Knowledge Based Supervised Fuzzy-Classification: An Application to Image Processing

In this paper, we take an interest in representation and treatment of imprecision and uncertainty in order to propose an original approach to approximate reasoning. This work has a practical application in supervised learning pattern recognition. Production rules whose conclusions are accompanied by belief degrees, are obtained by supervised learning from a training set. The proposed learning method is multi-featured, it allows to take into account the possible predictive power of a simultaneously considered feature conjunction. On the other hand, the feature space partition allows a fuzzy representation of the features and data imprecision integration. This uncertainty is managed in the learning phase as well as in the recognition one. To introduce more flexibility and to overcome the boundary problem due to the manipulations of membership functions of fuzzy sets, we propose to use a context-oriented approximate reasoning. For this purpose, we introduce an adequate distance to compare neighbouring facts. This distance, measuring imprecision, combined with the uncertainty of classification decisions represented by belief degrees, drives the approximate inference. The proposed method was implemented in a software called SUCRAGE and confronted with a real application in the field of image processing. The obtained results are very satisfactory. They validate our approach and allow us to consider other application fields.     

Images encryption by the use of evolutionary algorithms

Increasing information transmission in public networks raises a significant number of questions. For example, the security, the confidentiality, the integrity and the authenticity of the data during its transmission are very problematical. So, encryption of the transmitted data is one of the most promising solutions. In our work, we focus on the security of image data, which are considered as specific data because of their big size and their information which are of two-dimensional nature and also redundant. These data characteristics make the developed algorithms in the literature unavailable in their classical forms, because of the speed and the possible risk of information loss. In this paper, we develop an original “images encryption” algorithm based on evolutionary algorithms. The appropriateness of the proposed scheme is demonstrated by the sensitivity to images, the key and the resistibility to various advanced attacks.     

Dry powders for the inhalation of ciprofloxacin or levofloxacin combined with a mucolytic agent for cystic fibrosis patients

Objective: This study aimed to design and characterize an inhalable dry powder of ciprofloxacin or levofloxacin combined with the mucolytics acetylcysteine and dornase alfa for the management of pulmonary infections in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Methods: Ball milling, homogenization in isopropyl alcohol and spray drying processes were used to prepare dry powders for inhalation. Physico-chemical characteristics of the dry powders were assessed via thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffractometry and scanning electron microscopy. The particle size distribution, dissolution rate and permeability across Calu-3 cell monolayers were analyzed. The aerodynamic parameters of dry powders were determined using the Andersen cascade impactor (ACI).

Results: After the micronization process, the particle sizes of the raw materials significantly decreased. X-ray and DSC results indicated that although ciprofloxacin showed no changes in its crystal structure, the structure of levofloxacin became amorphous after the micronization process. FT-IR spectra exhibited the characteristic peaks for ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin in all formulations. The dissolution rates of micro-homogenized and spray-dried ciprofloxacin were higher than that of untreated ciprofloxacin. ACI results showed that all formulations had a mass median aerodynamic diameter less than 5?μm; however, levofloxacin microparticles showed higher respirability than ciprofloxacin powders did. The permeability of levofloxacin was higher than those of the ciprofloxacin formulations.

Conclusion: Together, our study showed that these methods could suitably characterize antibiotic and mucolytic-containing dry powder inhalers.     

A tool for aggregation with words

The need of computing with words has become an important topic in many areas dealing with vague information. The aim of this paper is to present different tools which support computing with words. Especially, we are concerned with the weighted aggregation of linguistic term sets, whose results are just the words themselves without using the fuzzy numbers that represent the semantics of their linguistic terms. We propose a new aggregation operator, referred to as the symbolic weighted median that computes the most representative element from an ordered collection of weighted linguistic terms. This operator aggregates the linguistic labels such that its result is expressed in terms of the initial linguistic term set though is modified by using dedicated tools called the generalized symbolic modifiers. One advantage of this proposal is that the expression domain does not change: we increase or decrease the granularity only where it becomes necessary. Additionally this new operator exhibits several interesting mathematical properties.     

Effects of different lairage times after long distance transportation on carcass and meat quality characteristics of Hungarian Simmental bulls

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of three lairage times (24 h, 48 h and 72 h) on the meat quality of tame trained to lead Hungarian Simmental bulls subjected to long commercial transportation of approximately 1800 km. A total of 30 bulls, with an average age of 24 months, were used. During the lairage, bulls received 0.5 kg concentrate feed per animal per day and ad libitum access to the hay and water. As the lairage duration increased, the pH_ult decreased (P < 0.05). Bulls lairaged for 24 h had lower L*, b* and H* values than those lairaged for 48 h and 72 h (P < 0.05). The effect of lairage time on WHC, cooking loss and Warner–Bratzler shear force values was not significant. The b* value was considered the best predictor of muscle pH_ult. In conclusion, 72 h quiet lairage time is recommended after transportation in order to prevent the adverse effects of transportation on meat quality.     

Anticorrosive properties with catalytic behaviour of primer PANI film and top PPy coating synthesised in presence of novel norephedrine based amino alcohol compound

Polyaniline film as primer coating was deposited on stainless steel (SS) in aniline containing aqueous oxalic acid solution, and subsequent synthesis of top PPy film with 2-((5-ethylthiophen-2-yl) methylamino)-1-phenylpropan-1-ol (AAN) compound of different concentrations was achieved in acetonitrile-LiClO₄ successfully. The corrosion performances of coated and uncoated electrodes in 3·5%NaCl solution were evaluated with the help of AC impedance spectroscopy, anodic polarisation plots and open circuit potential time curves. The protective effect of bilayer coatings with AAN compound on SS electrode grew in parallel with extended exposure time. The regular increase in the charge transfer resistance of SS/PANI/PPy-AAN17 electrode was attributed to allowing the limited ion diffusion of top PPy coating with AAN17 compound. The high 21764 Ω s^?1/2 value of the Warburg coefficient showed that PPy-AAN17 film on the SS/PANI coating led to the formation of protective oxide layers due to the catalytic behaviour of PANI film.     

The influence of polyaniline (PANI) coating on corrosion behaviour of zinc–cobalt coated carbon steel electrode

Zinc–cobalt alloy plating (ZnCo) was successfully deposited on carbon steel (CS) applying current of 2 mA with galvanostatic technique. Polyaniline film (PANI) was synthesized with cyclic voltammetry technique from 0.20 M aniline containing 0.20 M sodium tartrate solution on zinc–cobalt plated carbon steel (CS/ZnCo) electrode. PANI film characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), was covered with a dark green-brown homopolymer film of strongly adherent homogeneous characteristic while the other one was plated with a porous light ZnCo one. The corrosion behaviour of zinc–cobalt deposited carbon steel electrodes with and without polyaniline (PANI) film in 3.5% NaCl solution was investigated with AC impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique and anodic polarization curves. The results showed that PANI coating led to decrease of the permeability of metallic plating. The PANI homopolymer film provided an effective barrier property on zinc–cobalt coating and a remarkable anodic protection to substrate for longer exposure time.     

Modification of Harris hawks optimization algorithm with random distribution functions for optimum power flow problem

Neural Computing and Applications - Harris hawks optimization (HHO) algorithm, which is inspired from Harris hawks hunting strategy, uses uniform random numbers in the optimization process. This...