Stability and Neimark–Sacker bifurcation of a ratio‐dependence predator–prey model

In this paper, stability and bifurcation of a two‐dimensional ratio‐dependence predator–prey model has been studied in the close first quadrant . It is proved that the model undergoes a period‐doubling bifurcation in a small neighborhood of a boundary equilibrium and moreover, Neimark–Sacker bifurcation occurs at a unique positive equilibrium. We study the Neimark–Sacker bifurcation at unique positive equilibrium by choosing b as a bifurcation parameter. Some numerical simulations are presented to illustrate theocratical results. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mechanical behaviour of the upper layers of a sandy loam soil under shear loading

The mechanical behaviour of the upper layers of a sandy loam soil was studied under standard triaxial compression and direct shear box tests. Variations of soil material properties were investigated at four different initial dry bulk densities of 1410, 1520, 1610 and 1670 kg/m³. Soil deformation and volume change under the triaxial compression loading were also studied at these bulk densities. Results from the two tests showed increases in the soil mechanical properties with the initial dry bulk density. The internal friction angle values measured with the triaxial compression apparatus exceeded those measured with the direct shear box. In contrast, the soil cohesion values measured with the direct shear box exceeded those measured with the triaxial compression apparatus. Under the triaxial compression test, the loose soil samples underwent contraction and volume reduction, whereas the dense samples swelled and failure cracks appeared clearly at various planes. The soil contraction for the former case characterizes the occurrence of soil compaction, whereas the cracks propagation and volume increase in the latter case characterizes the breaking up and loosening of soil during tillage operations. For the loose and moderately compacted states, the engineering Poisson's ratio increased with the axial strain until loading was completed. It also increased at the compacted and very compacted states until reaching given loading stages, after which its value started to decrease. This shifting in the engineering Poisson's ratio during loading may provide another identification of the moment of soil failure occurrence, in addition to that of the maximum shear stress.     

In vitro studies of carbon fiber microbiosensor for dopamine neurotransmitter supported by copper-graphene oxide composite

A composite was prepared from copper and graphene oxide (Cu-GO) by in-situ chemical reduction of a mixture containing GO and Cu(II) ions with potassium borohydride. The morphology and structure of the composite were confirmed by various physicochemical techniques. The materials were used in a tyrosinase-based microbiosensor where the enzyme is immobilized in a biocompatible matrix consisting of poly(ortho-phenylene diamine) and Cu-GO. The composite was deposited on the surface of an 8-μm thick carbon fiber microelectrode. The role of each component in the sensing layer was systematically investigated with respect to the analytical performance of the system. In its optimal configuration, the biosensor demonstrated (a) a sensitivity of 6.1?±?3 nA mM^-1 dopamine (DA), (b) a linear response to DA (with a Michaelis-Menten constant of 0.29?±?0.03 mM), (c) good selectivity over ascorbic acid and uric acid, and (d) a high blocking capacity (112.2?±?2 mM) for ascorbic acid.

Synthesis and Microwave Dielectric Properties of SrLa4−x Pr x Ti5O17 (0 ≤ x ≤ 4) Ceramics

Single-phase ceramics in the SrLa_4?x Pr _x La₄Ti₅O₁₇ (0 ≤ x ≤ 4) series were processed via a solid-state sintering route. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed single-phase ceramics for all the compositions. The molar volume (V _m) decreased while the theoretical density (ρ _th) increased with increase in the Pr content. Substitution of Pr³⁺ decreased the relative permittivity (ε _r) and temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (τ _f) due to its smaller ionic polarizability (α _d) and ionic radius than La³⁺. In the present study, ε _r ≈ 54.2, Q _u f ₀  ≈ 7935 GHz, and τ _f  ≈ ?20.3 ppm/°C were achieved for the composition with x = 2 (i.e., SrLa₂Pr₂Ti₅O₁₇).     

Throughput and Delay Analysis of IEEE 802.11 DCF in the Presence of Hidden Nodes for Multi-hop Wireless Networks

Hidden node collision in a contention-based medium access control protocol contributes to poor wireless network performance. This paper extended the Bianchi’s study and introduces a mathematical model that can be used to calculate throughput and delay for the IEEE 802.11 distributed coordination function of a multihop wireless network infrastructure assuming the presence of hidden node collision. This research investigates three essential parameters of multi-hop wireless networks. More specifically, this paper aims to analyze the effect of hidden nodes, network size, and maximum backoff stage on the overall system throughput and packet delay. Results clearly reveal the effect of large wireless network size, maximum backoff stage, and collision probability on throughput and packet delay. On one hand, throughput does not depend on the maximum backoff stage (m) for a small network size (e.g., n \(=\) 10). On the other hand, throughput does not strongly depend on the number of nodes when the backoff stage values are high. Comparing our proposed model in case single-hop with the Bianchi model, the analysis results indicate that the throughput values in our model when the numbers of nodes are 10, 50, and 100 are 0.6031, 0.4172 and 0.3433 respectively; whereas the throughput values are respectively 0.8370, 0.8317 and 0.8255 at the same number of nodes for the Bianchi model. The difference can be attributed to several assumptions made in our proposed model that were not considered in the Bianchi model.     

