Airborne laser scan data : a valuable tool with which to infer weather radar partial beam blockage in urban environments

High-spatial-resolution weather radar observations are of primary relevance for hydrological applications in urban areas. However, when weather radars are located within metropolitan areas, partial beam blockages and clutter by buildings can seriously affect the observations. Standard simulations with simple beam propagation models and digital elevation models (DEMs) are usually not able to evaluate buildings' contribution to partial beam blockages. In recent years airborne laser scanners (ALSs) have evolved to the state-of-the-art technique for topographic data acquisition. Providing small footprint diameters (10-30 cm), ALS data allow accurate reconstruction of buildings and forest canopy heights. Analyzing the three weather C-band radars located in the metropolitan area of Helsinki, Finland, the present study investigates the benefits of using ALS data for quantitative estimations of partial beam blockages. The results obtained applying beam standard propagation models are compared with stratiform 24 h rainfall accumulation to evaluate the effects of partial beam blockages due to constructions and trees. To provide a physical interpretation of the results, the detailed analysis of beam occultations is achieved by open spatial data sets and open-source geographic information systems.Peer reviewe

IoT-based Secure Data Transmission Prediction using Deep Learning Model in Cloud Computing

The security of Internet of Things (IoT) networks has become highly significant due to the growing number of IoT devices and the rise in data transfer across cloud networks. Here, we propose Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) method for predicting secure data transmission in IoT-based systems using cloud computing. We evaluated our model’s attainment on the UNSW-NB15 dataset and contrasted it with other machine-learning (ML) methods, comprising decision trees (DT), random forests, and support vector machines (SVM). The outcomes demonstrate that our suggested GANs model performed better than expected in terms of precision, recall, F1 score, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC). The GANs model generates a 98.07% accuracy rate for the testing dataset with a precision score of 98.45%, a recall score of 98.19%, an F1 score of 98.32%, and an AUC-ROC value of 0.998. These outcomes show how well our suggested GANs model predicts secure data transmission in cloud-based IoT-based systems, which is a crucial step in guaranteeing the confidentiality of IoT networks

Enhancing Feature Extraction through G-PLSGLR by Decreasing Dimensionality of Textual Data

The technology of big data has become highly popular in numerous industries owing to its various characteristics such as high value, large volume, rapid velocity, wide variety, and significant variability. Nevertheless, big data presents several difficulties that must be addressed, including lengthy processing times, high computational complexity, imprecise features, significant sparsity, irrelevant terms, redundancy, and noise, all of which can have an adverse effect on the performance of feature extraction. The objective of this research is to tackle these issues by utilizing the Partial Least Square Generalized Linear Regression (G-PLSGLR) approach to decrease the high dimensionality of text data. The suggested algorithm is made up of four stages: Firstly, gathering featured data in vector space model (VSM) and training it with bootstrap technique. Second, grouping trained feature samples using a Pearson correlation coefficient and graph-based technique. Third, getting rid of unimportant features by ranking significant group features using PLSGR. Lastly, choosing or extracting significant features using Bayesian information criterion (BIC). The G-PLSGLR algorithm surpasses current methods by achieving a high reduction rate and classification performance, while minimizing feature redundancy, time consumption, and complexity. Furthermore, it enhances the accuracy of features by 35%

Razvitak imunoenzimnog testa s jedostrukim razrjeđenjem seruma za dokaz protutijela za virus zarazne bolesti burze

