Abstract: Supplier selection is considered as one of the most critical issues encountered by operations and purchasing managers to sharpen the company’s competitive advantage. In this paper, a novel fuzzy multi-criteria group decision making approach integrating quality function deployment (QFD) and decision making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method is proposed for supplier selection. The proposed methodology enables to consider the impacts of inner dependence among supplier assessment criteria. A house of quality (HOQ) which translates purchased product features into supplier assessment criteria is built using the weights obtained by DEMATEL approach to determine the desired levels of supplier assessment criteria. Supplier alternatives are ranked by a distance-based method.
Abstract: In this paper, we present the simulation of the propagation characteristics of the picocellular propagation channel environment. The first aim has been to find a correct description of the environment for received wave.
The result of the first investigations is that the environment of the indoor wave significantly changes as we change the electric parameters of material constructions. A modified 3D ray tracing image method tool has been utilized for the coverage prediction. A detailed analysis of the dependence of the indoor wave on the wideband characteristics of the channel: root mean square (RMS) delay spread characteristics and Mean excess delay, is also investigated.
Abstract: Bangladesh is a patriarchal and male dominated country. Traditional, cultural, social, and religious values and practices have reinforced the lower status of women accorded to them in society and have limited their opportunities for education, technical and vocational training, and involvement with earning activities outside their households. After independence numbers of women are doing job outside their households. This study attempts to find out the reasons of engaging in earning activities outside households and difficulties faced by upper and lower class working women in Bangladesh. To explore the objectives and research questions of the study descriptive techniques had been used. Survey was conducted among the women who were working in Rajshahi city of Bangladesh and face-to-face interviews were conducted to collect data. Findings of the study illustrates that most of the upper class working women engaged into job because they wanted to utilized their education and to bring solvency in the family, and they spend their income for meeting the needs of all the members of the family. On the other hand, most of the lower class working women involved into earning activities outside their households because they want to bring solvency in their families and spend their income on household expenditure. Both classes became tensed for their children because they had to stay at their working place for long time. Therefore, day care center should be established besides their working place for their children.
Abstract: Considerable focus in the world of insurance risk quantification is placed on modeling loss values from lines of business (LOBs) that possess upper tail dependence. Copulas such as the Joe, Gumbel and Student-t copula may be used for this purpose. The copula structure imparts a desired level of tail dependence on the joint distribution of claims from the different LOBs. Alternatively, practitioners may possess historical or simulated data that already exhibit upper tail dependence, through the impact of catastrophe events such as hurricanes or earthquakes. In these circumstances, it is not desirable to induce additional upper tail dependence when modeling the joint distribution of the loss values from the individual LOBs. Instead, it is of interest to accurately assess the degree of tail dependence already present in the data. The empirical copula and its associated upper tail dependence coefficient are presented in this paper as robust, efficient means of achieving this goal.
Abstract: Two-dimensional Eulerian (volume-averaged) continuity and momentum equations governing multi-size slurry flow through pump casings are solved by applying a penalty finite element formulation. The computational strategy validated for multi-phase flow through rectangular channels is adapted to the present study. The flow fields of the carrier, mixture and each solids species, and the concentration field of each species are determined sequentially in an iterative manner. The eddy viscosity field computed using Spalart-Allmaras model for the pure carrier phase is modified for the presence of particles. Streamline upwind Petrov-Galerkin formulation is used for all the momentum equations for the carrier, mixture and each solids species and the concentration field for each species. After ensuring mesh-independence of solutions, results of multi-size particulate flow simulation are presented to bring out the effect of bulk flow rate, average inlet concentration, and inlet particle size distribution. Mono-size computations using (1) the concentration-weighted mean diameter of the slurry and (2) the D50 size of the slurry are also presented for comparison with multi-size results.
Abstract: Thewake flow behind two yawed side-by-sidecircular
cylinders is investigated using athree-dimensional vorticity probe.
Four yaw angles (α), namely, 0°, 15°, 30° and 45° and twocylinder
spacing ratios T*
of 1.7 and 3.0 were tested. For T*
= 3.0, there exist
two vortex streets and the cylinders behave as independent and
isolated ones. The maximum contour value of the coherent streamwise
vorticity ~* ωx
is only about 10% of that of the spanwise vorticity ~* ωz
.
With the increase of α,
~* ωx
increases whereas ~* ωz
decreases. At α =
45°, ~* ωx
is about 67% of ~* ωz
.For T* = 1.7, only a single peak is
detected in the energy spectrum. The spanwise vorticity contours have
an organized pattern only at α = 0°. The maximum coherent vorticity
contours of ~* ω x
and ~* ωz
for T*
= 1.7 are about 30% and 7% of those
for T*
= 3.0.The independence principle (IP)in terms of Strouhal
numbers is applicable in both wakes when α< 40°.
