Abstract: Indigenous Knowledge (IK) has many social and
economic benefits. However, IK is at the risk of extinction due to the
difficulties to preserve it as most of the IK largely remains
undocumented. This study aims to design a model of the factors
affecting the adoption of Information and Communication
Technologies (ICTs) for the preservation of IK. The proposed model
is based on theoretical frameworks on ICT adoption. It was designed
following a literature review of ICT adoption theories for households,
and of the factors affecting ICT adoption for IK. The theory that
fitted to the best all factors was then chosen as the basis for the
proposed model. This study found that the Model of Adoption of
Technology in Households (MATH) is the most suitable theoretical
framework for modeling ICT adoption factors for the preservation of
IK.
Abstract: The recent growth of using multimedia transmission
over wireless communication systems, have challenges to protect the
data from lost due to wireless channel effect. Images are corrupted
due to the noise and fading when transmitted over wireless channel,
in wireless channel the image is transmitted block by block, Due to
severe fading, entire image blocks can be damaged. The aim of this
paper comes out from need to enhance the digital images at the
wireless receiver side. Proposed Boundary Interpolation (BI)
Algorithm using wavelet, have been adapted here used to
reconstruction the lost block in the image at the receiver depend on
the correlation between the lost block and its neighbors. New
Proposed technique by using Boundary Interpolation (BI) Algorithm
using wavelet with Pixel interleaver has been implemented. Pixel
interleaver work on distribute the pixel to new pixel position of
original image before transmitting the image. The block lost through
wireless channel is only effects individual pixel. The lost pixels at the
receiver side can be recovered by using Boundary Interpolation (BI)
Algorithm using wavelet. The results showed that the New proposed
algorithm boundary interpolation (BI) using wavelet with pixel
interleaver is better in term of MSE and PSNR.
Abstract: This study aims to investigate mechanical behavior of
deep-drawn cups consisting of aluminum (A1050)/ duralumin
(A2017) multi-layered clad structures with micro- and macro-scale
functional gradients. Such multi-layered clad structures are possibly
used for a new type of crash-boxes in automobiles to effectively
absorb the impact forces generated when automobiles having
collisions. The effect of heat treatments on microstructure,
compositional gradient, micro hardness in 2 and 6-layered aluminum/
duralumin clad structures, which were fabricated by hot rolling, have
been investigated. Impact compressive behavior of deep-drawn cups
consisting of such aluminum/ duralumin clad structures has been also
investigated in terms of energy absorption and maximum force.
Deep-drawn cups consisting of 6-layerd clad structures with microand
macro-scale functional gradients exhibit superior properties in
impact compressive tests.
Abstract: Feature selection is an important step in many pattern
classification problems. It is applied to select a subset of features,
from a much larger set, such that the selected subset is sufficient to
perform the classification task. Due to its importance, the problem of
feature selection has been investigated by many researchers. In this
paper, a novel feature subset search procedure that utilizes the Ant
Colony Optimization (ACO) is presented. The ACO is a
metaheuristic inspired by the behavior of real ants in their search for
the shortest paths to food sources. It looks for optimal solutions by
considering both local heuristics and previous knowledge. When
applied to two different classification problems, the proposed
algorithm achieved very promising results.
Abstract: This paper presents part of a research into the small
scale modelling of masonry. Small scale testing of masonry has been
carried out by many authors, but few have attempted a systematic
determination of the parameters that affect masonry at a small scale.
The effect of increasing mortar strength and different sand gradings
under compression were investigated. The results show masonry
strength at small scale is influenced by increasing mortar strength and
different sand gradings.
Abstract: Small signal stability causes small perturbations in the
generator that can cause instability in the power network. It is
generally known that small signal stability are directly related to the
generator and load properties. This paper examines the effects of
generator input variations on power system oscillations for a small
signal stability study. Eigenvaules and eigenvectors are used to
examine the stability of the power system. The dynamic power
system's mathematical model is constructed and thus calculated using
load flow and small signal stability toolbox on MATLAB. The power
system model is based on a 3-machine 9-bus system that was
modified to suit this study. In this paper, Participation Factors are a
means to gauge the effects of variation in generation with other
parameters on the network are also incorporated.
Abstract: In this paper optimization of routing in ad-hoc
networks is surveyed and a new method for reducing the complexity
of routing algorithms is suggested. Using binary matrices for each
node in the network and updating it once the routing is done, helps
nodes to stop repeating the routing protocols in each data transfer.
