Abstract: Lead being a toxic heavy metal that mankind is
exposed to the highest levels of this metal from environmental
pollutants. A total of 180 Male scalp hair samples were collected
from different environments in Greater Cairo (GC), i.e. industrial,
heavy traffic and rural areas (60 samples from each) having different
activities during the period of, 1/5/2010 to 1/11/2012. Hair samples
were collected during five stages. Data proved that the concentration
of lead in male industrial areas of Cairo ranged between 6.2847 to
19.0432 μg/g, with mean value of 12.3288 μg/g. On the other hand,
lead content of hair samples of residential-traffic areas ranged
between 2.8634 to 16.3311 μg/g with mean value of 9.7552 μg/g.
While lead concentration on the hair of the male residents living in
rural area ranged between 1.0499-9.0402μg/g with mean value of
4.7327 μg/g. The Pb concentration in scalp hair of Cairo residents of
residential-traffic and rural traffic areas was observed to follow the
same pattern. The pattern was that of decrease concentration of
summer and its increase in winter. Then, there was a marked increase
in Pb concentration of summer 2012, and this increase was
significant. These were obviously seen for the residential-traffic and
rural areas residents. Pb pollution in residents of industrial areas
showed the same seasonal pattern, but there was marked to decrease
in Pb concentration of summer 2012, and this decrease was
significant. Lead pollution in residents of GC was serious. It is worth
noting that the atmosphere is still contaminated by lead despite a
decade of using unleaded gasoline. Strong seasonal variation in
higher Pb concentration on winter than in summer was found. Major
contributions to the pollution with Pb could include industry
emissions, motor vehicle emissions and long transported dust from
outside Cairo. More attention should be paid to the reduction of Pb
content of the urban aerosol and to the Pb pollution health.
Abstract: Several of the practical industrial control processes are
multivariable processes. Due to the relation amid the variables
(interaction), delay in the loops, it is very intricate to design a
controller directly for these processes. So first, the interaction of the
variables is analyzed using Relative Normalized Gain Array
(RNGA), which considers the time constant, static gain and delay
time of the processes. Based on the effect of RNGA, relative gain
array (RGA) and NI, the pair (control configuration) of variables to
be controlled by decentralized control is selected. The equivalent
transfer function (ETF) of the process model is estimated as first
order process with delay using the corresponding elements in the
Relative gain array and Relative average residence time array
(RARTA) of the processes. Secondly, a decentralized Proportional-
Integral (PI) controller is designed for each ETF simply using
frequency response specifications. Finally, the performance and
robustness of the algorithm is comparing with existing related
approaches to validate the effectiveness of the projected algorithm.
Abstract: Image spam is a kind of email spam where the spam
text is embedded with an image. It is a new spamming technique
being used by spammers to send their messages to bulk of internet
users. Spam email has become a big problem in the lives of internet
users, causing time consumption and economic losses. The main
objective of this paper is to detect the image spam by using histogram
properties of an image. Though there are many techniques to
automatically detect and avoid this problem, spammers employing
new tricks to bypass those techniques, as a result those techniques are
inefficient to detect the spam mails. In this paper we have proposed a
new method to detect the image spam. Here the image features are
extracted by using RGB histogram, HSV histogram and combination
of both RGB and HSV histogram. Based on the optimized image
feature set classification is done by using k- Nearest Neighbor(k-NN)
algorithm. Experimental result shows that our method has achieved
better accuracy. From the result it is known that combination of RGB
and HSV histogram with k-NN algorithm gives the best accuracy in
spam detection.
Abstract: Now-a-days autonomous mobile robots have found
applications in diverse fields. An autonomous robot system must be
able to behave in an intelligent manner to deal with complex and
changing environment. This work proposes the performance of path
planning and navigation of autonomous mobile robot using
Gravitational Search Algorithm (GSA), Simulated Annealing (SA)
and Particle Swarm optimization (PSO) based intelligent controllers
in an unstructured environment. The approach not only finds a valid
collision free path but also optimal one. The main aim of the work is
to minimize the length of the path and duration of travel from a
starting point to a target while moving in an unknown environment
with obstacles without collision. Finally, a comparison is made
between the three controllers, it is found that the path length and time
duration made by the robot using GSA is better than SA and PSO
based controllers for the same work.
Abstract: Steganography is the art and science that hides the information in an appropriate cover carrier like image, text, audio and video media. In this work the authors propose a new image based steganographic method for hiding information within the complex bit planes of the image. After slicing into bit planes the cover image is analyzed to extract the most complex planes in decreasing order based on their bit plane complexity. The complexity function next determines the complex noisy blocks of the chosen bit plane and finally pixel mapping method (PMM) has been used to embed secret bits into those regions of the bit plane. The novel approach of using pixel mapping method (PMM) in bit plane domain adaptively embeds data on most complex regions of image, provides high embedding capacity, better imperceptibility and resistance to steganalysis attack.
