Abstract: Computer education is referred to as the knowledge
and ability to use computers and related technology efficiently, with a
range of skills covering levels from basic use to advance. Computer
continues to make an ever-increasing impact on all aspect of human
endeavours such as education. With numerous benefits of computer
education, what are the insights of students on computer education?
This study investigated the perception of senior secondary school
students on computer education in Federal Capital Territory (FCT),
Abuja, Nigeria. A sample of 7500 senior secondary schools students
was involved in the study, one hundred (100) private and fifty (50)
public schools within FCT. They were selected by using simple
random sampling technique. A questionnaire [PSSSCEQ] was
developed and validated through expert judgement and reliability coefficient
of 0.84 was obtained. It was used to gather relevant data on
computer education. Findings confirmed that the students in the FCT
had positive perception on computer education. Some factors were
identified that affect students’ perception on computer education. The
null hypotheses were tested using t-test and ANOVA statistical
analyses at 0.05 level of significance. Based on these findings, some
recommendations were made which include competent teachers
should be employed into all secondary schools. This will help
students to acquire relevant knowledge in computer education,
technological supports should be provided to all secondary schools;
this will help the users (students) to solve specific problems in
computer education and financial supports should be provided to
procure computer facilities that will enhance the teaching and the
learning of computer education.
Abstract: The social logic of 'Sequina' slum area in Alexandria details the integral measure of space syntax at the room-level of twenty-building samples. The essence of spatial structure integrates the central 'visitor' domain with the 'living' frontage of the 'children' zone against the segregated privacy of the opposite 'parent' depth. Meanwhile, the multifunctioning of shallow rooms optimizes the integral 'visitor' structure through graph and visibility dimensions in contrast to the 'inhabitant' structure of graph-tails out of sight. Common theme of the layout integrity increases in compensation to the decrease of room visibility. Despite the 'pheno-type' of collective integration, the individual layouts observe 'geno-type' structure of spatial diversity per room adjoins. In this regard, the layout integrity alternates the cross-correlation of the 'kitchen & living' rooms with the 'inhabitant & visitor' domains of 'motherhood' dynamic structure. Moreover, the added 'grandparent' restructures the integral measure to become the deepest space, but opens to the 'living' of 'household' integrity. Some isomorphic layouts change the integral structure just through the 'balcony' extension of access, visual or ignored 'ringiness' of space syntax. However, the most integrated or segregated layouts invert the 'geno-type' into a shallow 'inhabitant' centrality versus the remote 'visitor' structure. Overview of the multivariate social logic of spatial integrity could never clarify without the micro-data analysis.
Abstract: Mineral product, waste concrete (fine aggregates),
waste in the optical field, industry, and construction employ separators
to separate solids and classify them according to their size. Various
sorting machines are used in the industrial field such as those operating
under electrical properties, centrifugal force, wind power, vibration,
and magnetic force. Study on separators has been carried out to
contribute to the environmental industry. In this study, we perform
CFD analysis for understanding the basic mechanism of the separation
of waste concrete (fine aggregate) particles from air with a machine
built with a rotor with blades. In CFD, we first performed
two-dimensional particle tracking for various particle sizes for the
model with 1 degree, 1.5 degree, and 2 degree angle between each
blade to verify the boundary conditions and the method of rotating
domain method to be used in 3D. Then we developed 3D numerical
model with ANSYS CFX to calculate the air flow and track the
particles. We judged the capability of particle separation for given size
by counting the number of particles escaping from the domain toward
the exit among 10 particles issued at the inlet. We confirm that
particles experience stagnant behavior near the exit of the rotating
blades where the centrifugal force acting on the particles is in balance
with the air drag force. It was also found that the minimum particle
size that can be separated by the machine with the rotor is determined
by its capability to stay at the outlet of the rotor channels.
Abstract: This paper sets out a behavioral macro-model of a
Merged PiN and Schottky (MPS) diode based on silicon carbide
(SiC). This model holds good for both static and dynamic electrothermal
simulations for industrial applications. Its parameters have
been worked out from datasheets curves by drawing on the
optimization method: Simulated Annealing (SA) for the SiC MPS
diodes made available in the industry. The model also adopts the
Analog Behavioral Model (ABM) of PSPICE in which it has been
implemented. The thermal behavior of the devices was also taken
into consideration by making use of Foster’ canonical network as
figured out from electro-thermal measurement provided by the
manufacturer of the device.