Abstract: Feature selection is a process to select features which are more informative. It is one of the important steps in knowledge discovery. The problem is that all genes are not important in gene expression data. Some of the genes may be redundant, and others may be irrelevant and noisy. Here a novel approach is proposed Hybrid K-Mean-Quick Reduct (KMQR) algorithm for gene selection from gene expression data. In this study, the entire dataset is divided into clusters by applying K-Means algorithm. Each cluster contains similar genes. The high class discriminated genes has been selected based on their degree of dependence by applying Quick Reduct algorithm to all the clusters. Average Correlation Value (ACV) is calculated for the high class discriminated genes. The clusters which have the ACV value as 1 is determined as significant clusters, whose classification accuracy will be equal or high when comparing to the accuracy of the entire dataset. The proposed algorithm is evaluated using WEKA classifiers and compared. The proposed work shows that the high classification accuracy.
Abstract: Using calculated phase- shift values, for pp, nn, and np elastic scattering in the energy range 1MeV to 350MeV, the charge independence breaking of nucleon-nucleon interaction is investigated. We have used Darboux transformation to calculate phase-shift for the first three values of
Abstract: The effect of waste ceramic powder on the thermal properties of lime-pozzolana composites is investigated. At first, the measurements of effective thermal conductivity of lime-pozzolan composites are performed in dependence on moisture content from the dry state to fully water saturated state using a pulse method. Then, the obtained data are analyzed using two different homogenization techniques, namely the Lichtenecker’s and Dobson’s formulas, taking into account Wiener’s and Hashin/Shtrikman bounds.
Abstract: Graphene-based materials were prepared by chemical reduction of covalently functionalized graphene oxide with environmentally friendly agents. Two varying stoichiometry of graphene oxide (GO) induced by using different chemical preparation conditions, further covalent functionalization of the GO materials with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride / N-hydroxysuccinimide and ascorbic acid and sodium bisulfite as reducing agents were exploited in order to obtain controllable properties of the final solution-based graphene materials. The obtained materials were characterized by thermo-gravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The results showed successful functionalization of the GO materials, while a comparison of the deoxygenation efficiency of the two-type functionalized graphene oxide suspensions by the different reducing agents has been made, revealing the strong dependence of their properties on the GO structure and reducing agents.
Abstract: The contribution deals with influence of strength abilities on quality of performance of static balance movement structure – handstand. To test the strength abilities we selected following tests: number of push-ups per minute and persistence in trunk backward bend in sitting position. We tested the dependent variable by three tests – persistence in handstand position on a stabilometric platform, persistence in handstand position and evaluation of quality of handstand performance. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to formulate the relationship between variables. The results showed a statistically significant dependence using which we deduced conclusions for training practice.
Abstract: The analysis of the spatial disparities of social marginalization is a requirement in the present-day socio-economic and political context of Romania, an East-European state, member of the European Union since 2007, at present faced with the imperatives of the growth of its territorial cohesion. The main objective of this article is to develop a methodology for the assessment of social marginalization, in order to understand the intensity of the marginalization phenomenon at different spatial scales. The article proposes a social marginalization index (SMI), calculated through the integration of ten indicators relevant for the two components of social marginalization: the material component and the symbolical component. The results highlighted a strong connection between the total degree of social marginalization and the dependence on social benefits, unemployment rate, non-inclusion in the compulsory education, criminality rate, and the type of pension insurance.
Abstract: Gait disturbance, particularly freezing of gait (FOG), is a phenomenon that is common in Parkinson’s patients and significantly contributes to a loss of function and independence. Walking performance and number of freezing episodes have been known to respond favorably to sensory cues of different modalities. However, a topic that has so far barely been touched is how to resolve freezing episodes via sensory cues once they have appeared. In this study, we analyze the effect of five different sensory cues on the duration of freezing episodes: (1) vibratory alert, (2) auditory alert, (3) vibratory rhythm, (4) auditory rhythm, (5) visual cue in form of parallel lines projected to the floor. The motivation for this study is to investigate the possibility of the design of a gait assistive device for Parkinson’s patients. Test subjects were 7 Parkinson’s patients regularly suffering from FOG. The patients had to repeatedly walk a pre-defined course and cues were triggered always 2 s after freezing onset. The effect was analyzed via experimental measurements and patient interviews. The measurements showed that all 5 sensory cues led to a decrease of the average duration of freezing: baseline (7.9s), vibratory alert (7.1s), auditory alert (6.7s), auditory rhythm (6.4s), vibratory rhythm (6.3s), and visual cue (5.3s). Nevertheless, interestingly, patients subjectively evaluated the audio alert and vibratory signals to have a significantly better effect for reducing their freezing duration than the visual cue.
Abstract: A silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) was designed, fabricated and characterized. The SiPM was based on SACM (Separation of Absorption, Charge and Multiplication) structure, which was optimized for blue light detection in application of positron emission tomography (PET). The achieved SiPM array has a high geometric fill factor of 64% and a low breakdown voltage of about 22V, while the temperature dependence of breakdown voltage is only 17mV/°C. The gain and photon detection efficiency of the device achieved were also measured under illumination of light at 405nm and 460nm wavelengths. The gain of the device is in the order of 106. The photon detection efficiency up to 60% has been observed under 1.8V overvoltage.
