Search

Detecting abnormal ECG patterns is a crucial area of study aimed at enhancing diagnostic accuracy and enabling early identification of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)-related abnormalities. This study compares a unique strategy for abnormal ECG patterns using the LADTree model to standard machine learning (ML) models. The study design includes data collection from the MIT-BIH Arrhythmia dataset, preprocessing to address missing values, and feature selection using the CfsSubsetEval method using Best First Search, Harmony Search, and Particle Swarm Optimization Search approaches. The performance assessment consists of two scenarios: percentage splitting and K-fold cross-validation, with several evaluation measures such as Kappa statistic (KS), Best First Search, recall, precision-recall curve (PRC) area, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) area, and accuracy. In scenario 1, LADTree outperforms other ML models in terms of mean absolute error (MAE), KS, recall, ROC area, and PRC. Notably, the Naïve Bayes (NB) model has the lowest MAE, but the Support Vector Machine (SVM) performs badly. In scenario 2, NB has the lowest MAE but the highest KS, recall, ROC area, and PRC area, closely followed by LADTree. Overall, the findings indicate that the LADTree model, when optimized for ECG signal data, delivers promising results in detecting abnormal ECG patterns potentially related with CKD. This study advances predictive modeling tools for identifying abnormal ECG patterns, which could enhance early detection and management of CKD, potentially leading to improved patient outcomes and healthcare practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiac amyloidosis is caused by amyloid fibrils that deposit in the myocardial interstitium, causing restrictive cardiomyopathy and eventually death. The electromechanical, inflammatory, and autonomic changes due to amyloid deposition result in arrhythmias. Atrial fibrillation is by far the most common arrhythmia. The rate control strategy is generally poorly tolerated due to restrictive filling physiology and heart rate dependance, favoring adoption of the rhythm control strategy. Anticoagulation for stroke prophylaxis is warranted, irrespective of CHA2DS2-VASc score in patients with a favorable bleeding profile; data on left appendage closure devices are still insufficient. Ventricular arrhythmias are also not uncommon, and the role of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator in cardiac amyloidosis is controversial. There is no evidence of improvement in outcomes when used for primary prevention in these patients. Bradyarrhythmia is most commonly associated with sudden cardiac death in cardiac amyloidosis. Pacemaker implantation can help provide symptomatic relief but does not confer mortality benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An IoT-based wireless centralized monitoring system has been proposed which is an effective way to monitor and control building systems. The system will serve the purpose of replacing an old and expensive PLC-based and wire-based management system. The system here uses several nodes of networks which are connected through wireless mesh and sending data to the centralized edge computing device (raspberry pi) through MQTT protocol. Then, the edge will update the data on the cloud using Firebase to generate a library and update the data on the cloud on a real-time basis and through the cloud, which will then allow us to monitor and control the system through the website which can be used easily and remotely on any browsing device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a geometric approach to the problems in differential subordination theory. The necessary conditions for a function to be in various subfamilies of the class of starlike functions and the class of Carathéodory functions are studied, respectively. Further, several consequences of the findings are derived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, we define a few subclasses of analytic functions which are connected to sine functions and the cardioid domain in the unit disk. We investigate initial coefficient bounds, the Fekete–Szego problem and second and third Hankel determinants for the functions f belonging to these newly defined classes. We also define the class of m-fold symmetric functions related with the sine function and then investigate the bounds of the third Hankel determinant for twofold symmetric and threefold symmetric functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The latest technologies and communication protocols are arousing a keen interest in automation, in which the field of home area networks is the most prominent area to work upon toward solving the issues and challenges faced by wireless home area networks regarding adaptability, reliability, cost, throughput, efficiency, and scalability. However, managing the immense number of communication devices on the premises of a smart home is a challenging task. Moreover, the Internet of Things (IoT) is an emerging global trend with billions of smart devices to be connected in the near future resulting in a huge amount of diversified data. The continuous expansion of the IoT network causes complications and vulnerabilities due to its dynamic nature and heterogeneous traffic. In the applications of IoT, the wireless sensor network (WSN) plays a major role, and to take benefits from WSN, medium access control (MAC) is the primary protocol to optimize, which helps in allocating resources to a huge number of devices in the smart home environment. Furthermore, artificial intelligence is highly demanded to enhance the efficiency of existing systems and IoT applications. Therefore, the purpose of this research paper is to achieve an optimized medium access control protocol through machine learning. The machine learning classifier, e.g., random forest (RF) and linear regression model, is adopted for predicting the features of home area networks. The proposed technique is helpful and could overcome the demerits of existing protocols in relation to scalability, throughput, access delay, and reliability and help in achieving an autonomous home area network (HAN). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate sharp coefficient functionals, like initial four sharp coefficient bounds, sharp Fekete–Szegö functionals, and, for n = 1 and 2, sharp Zalcman functionals are evaluated for class of functions associated with tangent functions. Furthermore, we provide some majorization results for some non-vanishing holomorphic functions, whose ratios are related to various domains in the open unit disk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this present paper, we define a new operator in conjugation with the basic (or q-) calculus. We then make use of this newly defined operator and define a new class of analytic and bi-univalent functions associated with the q-derivative operator. Furthermore, we find the initial Taylor–Maclaurin coefficients for these newly defined function classes of analytic and bi-univalent functions. We also show that these bounds are sharp. The sharp second Hankel determinant is also given for this newly defined function class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some well-known authors have extensively used orthogonal polynomials in the framework of geometric function theory. We are motivated by the previous research that has been conducted and, in this study, we solve the Fekete–Szegö problem as well as give bound estimates for the coefficients and an upper bound estimate for the second Hankel determinant for functions in the class  G Σ (v , σ)  of analytical and bi-univalent functions, implicating the Euler polynomials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1,3,4-Oxadiazole moiety is a crucial pharmacophore in many biologically active compounds. In a typical synthesis, probenecid was subjected to a sequence of reactions to obtain a 1,3,4-oxadiazole–phthalimide hybrid (PESMP) in high yields. The NMR (1H and 13C) spectroscopic analysis initially confirmed the structure of PESMP. Further spectral aspects were validated based on a single-crystal XRD analysis. Experimental findings were confirmed afterwards by executing a Hirshfeld surface (HS) analysis and quantum mechanical computations. The HS analysis showed the role of the π⋯π stacking interactions in PESMP. PESMP was found to have a high stability and lower reactivity in terms of global reactivity parameters. α-Amylase inhibition studies revealed that the PESMP was a good inhibitor of α-amylase with an s value of 10.60 ± 0.16 μg/mL compared with that of standard acarbose (IC50 = 8.80 ± 0.21 μg/mL). Molecular docking was also utilized to reveal the binding pose and features of PESMP against the α-amylase enzyme. Via docking computations, the high potency of PESMP and acarbose towards the α-amylase enzyme was unveiled and confirmed by docking scores of −7.4 and −9.4 kcal/mol, respectively. These findings shine a new light on the potential of PESMP compounds as α-amylase inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pretreatment of reverse osmosis (RO) feed water of high mineral scaling propensity was evaluated with respect to downstream RO membrane scaling, for two different feed pretreatment configurations. The pretreatment schemes included (i) media sand filtration, followed by a hydrocyclone (HC) and (ii) a hydrocyclone, microfilter, and a UF module, where both configurations included mesh screens for added protection. The first pretreatment configuration reduced the source water turbidity to ~0.5 NTU, while treatment that included UF feed yielded turbidity of < ˜ 0.1   NTU ; both pretreatment strategies provided feed water turbidity within the range recommended for RO desalination. Membrane scaling tests, with the pretreated water without antiscalant dosing, using a plate-and-frame RO unit and a membrane monitoring system, provided real-time membrane surface images that were quantified with respect to the progression of mineral scaling. RO desalting of source water pretreated with the first configuration revealed flux decline that was 75% greater and scale coverage (primarily gypsum) a factor of approximately eight higher relative to desalting of UF-treated source water. The results suggest that RO desalting of high mineral scaling propensity water can significantly benefit from added UF treatment to achieve feedwater turbidity to well below the typically recommended 0.5 NTU upper limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accuracy is the vital indicator in location estimation used in many scenarios, such as warehousing, tracking, monitoring, security surveillance, etc., in a wireless sensor network (WSN). The conventional range-free DV-Hop algorithm uses hop distance to estimate sensor node positions but has limitations in terms of accuracy. To address the issues of low accuracy and high energy consumption of DV-Hop-based localization in static WSNs, this paper proposes an enhanced DV-Hop algorithm for efficient and accurate localization with reduced energy consumption. The proposed method consists of three steps: first, the single-hop distance is corrected using the RSSI value for a specific radius; second, the average hop distance between unknown nodes and anchors is modified based on the difference between actual and estimated distances; and finally, the least-squares approach is used to estimate the location of each unknown node. The proposed algorithm, named Hop-correction and energy-efficient DV-Hop (HCEDV-Hop), is executed and evaluated in MATLAB to compare its performance with benchmark schemes. The results show that HCEDV-Hop improves localization accuracy by an average of 81.36%, 77.99%, 39.72%, and 9.96% compared to basic DV-Hop, WCL, improved DV-maxHop, and improved DV-Hop, respectively. In terms of message communication, the proposed algorithm reduces energy usage by 28% compared to DV-Hop and 17% compared to WCL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) remain a major healthcare burden in Asian countries. In Pakistan alone, it is the most common cancer in males and second only to breast cancer in females. Alarmingly, treatment options for OSCC remain limited. With this context, investigations made to explore the inflammatory milieu of OSCC become highly relevant, with the hope of practicing immunotherapeutic approaches to address this highly prevalent tumor. We investigated the newly identified innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) and associated cytokines in well-defined human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) as well as in a 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced murine model of OSCC using flow cytometry and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). We further went on to explore molecular circuitry involved in OSCC by developing a murine model of OSCC and using an α-Thy1 antibody to inhibit ILCs. Amongst the ILCs that we found in human OSCC, ILC3 (23%) was the most abundant, followed by ILC2 (17%) and ILC1 (1%). Mice were divided into four groups: DMBA (n = 33), DMBA+antibody (Ab) (n = 30), acetone (n = 5), and control (n = 5). In murine OSCC tissues, ILC1 and ILC3 were down-infiltrated, while ILC2 remained unchanged