bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhanced Localization with Adaptive Normal Distribution Transform Monte Carlo Localization for Map Based Navigation Robot
Authors: Lim T.Y. , Yeong C. F. , Su E. L. M. , Shithil S.M. , Chik S.F. , Duan F. , Chin P.J.H.
Published: April 2020

Map-based navigation is the common navigation method used among the mobile robotic application. The localization plays an important role in the navigation where it estimates the robot position in an environment. Monte Carlo Localization (MCL) is found as the widely used estimation algorithm due to it non-linear characteristic. There are classifications of MCL such as Adaptive MCL (AMCL), Normal Distribution Transform MCL (NDT-MCL) which can perform better than the MCL. However, AMCL is adaptive to particles but the position estimation accuracy is not optimized. NDT-MCL has good position estimation but it requires higher number of particles which results in higher computational effort. The objective of the research is to design and develop a localization algorithm which can achieve better performance in term of position estimation and computational effort. The new MCL algorithm which is named as Adaptive Normal Distribution Transform Monte Carlo Localization (ANDT-MCL) is then designed and developed. It integrates Kullback–Leibler divergence, Normal Distribution Transform and Systematic Resampling into the algorithm. Three experiments are conducted to evaluate the performance of proposed ANDT-MCL in simulated environment. These experiments include evaluating the performance of ANDT-MCL with different path shape, distance and velocity. In the end of the research work, the proposed ANDT-MCL is successfully developed. It is adaptive to the number of particles used, higher position estimation and lower computational effort than existing algorithms. The algorithm can produce better position estimation with less computational effort in any kind paths and is consistent in long journey as well as can outperform in high speed navigation.
Optimization of Surface Roughness in Deep Hole Drilling using Moth-Flame Optimization
Authors: Kamaruzaman Anis Farhan , Mohd Zain Azlan , Alwee Razana , Md Yusof Noordin , Najarian Farhad
Published: April 2020

This study emphasizes on optimizing the value of machining parameters that will affect the value of surface roughness for the deep hole drilling process using moth-flame optimization algorithm. All experiments run on the basis of the design of experiment (DoE) which is two level factorial with four center point. Machining parameters involved are spindle speed, feed rate, depth of hole and minimum quantity lubricants (MQL) to obtain the minimum value for surface roughness. Results experiments are needed to go through the next process which is modeling to get objective function which will be inserted into the moth-flame optimization algorithm. The optimization results show that the moth-flame algorithm produced a minimum surface roughness value of 2.41µ compared to the experimental data. The value of machining parameters that lead to minimum value of surface roughness are 900 rpm of spindle speed, 50 mm/min of feed rate, 65 mm of depth of hole and 40 l/hr of MQL. The ANOVA has analysed that spindle speed, feed rate and MQL are significant parameters for surface roughness value with P-value <0.0001, 0.0219 and 0.0008 while depth of hole has P-value of 0.3522 which indicates that the parameter is not significant for surface roughness value. The analysis also shown that the machining parameter that has largest contribution to the surface roughness value is spindle speed with 65.54% while the smallest contribution is from depth of hole with 0.8%. As the conclusion, the application of artificial intelligence is very helpful in the industry for gaining good quality of products.
Wireless Home Energy Meter Manager using Android: A Preliminary study
Authors: Wan Julihi Sh. Nurul Hidayah , Mohd Nordin Ili Najaa Aimi , Muhammad Razif Muhammad Rusydi , Zainal Abidin Amar Faiz
Published: April 2020

Manual home energy meter reading and billing had caused inconvenience to the utility companies due to lack of manpower to read the energy meter at each household especially in the remote area, explains the increasing number of smart meter reader in the current market. Most of the smart meters in the market do not offer safety of privacy of consumers’ personal information since the data of electricity usage is being transferred digitally to the utility companies for more accurate bills calculation. Plus, the smart meter system is also a bit pricey to be installed in the rural area. Therefore, a private system that able to read energy consumption from a DC load and calculate its bill according to the tariff is proposed. Value of current is being obtained by using ACS712 current sensor. Hall circuit in the current sensor will converts magnetic field into a proportional voltage. The proposed system allows energy meter monitoring from an Android-based smartphone by displaying the real-time energy consumption and bill on Blynk application. An interface of Blynk is developed and connected to WiFi module, ESP8266 for visualizing the energy consumption of the DC load. In conclusion, the Energy Meter transmitter part able to read, calculate and transmit value of energy consumption and current bills to the Blynk application and Blynk application able to receive and show all the data transmitted at the present time. This system will be further improved for long-distance monitoring of electrical appliances used at home.
Smart Current Monitoring System with Relay Breaker
Authors: Muhammad Rusydi Muhammad Rusydi , Azhar Aqira , Mohd Nordin Ili Najaa Aimi , Ahmmad Siti Nor Zawani
Published: April 2020

