Abstract: Gesture recognition is a challenging task for extracting
meaningful gesture from continuous hand motion. In this paper, we propose an automatic system that recognizes isolated gesture,
in addition meaningful gesture from continuous hand motion for Arabic numbers from 0 to 9 in real-time based on Hidden Markov Models (HMM). In order to handle isolated gesture, HMM using
Ergodic, Left-Right (LR) and Left-Right Banded (LRB) topologies is applied over the discrete vector feature that is extracted from stereo
color image sequences. These topologies are considered to different
number of states ranging from 3 to 10. A new system is developed to recognize the meaningful gesture based on zero-codeword detection
with static velocity motion for continuous gesture. Therefore, the
LRB topology in conjunction with Baum-Welch (BW) algorithm for
training and forward algorithm with Viterbi path for testing presents the best performance. Experimental results show that the proposed system can successfully recognize isolated and meaningful gesture and achieve average rate recognition 98.6% and 94.29% respectively.
Abstract: Contemporary science and technologies largely widen
the gap between the spiritual and rational of the society. Industrial
and technological breakthroughs might radically affect most
processes in the society, thus losing the cultural heritage. The
thinkers recognized the dangers of the decadence in the first place. In
the present article the ways of preserving cultural heritage have been
investigated. Memory has always been a necessary condition for selfidentification,
- continuity is based on this. The authors have
supported the hypothesis that continuity and ethnic memory are the
very mechanisms that preserve cultural heritage. Such problemformulating
will facilitate another, new look at the material, spiritual
and arts spheres of the cultural heritage of numerous ethnic groups.
The fundamental works by major European and Kazakh scientists
have been taken as a basis for the research done.
Abstract: Operational risk has become one of the most discussed topics in the financial industry in the recent years. The reasons for this attention can be attributed to higher investments in information systems and technology, the increasing wave of mergers and acquisitions and emergence of new financial instruments. In addition, the New Basel Capital Accord (known as Basel II) demands a capital requirement for operational risk and further motivates financial institutions to more precisely measure and manage this type of risk. The aim of this paper is to shed light on main characteristics of operational risk management and common applied methods: scenario analysis, key risk indicators, risk control self assessment and loss distribution approach.
Abstract: The essential oil of M. × piperita L. was formulated
into a topical gel. The prepared gel was characterized for its pH,
viscosity, spreadiblity, consistency and extrudiblity, while its stability
was evaluated under different temperature conditions. The prepared
M. × piperita oil gel was clear and transparent. The pH value of
developed gel was 6.6, while its viscosity was 1200 cP. Spreadability
and consistency of the M. × piperita oil gel was 10.7 g.cm/sec and 7
mm, respectively. The prepared gel showed good extrudiblity. During
the stability studies, no significant change in pH and viscosity as a
function of time for gel was observed, indicating stability of prepared
formulation. The gel developed in this study is expected to forward
the usage of M. × piperita essential towards commercial application.
Abstract: The Zung self-depression scale and Beck Anxiety Inventory were used to study the depression and anxiety levels of Armenian Crohn's disease patients, as well as to reveal the relation between emotional status and placebo effect of these patients. Despite of registered high levels of depression and anxiety, the high placebo rate during investigations was described. The importance of use of psychotherapies for optimal outcomes during treatments of Crohn's disease is obvious.
Abstract: The proper selection of the AC-side passive filter
interconnecting the voltage source converter to the power supply is
essential to obtain satisfactory performances of an active power filter
system. The use of the LCL-type filter has the advantage of
eliminating the high frequency switching harmonics in the current
injected into the power supply. This paper is mainly focused on
analyzing the influence of the interface filter parameters on the active
filtering performances. Some design aspects are pointed out. Thus,
the design of the AC interface filter starts from transfer functions by
imposing the filter performance which refers to the significant current
attenuation of the switching harmonics without affecting the
harmonics to be compensated. A Matlab/Simulink model of the entire
active filtering system including a concrete nonlinear load has been
developed to examine the system performances. It is shown that a
gamma LC filter could accomplish the attenuation requirement of the
current provided by converter. Moreover, the existence of an optimal
value of the grid-side inductance which minimizes the total harmonic
distortion factor of the power supply current is pointed out.
Nevertheless, a small converter-side inductance and a damping
resistance in series with the filter capacitance are absolutely needed
in order to keep the ripple and oscillations of the current at the
converter side within acceptable limits. The effect of change in the
LCL-filter parameters is evaluated. It is concluded that good active
filtering performances can be achieved with small values of the
capacitance and converter-side inductance.
