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The aim of the present study was to investigate the immediate effect of the application of high-frequency Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) patients with the pain complaint. Thirty patients with MTD, 10 men and 20 women with a mean age of 36.40 ± 5.76 years, participated in the study. The patients were randomized into two groups: (1) Treatment group (TENS) (10 women and 5 men) and (2) Sham TENS group (10 women and 5 men). The treatment group (TENS) received a unique 20-minute session of high-frequency TENS. The sham TENS group was treated in the same condition as the treatment group and received a unique 20-minute session of high-frequency TENS, but no stimulation was given. Auditory-perceptual assessments, acoustic voice analysis, vocal tract discomfort (VTD), and musculoskeletal pain were used to compare the patients pre- and post-treatment. There was a significant improvement in the asthenia parameter of auditory-perceptual assessment in the TENS group. This improvement in asthenia was significant when comparing the TENS group with the sham TENS group. These differences in the asthenia were not significant after using Holm-Bonferroni correction. A comparison of the VTD before and after the TENS application showed there was a significant reduction in the severity of the symptoms (burning, tight, dry, pain, tickling, sore, irritable, and lump in the throat). When comparing the TENS group with the sham TENS group, improvements in burn, tight, dry, pain, and irritable items of VTD were observed. However, after applying the Holm-Bonferroni correction, only reductions in dry and pain items remain significantly different between the groups. After the TENS application, the pain intensity was significantly reduced in the anterior and posterior neck, larynx, submandibular, masseter, temporal region, and upper back. After applying the Holm-Bonferroni correction, pain intensity reduction was significant in the anterior neck and larynx. When comparing the TENS group with the sham TENS group, pain intensity was reduced significantly in the larynx of the TENS group. This difference between the two groups was not significant after using Holm-Bonferroni correction. The pain and VTD assessments in the present study were performed using valid and reliable self-reported scales (NMSQ-E and VTD). High-frequency TENS can be used in the voice treatment program of patients with MTD. MTD patients with pain complaint reported that their vocal tract discomfort and pain were decreased following the high-frequency TENS. Notably, these positive effects were obtained after a single session of high-frequency TENS application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moisture damage is one of the most frequent damages that occurs on asphalt pavements. The application of rubberized materials for asphalt is widely acceptable due to cost saving and environmentally friendly. The purpose of this study is to assess the performance of rubberized asphalt mixtures containing wax-based admixture, namely Tough Fix Hyper (TFH), in terms of moisture sensitivity and hazardous compound leaching potential. The moisture absorption, chemical immersion, and boiling water tests were used to assess the resistance to moisture damage on aggregate-binder bonding characteristics. Following that, the trend of moisture sensitivity was evaluated through an image analysis procedure. To simulate the environmental impact of leaching, the toxicity characterization leaching procedure (TCLP) test was adopted. The results showed that interaction between the crumb rubber or latex with TFH decreases the stripping value of the mixes significantly based on the chemical immersion test. Furthermore, the image analysis of the samples subjected to boiling water conditioning showed that pixels of asphalt samples without TFH, ranging from 524,949 to 472,346, decrease from 520,870 to 289,070, indicating that the asphalt remained coated area improved by 67.70–91.39%. The analysis of the leachate test revealed that the heavy metals, including arsenic (As), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), vanadium (V), and cadmium (Cd), were not detected. However, zinc (Zn) was detected in the modified mixture, ranging from 0.05 to 0.114 mg/L, which lies within the allowable norm. In conclusion, the incorporation of crumb rubber and TFH in asphalt mixtures poses no environmental risk. • The performance of rubberized asphalt mixtures containing wax-based admixture was studied. • The moisture sensitivity was evaluated through an image analysis procedure. • The environmental impact of leaching was evaluated using TCLP test. • Samples subjected to boiling water indicated that the asphalt remained coated area improved within 68–92%. • The outcomes of the leachate test revealed that the incorporation of crumb rubber and wax admixture has no environmental risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Effects of source and content of reclaimed asphalt pavement were characterised. • Two new parameters were proposed to analyse trend and variations of dynamic modulus of asphalt concrete. • Effects of the reclaimed materials on activation energy of asphalt binder were evaluated. • The trend of relative dynamic modulus depends on source and content at frequency and temperature sweeps. • There are some correlations between the activation energy of binders and dynamic modulus of mixes. The effects of the reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) source and content on the dynamic modulus (E*) of hot mix asphalt concrete were characterized. Two parameters were proposed: the non-dimensional dynamic modulus-temperature index (∇ E T *) and non-dimensional dynamic modulus-frequency index (∇ E fr *). Parameter ∇ E fr * indicates the increase of relative E* per unit percent RAP from different sources during frequency and temperature sweeps, while ∇ E T * characterizes the reduction of relative E* per 1 °C temperature increase. An analysis of the results