A performance evaluation of pruning effects on hybrid neural network

In this paper, we explore the pruning effects on a hybrid mode sequential learning algorithmnamely FuzzyARTMAP-prunable Radial Basis Function (FAM-PRBF) that utilizes FuzzyARTMAP to learn a training dataset and Radial Basis Function Network (RBFN) to performregression and classification. The pruning algorithm is used to optimize the hidden layer ofthe RBFN. The experimental results show that FAM-PRBF has successfully reduced thecomplexity and computation time of the neural network.Keywords: pruning; radial basis function network; fuzzy ARTMAP

Negative stiffness and enhanced damping of individual multiwalled carbon nanotubes

The mechanical instabilities and viscoelastic response of individual multiwalled carbon nanotubes and nanofibers (MWCNTs/Fs) under uniaxial compression are studied with atomic force microscopy. Specific buckling events are evident by regimes of negative stiffness, i.e., marked drops in force with increasing compression. Uniaxial cyclic loading can be repeatedly executed even in initially postbuckled regimes, where the CNTs/Fs display incremental negative stiffness. Increases in mechanical damping of 145–600 % in these initially postbuckled regimes, as compared to the linear prebuckled regimes, are observed. Increased damping is attributed to frictional energy dissipation of walls in buckled configurations of the MWCNTs/Fs. This represents the extension of the concept of negative stiffness to the scale of nanostructures and opens up possibilities for designing nanocomposites with high stiffness and high damping simultaneously

Mapping of serotype-specific, immunodominant epitopes in the NS-4 region of hepatitis C virus (HCV):use of type-specific peptides to serologically differentiate infections with HCV types 1, 2, and 3

The effect of sequence variability between different types of hepatitis C virus (HCV) on the antigenicity of the NS-4 protein was investigated by epitope mapping and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with branched oligopeptides. Epitope mapping of the region between amino acid residues 1679 and 1768 in the HCV polyprotein revealed two major antigenic regions (1961 to 1708 and 1710 to 1728) that were recognized by antibody elicited upon natural infection of HCV. The antigenic regions were highly variable between variants of HCV, with only 50 to 60% amino acid sequence similarity between types 1, 2, and 3. Although limited serological cross-reactivity between HCV types was detected between peptides, particularly in the first antigenic region of NS-4, type-specific reactivity formed the principal component of the natural humoral immune response to NS-4. Type-specific antibody to particular HCV types was detected in 89% of the samples from anti-HCV-positive blood donors and correlated almost exactly with genotypic analysis of HCV sequences amplified from the samples by polymerase chain reaction. Whereas almost all blood donors appeared to be infected with a single virus type (97%), a higher proportion of samples (40%) from hemophiliacs infected from transfusion of non-heat-inactivated clotting factor contained antibody to two or even all three HCV types, providing evidence that long-term exposure may lead to multiple infection with different variants of HCV

Uses of cetyl cacaoateTM in lipstick development: sensory evaluation

The use of Cetyl CacaoateTM in lipstick formulation was evaluated by varying the porpotion of waxes mixture among carnauba wax, jojoba ester and Cetyl CacaoateTM based on Simplex centroid {3,3} experimental design. Sensory evaluation was carried out by nine trained panels using quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) method. The attributes agreed in the sensory languages development session were easy to apply, off flavor, hardness, texture, moist, appearance on lip after use, glossy, oily, comfortability after use, and long lasting. Results showed that Cetyl CacaoateTM increased the score of easy to apply but decreased the score for hardness. Cetyl CacaoateTM in the lipstick formulation increased the oily feels whereas carnauba wax gave less oily effect. No off flavor was detected for all the samples. However, the panels had different perception on comfortability after use, and long lasting. The ratio of cosmetic waxes in lipstick formulation which gave scores close to reference sample were 1/2 Cetyl CacaoateTM : 1/2 jojoba ester and 2/3 Cetyl CacaoateTM : 1/6 jojoba ester : 1/6 lilin carnauba

Correlates of elevational specialisation in Southeast Asian tropical birds

The understanding of elevational selectivity in extremely rich tropical biotas is critical to the study of accelerating human-mediated environmental changes (e.g., deforestation and global climate warming). This paper explores the characteristics of Southeast Asian birds that are altitudinal specialists (i.e., lowland specialists and montane specialists) by assessing the relative importance of various species traits (e.g., breeding phenology and clutch size) in determining the altitudinal specialisation of these tropical birds. After controlling for phylogeny, we found that habitat specificity, breeding phenology, and clutch size were significant correlates of lowland specialisation. The most parsimonious model predicting lowland specialisation included the first of these only. Breeding phenology was the significant phylogeny-independent correlate of montane specialisation. Thus, species were confined to altitudinal niches by different constraints. By analysing the altitudinal distribution of Southeast Asian birds, we provide insights on why altitudinal confinement exists in lowland and montane specialists. Understanding such constraints may be important for the conservation of tropical birds

Effect of Inflow and Infiltration in Sewerage System of Residential Area, Kuantan, Pahang

Inflow and infiltration is a phenomenon in sewerage systems that can have negative effects on the environment and human health if not treated properly. Collaboration has been made between Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) and Indah Water Konsortium Sdn. Bhd. (IWK) where the purpose is to evaluate the amount of inflow and infiltration happening in sewerage systems of residential areas in Kuantan. For this part of the study, one sewer pipeline (MH92a–MH92b) was selected at the residential area of Bandar Putra, having a population equivalent of 1694. The method used in this research was the Flowrate method to tabulate data. ISCO 2150 and 4250 Area Velocity Flowmeters were used to measure flow rate data in the sewer pipeline, whereas ISCO 674 Rain Gauge was used to collect rainfall intensity data. Calibration of all the equipment was done at the Hydrology and Hydraulic Laboratory in UMP. The data was collected for 41 days with each measurement separated by an interval of five minutes. The result shows that the average percentage Infiltration Rate of Qpeak and Qave in this residential catchment were 10.3% and 26.5% which is higher than the value mentioned in Hammer and Hammer (2012). Inflow and infiltration is a real concern, so more study is required to determine whether revision of the infiltration rate recommended in the Malaysian Standard is needed

Potential use of plasma focus radiation sources in superficial cancer therapy

The new multidisciplinary field of plasma medicine combines plasma physics, electrical engineering, life sciences and clinical medicine. Here we explore potential uses in medicine, most particularly cancer therapy, the plasma source being brought out of the field of industrial applications into the life sciences, the focus being on superficial cancer radiotherapy strategies. Existing radiotherapy practices for such cancers rely on the use of rather large facilities, most popularly the electron linear accelerator and X-ray tube-based devices. Conversely, a compact plasma radiation source can be housed in a relatively small space, there being considerable promise for such devices to produce the fluence requirements of radiotherapy for treatment of skin cancers. The present study of feasibility investigates the plasma focus device, with the emission produced by a single discharge shown to generate an X-ray dose of few tens of mGy. The X-ray dose is the integration of emission in the discharge durations of less than a μs, it is therefore possible using these devices to build up fractional irradiation dose through repetitive operation of the discharge system