Today, the high usage of electrical home appliances has increased the domestic energy consumption. To control the consumption of domestic energy, various techniques were developed to detect current flow and to measure current consumption. Usually, a current sensor was used as a detection device and then send the data wirelessly to a centre point in the house, which is placed near to the main entrance for monitoring and controlling purposes. Wireless technology can provide better connection and reducing the need for wired connection for all power sockets in a house. The usage of LCD is to display current usage for all electrical home appliances will be more useful especially for a multi-storey house. This smart current monitoring system, will help users to monitor and control their electrical home appliances current consumption. The system will monitor each power sockets and transmit the current usage data wirelessly to a centre point which helps in reducing the time to check all the appliances.
Automatic Irrigation System using Wireless Control
Authors: Muhammad Razif Muhammad Rusydi , Ravindran Preetharan , Mohd Nordin Ili Najaa Aimi , Zulkifli Nor Saradatul Akmar
Published: April 2020

Traditional methods of irrigation and fertilizing is very time consuming for farmers. Over-irrigation as well as leaching of fertilizers below the root zone, erosion, and transport of soil and chemical particles to the drainage ditches can increase energy and water consumption in farming. A single systems combining irrigation and fertilizing will greatly reduce the cost and time needed in farming. There are two types of fertilizers available for home gardener – granular and water-soluble fertilizers. Generally, granular fertilizers release nutrient gradually but can last longer than water-soluble fertilizers. This project will provide an automated system for irrigation and fertilizing for plantation using Arduino as the microcontroller. This system will include a mobile application to control the amount of water during the irrigation and fertilizing processes. The microcontroller communicates with the mobile application via internet using the Wi-Fi modulator. Then, the microcontroller processes the information and operates the irrigation and fertilizing pumps which supplies water and fertilizer through the sprinkler system in the field. Any feedback will be sent to the user through the mobile application.
Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor Fault Detection Using Higher Degree Cubature Kalman Filter
Authors: Ahmad Nazri Muhammad Naguib , Ismail Zool Hilmi , Yusof Rubiyah
Published: April 2020

Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR) plays a major role in chemical industries, it ensures the process of mixing reactants according to the attended specification to produce a specific output. It is a complex process that usually represent with nonlinear model for benchmarking. Any abnormality, disturbance and unusual condition can easily interrupt the operations, especially fault. And this problem need to detect and rectify as soon as possible.  A good knowledge based fault detection using available model require a good error residual between the measurement and the estimated state. Kalman filter is an example of a good estimator, and has been exploited in many researches to detect fault. In this paper, Higher degree Cubature Kalman Filter (HDCKF) is proposed as a method for fault detection by estimation the current state. Cubature Kalman filter (CKF) is an extension of the Kalman filter with the main purpose is to estimate process and measurement state with high nonlinearities. It is based on spherical radial integration to estimate current state by generating cubature points with specific value. Conventional CKF use 3rd degree spherical and 3rd degree radial, here we implement Higher Degree CKF (HDCKF) to have better accuracy as compared to conventional CKF. High accuracy is required to ensure no false alarm is detected and furthermore good computational cost will improve its detection. Finally, a numerical example of CSTR fault detection using HDCKF is presented. Implementation of HDCKF for fault detection is compared with other filter to show effective results.
Robotic Arm Control using Internet of Things (IoT)
Authors: Badrul Hisham Amirah ‘Aisha , Low Zi Han , Ishak Mohamad Hafis Izran , Idris Nurul Hawani
Published: April 2020

Robotic arm is a reprogrammable and multifunctional manipulator design to assist human in various surroundings. It is able to overcome human inefficiency in performing repetitive task such as pick and place operation. Thus, industrial in assembly and manufacturing have widely integrated robotic arm into their assembling line to overcome the problem of human inefficiency. Internet of things (IoT) allow data to be exchange between devices through the connection of many devices. The integration of internet of things with robotic arm allows smart industry to be realized. The purpose of this research is to design and build a three degree of freedom robotic arm with a mechanical gripper. The robotic arm can be controlled remotely through android mobile device to perform pick and place operation while Matlab provides the graphical movement of the robotic arm as a feedback.
Performance Comparison Between Direct and External Modulation Using RZ and NRZ Coding
Authors: Hadj Ali Bakir
Published: April 2020

Such as in any optical communication system, the light modulation is considered a main key to determine the performance (or the maximum) of the data rate that can be transmitted and over what the long distance can be applied. So, a choice of the modulation type in any optical link is more important and should base on measuring of the BER and the Q factor parameters. In that issue, we propose a comparative study as contribution between the principle or the schemes of the direct modulation (DM) and the external modulation (EM) respectively, which the chirp frequency modeling is described for the two modulations. However, the main issues addressed also in the simulation analysis when the amount of the chirp (in GHz) introduced for the two modulations applied is discussed, and also  the Q factor introduced using different power values and, in different data rate for the two modulations studied is presented where  we can  determine from these results of the Q factor the effect of the power and the limit of applying the direct modulation and the external modulation in terms of the maximum of the data rate that can be transmitted. Moreover, we provide a numerical results of the Q factor and the BER for the two modulations (DM and EM) using RZ and NRZ format codes at different distance transmission, and in different data rate through these results we can conclude in which code (RZ and NRZ) the DM and the EM performed better.
Improved Internal Model Control Technique for Position Control of AC Servo Motors
Authors: Abdul Ali Abdul Wali , Alquhali Abdullah Hadi
Published: April 2020