showed that ∇ E T * of RAP mixes were 6.80% to 12% higher than those of the control samples, indicating less temperature susceptibility. Furthermore, an analysis of ∇ E fr * trends showed temperature independency at higher temperature ranges. In addition, the results showed that the activation energy (AE) of the mixes was 1.51 MJ/mol/K to 9.86 MJ/mol/K higher than that of the control samples (without RAP), which depends on the RAP content and source. Moreover, E* linearly increases as AE increases. In conclusion, the increase of intermolecular forces owing to the higher AE in the blended binders increased the mix stiffness, which resulted in a higher E* in mixes containing RAP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A methodology for condition-based maintenance planning and crew scheduling for railway track. • A distributed optimization scheme to apply the proposed approach to large-scale railway networks. • A chance-constrained formulation to achieve a robust but conservative maintenance plan. We develop a multi-level decision making approach for optimal condition-based maintenance planning of a railway network divided into a large number of sections with independent stochastic deterioration dynamics. At higher level, a chance-constrained Model Predictive Control (MPC) controller determines the long-term section-wise maintenance plan, minimizing condition deterioration and maintenance costs for a finite planning horizon, while ensuring that the deterioration level of each section stays below the maintenance threshold with a given probabilistic guarantee in the presence of parameter uncertainty. The resulting large MPC optimization problem containing both continuous and discrete decision variables is solved using Dantzig-Wolfe decomposition to improve the scalability of the proposed approach. At a lower level, the optimal short-term scheduling of the maintenance interventions suggested by the high-level controller and the optimal routing of the corresponding maintenance crew is formulated as a capacitated arc routing problem, which is solved exactly by transforming it into a node routing problem. The proposed approach is illustrated by a numerical case study on the optimal treatment of squats of a regional Dutch railway network. Simulation results show that the proposed approach is robust, non-conservative, and scalable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Post-modern pavement as a new concept for next pavement generation is introduced. • High structural performance, sustainability and social requirements are main criteria. • Performance of interlocking concrete block pavements as post-modern pavement was evaluated. • Block pavements showed high structural performance, eco-friendly characteristics, and social acceptance in Japan. • Block pavement can be considered as postmodern pavement and resilient infrastructure in the world. Abstract Researchers dealing with pavements and experts on materials have been increasingly focused on the structural strength of the pavement materials without paying sufficient attention to the environment and cultural norms. In the 21st century, the concept of pavement design and rehabilitation needs to be modified owing to new requirements such as the additional structural loads derived from the climate change, environmental challenges, social requirements, and aging population. Therefore, the concept of post-modern pavement (PMP) was proposed to address the structural, sustainability, and socio-psychological requirements. In this review of the state-of-the-art, the potential of the interlocking concrete block pavement (ICBP) was evaluated based on its laboratory and field structural performance, sustainability, and social acceptance as a PMP in Japan. Therefore, the relevant literature in English and Japanese, including journals, conference proceedings, technical reports, books, and theses, over a span of 47 years (1971–2018), were studied. It was found that the structural and functional performances of the ICBP in different facilities were satisfying. Furthermore, owing to its waste material use, less noise emission, air purifying characteristics, and heat island reduction, the environmental performance of ICBP was in harmony with sustainable practices. In addition, pavements users, both able and differently abled, rated the ICBP as a more appropriate pavement system owing to its physical appearance, serviceability, aesthetic features, lower heat island effect, rapid maintenance, and positive psychologic effects after earthquake and tsunami events. As a result, the ICBP can be recommended as a PMP for the design and development of resilient transportation infrastructure assets in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Molecular Communication via Diffusion (MCvD) is a promising paradigm which enables nano-machines to communicate with each other. However, the reliability of existing communication systems degrades rapidly as the distance between the transmitters and the receivers grows. To solve this issue, relaying schemes must be implemented in practice. In this paper, we study two relaying schemes: In the first case, the relay node decodes the incoming signal symbol and forwards it to the receiver using a different types of molecules. Then, the receiver detects the information bits by only considering the molecules from the relay node. In the second case, the receiver considers both types of molecules sent from the transmitter and the relay node. Closed-form expression for the end-to-end bit error probability of the these two schemes are derived. Also, we obtain optimal relay location for both schemes. Moreover, we study the optimal threshold, concentration, baud-rate and timing offset to mitigate the overall Inter-Symbol Interference(ISI) and obtain maximum throughput in the relay network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In diffusion-based molecular communication simple modulation techniques based on the concentration, type, or released time of molecules are commonly