compared to controls. Interestingly, compared to the controls (DMBA group), mice treated with the α-Thy1 antibody showed fewer numbers of large tumors, and a larger percentage of these mice were tumor-free at this study's end point. We present novel data on the differential expansion/downsizing of ILCs in OSCC, which provides a pivotal basis to dive deeper into molecular circuitry and the OSCC tumor niche to devise novel diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic strategies to prevent/treat oral cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New S-alkyl phthalimide 5a–f and S-benzyl 6a–d analogs of 5-(2-phenylquinolin-4-yl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-thiol (4) were prepared by reacting 4 with N-bromoalkylphthalimide and CF3-substituted benzyl bromides in excellent yields. Spectroscopic techniques were employed to elucidate the structures of the synthesized molecules. The inhibition activity of newly synthesized molecules toward MAO-A, MAO-B, and AChE enzymes, was also assessed. All these compounds showed activity in the submicromolar range against all enzymes. Compounds 5a and 5f were found to be the most potent compounds against MAO-A (IC50 = 0.91 ± 0.15 nM) and MAO-B (IC50 = 0.84 ± 0.06 nM), while compound 5c showed the most efficient acetylcholinesterase inhibition (IC50 = 1.02± 0.65 μM). Docking predictions disclosed the docking poses of the synthesized molecules with all enzymes and demonstrated the outstanding potency of compounds 5a, 5f, and 5c (docking scores = −11.6, −15.3, and −14.0 kcal/mol against MAO-A, MAO-B, and AChE, respectively). These newly synthesized analogs act as up-and-coming candidates for the creation of safer curative use against Alzheimer's illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Virtual fencing is useful for restricting animal movement in a controlled environment with cost and maintenance benefits over physical fencing. Physical fencing is also rigid, which does not allow for flexible use of grazing resources by farmers. The proposed study describes the use of a welfare-friendly virtual fence system over a typically used electric shock fence as an additional stimulus to restrict animal access to designated areas. The virtual fence was operated by an acoustic device, carried on the individual sheep. Sounds in the range of 125 Hz to 17 kHz and white noise were used to discourage seven Hebridean ewes from approaching a restricted area and feeding at a feed bowl. Two trials, performed a year apart, revealed that sounds in the range 125 to 440 Hz; 10 to 17 KHz could prevent sheep from approaching a feeding station (success rate 90%). In 78.5% of the trials, the animal behavior was observed to be the undisturbed movement away from the feed bowl when the acoustic stimulus was employed. Fencing in livestock management is essential for location and movement control yet with conventional methods to require close labour supervision, leading to increased costs and reduced flexibility. Consequently, virtual fencing systems (VF) have recently gained noticeable attention as an effective method for the maintenance and control of restricted areas for animals. Existing systems to control animal movement use audio followed by controversial electric shocks which are prohibited in various countries. Accordingly, the present work has investigated the sole application of audio signals in training and managing animal behaviour. Audio cues in the range of 125–17 kHz were used to prohibit the entrance of seven Hebridean ewes from a restricted area with a feed bowl. Two trials were performed over the period of a year which were video recorded. Sound signals were activated when the animal approached a feed bowl and a restricted area with no feed bowl present. Results from both trials demonstrated that white noise and sounds in the frequency ranges of 125–440 Hz to 10–17 kHz successfully discouraged animals from entering a specific area with an overall success rate of 89.88% (white noise: 92.28%, 10–14 kHz: 89.13%, 15–17 kHz: 88.48%, 125–440 Hz: 88.44%). The study demonstrated that unaided audio stimuli were effective at managing virtual fencing for sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IP-PBX have grown considerably in the telecoms and IT industries in recent times due to their low cost, high customizability, open source and hardware-independent nature. Unlike traditional PBX systems that are TDM-based and require a separate wired infrastructure to operate, an IP PBX can be attached to the local LAN and uses SIP with RTP over Internet Protocol (IP) for signaling and data transport, respectively. Asterisk-based IP PBX has become a de facto standard for open-source low-to-medium calling capacity requirements. Single Board Computers (SBCs) are attracting considerable attention from academics, hobbyists and the industry, due to their compact size, low cost, low power, portability and fair processing ability. Raspberry Pi series SBCs are the pioneer in the field, having Pi, Pi2, Pi3 and Pi Zero in production, supporting different processing and storage capabilities. An IP PBX embedded on the raspberry Pi SBC can serve an adequate number of users and provide a tiny platform that can fit in a pocket and be transported anywhere while preserving the functionality of a complete IP PBX. Such systems can be phenomenally successful in situations where large infrastructures cannot be taken, for instance, in warzones or disaster-affected areas where communication networks are damaged, necessitating an immediate requirement for an ad hoc-based communication system. In this paper, we aim to explore the performance of an Asterisk®-based IP PBX installed on a Raspberry Pi 3 (model B) platform in terms of concurrent call handling using different codecs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current work, by using the familiar q-calculus, first, we study certain generalized conic-type regions. We then introduce and study a subclass of the multivalent q-starlike functions that map the open unit disk into the generalized conic domain. Next, we study potentially effective outcomes such as sufficient restrictions and the Fekete–Szegö type inequalities. We attain lower bounds for the ratio of a good few functions related to this lately established class and sequences of the partial sums. Furthermore, we acquire a number of attributes of the corresponding class of q-starlike functions having negative Taylor–Maclaurin coefficients, including distortion theorems. Moreover, various important corollaries are carried out. The new explorations appear to be in line with a good few prior commissions and the