This paper focuses on the simulation analysis of the conventional Internal Model Control (IMC) technique and the development of two proposed control techniques for the position control of AC Servo Motor. Internal Model Control (IMC) technique [1] was only able to control the AC Servo Motor under static load condition. Also, it had step response problems, and it was not robust against external disturbances. For these reasons, the IMC technique was further improved to control the AC Servo Motor under dynamic load conditions by proposing Amended Internal Model Controller (AIMC). The step response and the robustness of AIMC against external disturbances were further improved by proposing AIMC+FLC. Where a Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC) is designed and connected with the AIMC.
Annualized Electricity Cost of Residential Solar PV System under Malaysia’s NEM Scheme
Authors: Razali Abdul Hafiz , Abdullah Md Pauzi , Mat Said Dalila , Hassan Mohamad Yusri
Published: April 2020

Net energy metering (NEM) is a financial scheme that allows a consumer to generate, use and sell their excess energy to the grid. The main purpose of NEM is for self-consumption to reduce demand from the grid. It will allow customer to avoid being charged with expensive electricity tariff and hence reducing their monthly electricity bill. In other words, the annualized electricity cost could be reduced. NEM is commonly offered to residential solar photovoltaic (PV) system. Different PV size will determine the amount of energy that can be generated. This paper compares the annualized electricity cost of different residential customer types (large, medium and small) for different PV size under Malaysia’s net energy metering (NEM) scheme. This paper utilizes the load profile and solar irradiation data for Malaysia. The results show that high PV size does not guarantee reduction in annualized electricity cost especially for medium customers as the excess PV generation can only be accumulated for 24 months. Large customers may have benefited the most with lower annualized cost with larger PV system, while small customers may not have benefited at all.
An Improved Dynamic Voltage Restorer Model for Ensuring Fault Ride-Through Capability of DFIG-based Wind Turbine Systems
Authors: Shuaibu Musayyibi , Abubakar Adamu Saidu
Published: April 2020

Renewable energy sources (RES) are being integrated to electrical grid to complement the conventional sources in meeting up with global electrical energy demand. Among the RES, Wind Energy Conversion Systems (WECS) have gained global electricity market competitiveness especially the Doubly Fed Induction Generator (DFIG)-based Wind Turbines (WTs) because of flexible regulation of active and reactive power, higher power quality, variable speed operation, four quadrant converter operation and better dynamic performance. Grid connected DFIG-based WTs are prone to disturbances due to faults in the network which made the utilization of the power generated a major concern. The grid code requirement for integrating the DFIGs to grid specified that they must remain connected and support the grid stability during grid disturbances of up to 1500milliseconds. The ability of the DFIG WT system to uphold to the grid codes requirement is termed the Fault Ride – Through (FRT). This paper presented a 1.5MW grid connected DFIG-based WT model with a Dynamic Voltage Restorer (DVR) for FRT capability enhancement. The design and simulation were performed in MATLAB/Simulink software. The test system was subjected to disturbances leading to Low Voltage Ride – Through (LVRT), Zero Voltage Ride – Through (ZVRT) and High Voltage Ride – Through (HVRT) considering three – phase balanced fault and single line to ground fault. The performance of improved model of DVR shows enhancement over conventional DVR in terms of voltage compensation and fault current mitigation.
Induction Motor Stator Fault Classification Using PCA-ANFIS Technique
Authors: Abullateef Ayodele Isqeel , Sanusi Mohammed Faiz , Sunday Fagbolagun Olabanji
Published: April 2020

Induction motors are used commonly for industrial operations due to their ease of operation coupled with ruggedness and reliability. However, they are subjected to stator faults which result in damage and consequently revenue losses. The classification of stator fault in a three-phase induction motor based on Adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) in combination with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is proposed in this study. A burnt motor was redesigned and rewound while data acquisition was developed to acquire the current and vibration data needed for the fault classification. The data feature extraction for the fault classification was carried out by PCA while backpropagation and the least-squares algorithms were used for the training of the data. Three principal components, which severs as input for the ANFIS, were used to represent the entire data. The ANFIS was tested under four different paradigms, while the membership function type and epoch number were changed at each instant. The ANFIS model based on the triangular membership function and 10 epoch number was found appropriate and used, bringing the accuracy of the model to over 99% with the lowest ANFIS training RMSE error of      1.1795e-6. The ANFIS validation results of the fault classification show that the results are accurate, indicating that the PCA-ANFIS technique is applicable in fault diagnosis and classification of stator faults in induction motors.
Stabilization of Inter-Area Oscillations in a Two-Area Test System via Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Based Dynamic Brake Control
Authors: Fayez Mohamed , Mandor Mohamed , El-Hadidy Mohamed , Bendary Fahmy
Published: April 2020

