Abstract: Postmenopausal osteoporosis is a disorder
characterized by the progressive bone loss induced by estrogen
deficiency in postmenopausal women. This imbalance affects
calcium–phosphate metabolism and results in secondary
hyperparathyroidism. Purariae Radix (PR), the root of P. lobata
(Wild.) Ohwi, is one of the earliest medicinal herbs employed in
ancient China. PR contains a high quantity of isoflavones and their
glycosides, which are regarded as phytoestrogen. Few investigations
of PR are related to its osteoprotective effects. The present study is
designed to administer PR water extract to ovariectomized (OVX)
female rats, for the investigation of its possibly protective actions on
bone and to delineate the potential mechanisms involved. Our results
demonstrated that long-term treatment of PR could not significantly
improve bone properties, whereas it greatly ameliorated the condition
of secondary hyperparathyroidism induced by ovariectomy in those
animals. PR might be useful as alternative regimen for protecting
against postmenopausal bone loss.
Abstract: Response surface methodology was used for
quantitative investigation of water and solids transfer during osmotic
dehydration of beetroot in aqueous solution of salt. Effects of
temperature (25 – 45oC), processing time (30–150 min), salt
concentration (5–25%, w/w) and solution to sample ratio (5:1 – 25:1)
on osmotic dehydration of beetroot were estimated. Quadratic
regression equations describing the effects of these factors on the
water loss and solids gain were developed. It was found that effects
of temperature and salt concentrations were more significant on the
water loss than the effects of processing time and solution to sample
ratio. As for solids gain processing time and salt concentration were
the most significant factors. The osmotic dehydration process was
optimized for water loss, solute gain, and weight reduction. The
optimum conditions were found to be: temperature – 35oC,
processing time – 90 min, salt concentration – 14.31% and solution
to sample ratio 8.5:1. At these optimum values, water loss, solid gain
and weight reduction were found to be 30.86 (g/100 g initial sample),
9.43 (g/100 g initial sample) and 21.43 (g/100 g initial sample)
respectively.
Abstract: Text categorization - the assignment of natural language documents to one or more predefined categories based on their semantic content - is an important component in many information organization and management tasks. Performance of neural networks learning is known to be sensitive to the initial weights and architecture. This paper discusses the use multilayer neural network initialization with decision tree classifier for improving text categorization accuracy. An adaptation of the algorithm is proposed in which a decision tree from root node until a final leave is used for initialization of multilayer neural network. The experimental evaluation demonstrates this approach provides better classification accuracy with Reuters-21578 corpus, one of the standard benchmarks for text categorization tasks. We present results comparing the accuracy of this approach with multilayer neural network initialized with traditional random method and decision tree classifiers.
Abstract: Numerical investigation of flow around a square cylinder are presented using the multi-relaxation-time lattice Boltzmann methods at different Reynolds numbers. A detail analysis are given in terms of time-trace analysis of drag and lift coefficients, power spectra analysis of lift coefficient, vorticity contours visualizations, streamlines and phase diagrams. A number of physical quantities mean drag coefficient, drag coefficient, Strouhal number and root-mean-square values of drag and lift coefficients are calculated and compared with the well resolved experimental data and numerical results available in open literature. The Reynolds numbers affected the physical quantities.
Abstract: The most planted cover crops in the Czech Republic
are mustard (Sinapis alba) and phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia
Benth.). A field trial was executed to evaluate root system size (RSS)
in eight varieties of mustard and five varieties of phacelia on two
locations, in three BBCH phases and in two years. The relationship
between RSS and aboveground biomass was inquired. The root
system was assessed by measuring its electric capacity. Aboveground
mass and root samples to be evaluated by means of a digital image
analysis were recovered in the BBCH phase 70. The yield of
aboveground biomass of mustard was always statistically
significantly higher than that of phacelia. Mustard showed a
statistically significant negative correlation between root length
density (RLD) within 10 cm and aboveground biomass weight (r = -
0.46*). Phacelia featured a statistically significant correlation
between aboveground biomass production and nitrate nitrogen
content in soil (r=0.782**).