used. However, random delay of the diffused molecules in environment can cause some strong inter-symbol interference (ISI) among consecutive symbols. Due to the limited computational capabilities of nano-machines, sophisticated modulation and coding schemes cannot be used to resolve this issue. In this paper, we propose several new, yet simple, ISI-resistant coding schemes for diffusion-based communications over a one-dimensional noiseless channel. These schemes map the information bits into variable length codewords and place time-gaps between the consecutive codewords to mitigate ISI issue. Our analytical and simulation results indicate that the proposed schemes provide superior performances in terms of probability of error and throughput compared to the existing schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A decision support approach is proposed for condition-based maintenance of rails. • The methodology uses big data analysis and expert systems. • ABA measurements, video images and prior knowledge of the track are employed. • Integrated estimation of the rail health condition supports maintenance decisions. • Measurements from the track Amersfoort-Weert in the Dutch railway network are used. Abstract In this paper, a decision support approach is proposed for condition-based maintenance of rails relying on expert-based systems. The methodology takes into account both the actual conditions of the rails (using axle box acceleration measurements and rail video images) and the prior knowledge of the railway track. The approach provides an integrated estimation of the rail health conditions to support the maintenance decisions for a given time period. An expert-based system is defined to analyse interdependency between the prior knowledge of the track (defined by influential factors) and the surface defect measurements over the rail. When the rail health conditions is computed, the different track segments are prioritized, in order to facilitate grinding planning of those segments of rail that are prone to critical conditions. In this paper, real-life rail conditions measurements from the track Amersfoort-Weert in the Dutch railway network are used to show the benefits of the proposed methodology. The results support infrastructure managers to analyse the problems in their rail infrastructure and to efficiently perform a condition-based maintenance decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of a new organic-inorganic nano-hybrid material [H 5 O 2 ][pip] 2.5 [SiMoV 2 W 9 O 40 ]. 7H 2 O (pip = Piperazine) (1) , in which piperazine is connected to a mixed-addenda Keggin structure of polyoxometalate by hydrogen bonding interaction, is reported. This nano-hybrid is characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance ( 1 H NMR), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA-DTA), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Single crystal X-ray analysis reveals that compound 1 has been assembled by hydrogen bonding among polyoxometalate, piperazine and crystallization water units. In this compound, polyoxometalates are located in the cavities which are created by piperazine groups in the zigzag form. In addition, based on XRD and FESEM analyzes, the nano composition of compound 1 can be verified. Moreover, the electrochemical properties of 1 were perused, which represent that 1 has an appropriate electrocatalytic activity towards reduction of nitrate (NO 2 − ) ion attributed to the metal-center and piperazine units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the effects of high percentages of different by-products, including blast furnace slag (BFS) and fly ash (FA), on the structural performance, energy requirement and environment impacts of a concrete heavy-duty pavement (HDP) at various curing temperatures. The results of the structural performance indicate that HDP containing up to 70% BFS and HDP containing 30% FA can be comparable in controlling the HDPs designed for highways and airports. Moreover, the results of the environmental impact assessment indicate that the synergy of the by-product and warm water can reduce the energy requirement and CO 2 footprint by 5.77%–56.54% and 8.16%–55.5% for the highway and airport HDPs, respectively. Although the elevated curing temperature improves the structural performance and sustainability of the concrete pavements, any delay in concrete production increases energy consumption accordingly. Moreover, a new parameter ( ∇ TE ) , which is the time gradient per unit energy consumption developed based on the Laplace transformation, is proposed to characterize the effect of the time delay in concrete production. This parameter indicates that the time required for a unit energy consumption (1 TJ) decreases by 50%, as the curing temperature increases. In conclusion, analysis of the structural design, carbon footprint, and the results of ∇ TE indicate that 35 °C can be proposed as the optimum water curing temperature for the HDP incorporating by-products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a multi-level decision making approach for the optimal planning of maintenance operations of railway infrastructures, which are composed of multiple components divided into basic units for maintenance. Scenario-based chance-constrained Model Predictive Control (MPC) is used at the high level to determine an optimal long-term component-wise intervention plan for a railway infrastructure, and the Time Instant Optimization (TIO) approach is applied to transform the MPC optimization problem with both continuous and integer decision variables into a nonlinear continuous optimization problem. The middle-level problem determines the allocation of time slots for the maintenance interventions suggested at the high level to optimize the trade-off between traffic disruption and the setup cost of maintenance slots. Based on the high-level intervention plan, the low-level problem determines the optimal clustering of the basic units to be treated by a maintenance agent, subject to the time limit