Inter-area oscillations are, by far, the most detrimental to the synchronous integrity of interconnected power systems. This detriment comes from their wide frequency spectrum and the large numbers of the participant generators. The inherent poor damping associated with the inter-area oscillations leaves open wide probabilities for irrevocable widespread blackouts with the consequent eventual devastating outcomes measured in terms of the huge economic casualties and the possible human fatalities. This article explores the influences of the Interval Type-2 fuzzy logic-based strategized dynamic braking interventions of dual brake models, namely Thyristor Controlled Braking Resistors (TCBRs), for neutralizing the jeopardy of negatively damped inter-area power oscillations in Kundur’s two-area test system, using MATLAB™/Simulink environment. The relative inner generator's speed deviation is employed in this work as a control signal to the proposed controller. The effectiveness of the proposed scheme is authenticated by considering four case studies with different severity degrees. By analyzing the performance repercussions due to four disturbances, without the implementation of the proposed scheme, the unstable nature of the system responses is clearly noticed. With the implementation of the proposed scheme, the system oscillatory behavior is stabilized in an appropriate manner. The performed comparative non-linear time-domain simulation results emphasize the great potential of the proposed scheme in mitigation of inter-area power oscillations according to the considered disturbances. The proposed scheme is simple yet effective in treating the inter-area oscillations appropriately under the considered case studies.
ANALYSIS OF EVAPORATOR EFFECTIVENESS ON 1/2 CYCLE REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS: A CASE STUDY ON LPG FUELED VEHICLES
Authors: Setiyo Muji , Waluyo Budi , Hamidi Nurkholis
Published: April 2020

The ½ cycle refrigeration system on LPG fueled vehicles has a significant cooling effect. However, the cooling is very dependent on the heat exchange process in the evaporator. Therefore, this paper analyses the deviation of the actual cooling curve from the ideal scenario carried out on a laboratory scale. The analytical method used is the calculation of the effectiveness of the evaporator, which compares the actual to the potential heat transfer capacity. The LPG flow rate was varied from 1-6 g/s, while the evaporation pressure ranged between 0.05, 0.10, and 0.15 MPa, which applied to compact type evaporators with dimensions of 262 ´ 200 mm, with a thickness of 65 mm. The research results confirm that the higher the LPG mass flow rate, the lower the heat transfer effectiveness. At the higher LPG mass flow rate, heat transfer occurs less optimally,  due to incomplete evaporation of LPG in the evaporator.
IN SILICO ANALYSIS AND FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERIZATION OF FHUB, A COMPONENT OF ERWINIA MALLOTIVORA FERRIC HYDROXAMATE UPTAKE SYSTEM
Authors: Juri Nor Mustaiqazah , Samsuddin Aimera Farhana , Abd Murad Abdul Munir , Tamizi Amin Asyraf , Hassan Mohd Azhar , Abu Bakar Norliza
Published: April 2020

Iron is a critical element for bacterial growth as most pathogenic bacteria relies on their host for iron supply. However, iron sources are bounded to the host iron binding protein and specific iron acquisition mechanism is required to chelate and transport the iron to the bacteria. Ferric hydroxamate uptake system or fhu is one of the transport systems that import iron in the form of ferric hydroxamate/ ferrichrome from the extracellular environment into the bacterial cytosol. In this present study, a detailed in silico structural analysis was conducted on an important component of fhu transport member from Erwinia mallotivora named as fhuB. This provide us the structural properties of the protein which includes the domain and 3D model, phylogenetic analysis and the membrane topology. For functional analysis, a knockout mutant of fhuB gene strain was generated to evaluate the effect of silencing this gene during E. mallotivora infection in papaya. When compared to the wild E. mallotivora strain, fhuB mutant strain of E. mallotivora loss its virulence in causing dieback disease symptom in papaya. The result of this study has revealed the significant role of iron acquisition and metabolism during E. mallotivora pathogenesis. This highlights fhuB role and importance as the target gene; to inhibit iron uptake in E. mallotivora for future study and as a part of future consideration for dieback disease management strategy in papaya.
THE PERFORMANCE OF NARROW AND BROAD-CRESTED SUBMERGED BREAKWATERS IN DISSIPATING WAVE HEIGHTS
Authors: Ibrahim ‘Izzat Na’im , Ab Razak Mohd Shahrizal , Yusof Badronissa , Mat Desa Safari
Published: April 2020

The main objective of this paper is to determine the wave transmission coefficient of an improved submerged breakwater called WABCORE. The objective is further explored to assess the effect of various parameters such as wave steepness, Hi/L, relative freeboard, R/d, and relative width of the top crest, B/L on wave transmission coefficient, KT. In general, as wave steepness increases, the wave transmissions decrease. Moreover wave transmission increases as relative freeboard increases. This is due to the fact that higher relative freeboard contains greater wave energy and hard to dissipate. As B/L increases, KT decreases. The effect of relative top crest width is insignificant as the freeboard increases. The transmission coefficient, KT derived from this study can be equated as  , valid for certain ranges. This study concludes that WABCORE is capable to dissipate wave energy.
MODELING RESOURCE ALLOCATION FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN DATA CENTERS ON THE SMART GRID
Authors: Mora Martinez Sergio , Edwin Vera Jhon , Avendano Perez Jonathan , Salgado Lizet Camila
Published: April 2020

