A real-time road pricing system: The case of a two-link parallel network

A real-time road pricing system in the case of a two-link parallel network is proposed in this paper. The system that is based on a combination of Dynamic Programming and Neural Networks makes “on-line” decisions about road toll values. In the first phase of the proposed model, the best road toll sequences during certain time period are calculated off-line for many different patterns of vehicle arrivals. These toll sequences are computed using Dynamic Programming approach. In the second phase, learning from vehicle arrival patterns and the corresponding optimal toll sequences, neural network is trained. The results obtained during on-line tests are close to the best solution obtained off-line assuming that the arrival pattern is known.     

Neural network based approach to standard cell placement

Proposes a novel algorithm for placement of standard cells in VLSI circuits base don an analogy of this problem with neural networks. By employing some of the organising principles of these nets, the authors have attempted to improve the behaviour of the bipartitioning method as proposed by Kernighan and Lin. Their algorithm yields better quality placements compared with the above method, and also makes the final placement independent of the initial partition.<>     

Composition of the caecal microflora, faecal bile acids and serum proteins of rats fed turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) and its alcoholic extract

Wistar strain albino rats were fed turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) powder (100 mg rat⁻¹ day⁻¹) and its alcoholic extract (20 mg rat⁻¹ day⁻¹). The caecal contents were analysed after 3 months and 2 years. Colony counts of lactobacilli and total aerobes were decreased and of coliforms, total anaerobes and Clostridium perfringens were increased in the caecal contents of rats fed turmeric and its alcoholic extract for 3 months. A similar trend was also observed after 2 years feeding, except that the coliform count apparently decreased. Concomitantly faecal deoxycholic acid was increased and serum globulins were decreased as compared to those of rats fed a control diet.     

Production of (S)-β-Nitro Alcohols by Enantioselective C−C Bond Cleavage with an R-Selective Hydroxynitrile Lyase

Hydroxynitrile lyase (HNL)-catalysed stereoselective synthesis of β-nitro alcohols from aldehydes and nitroalkanes is considered an efficient biocatalytic approach. However, only one S-selective HNL—Hevea brasiliensis (HbHNL)—exists that is appropriate for the synthesis of (S)-β-nitro alcohols from the corresponding aldehydes. Further, synthesis catalysed by HbHNL is limited by low specific activity and moderate yields. We have prepared a number of (S)-β-nitro alcohols, by kinetic resolution with the aid of an R-selective HNL from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtHNL). Optimization of the reaction conditions for AtHNL-catalysed stereoselective C−C bond cleavage of racemic 2-nitro-1-phenylethanol (NPE) produced (S)-NPE (together with benzaldehyde and nitromethane, largely from the R enantiomer) in up to 99 % ee and with 47 % conversion. This is the fastest HNL-catalysed route known so far for the synthesis of a series of (S)-β-nitro alcohols. This approach widens the application of AtHNL for the synthesis not only of (R)- but also of (S)-β-nitro alcohols from the appropriate substrates. Without the need for the discovery of a new enzyme, but rather by use of a retro-Henry approach, it was used to generate a number of (S)-β-nitro alcohols by taking advantage of the substrate selectivity of AtHNL.     

A robust feature extraction with optimized DBN-SMO for facial expression recognition

Multimedia Tools and Applications - Facial expression is the most common technique is used to convey the expressions of human beings. Due to different ethnicity and age, faces differ from one...     

Development of hybrid model and optimization of surface roughness in electric discharge machining using artificial neural networks and genetic algorithm

The present work is aimed at optimizing the surface roughness of die sinking electric discharge machining (EDM) by considering the simultaneous affect of various input parameters. The experiments are carried out on Ti6Al4V, HE15, 15CDV6 and M-250. Experiments were conducted by varying the peak current and voltage and the corresponding values of surface roughness (SR) were measured. Multiperceptron neural network models were developed using Neuro Solutions package. Genetic algorithm concept is used to optimize the weighting factors of the network. It is observed that the developed model is within the limits of the agreeable error when experimental and network model results are compared. It is further observed that the error when the network is optimized by genetic algorithm has come down to less than 2% from more than 5%. Sensitivity analysis is also done to find the relative influence of factors on the performance measures. It is observed that type of material effectively influences the performance measures.     

