Abstract: Facility location is a complex real-world problem
which needs a strategic management decision. This paper provides a
general review on studies, efforts and developments in Facility
Location Problems which are classical optimization problems having
a wide-spread applications in various areas such as transportation,
distribution, production, supply chain decisions and
telecommunication. Our goal is not to review all variants of different
studies in FLPs or to describe very detailed computational techniques
and solution approaches, but rather to provide a broad overview of
major location problems that have been studied, indicating how they
are formulated and what are proposed by researchers to tackle the
problem. A brief, elucidative table based on a grouping according to
“General Problem Type” and “Methods Proposed” used in the studies
is also presented at the end of the work.
Abstract: The right to basic sanitation, was elevated to the
category of fundamental right by the Constitution of 1988 to protect
the ecologically balanced environment, ensuring social rights to
health and adequate housing and put the dignity of the human person
as the foundation of the Brazilian Democratic State. Before their
essentiality to humans, this article seeks to understand why universal
access to basic sanitation is a goal so difficult to achieve in Brazil.
Therefore, this research uses the deductive and analytical method.
Given the nature of the research literature, research techniques were
centered in specialized books on the subject, journals, theses and
dissertations, laws, relevant law case and raising social indicators
relating to the theme. The relevance of the topic stems, among other
things, the fact that sanitation services are essential for a dignified
life, i.e., everyone is entitled to the maintenance of the necessary
existence conditions are satisfied. However, the effectiveness of this
right is undermined in society, since Brazil has huge deficit in
sanitation services, denying thus a worthy life to most of the
population. Thus, it can be seen that the provision of water and
sewage services in Brazil is still characterized by a large imbalance,
since the municipalities with lower population index have greater
disability in the sanitation service. The truth is that the precariousness
of water and sewage services in Brazil is still very concentrated in the
North and Northeast regions, limiting the effective implementation of
the Law 11.445/2007 in the country. Therefore, there is urgent need
for a positive service by the State in the provision of sanitation
services in order to prevent and control disease, improve quality of
life and productivity of individuals, besides preventing contamination
of water resources. More than just social and economic necessity,
there is a government duty to implement such services. In this sense,
given the current scenario, to achieve universal access to basic
sanitation imposes many hurdles. These are mainly in the field of
properly formulated and implemented public policies, i.e., it requires
an excellent institutional organization, management services,
strategic planning, social control, in order to provide answers to
complex challenges.
Abstract: Below-knee amputees commonly experience
asymmetrical gait patterns. It is generally believed that ischemia is
related to the formation of pressure sores due to uneven distribution
of forces. Micro-vascular responses can reveal local malnutrition.
Changes in local skin blood supply under various external loading
conditions have been studied for a number of years. Radionuclide
clearance, photo-plethysmography, trans-cutaneous oxygen tension
along with other studies showed that the blood supply would be
influenced by the epidermal forces, and the rate and the amount of
blood supply would decrease with increased epidermal loads being
shear forces or normal forces. Several cases of socket designs were
investigated using Finite Element Model (FEM) and Design of
Experiment (DOE) to increase flexibility and minimize the pressure
at the limb/socket interface using ultra high molecular weight
polyethylene (UHMWPE) and polyamide 6 (PA6) or Duraform. The
pressure reliefs at designated areas where reducing thickness is
involved are seen to be critical in determination of amputees’ comfort
and are very important to clinical applications. Implementing a hole
between the Patellar Tendon (PT) and Distal Tibia (DT) would
decrease stiffness and increase prosthesis range of motion where
flexibility is needed. In addition, displacement and prosthetic energy
storage increased without compromising mechanical efficiency and
prosthetic design integrity.
Abstract: The present work is aimed at examining carbon steel
oil pipelines corrosion using three natural extracts (Eruca Sativa,
Rosell and Mango peels) that are used as inhibitors of different
concentrations ranging from 0.05-0.1wt. %. Two sulphur compounds
are used as corrosion mediums. Weight loss method was used for
measuring the corrosion rate of the carbon steel specimens immersed
in technical white oil at 100ºC at various time intervals in absence
and presence of the two sulphur compounds. The corroded specimens
are examined using the chemical wear test, scratch test and hardness
test. The scratch test is carried out using scratch loads from 0.5 Kg to
2.0 Kg. The scratch width is obtained at various scratch load and test
conditions. The Brinell hardness test is carried out and investigated
for both corroded and inhibited specimens. The results showed that
three natural extracts can be used as environmentally friendly
corrosion inhibitors.
Abstract: By enhancing the applicatıon of grounds for
establishment and due to the lack of appropriate sites, engineers
attempt to seek out a new method to reduce the weakness of soils. İn
aspect of economic situation, various ways have been used to
decrease the weak grounds. Because of the rapid development of
infrastructural facilities, spreading the construction operation is an
obligation. Furthermore, in various sites with the really bad soil
situation, engineers have considered obvious problems. One of the
most essential ways for developing the weak soils is stone column.