Determination of antibody titres of sera collected from poultry flock to diagnose IBDV infected chickens by developing single serum working dilution ELISA (SSD-ELISA) was made. The indirect ELISA standard procedure was adopted with standard positive and negative serum controls. The standard IBDV antigen was prepared using the Tamil Nadu isolate of IBDV. The relative sensitivity and specificity of a single serum dilution ELISA test in qualitative comparison with the commercial kit were 82% and 100% respectively and the accuracy was 82.1%. This single serum dilution assay gave reproducible results and allowed considerable savings on the time and cost of reagents compared with indirect ELISA. Based on these results a SDS-ELISA kits have been developed in this study to replace the commercial kit. The IBDV antigen coated ELISA plates can be stored under refrigeration and the test can be performed rapidly under field conditions by trained personnel.Titar protutijela za virus zarazne bolesti burze određen je u uzorcima seruma pilića razvijenim imunoenzimnim testom s jednostrukim razrjeđenjem uzoraka seruma. Standardni imunoenzimni test prilagođen je uz uporabu standardnih pozitivnih i negativnih kontrolnih uzoraka seruma. Standardni antigen za virus zarazne bolesti burze bio je pripravljen od izolata Tamil Nadu virusa. U usporedbi s komercijalnim kompletom, osjetljivost testa iznosila je 82%, a specifičnost 100%. Točnost mu je bila 82,1%. Razvijenim testom postignuti su reproducibilni rezultati uz znatnu uštedu vremena i materijala pa se može uporabiti umjesto komercijalnih kompleta. Antigen se može pohraniti u hladnjaku, a uvježbano osoblje može brzo izvesti test u terenskim uvjetima

Interleukin-17 Stimulates C-Reactive Protein Expression in Hepatocytes and Smooth Muscle Cells via p38 MAPK and ERK1/2-Dependent NF-κB and C/EBPβ Activation

Elevated systemic levels of the acute phase C-reactive protein (CRP) are predictors of future cardiovascular events. There is evidence that CRP may also play a direct role in atherogenesis. Here we determined whether the proinflammatory interleukin (IL)-17 stimulates CRP expression in hepatocytes (Hep3B cell line and primary hepatocytes) and coronary artery smooth muscle cells (CASMC). Our results demonstrate that IL-17 potently induces CRP expression in Hep3B cells independent of IL-1β and IL-6. IL-17 induced CRP promoter-driven reporter gene activity that could be attenuated by dominant negative IκBα or C/EBPβ knockdown and stimulated both NF-κB and C/EBP DNA binding and reporter gene activities. Targeting NF-κB and C/EBPβ activation by pharmacological inhibitors, small interfering RNA interference and adenoviral transduction of dominant negative expression vectors blocked IL-17-mediated CRP induction. Overexpression of wild type p50, p65, and C/EBPβ stimulated CRP transcription. IL-17 stimulated p38 MAPK and ERK1/2 activation, and SB203580 and PD98059 blunted IL-17-mediated NF-κB and C/EBP activation and CRP transcription. These results, confirmed in primary human hepatocytes and CASMC, demonstrate for the first time that IL-17 is a potent inducer of CRP expression via p38 MAPK and ERK1/2-dependent NF-κB and C/EBPβ activation and suggest that IL-17 may mediate chronic inflammation, atherosclerosis, and thrombosis

Razvitak imunoenzimnog testa s jedostrukim razrjeđenjem seruma za dokaz protutijela za virus zarazne bolesti burze

Determination of antibody titres of sera collected from poultry flock to diagnose IBDV infected chickens by developing single serum working dilution ELISA (SSD-ELISA) was made. The indirect ELISA standard procedure was adopted with standard positive and negative serum controls. The standard IBDV antigen was prepared using the Tamil Nadu isolate of IBDV. The relative sensitivity and specificity of a single serum dilution ELISA test in qualitative comparison with the commercial kit were 82% and 100% respectively and the accuracy was 82.1%. This single serum dilution assay gave reproducible results and allowed considerable savings on the time and cost of reagents compared with indirect ELISA. Based on these results a SDS-ELISA kits have been developed in this study to replace the commercial kit. The IBDV antigen coated ELISA plates can be stored under refrigeration and the test can be performed rapidly under field conditions by trained personnel.Titar protutijela za virus zarazne bolesti burze određen je u uzorcima seruma pilića razvijenim imunoenzimnim testom s jednostrukim razrjeđenjem uzoraka seruma. Standardni imunoenzimni test prilagođen je uz uporabu standardnih pozitivnih i negativnih kontrolnih uzoraka seruma. Standardni antigen za virus zarazne bolesti burze bio je pripravljen od izolata Tamil Nadu virusa. U usporedbi s komercijalnim kompletom, osjetljivost testa iznosila je 82%, a specifičnost 100%. Točnost mu je bila 82,1%. Razvijenim testom postignuti su reproducibilni rezultati uz znatnu uštedu vremena i materijala pa se može uporabiti umjesto komercijalnih kompleta. Antigen se može pohraniti u hladnjaku, a uvježbano osoblje može brzo izvesti test u terenskim uvjetima

