Optimal Topological Arrangement of Queues in Closed Finite Queueing Networks

Closed queueing networks are widely used in many different kinds of scientific and business applications. Since the demands of saving energy and reducing costs are becoming more and more significant with developing technologies, finding a systematic methodology for getting the best arrangement is very important. In this thesis, design rules are proposed for tandem and various other topologies, to help the designer find the best arrangements which maximize the throughput. Our topological arrangements problem (TAP) can be established as: the system has m-service stations in a network and each one may have different design parameters. To relax the queueing system, the original finite buffer queue is decomposed into a buffer and an infinite buffer server system. Mean Value Analysis (MVA) is used to measure the performance of each topology arrangement. Finally, mixed-integer sequential quadratic programming (MISQP) is used to solve the optimization problem and it is compared with enumeration and a simulation model of Arena (a discrete-event model)

A uniform estimate for an equation with Holderian condition and boundary singularity

We give a blow-up analysis and a compactness result for an equation with Holderian condition and boundary singularity.Comment: arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1302.0657, arXiv:1309.158

MOSS—Multi-Modal Best Subset Modeling in Smart Manufacturing

Smart manufacturing, which integrates a multi-sensing system with physical manufacturing processes, has been widely adopted in the industry to support online and real-time decision making to improve manufacturing quality. A multi-sensing system for each specific manufacturing process can efficiently collect the in situ process variables from different sensor modalities to reflect the process variations in real-time. However, in practice, we usually do not have enough budget to equip too many sensors in each manufacturing process due to the cost consideration. Moreover, it is also important to better interpret the relationship between the sensing modalities and the quality variables based on the model. Therefore, it is necessary to model the quality-process relationship by selecting the most relevant sensor modalities with the specific quality measurement from the multi-modal sensing system in smart manufacturing. In this research, we adopted the concept of best subset variable selection and proposed a new model called Multi-mOdal beSt Subset modeling (MOSS). The proposed MOSS can effectively select the important sensor modalities and improve the modeling accuracy in quality-process modeling via functional norms that characterize the overall effects of individual modalities. The significance of sensor modalities can be used to determine the sensor placement strategy in smart manufacturing. Moreover, the selected modalities can better interpret the quality-process model by identifying the most correlated root cause of quality variations. The merits of the proposed model are illustrated by both simulations and a real case study in an additive manufacturing (i.e., fused deposition modeling) process

Underwater Sparse Acoustic Sensor Array Design under Spacing Constraints Based on a Global Enhancement Whale Optimization Algorithm

Sparse arrays with low cost and engineering complexity are widely applied in many fields. However, the high peak sidelobe level (PSLL) of a sparse array causes the degradation of weak target detection performance. Particularly for the large size of underwater low-frequency sensors, the design problem requires a minimum spacing constraint, which further increases the difficulty of PSLL suppression. In this paper, a novel swarm-intelligence-based approach for sparse sensor array design is proposed to reduce PSLL under spacing constrains. First, a global enhancement whale optimization algorithm (GEWOA) is introduced to improve the global search capability for optimal arrays. A three-step enhanced strategy is used to enhance the ergodicity of element positions over the aperture. In order to solve the adaptation problem for discrete array design, a position decomposition method and a V-shaped transfer function are introduced into off-grid and on-grid arrays, respectively. The effectiveness and superiority of the proposed approach is validated using experiments for designing large-scale low-frequency arrays in the marine environment. The PSLL of the off-grid array obtained by GEWOA was nearly 3.8 dB lower than that of WOA. In addition, compared with other intelligent algorithms, the on-grid array designed using GEWOA had the lowest PSLL

TLR9 promoter polymorphism is associated with both an increased susceptibility to gastric carcinoma and poor prognosis.

