Abstract: For micro-gyroscopes, the angular rate detection components have to oscillate forwards and backwards alternatively. An innovative design of micro-electromagnetic drive module is proposed to make a Π-type disc reciprocally and efficiently rotate within a certain of angular interval. Twelve Electromagnetic poles enclosing the thin disc are designed to provide the magnetic drive power. Isotropic etching technique is employed to fabricate the high-aspect-ratio trench, so that the contact angle of wire against trench can be increased and the potential defect of cavities and pores within the wire can be prevented. On the other hand, a Π-type thin disc is designed to conduct the pitch motion as an angular excitation, in addition to spinning, is exerted on the gyroscope. The efficacy of the micro-magnetic drive module is verified by the commercial software, Ansoft Maxewll. In comparison with the conventional planar windings in micro-scale systems, the magnetic drive force is increased by 150%.
Abstract: The paper describes the carbonate microfacies identified in the Sinjar Formation (Late Paleocene–Early Eocene) cropping out in Qara Dagh Mountain, near Sulekan Village approximately 20km south–west of Sulaimani (Iraq). One section (62m thick) has been measured in the field and closely sampled to undertake detailed microfaciesal and micropalaeontological studies to determine the formation-s age and environment of deposition. A samples were collected illustrating all the lithological changes along the section. The limestone in the studied area is hard and extremely rich in large foraminifers (soritids, rotaliids, nummulites, miliolids) and green algae (dasycladales). The investigation of the thin sections allowed us to identify the carbonate microfacies (18 types and subtypes) and the micropaleontological association (foraminifers and green algae), to determine the age of formation and to reconstruct the paleoenvironment of deposition (fore-reef, reef, back-reef). Based on the field observations and the studied thin sections, we determined three Units of a carbonate platform (I, II and III) from the base to the top of the section: Unit I with coralgal associations, Unit II is dominated by larger foraminifers and haracterized by the absence of coralgal associations, while Unit III is dominated by small foraminifers (mostly miliolids), peloids and green algae. It is partially dolomitized.
Abstract: Research papers are usually evaluated via peer
review. However, peer review has limitations in evaluating research
papers. In this paper, Scienstein and the new idea of 'collaborative
document evaluation' are presented. Scienstein is a project to
evaluate scientific papers collaboratively based on ratings, links,
annotations and classifications by the scientific community using the
internet. In this paper, critical success factors of collaborative
document evaluation are analyzed. That is the scientists- motivation
to participate as reviewers, the reviewers- competence and the
reviewers- trustworthiness. It is shown that if these factors are
ensured, collaborative document evaluation may prove to be a more
objective, faster and less resource intensive approach to scientific
document evaluation in comparison to the classical peer review
process. It is shown that additional advantages exist as collaborative
document evaluation supports interdisciplinary work, allows
continuous post-publishing quality assessments and enables the
implementation of academic recommendation engines. In the long
term, it seems possible that collaborative document evaluation will
successively substitute peer review and decrease the need for
journals.
Abstract: Verification of real-time software systems can be
expensive in terms of time and resources. Testing is the main method
of proving correctness but has been shown to be a long and time
consuming process. Everyday engineers are usually unwilling to
adopt formal approaches to correctness because of the overhead
associated with developing their knowledge of such techniques.
Performance modelling techniques allow systems to be evaluated
with respect to timing constraints. This paper describes PARTES, a
framework which guides the extraction of performance models from
programs written in an annotated subset of C.
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to analyze the cognitive
and travel experience the situation of the tourist attraction of the sport
tourism in Penghu. This study used a questionnaires, the main island
of Taiwan to Penghu in the way of marine sports tourists adopted the
designated convenience sampling method, a total of 1447 valid
questionnaires. After statistical analysis, this study found that: 1.
Tourists to Penghu sports tourism attraction cognitive as “good air
quality, suitable for water activities". 2. Tourists in Penghu's tourism
experience, “Let me taste the delicious specialties and snacks". 3. The
attraction of the sport tourism, travel experience and perceived value
are correlated, and both the perceived value with a high degree of
predictive ability. Based on the findings of this study not only for
Penghu's tourism industry with the unit in charge of the proposed
operating and suggestions for future research to other researchers.
