Ergodic Capacity and Symbol Error Rate Analysis of a Wireless System with α-μ Composite Fading Channel

Surgeons must intraoperatively view cross-section images under sterilization conditions. Keyboard and computer mouse are sources of contamination. A computer vision algorithm and a hand movement pattern analysis technique have been applied to solve the problem based on surgeon’s behaviors. This paper proposed a new method to control the radiological image viewer in an operating room. A pattern code of hand movement and a grid square guideline are used. Our proposed algorithm comprises three steps: hand tracking, pattern code area identification, and hand movement pattern recognition. First, the system is fed with a sequence of three-dimensional data. A 3D camera captures the whole target body. A skeleton tracking algorithm is used to detect the human body. The left-hand joint in the skeleton data set is tracked. Second, as this algorithm supports one hand movement, a grid square guideline is defined. Hand movements are interpreted from the hand path moving in the grid square area. Finally, the pattern code is defined as a feature vector. By using the feature vector and closest point classifier, the hand movements are recognized by the K-Nearest Neighbors algorithm. To test the performance of the proposed algorithm, data from twenty subjects were used. Seven commands were used to interface with the computer workstation to control the radiological image viewer. The accuracy rate was 95.72%. The repeatability was 1.88. The advantage of this method is that one hand can control the image viewer software from a distance of 1.5 m satisfactorily without contacting computer devices. Our method also does not need big data set to train the system.

     

Performance optimization of pharmaceutical supply chain by a unique resilience engineering and fuzzy mathematical framework

Pharmaceutical supply chains (PSCs) are responsible for guaranteeing that the right people receive the right medication at the right time and in the right conditions. These responsibilities make PSC very complex and subsequently increase their vulnerability and disturbance probability. Resilience engineering (RE) can enable supply chain managers to cope with disruptions and to help them maintain their efficient performance. This study proposes a unique RE framework for performance optimization of the pharmaceutical sector in a veterinary organization. A standard questionnaire was used to collect the required data. Next, data envelopment analysis (DEA) and fuzzy data envelopment analysis (FDEA) approaches were employed to formulate the problem. Sensitivity analysis was performed based on the most appropriate model of DEA and FDEA. The results showed that redundancy was the most effective factor in enhancing efficiency in PSCs in the veterinary organization. This is one of the first studies that investigate the influence of resilience indicators on PSC through DEA/FDEA and statistical methods.     

Multi-objective optimization of QCA circuits with multiple outputs using genetic programming

Quantum-Dot Cellular Automata (QCA) is a promising nanotechnology that has been recognized as one of the top emerging technologies in future computers. Size density of several orders of magnitude smaller than Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor, fast switching time and extremely low power, has caused QCA to become a topic of intense research. The majority gate and the inverter gate together make a universal set of Boolean primitives in QCA technology. Reducing the number of required primitives to implement a given Boolean function is an important step in designing QCA logic circuits. Previous research has shown how to use genetic programming to minimize the number of gates implementing a given Boolean function with one output. In this paper, we first show how to minimize the gates for the given Boolean truth tables with an arbitrary number of outputs using genetic programming. Then, another criterion, reduction of the delay of the implementing circuit is considered. Multi-objective genetic programming is applied to simultaneously optimize both objectives. The results demonstrate the proposed approach is promising and worthy of further research.     

One-Pot,Sequential Four-Component Synthesis of Benzo[a]chromeno[2,3-c]phenazine Derivatives Using SiO2–SO3H as an Efficient and Recoverable Catalyst Under Conventional Heating and Microwave Irradiation

Silica sulfuric acid (SiO₂–SO₃H) has been used as an effective and reusable solid catalyst for the one-pot, two-step, four-component microwave-assisted synthesis of benzo[a]chromeno[2,3-c]phenazine derivatives by the condensation reaction of 2-hydroxynaphthalene-1,4-dione, o-phenylenediamine, aldehydes, and cyclic 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds. This new procedure has a number of advantages such as: high yields, very short reaction time, operational simplicity, simple work-up procedures and avoidance of hazardous or toxic catalysts, and organic solvents and is devoid of inessential derivatization and generation of hazardous substances. Moreover, the catalyst shows high thermal stability and can be recovered and reused without loss of reactivity.     

Dipolar relaxation mechanism of long-lived states of methyl groups

We analyze the symmetry properties of the dipolar Hamiltonian as the main relaxation mechanism responsible for the observed NMR spectra of long-lived states of methyl groups. Long-lived states exhibit relaxation times that are considerably longer than the spin–lattice relaxation time, \(T_{1}\). The analysis is complementary to previous studies and provides insight into the relaxation mechanism of long-lived states by focusing exclusively on the symmetry of the spin Hamiltonian. Our study shows that the dipole–dipole coupling between protons of a methyl group and between the protons and an external spin are both symmetry breaking interactions that can lead to relaxation pathways that transform the polarization from symmetry order to Zeeman order. The net contribution of the internal dipolar interaction to the NMR observation of long-lived states is zero. Our calculation is in good agreement with the reported features of the observed spectra and previous theoretical studies.     

Evaluation of users' privacy concerns by checking of their WhatsApp status

WhatsApp Messenger is a popular instant messenger among Iranian users. The WhatsApp status feature provides the possibility of posting desired content without restrictions in terms of type with the capability of being managed by users. Status can be considered as a potential place to express users' feelings, opinions, and thoughts. However, special attention should be paid to the privacy of users and the information published in this manner because access to the content of a user's status by unauthorized friends and interpretations of the user's status content may violate his/her privacy. This study investigates the privacy issues associated with information shared through status. The data of this study were gathered via access to the status content of 4000 Iranian users and via telephone interviews conducted with 350 of them. In this study, a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods has been used to analyze the data. This study focuses on the extraction of patterns in users' status content, determination of their polarity, and examination of the factors affecting users' privacy concerns. During the research, 10 general themes were extracted from users' content. The results showed that user privacy concerns influenced the type of theme selected. In addition, the theme selected under different circumstances may include a type of feeling that, in this study, is called polarity. Polarity is affected by the users' privacy concerns. Moreover, the demographic characteristics of users (age and gender) have a significant relationship with the type of theme used and their privacy concerns.     

The influence of parent austenite characteristics on the intervariant boundary network in a lath martensitic steel

Journal of Materials Science - The influence of the parent austenite deformation state on the intervariant boundary network (i.e., population, plane orientation, and connectivity) of a lath...