imposed by the maintenance slots. The proposed approach is applied to the optimal treatment of squats, with real data from the Eindhoven-Weert line in the Dutch railway network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pavements are one of the most energy-intensive infrastructure assets that depend on non-renewable natural resources. Against the background of restrictions on landfill disposal, the increased use of alternative materials such as industrial byproducts in pavement construction has gained great attention from academic and industrial sectors. However, comprehensive research covering various aspects of pavements incorporating different byproducts is lacking. The main purpose of this state-of-the-art study is to bridge this gap via the analysis of the performance of pavements incorporating two types of byproducts, blast furnace slag, and fly ash, from the perspectives of structural performance, energy saving potential, and greenhouse gas emission reduction at various phases of pavement life. Therefore, the contents of 150 published documents, including research papers, theses, and academic and industrial reports published over a span of 49 years (1968–2017) were analyzed. The major findings indicated that incorporation of the byproducts may have positive or negative consequences in various phases of pavement life. However, the new pavements are advantageous from the viewpoint of raw material processing because of low consumption of raw materials and pertinent environmental footprints. In addition, several scenarios are proposed for ranking the alternative materials on the basis of the technical and environmental requirements for a paving project; these scenarios can be useful for the preliminary selection of alternative materials. Finally, some gaps are highlighted for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the engineering properties of waste glass (WG), including its structural and environmental performance, as an alternative material for the construction of various types of paving systems, including asphalt, concrete, and block pavements. As a first step, an overview of the asphalt, cement, and glass manufacturing industries is provided. Then, a large volume of data is analyzed from various sources in the literature. Particular emphasis is given to laboratory studies of the structural performance and durability of WG. Additionally, the effect of WG on the field performance of the pavements is discussed. The sustainability of the pavements is also evaluated in terms of energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, safety, and the heat island phenomenon. In conclusion, the use of WG can improve various phases of pavement life and structure by enhancing the structural performance, durability, environmental friendliness, and aesthetic features of pavements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the important needs of human societies is the elimination of environmental pollution and also the construction of high-performance and inexpensive biosensors. In this regard, the construction of multi-functional composites has been considered. A novel magnetic graphite carbon nitride decorated by tri-vanadium substituted Dawson-type heteropolytungstate nanocomposite (C 3 N 4 /Fe 3 O 4 @P 2 W 15 V 3) effectively synthesized and characterized by prevalent functional analysis. The prepared nano-catalyst presents bi-functional usage involving photocatalytic removal of dyes (methylene blue, congo red and phenyl red) (around 98%) under visible light radiation and greatly sensitive colorimetric sensing of cysteine in an aqueous media. Moreover, synthesized nano-catalyst successfully recovered five times without any considerable deficiency on its photocatalytic ability. Further, Moreover, we propose a novel method for cysteine detection based on the C 3 N 4 /Fe 3 O 4 @P 2 W 15 V 3 nanocomposite. This nanocomposite displayed a privileged catalytic feature for cysteine oxidation to extend a clock reaction of methylene blue as an indicator in the presence of NaBH 4 in acidic solution. More importantly, this colorimetric sensing method of cysteine presents an easy, low-cost, selective, and rapid colorimetric assay with a detection limit value of 7.2 μM in the acceptable linear range of 5–600 μM. [Display omitted] • The Preparation and characterization of a novel and green photocatalyst abbreviated g-C 3 N 4 /Fe 3 O 4 @P 2 W 15 V 3. • The g-C 3 N 4 /Fe 3 O 4 @P 2 W 15 V 3 has been used for the degradation of organic dyes. • The g-C 3 N 4 /Fe 3 O 4 @P 2 W 15 V 3 photocatalyst exhibits great recovery ability and photodegradation activity than pristine g-C 3 N 4. • Efficient colorimetric sensing of Cys with g-C 3 N 4 /Fe 3 O 4 @P 2 W 15 V 3 system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are many technologies to produce sustainable asphalt pavements that may affect various phases of pavement life. Therefore, it is difficult to choose the most appropriate technology that addresses all the engineering requirements, especially in the technologies produce the identical outputs. In this study, a PG64 asphalt binder (base binder) was upgraded to PG70 (target binder) through incorporation of two different sustainable approaches: (1) synthetic wax and (2) recovered binder from reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). The effects of the different modification methods were evaluated in terms of the engineering properties of materials and the sustainability features of mix production. The results indicated the modified binder (as outputs) have the same performance grade as the target binder, but the incorporation of RAP reduces the environmental pollutants at the stage of raw material processing, while the use of the wax decreases the pollutants during asphalt mix production. Consequently, the selection of the type of sustainable technology for production of cleaner asphalt pavement depends significantly on the stage desired to be modified in the pavement construction. A few scenarios and a new method are also proposed