The algorithm suggested can reduce the complexity of routing to the
least amount possible.
Abstract: In this paper, a fractional-order FIR differentiator
design method using the differential evolution (DE) algorithm is
presented. In the proposed method, the FIR digital filter is designed to
meet the frequency response of a desired fractal-order differentiator,
which is evaluated in the frequency domain. To verify the design
performance, another design method considered in the time-domain is
also provided. Simulation results reveal the efficiency of the proposed
method.
Abstract: In this paper, the use of beam search and look-ahead strategies for solving the strip packing problem (SPP) is investigated. Given a strip of fixed width W, unlimited length L, and a set of n circular pieces of known radii, the objective is to determine the minimum length of the initial strip that packs all the pieces. An augmented algorithm which combines beam search and a look-ahead strategies is proposed. The look-ahead is used in order to evaluate the nodes at each level of the tree search. The best nodes are then retained for branching. The computational investigation showed that the proposed augmented algorithm is able to improve the best known solutions of the literature on most instances used.
Abstract: Due to the call of global warming effects, city planners aim at actions for reducing carbon emission. One of the approaches is to promote the usage of public transportation system toward the transit-oriented-development. For example, rapid transit system in Taipei city and Kaohsiung city are opening. However, until November 2008 the average daily patronage counted only 113,774 passengers at Kaohsiung MRT systems, much less than which was expected. Now the crucial questions: how the public transport competes with private transport? And more importantly, what factors would enhance the use of public transport? To give the answers to those questions, our study first applied regression to analyze the factors attracting people to use public transport around cities in the world. It is shown in our study that the number of MRT stations, city population, cost of living, transit fare, density, gasoline price, and scooter being a major mode of transport are the major factors. Subsequently, our study identified successful and unsuccessful cities in regard of the public transport usage based on the diagnosis of regression residuals. Finally, by comparing transportation strategies adopted by those successful cities, our conclusion stated that Kaohsiung City could apply strategies such as increasing parking fees, reducing parking spaces in downtown area, and reducing transfer time by providing more bus services and public bikes to promote the usage of public transport.
Abstract: In this research, a latent class vector model for pairwise data is formulated. As compared to the basic vector model, this model yields consistent estimates of the parameters since the number of parameters to be estimated does not increase with the number of subjects. The result of the analysis reveals that the model was stable and could classify each subject to the latent classes representing the typical scales used by these subjects.
Abstract: The accuracy of estimated stability and control
derivatives of a light aircraft from flight test data were evaluated. The light aircraft, named ChangGong-91, is the first certified aircraft from
the Korean government. The output error method, which is a maximum likelihood estimation technique and considers measurement
noise only, was used to analyze the aircraft responses measures. The
multi-step control inputs were applied in order to excite the short period mode for the longitudinal and Dutch-roll mode for the lateral-directional motion. The estimated stability/control derivatives of Chan Gong-91 were analyzed for the assessment of handling
qualities comparing them with those of similar aircraft. The accuracy of the flight derivative estimates derived from flight test measurement
was examined in engineering judgment, scatter and Cramer-Rao bound, which turned out to be satisfactory with minor defects..
Abstract: In hypersonic environments, the aerothermal effect
makes it difficult for the optical side windows of optical guided
missiles to withstand high heat. This produces cracking or breaking,
resulting in an inability to function. This study used computational
fluid mechanics to investigate the external cooling jet conditions of
optical side windows. The turbulent models k-ε and k-ω were
simulated. To be in better accord with actual aerothermal
environments, a thermal radiation model was added to examine
suitable amounts of external coolants and the optical window
problems of aero-thermodynamics. The simulation results indicate that
when there are no external cooling jets, because airflow on the optical
window and the tail groove produce vortices, the temperatures in these
two locations reach a peak of approximately 1600 K. When the
external cooling jets worked at 0.15 kg/s, the surface temperature of
the optical windows dropped to approximately 280 K. When adding
thermal radiation conditions, because heat flux dissipation was faster,
the surface temperature of the optical windows fell from 280 K to
approximately 260 K. The difference in influence of the different
turbulence models k-ε and k-ω on optical window surface temperature
was not significant.
Abstract: Recently, the design is becoming important in product development. The technology which is a strong point of Japan is immediately caught up by the foreign countries, and the price competition begins. Therefore companies tend to plan differentiation of products by the design or a color. The purpose of my work was to consider the optimal color for using by product development. We needed to clarify the thing leading to color preference for this purpose. Two kinds of investigations were made. By the first investigation, we found out that a geographical factor difference existed in color preference. Then, investigation which regarded the difference as latitude was conducted. However, the result expected from the difference in latitude was not obtained. It seems that it is necessary to set up difference of latitude a little more greatly, or to reexamine by other geographical factors.