Abstract: Microorganisms isolated from water and soil of
Kazakhstan to identify potential high-effective producers of the
arachidonic acid, exhibiting a wide range of physiological activity
and having practical applications were screened. Based on the results
of two independent tests (the test on the sensitivity of the growth
processes of microorganisms to acetylsalicylic acid - an irreversible
inhibitor of PGH-synthase involved in the metabolism of arachidonic
acid and its derivatives, the test for inhibition of peroxidase activity
of membrane-bounding fraction of PGH - synthase by acetylsalicylic
acid) were selected microbial cultures which are potential highproducer
of arachidonic acid. They are characterized by a stable
strong growth in the laboratory conditions. Identification of
microorganism cultures based on morphological, physiological,
biochemical and molecular genetic characteristics was performed.
Abstract: Green incentives are included in the “American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009" (ARRA). It is, however,
unclear how these government incentives can be carried out most
effectively according to market-based principles and if they can serve
as a catalyst for an accelerated green transformation and an ultimate
solution to the current U.S. and global economic and financial crisis.
The article will compare the existing U.S. green economic policies
with those in Germany, identify problems, and suggest improvements
to allow the green stimulus incentives to achieve the best results in
the process of an accelerated green transformation. The author argues
that the current U.S. green stimulus incentives can only be most
successful if they are carried out as part of a visionary,
comprehensive, long-term, and consistent strategy of the green
economic transformation.
Abstract: This paper presents the influence of preloading on a)
the contact tractions, b) slip levels and c) stresses at the dovetail
blade-disc interface of an aero-engine through a three-dimensional
(3D) finite element (FE) modeling and analysis. The preloading is
applied by an interference fit at the dovetail interface and the bulk
loading is applied through the rotational speed of rotor. Preloading at
the dovetail interface reduces the peak contact pressure developed
due to bulk loading up to 35%, and reduces the peak contact pressure
and stress difference between top and bottom contact edges.
Increasing the level of preloading reduces the cyclic stress amplitude
at the interface up to certain values of preload and as a consequence,
an improvement in fatigue life could be expected. Fretting damage,
due to vibration and wind milling effect during engine ground
condition, can be minimized by preloading the dovetail interface.
Abstract: The aim of this study was to synthesize the single
walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and determine their hydrogen
storage capacities. SWCNTs were firstly synthesized by chemical
vapor deposition (CVD) of acetylene (C2H2) on a magnesium oxide
(MgO) powder impregnated with an iron nitrate (Fe(NO3)3·9H2O)
solution. The synthesis parameters were selected as: the synthesis
temperature of 800°C, the iron content in the precursor of 5% and the
synthesis time of 30 min. Purification process of SWCNTs was
fulfilled by microwave digestion at three different temperatures (120,
150 and 200 °C), three different acid concentrations (0.5, 1 and 1.5
M) and for three different time intervals (15, 30 and 60 min). Nitric
acid (HNO3) was used in the removal of the metal catalysts. The
hydrogen storage capacities of the purified materials were measured
using volumetric method at the liquid nitrogen temperature and gas
pressure up to 100 bar. The effects of the purification conditions such
as temperature, time and acid concentration on hydrogen adsorption
were investigated.
Abstract: The effect of Alumina nanoparticle size on thermophysical
properties, heat transfer performance and pressure loss characteristics of
Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF)-Al2O3 nanofluids is studied experimentally for
the proposed application of regenerative cooling of semi-cryogenic rocket
engine thrust chambers. Al2O3 particles with mean diameters of 50 nm or 150
nm are dispersed in ATF. At 500C and 0.3% particle volume concentration,
the bigger particles show increases of 17% in thermal conductivity and 55% in
viscosity, whereas the smaller particles show corresponding increases of 21%
and 22% for thermal conductivity and viscosity respectively. Contrary to these
results, experiments to study the heat transfer performance and pressure loss
characteristics show that at the same pumping power, the maximum
enhancement in heat transfer coefficient at 500C and 0.3% concentration is
approximately 47% using bigger particles, whereas it is only 36% using
smaller particles.
Abstract: Multicast transmissions allow an host (the source) to send only one flow bound for a group of hosts (the receivers). Any equipment eager to belong to the group may explicitly register itself to that group via its multicast router. This router will be given the responsibility to convey all information relating to the group to all registered hosts. However in an environment in which the final receiver or the source frequently moves, the multicast flows need particular treatment. This constitutes one of the multicast transmissions problems around which several proposals were made in the Mobile IPv6 case in general. In this article, we describe the problems involved in this IPv6 multicast mobility and the existing proposals for their resolution. Then architecture will be proposed aiming to satisfy and optimize these transmissions in the specific case of a mobile multicast receiver in NC-HMIPv6 environment.
Abstract: This paper investigates the aerodynamic characters of a model ducted fan system, analyses the basic principle of the effect of thrust promotion and torque reduction, discovers the relationship between the revolutions per minute(RPM) of the fan and the characters of thrust, as well as system torque. Firstly a model ducted fan has been designed and manufactured according to the specific structure of flow field, then CFD simulation has been carried out to analyze such aerodynamics, finally bench tests have been used to validate the simulation results and system configuration.