as a guide to selection of the appropriate sustainable approaches based on the binder and engineering properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Knee extension (Kext) syndrome is based on movement system impairments and is described as knee pain associated with quadriceps stiffness. Objective To investigate the effects of 3 times per week for 4 weeks static stretching of knee musculature on patellar alignment and knee functional disability in male Kext syndrome patients. Design A single-group, pretest–posttest clinical trial. Setting Hazrat-e-Rasoul Akram Hospital. Participants Forty-six male Kext syndrome patients aged 18–35 years. Methods Knee functional disability was assessed by the Kujala questionnaire. Patellar tilt was assessed using the skyline view X-ray. In addition, patella alta was assessed by X-ray using the Insall–Salvati ratio. After intervention, changes in knee flexion–extension range of motion (ROM) and hip adduction were assessed by goniometer and inclinometer. Changes in patellar tilt and patella alta were evaluated. Correlations between muscles length, patellar tilt and knee functional disability were also evaluated. Results The mean of patellar tilt in male Kext syndrome patients was 15.19°. Only the correlation between rectus femoris shortness and patellar tilt ( P = 0.002) and the correlation between rectus femoris shortness and knee functional disability ( P = 0.037) were significant. Patella alta was not severe in male Kext syndrome patients (1.28 ± 0.10). Knee flexion–extension ROM and femoral adduction increased significantly after a 12-session stretching programme ( P < 0.0001). Conclusion The results demonstrated that rectus femoris shortness had higher correlation with patellar tilt and knee functional disability than iliotibial band and hamstring shortness. Stretching was effective in reducing patellar tilt, patella alta, knee functional disability, increasing knee ROM and hip adduction in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a methodology to characterize the changes in the rheological properties of unaged and aged asphalt binders incorporating various Sasobit ® and Rediset ® contents at high and intermediate temperatures. The changes in the rheological properties of asphalt binders per 1% Sasobit ® and Rediset ® contents were measured using new proposed parameters namely the non-dimensional viscosity index (∇η s ), gradients of the Superpave™ rutting factor (∇NSRP) and relative G*sin (δ) (∇RG). The results of ∇η s showed that although both additives reduce binders' viscosities, the decrease per 1% additive depends on test temperature, aging state, asphalt and additive type. The results of flow test also showed that Rediset ® does not change the Newtonian behavior of asphalt binder, while Sasobit ® converts the Newtonian flow into non-Newtonian at some specific shear rates, which this effect was defined in terms of threshold of non-Newtonian flow (TNF). Based on the results of the rheological binder tests, three viable scenarios to select Sasobit ® or Rediset ® based on the sustainability and structural performance were introduced [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of various blast furnace slag (BFS) contents on the performance of cement pastes and pavement were investigated at two levels, the micro and the macro. At the micro level, the strength and chemical properties of cement pastes containing various percentages of BFS and subjected to different water curing periods were evaluated. At the macro level, the structural and sustainability performance of airport concrete pavements were studied. In this regard, several structural design charts were developed to determine the thickness of the concrete slab required to withstand traffic loadings for various versions of aircraft design and subgrade strengths. The sustainability of the concrete pavements was assessed in terms of fuel requirements and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In addition, a simple graphical method was proposed for comparing structural and environmental performance of concrete pavements with respect to BFS content, subgrade strength, different versions of the aircraft design, fuel requirements and GHG emissions for pavement construction. Based on the results obtained using the proposed method and the structural and sustainability analyses, scenarios are suggested for choosing preliminary BFS content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A new soluble inorganic–organic hybrid based on polyoxotungstate, [Himi]4[SiW12O40].H2O 1 (imi = Imidazole), has been successfully synthesized and characterized by using elemental analysis, infrared spectrum, 1H NMR technique and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. X-ray crystallography reveals that 1 displays an organic–inorganic hybrid frameworks constructed by [SiW12O40]4− α-Keggin-type polyoxoanion and four {(Himi)}+ monocationic hydrogen-bonded fragments. Redox activities for the tungsten centers have been observed using cyclic voltammetry. It was found that 1 presents good electrocatalytic activities for the reduction of rather than H4SiW12O40 heteropolyacid. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper characterizes the effects of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) source on the rheological properties of virgin asphalt binders blended with 15% and 30% recovered binders. The recovered binders were extracted from three local RAP sources namely; the North-South Expressway (NSE), Damansara-Puchong Expressway (DPE) and Public Works Department (PWD) roads. The results showed that RAP source significantly influence the binder rheological properties at each aging state and test temperature. Environmental impacts were analyzed by estimating fuel requirements and Greenhouse Gas emissions in an asphalt mixing plant which was found to depend on RAP source and RAP content. Three scenarios were suggested to select the optimum RAP source and RAP content based on fuel requirement, emissions, and environmental condition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Warm-mix asphalt (WMA) has been gaining popularity in the asphalt industry primarily because of its ability to lower the energy required to blend asphalt mixes, which in turn results in less fuel consumption, slower aging of the asphalt binder and reduced emission of greenhouse gases. This paper evaluates the effects of different quantities of a WMA additive known as Sasobit® on the required heat energy and the amount of CO2 produced to increase the temperature of two aggregates from three sources and one binder from 25 °C to the point of mixing. The results showed that incorporating 1% Sasobit® can potentially reduce the required heat energy and amount of CO2 produced by 2.8% and 3.0%, respectively, for all aggregate types and sources investigated. The paper also presented design charts that enable energy policy makers and engineers to select the appropriate Sasobit® content to produce the most cost effective asphalt mixture with less environmental impact. The design charts show that 1.6% Sasobit® content is the most suitable proportion to be blended into the asphalt binder without compromising pavement resistance against fatigue failure. Two similar aggregates from different sources may exhibit similar specific gravities, but their specific heat capacities can vary widely. These differences have a significant effect on the required heat energy, asphalt production cost and the amount of emissions released into the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the application of the non orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) and orthogonal multiple access (OMA) scheme to cooperative cognitive radio network. We investigate a two phase cooperative NOMA where a secondary transmitter can transmit simultaneously with a primary transmitter via the uplink NOMA. We assign a larger power factor to the primary user (PU) to satisfy the quality of service (QoS) of the PU in overlay cognitive radio network. We purpose the cooperative NOMA scheme in which the one relay is selected between K relays, based on max–min relay selection strategy, to improve the performance of the PU and the secondary users (SUs). We investigate the outage probabilities of PU and the SUs with residual interference due to the imperfect successive interference cancelation (SIC). Then, the outage probabilities and diversity orders with perfect SIC for fixed power allocation and cognitive radio power allocation are derived in the closed form. We also calculate the outage probability and diversity order for the OMA scheme, as a benchmark. Finally, the simulation results are presented to confirm the accuracy of the theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Two new parameters were proposed to characterise trends of dynamic moduli. • Compressive and flexural moduli showed linear correlation. • Trends of changes of moduli was different. • A predictive model was developed for compressive moduli. • The proposed parameters are useful for development of micro models of asphalt mix. The compressive dynamic modulus (E*) and the flexural modulus (M F) of an asphalt mixture are two of the main criteria in structural design and evaluation of flexible pavements. The correlation between these properties and the characterisation of their trends indicates a dynamic response of the asphalt concrete mixtures. In this study, a non-dimensional compressive dynamic modulus index (φE*) and a non-dimensional flexural modulus index (φM F) are proposed as ways to characterise the trends of changes of the dynamic modulus at different temperatures and frequencies. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Ridge Regression were used in analysis of different variables of experiments and statistical modelling, respectively. ANOVA results showed that the proposed parameters are function of the temperature, frequency, and the interactions. Also, the analysis of trends showed that the values of φM F converge at 3% as temperature increases, while only a decreasing trend was observed for φE*. Furthermore, the correlation between φM F and φE* depends on the type of binder. The effect of binder type can be seen in the master curves. Furthermore, the analysis showed that the values of M F are at least 75% of E*, so this can be used as proximity factor to convert M F into E* for use in mechanistic pavement design. In addition, a statistical predictive model was proposed as function of M F , temperature and frequency. The outputs showed that M F and temperature at the frequency domain have significant effects on E* with a high correlation. In conclusion, the proposed parameters and the model can be used as a basis for development of a universal predictive model of dynamic modulus through trends of changes and material properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of Voice Therapy (VT) with and without Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) in women with Muscle Tension Dysphonia (MTD). A total of 20 women with MTD participated in the study. Participants underwent evaluation of auditory-perceptual assessment, acoustic voice analysis, Vocal Tract Discomfort (VTD), and musculoskeletal pain before and after the treatment. The participants were divided into two groups: (1) TENS + VT group (10 participants) and (2) VT group (10 participants). Both groups received 10 sessions of treatment, twice a week, each lasting 50 minutes. The statistical analysis was performed using Wilcoxon signed ranked and Mann-Whitney U tests (P < 0.05). After VT, significant improvements were observed in all auditory-perceptual parameters and all VTD items except for the tickling frequency and severity. The VT caused significant reduction in the frequency of pain in anterior neck, posterior neck, and the larynx. Also, VT resulted in a significant reduction in pain intensity only in the larynx. After VT + TENS, significant improvements were observed in all auditory-perceptual parameters, shimmer, and all VTD items. Moreover, the VT + TENS led to a