Abstract: Expression and secretion of inflammation markers are
disturbed in obesity. Interleukin-6 reduces body fat mass. The
common G-174C polymorphism in the promoter of IL-6 gene has
been reported that effects on transcriptional regulation. The objective
was to investigate association of the common polymorphism G-174C
with obesity in Iranian population. The present study is cross
sectional association study that included 242 individuals (110 men
and 132 women). Serum IL-6 levels, C-reactive protein, fasting
blood glucose and blood lipids profile were measured .BMI and
WHR were calculated. Genotyping is carried out by PCR and RFLP.
The frequencies of G and C allele were 64.5% and 35.5%,
respectively. The G-174C polymorphism was not associated with
BMI and WHR. However in obese individual, fasting blood glucose
was significantly higher in carrier of C allele compared with the noncarrier.
The IL-6 G-174C polymorphism is not a risk factor for
obesity in Iranian population.
Abstract: This paper puts forward one kind of air-fuel ratio
control method with PI controller. With the help of
MATLAB/SIMULINK software, the mathematical model of air-fuel
ratio control system for distributorless CNG engine is constructed.
The objective is to maintain cylinder-to-cylinder air-fuel ratio at a
prescribed set point, determined primarily by the state of the Three-
Way-Catalyst (TWC), so that the pollutants in the exhaust are
removed with the highest efficiency. The concurrent control of airfuel
under transient conditions could be implemented by Proportional
and Integral (PI) controller. The simulation result indicates that the
control methods can easily eliminate the air/fuel maldistribution and
maintain the air/fuel ratio at the stochiometry within minimum
engine events.
Abstract: The mobile users with Laptops need to have an
efficient access to i.e. their home personal data or to the Internet from
any place in the world, regardless of their location or point of
attachment, especially while roaming outside the home subnet. An
efficient interpretation of packet losses problem that is encountered
from this roaming is to the centric of all aspects in this work, to be
over-highlighted. The main previous works, such as BER-systems,
Amigos, and ns-2 implementation that are considered to be in
conjunction with that problem under study are reviewed and
discussed. Their drawbacks and limitations, of stopping only at
monitoring, and not to provide an actual solution for eliminating or
even restricting these losses, are mentioned. Besides that, the
framework around which we built a Triple-R sequence as a costeffective
solution to eliminate the packet losses and bridge the gap
between subnets, an area that until now has been largely neglected, is
presented. The results show that, in addition to the high bit error rate
of wireless mobile networks, mainly the low efficiency of mobile-IP
registration procedure is a direct cause of these packet losses.
Furthermore, the output of packet losses interpretation resulted an
illustrated triangle of the registration process. This triangle should be
further researched and analyzed in our future work.
Abstract: Energy and exergy study of air-water combined solar collector which is called dual purpose solar collector (DPSC) is investigated. The method of ε - NTU is used. Analysis is performed for triangle channels. Parameters like the air flow rate and water inlet temperature are studied. Results are shown that DPSC has better energy and exergy efficiency than single collector. In addition, the triangle passage with water inlet temperature of 60O C has shown better exergy and energy efficiency.
Abstract: Fatigue behaviors of Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT)
ceramics under different amplitude of bipolar electrical loads have
been investigated. Fatigue behavior is represented by the change of
hysteresis loops and remnant polarization. Three levels of electrical
load amplitudes (1.00, 1.25 and 1.50 kV /mm) were applied in this
experimental. It was found that the remnant polarization decreased
significantly with the number of loading cycles. The degree of fatigue
degradation depends on the amplitude of electric field. The higher
amplitude exhibits the greater fatigue degradation.
Abstract: A new method identifies coupled fluid-structure system with a reduced set of state variables is presented. Assuming that the structural model is known a priori either from an analysis or a test and using linear transformations between structural and aeroelastic states, it is possible to deduce aerodynamic information from sampled time histories of the aeroelastic system. More specifically given a finite set of structural modes the method extracts generalized aerodynamic force matrix corresponding to these mode shapes. Once the aerodynamic forces are known, an aeroelastic reduced-order model can be constructed in discrete-time, state-space format by coupling the structural model and the aerodynamic system. The resulting reduced-order model is suitable for constant Mach, varying density analysis.