A semantic image classifier based on hierarchical fuzzy association rule mining

One of the major challenges in the content-based information retrieval and machine learning techniques is to-build-the-so-called “semantic classifier” which is able to effectively and efficiently classify semantic concepts in a large database. This paper dealt with semantic image classification based on hierarchical Fuzzy Association Rules (FARs) mining in the image database. Intuitively, an association rule is a unique and significant combination of image features and a semantic concept, which determines the degree of correlation between features and concept. The main idea behind this approach is that any image visual concept has some associated features, so that, there are strong correlations between the concepts and their corresponding features. Regardless of the semantic gap, an image concept appears when the corresponding features emerge in an image and vice versa. Specially, this paper’s contribution was to propose a novel Fuzzy Association Rule for improving traditional association rules. Moreover, it was concerned with establishing a hierarchical fuzzy rule base in the training phase and setup corresponding fuzzy inference engine in order to classify images in the testing phase. The presented approach was independent from image segmentation and can be applied on multi-label images. Experimental results on a database of 6000 general-purpose images demonstrated the superiority of the proposed algorithm.     

Using Taguchi method to determine optimum process conditions for flue gas desulfurization through an amine scrubber

This study was done to determine the optimum process conditions for absorption of sulfur dioxide in a mixture of flue gases. Using a selective amine-based absorber; a high amount of SO₂ was absorbed in the scrubbing process. The process was designed to reduce the amount of sulfur dioxide. The pilot plant was designed and set up in the Research Center of Petroleum University of Technology, containing absorption and desorption stages. This paper reports an investigation of the effect and optimization of parameters that improve the efficiency of the whole process. The experiments were conducted under varying levels of desorption temperature, pH of the absorber solution, concentration of SO₂ inlet gas, and flow rate of the absorbing solution. Using Taguchi experimental design method, the optimum conditions were identified for the absorption process. An efficiency of more than 99 % could be obtained by varying the parameters in which all the released SO₂ gas was absorbed from the inlet flue gas; an achievement that is much favorable for industrial purposes.     

Effect of two horizontal components of earthquake on nonlinear response of torsionally coupled base isolated structures

Torsion in base‐isolated structures using bilinear rubber isolators effected by two horizontal components of earthquake simultaneously is investigated under various principal parameters including number of storeys; ratio of uncoupled torsional frequency to lateral frequency in the superstructure; ratio of uncoupled torsional frequency to lateral frequency in the isolation system; mass eccentricity in the superstructure and isolation system; and, in addition, the direction of eccentricity. Structure was supposed a shear structure and it was modeled by using concentrated mass and springs. Isolators are modelled by using nonlinear springs considering the interaction of isolator behaviour in two directions. The effect of variation in considered parameters on the behaviour of the superstructure and isolation system is investigated under seven ground motions. It is demonstrated that the parameters affect asymmetric structure behaviour with respect to symmetric one. The results of our investigations help us to understand the asymmetric structure behaviour under bidirectional earthquake by comparing it with a symmetric one. These results demonstrate that asymmetry in the superstructure or isolation system could have a significant effect on the torsional behaviour of isolated structures. In addition, the results show that the use of rigid superstructures and calculation of dynamic torsion by multiplying eccentricity by the dynamic base shear are unacceptable assumptions. Torsional effect on the isolated structural behaviour is amplified by considering two horizontal components of earthquake and comparing them with just one horizontal component. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Aneurysm in a persistent sciatic artery. Apropos of 2 cases

Persistent sciatic is a vascular malformation resulting in the embryo from the preferential growth of the ischiatic posterior axis remaining atrophic. We report here two cases of unilateral, complete and incompleted, persistent sciatic arteries, complicated by buttock aneurysm.     

Quality preservation of minimally processed pomegranate cv. Jahrom arils based on chitosan and organic acid edible coatings

The effects of chitosan (CTS), ascorbic acid (AsA), and citric acid (CtA) on quality preservation of (Punica granatum cv. “Jahrom”) processed arils were investigated. The arils were immersed in aqueous solutions including water (control), CTS (0.5 and 1%), AsA (1 and 2%), and CtA (1 and 2%) and stored at 5–7°C for 15 days. Results showed that AsA maintained water loss; inhibited color change, phenolic, and anthocyanin degradation; increased vitamin C; and decreased total soluble solids and titratable acidity as compared to control. The efficiency was better for AsA than CtA and thus the effect of CTS on quality safety except to protect water loss was approximately ineffective. AsA also exhibited a significantly lower decay percentage, probably due to the suppressing peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase followed by improving antioxidant power and maintaining catalase activity, which displayed that AsA exerts an antibrowning effect. Moreover, the positive effects of AsA result in getting a higher score in sensory quality at the end storage.     