significant decrease in the frequency and intensity of pain in anterior neck, posterior neck, the larynx, masseters, shoulders, and upper back. The findings of between-group comparison after treatment showed significantly more reduction in the frequency (dry and pain items) and severity (tight and pain items) of the VTD in VT + TENS group compared with VT group. Regarding the musculoskeletal pain, significantly more reduction in the frequency and intensity of pain in anterior neck and the larynx was observed in VT + TENS group compared with VT group. The VT and VT + TENS could lead to positive outcomes in auditory perceptual assessment, acoustic voice analysis, the VTD, and assessment of musculoskeletal pain. In some items of frequency and severity of VTD scale and assessment of musculoskeletal pain, VT + TENS also produced better results compared with VT. As a result, TENS was recommended as a complementary therapy for patients with MTD, especially when these patients had more complaints about VTD and musculoskeletal pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new organic-inorganic hybrid consisting of Keggin-type polyoxometalate ([BW 12 O 40 5-) and imidazole, namely [H 5 O 2 [imi] 4 [BW 12 O 40 ·nH 2 O (imi = Imidazole) (1) , has been created under reflux state and identified through material identification devices like single crystal crystallography, FT-IR and 1H NMR spectroscopies, powder XRD, TG-DT Analysis, field emission SEM, elemental-analysis and cyclic voltammetry. Crystallography investigation exhibits that two main factors which are the numerous number of hydrogen bonding between organic and inorganic species and π-π stacking interaction between two adjacent imidazole rings a have crucial role in 1 formation. In addition, three types of imidazole exist in 1 structure in terms of different kind of hydrogen bonding among [BW 12 O 40 5- clusters and imidazole cations. Furthermore, the electrochemical and photochemical attributes of 1 have been considered, and the outcomes present that compound owns privileged electrocatalytic activity against the reduction of nitrite ions as well as an appropriate photochemical effect on methylene blue (MB) dye depredation. Because of the use of catalyst 1 in the form of modified carbon paste electrode (MCPE) to reduce nitrite ions, and of course its ability to recover and reuse repeatedly in the degradation of MB, this catalyst can be classified in green chemistry domain. Image 1 • This compound is a new organic-inorganic nano-hybrid. • Hydrogen bonding and π-π stacking interaction are two main factors in the formation of 1. • Compound 1 exhibits remarkable electrocatalytical activity on the nitrite reduction. • Hybrid 1 shows notable photocatalytical property on the methylene blue degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular Communication via Diffusion (MCvD) is one of the most prominent approaches to interconnect the nano-machines which can do some simple communication functions. In this paper, Pulse Position Modulation (PPM) is studied. We divide the received time step to four separated bins and recognized the distribution model of received molecules in each bin. As a benchmark, we derive Maximum Likelihood (ML) detector for comparison with other methods. Furthermore, we propose a technique called MAX detector in order to design the receiver for simplifying the symbol detection procedure. By changing the values of time step and distance between the transmitter and the receiver, we change the effect of Inter Symbol Interference (ISI). Further, we find the BER (BER) of MAX detector analytically. It is seen that two detection methods for PPM can achieve the same BER for some practical cases, while the MAX detector is simpler than ML detector. Compared to other methods such as type-based and concentration-based modulations, we find that at high rates, i.e., low T s , the pulse position modulation works better and it has better performance in the intense ISI conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study contributes to the empirical literature in two ways: 1) We propose an innovative Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model to estimate the cost efficiency of Chinese banks; 2) We propose a Stochastic Structural Relationship Programming (SSRP) Model based on neural networks to evaluate the interrelationships between efficiency and other bank-specific variables. The findings show that Chinese commercial banks experienced a gradual increase in the level of efficiency from 2010 up to 2015, after which the efficiency level experienced slight volatility and, by the end of 2018, ended up with an efficiency score of 0.746 on a scale of 0 to 1. We find that for banks with lower levels of efficiency, improvement in the efficiency level has a favorable effect on profitability, and these banks will also focus their business on traditional banking activities. Banks with higher levels of efficiency need to find alternative, profitable banking businesses in order to sustain their higher level of efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A regional Australian airport pavement was upgraded to increase the runway strength and improve the moisture resistance of the granular base course. Three designs were considered, including a traditional granular reconstruction with a new asphalt surface, a conservative re-use by bitumen stabilisation of the granular base course and a similar full re-use and recycling approach, including incorporation of the existing asphalt surface into the bitumen stabilised base course and reincorporation of recycled asphalt into the asphalt surface layer. A triple bottom line cost was estimated for each design option by normalising and combining the social cost (new materials consumed and waste material to landfill), financial cost (material supply and construction) and environmental cost (greenhouse gas omissions). The full re-use and recycling design provided a modest financial cost saving, at 78% of the cost of the traditional design. However, the