Abstract: Frequent machine breakdowns, low plant availability and increased overtime are a great threat to a manufacturing plant as they increase operating costs of an industry. The main aim of this study was to improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) at a manufacturing company through the implementation of innovative maintenance strategies. A case study approach was used. The paper focuses on improving the maintenance in a manufacturing set up using an innovative maintenance regime mix to improve overall equipment effectiveness. Interviews, reviewing documentation and historical records, direct and participatory observation were used as data collection methods during the research. Usually production is based on the total kilowatt of motors produced per day. The target kilowatt at 91% availability is 75 Kilowatts a day. Reduced demand and lack of raw materials particularly imported items are adversely affecting the manufacturing operations. The company had to reset its targets from the usual figure of 250 Kilowatt per day to mere 75 per day due to lower availability of machines as result of breakdowns as well as lack of raw materials. The price reductions and uncertainties as well as general machine breakdowns further lowered production. Some recommendations were given. For instance, employee empowerment in the company will enhance responsibility and authority to improve and totally eliminate the six big losses. If the maintenance department is to realise its proper function in a progressive, innovative industrial society, then its personnel must be continuously trained to meet current needs as well as future requirements. To make the maintenance planning system effective, it is essential to keep track of all the corrective maintenance jobs and preventive maintenance inspections. For large processing plants these cannot be handled manually. It was therefore recommended that the company implement (Computerised Maintenance Management System) CMMS.
Abstract: Lately there has been a significant boost of interest in
music digital libraries, which constitute an attractive area of research
and development due to their inherent interesting issues and
challenging technical problems, solutions to which will be highly
appreciated by enthusiastic end-users. We present here a DL that we
have developed to support users in their quest for classical music
pieces within a particular collection of 18,000+ audio recordings.
To cope with the early DL model limitations, we have used a refined
socio-semantic and contextual model that allows rich bibliographic
content description, along with semantic annotations, reviewing,
rating, knowledge sharing etc. The multi-layered service model
allows incorporation of local and distributed information,
construction of rich hypermedia documents, expressing the complex
relationships between various objects and multi-dimensional spaces,
agents, actors, services, communities, scenarios etc., and facilitates
collaborative activities to offer to individual users the needed
collections and services.
Abstract: Introduction: Visual performance is an important factor in sport excellence. Visual involvement in a sport varies according to environmental demands associated with that sport. These environmental demands are matched by a task specific motor response. The purpose of this study was to determine if sport specific exercises will improve the visual performance of male rugby players, in order to achieve maximal results on the sports field. Materials & Methods: Twenty six adult male rugby players, aged 16-22, were chosen as subjects. In order to evaluate the effect of sport specific exercises on visual skills, a pre-test - post-test experimental group design was adopted for the study. Results: Significant differences (p≤0.05) were seen in the focussing, tracking, vergence, sequencing, eye-hand coordination and visualisation components Discussion & Conclusions: Sport specific exercises improved visual skills in rugby players which may provide them with an advantage over their opponents. This study suggests that these training programs and participation in regular on-line EyeDrills sports vision exercises (www.eyedrills.co.za) aimed at improving the athlete-s visual coordination, concentration, focus, hand-eye co-ordination, anticipation and motor response should be incorpotated in the rugby players exercise regime.
Abstract: The top-heavy demographic of low birth-rate and longer lifespan is a growing social problem, and one of its expected effects will be a shortage of young workers and a growing reliance on a workforce of middle-aged and older people. However, the environment of today's industrial workplace is not particularly suited to middle-aged and older workers, one notable problem being temperature control. Higher temperatures can cause health problems such as heat stroke, and the number of cases increases sharply in people over 65. Moreover, in conditions above 33°C, older people can develop circulatory system disorders, and also have a higher chance of suffering a fatal heart attack. We therefore propose a new method for controlling temperature in the indoor workplace. In this study two different verification experiments were conducted, with the proposed temperature control method being tested in cargo containers and conventional houses. The method's effectiveness was apparent in measurements of temperature and electricity consumption
Abstract: In this research, several physical and chemical properties and mineral contents of Russion olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia L.) fruit grown in Turkey were determined. In the fruit, length, width, thickness, weight were determined as 2.866cm, 1.880cm, 1.870cm, 2.90g; total soluble solids and colour were determined as 13.14% and S33O60Y99, respectively. In the seed, mean length, width, thickness, and weight were found to be 2.420cm, 0.508cm, 0.503cm, and 0.38g, respectively. In the fruit, 28 minerals (K, P, Ca, Na, Mg, S, Pb, Ba, Ga, As, In, Ti, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Co, B, Cd, Se, Li, Sr, Al, Ni, Ag, V, Cr, Bi) were analyzed and 19 minerals were present at detectable levels. Russion olive fruit was richest in potassium (10296.906ppm), Mg (762.314ppm), P (609.694ppm), Ca (547.647ppm), and Na (222.749ppm).