Data centers are constantly growing and evolving in number and complexity due to increasing demand for Internet-based services. As a result, energy consumption in data centers has increased significantly in recent years, which has become a critical concern for IT enterprises and governments because of high operational costs and negative environmental impact. Therefore, green solutions are needed to integrate the use of renewable energy with the development of reduction strategies in energy consumption. In this study, we investigated the performance of a system that can simulate a data center constrained by service-level agreements, energy consumption, power generation, and non-exponentially distributed service times. A discrete event simulation, an optimization model, and a forecasting method were integrated into the system's architecture to analyze performance when facing different scenarios with several changes in the system's characteristics. We conducted a survey on energy trading, considering that renewable energy generators were incorporated into the algorithm to determine the interaction between data centers and smart grids. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed system has great potential in improving energy efficiency under different operating conditions in the data centers.
PERFORMANCE OF RADIAL POINT INTERPOLATION METHOD IN SOLVING KINEMATIC WAVE EQUATION FOR HYDROLOGIC MODELLING
Authors: Hirol H. , Mohd Noor M. A. , Abd Jamil M. Z. , Mokhtaram M. H. , Kasiman E. H. , Mohd Yassin A. Y.
Published: April 2020

This paper presents the solution of the kinematic wave equation using a meshless radial point interpolation method (RPIM). The partial differential equation is discretized using a Galerkin weighted residual method employing RPIM shape functions. A forward difference scheme is used for temporal discretization, while the direct substitution method is employed to solve the nonlinear system at each time step. The formulation is validated against solutions from conventional numerical techniques and physical observation. In all cases, excellent agreements are achieved and hence the validation of the proposed formulation. Optimum values of the multi-quadrics shape parameters were then determined before the assessment of the performance of the method. Based on the convergence rate, it has been shown that the proposed method performs better than the finite difference method and equivalent to the finite element method. This highlights the potential of RPIM as an alternative method for hydrologic modeling.
WATER QUALITY ISSUES IN WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AT KENYIR LAKE, MALAYSIA
Authors: Kamarudin Mohd Khairul Amri , Abd Wahab Noorjima , Abd Jalil Nurhanis Afiqah , Sunardi Sunardi , Md. Saad M. Hafiz
Published: April 2020

Water resources management in Malaysia is the most important aspect that needs to be addressed. When water resources management can be managed in a systematic and effectively it can produce a good quality and clean water without any pollution. The objective of this study is to review water quality issues in the Kenyir Lake Basin and to identify the relationship between river discharges (Q) and the water quality status in Kenyir Lake Basin. Six water quality parameters were analyzed based on in-situ and ex-situ analysis and laboratory analyses were carried out according to the correlation matrix and linear regression methods. According to the NWQS, the water quality in Kenyir Lake Basin varied temporally and spatially and the most affected parameters were pH, DO, BOD, COD, TSS and AN. Furthermore, the water quality class in the Kenyir Lake Basin was classified under class II caused by the active land use activities especially tourism sector but it is still suitable for recreational activities and safe for body contact because the it’s WQI is not less than 65% which early stage of Class II. From this study, there are proposed several mitigation measures in management of water resources such as guarantee clean water supply and continuous, implementation a few of environmental acts, treating the water sources, develop alternative water sources and improve distribution systems and water management.
SIMULATION AND PERFORMANCE OF LIQUID LEVEL CONTROLLERS FOR LINEAR TANK
Authors: A. Mahmood Qahtan , T. Nawaf Amer , A. Mohamedali Shaho
Published: April 2020

Level control of liquid in a tank or any similar container is widely used in applications such as chemical and oil industrial processes. Control the level at desired value is very important. This paper studies the performance of P, PI, and PID controllers in controlling the level of a liquid. Mass balance is used to find mathematical model of water tank level. Ziegler-Nichol (Z-N) and Cohen-Coon (C-C) tuning methods are used to evaluate parameters of the controllers. The error indices such as Integral Absolute Error (IAE) and Integral Squared Error (ISE) are used to compare between performances of the controllers. MATLAB is used to test the control system performance and compare the results with real values. Both simulation and experimental results show that liquid level system can be controlled effectively by using Z-N tuning method. The result shows that the PI controller gives better performance in comparison with P and PID controller.
A REVIEW OF THE USE OF RECLAIMED ASPHALT PAVEMENT FOR ROAD PAVING APPLICATIONS
Authors: Milad Abdalrhman , Mohd Taib Aizat , G. F Ahmeda Abobaker , Solla Mohmed , Md Yusoff Nur Izzi
Published: April 2020

One of the most frequently used waste materials is reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). The use of RAP can help reduce the cost of a project and ensure that the project is eco-friendly. Therefore, the aim of this study is to give a detailed description of the production of RAP to ensure that the rehabilitation and maintenance of pavements as well as the construction of pavements are environmentally friendly and cost effective. Previous works have shown the benefits of using RAP with regard to its ability to produce equally good or even superior results compared to the use of virgin or original mixes if they are properly produced and applied. Among the benefits of RAP mixes are good moisture resistance and higher density. This review also demonstrate the critical importance of using RAP in asphalt mixtures.
Differences in Health-Related Quality of Life Among Patients After Knee Injury
Authors: Kleis Rachel R. , Simon Janet E. , Turner Michael , Vela Luzita I. , Thomas Abbey C. , Gribble Phillip A.
Published: April 2020