Treatment and follow-up of a case of bleeding duodenal varix

Duodenal varices (DV) are rare in patients with portal hypertension secondary to liver disease. Their tendency to bleed is less common than in gastroesophageal varices, but can sometimes produce a life-threatening bleed. They are often difficult to diagnose and treat. We present a case of a 35-year-old man with parenchymal liver disease admitted with complaints of hematemesis and melena. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed and a duodenal varix, with stigmata of a recent bleed, was noted in the second part of the duodenum. Five milliliters of N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate glue was injected into the varix leading to obliteration. A follow-up study with an endoscopic ultrasound and repeat endoscopy showed near total obturation of the varix and success of the therapy. This report concludes that glue injection can effectively be used as a first-line treatment for bleeding duodenal varices

Deployment and Performance of an X-Band Dual-Polarization Radar during the Southern China Monsoon Rainfall Experiment

An X-band dual-polarization radar (XPRAD) was deployed in Guangdong province as part of the Southern China Monsoon Rainfall Experiment (SCMREX) during the storm season in 2016. This paper presents a comprehensive assessment of XPRAD observations during SCMREX with emphasis on data processing and rainfall products. The differential phase-based attenuation correction and radar calibration using self-consistency of dual-polarization observables are presented. It is found that the standard deviation of the Z d r bias is less than 0.2 dB based on ‘light rain at low angle’ and ‘dry aggregate snow’ observations. Cross-comparison with two standard S-band China New Generation Weather Radars (CINRAD) shows that the bias of Z h has a mean value less than 1.5 dBZ and a standard deviation less than 0.5 dBZ. In addition, fifteen rainfall events that occurred during the intensive observing period (IOP) are analyzed to demonstrate the rainfall estimation performance of XPRAD. In particular, rainfall accumulations at 1-, 2- and 3-h scales derived using R( K d p ) and R( Z h , Z d r ) relations are evaluated using national level rain gauge data and CINRAD-based rainfall estimation. The results show that both R( K d p )- and R( Z h , Z d r )-based products agree well with the rain gauge observations and CINRAD estimation. The difference between R ( K d p ) and R ( Z h , Z d r ) is not significant, although R ( K d p ) shows slightly better performance than R ( Z h , Z d r )

Characteristic Analysis of the Downburst in Greely, Colorado on 30 July 2017 Using WPEA Method and X-Band Radar Observations

As a manifestation of low-altitude wind shear, a downburst is a localized, strong downdraft that can lead to disastrous wind on the ground surface. For effective pre-warning and forecasting of downbursts, it is particularly critical to understand relevant weather features that occur before and during a downburst process. It is important to identify the macroscopic features associated with the downburst weather process before considering fine-scale observations because this would greatly increase the accuracy and timeliness of forecasts. Therefore, we applied the wind-vector potential-temperature energy analysis (WPEA) method and CSU-CHILL X-band dual-polarization radar to explore the features of the downburst process. Here it was found that prior to the occurrence of the downburst of interest, the specific areas that should be monitored in future events could be determined by studying the atmospherically unstable areas using the WPEA method. Combining the WPEA method with dual-polarization radar observations, we can better distinguish the phase distribution of the hydrometeor in the process and greatly enhance the judgment of the possibility of the downburst. From exploration of the microphysical features of the downburst, we further found that ‘Zdr (differential reflectivity) column’ can be regarded as an important early warning indicator of the location of the downburst. Finally, a schematic of the formation process of the downburst according to the analyses was produced