Ortho‐ vs Bay‐Functionalization: A Comparative Study on Tetracyano‐Terrylenediimides

In this paper n‐type semiconductors synthesized via selective fourfold cyanation of the ortho‐ and bay‐positions (2,5,10,13‐ and 1,6,9,14‐positions respectively) of teyrrylenediimides are reported. A detailed study about the impact of the diverse functionalization topologies on the optoelectronic properties, self‐organization from solution, solid‐state packing, and charge carrier transport in field‐effect transistors is presented. The ortho‐substitution preserves the planarity of the core and favors high order in solution processed films. However, the strong intermolecular interactions lead to a microstructure with large aggregates and pronounced grain boundaries which lower the charge carrier transport in transistors. In contrast, the well‐soluble bay‐functionalized terrylenediimide forms only disordered films which surprisingly result in n‐type average mobilities of 0.17 cm²/Vs after drop‐casting with similar values in air. Processing by solvent vapor diffusion enhances the transport to 0.65 cm²/Vs by slight improvement of the order and surface arrangement of the molecules. This mobility is comparable to highest n‐type conductivities measured for solution processed PDI derivatives demonstrating the high potential of TDI‐based semiconductors.     

Gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH) receptor gene is expressed in the chicken ovary: potential role of GnIH in follicular maturation

Gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH), an RFamide peptide, has been found to inhibit pituitary LH secretion in avian and mammalian species. The gene encoding a putative receptor for GnIH (GnIHR) was recently identified in the chicken and Japanese quail brain and pituitary gland. GnIHR appears to be a seven-transmembrane protein belonging to a family of G-protein-coupled receptors. In the present study, we have characterized the expression of GnIHR mRNA in the chicken ovary and demonstrate that GnIHR may exert an inhibitory effect on ovarian follicular development. By RT-PCR, we detected GnIHR mRNA in the chicken testis and in the ovary, specifically both thecal and granulosa cell layers. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis revealed greater GnIHR mRNA quantity in theca cells of prehierarchial follicles compared with that of preovulatory follicles. GnIHR mRNA quantity was significantly decreased in sexually mature chicken ovaries versus ovaries of sexually immature chickens. Estradiol (E(2)) and/or progesterone (P(4)) treatment of sexually immature chickens significantly decreased ovarian GnIHR mRNA abundance. Treatment of prehierarchial follicular granulosa cells in vitro with chicken GnIH peptide significantly decreased basal but not FSH-stimulated cellular viability. Collectively, our results indicate that the ovarian GnIHR is likely to be involved in ovarian follicular development. A decrease in ovarian GnIHR mRNA abundance due to sexual maturation or by E(2) and/or P(4) treatment would implicate an inhibitory role for GnIHR in ovarian follicular development. Furthermore, GnIH may affect follicular maturation by decreasing the viability of prehierarchial follicular granulosa cells through binding to GnIHR.     

Investigation of the role of tyrosine-114 in the activity of human O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltranferase

Tyrosine-114 is one of 13 totally conserved amino acids in all known sequences of O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (AGT). The importance of this amino acid in repair of alkylated DNA by AGT was studied by changing it to phenylalanine (F), alanine (A), threonine (T), or glutamic acid (E) in human AGT. The activities of the mutant proteins were then compared to those of the wild type with regard to abilities to do the following: (a) protect Escherichia coli from the methylating agent N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG); (b) repair methylated DNA in vitro; (c) bind to oligodeoxynucleotides containing O6-methylguanine; and (d) react with the low molecular weight pseudosubstrate, O6-benzylguanine. When expressed at high levels in E. coli strain GWR109, lacking endogenous AGT, the wild type and the Y114F mutant were highly effective in reducing mutations and cell killing by MNNG. The Y114A mutant had a much smaller protective effect, and mutants Y114T and Y114E were inactive. Purified preparations of all four AGT mutants showed an approximately similar degree (74-120-fold) of reduction in the rate of reaction with O6-benzylguanine. In contrast, the degree of reduction in activity toward methylated DNA substrates in vitro varied according to the mutation with the more conservative Y114F producing only a 30-fold reduction and the most drastic change of Y114E abolishing activity completely. Alteration Y114A produced a 1000-fold reduction whereas Y114T reduced activity by 10000-fold. All of the mutations affected the binding of AGT to single- or double-stranded oligodeoxynucleotides containing O6-methylguanine. The extent of increase in the Kd varied according to the amino acid with 2-5-fold (F), 7-11-fold (A), 167-200-fold (T), and 600-1000-fold (E) increases. These results are consistent with tyrosine-114 playing a role both in the binding of AGT to its DNA substrate and in facilitating the transfer of the alkyl group. It is probable that AGT resembles other DNA repair proteins in bringing about a "flipping out" of the target base from the DNA helix. Tyrosine-114 is therefore an excellent candidate for a key role in the interaction with the flipped O6-methylguanine. The results also show that when large amounts of AGT are produced in the cell, substantial decreases in the efficiency with which AGT can repair methylated DNA do not prevent the ability to protect E. coli from toxic alkylating agents. Mutant Y114F, whose activity was reduced by 30-fold, was equal to wild-type AGT in bringing about this protection.