While knee injury-related pain and functional limitations are common in the physically active, the impact on general health is not well documented. Further, it is not known how much these outcomes differ among individuals that did or did not have surgery following the knee injury, as well as compared to those without knee injury history. We examined differences in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and general health among patients after knee surgery, knee injury that did not require surgery, and healthy controls. Knee surgery participants reported higher body mass index and lower SF-8 physical component scores than knee nonsurgery and control (p < .001 all comparisons) groups. Knee nonsurgery participants had lower SF-8 physical component scores (p = .01) than control participants. Patients after knee surgery report more adverse health effects than those with nonsurgically treated knee injuries.
Understanding and Improving 18F-Fluciclovine PET/CT Reports: A Guide for Physicians Treating Patients with Biochemical Recurrence of Prostate Cancer
Authors: Lowentritt Benjamin H. , Kipper Michael S.
Published: April 2020

The positron emission tomography (PET) tracer 18F-fluciclovine has seen increasing use to localize disease in men with biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer, i.e., elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels post-treatment. 18F-Fluciclovine PET/computed tomography (CT) imaging reports now play central roles in many physician-patient discussions. However, because no standardized grading system or templates yet exist for 18F-fluciclovine image assessment, reports vary in format, comprehensiveness, and terminology and may be challenging to fully understand. To better utilize these documents, referring physicians should be aware of six key features of 18F-fluciclovine PET/CT. First, 18F-fluciclovine is a radiolabeled synthetic amino acid targeting the amino acid transporters ASCT2 and LAT1, which are ubiquitous throughout the body, but overexpressed in prostate cancer. Second, 18F-fluciclovine image interpretation is predominantly visual/qualitative: radiotracer uptake in suspicious lesions is compared with uptake in bone marrow or blood pool. Location of 18F-fluciclovine-avid lesions relative to typical recurrence sites and findings elsewhere in the patient are considered when evaluating lesions’ probability of malignancy, as is visibility on maximum intensity projection images when assessing bone lesions. Third, 18F-fluciclovine PET/CT detection rates increase as PSA levels rise. Fourth, detection rates may differ among centers, possibly due to equipment and reader experience. Fifth, since no diagnostic test is 100% accurate, scan data should not be used in isolation. Lastly, 18F-fluciclovine PET/CT findings frequently induce changes in disease management plans. In the prospective multicenter LOCATE and FALCON studies, scans altered management plans in 59% (126/213) and 64% (66/104) of patients, respectively; 78% (98/126) and 65% (43/66) of changes, respectively, involved modality switches. Referring physicians and imagers should collaborate to improve scan reports. Referrers should clearly convey critical information, including prescan PSA levels, and open clinical questions. Imagers should produce reports that read like consultations, avoid leaving open questions, and if needed, provide thoughts on next diagnostic steps.
Yangjing Capsule Can Improve the Function of the Testicular Angiogenesis through Activating VEGFA/eNOS Signaling Pathway
Authors: Jin Baofang , Sun Dalin , Dong Weihang , Chen Bing , Deng Weimin , Cai Bin , Cui Yugui , Jin Yihan , Liu Jianguo , Tong Li , Wu Ping
Published: April 2020

Background. The testicular microcirculation was an important aspect of testicular physiology and it offered a stable environment for the transport of nutrients and secretary products in the testis. Yangjing capsule (YC), a traditional Chinese compound herbal prescription, has been proved as an effective drug to ameliorate spermatogenesis, promote testosterone synthesis in vivo, and cure spermatogenesis in clinical practice. Objective. This study was aimed at understanding the potential mechanisms of YC exerting angiogenic effects in the mouse spermatogenesis dysfunction model induced by cyclophosphamide (CP) and MLTC‐1 cells. Materials and Methods. Balb/c mice were randomly divided into five groups: control, CP, CP plus YC (630 mg/kg), CP plus YC (1260 mg/kg), and CP plus YC (2520 mg/kg). After 30 days, mice were sacrificed and the expressions of endothelial marker CD34+, angiogenic marker VEGFA, VEGFR1, VEGFR2, and eNOS in the testes of the mice were examined; moreover, Leydig cell line MLTC‐1 cells were cultured and treated with different concentrations of YC extracts (YCE), and the expressions of VEGFA, VEGFR1, VEGFR2, and eNOS, as well as the secretion of NO, were evaluated. Results. We observed that YC significantly increased the expressions of VEGFA, VEGFR1, VEGFR2, and eNOS in testes of CP‐treated mice; moreover, YCE has led to increased expressions of VEGFA, VEGFR1, VEGFR2, and eNOS and secretion of NO in MLTC‐1 in vitro. These data suggested that the YC might be an alternative treatment for the dysfunction of testicular microcirculation by promoting the angiogenesis in the testis.
Manufacturing and Evaluation of Mechanical, Morphological, and Thermal Properties of Reduced Graphene Oxide-Reinforced Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Nanocomposites
Authors: Rydzkowski Tomasz , Reszka Kazimierz , Szczypiński Mieczysław , Szczypiński Michał Marek , Kopczyńska Elżbieta , Thakur Vijay Kumar
Published: April 2020