Abstract: The vertex connectivity of a graph is the smallest number of vertices whose deletion separates the graph or makes it trivial. This work is devoted to the problem of vertex connectivity test of graphs in a distributed environment based on a general and a constructive approach. The contribution of this paper is threefold. First, using a preconstructed spanning tree of the considered graph, we present a protocol to test whether a given graph is 2-connected using only local knowledge. Second, we present an encoding of this protocol using graph relabeling systems. The last contribution is the implementation of this protocol in the message passing model. For a given graph G, where M is the number of its edges, N the number of its nodes and Δ is its degree, our algorithms need the following requirements: The first one uses O(Δ×N2) steps and O(Δ×logΔ) bits per node. The second one uses O(Δ×N2) messages, O(N2) time and O(Δ × logΔ) bits per node. Furthermore, the studied network is semi-anonymous: Only the root of the pre-constructed spanning tree needs to be identified.
Abstract: In studying the possibility of using plants as
rhizoremediators, barley and grass mixture which showed resistance
to various concentrations of oil were selected. The minimum
inhibitory effect of oil on these plants by morphological parameters
such as survival of plants, length and biomass of shoot and root
compared with the control was showed. In determining physiological
parameters, a slight decrease in the number of chlorophyll a and b in
the leaves of plants was noted. The differences in the ratio of the total
surface of the roots to the work surface with the growth of plants in
soil with oil in the study of adsorption of the root surface were
showed.
Abstract: Growth and mineral nutrient elemental content were
studied in Mokara chark kuan pink terrestrial orchid and wild
Lantana camara weed agroecosystem. The treated subplots were
encircled with L. camara plants and sprayed weekly with L. camara
10% leaf aqueous extract. Allelopathic interactions were possible
through extensive invading root of L. camara plants into the treated
orchid subplots and weekly L. camara leaf aqueous extract
sprayings. Orchid growth was not significantly different in between
the control and treated plots, but chlorosis and yellowish patches of
leaves were observed in control orchid leaves. Nitrogen content in L.
camara leaf was significantly higher than in orchid leaf, the order of
importance of mineral nutrient contents in L. camara leaf was
K>Mg>Na>N. In treated orchid leaf, the order of importance was
N>K>Mg>Na. Orchid leaf N content from the treated plot was
higher than control, but Mg and Na contents were almost similar.
Abstract: The effect of seed inoculation by VA- mycorrhiza and
different levels of phosphorus fertilizer on growth and yield of
sunflower (Azargol cultivar) was studied in experiment farm of
Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch during 2008 growing season.
The experiment treatments were arranged in factorial based on a
complete randomized block design with three replications. Four
phosphorus fertilizer levels of 25%, 50% 75% and 100% P
recommended with two levels of Mycorrhiza: with and without
Mycorrhiza (control) were assigned in a factorial combination.
Results showed that head diameter, number of seeds in head, seed
yield and oil yield were significantly higher in inoculated plants than
in non-inoculated plants. Head diameter, number of seeds in head,
1000 seeds weight, biological yield, seed yield and oil yield increased
with increasing P level above 75% P recommended in non-inoculated
plants, whereas no significant difference was observed between 75%
and 100% P recommended. The positive effect of mycorrhizal
inoculation decreased with increasing P levels due to decreased
percent root colonization at higher P levels. According to the results
of this experiment, application of mycorrhiza in present of 50% P
recommended had an appropriate performance and could increase
seed yield and oil production to an acceptable level, so it could be
considered as a suitable substitute for chemical phosphorus fertilizer
in organic agricultural systems.
Abstract: Heavy metal pollution is an environmental concern.
Phytoremediation is a low-cost, environmental-friendly approach to
solve this problem. Mustard has the potential in reducing heavy metal
contents in soils. Among mustard (Brassica juncea (L.) Czern &
Coss) genotypes in Sri Lanka, accessions 7788, 8831 and 5088 give
significantly a high yield. Therefore, present study was conducted to
quantify the phytoextractive potential among these local mustard
accessions and to assess the interaction of heavy metals, Pb, Co, Mn
on phytoextraction. A pot experiment was designed with acid washed
sand (quartz) and a series of heavy metal solutions of 0, 25, 50, 75
and 100 μg/g. Experiment was carried out with factorial
experimental design. Mustard accessions were tolerant to heavy
metals and could be successfully used in removal of Pb, Co and Mn
and they are capable of accumulating significant quantities of heavy
metals in vegetative and reproductive organs. The order of the
accumulative potential of Pb, Co and Mn in mustard accessions is,
root > shoot >seed.