OBJECTIVE: Genetic polymorphisms of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) may influence the effects of H. pylori infection and play important roles in gastric carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to determine whether the polymorphisms of TLR4 and TLR9 are associated with susceptibility to gastric carcinoma and its prognosis. METHODS: This study consisted of 314 patients with gastric cancer and 314 healthy controls. The polymorphisms were assessed using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis. Survival was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier survival curves. RESULTS: No variant genotypes of TLR4+896A/G, TLR4+1196C/T, or TLR9 -1237T/C were detected. For TLR9 -1486 T/C, multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that compared with the TT homozygote, patients with both the TC variant (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.47, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.04-2.10) and the CC variant (adjusted OR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.01-2.64) had higher risks of gastric cancer. Further stratification analyses revealed that an increased risk of gastric cancer associated with C carriers was evident among females (adjusted OR = 1.84, 95%CI = 1.02-3.33), in younger subjects aged less than 60 years old (adjusted OR = 1.86, 95%CI = 1.15-3.00), and subjects with H. pylori infection (adjusted OR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.03-2.27). We also observed a significant association between C carriers and noncardia gastric cancer (adjusted OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.03-2.20). In addition, we demonstrated that the C carrier genotype and H. pylori infection may have a synergistic effect and conferred an OR of 2.44 for developing gastric cancer. TLR9 -1486C was also identified as an independent marker of poor survival of carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that TLR9 -1486C carriers are associated with an increased risk and poor prognosis of gastric carcinoma in the Chinese population

Adsorption of Malachite Green and Pb²⁺ by KMnO₄-Modified Biochar: Insights and Mechanisms

In this study, the feasibility and mechanism of Pb2+ and malachite green (MG) adsorption from wastewater using KMnO4-modified bamboo biochar (KBC) was evaluated. The KBC was characterized by SEM–EDS, XRD, FTIR and XPS. The adsorption results for Pb2+ conformed to pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Langmuir model theory. Unlike the case for Pb2+, the Freundlich model better described the adsorption behaviour of MG, indicating that adsorption occurred within multiple molecular layers. Both pseudo-first-order kinetics and pseudo-second-order kinetics fit the MG adsorption data well, indicating that physical adsorption was involved in the adsorption process. In addition, the maximum adsorption capacity for Pb2+/MG was 123.47/1111.11 mg·g−1, KBC had high adsorption capacities for Pb2+ and MG, and the mechanisms of Pb2+ adsorption were mineral precipitation, functional group complexation, and cation-π interactions, while the main mechanisms for MG adsorption were pore filling, π–π interactions, and functional group complexation. In this study, KMnO4-modified biochar was prepared and used as an efficient adsorbent, and showed good application prospects for treatment of wastewater containing MG and Pb2+

Anti-radiation damage effect of polyethylenimine as a toll-like receptor 5 targeted agonist

A number of agents are now available for use in protecting against ionizing radiation. These radiation-protective agents, however, have many adverse effects. Efforts have been made to develop new radiation-protective agents for medical application. Here, we investigated whether a compound, polyethylenimine (PEI), which activates Toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5)-mediated NF-kB signaling pathways, could have an anti-radiation effect on a mouse model. First, a cell-based screening model for an agonist of TLR5-mediated NF-kB pathway was established and then validated by activation of TLR5-mediated NF-kB luciferase reporter activity with a known TLR5 agonist, flagellin. We found that PEI induced dose-dependent activation of the TLR5-mediated NF-kB pathway, indicating that PEI is indeed a TLR5 agonist. Furthermore, the anti-radiation effect of polyethylenimine was assessed using a γ-ray total body irradiation (TBI) mouse model. Compared with the irradiation control, both survival time and survival rate were significantly improved in mice that received either a low dose of polyethylenimine (P= 0.019) or a high dose of polyethylenimine (P< 0.001). We also observed a positive correlation between animal body weight and survival time in mice that received a low dose of polyethylenimine, a high dose of polyethylenimine and amifostine, over a period of 30 days, r= 0.42 (P< 0.02), 0.72 (P< 0.0001) and 0.95 (P< 0.0001), respectively, while a negative correlation between animal body weight and survival time was observed in the irradiation control (r= -0.89; P< 0.0001). These results indicate that polyethylenimine is a new TLR5 agonist with potential application in offering protection for patients receiving radiotherapy or in radiation-related accidents.8 page(s

Baseline characteristics of cases and controls.

<p>TNM: Tumor, Lymph Node, Metastasis.</p><p>Among 314 patients, 53 have missing TNM stage data.</p

Stratified analyses between TLR9 -1486 T/C polymorphisms and gastric cancer risk.

*<p>Adjusted for age, sex, and <i>H. pylori</i> infection in a logistic dominant model.</p><p>OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence interval.</p

Association between TLR9 -1486 T/C and gastric carcinoma in relation to <i>H. pylori</i> infection.

*<p>Adjusted for age and sex.</p