A Cellular Automaton Model for Bi-Directionnal Traffic

We investigate a cellular automaton (CA) model of traffic on a bi-directional two-lane road. Our model is an extension of the one-lane CA model of {Nagel and Schreckenberg 1992}, modified to account for interactions mediated by passing, and for a distribution of vehicle speeds. We chose values for the various parameters to approximate the behavior of real traffic. The density-flow diagram for the bi-directional model is compared to that of a one-lane model, showing the interaction of the two lanes. Results were also compared to experimental data, showing close agreement. This model helps bridge the gap between simplified cellular automata models and the complexity of real-world traffic.Comment: 4 pages 6 figures. Accepted Phys Rev

Remanufacturing Cleaning Process Evaluation, Comparison and Planning

This thesis aims to combine previous research on remanufacturing cleaning processes and applications into a single decision-making tool, in the form of software, which a remanufacturer can use to find a cleaning system that matches their specific demands. This thesis will provide an in-depth review of each cleaning process, the chemicals used in those processes, and the contamination types for which they were developed. This research also provides evaluation and comparison that assists remanufacturers in designing their cleaning systems. Finally, there will be a description and demonstration of the software. The ultimate goal is to find correct cleaning process to remove a variety of contaminants from metal substrates with high efficiency

Assessment of in vitro Antioxidant and Antidiabetic Capacities of Medlar (Mespilus germanica)

The objective of the current study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity and enzyme inhibitory effect of different parts of medlar including fruit, leaf and flower bud by using various in vitro methods, and also determination of total phenolic and flavonoid content in the samples. Ethanol extracts of medlar parts were prepared and their antioxidant activities were determined using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazil (DPPH•) scavenging and β-carotene bleaching methods. The leaf extract showed the strongest antioxidant activity. DPPHradical scavenging activity was in the order of BHA > leaf > bud > fruit. This ordering was the same for β-carotene bleaching activity, tocopherol > leaf > bud > fruit. The highest total phenolic (60.3 ± 1.69 mg GAE g-1 extract) and flavonoid (14.77 ± 1.15 mg QE g-1 extract) content were determined in leaf extract. For possible antidiabetic effects of extracts, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities were investigated, the bud extract showed the highest inhibition activities among the all extracts

Intelligent Controlling Simulation of Traffic Flow in a Small City Network

We propose a two dimensional probabilistic cellular automata for the description of traffic flow in a small city network composed of two intersections. The traffic in the network is controlled by a set of traffic lights which can be operated both in fixed-time and a traffic responsive manner. Vehicular dynamics is simulated and the total delay experienced by the traffic is evaluated within specified time intervals. We investigate both decentralized and centralized traffic responsive schemes and in particular discuss the implementation of the {\it green-wave} strategy. Our investigations prove that the network delay strongly depends on the signalisation strategy. We show that in some traffic conditions, the application of the green-wave scheme may destructively lead to the increment of the global delay.Comment: 8 pages, 10 eps figures, Revte

DETERMINATION OF ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF STRAWBERRY TREE (Arbutus unedo L.) FLOWERS AND FRUITS AT DIFFERENT RIPENING STAGES

In this study, the antioxidant activities of Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) flowers at flowering period and fruits during ripening period were investigated, alongwith some ripening characteristics such as color, reducing sugar and acidity. Antioxidant activity characteristics were investigated using by the methods of DPPH (1,1-Diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl) scavenging activity, β-carotene bleaching, reducing power, metal chelating capacity, superoxide anion scavenging and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity in water, ethanol and methanol extracts. The total phenolic content of flowers in water extracts was found to be 232.38 ± 7.19 mg GAE . g-1 extract, and the DPPH activity was 81.3 ± 0.49% at 50 μg·ml-1 concentration. In the ripening stages, the fully red fruits were determined higher antioxidant capacity than green and yellow fruits, except H2O2 scavenging activity which was highest in green fruit. In correlation study, the highest relationship was found between total phenolic content with reducing power (r2 = 0.987**, P < 0.01), while the lowest with H2O2 scavenging activity (r2 = 0.519*, P < 0.05)

Examination of the Tensile Strength of the Peroneus Longus Muscle

Introduction: The peroneus longus tendon (PLT) is increasingly used as a tendon autograft in ligament and tendon reconstructions. The aim of this study is to evaluate the biomechanical properties of the PLT to assess its usability in frequently performed reconstructions. Methods: Six fresh-frozen, below-knee cadavers with a mean age of 65 years, no previous surgical operation, and no history of chronic disease were used. PLTs were harvested, freed from muscle tissue, and prepared for tensile strength testing at a tensile force rate of 2 mm/min using a Shimadzu Autograph AG-IS 100 kN instrument (Shimadzu Corporation, Kyoto, Japan). Results: The maximum tensile force varied between 600.7 N and 1131.313 N, with a median of 758.185 N. All tendons had diameters of 8 mm or more. The elongation at maximum force ranged from 9.0 mm to 16.0 mm, with a median of 14.0 mm. Conclusion: According to this study, PLT is a viable choice for surgeries involving autograft reconstruction. However, further clinical studies are needed to confirm its efficacy in reconstructive surgeries

