Abstract: Visualizing “Courses – Pre – Required -
Architecture" on the screen has proven to be useful and helpful for
university actors and specially for students. In fact, these students
can easily identify courses and their pre required, perceive the
courses to follow in the future, and then can choose rapidly the
appropriate course to register in. Given a set of courses and their prerequired,
we present an algorithm for visualization a graph entitled
“Courses-Pre-Required-Graph" that present courses and their prerequired
in order to help students to recognize, lonely, what courses
to take in the future and perceive the contain of all courses that they
will study. Our algorithm using “Force Directed Placement"
technique visualizes the “Courses-Pre-Required-Graph" in such way
that courses are easily identifiable. The time complexity of our
drawing algorithm is O (n2), where n is the number of courses in the
“Courses-Pre-Required-Graph".
Abstract: Introduction applicability of high-speed cutting stock problem (CSP) is presented in this paper. Due to the orders continued coming in from various on-line ways for a professional cutting company, to stay competitive, such a business has to focus on sustained production at high levels. In others words, operators have to keep the machine running to stay ahead of the pack. Therefore, the continuous stock cutting problem with setup is proposed to minimize the cutting time and pattern changing time to meet the on-line given demand. In this paper, a novel method is proposed to solve the problem directly by using cutting patterns directly. A major advantage of the proposed method in series on-line production is that the system can adjust the cutting plan according to the floating orders. Examples with multiple items are demonstrated. The results show considerable efficiency and reliability in high-speed cutting of CSP.
Abstract: The study site was located in Ratchaburi Province,
Thailand. Four experimental plots in dry dipterocarp forest (DDF)
and four plots in mixed deciduous forest (MDF) were set up to
estimate the above-ground biomass of tree, sapling and bamboo. The
allometry equations were used to investigate above-ground biomass
of these vegetation. Seedling and other understory were determined
using direct harvesting method. Carbon storage in above-ground
biomass was calculated based on IPCC 2006.
The results showed that the above-ground biomass of DDF at
20-40% slope,
Abstract: This study presents the application of artificial
neural network for modeling the phenolic compound
migration through vertical soil column. A three layered feed
forward neural network with back propagation training
algorithm was developed using forty eight experimental data
sets obtained from laboratory fixed bed vertical column tests.
The input parameters used in the model were the influent
concentration of phenol(mg/L) on the top end of the soil
column, depth of the soil column (cm), elapsed time after
phenol injection (hr), percentage of clay (%), percentage of
silt (%) in soils. The output of the ANN was the effluent
phenol concentration (mg/L) from the bottom end of the soil
columns. The ANN predicted results were compared with the
experimental results of the laboratory tests and the accuracy of
the ANN model was evaluated.
Abstract: Graph decompositions are vital in the study of
combinatorial design theory. A decomposition of a graph G is a
partition of its edge set. An n-sun graph is a cycle Cn with an edge
terminating in a vertex of degree one attached to each vertex. In this
paper, we define n-sun decomposition of some even order graphs
with a perfect matching. We have proved that the complete graph
K2n, complete bipartite graph K2n, 2n and the Harary graph H4, 2n have
n-sun decompositions. A labeling scheme is used to construct the n-suns.
Abstract: Multilevel inverters supplied from equal and constant
dc sources almost don-t exist in practical applications. The variation
of the dc sources affects the values of the switching angles required
for each specific harmonic profile, as well as increases the difficulty
of the harmonic elimination-s equations. This paper presents an
extremely fast optimal solution of harmonic elimination of multilevel
inverters with non-equal dc sources using Tanaka's fuzzy linear
regression formulation. A set of mathematical equations describing
the general output waveform of the multilevel inverter with nonequal
dc sources is formulated. Fuzzy linear regression is then
employed to compute the optimal solution set of switching angles.
Abstract: To estimate the risks of dam failure phenomenon, it is necessary to understand this phenomenon and the involved governing factors. Overtopping and piping are the two main reasons of earthdam failures. In the piping context, the piping is determined as a phenomenon which is occurred between two phases, the water liquid and the solid soil. In this investigation, the onset of piping and its development, as well as the movement of water in soil, are numerically approached. In this regard, a one-dimensional numerical model based on the mass-conserving finite-volume method is developed and applied in order to simulate the piping phenomenon in a continuous circular tunnel of given initial length and radius, located between upstream and downstream. The simulation result includes the time-variations of radius along the tunnel until the radius value reaches its critical and the piping phenomenon converts to overtopping.
Abstract:
Innovation is becoming more and more important in
modern society. There are a lot of researches on different kinds of
innovation but marketing innovation is one kind of innovation that
has not been studied frequently before. Marketing innovation is
defined as a new way in which companies can market themselves to
potential or existing customers.
The study shows some key elements for marketing innovation that
are worth paying attention to when implementing marketing
innovation projects. Examples of such key elements are: paying
attention to the neglected market, suitable market segmentatio
reliable market information, public relationship, increased customer
value, combination of market factors, explore different marketing
channels and the use of technology in combination with what? Beside
the key elements for marketing innovation, we also present some
risks that may occur, such as cost, market uncertainty, information
leakage, imitation and overdependence on experience.