Abstract: Manufacturing process has been considered as one of
the most important activity in business process. It correlates with
productivity and quality of the product so industries could fulfill
customer’s demand. With the increasing demand from customer,
industries must improve their manufacturing ability such as shorten
lead-time and reduce wastes on their process. Lean manufacturing
has been considered as one of the tools to waste elimination in
manufacturing or service industry. Workforce development is one
practice in lean manufacturing that can reduce waste generated from
operator such as waste of unnecessary motion. Anthropometric
approach is proposed to determine the recommended measurement in
operator’s work area. The method will get some dimensions from
Indonesia people that related to piston workstation. The result from
this research can be obtained new design for the work area
considering ergonomic aspect.
Abstract: Background modeling and subtraction in video
analysis has been widely used as an effective method for moving
objects detection in many computer vision applications. Recently, a
large number of approaches have been developed to tackle different
types of challenges in this field. However, the dynamic background
and illumination variations are the most frequently occurred problems
in the practical situation. This paper presents a favorable two-layer
model based on codebook algorithm incorporated with local binary
pattern (LBP) texture measure, targeted for handling dynamic
background and illumination variation problems. More specifically,
the first layer is designed by block-based codebook combining with
LBP histogram and mean value of each RGB color channel. Because
of the invariance of the LBP features with respect to monotonic
gray-scale changes, this layer can produce block wise detection results
with considerable tolerance of illumination variations. The pixel-based
codebook is employed to reinforce the precision from the output of the
first layer which is to eliminate false positives further. As a result, the
proposed approach can greatly promote the accuracy under the
circumstances of dynamic background and illumination changes.
Experimental results on several popular background subtraction
datasets demonstrate very competitive performance compared to
previous models.
Abstract: Polymeric composites are being increasingly used as
repair material for repairing critical infrastructures such as building,
bridge, pressure vessel, piping and pipeline. Technique in repairing
damaged pipes is one of the major concerns of pipeline owners.
Considerable researches have been carried out on the repair of
corroded pipes using composite materials. This article attempts a
short review of the subject matter to provide insight into various
techniques used in repairing corroded pipes, focusing on a wide range
of composite repair systems. These systems including pre-cured
layered, flexible wet lay-up, pre-impregnated, split composite sleeve
and flexible tape systems. Both advantages and limitations of these
repair systems were highlighted. Critical technical aspects have been
discussed through the current standards and practices. Research gaps
and future study scopes in achieving more effective design
philosophy are also presented.
Abstract: This experimental study consists of a characterization
of epoxy grout where an amount of 2% of graphene nanoplatelets
particles were added to commercial epoxy resin to evaluate their
behavior regarding neat epoxy resin. Compressive tests, tensile tests
and flexural tests were conducted to study the effect of graphene
nanoplatelets on neat epoxy resin. By comparing graphene-based and
neat epoxy grout, there is no significant increase of strength due to
weak interface in the graphene nanoplatelets/epoxy composites.
From this experiment, the tension and flexural strength of graphenebased
epoxy grouts is slightly lower than ones of neat epoxy grout.
Nevertheless, the addition of graphene has produced more consistent
results according to a smaller standard deviation of strength.
Furthermore, the graphene has also improved the ductility of the
grout, hence reducing its brittle behaviour. This shows that the
performance of graphene-based grout is reliably predictable and able
to minimise sudden rupture. This is important since repair design of
damaged pipeline is of deterministic nature.
Abstract: Issues relating to the destructive phenomena that can
damage people and goods have returned to the centre of debate in
Italy with the increase in catastrophic episodes in recent years in a
country which is highly vulnerable to hydrological risk.
Environmental factors and geological and geomorphological
territorial characteristics play an important role in determining the
level of vulnerability and the natural tendency to risk. However, a
territory has also been subjected to the requirements of and
transformations of society and this brings other relevant factors. The
reasons for the increase in destructive phenomena are often to be
found in the territorial development models adopted. Stewardship of
the landscape and management of risk are related issues. This study aims to summarize the most relevant elements about
this connection and at the same time to clarify the role of
environmental risk assessment as a tool to aid in the sustainable
management of landscape. Finally, the study reflects on how regional
and urban planners deal with environmental risk and which aspects
should be monitored in order to adopt responsible and useful
interventions.