Abstract: The demand of high quality services has fueled
dimensional research and development in wireless communications
and networking. As a result, different wireless technologies like
Wireless LAN, CDMA, GSM, UMTS, MANET, Bluetooth and
satellite networks etc. have emerged in the last two decades. Future
networks capable of carrying multimedia traffic need IP convergence,
portability, seamless roaming and scalability among the existing
networking technologies without changing the core part of the
existing communications networks. To fulfill these goals, the present
networking systems are required to work in cooperation to ensure
technological independence, seamless roaming, high security and
authentication, guaranteed Quality of Services (QoS). In this paper, a
conceptual framework for a cooperative network (CN) is proposed
for integration of heterogeneous existing networks to meet out the
requirements of the next generation wireless networks.
Abstract: This study presents an attempt to evaluate the
antioxidant potential and antimicrobial activity of methanolic extract,
and essential oils prepared from the leaves of sage (Salvia officinalis
L.). The content of polyphenol in the methanolic extracts from the
leaves of Salvia officinalis was determined spectrophotometrically,
calculated as gallic acid and catechin equivalent. The essential oils
and methanol extract were also subjected to screenings for the
evaluation of their antioxidant activities using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-
picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) test. While the plant essential oils showed
only weak antioxidant activities, its methanol extract was
considerably active in DPPH (IC50 = 37.29 μg/ml) test. Appreciable
total polyphenol content (31.25 mg/g) was also detected for the plant
methanol extract as gallic acid equivalent in the Folin–Ciocalteu test.
The plant was also screened for its antimicrobial activity and good to
moderate inhibitions were recorded for its essential oils, and
methanol extracts against most of the tested microorganisms.
The present investigation revealed that this plant had rich source
of antioxidant properties. It is for this reason that sage has found
increasing application in food formulations.
Abstract: The growth in the volume of text data such as books
and articles in libraries for centuries has imposed to establish
effective mechanisms to locate them. Early techniques such as
abstraction, indexing and the use of classification categories have
marked the birth of a new field of research called "Information
Retrieval". Information Retrieval (IR) can be defined as the task of
defining models and systems whose purpose is to facilitate access to
a set of documents in electronic form (corpus) to allow a user to find
the relevant ones for him, that is to say, the contents which matches
with the information needs of the user.
Most of the models of information retrieval use a specific data
structure to index a corpus which is called "inverted file" or "reverse
index".
This inverted file collects information on all terms over the corpus
documents specifying the identifiers of documents that contain the
term in question, the frequency of each term in the documents of the
corpus, the positions of the occurrences of the word...
In this paper we use an oriented object database (db4o) instead of
the inverted file, that is to say, instead to search a term in the inverted
file, we will search it in the db4o database.
The purpose of this work is to make a comparative study to see if
the oriented object databases may be competing for the inverse index
in terms of access speed and resource consumption using a large
volume of data.
Abstract: Heavy rare earth (HRE) oxalate concentrates were
prepared from the Egyptian crude monazite sand (graded about 47%).
The concentrates were specified quantitatively for their constituents
of individual rare earth elements using ion chromatograph (IC) and
qualitatively by scanning electron microscope (SEM) for the other
major constituents. The 1st concentrate was composed of 10.5%
HREE where 7.25% of them represented yttrium. The 2nd concentrate
contained about 41.7% LREE, 17.5% HREE and 13.6% Th. The
LREE involved 18.3% Ce, 10.5% La and 8% Nd while the HREE
were 8.7% Y, 3.5% Gd and 2.9% Dy. The 3rd concentrate was
containing about 8.0% LREE (3.7% Ce, 2.0% La and 1.5% Nd),
10.2% HREE (6.4% yttrium and 2.0% Dy) and 2.1% uranium. The
final concentrate comprised 0.84% uranium beside iron, chromium
and traces of REE.
Abstract: The edge waviness in hot rolled steel is a common
defect. Variables that affect such defect include raw material and
machine. These variables are necessary to consider to understand
such defect. This research studied the defect of edge waviness for SS
400 of metal sheet manufacture. Defect of metal sheets were divided
into two groups. The specimens were investigated on chemical
composition and mechanical properties to find the difference. The
results of investigation showed that the difference was not significant.
Therefore the roll mill machine should be used to adjust to support
another location on a roller to avoide edge waviness.