The aim of the present study is to examine the effect of the addition of carbon nanoparticles (σsp2 hybridization) on the mechanical properties of foamed polystyrene. In this work, we focus on the study of the impact of compressive stress, tensile strength, bending strength, thermal conductivity ratio (λ), and water absorption of expanded polystyrene (EPS) reinforced with reduced graphene oxide and graphite. The results were compared with pristine EPS and reduced graphene oxide-reinforced EPS. All the nanocomposite specimens used for testing had a similar density. The study reveals that the nanocomposites exhibit different thermal conductivities and mechanical properties in comparison to pristine EPS. The enhancement in the properties of the nanocomposite could be associated with a more extensive structure of elementary cells of expanded polystyrene granules.
Ferulic Acid Protects against Porcine Parvovirus Infection‐Induced Apoptosis by Suppressing the Nuclear Factor‐κB Inflammasome Axis and Toll‐Like Receptor 4 via Nonstructural Protein 1
Authors: Ma Xia , Guo Zhenhuan , Zhang Zhiqiang , Li Xianghui , Liu Yonglu , Zhao Li , Wang Xuefei
Published: April 2020

Background. Porcine parvovirus (PPV) infection‐induced apoptosis was recently identified as an important pathological factor in PPV‐induced placental tissue damage, resulting in reproduction failure. In the present study, we demonstrate the possible involvement of toll‐like receptor (TLR) 4 and nuclear factor (NF)‐κB inflammasome activation in PPV infection‐induced apoptosis and the protective potential of ferulic acid (FA). PPV infection significantly activated the expression levels of TLR4, NF‐κB, MyD88, and interleukin (IL)‐6. However, FA ameliorated the pathological process, prevented histological alterations, and inhibited the apoptosis rate in porcine kidney (PK‐15) cells infected with PPV. Results. FA inhibited PPV infection‐induced inflammasome activation as shown by decreases in the expression of NF‐κB, MyD88, and IL‐6. FA also downregulated nonstructural (NS) 1 protein expression in infected PK‐15 cells. Conclusions. FA downregulated NS1 and TLR4 signaling, prevented the overproduction of reactive oxygen species, and suppressed the NF‐κB inflammasome axis to inhibit PPV‐induced apoptosis in PK‐15 cells.
Tai Chi Improves Coronary Heart Disease Risk by Inactivating MAPK/ERK Pathway through Serum miR‐126
Authors: Zhang Guangwei , Wang Shuli , Gu Yan , Song Ling , Yu Shui , Feng Xiaoxing
Published: April 2020

Background. Tai Chi is effective in preventing heart disease (CHD) risk, but the molecular mechanism remains unclear. Mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of CHD and can be activated by miR‐126. Tai Chi may exert its protective function through the miR‐126‐modulated MAPK pathway. Methods. The CHD patients after PCI were randomized into the CG group (CG) (n = 19, normal care) and Tai Chi group (TG) (Tai Chi intervention, n = 17). Epicardial adipose tissue volume (EATV) (one main adverse cardiovascular event of CHD), HR (heart rate), QoL (quality of life) scores, and balance performance were measured in the two groups. The body fat content, abdominal subcutaneous fat, and visceral fat were measured to reflect the improvement of adipose tissue dysfunction. The levels of miR‐126 and MAPK‐associated molecules were measured in peripheral blood leukocytes. Meanwhile, the effects of miR‐126 silence and mimic on MAPK‐associated molecules were also explored in cardiac cell H9C2. Results. After the 3‐month intervention, Tai Chi reduced EATV and HR and increased QoL scores and balance performance, respectively (P < 0.05). The fat percentage, body fat mass, and BMI were also significantly reduced after Tai Chi intervention (P < 0.05). The levels of miR‐126, MAPK, JNK, and ERK in the TG group were lower than those in the CG group (P < 0.05). The miR‐126 levels had a strong relationship with the values of EATV, HR, and QoL scores (P < 0.05). miR‐126 silence or mimic inactivated or activated MAPK‐associated molecules in the cardiac cell lines. Conclusions. Tai Chi improved CHD risk by inactivating the MAPK/ERK pathway via serum miR‐126.
Optimized Mahalanobis–Taguchi System for High-Dimensional Small Sample Data Classification
Authors: Xiao Xinping , Fu Dian , Shi Yu , Wen Jianghui
Published: April 2020

The Mahalanobis–Taguchi system (MTS) is a multivariate data diagnosis and prediction technology, which is widely used to optimize large sample data or unbalanced data, but it is rarely used for high-dimensional small sample data. In this paper, the optimized MTS for the classification of high-dimensional small sample data is discussed from two aspects, namely, the inverse matrix instability of the covariance matrix and the instability of feature selection. Firstly, based on regularization and smoothing techniques, this paper proposes a modified Mahalanobis metric to calculate the Mahalanobis distance, which is aimed at reducing the influence of the inverse matrix instability under small sample conditions. Secondly, the minimum redundancy-maximum relevance (mRMR) algorithm is introduced into the MTS for the instability problem of feature selection. By using the mRMR algorithm and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), a two-stage feature selection method is proposed: the mRMR algorithm is first used to remove noise and redundant variables; the orthogonal table and SNR are then used to screen the combination of variables that make great contribution to classification. Then, the feasibility and simplicity of the optimized MTS are shown in five datasets from the UCI database. The Mahalanobis distance based on regularization and smoothing techniques (RS-MD) is more robust than the traditional Mahalanobis distance. The two-stage feature selection method improves the effectiveness of feature selection for MTS. Finally, the optimized MTS is applied to email classification of the Spambase dataset. The results show that the optimized MTS outperforms the classical MTS and the other 3 machine learning algorithms.
Proportion of Ophthalmic Self-Medication and Associated Factors among Adult Ophthalmic Patients Attending Borumeda Hospital, Dessie, Northeast Ethiopia
Authors: Adimassu Nebiyat Feleke , Woldetsadik Zemed Guchma , Alemu Haile Woretaw
Published: April 2020