Abstract: Rapid developments in technology in the present age
have made it necessary for communities to follow technological
developments and adapt themselves to these developments. One of
the fields that are most rapidly affected by these developments is
undoubtedly education. Determination of the attitudes of preservice
teachers, who live in an age of technology and get ready to raise
future individuals, is of paramount importance both educationally and
professionally. The purpose of this study was to analyze attitudes of
preservice teachers towards technology and some variables that
predict these attitudes (gender, daily duration of internet use, and the
number of technical devices owned). 329 preservice teachers
attending the education faculty of a large university in central Turkey
participated, on a volunteer basis, in this study, where relational
survey model was used as the research method. Research findings
reveal that preservice teachers’ attitudes towards technology are
positive and at the same time, the attitudes of male preservice
teachers towards technology are more positive than their female
counterparts. As a result of the stepwise multiple regression analysis
where factors predicting preservice teachers’ attitudes towards
technology, it was found that duration of daily internet use was the
strongest predictor of attitudes towards technology.
Abstract: Companies face increasing challenges in research due
to higher costs and risks. The intensifying technology complexity and
interdisciplinarity require unique know-how. Therefore, companies
need to decide whether research shall be conducted internally or
externally with partners. On the other hand, research institutes meet
increasing efforts to achieve good financing and to maintain high
research reputation. Therefore, relevant research topics need to be
identified and specialization of competency is necessary. However,
additional competences for solving interdisciplinary research projects
are also often required. Secured financing can be achieved by
bonding industry partners as well as public fundings. The realization
of faster and better research drives companies and research institutes
to cooperate in organized research networks, which are managed by
an administrative organization. For an effective and efficient
cooperation, necessary processes, roles, tools and a set of rules need
to be determined. Goal of this paper is to show the state-of-art
research and to propose a governance framework for organized
research networks.
Abstract: Contemporary metropolitan areas and large cities are
dynamic, rapidly growing and continuously changing. Thus, urban
transformations and mutations are not a new phenomenon, but rather
a continuous process. Basic factors of urban transformation are
related to development of technologies, globalisation, lifestyle, etc.,
which in combination with local factors have generated an extremely
great variety of urban development conditions. This article discusses
the main urbanisation processes in Lithuania during last 50-year
period and social factors affecting urban functional mutations.
Abstract: Zinc borates are used as a multi-functional flame
retardant additive for its high dehydration temperature. In this study,
the method of ultrasonic mixing was used in the synthesis of zinc
borates. The reactants of zinc oxide (ZnO) and boric acid (H3BO3)
were used at the constant reaction parameters of 90°C reaction
temperature and 55 min of reaction time. Several molar ratios of
ZnO:H3BO3 (1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4 and 1:5) were conducted for the
determination of the optimum reaction ratio. Prior to synthesis the
characterization of the synthesized zinc borates were made by X-Ray
Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy
(FT-IR). From the results Zinc Oxide Borate Hydrate
[Zn3B6O12.3.5H2O], were synthesized optimum at the molar ratio of
1:3, with a reaction efficiency of 95.2%.
Abstract: Web Usage Mining is the application of data mining
techniques to find usage patterns from web log data, so as to grasp
required patterns and serve the requirements of Web-based
applications. User’s expertise on the internet may be improved by
minimizing user’s web access latency. This may be done by
predicting the future search page earlier and the same may be prefetched
and cached. Therefore, to enhance the standard of web
services, it is needed topic to research the user web navigation
behavior. Analysis of user’s web navigation behavior is achieved
through modeling web navigation history. We propose this technique
which cluster’s the user sessions, based on the K-medoids technique.
Abstract: Sewage sludge is a biomass resource that can create a
solid fuel and electricity. Utilizing sewage sludge as a renewable
energy can contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases. In Japan,
the "National Plan for the Promotion of Biomass Utilization" and the
“Priority Plan for Social Infrastructure Development" were approved
at cabinet meetings in December 2010 and August 2012, respectively,
to promote the energy utilization of sewage sludge. This study
investigated costs and greenhouse gas emission in different sewage
sludge treatments with technologies for energy from sewage sludge.
Expenses were estimated based on capital costs and O&M costs
including energy consumption of solid fuel plants and biogas power
generation plants for sewage sludge. Results showed that the cost of
sludge digestion treatment with solid fuel technologies was 8% lower
than landfill disposal. The greenhouse gas emission of sludge
digestion treatment with solid fuel technologies was also 6,390t as
CO2 smaller than landfill disposal. Biogas power generation reduced
the electricity of a wastewater treatment plant by 30% and the cost by
5%.