By proposing a set of indicators to measure marketing innovation,
the article offers solutions for marketing innovation implementation
so that any organization can achieve optimal results.
Abstract: Even it has been recognized that Shape Memory
Alloys (SMA) have a significant potential for deployment actuators,
the number of applications of SMA-based actuators to the present
day is still quite small, due to the need of deep understanding of the
thermo-mechanical behavior of SMA, causing an important need for
a mathematical model able to describe all thermo-mechanical
properties of SMA by relatively simple final set of constitutive
equations. SMAs offer attractive potentials such as: reversible strains
of several percent, generation of high recovery stresses and high
power / weight ratios. The paper tries to provide an overview of the
shape memory functions and a presentation of the designed and
developed temperature control system used for a gripper actuated by
two pairs of differential SMA active springs. An experimental setup
was established, using electrical energy for actuator-s springs heating
process. As for holding the temperature of the SMA springs at certain
level for a long time was developed a control system in order to
avoid the active elements overheating.
Abstract: The main objective of this paper is to provide an efficient tool for delineating brain tumors in three-dimensional magnetic resonance images and set up compression-transmit schemes to distribute result to the remote doctor. To achieve this goal, we use basically a level-sets approach to delineating brain tumors in threedimensional. Then introduce a new compression and transmission plan of 3D brain structures based for the meshes simplification, adapted for time to the specific needs of the telemedicine and to the capacities restricted by wireless network communication. We present here the main stages of our system, and preliminary results which are very encouraging for clinical practice.
Abstract: This paper presents the theoretical investigation of a
slotted patch antenna. The main objective of proposed work is to
obtain a large bandwidth antenna with reduced size. The antenna has
a compact size of 21.1mm x 20.25mm x 8.5mm. Two designs with
minor variation are studied which provide wide impedance
bandwidths of 24.056% and 25.63% respectively with the use of
parasitic elements when excited by a probe feed. The advantages of
this configuration are its compact size and the wide range of
frequencies covered. A parametric study is also conducted to
investigate the characteristics of the antenna under different
conditions. The measured return loss and radiation pattern indicate
the suitability of this design for WLAN applications, namely, Wi-
Max, 802.11a/b/g and ISM bands.
Abstract: This study experimentally and numerically investigates
motor cooling performance. The motor consists of a centrifugal fan,
two axial fans, a shaft, a stator, a rotor and a heat exchanger with 637
cooling tubes. The pressure rise-flow rate (P-Q) performance curves of
the cooling fans at 1800 rpm are tested using a test apparatus
complying with the Chinese National Standard (CNS) 2726.
Compared with the experimental measurements, the numerical
analysis results show that the P-Q performance curves of the axial fan
and centrifugal fan can be estimated within about 2% and 6%,
respectively. By using the simplified model, setting up the heat
exchanger and stator as porous media, the flow field in the motor is
calculated. By using the results of the flow field near the rotor and
stator, and subjecting the heat generation rate as a boundary condition,
the temperature distributions of the stator and rotor are also calculated.
The simulation results show that the calculated temperature of the
stator winding near the axial fans is lower by about 5% than the
measured value, and the calculated temperature of the stator core
located at the center of the stator is about 1% higher than the measured
value. Besides, discussion is made to improve the motor cooling
performance.
Abstract: Using 1km grid datasets representing monthly mean
precipitation, monthly mean temperature, and dry matter production
(DMP), we considered the regional plant production ability in
Southeast and South Asia, and also employed pixel-by-pixel
correlation analysis to assess the intensity of relation between climate
factors and plant production. While annual DMP in South Asia was
approximately less than 2,000kg, the one in most part of Southeast
Asia exceeded 2,500 - 3,000kg. It suggested that plant production in
Southeast Asia was superior to South Asia, however, Rain-Use
Efficiency (RUE) representing dry matter production per 1mm
precipitation showed that inland of Indochina Peninsula and India
were higher than islands in Southeast Asia. By the results of
correlation analysis between climate factors and DMP, while the area
in most parts of Indochina Peninsula indicated negative correlation
coefficients between DMP and precipitation or temperature, the area
in Malay Peninsula and islands showed negative correlation to
precipitation and positive one to temperature, and most part of India
dominating South Asia showed positive to precipitation and negative
to temperature. In addition, the areas where the correlation coefficients
exceeded |0.8| were regarded as “susceptible" to climate factors, and
the areas smaller than |0.2| were “insusceptible". By following the
discrimination, the map implying expected impacts by climate change
was provided.
Abstract: In this paper, a framework for the simplification and
standardization of metaheuristic related parameter-tuning by applying
a four phase methodology, utilizing Design of Experiments and
Artificial Neural Networks, is presented. Metaheuristics are multipurpose
problem solvers that are utilized on computational optimization
problems for which no efficient problem specific algorithm
exist. Their successful application to concrete problems requires the
finding of a good initial parameter setting, which is a tedious and
time consuming task. Recent research reveals the lack of approach
when it comes to this so called parameter-tuning process. In the
majority of publications, researchers do have a weak motivation for
their respective choices, if any. Because initial parameter settings
have a significant impact on the solutions quality, this course of
action could lead to suboptimal experimental results, and thereby
a fraudulent basis for the drawing of conclusions.