Purpose. The aim of this study was to determine the proportion of ophthalmic self-medication and associated factors among adult ophthalmic patients attending Borumeda Hospital, Northeast Ethiopia, 2019. Methods. An institution-based cross-sectional study design was conducted on 402 participants at Borumeda Hospital from April 29 to May 24, 2019. Systematic random sampling technique was used to get study participants. Data were collected with a face-to-face interview by using a semistructured questionnaire. Data were entered into Epi Info 7 and analyzed by SPSS 20. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression analysis were employed. P values of less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results. The proportion of ophthalmic self-medication was 28.6% (95% CI; 24.6–33.3). Age-group 29–42 years (AOR: 2.19, 95% CI: 1.06–4.52), absence of health insurance (AOR: 4.29; 2.35–7.84), more than 10 kilometer traveling distance to get eye services (AOR: 3.11; 1.58–6.12), previous experience of ocular illness (AOR: 2.62, 95% CI: 1.53–4.48), family or friend experience of ocular illness (AOR: 2.65, 95%CI: 1.43–4.92), availability of ophthalmic medicine bottle/tube at home (AOR: 4.59, 95% CI: 2.36–8.92), and poor knowledge about hazards of self-medication (AOR: 6.22; 3.26–11.85) were significantly associated with ophthalmic self-medication. Conclusion and Recommendations. The proportion of ophthalmic self-medication was high, which needs stakeholders’ attention. The policymakers and regulatory body better to scale-up health insurance coverage, nearby accessible eye care services, improve knowledge of patients regarding the effect of ophthalmic self-medication, and proper disposal of leftover eye medication from the house. It is better to take regulatory actions on those who dispense ophthalmic medications without prescription.
Experimental Study on the Effect of Aconite and Angelica sinensis on Myocardial Ischemia Rats with Yang Deficiency and Blood Stasis
Authors: Cao Yongcang , Liang Xiaodong , Li Changyi , Chen Tao , Li Zhanling , Li Wanfeng , Liu Peipei , Li Guiyong , Ma Ran , Tang Yingxue
Published: April 2020

Objective. To investigate the intervention effect and mechanism of Aconite and Angelica sinensis on myocardial ischemia rats with Yang deficiency and blood stasis. Methods. SPF‐class SD rats were randomly divided into low‐dose and high‐dose groups. Each group was divided into control group, model group, and drug‐administered group (FZ, DG, FG; 1 : 0.5, 1 : 1, 1 : 2). A rat model was prepared by intraperitoneal injection of hydrocortisone and isoproterenol plus cold stimulation. Each group was given corresponding decoction or distilled water for 14 days. The behavioral changes of rats in each group were observed. The morphological changes of rats cardiomyocytes were observed by HE staining. The average optical density (MOD value) and percentage of positive cells of Bcl‐2, Bax, and Akt were determined by immunohistochemical staining method, and PEIs were calculated. Western blot and RT‐PCR were used to determine the expression of PI3K, Caspase‐3, Akt protein, and gene expression. Results. The compatibility of Aconite and Angelica sinensis improved the morphology of rat cardiomyocytes, increased the PEI values of Akt and Bcl‐2 protein, and decreased the PEI values of Bax protein (P < 0.01). The compatibility reduced the expression of Caspase‐3 protein of rat myocardium and increased the protein expression of p‐Akt, PI3K, and p‐PI3K (P < 0.01). The compatibility also significantly reduced the expression of Caspase‐3 mRNA and increased the expression of PI3K mRNA and Akt mRNA (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and the effect of high‐dose FG (1 : 2) group is the best. Conclusions. The method of preparing a rat model of myocardial ischemia with Yang deficiency and blood stasis was feasible. The compatibility of Aconite and Angelica sinensis reduced myocardial fibrosis and inflammatory reaction, protected ischemic cardiomyocytes, and reduced myocardial injury, whose mechanism may be related to the regulation of PI3K/Akt pathway. The compatible group had better intervention effects than Aconite or Angelica sinensis alone. The best one was high‐dose FG (1 : 2).
Application of Traditional Chinese Medicines in Postoperative Abdominal Adhesion
Authors: Wu Fuling , Liu Wenqin , Feng Haixing , Long Li , Hou Lianbing , Hou Chuqi
Published: April 2020

Adhesion is a frequent complication after abdominal surgery. Although various methods have been applied to prevent and treat postoperative abdominal adhesion (PAA), few modern drugs designed for clinical applications have reached the expected preventive or therapeutic effect so far. There is an imperative to develop some new strategies for the treatment of PAA. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been widely practiced for thousands of years and played an indispensable role in the prevention and treatment of diseases. Modern medicine researchers have accepted the therapeutic effects of many active components derived from Chinese medicinal herbs. The review stresses the most commonly used TCM treatment, including Chinese medicinal herbals and monomers, TCM formulas, and acupuncture treatment.