Abstract: Data rate, tolerable bit error rate or frame error rate
and range & coverage are the key performance requirement of a
communication link. In this paper performance of MFSK link is
analyzed in terms of bit error rate, number of errors and total number
of data processed. In the communication link model proposed, which
is implemented using MATLAB block set, an improvement in BER
is observed. Different parameters which effects and enables to keep
BER low in M-ary communication system are also identified.
Abstract: Despite many success stories of manufacturing safety, many organizations are still reluctant, perceiving it as cost increasing and time consuming. The clear contributor may be due to the use of lagging indicators rather than leading indicator measures. The study therefore proposes a combinatorial model for determining the best safety strategy. A combination theory and cost benefit analysis was employed to develop a monetary saving / loss function in terms value of preventions and cost of prevention strategy. Documentations, interviews and structured questionnaire were employed to collect information on Before-And-After safety programme records from a Tobacco company between periods of 1993-2001(for pre-safety) and 2002-2008 (safety period) for the model application. Three combinatorial alternatives A, B, C were obtained resulting into 4, 6 and 4 strategies respectively with PPE and Training being predominant. A total of 728 accidents were recorded for a 9 year period of pre-safety programme and 163 accidents were recorded for 7 years period of safety programme. Six preventions activities (alternative B) yielded the best results. However, all the years of operation experienced except year 2004. The study provides a leading resources for planning successful safety programme
Abstract: The purpose of this research was develop a biological
nutrient removal (BNR) system which has low energy consumption, sludge production, and land usage. These indicate that BNR system could be a alternative of future wastewater treatment in ubiquitous
city(U-city). Organics and nitrogen compounds could be removed by this system so that secondary or tertiary stages of wastewater treatment satisfy their standards. This system was composed of oxic and anoxic
filter filed with PVDC and POM media. Anoxic/oxic filter system operated under empty bed contact time of 4 hours by increasing
recirculation ratio from 0 to 100 %. The system removals of total nitrogen and COD were 76.3% and 93%, respectively. To be observed
internal behavior in this system SCOD, NH3-N, and NO3-N were
conducted and removal shows range of 25~100%, 59~99%, and
70~100%, respectively.
Abstract: In this paper, we represent protein structure by using
graph. A protein structure database will become a graph database.
Each graph is represented by a spectral vector. We use Jacobi
rotation algorithm to calculate the eigenvalues of the normalized
Laplacian representation of adjacency matrix of graph. To measure
the similarity between two graphs, we calculate the Euclidean
distance between two graph spectral vectors. To cluster the graphs,
we use M-tree with the Euclidean distance to cluster spectral vectors.
Besides, M-tree can be used for graph searching in graph database.
Our proposal method was tested with graph database of 100 graphs
representing 100 protein structures downloaded from Protein Data
Bank (PDB) and we compare the result with the SCOP hierarchical
structure.
Abstract: Noise level has critical effects on the diagnostic
performance of signal-averaged electrocardiogram (SAECG), because
the true starting and end points of QRS complex would be masked by
the residual noise and sensitive to the noise level. Several studies and
commercial machines have used a fixed number of heart beats
(typically between 200 to 600 beats) or set a predefined noise level
(typically between 0.3 to 1.0 μV) in each X, Y and Z lead to perform
SAECG analysis. However different criteria or methods used to
perform SAECG would cause the discrepancies of the noise levels
among study subjects. According to the recommendations of 1991
ESC, AHA and ACC Task Force Consensus Document for the use of
SAECG, the determinations of onset and offset are related closely to
the mean and standard deviation of noise sample. Hence this study
would try to perform SAECG using consistent root-mean-square
(RMS) noise levels among study subjects and analyze the noise level
effects on SAECG. This study would also evaluate the differences
between normal subjects and chronic renal failure (CRF) patients in
the time-domain SAECG parameters.
The study subjects were composed of 50 normal Taiwanese and 20
CRF patients. During the signal-averaged processing, different RMS
noise levels were adjusted to evaluate their effects on three time
domain parameters (1) filtered total QRS duration (fQRSD), (2) RMS
voltage of the last QRS 40 ms (RMS40), and (3) duration of the low
amplitude signals below 40 μV (LAS40). The study results
demonstrated that the reduction of RMS noise level can increase
fQRSD and LAS40 and decrease the RMS40, and can further increase
the differences of fQRSD and RMS40 between normal subjects and
CRF patients. The SAECG may also become abnormal due to the
reduction of RMS noise level. In conclusion, it is essential to establish
diagnostic criteria of SAECG using consistent RMS noise levels for
the reduction of the noise level effects.