current area of our recent investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 has caused many breakthrough infections in fully vaccinated individuals. While vaccine status did not generally impact the number of viral RNA genome copies in nasopharyngeal swabs of breakthrough patients, as measured by Ct values, it has been previously found to decrease the infectious viral load in symptomatic patients. We quantified the viral RNA, infectious virus, and anti-spike IgA in nasopharyngeal swabs collected from individuals asymptomatically infected with the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2. Vaccination decreased the infectious viral load, but not the amount of viral RNA. Furthermore, vaccinees with asymptomatic infections had significantly higher levels of anti-spike IgA in their nasal secretions compared to unvaccinated individuals with asymptomatic infections. Thus, vaccination may decrease the transmission risk of Delta, and perhaps other variants, despite not affecting the amount of viral RNA measured in nasopharyngeal swabs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The smart energy consumption of any household, maintaining the thermal comfort level of the occupant, is of great interest. Sensors and Internet-of-Things (IoT)-based intelligent hardware setups control the home appliances intelligently and ensure smart energy consumption, considering environment parameters. However, the effects of environment-driven consumer body dynamics on energy consumption, considering consumer comfort level, need to be addressed. Therefore, an Energy Management System (EMS) is modeled, designed, and analyzed with hybrid inputs, namely environmental perturbations, and consumer body biological shifts, such as blood flows in skin, fat, muscle, and core layers (affecting consumer comfort through blood-driven-sensations). In this regard, our work incorporates 69 Multi-Node (MN) Stolwijik's consumer body interfaced with an indoor (room) electrical system capable of mutual interactions exchange from room environmental parameters and consumer body dynamics. The mutual energy transactions are controlled with classical PID and Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy-Type II (NF-II) systems inside the room dimensions. Further, consumer comfort, room environment, and energy consumption relations with bidirectional control are demonstrated, analyzed, and tested in MATLAB/Simulink to reduce energy consumption and energy cost. Finally, six different cases are considered in simulation settings and for performance validation, one case is validated as real-time hardware experimentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In mathematics, physics, and engineering, orthogonal polynomials and special functions play a vital role in the development of numerical and analytical approaches. This field of study has received a lot of attention in recent decades, and it is gaining traction in current fields, including computational fluid dynamics, computational probability, data assimilation, statistics, numerical analysis, and image and signal processing. In this paper, using q-Hermite polynomials, we define a new subclass of bi-univalent functions. We then obtain a number of important results such as bonds for the initial coefficients of | a 2 | , | a 3 | , and | a 4 | , results related to Fekete–Szegö functional, and the upper bounds of the second Hankel determinant for our defined functions class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Usefulness of Vaccine-Adverse Event-Reporting System (VAERS) data and protocols required for statistical analyses were pinpointed with a set of recommendations for the application of machine learning modeling or exploratory analyses on VAERS data with a case study of COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Janssen). A total of 262,454 duplicate reports (29%) from 905,976 reports were identified, which were merged into a total of 643,522 distinct reports. A customized online survey was also conducted providing 211 reports. A total of 20 highest reported adverse events were first identified. Differences in results after applying various machine learning algorithms (association rule mining, self-organizing maps, hierarchical clustering, bipartite graphs) on VAERS data were noticed. Moderna reports showed injection-site-related AEs of higher frequencies by 15.2%, consistent with the online survey (12% higher reporting rate for pain in the muscle for Moderna compared to Pfizer-BioNTech). AEs {headache, pyrexia, fatigue, chills, pain, dizziness} constituted >50% of the total reports. Chest pain in male children reports was 295% higher than in female children reports. Penicillin and sulfa were of the highest frequencies (22%, and 19%, respectively). Analysis of uncleaned VAERS data demonstrated major differences from the above (7% variations). Spelling/grammatical mistakes in allergies were discovered (e.g., ~14% reports with incorrect spellings for penicillin). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By making use of some families of integral and derivative operators, many distinct subclasses of analytic, starlike functions, and symmetric starlike functions have already been defined and investigated from numerous perspectives. In this article, with the help of the one-parameter Bernardi integral operator, we investigate several majorization results for the class of normalized starlike functions, which are associated with the Janowski functions. We also give some particular cases of our main results. Finally, we direct the interested readers to the possibility of examining the fundamental or quantum (or q -) extensions of the findings provided in this work in the concluding section. However, the (p , q) -variations of the suggested q -results will provide relatively minor and inconsequential developments because the additional (rather forced-in) parameter p is obviously redundant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The logarithmic functions have been used in a verity of areas of mathematics and other sciences. As far as we know, no one has used the coefficients of logarithmic functions to determine the bounds for the third Hankel determinant. In our present investigation, we first study some well-known classes of starlike functions and then determine the third Hankel determinant bound for the logarithmic coefficients of certain subclasses of starlike functions that also involve the sine functions. We also obtain a number of coefficient estimates. Some of our results are shown to be sharp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the exponential growth in the use of Wi-Fi networks, it is necessary to study its usage pattern in dense environments for which the legacy IEEE 802.11 MAC (Medium Access Control) protocol was not specially designed. Although 802.11ax aims to improve Wi-Fi performance in dense scenarios due to modifications in the physical layer (PHY), however, MAC layer operations remain unchanged, and are not capable enough to provide stable performance in dense scenarios. Potential applications of Deep Learning (DL) to Media Access Control (MAC) layer of WLAN has now been recognized due to their unique features. Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) is a technique focused on behavioral sensitivity and control philosophy. In this paper, we have proposed an algorithm for setting optimal contention window (CW) under different network conditions called DRL-based Contention Window Optimization (DCWO). The proposed algorithm operates in three steps. In the initial step, Wi-Fi is being controlled by the 802.11 standards. In the second step, the agent makes the decisions concerning the value of CW after the TRAIN procedure for the proposed algorithm. The final phase begins after the training, defined by a time duration specified by the user. Now, the agent is fully trained, and no updates will be no longer received. Now the CW is updated via the OPTIMIZE process of DCWO. We have selected total network throughput, instantaneous network throughput, fairness index, and cumulative reward, and compared our proposed scheme DCWO with the Centralized Contention window Optimization with DRL (CCOD). Simulation results show that DCWO with Double Deep Q-Networks (DDQN) performs better than CCOD with (i) Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG) and (ii) Deep Q-Network (DQN). More specifically, DCWO with DDQN gives on average 28% and 23% higher network throughput than CCOD in static and dynamic scenarios. Whereas in terms of instantaneous network throughput DCWO gives around 10% better results than the CCOD. DCWO achieves almost near to optimal fairness in static scenarios and better than DQN and DDPG with CCOD in dynamic scenarios. Similarly, while the cumulative reward achieved by DCWO is almost the same with CCOD with DDPG, the uptrend of DCWO is still encouraging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the theory of symmetric q-calculus and conic regions are used to define a new subclass of q-starlike functions involving a certain conic domain. By means of this newly defined domain, a new subclass of normalized analytic functions in the open unit disk E is given. Certain properties of this subclass, such as its structural formula, necessary and sufficient conditions, coefficient estimates, Fekete–Szegö problem, distortion inequalities, closure theorem and subordination results, are investigated. Some new and known consequences of our main results as corollaries are also highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the Hankel determinant bounds for different subclasses of analytic, starlike and symmetric starlike functions have been discussed and studied by the many well-known authors. In this paper, we first consider a new subclass of analytic function and then we derive the fourth Hankel determinant bound for this class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of the Internet is growing in this day and age, so another area has developed to use the Internet, called Internet of Things (IoT). It facilitates the machines and objects to communicate, compute and coordinate with each other. It is an enabler for the intelligence affixed to several essential features of the modern world, such as homes, hospitals, buildings, transports and cities. The security and privacy are some of the critical issues related to the wide application of IoT. Therefore, these issues prevent the wide adoption of the IoT. In this paper, we are presenting an overview about different layered architectures of IoT and attacks regarding security from the perspective of layers. In addition, a review of mechanisms that provide solutions to these issues is presented with their limitations. Furthermore, we have suggested a new secure layered architecture of IoT to overcome these issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, special functions such as Bessel functions have been widely used in many areas of mathematics and physics. We are essentially motivated by the recent development; in our present investigation, we make use of certain conic domains and define a new class of analytic functions associated with the Dini functions. We derive inclusion relationships and certain integral preserving properties. By applying the Bernardi-Libera-Livingston integral operator, we obtain some remarkable applications of our main results. Finally, in the concluding section, we recall the attention of curious readers to studying the q-generalizations of the results presented in this paper. Furthermore, based on the suggested extension, the (p , q) -extension will be a relatively minor and unimportant change, as the new parameter p is redundant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with a new subclass of univalent function associated with the right half of the lemniscate of Bernoulli. We find the upper bound of the Hankel determinant H 3 (1) for this subclass by applying the Carlson–Shaffer operator to it. The present work also deals with certain properties of this newly defined subclass, such as the upper bound of the Hankel determinant of order 3, coefficient estimates, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, many interesting subclasses of analytic functions involving symmetrical points and other well celebrated domains have been investigated and studied. The aim of our present investigation is to make use of certain Janowski functions and a Mathieu-type series to define a new subclass of analytic (or invariant) functions. Our defined function class is symmetric under rotation. Some useful results like Fekete-Szegö functional, a number of sufficient conditions, radius problems, and results related to partial sums are derived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate a normalized analytic (symmetric under rotation) function, f, in an open unit disk that satisfies the condition ℜ f z g z > 0 , for some analytic function, g, with ℜ z + 1 − 2 n z g z > 0 , ∀ n ∈ N. We calculate the radius constants for different classes of analytic functions, including, for example, for the class of star-like functions connected with the exponential functions, i.e., the lemniscate of Bernoulli, the sine function, cardioid functions, the sine hyperbolic inverse function, the Nephroid function, cosine