Developing a hybrid PSO–ANN model for estimating the ultimate bearing capacity of rock-socketed piles

Neural Computing and Applications - Rock-socketed piles are commonly used in foundations built in soft ground, and thus, their bearing capacity is a key issue of universal concern in research,...     

Analysis of cracked layers under transient temperature field

The uncoupled thermoelasticity problem of a homogenous isotropic layer containing a line of temperature discontinuity and a Volterra edge dislocation is solved. The analysis is performed for discontinuity lines with two different directions of parallel and perpendicular to the layer boundary. The solutions for heat flux and stress fields exhibit the familiar Cauchy type singularity. These results are utilized to derive integral equations for the intensity of heat flux and densities of dislocation in a layer weakened by interacting cracks which are parallel and/or perpendicular to the layer boundary. The numerical solution of integral equations is performed and stress intensity factors for cracks are obtained.     

SOLUTION OF POPULATION BALANCE EQUATIONS IN EMULSION POLYMERIZATION USING METHOD OF MOMENTS

In this work, the method of moments is used for solution of population balance equations appearing in modeling of emulsion polymerization (EP). The zero-one model without coagulation effect and the pseudo-bulk model including coagulation effect are investigated as two common approaches for modeling EP processes. The fixed quadrature method is used to close the set of moment equations, and the maximum entropy approach is applied to reconstruct the particle size distribution from a finite number of its moments. Comparing the results with those obtained by the high-precision finite volume technique indicates that, despite the low computational load of the moment method, it has an acceptable accuracy. These features support use of the moment technique for other applications such as on-line control or optimization in particulate processes.     

Ultimate bound and optimal measurement for estimation of coupling constant in Tavis–Cummings model

We seek to study the problem of estimating the atoms-field coupling constant in Tavis–Cummings model for interaction between two atoms and an electromagnetic field by means of local estimation theory. We calculate the quantum Fisher information (QFI) for the most general pure probe state that undergoes evolution generated by the Hamiltonian of the Tavis–Cummings model; then, proper probe states which maximize the QFI are determined. Furthermore, we consider subspaces separately and show that QFI for atomic subspace (contains both qubits) and cavity field subspace can reach the maximum value of QFI in the whole space by choosing proper initial state. Finally, the optimal measurement that saturates the Cramer–Rao bound, i.e., the measurement with Fisher information equal to QFI, for considered states are determined in the whole space and the subspaces, separately.     

A review on the application of structured sparse representation at image annotation

The increasing number of images on the Web and other information environments, needs efficient management and suitable retrieval especially by computers. Image annotation is a process which produces words for a digital image based on its content. Users prefer an image search based on text queries and keywords which has increased the use of image annotation. In this paper, we discuss the applicability of structured sparse representations at image annotation. First the components of image annotation and sparse representation are reviewed. Then, we survey the structure of sparse representation based on the image annotation algorithms. Next, the comparison of algorithm has been presented. Finally the paper concludes with some major challenges and open issues in image annotation using structured sparse representations.     

Synthesis and characterization of MgAl2O4 spinel precursor sol prepared by inorganic salts

Magnesium aluminate (MgAl₂O₄) spinel precursor sol was prepared using aluminum nitrate and magnesium nitrate as the precursors for alumina and magnesia, respectively. The obtained sol owned a translucent, homogenous, and stable appearance with a density of 1.19 g/cm³, and at the temperatures above 60 °C, converted to a soft and clear gel. The measured pH of sol was in the range of 3–4, and at the calcination temperature of 1000 °C, the solid content of 6% was reached. TGA/DSC analysis was utilized to study the thermal behavior of the sol. Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was applied to recognize the existing bounds in the dried and calcined sol. X-ray diffraction patterns revealed the formation of single-phase MgAl₂O₄ up to 600 °C. According to the FESEM images, the grain size for the sol calcined at 1000 °C was estimated at around 50 nm.     

Automatic melanoma detection and segmentation in dermoscopy images using deep RetinaNet and conditional random fields

Multimedia Tools and Applications - Melanoma is one of the major causes of death around the world and is also known as malignant skin cancer. Melanoma detection is possible at an early stage by...     

Effect of egg consumption on inflammatory markers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials

There is little evidence about whether eggs affect inflammation. The aim of this meta-analysis was to explore the effects of egg consumption on inflammation. A systematic search of online databases (Institute for Scientific Information (ISI), Scopus, Ovid, PubMed, Cochrane) was used to gather clinical trials that assessed the effect of egg consumption on circulating inflammatory biomarkers. Using a random-effects model, pooled weighted mean differences (WMD) and corresponding standard deviations (SD) were calculated. Of the 21 eligible studies found, nine trials were eligible for analysis. Eight trials assessed high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), four trials assessed interleukin-6 (IL-6), and five trials assessed tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Egg consumption did not affect hs-CRP (WMD 0.24 mg/L; 95% CI: -0.43, 0.90; I² = 53.8; P = 0.48), IL-6 (WMD 0.20 pg/mL; 95% CI: -0.71, 1.11; I² = 69.3; P = 0.50), and TNF-α (WMD: -0.38 pg/mL; 95% CI: -0.87, 0.10; I² = 0.00; P = 0.12) relative to controls. Overall, this meta-analysis revealed that egg consumption had no significant effect on serum biomarkers of inflammation in adults. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

Green synthesis and characterization of poly(glycerol-azelaic acid) and its nanocomposites for applications in regenerative medicine

A series of novel bio-polyester nanocomposites based on glycerin and azelaic acid as monomers incorporating hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles were fabricated via in situ polymerization method. Chemical structure of the samples was investigated by ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Energy dispersive X-ray-mapping analysis illustrated that the nanoparticles were well dispersed in the poly (glycerol azelaic acid) (PGAZ) matrix. Viscoelastic properties of the samples under various frequencies were examined in which the PGAZ specimen containing 1.0 wt% of HA nanoparticles (PGAZH1.0) exhibited superlative properties. Furthermore, the alterations in the glass transition temperature of the samples were comprehensively discussed. Thermal gravimetric analysis displayed that nanocomposites generally have a difference in degradation patterns from that of the pristine sample. Dynamic contact angle demonstrated that the presence of HA nanoparticles imposed a significant influence on hydrophilicity. The hydrolytic degradation values at pH = 7 and pH = 11 were measured and determined that the degradation rate for the PGAZ sample containing 1.5 wt% HA (PGAZH1.5) was higher than those of the other samples. Moreover, in vitro studies elucidated that cell attachment on PGAZH1.0 and PAZH1.5 surfaces were acceptable.