Abstract: The heavy metal contamination of the technogenous
sediments and soils at the investigated dump-field show irregular
planar distribution. Also the heavy metal content in the surface water,
drainage water and in the groundwater was studied both in the dry as
well as during the rainy periods. The cementation process causes
substitution of iron by copper. Natural installation and development
of plant species was observed at the old mine waste dumps, specific
to the local chemical conditions such as low content of essential
nutrients and high content of heavy metals. The individual parts of
the plant tissues (roots, branches/stems, leaves/needles, flowers/
fruits) are contaminated by heavy metals and tissues are damaged
differently, respectively.
Abstract: Tourism industry is an important sector in Malaysia economy and this motivates the examination of long-run relationships between tourist arrivals from three selected European countries in Malaysia and four possible determinants; relative prices, exchange rates, transportation cost and relative prices of substitute destination. The study utilizes data from January 1999 to September 2008 and employs standard econometric techniques that include unit root test and cointegration test. The estimated demand model indicates that depreciation of local currency and increases in prices at substitute destination have positive impact on tourist arrivals while increase in transportation cost has negative impact on tourist arrivals. In addition, the model suggests that higher rate of increase in local prices relative to prices at tourist country of origin may not deter tourists from coming to Malaysia
Abstract: In elevating performance in competetive sports, an
athlete must continously train in achieving maximum
performance,but needs to pay attention to recovery therapy, that is to
recover from fatigue as well as injury.The correct recovery therapy
will assist in process of recovery and helps in the training in
achieving better performace. Binahong (Anredera cordifolia) was
proven empirically by the locals in assisting speedy recovery from an
injury.Clinical research with lab animals receiving blunt trauma
injury, microscopically shown signs of: 1) redness, 2) heatiness, 3)
swelling and, 4) lack of activity. There is also microscopic indication
of: 1) infiltration of inflame cells (migration of cells to the trauma
area), 2) Cells necrosis, 3) Congestion (as a result of dead red blood
cells), 4) uedema. On administration of Binahong for 3 days, there is
a significant drop of 5% in cell inflammation, 2% increase of
fibroblast (cell membrance) count.Conclutin: Binahong do assist in
reducing cell inflammation and increase counts of cells fibroblast.
Suggestion: In helping athlete's to recover from force injury, we need
study about Binahong's roots to inflammation cell and healing of
injuried cell.
Abstract: This paper presents the approach to design the Auto-
Tuning PID controller for interactive Water Level Process using
integral step response. The Integral Step Response (ISR) is the
method to model a dynamic process which can be done easily,
conveniently and very efficiently. Therefore this method is advantage
for design the auto tune PID controller. Our scheme uses the root
locus technique to design PID controller. In this paper MATLAB is
used for modeling and testing of the control system. The
experimental results of the interacting water level process can be
satisfyingly illustrated the transient response and the steady state
response.
Abstract: Humic acids (HAs) have been shown to activate some
ion uptakes along with stimulating the lateral roots at effective
concentration of micronutrients. However, the effects of HA on ion
adsorption by plant roots are not easily explainable due to the
varieties of HAs that differ from origins. Therefore, this study was
aimed to investigate the effect of various concentrations of HA
obtained from the compost derived from mix manures and some
agricultural wastes on the growth of eggplant seedlings (Solanum
melongena L. cv. Chao Praya) in tissue cultures at low nutrient level.
Egg plant seeds were surfaced sterilized and germinated in ½
Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) without HA added or in ¼ MS
supplemented with 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 ppm of HAs. Then, they
were cultured for 4 weeks under the controlled environment. The
results showed that seedlings grown on ¼MS supplemented with
HAs at the concentration of 25 and 50 ppm had the average plant
heights (2.49 and 2.28 cm, respectively) higher than the other
treatments. Both treatments also significantly showed the maximum
average fresh and dry weights (p
Abstract: Phytotoxicity of Daphne gnidium L. was evaluated
through the effect of incorporating leaves, stems and roots biomass
into soil (at 12.5, 25, 50g/Kg) and irrigation by their aqueous extracts
(50g/L), on the growth of two crops (Lactuca sativa L. and Raphanus
sativus L.) and two weeds (Peaganum harmala L. and Scolymus
maculatus L.). Results revealed a perceptible phytotoxic effect which
increased with dose and concentration. At the highest dose, roots and
leaves residues was the most toxic and caused total inhibition
respectively, for lettuce and thistle seedling growth. Irrigation with
aqueous extracts of D. gnidium different organs decreased also
seedlings length of all test species. Stems extract was more inhibitor
on thistle than peganum seedling growth; it induced a significant
reduction of 80% and 67%, for, respectively, roots and shoots.