function and parabolic star-like functions. The results obtained are sharp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we introduce a new class of multivalent analytic functions associated with petal-shape region. Furthermore, some useful properties, such as the Fekete–Szegö inequality, and their consequences for some special cases are discussed. For some specific value of function f, we obtain sufficient conditions for multivalent starlike functions connected with petal-shape domain. Finally, in the concluding section, we draw the attention of the interested readers toward the prospect of studying the basic or quantum (or q-) generalizations of the results, which are presented in this paper. However, the (p , q) -variations of the suggested q-results will provide a relatively minor and inconsequential development because the additional (rather forced-in) parameter p is obviously redundant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the recent advancements in the manufacturing process of solar photovoltaics (PVs) and electronic converters, solar PVs has emerged as a viable investment option for energy trading. However, distribution system with large-scale integration of rooftop PVs, would be subjected to voltage upper limit violations, unless properly controlled. Most of the traditional solutions introduced to address this problem do not ensure fairness amongst the on-line energy sources. In addition, other schemes assume the presence of communication linkages between these energy sources. This paper proposes a control scheme to mitigate the over-voltages in the distribution system without any communication between the distributed energy sources. The proposed approach is based on artificial neural networks that can utilize two locally obtainable inputs, namely, the nodal voltage and node voltage sensitivity and control the PV power. The controller is trained using extensive data generated for various loading conditions to include daily load variations. The control scheme was implemented and tested on a 12.47 kV feeder with 85 households connected on the 220 V distribution system. The results demonstrate the fair control of all the rooftop solar PVs mounted on various houses to ensure the system voltage are maintained within the allowed limits as defined by the ANSI C84.1-2016 standard. Furthermore, to verify the robustness of the proposed PV controller, it is tested during cloudy weather condition and the impact of integration of electric vehicles on the proposed controller is also analyzed. The results prove the efficacy of the proposed controller. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By making use of the concept of basic (or q-) calculus, many subclasses of analytic and symmetric q-starlike functions have been defined and studied from different viewpoints and perspectives. In this article, we introduce a new class of meromorphic multivalent close-to-convex functions with the help of a q-differential operator. Furthermore, we investigate some useful properties such as sufficiency criteria, coefficient estimates, distortion theorem, growth theorem, radius of starlikeness, and radius of convexity for this new subclass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water use patterns were explored for three small communities that are located in proximity to agricultural fields and rely on their local wells for potable water supply. High-resolution water use data, collected over a four-year period, revealed significant temporal variability. Monthly, daily, and hourly water use patterns were well described by autoregressive moving average (ARMA) models. Model development was supported by unsupervised clustering analysis via self-organizing maps (SOMs) that revealed similarities of water use patterns and confirmed the time-series water use model attributes. The inclusion of ambient temperature and rainfall as model attributes improved ARMA model performance for daily and hourly water use from R2 ~0.86–0.87 to 0.94–0.97 and from R2 ~0.85–0.89 to 0.92–0.98, respectively. Water use predictions for an entire year forward in time was feasible demonstrating ARMA models' performance of (i) R2 ~0.90–0.94 and average absolute relative error (AARE) of ~2.9–4.9% for daily water use, and (ii) R2 ~0.81–0.95 and AARE ~1.9–3.8% for hourly water use. The study suggests that ARMA modeling should be useful for analysis of temporally variable water use in support of water source management, as well as assessing capacity building for small water systems including water treatment needs and wastewater handling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce a new class of harmonic univalent functions with respect to k-symmetric points by using a newly-defined q-analog of the derivative operator for complex harmonic functions. For this harmonic univalent function class, we derive a sufficient condition, a representation theorem, and a distortion theorem. We also apply a generalized q-Bernardi–Libera–Livingston integral operator to examine the closure properties and coefficient bounds. Furthermore, we highlight some known consequences of our main results. In the concluding part of the article, we have finally reiterated the well-demonstrated fact that the results presented in this article can easily be rewritten as the so-called (p , q) -variations by making some straightforward simplifications, and it will be an inconsequential exercise, simply because the additional parameter p is obviously unnecessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Andrews gave a remarkable interpretation of the Rogers–Ramanujan identities with the polynomials ρ e (N , y , x , q) , and it was noted that ρ e (∞ , − 1 , 1 , q) is the generation of the fifth-order mock theta functions. In the present investigation, several interesting types of generating functions for this q-polynomial using q-difference equations is deduced. Besides that, a generalization of Andrew's result in form of a multilinear generating function for q-polynomials is also given. Moreover, we build a transformation identity involving the q-polynomials and Bailey transformation. As an application, we give some new Hecke-type identities. We observe that most of the parameters involved in our results are symmetric to each other. Our results are shown to be connected with several earlier works related to the field of our present investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, by utilizing the theory of quantum (or q-) calculus, we define a new subclass of analytic and multivalent (or p-valent) functions class A p , where class A p is invariant (or symmetric) under rotations. The well-known