DETERMINATION OF ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF STRAWBERRY TREE (Arbutus unedo L.) FLOWERS AND FRUITS AT DIFFERENT RIPENING STAGES

In this study, the antioxidant activities of Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) flowers at flowering period and fruits during ripening period were investigated, along with some ripening characteristics such as color, reducing sugar and acidity. Antioxidant activity characteristics were investigated using by the methods of DPPH (1,1-Diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl) scavenging activity, beta-carotene bleaching, reducing power, metal chelating capacity, superoxide anion scavenging and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity in water, ethanol and methanol extracts. The total phenolic content of flowers in water extracts was found to be 232.38 +/- 7.19 mg GAE . g(-1) extract, and the DPPH activity was 81.3 +/- 0.49% at 50 mu g.ml(-1) concentration. In the ripening stages, the fully red fruits were determined higher antioxidant capacity than green and yellow fruits, except H2O2 scavenging activity which was highest in green fruit. In correlation study, the highest relationship was found between total phenolic content with reducing power (r(2) = 0.987**, P < 0.01), while the lowest with H2O2 scavenging activity (r(2) = 0.519*, P < 0.05)

ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY, SOME NUTRITIONAL AND COLOUR PROPERTIES OF VACUUM DRIED STRAWBERRY TREE (ARBUTUS UNEDO L.) FRUITE

Background. The strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) fruit contains a higher amount of nutrients and bioactive compounds than many other cultivated species, however, the edible use of this fruit is currently not widespread. In this study, the influences of vacuum drying have been investigated in terms of changing of some nutritional characteristics, antioxidant properties, and colour. Material and methods. Fruits were collected from Canakkale province in Turkey and next vacuum dried. Ethyl oleate and water blanching pre-treatments were applied to fruits before drying. Ascorbic acid, reducing sugar, minerals, colour, total phenolic content, DPPH radical scavenging activity, beta-carotene bleaching activity and HMF formation were determined. Results. The EO pretreatment shortened the drying time more than WB and gives a higher beta-carotene bleaching activity, lower HMF and higher yellowness and brightness of external colour characteristics. Conclusions. In this research, the effects of vacuum drying process on the colour, antioxidant activity and nutritional characteristics of fruit have been determined and it has been concluded that the strawberry tree fruit is assessable in food industry by drying due to rich nutritional components, antioxidant activity and attractive colour of the fruit

Do metastatic volumes measured in breast cancer patients with bone metastases correlate with the numbers of skeletal and extraskeletal events?

Objectives: The study aimed to investigate the relationship between metastatic volume measurement, skeletal-related events, and survival in women diagnosed with breast cancer and bone metastases. Patients and methods: This retrospective study was conducted with 82 female breast cancer patients (mean age: 53 +/- 14.3 years; range, 23 to 87 years) diagnosed, treated, and followed up between January 2005 and December 2019. The collected data included information on metastasis sites and the presence of skeletal-related events. Metastatic volume was measured in two ways: the number of metastases (high to low) and their localization (the first, second, and third groups). The first group consisted of vertebrae, ribs, sternum, and calvarial bones; the second group included scapula, clavicle, proximal humerus, and proximal femur regions; the third group consisted of femur and humerus diaphyseal and distal regions, as well as metastasis regions in other long bones. Results: Sixty-three (76.8%) patients were diagnosed with ductal carcinoma. Half of the patients had bone metastases at the time of initial diagnosis, while 62 (75.6%) experienced skeletal-related events, with at least three events occurring in 30 (36.6%) patients. Bone pain was the most common skeletal-related event. No correlation was found between metastatic volume measurement based on the localization of bone metastases and the number of bones and the occurrence of skeletal-related events (p>0.05 for each). Patients' survival time spanned from one to 231 months (median: 56.8 months) from their first diagnosis. Patients with high metastatic volume, those in the third group, those whose pelvis and lung were involved, and elderly patients had a shorter survival time (p<0.05 for each). Conclusion: The study indicates that measuring metastatic volume may be a critical factor in evaluating the survival of breast cancer patients with bone metastases. Future prospective and randomized controlled studies can explore the potential of this measurement to create practical clinical tools