Abstract: In this paper, the dynamic characteristics of a threelobe
journal bearing lubricated with micropolar fluids are determined
by the linear stability theory. Lubricating oil containing additives and
contaminants is modelled as micropolar fluid. The modified
Reynolds equation is obtained using the micropolar lubrication theory
.The finite difference technique has been used to determine the
solution of the modified Reynolds equation. The dynamic
characteristics in terms of stiffness, damping coefficients, the critical
mass and whirl ratio are determined for various values of size of
material characteristic length and the coupling number. The
computed results show that the three-lobe bearing lubricated with
micropolar fluid exhibits better stability compared with that
lubricated with Newtonian fluid. According to the results obtained,
the effect of the parameter micropolar fluid is remarkable on the
dynamic characteristics and stability of the three-lobe bearing.
Abstract: The study is devoted to define the optimal conditions
for the nitriding of pure iron at atmospheric pressure by using NH3-
Ar-C3H8 gas mixtures. After studying the mechanisms of phase
formation and mass transfer at the gas-solid interface, a mathematical
model is developed in order to predict the nitrogen transfer rate in the
solid, the ε-carbonitride layer growth rate and the nitrogen and
carbon concentration profiles. In order to validate the model and to
show its possibilities, it is compared with thermogravimetric
experiments, analyses and metallurgical observations (X-ray
diffraction, optical microscopy and electron microprobe analysis).
Results obtained allow us to demonstrate the sound correlation
between the experimental results and the theoretical predictions.
Abstract: Many of the ever-growing elderly population require
exercise, such as running, for health management. One important
element of a runner’s training is the choice of shoes for exercise; shoes
are important because they provide the interface between the feet and
road. When we purchase shoes, we may instinctively choose a pair
after trying on many different pairs of shoes. Selecting the shoes
instinctively may work, but it does not guarantee a suitable fit for
running activities. Therefore, if we could select suitable shoes for each
runner from the viewpoint of brain activities, it would be helpful for
validating shoe selection. In this paper, we describe how brain
activities show different characteristics during particular task,
corresponding to different properties of shoes. Using five subjects, we
performed a verification experiment, applying weight, softness, and
flexibility as shoe properties. In order to affect the shoe property’s
differences to the brain, subjects run for 10 min. Before and after
running, subjects conducted a paced auditory serial addition task
(PASAT) as the particular task; and the subjects’ brain activities
during the PASAT are evaluated based on oxyhemoglobin and
deoxyhemoglobin relative concentration changes, measured by
near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). When the brain works actively,
oxihemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin concentration drastically
changes; therefore, we calculate the maximum values of concentration
changes. In order to normalize relative concentration changes after
running, the maximum value are divided by before running maximum
value as evaluation parameters. The classification of the groups of
shoes is expressed on a self-organizing map (SOM). As a result,
deoxyhemoglobin can make clusters for two of the three types of
shoes.
Abstract: Reburning is a useful technology in reducing nitric
oxide through injection of a secondary hydrocarbon fuel. In this paper,
an experimental study has been conducted to evaluate the effect of fuel
lean reburning on NOx/CO reduction in LNG flame. Experiments
were performed in flames stabilized by a co-flow swirl burner, which
was mounted at the bottom of the furnace. Tests were conducted using
LNG gas as the reburn fuel as well as the main fuel. The effects of
reburn fuel fraction and injection manner of the reburn fuel were
studied when the fuel lean reburning system was applied. The paper
reports data on flue gas emissions and temperature distribution in the
furnace for a wide range of experimental conditions. At steady state,
temperature distribution and emission formation in the furnace have
been measured and compared. This paper makes clear that in order to
decrease both NOx and CO concentrations in the exhaust when the
pulsated fuel lean reburning system was adapted, it is important that
the control of some factors such as frequency and duty ratio. Also it
shows the fuel lean reburning is also effective method to reduce NOx
as much as reburning.
Abstract: The effect of a 3-dimensional (3D) blade on the turbine
characteristics of Wells turbine for wave energy conversion has been
investigated experimentally by model testing under steady flow
conditions in this study, in order to improve the peak efficiency and
stall characteristics. The aim of use of 3D blade is to prevent flow
separation on the suction surface near the tip. The chord length is
constant with radius and the blade profile changes gradually from the
mean radius to tip. The proposed blade profiles in the study are
NACA0015 from the hub to mean radius and NACA0025 at the tip.
The performances of Wells turbine with 3D blades has been compared
with those of the original Wells turbine, i.e., the turbine with
2-dimensional (2D) blades. As a result, it was concluded that although
the peak efficiency of Wells turbine can be improved by the use of the
proposed 3D blade, its blade does not overcome the weakness of
stalling.