Abstract: Components of a software system may be related in a
wide variety of ways. These relationships need to be represented in
software architecture in order develop quality software. In practice, software architecture is immensely challenging, strikingly
multifaceted, extravagantly domain based, perpetually changing,
rarely cost-effective, and deceptively ambiguous. This paper analyses
relations among the major components of software systems and
argues for using several broad categories for software architecture for
assessment purposes: strongly adequate, weakly adequate and
functionally adequate software architectures among other categories.
These categories are intended for formative assessments of
architectural designs.
Abstract: Changing technology and increased constituent
demand for government services derive the need for governmental
responsiveness. The government organisations in the developing
countries will be under increased pressure to change their
bureaucratic systems to be able to respond rapidly to changing and
increasing requirements and rapid technology advancements. This
paper aims to present a conceptual framework for explaining the
main barriers and drivers of public e-service development. Therefore,
the framework provides a basic context within which the process and
practice of E-Service can be implemented successfully in the public
sector organisations. The framework is flexible enough to be adopted
by governments at different levels; national or local by developing
countries around the world.
Abstract: A macroscopic constitutive equation is developed for a high-density cellulose insulation material with emphasis on the outof- plane stress relaxation behavior. A hypothesis is proposed where the total stress is additively composed by an out-of-plane visco-elastic isotropic contribution and an in-plane elastic orthotropic response. The theory is validated against out-of-plane stress relaxation, compressive experiments and in-plane tensile hysteresis, respectively. For large scale finite element simulations, the presented model provides a balance between simplicity and capturing the materials constitutive behaviour.
Abstract: In a competitive energy market, system reliability
should be maintained at all times. Power system operation being of
online in nature, the energy balance requirements must be satisfied to
ensure reliable operation the system. To achieve this, information
regarding the expected status of the system, the scheduled
transactions and the relevant inputs necessary to make either a
transaction contract or a transmission contract operational, have to be
made available in real time. The real time procedure proposed,
facilitates this. This paper proposes a quadratic curve learning
procedure, which enables a generator-s contribution to the retailer
demand, power loss of transaction in a line at the retail end and its
associated losses for an oncoming operating scenario to be predicted.
Matlab program was used to test in on a 24-bus IEE Reliability Test
System, and the results are found to be acceptable.
Abstract: We assert here that there might be some factors that
influence professional identity construction at the university/higher
education stage. In accord, we propose a conceptual framework of
intervening factors in professional identity construction at university
from a literature review and preliminary data from a qualitative pilot
study using focus groups. This model identifies several factors that
might influence university students- professional identity
construction and group them into categories. In turn, we describe
how these factors might contribute in strengthening or weakening
their professional identity. Finally, we discuss the implications of
strengthening students- PI for the university, individuals and
organizations and we provide a roadmap for future empirical work in
this area.
Abstract: The evolution of ICT has changed all sections of society and these changes have been creating an irreversible impact on higher education institutions, which are expected to adopt innovative technologies in their teaching practices. As theorical framework this study select Rogers theory of innovation diffusion which is widely used to illustrate how technologies move from a localized invented to a widespread evolution on organizational practices. Based on descriptive statistical data collected in a European higher education institution three years longitudinal study was conducted for analyzing and discussion the different stages of a LMS adoption process. Results show that ICT integration in higher education is not progressively successful and a linear process and multiple aspects must be taken into account.
Abstract: In textile industry, besides the conventional textile
products, technical textile goods, that have been brought external
functional properties into, are being developed for technical textile
industry. Especially these products produced with weaving
technology are widely preferred in areas such as sports, geology,
medical, automotive, construction and marine sectors. These textile
products are exposed to various stresses and large deformations under
typical conditions of use. At this point, sufficient and reliable data
could not be obtained with uniaxial tensile tests for determination of
the mechanical properties of such products due to mainly biaxial
stress state. Therefore, the most preferred method is a biaxial tensile
test method and analysis. These tests and analysis is applied to fabrics
with different functional features in order to establish the textile
material with several characteristics and mechanical properties of the
product. Planar biaxial tensile test, cylindrical inflation and bulge
tests are generally required to apply for textile products that are used
in automotive, sailing and sports areas and construction industry to
minimize accidents as long as their service life. Airbags, seat belts
and car tires in the automotive sector are also subject to the same
biaxial stress states, and can be characterized by same types of
experiments. In this study, in accordance with the research literature
related to the various biaxial test methods are compared. Results with
discussions are elaborated mainly focusing on the design of a biaxial
test apparatus to obtain applicable experimental data for developing a
finite element model. Sample experimental results on a prototype
system are expressed.