class of Janowski functions are used with the help of the principle of subordination between analytic functions in order to define this subclass of analytic and p-valent functions. This function class generalizes various other subclasses of analytic functions, not only in classical Geometric Function Theory setting, but also some q-analogue of analytic multivalent function classes. We study and investigate some interesting properties such as sufficiency criteria, coefficient bounds, distortion problem, growth theorem, radii of starlikeness and convexity for this newly-defined class. Other properties such as those involving convex combination are also discussed for these functions. In the concluding part of the article, we have finally given the well-demonstrated fact that the results presented in this article can be obtained for the (p , q) -variations, by making some straightforward simplification and will be an inconsequential exercise simply because the additional parameter p is obviously unnecessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our present investigation, we develop two new Bailey lattices. We describe a number of q-multisums new forms with multiple variables for the basic hypergeometric series which arise as consequences of these two new Bailey lattices. As applications, two new transformations for basic hypergeometric by using the unit Bailey pair are derived. Besides it, we use this Bailey lattice to get some kind of mock theta functions. Our results are shown to be connected with several earlier works related to the field of our present investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A central authority, in a conventional centralized energy trading market, superintends energy and financial transactions. The central authority manages and controls transparent energy trading between producer and consumer, imposes a penalty in case of contract violation, and disburses numerous rewards. However, the management and control through the third party pose a significant threat to the security and privacy of consumers'/producers' (participants) profiles. The energy transactions between participants involving central authority utilize users' time, money, and impose a computational burden over the central controlling authority. The Blockchain-based decentralized energy transaction concept, bypassing the central authority, is proposed in Smart Grid (SG) by researchers. Blockchain technology braces the concept of Peer-to-Peer (P2P) energy transactions. This work encompasses the SolarCoin-based digital currency blockchain model for SG incorporating RE. Energy transactions from Prosumer (P) to Prosumer, Energy District to Energy District, and Energy District to SG are thoroughly investigated and analyzed in this work. A robust demand-side optimized model is proposed using Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) to maximize Prosumer Energy Surplus (PES), Grid revenue (GR), percentage energy transactions accomplished, and decreased Prosumer Energy Cost (PEC). Real-time averaged energy data of Australia are employed, and a piece-wise energy price mechanism is implemented in this work. The graphical analysis and tabular statistics manifest the efficacy of the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that control the post-transcriptional gene expression. They play a pivotal role in the regulation of important physiological processes. Variations in miRNA genes coding for mature miRNA sequences have been implicated in several diseases. However, the association of variants in miRNAs genes with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) in the Pakistani population is rarely reported. Therefore, the current study was designed to investigate the association of rs11614913 T/C (MIR196A2), rs2910164 G/C (MIR146A), and rs6505162 C/A (MIR423) in clinicopathological proven T2DM patients and gender-matched healthy controls. The tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain (ARMS-PCR) reaction method was used to determine the genotypes and to establish the association of each variant with T2DM through inherited models. In conclusion, the present study showed that variants rs11614913 T/C and rs2910164 G/C were linked with the risk of T2DM. The data suggested that rs11614913 T/C and rs2910164 G/C could be considered as novel risk factors in the pathogenesis of T2DM in the Pakistani population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our present investigation, with the help of the basic (or q-) calculus, we first define a new domain which involves the Janowski function. We also define a new subclass of the class of q-starlike functions, which maps the open unit disk U , given by U =   z : z ∈ C   and   z   < 1 , onto this generalized conic type domain. We study here some such potentially useful results as, for example, the sufficient conditions, closure results, the Fekete-Szegö type inequalities and distortion theorems. We also obtain the lower bounds for the ratio of some functions which belong to this newly-defined function class and for the sequences of the partial sums. Our results are shown to be connected with several earlier works related to the field of our present investigation. Finally, in the concluding section, we have chosen to reiterate the well-demonstrated fact that any attempt to produce the rather straightforward (p , q) -variations of the results, which we have presented in this article, will be a rather trivial and inconsequential exercise, simply because the additional parameter p is obviously redundant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are widely measured at ppb and ppt level in many contexts, from therapeutic drug control in respiratory diseases to monitoring of climate change and indoor air quality. The need for accuracy is a common denominator in all these fields. The interactions between gas mixtures and solid surfaces in sampling lines and instruments play an important role in calculating the total uncertainty of the amount of VOC. The amount of substances in the gas mixture is affected by its reversible and irreversible interactions with the sampling line. The main aim of this paper is to propose and discuss a method to quantify the amount of substance segregated by reversible interactions on sampling lines. To validate the proposed method, the areic amount of a VOC (Acetone) is measured for a commercial test pipe (Sulfinert®) as the amount of substance per unit area of the internal surface of the test pipe segregated from the flowing gas mixture. Stainless steel coated by Sulfinert® was chosen as a test material because of its wide use and its limited irreversible