Performance Evaluation of Cost-Effective Multicast–Unicast Key Management Method

Group key management is one of the key security issues in multicast networks. The main challenge is to provide a secure group key management method which avoids high key update cost in terms of the number of transmitted keys. In order to achieve low key update cost for group key management, most of the existing methods increase their encryption/decryption cycles which requires a strong cryptographic function. In this paper, a cost-effective key management method is proposed to address the problem of high key update cost without increasing the encryption/decryption cycles. We evaluated our proposed method with existing tree-based methods by using Markov chain and Poisson Arrival Process. Results indicate the efficiency of our proposed method in reducing the key update cost significantly compared to the existing tree-based key management methods.     

A modified rain attenuation prediction model for tropical V‐band satellite earth link

Radio wave propagation plays a very important part in the design and eventually dictates performance of space communication systems. Over time, the requirements of satellite communication have grown extensively where higher capacity communications systems are needed. Escalating demands of microwave and millimetre wave communications are causing frequency spectrum congestion. Hence, existing and future satellite system operators are planning to employ frequency bands well above 10 GHz. The challenge in operating at such high frequencies for communication purposes is that there exists stronger electromagnetic interaction between the radio signals and atmospheric hydrometeors. Such instances will degrade the performance of such high frequency satellite communication systems. The development of a revised model for a better‐improved rain fade prediction of signal propagations in tropical region is considered very important. Researchers and engineers can employ the model to accurately plan the future high frequencies satellite services. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Intercomparison of techniques for estimation of sedimentation rate in the Sabah and Sarawak coastal waters

A total of eight sediment cores with 50 cm length were taken in the Sabah and Sarawak coastal waters using a gravity corer in 2004 to estimate sedimentation rates using four mathematical models of CIC, Shukla-CIC, CRS and ADE. The average of sedimentation rate ranged from 0.24 to 0.48 cm year^?1, which is calculated based on the vertical profile of ²¹⁰Pb_ex in sediment core. The finding also showed that the sedimentation rates derived from four models were generally shown in good agreement with similar or comparable value at some stations. However, based on statistical analysis of paired sample t-test indicated that CIC model was the most accurate, reliable and suitable technique to determine the sedimentation rate in the coastal area.     

Dynamic photocontrol of the gliding motility of a microtubule driven by kinesin on a photoisomerizable monolayer surface

The gliding motility of microtubules driven by kinesin on the surface of an azobenzene monolayer presenting lysine terminal groups is reversibly and repeatedly altered upon photoisomerization of the monolayer.     

Aqueous amphiphilic drug (amitriptyline hydrochloride)-bile salt mixtures at different temperatures

The formation of mixed micelles built of 7,12-dioxolithocholic and the following hydrophobic bile acids was examined by conductometric method: cholic (C), deoxycholic (D), chenodeoxycholic (CD), 12-oxolithocholic (12-oxoL), 7-oxolithocholic (7-oxoL), ursodeoxycholic (UD) and hiodeoxycholic (HD). Interaction parameter (β) in the studied binary mixed micelles had negative value, suggesting synergism between micelle building units. Based on β value, the hydrophobic bile acids formed two groups: group I (C, D and CD) and group II (12-oxoL, 7-oxoL, UD and HD). Bile acids from group II had more negative β values than bile acids from group I. Also, bile acids from group II formed intermolecular hydrogen bonds in aggregates with both smaller (2) and higher (4) aggregation numbers, according to the analysis of their stereochemical (conformational) structures and possible structures of mixed micelles built of these bile acids and 7,12-dioxolithocholic acid. Haemolytic potential and partition coefficient of nitrazepam were higher in mixed micelles built of the more hydrophobic bile acids (C, D, CD) and 7,12-dioxolithocholic acid than in micelles built only of 7,12-dioxolithocholic acid. On the other hand, these mixed micelles still had lower values of haemolytic potential than micelles built of C, D or CD. The mixed micelles that included bile acids: 12-oxoL, 7-oxoL, UD or HD did not significantly differ from the micelles of 7,12-dioxolithocholic acid, observing the values of their haemolytic potential.