A novel noncooperative game competing model using generalized simple additive weighting method to perform network selection in heterogeneous wireless networks

Network selection mechanisms have a significant role in guaranteeing the QoS for users in a heterogeneous wireless networks environment. These mechanisms allow the selection of an optimal wireless network to satisfy the needs of users. Users are provided with the opportunity to select from multiple connectivity opportunities available all over various wireless networks. Furthermore, the network operators themselves can execute active selection strategies that facilitate proper decision making, in which user preferences are considered. This study proposes a new noncooperative competing game‐theoretic model and strategy space based on user preference. This model can solve network selection problems and capture the inter‐linkages of decisions taken by various networks. A generalized simple additive weighting method is incorporated into the framework of noncooperative game theory. In addition, the utility function is employed to assess the usefulness of the system. Simulation results and analysis illustrate the efficacy of the suggested model in attaining optimum network utility for heterogeneous wireless networks while optimizing user satisfaction. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Experimental investigation of drying behaviour and conditions of pumpkin slices via a cyclone‐type dryer

This paper describes an experimental investigation of the drying behaviour and conditions of pumpkin slices via a convective cyclone‐type dryer. Drying experiments were conducted at air inlet temperatures of 60, 70 and 80 °C and air velocities of 1 and 1.5 m s^?1. Samples of 200 g of cylindrical pumpkin slices (thickness 5 mm × diameter 35 mm) were arranged in a single layer on each of two trays. The least squares method was applied to derive the drying curve equation of samples. During the experiments the following parameters were measured: weight loss, temperature, relative moisture and velocity. From these parameters, dimensionless mass loss, moisture content, mass shrinkage and drying rate of samples were calculated and are discussed in detail. Additionally, the transport of water during dehydration was described by the diffusion mechanism, and Fick's equation was used for evaluation of the experimental data. The linear sections of drying curves were analysed by linear regression to obtain the moisture diffusivities. It was found that pumpkin slices would dry perfectly within 340–720 min under these drying conditions. The convective cyclone dryer could also be used to dry other products. Thus it is expected that this new dryer will help farmers and producers to reduce the cost of drying. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

Identification of Turkish extra virgin olive oils produced in different regions by using NMR (1H and 13C) and IRMS (13C/12C)

Isotope ratio mass spectroscopy (IRMS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy techniques are two of the analytical methods that are used to characterize food products. The aim of this study is to classify extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) samples collected from different regions of Turkey based on ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra along with IRMS δ¹³C carbon isotope ratio data by using chemometrics multivariate data analysis methods. A total of 175 EVOO samples were analyzed in 2014/15 and 2015/16 harvest seasons. Multivariate classification and clustering models were used to identify geographical and botanical origins of the EVOOs. IRMS results showed that there was no significant difference in terms of δ¹³C values between the years in terms of harvest year (p > 0.05), only extraction phase and variety were statistically significant factors (p < 0.05). The interactions of the factors showed that the harvest year × variety interaction is important. The outcomes of this research clearly indicated that considering the partial least squares discriminant analysis result with NMR spectra, the percent success of the model in the South Marmara, North Aegean, and South Aegean region samples were 95%, 95.7%, and 96.4% in the model set, respectively. The results showed that by using classification and clustering models, geographic marking and labeling of these oils can be carried out regardless of differences in year and production systems (2 and 3 phase extraction system) according the NMR analysis.     

Study of Influence of Annealing Time on Some Physical Properties of ZnO:Cu Nanorods Grown by a Simple Chemical Bath Deposition Method

A simple chemical bath deposition method was used to prepare high density ZnO nanorods on ZnO seeded Si substrates. Upon the nanorods growth, Cu-doping was achieved by diffusion process at 500 ^°C for different times in vacuum ambient. The structural, optical, and magnetic properties of the obtained ZnO:Cu nanorods were then examined. XRD analysis showed that undoped and ZnO:Cu samples were highly c-axis oriented with a hexagonal wurtzite structure. SEM analysis indicated that ZnO:Cu nanorods had diameters of ～200 nm and lengths of ～1.5 μm. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy demonstrated that Cu was successfully doped into ZnO in a divalent state. Photoluminescence results showed that Cu-doping caused a decrease in the green band intensity of nanorods compared to undoped ZnO. Room temperature magnetic measurements showed that pure ZnO nanorods exhibited ferromagnetism that might be ascribed to defect-induced d⁰ ferromagnetism. All the ZnO:Cu nanorods also showed the room temperature ferromagnetism that was attributed to the bound magnetic polarons (BMPs).     

IFRS: An Indexed Face Recognition System Based on Face Recognition and RFID Technologies

Access control systems are in contact with humans in everyday life, it is used in buildings, smartphones, cars, and IoT. Access control systems became an active research area. The performance of an access control system is specified by its speed and accuracy. Biometric systems are powerful access control systems which use humans’ biological or physiological properties to provide access to the restricted data or area. From all of the many biometric system types, the face recognition system is the only type that is delivering the automatic property. Moreover, it is the most acceptable type of biometric systems to the humans. The main challenges in the face recognition system are the degradation of the speed and accuracy when the system database grew bigger. This is because the face recognition system is an identification system that adopts a one to many (1:M) relationship. As a result, there is a need to develop a system with one to one (1:1) relationship, which is a challenging process. Motivated by such challenge, this paper proposes a system called Indexed Face Recognition System (IFRS) which is based on the combination of face recognition technology and Radio Frequency Identification technology. IFRS uses Local Binary Pattern Histogram as a feature vector and Haar-cascade classifier for the face detection. Moreover, the system is enhanced with three pre-processing methods namely: Bilateral filter, Histogram Equalization, and applying Tan and Triggs’ algorithm. In addition, IFRS performs an image normalization processes before and after Face Detection phase to enhance images quality, these process are: Color Conversion and Image Cropping and Resizing. Two experiments were done. The first experiment was done on 400 images with 40 subjects (10 images per subject). The second experiment was done on 210 collected images for 21 subjects (10 images per subject) from University students as a real-life case study. The practical results demonstrates that 4?×?4 image divisions gives better results than 8?×?8 image divisions as far as recognition time, database access time, and storage capacity are concerned. The practical results show that IFRS can reach an accuracy of 100% with a very little amount of time delay that is negligible.     

The effects of theophylline on serum alprazolam levels

Theophylline and benzodiazepines are frequently combined in clinical practice. Because of a number of case reports about antagonism of benzodiazepine-induced sedation by theophylline, we investigated serum alprazolam levels in a convenient sample of pulmonary medicine inpatients receiving theophylline and no theophylline. One mg of alprazolam was given daily for seven days to 6 patients receiving theophylline and 7 patients not receiving theophylline treatment. On days 2 through 7, trough serum alprazolam levels were measured. On day 7, blood samples were collected before (0 hour), and at 3, 6, 9 and 12 hours after alprazolam administration. In patients receiving theophylline, serum trough alprazolam levels were significantly lower during each day of the study. In patients receiving no theophylline, serum alprazolam levels were in the therapeutic range, except for two patients who had high alprazolam levels. In this small study, serum alprazolam levels were found to be consistently below the therapeutic range in patients receiving chronic theophylline treatment. Previously reported antagonism of anxiolytic effects of benzodiazepines by theophylline is probably due to the lower serum benzodiazepine levels in these patients.