Abstract: Absorption spectra of infra-red (IR) radiation of the
disperse water medium absorbing the most important greenhouse
gases: CO2 , N2O , CH4 , C2H2 , C2H6 have been calculated by
the molecular dynamics method. Loss of the absorbing ability at the
formation of clusters due to a reduction of the number of centers
interacting with IR radiation, results in an anti-greenhouse effect.
Absorption of O3 molecules by the (H2O)50 cluster is investigated
at its interaction with Cl- ions. The splitting of ozone molecule on
atoms near to cluster surface was observed. Interaction of water
cluster with Cl- ions causes the increase of integrated intensity of
emission spectra of IR radiation, and also essential reduction of the
similar characteristic of Raman spectrum. Relative integrated
intensity of absorption of IR radiation for small water clusters was
designed. Dependences of the quantity of weight on altitude for
vapor of monomers, clusters, droplets, crystals and mass of all
moisture were determined. The anti-greenhouse effect of clusters was
defined as the difference of increases of average global temperature
of the Earth, caused by absorption of IR radiation by free water
molecules forming clusters, and absorption of clusters themselves.
The greenhouse effect caused by clusters makes 0.53 K, and the antigreenhouse
one is equal to 1.14 K. The increase of concentration of
CO2 in the atmosphere does not always correlate with the
amplification of greenhouse effect.
Abstract: When faced with stochastic networks with an uncertain
duration for their activities, the securing of network completion time
becomes problematical, not only because of the non-identical pdf of
duration for each node, but also because of the interdependence of
network paths. As evidenced by Adlakha & Kulkarni [1], many
methods and algorithms have been put forward in attempt to resolve
this issue, but most have encountered this same large-size network
problem. Therefore, in this research, we focus on network reduction
through a Series/Parallel combined mechanism. Our suggested
algorithm, named the Activity Network Reduction Algorithm
(ANRA), can efficiently transfer a large-size network into an S/P
Irreducible Network (SPIN). SPIN can enhance stochastic network
analysis, as well as serve as the judgment of symmetry for the Graph
Theory.
Abstract: Particle damping is a technique to reduce the
structural vibrations by means of placing small metallic particles
inside a cavity that is attached to the structure at location of high
vibration amplitudes. In this paper, we have presented an analytical
model to simulate the particle damping of two dimensional transient
vibrations in structure operating under high centrifugal loads. The
simulation results show that this technique remains effective as long
as the ratio of the dynamic acceleration of the structure to the applied
centrifugal load is more than 0.1. Particle damping increases with the
increase of particle to structure mass ratio. However, unlike to the
case of particle damping in the absence of centrifugal loads where
the damping efficiency strongly depends upon the size of the cavity,
here this dependence becomes very weak. Despite the simplicity of
the model, the simulation results are considerably in good agreement
with the very scarce experimental data available in the literature for
particle damping under centrifugal loads.
Abstract: The aim of this research was to calculate the
mechanical properties of Pd3Rh and PdRh3 ordered alloys. The
molecular dynamics (MD) simulation technique was used to obtain
temperature dependence of the energy, the Yong modulus, the shear
modulus, the bulk modulus, Poisson-s ratio and the elastic stiffness
constants at the isobaric-isothermal (NPT) ensemble in the range of
100-325 K. The interatomic potential energy and force on atoms were
calculated by Quantum Sutton-Chen (Q-SC) many body potential.
Our MD simulation results show the effect of temperature on the
cohesive energy and mechanical properties of Pd3Rh as well as
PdRh3 alloys. Our computed results show good agreement with the
experimental results where they have been available.
Abstract: The equilibrium process of plasma nitrogen species by
chemical kinetic reactions along various pressures is successfully
investigated. The equilibrium process is required in industrial
application to obtain the stable condition when heating up the
material for having homogenous reaction. Nitrogen species densities
is modeled by a continuity equation and extended Arrhenius form.
These equations are used to integrate the change of density over the
time. The integration is to acquire density and the reaction rate of
each reaction where temperature and time dependence are imposed.
A comparison is made with global model within pressure range of 1-
100mTorr and the temperature of electron is set to be higher than
other nitrogen species. The results shows that the chemical kinetic
model only agrees for high pressure because of no power imposed;
while the global model considers the external power along the
pressure range then the electron and nitrogen species give highly
quantity densities by factor of 3 to 5.
Abstract: Studies in economics domain tried to reveal the correlation between stock markets. Since the globalization era, interdependence between stock markets becomes more obvious. The Dynamic Interaction Network (DIN) algorithm, which was inspired by a Gene Regulatory Network (GRN) extraction method in the bioinformatics field, is applied to reveal important and complex dynamic relationship between stock markets. We use the data of the stock market indices from eight countries around the world in this study. Our results conclude that DIN is able to reveal and model patterns of dynamic interaction from the observed variables (i.e. stock market indices). Furthermore, it is also found that the extracted network models can be utilized to predict movement of the stock market indices with a considerably good accuracy.