Abstract: Different agricultural waste peels were assessed for
their suitability to be used as primary substrates for the
bioremediation of free cyanide (CN-) by a cyanide-degrading fungus
Aspergillus awamori isolated from cyanide containing wastewater.
The bioremediated CN- concentration were in the range of 36 to 110
mg CN-/L, with Orange (C. sinensis) > Carrot (D. carota) > Onion
(A. cepa) > Apple (M. pumila), being chosen as suitable substrates
for large scale CN- degradation processes due to: 1) the high
concentration of bioremediated CN-, 2) total reduced sugars released
into solution to sustain the biocatalyst, and 3) minimal residual NH4-
N concentration after fermentation. The bioremediation rate constants
(k) were 0.017h-1 (0h < t < 24h), with improved bioremediation rates
(0.02189h-1) observed after 24h. The averaged nitrilase activity was
~10 U/L.
Abstract: In this paper, the Gaussian type quadrature rules for fuzzy functions are discussed. The errors representation and convergence theorems are given. Moreover, four kinds of Gaussian type quadrature rules with error terms for approximate of fuzzy integrals are presented. The present paper complements the theoretical results of the paper by T. Allahviranloo and M. Otadi [T. Allahviranloo, M. Otadi, Gaussian quadratures for approximate of fuzzy integrals, Applied Mathematics and Computation 170 (2005) 874-885]. The obtained results are illustrated by solving some numerical examples.
Abstract: The purpose of the experiments described in this article was the comparison of integrated fixed film activated sludge (IFAS) and activated sludge (AS) system. The IFAS applied system consists of the cigarette filter rods (wasted filter in tobacco factories) as a biofilm carrier. The comparison with activated sludge was performed by two parallel treatment lines. Organic substance, ammonia and TP removal was investigated over four month period. Synthetic wastewater was prepared with ordinary tap water and glucose as the main sources of carbon and energy, plus balanced macro and micro nutrients. COD removal percentages of 94.55%, and 81.62% were achieved for IFAS and activated sludge system, respectively. Also, ammonia concentration significantly decreased by increasing the HRT in both systems. The average ammonia removal of 97.40 % and 96.34% were achieved for IFAS and activated sludge system, respectively. The removal efficiency of total phosphorus (TP-P) was 60.64%, higher than AS process by 56.63% respectively.
Abstract: International markets driven forces are changing
continuously, therefore companies need to gain a competitive edge in
such markets. Improving the company's products, processes and
practices is no longer auxiliary. Lean production is a production
management philosophy that consolidates work tasks with minimum
waste resulting in improved productivity. Lean production practices
can be mapped into many production areas. One of these is
Manufacturing Equipment and Technology (MET). Many lean
production practices can be implemented in MET, namely, specific
equipment configurations, total preventive maintenance, visual
control, new equipment/ technologies, production process
reengineering and shared vision of perfection.The purpose of this
paper is to investigate the implementation level of these six practices
in Jordanian industries. To achieve that a questionnaire survey has
been designed according to five-point Likert scale. The questionnaire
is validated through pilot study and through experts review. A sample
of 350 Jordanian companies were surveyed, the response rate was
83%. The respondents were asked to rate the extent of
implementation for each of practices. A relationship conceptual
model is developed, hypotheses are proposed, and consequently the
essential statistical analyses are then performed. An assessment tool
that enables management to monitor the progress and the
effectiveness of lean practices implementation is designed and
presented. Consequently, the results show that the average
implementation level of lean practices in MET is 77%, Jordanian
companies are implementing successfully the considered lean
production practices, and the presented model has Cronbach-s alpha
value of 0.87 which is good evidence on model consistency and
results validation.
Abstract: Biodiesel is traditionally produced from oleaginous
plants. On the other hand, increasing biodiesel production from these
raw materials could create problems of food supply. Producing
biodiesel from microalgae could help to overcome this difficulty,
because microalgae are rich in lipids and do not compete for arable
lands. However, no studies had compared vegetable and microalgae
oil-based biodiesel in terms of yield, viscosity and heat of
combustion. In the present study, commercial canola and microalgae
oil were therefore transesterified with methanol under a homogenous
alkali catalyst (potassium hydroxide) at 100oC for 1h. The result
showed that microalgae-based oil has a higher yield in biodiesel with
89.7% (g biodiesel/g oil) and a lower kinematic viscosity (22oC) of
4.31 mm/s2 than canola oil.