Abstract: In present article the model of Blended Learning, its advantage at foreign language teaching, and also some problems that can arise during its use are considered. The Blended Learning is a special organization of learning, which allows to combine classroom work and modern technologies in electronic distance teaching environment. Nowadays a lot of European educational institutions and companies use such technology. Through this method: student gets the opportunity to learn in a group (classroom) with a teacher and additionally at home at a convenient time; student himself sets the optimal speed and intensity of the learning process; this method helps student to discipline himself and learn to work independently.
Abstract: Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is a methodology
that computes efficiency values for decision making units (DMU) in a
given period by comparing the outputs with the inputs. In many cases,
there are some time lag between the consumption of inputs and the
production of outputs. For a long-term research project, it is hard to
avoid the production lead time phenomenon. This time lag effect
should be considered in evaluating the performance of organizations.
This paper suggests a model to calculate efficiency values for the
performance evaluation problem with time lag. In the experimental
part, the proposed methods are compared with the CCR and an
existing time lag model using the data set of the 21st century frontier
R&D program which is a long-term national R&D program of Korea.
Abstract: An important step in studying the statistics of
fingerprint minutia features is to reliably extract minutia features from
the fingerprint images. A new reliable method of computation for
minutiae feature extraction from fingerprint images is presented. A
fingerprint image is treated as a textured image. An orientation flow
field of the ridges is computed for the fingerprint image. To
accurately locate ridges, a new ridge orientation based computation
method is proposed. After ridge segmentation a new method of
computation is proposed for smoothing the ridges. The ridge skeleton
image is obtained and then smoothed using morphological operators
to detect the features. A post processing stage eliminates a large
number of false features from the detected set of minutiae features.
The detected features are observed to be reliable and accurate.
Abstract: Background: Widespread use of chemotherapeutic
drugs in the treatment of cancer has lead to higher health hazards
among employee who handle and administer such drugs, so nurses
should know how to protect themselves, their patients and their work
environment against toxic effects of chemotherapy. Aim of this study
was carried out to examine the effect of chemotherapy safety protocol
for oncology nurses on their protective measure practices. Design: A
quasi experimental research design was utilized. Setting: The study
was carried out in oncology department of Menoufia university
hospital and Tanta oncology treatment center. Sample: A
convenience sample of forty five nurses in Tanta oncology treatment
center and eighteen nurses in Menoufiya oncology department.
Tools: 1. an interviewing questionnaire that covering sociodemographic
data, assessment of unit and nurses' knowledge about
chemotherapy. II: Obeservational check list to assess nurses' actual
practices of handling and adminestration of chemotherapy. A base
line data were assessed before implementing Chemotherapy Safety
protocol, then Chemotherapy Safety protocol was implemented, and
after 2 monthes they were assessed again. Results: reveled that 88.9%
of study group I and 55.6% of study group II improved to good total
knowledge scores after educating on the safety protocol, also 95.6%
of study group I and 88.9% of study group II had good total practice
score after educating on the safety protocol. Moreover less than half
of group I (44.4%) reported that heavy workload is the most barriers
for them, while the majority of group II (94.4%) had many barriers
for adhering to the safety protocol such as they didn’t know the
protocol, the heavy work load and inadequate equipment.
Conclusions: Safety protocol for Oncology Nurses seemed to have
positive effect on improving nurses' knowledge and practice.
Recommendation: chemotherapy safety protocol should be instituted
for all oncology nurses who are working in any oncology unit and/ or
center to enhance compliance, and this protocol should be done at
frequent intervals.
Abstract: This paper is concerned with the delay-distributiondependent
stability criteria for bidirectional associative memory
(BAM) neural networks with time-varying delays. Based on the
Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional and stochastic analysis approach,
a delay-probability-distribution-dependent sufficient condition is derived
to achieve the globally asymptotically mean square stable of
the considered BAM neural networks. The criteria are formulated in
terms of a set of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs), which can be
checked efficiently by use of some standard numerical packages. Finally,
a numerical example and its simulation is given to demonstrate
the usefulness and effectiveness of the proposed results.
Abstract: Overcurrent (OC) relays are the major protection
devices in a distribution system. The operating time of the OC relays
are to be coordinated properly to avoid the mal-operation of the
backup relays. The OC relay time coordination in ring fed
distribution networks is a highly constrained optimization problem
which can be stated as a linear programming problem (LPP). The
purpose is to find an optimum relay setting to minimize the time of
operation of relays and at the same time, to keep the relays properly
coordinated to avoid the mal-operation of relays.
This paper presents two phase simplex method for optimum time
coordination of OC relays. The method is based on the simplex
algorithm which is used to find optimum solution of LPP. The
method introduces artificial variables to get an initial basic feasible
solution (IBFS). Artificial variables are removed using iterative
process of first phase which minimizes the auxiliary objective
function. The second phase minimizes the original objective function
and gives the optimum time coordination of OC relays.