Abstract: This article developed an ion thruster optic system
sputter erosion depth numerical 3D model by IFE-PIC (Immersed
Finite Element-Particle-in-Cell) and Mont Carlo method, and
calculated the downstream surface sputter erosion rate of accelerator
grid; compared with LIPS-200 life test data. The results of the
numerical model are in reasonable agreement with the measured data.
Finally, we predicted the lifetime of the 20cm diameter ion thruster via
the erosion data obtained with the model. The ultimate result
demonstrated that under normal operating condition, the erosion rate
of the grooves wears on the downstream surface of the accelerator grid
is 34.6μm⁄1000h, which means the conservative lifetime until
structural failure occurring on the accelerator grid is 11500 hours.
Abstract: A Reconfigurable Wilkinson power divider is
proposed in this paper. In existing system only a limited number of
bandwidth is used at the output ports, in the proposed Wilkinson
power divider different band of frequencies are obtained by using
PIN diode. By tuning the PIN diode, different frequencies are
achieved. The size of the power divider is reduced for the operating
frequency and increases the fractional bandwidth.
Abstract: In the present research, whole meal barley flour
(WBF) was supplemented with gelatinized corn flour (GCF) in 0 and
30%. Whole meal wheat flour (WWF) was mixed with defatted rice
bran (DRB) to produce 0, 20, 25, and 30% replacement levels.
Rheological properties of dough were studied. Thermal properties
and starch crystallinity of flours were evaluated. Flat bread, balady
bread and pie were prepared from the different flour blends. The
different bakeries were sensory evaluated. Color of raw materials and
crust of bakery products were determined. Nutrients contents of raw
flours and food products were assessed. Results showed that addition
of GCF to WBF increased the viscosity and falling number of the
produced dough. Water absorption, dough development time and
dough stability increased with increasing the level of DRB in dough
while, weakening and mixing tolerance index decreased.
Extensibility and energy decreased, while, resistance to extension
increased as DRB level increased. Gelatinized temperature of WWF,
WBF, GCF, and DRB were 13.26, 35.09, 28.33, and 39.63,
respectively. Starch crystallinity was affected when DRB was added
to WWF. The highest protein content was present in balady bread
made from 70% WWF and 30% DRB. The highest calcium,
phosphorus, and potassium levels were present in products made
from 100% WBF. Sensory attributes of the products were slightly
affected by adding DRB and GCF. Conclusion: Addition of DRB or
GCF to WWF or WBF, respectively affect the physical, chemical,
rheological and sensory properties of balady bread, flat bread, and pie
while improved their nutritive values.
Abstract: Green and renewable energy is getting extraordinary
consideration today, because of ecological concerns made by blazing
of fossil powers. Photovoltaic and wind power generation are the
basic decisions for delivering power in this respects. Producing
power by the sun based photovoltaic systems is known to the world,
yet control makers may get confounded to pick between on-grid and
off-grid systems. In this exploration work, an endeavor is made to
compare the off-grid (stand-alone) and on-grid (grid-connected)
frameworks. The work presents relative examination, between two
distinctive PV frameworks situated at V.V.P. Engineering College,
Rajkot. The first framework is 100 kW remain solitary and the
second is 60 kW network joined. The real-time parameters compared
are; output voltage, load current, power in-flow, power output,
performance ratio, yield factor, and capacity factor. The voltage
changes and the power variances in both frameworks are given
exceptional consideration and the examination is made between the
two frameworks to judge the focal points and confinements of both
the frameworks.
Abstract: A Friction stir welding tool is a critical component to
the success of the process. The tool typically consists of a rotating
round shoulder and a threaded cylindrical pin that heats the work
piece, mostly by friction, and moves the softened alloy around it to
form the joint. In this research work, an attempt has been made to
investigate the relationship between FSW variables mainly tool
profile, rotating speed, welding speed and the mechanical properties
(tensile strength, yield strength, percentage elongation, and micro
hardness) of friction stir welded aluminum alloy 5083 joints. From
the experimental details, it can be assessed that the joint produced by
using Triflute profile tool has contribute superior mechanical and
structural properties as compared to Tapered unthreaded & Threaded
tool for 1000rpm.