Results of the present study suggest that different organs of D.
gnidium could be exploited in the management of agro-ecosystems.
Abstract: The ARMrayan Multimedia Mobile CMS (Content
Management System) is the first mobile CMS that gives the
opportunity to users for creating multimedia J2ME mobile
applications with their desired content, design and logo; simply,
without any need for writing even a line of code. The low-level
programming and compatibility problems of the J2ME, along with
UI designing difficulties, makes it hard for most people –even
programmers- to broadcast their content to the widespread mobile
phones used by nearly all people. This system provides user-friendly,
PC-based tools for creating a tree index of pages and inserting
multiple multimedia contents (e.g. sound, video and picture) in each
page for creating a J2ME mobile application. The output is a standalone
Java mobile application that has a user interface, shows texts
and pictures and plays music and videos regardless of the type of
devices used as long as the devices support the J2ME platform.
Bitmap fonts have also been used thus Middle Eastern languages can
be easily supported on all mobile phone devices. We omitted
programming concepts for users in order to simplify multimedia
content-oriented mobile applictaion designing for use in educational,
cultural or marketing centers. Ordinary operators can now create a
variety of multimedia mobile applications such as tutorials,
catalogues, books, and guides in minutes rather than months.
Simplicity and power has been the goal of this CMS. In this paper,
we present the software engineered-designed concepts of the
ARMrayan MCMS along with the implementation challenges faces
and solutions adapted.
Abstract: Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) is probably the most
widely used estimation algorithm for nonlinear systems. However,
not only it has difficulties arising from linearization but also many
times it becomes numerically unstable because of computer round off
errors that occur in the process of its implementation. To overcome
linearization limitations, the unscented transformation (UT) was
developed as a method to propagate mean and covariance
information through nonlinear transformations. Kalman filter that
uses UT for calculation of the first two statistical moments is called
Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF). Square-root form of UKF (SRUKF)
developed by Rudolph van der Merwe and Eric Wan to
achieve numerical stability and guarantee positive semi-definiteness
of the Kalman filter covariances. This paper develops another
implementation of SR-UKF for sequential update measurement
equation, and also derives a new UD covariance factorization filter
for the implementation of UKF. This filter is equivalent to UKF but
is computationally more efficient.
Abstract: The possibility of radionuclides-related contamination
of lands at agricultural holdings defines the necessity to apply special
protective measures in plant growing. The aim of researches is to
elucidate the influence of polymers applying on biological migration
of man-made anthropogenic radionuclides 90Sr and 137Cs in the
system water - soil – plant. The tests are being carried out under field
conditions with and without application of polymers in root-inhabited
media in more radioecological tension zone (with the radius of 7 km
from the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant). The polymers on the base
of K+, Caµ, KµCaµ ions were tested. Productivity of pepper
depending on the presence and type of polymer material, content of
artificial radionuclides in waters, soil and plant material has been
determined. The character of different polymers influence on the
artificial radionuclides migration and accumulation in the system
water-soil-plant and accumulation in the plants has been cleared up.
Abstract: Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) is a perennial herb belonging to the Brassicaceae family and contains biologically active substances. The aim of the current research was to determine best method for extraction of phenolic compounds from horseradish roots showing high antiradical activity. Three genotypes (No. 105; No. 106 and variety ‘Turku’) of horseradish roots were extracted with eight different solvents: n-hexane, ethyl acetate, diethyl ether, 2-propanol, acetone, ethanol (95%), ethanol / water / acetic acid (80/20/1 v/v/v) and ethanol / water (80/20 by volume) using two extraction methods (conventional and Soxhlet). As the best solvents ethanol and ethanol / water solutions can be chosen. Although in Soxhlet extracts TPC was higher, scavenging activity of DPPH˙ radicals did not increase. It can be concluded that using Soxhlet extraction method more compounds that are not effective antioxidants.