full re-use and recycling design was found to have a social cost of just 12% of that for the traditional design, and 33% of the cost with regard the environmental. Overall, the triple bottom line for the full re-use and recycling approach was just 14% of that associated with the traditional approach, with even the conservative re-use approach costing only 25% of the traditional design. It is recommended that other airports consider re-use and recycling as part of the pavement upgrade works, with the triple bottom line approach used to objectively compare different design options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Objectives Teachers are at increased risk for development of voice disorders. Because there is no published study on Iranian teachers, the aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of voice disorders among teachers and nonteachers in Iran and define the causing risk factors. Methods In the present study, 104 teachers and 41 nonteacher participants, whose jobs did not involve vocal effort, completed a questionnaire regarding to vocal complaint and four relevant risk factors. Results According to our gained data, 54.6% of teachers experienced vocal complaints during their work, although this value was 21.1% for the nonteacher group ( P < 0.001). Moreover, investigating the prevalence of voice disorders during other periods of life was performed. Analyzing the questionnaire data indicated a significant higher vocal load risk factor for teachers (70.77%; standard deviation [SD], 29.48), in comparison with their nonteacher counterparts (27.44%; SD, 37.83; P < 0.001). In addition, our study revealed the significance of vocal load, as well as physical and environmental risk factors in the development of voice disorders in teachers with voice complaints. Conclusions Present findings indicated a higher epidemiology of voice problems among teachers in comparison with nonteacher individuals and introduced vocal load as the most important risk factor in development of voice disorder in Iranian teachers. Accordingly, it is recommended to pay special attention to negative effects of vocal load, although environmental and physical factors are also of importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Probabilistic models are one of the common approaches for classification. One way to create these models is to form a decomposable model by selecting a set of marginal distributions. Although decomposable models are attractive by having some desirable properties, they would face the over-fitting issue in model-based classification approaches. Considering this issue, we propose a new method for selecting a set of marginal distributions and creating a proper decomposable model while controlling the complexity. The obtained model will be able to capture the interdependencies among different features and can be used for classification. The proposed method is compared with three existing methods namely TAN and Averaged TAN classifiers and t-Cherry algorithm by focusing on internet traffic data. Experimental results show that our obtained model can effectively extract dependencies among features, and hence, its performance as a classifier is superior compared to other three methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An inorganic–organic hybrid complex [HDCD]3[PW12O40]·3H2O (1) (DCD = 2-cyanoguanidine) has been synthesized from the reaction of Keggin polyanion and cyanoguanidine (C2N4H4) under mild condition, and characterized by using elemental analysis, infrared spectrum, thermogravimatric analysis and single crystal X-ray diffraction. X-ray crystallography reveals that 1 displays an inorganic–organic hybrid frameworks constructed by [PW12O40]3− Keggin-type polyoxoanion and three {(HDCD)}+ monocationic hydrogen-bonded units. The electrochemical behavior and electrocatalysis of 1 have been studied in detail. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

People with knee osteoarthritis are at higher risk of postural deficits and locomotor adaptations which could be manifested in transient tasks like gait initiation. To better understand the effect of early knee osteoarthritis on gait initiation, we measured the gait initiation in two groups of early knee osteoarthritis and healthy age-matched controls and assessed the effect of lateral wedge insole in knee osteoarthritis group. Twenty-one individuals with early knee osteoarthritis, mean (SD) age = 53.1 (7.4, years), and 19 age- and sex-matched asymptomatic healthy individuals, mean (SD) age = 47.5 (11.2, years), participated. Centre of pressure trajectories were used to quantify the two phases of gait initiation in barefoot condition: anticipatory postural adjustment, and locomotor phase. The immediate and four-week effect of lateral wedge insole and shod condition were also compared for individuals in knee osteoarthritis group. Longer duration of anticipatory postural adjustment phase (P = 0.046), locomotor phase (P = 0.049), and total duration of gait initiation (P = 0.035) with lower length and velocity of the center of pressure trajectories in anticipatory postural adjustment phase (P = 0.002, and 0.008, respectively) were observed in knee osteoarthritis group compared to controls. Lateral wedge insole could increase the length and velocity of the centre of pressure in locomotor phase compared to barefoot condition (P = 0.001, and 0.002, respectively). Our study outlined that people with early knee osteoarthritis adopt different gait initiation strategies mainly in postural preparation phase. The potential effect of lateral wedge insole was shown with better performance of the locomotor phase. IRCT2016060628310N1. Unlabelled Image • Early knee osteoarthritis is associated with longer gait initiation cycle. • Anticipatory postural adjustment phase is longer in early knee osteoarthritis. • Bipedal standing phase is longer in early knee osteoarthritis. • Lateral wedge insole can improve locomotor phase in knee osteoarthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]