Effects of preweaning total plane of milk intake and weaning age on intake,growth performance,and blood metabolites of dairy calves

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of preweaning total plane of milk intake and weaning age on intake, growth performance, and blood metabolites of dairy calves. A total of 48 Holstein calves (40 ± 1.6 kg of body weight) were used in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with the factors of weaning age (d 60 vs. 75) and the total plane of milk intake (medium vs. high) during the preweaning period. Calves were assigned to 1 of 4 treatments: (1) calves fed medium plane of milk (MPM) intake and weaned on d 60 of age (MPM-60d, 4 L/d of milk from d 3 to 10, 6 L/d of milk from d 11 to 55, and 3 L/d of milk from d 56 to 60 of age; total milk intake = 317 L), (2) calves fed MPM intake and weaned on d 75 of age (MPM-75d, 4 L/d of milk from d 3 to 10 and 4.5 L/d of milk from d 11 to 70 of age followed by feeding 2.25 L/d of milk from d 71 to 75 of age; total milk intake = 313 L), (3) calves fed high plane of milk (HPM) intake and weaned on d 60 of age (HPM-60d, 4 L/d of milk from d 3 to 10, 6 L/d of milk from d 11 to 20, and 8.5 L/d of milk from d 21 to 55 followed by feeding 4.25 L/d of milk from d 56 to 60 of age; total milk intake = ～411 L); and (4) calves fed HPM intake and weaned on d 75 (HPM-75d, 4 L/d of milk from d 3 to 10, and 6 L/d of milk from d 11 to 70 of age followed by feeding 3 L/d of milk from d 71 to 75 of age; total milk intake = 407 L) with no milk refusals. All of the calves were monitored up to d 90 of age. Regardless of weaning age, starter feed intake and dry matter intake (% of body weight) were lower in calves fed HPM compared with those receiving MPM. A tendency for the plane of milk intake × weaning age interaction was observed for metabolizable energy intake with the highest value was recorded with the HPM-75d calves. The lowest efficiency of metabolizable energy intake and average feed efficiency was observed in HPM-60d calves throughout the experimental period as compared with the other groups. An interaction was found between the total plane of milk intake and weaning age regarding effects on total average daily gain, average daily gain/metabolizable energy intake, feed efficiency, final body weight, and plasma β-hydroxybutyrate levels with the highest values measured in HPM-75d calves. Weaning on d 75 versus d 60 improved wither height and hip width, which tended to increase body length at the end of the trial. The results suggest that calves fed high amounts of milk during their preweaning period benefit from extending the time of weaning from 60 to 75 d of age based on average daily gain, feed efficiency, and final body weight.     

Study of macromolecular interactions in low‐fat brined cheese modified with Zedu gum

The functionality of Zedu gum as a fat mimetic in low‐fat brined cheese was studied. The physicochemical, textural, rheological, microstructural and sensory properties of cheese samples modified with 0.1% and 0.25% of Zedu gum were compared to those of control cheeses (low‐fat and full‐fat cheeses with no fat mimetic) during ripening. To obtain further information about the cheeses' structure and interactions between macromolecules (casein protein and Zedu gum), other parameters were analysed by differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Incorporation of Zedu gum into low‐fat cheese caused an open microstructure and softer texture in comparison with the control low‐fat cheese. The thermal properties and FTIR spectra of the cheeses were influenced by both fat mimetic and ripening time. On days 1 and 60 of ripening time, the lower value of enthalpy of the low‐fat cheese with 0.25 g of Zedu gum/kg of milk (AS 0.25) in comparison with control low‐fat cheese could have been due to the electrostatic nature of the interactions between Zedu gum and casein protein. On both days, the FTIR spectrum of AS 0.25 showed a well separated absorption at 1746 cm^?1 possibly due to the formation of ester groups as a result of the interaction of the carbonyl groups in Zedu gum with the hydroxyl groups of some amino acids in casein.     

Facile synthesis of polyoxometalate-based composite with doped ternary NiCoFe cations as electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction

The construction of efficient and low-cost electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reactions (OER) to replace precious catalysts is a necessity to achieve economic production of hydrogen. Herein, we report an efficient tri-metallic electrocatalysts for the OER that is prepared by incorporate nickel, cobalt and iron cations on Triton X-100/phosphotungstic acid organic-inorganic composite without utilize any binders or energy consumer procedure. Considering to the synergy effect of simultaneous absorption of NiCoFe cations on composite substrate, the as-made tri-metallic catalyst exhibits excellent OER activity with a small overpotential of 210 and 330 mV at a current density of 10 and 100 mA cm^?2, respectively. Moreover, remarkable trends in electrocatalytic activity of mono-, bi- and tri-metallic electrocatalysts at low (10 mA) and high (100 mA) current density are observed. In addition, this new families of non-precious metal catalyst shows long-term durability in 1 M KOH.