Abstract: The paper presents a plastic analysis procedure based
on the energy balance concept for performance based seismic retrofit
of multi-story multi-bay masonry infilled reinforced concrete (R/C)
frames with a ‘soft’ ground story using passive energy dissipation
(PED) devices with the objective of achieving a target performance
level of the retrofitted R/C frame for a given seismic hazard level at
the building site. The proposed energy based plastic analysis
procedure was employed for developing performance based design
(PBD) formulations for PED devices for a simulated application in
seismic retrofit of existing frame structures designed in compliance
with the prevalent standard codes of practice. The PBD formulations
developed for PED devices were implemented for simulated seismic
retrofit of a representative code-compliant masonry infilled R/C
frame with a ‘soft’ ground story using friction dampers as the PED
device. Non-linear dynamic analyses of the retrofitted masonry
infilled R/C frames is performed to investigate the efficacy and
accuracy of the proposed energy based plastic analysis procedure in
achieving the target performance level under design level
earthquakes. Results of non-linear dynamic analyses demonstrate that
the maximum inter-story drifts in the masonry infilled R/C frames
with a ‘soft’ ground story that is retrofitted with the friction dampers
designed using the proposed PBD formulations are controlled within
the target drifts under near-field as well far-field earthquakes.
Abstract: Carbon nanotube is one of the most attractive materials
for the potential applications of nanotechnology due to its excellent
mechanical, thermal, electrical and optical properties. In this paper we
report a supercapacitor made of nickel foil electrodes, coated with
multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) thin film using
electrophoretic deposition (EPD) method. Chemical vapor deposition
method was used for the growth of MWCNTs and ethanol was used as
a hydrocarbon source. High graphitic multiwall carbon nanotube was
found at 750oC analyzing by Raman spectroscopy. We observed the
electrochemical performance of supercapacitor by cyclic
voltammetry. The electrodes of supercapacitor fabricated from
MWCNTs exhibit considerably small equivalent series resistance
(ESR), and a high specific power density. Electrophoretic deposition
is an easy method in fabricating MWCNT electrodes for high
performance supercapacitor.
Abstract: In this paper a comprehensive review on various
factory layouts has been carried out for designing a lucrative process
layout for medium scale industries. Industry data base reveals that the
end product rejection rate is on the order of 10% amounting large
profit loss. In order to avoid these rejection rates and to increase the
quality product production an intermediate non-destructive testing
facility (INDTF) has been recommended for increasing the overall
profit. We observed through detailed case studies that while
introducing INDTF to medium scale industries the expensive
production process can be avoided to the defective products well
before its final shape. Additionally, the defective products identified
during the intermediate stage can be effectively utilized for other
applications or recycling; thereby the overall wastage of the raw
materials can be reduced and profit can be increased. We concluded
that the prudent design of a factory layout through critical path
method facilitating with INDTF will warrant profitable outcome.
Abstract: In this paper, Fuzzy C-Means clustering with
Expectation Maximization-Gaussian Mixture Model based hybrid
modeling algorithm is proposed for Continuous Tamil Speech
Recognition. The speech sentences from various speakers are used
for training and testing phase and objective measures are between the
proposed and existing Continuous Speech Recognition algorithms.
From the simulated results, it is observed that the proposed algorithm
improves the recognition accuracy and F-measure up to 3% as
compared to that of the existing algorithms for the speech signal from
various speakers. In addition, it reduces the Word Error Rate, Error
Rate and Error up to 4% as compared to that of the existing
algorithms. In all aspects, the proposed hybrid modeling for Tamil
speech recognition provides the significant improvements for speechto-
text conversion in various applications.
Abstract: This paper investigates the joint effect of the
interconnected (n,k)-star network topology and Multi-Agent
automated control on restoration and reconfiguration of power
systems. With the increasing trend in development in Multi-Agent
control technologies applied to power system reconfiguration
in presence of faulty components or nodes. Fault tolerance is
becoming an important challenge in the design processes of the
distributed power system topology. Since the reconfiguration of a
power system is performed by agent communication, the (n,k)-star
interconnected network topology is studied and modeled in this
paper to optimize the process of power reconfiguration. In this paper,
we discuss the recently proposed (n,k)-star topology and examine its
properties and advantages as compared to the traditional multi-bus
power topologies. We design and simulate the topology model for
distributed power system test cases. A related lemma based on the
fault tolerance and conditional diagnosability properties is presented
and proved both theoretically and practically. The conclusion is
reached that (n,k)-star topology model has measurable advantages
compared to standard bus power systems while exhibiting fault
tolerance properties in power restoration, as well as showing
efficiency when applied to power system route discovery.