and permeation effects. A certified gas mixture of Acetone in air with a nominal mole fraction of 10 µmol mol−1 was used for validation. Broad temperature control was used and the sensibility of the method to the temperature and the pressure has been evaluated to correct the bias due to physical condition. The sensitivity to the residence time and the Reynolds number of the gas flow has been evaluated to verify the reaching of equilibrium and the limits of the applicability of the method. The areic amount of Acetone at equilibrium on Sulfinert® coated pipe was measured as 40 nmol m−2, and an equilibrium constant value of around 0.2 m was calculated as the ratio between the superficial amount segregated on the wall and the amount concentration of Acetone in the mixture, both at the equilibrium. The observed reproducibility was better than 2.5%. This method is aimed to investigate VOC losses due to interactions for many VOC/material systems at a lower amount of substance levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine rhodophyte polysaccharides have a wide range of described biological properties with nontoxic characteristics, and show great potential in prebiotics and the functional foods industries. However, there is a virtual lack of Gracilaria blodgettii polysaccharides (GBP) profiling and their bioactivities. This study was designed while keeping in view the lack of physical and chemical characterization of GBP. This polysaccharide was also not previously tested for any bioactivities. A linear random coil conformation was observed for GBP, which was found to be a polysaccharide. A significant sulfate (w/w, 9.16%) and 3,6-anhydrogalactose (AHG, w/w, 17.97%) content was found in GBP. The significant difference in its setting (27.33 °C) and melting (64.33 °C) points makes it resistant to increasing heat. This, in turn, points to its utility in industrial scale processing and in enhancing the shelf-life of products under high temperatures. A radical scavenging activity of 19.80%, 25.42% and 8.80% was noted for GBP (3 mg/mL) in 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis (ABTS) and hydroxyl radical (HO) scavenging assays, respectively. Therefore, the findings suggest that Gracilaria blodgettii polysaccharides display a good antioxidant potential and may have potential applications in the functional food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study experimentally investigated a novel approach for producing hydrogen from methane cracking in dielectric barrier discharge catalytic plasma reactor using a nanocatalyst. Plasma-catalytic methane (CH4) cracking was undertaken in a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) catalytic plasma reactor using Ni/MgAl2O4. The Ni/MgAl2O4 was synthesised through co-precipitation followed customised hydrothermal method. The physicochemical properties of the catalyst were examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy—energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDX) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The Ni/MgAl2O4 shows a porous structure spinel MgAl2O4 and thermal stability. In the catalytic-plasma methane cracking, the Ni/MgAl2O4 shows 80% of the maximum conversion of CH4 with H2 selectivity 75%. Furthermore, the stability of the catalyst was encouraging 16 h with CH4 conversion above 75%, and the selectivity of H2 was above 70%. This is attributed to the synergistic effect of the catalyst and plasma. The plasma-catalytic CH4 cracking is a promising technology for the simultaneous H2 and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) production for energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A piperazine (PZ)-promoted methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) solution for a carbon dioxide (CO2) removal process from the flue gas of a large-scale coal power plant has been simulated. An Aspen Plus® was used to perform the simulation process. Initially, the effects of MDEA/PZ concentration ratio and stripper pressure on the regeneration energy of CO2 capture process were investigated. The MDEA/PZ concentration ratio of 35/15 wt.% (35 wt. MDEA and 15 wt.% PZ) was selected as an appropriate concentration. The reboiler duty of 3.235 MJ/kg CO2 was obtained at 35/15 wt.% concentration ratio of MDEA/PZ. It was considered a reference or base case, and process modifications including rich vapor compression (RVC) process, cold solvent split (CSS), and the combination of both processes were investigated to check its effect on the energy requirement. A total equivalent work of 0.7 MJe/kg CO2 in the RVC and a reboiler duty of 2.78 MJ/kg CO2 was achieved in the CSS process. Similarly, the total equivalent work, reboiler duty, and condenser duty of 0.627 MJe/kg CO2, 2.44 MJ/kg CO2, and 0.33 MJ/kg CO2, respectively, were obtained in the combined process. The reboiler duty and the total equivalent work were reduced by about 24.6 and 16.2%, respectively, as compared to the reference case. The total energy cost saving was 1.79 M$/yr. Considering the additional equipment cost in the combined process, the total cost saving was 0.67 M$ per year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present investigation, by using certain higher-order q-derivatives, the authors introduce and investigate several new subclasses of the family of multivalent q-starlike functions in the open unit disk. For each of these newly-defined function classes, several interesting properties and characteristics are systematically derived. These properties and characteristics include (for example) distortion theorems and radius problems. A number of coefficient inequalities and a sufficient condition for functions belonging to the subclasses studied here are also discussed. Relevant connections of the various results presented in this investigation with those in earlier works on this subject are also pointed out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First, by making use of the concept of basic (or q-) calculus, as well as the principle of subordination between analytic functions, generalization R q (h) of the class R (h) of analytic functions, which are associated with the leaf-like domain in the open unit disk U , is given. Then, the coefficient estimates, the Fekete–Szegö problem, and the second-order Hankel determinant H 2 (1) for functions belonging to this class R q (h) are investigated. Furthermore, similar results are examined and presented for the functions z f (z) and f − 1 (z) . For the validity of our results, relevant connections with those in earlier works are also pointed out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]