Patient heart rate regulation, especially during exercise, is very important. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Ivabradine in comparison with Atenolol and Metoprolol beta-blockers by examining Maximum exercise heart rate in patients with Mitral Valve Stenosis. Methods and Results In order to evaluate the efficacy of Ivabradine in comparison with beta-blockers, the systematic search was conducted using PICO keywords in the most important electronic databases, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, CRD, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The articles were selected separately by reviewing the titles, abstract and full text of the articles, and extracting unrelated and repetitive articles by two individuals. Extracting the article information based on the measured outcome of Maximum exercise heart rate was done by two individuals independently.  In cases where there was disagreement, the decision was made by a third person. To evaluate the quality of the articles, the Cochrane tool and the Revman software version 5.3 were used. The I2 index was used to investigate the heterogeneity of the products. The publication bias between studies was evaluated using a Funnel Plot and Egger's Regression Test. The results of the fixed effects model were used to combine the results and the mean difference with 95% confidence interval for the consequences was calculated. This meta-analysis was performed using the Meta Package R software. Finally, four studies entered meta-analysis. The total number of patients treated with Ivabradine and beta-blockers was 128 and 132, respectively. Homogeneity between studies was not significant (I2 = 36%; P-value = 0.20). The results of meta-analysis showed that the difference in mean Max Exercise HR of patients was 3.73, which was statistically significant (Mean Difference = 3.73; 95% CI: 1.52; 5.94; P-value = 0.001). Conclusions The administration of Ivabradine, in contrast to Atenolol and Metoprolol, greatly increases the ability of a person to test exercise, administration of this drug in patients with mitral valve stenosis can lead to a decrease in heart rate, which in turn causes reducing the risk of heart attacks in these patients

Detecting coral bleaching, using QuickBird multi-temporal data: A feasibility study at Kish Island, the Persian Gulf.

Coral bleaching events have become more frequent and intense worldwide and speculated to be a severe threat for coral survival in future. The Persian Gulf, as one of the warmest seas, has also experienced coral mortalities and bleaching events. Historically, bleaching events are known to occur south of the Persian Gulf, such information is scarce in the northern side. Perhaps remoteness and inaccessibility to Iran main coral communities which have developed on offshore islands can explain such lack of data. To address this issue, the feasibility of using multi-temporal satellite images for detecting past bleaching events were investigated. Two QuickBird images (2005, 2008) were selected to detect 2007 bleaching event at Kish Island, Iran, and the accuracy of results were compared to in situ observations. Current study might represent “algae-challenged” scenario in terms of having 7 months' time lapse between bleaching event and post-bleaching satellite image. As a result of this, we had algae-covered corals instead of white bleached corals. In the proposed procedure pre and post-bleaching images were classified, and changes in reflectance values within coral classes were interpreted as bleaching areas. By using this method we could eliminate the effect of miss-classification between bleached corals and sand; as well as algae-covered corals and live corals. Furthermore, it is not necessary to have a post-bleaching image acquired during bleaching events, although having such image will increase the accuracy. The proposed technique detected ∼28% of bleached corals and the results support the idea that coral bleaching can be distinguished by detecting the changes in reflectance values in pre and post-bleaching images. Understanding the occurrence, severity, and extent of past bleaching events may help us understand the population dynamics of Iran corals and reveal coral connectivity patterns in the Persian Gulf

An Efficient Authentication Protocol for Smart Grid Communication Based on On-Chip-Error-Correcting Physical Unclonable Function

Security has become a main concern for the smart grid to move from research and development to industry. The concept of security has usually referred to resistance to threats by an active or passive attacker. However, since smart meters (SMs) are often placed in unprotected areas, physical security has become one of the important security goals in the smart grid. Physical unclonable functions (PUFs) have been largely utilized for ensuring physical security in recent years, though their reliability has remained a major problem to be practically used in cryptographic applications. Although fuzzy extractors have been considered as a solution to solve the reliability problem of PUFs, they put a considerable computational cost to the resource-constrained SMs. To that end, we first propose an on-chip-error-correcting (OCEC) PUF that efficiently generates stable digits for the authentication process. Afterward, we introduce a lightweight authentication protocol between the SMs and neighborhood gateway (NG) based on the proposed PUF. The provable security analysis shows that not only the proposed protocol can stand secure in the Canetti-Krawczyk (CK) adversary model but also provides additional security features. Also, the performance evaluation demonstrates the significant improvement of the proposed scheme in comparison with the state-of-the-art

Health technology assessment of Bevacizumab compare with combination of Bevacizumab with Erlotinib for treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer

Introduction: Effective and efficient treatment for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer that can increase survival rate with limited side effects, is important. The purpose of this study was health technology assessment of Bevacizumab compare with combination of Bevacizumab with Erlotinib for treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Methods and Results:In the present investigation first a systematic review on finding the studies was conducted. To reach this goal a comprehensive search in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, CRD, American Society of Clinical Oncology and European Society for Medical Oncology databases using the PICO based keywords was performed. Then, a retrieved study by means of two independent and expert reviewer during several steps (based on title, abstract and full-text, excluding of duplicated or unrelated cases) was chosen and non-qualified studies was exiled from the study. After that, 20 chosen randomized trial studies were evaluated by two experienced evaluators by Cochrane tool in terms of types of Bias. Eventually obtained data from the investigation was meta-analyzed by Revman5.3 software and safety, effectiveness and economical evaluation of the device were studied based on this data. To calculate the expenses of Bevacizumab and Erlotinib, Cost-effectiveness Analysis with the perspective of the service provider in the public sector was performed. In total, three randomized controlled trials with 682 patients met the inclusion criteria.  The combination of Bevacizumab with Erlotinib for maintenance therapy of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer improved progression free survival by 0.19 and overall survival by 0.22. Degree three and four side effects of developed during treatment were limited and manageable. The combination of the two drugs was cost effective from the perspective of the service provider. Conclusions:Based on current evidence, prescribing the combination of Bevacizumab and Erlotinib in the maintenance treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer patients is cost effective from the perspective of service provider in the public sector, and the use of this combination in the health system is economically viable