Obviously, the method was introduced in France in 1830 to improve
a native soil initially. Stone columns have an expanding range of
usage in different rough foundation sites all over the world to
increase the bearing capacity, to reduce the whole and differential
settlements, to enhance the rate of consolidation, to stabilize slopes
stability of embankments and to increase the liquefaction resistance
as well. A recent procedure called installing vertical nails along the
round stone columns in order to make better the performance of
considered columns is offered. Moreover, thanks to the enhancing the
nail diameter, number and embedment nail depth, the positive points
of vertical circumferential nails increases. Based on the result of this
study, load caring capacity will be develop with enhancing the length
and the power of reinforcements in vertical encasement stone column
(CESC). In this study, the main purpose is comparing two methods of
stone columns (installed a nail surrounding the stone columns and
using geogrid on clay) for enhancing the bearing capacity, decreasing
the whole and various settlements.
Abstract: Computer aided diagnosis systems provide vital
opinion to radiologists in the detection of early signs of breast cancer
from mammogram images. Architectural distortions, masses and
microcalcifications are the major abnormalities. In this paper, a
computer aided diagnosis system has been proposed for
distinguishing abnormal mammograms with architectural distortion
from normal mammogram. Four types of texture features GLCM
texture, GLRLM texture, fractal texture and spectral texture features
for the regions of suspicion are extracted. Support vector machine
has been used as classifier in this study. The proposed system yielded
an overall sensitivity of 96.47% and an accuracy of 96% for
mammogram images collected from digital database for screening
mammography database.
Abstract: In this paper, we present a new segmentation approach
for focal liver lesions in contrast enhanced ultrasound imaging. This
approach, based on a two-cluster Fuzzy C-Means methodology,
considers type-II fuzzy sets to handle uncertainty due to the image
modality (presence of speckle noise, low contrast, etc.), and to
calculate the optimum inter-cluster threshold. Fine boundaries are
detected by a local recursive merging of ambiguous pixels. The
method has been tested on a representative database. Compared to
both Otsu and type-I Fuzzy C-Means techniques, the proposed
method significantly reduces the segmentation errors.
Abstract: Sewer deposits have been identified as a major cause
of dysfunctions in combined sewer systems regarding sewer
management, which induces different negative consequents resulting
in poor hydraulic conveyance, environmental damages as well as
worker’s health. In order to overcome the problematics of
sedimentation, flushing has been considered as the most operative
and cost-effective way to minimize the sediments impacts and
prevent such challenges. Flushing, by prompting turbulent wave
effects, can modify the bed form depending on the hydraulic
properties and geometrical characteristics of the conduit. So far, the
dynamics of the bed-load during high-flow events in combined sewer
systems as a complex environment is not well understood, mostly due
to lack of measuring devices capable to work in the “hostile” in
combined sewer system correctly. In this regards, a one-episode
flushing issue from an opening gate valve with weir function was
carried out in a trunk sewer in Paris to understand its cleansing
efficiency on the sediments (thickness: 0-30 cm). During more than
1h of flushing within 5 m distance in downstream of this flushing
device, a maximum flowrate and a maximum level of water have
been recorded at 5 m in downstream of the gate as 4.1 m3/s and 2.1
m respectively. This paper is aimed to evaluate the efficiency of this
type of gate for around 1.1 km (from the point -50 m to +1050 m in
downstream from the gate) by (i) determining bed grain-size
distribution and sediments evolution through the sewer channel, as
well as their organic matter content, and (ii) identifying sections that
exhibit more changes in their texture after the flush. For the first one,
two series of sampling were taken from the sewer length and then
analyzed in laboratory, one before flushing and second after, at same
points among the sewer channel. Hence, a non-intrusive sampling
instrument has undertaken to extract the sediments smaller than the
fine gravels. The comparison between sediments texture after the
flush operation and the initial state, revealed the most modified zones
by the flush effect, regarding the sewer invert slope and hydraulic
parameters in the zone up to 400 m from the gate. At this distance,
despite the increase of sediment grain-size rages, D50 (median grainsize)
varies between 0.6 mm and 1.1 mm compared to 0.8 mm and 10
mm before and after flushing, respectively. Overall, regarding the
sewer channel invert slope, results indicate that grains smaller than
sands (< 2 mm) are more transported to downstream along about 400
m from the gate: in average 69% before against 38% after the flush
with more dispersion of grain-sizes distributions. Furthermore, high
effect of the channel bed irregularities on the bed material evolution
has been observed after the flush.
Abstract: The objective of this paper is to evaluate the effects of
soil-structure interaction (SSI) on the modal characteristics and on
the dynamic response of current structures. The objective is on the
overall behaviour of a real structure of five storeys reinforced
concrete (R/C) building typically encountered in Algeria. Sensitivity
studies are undertaken in order to study the effects of frequency
content of the input motion, frequency of the soil-structure system,
rigidity and depth of the soil layer on the dynamic response of such
structures. This investigation indicated that the rigidity of the soil
layer is the predominant factor in soil-structure interaction and its
increases would definitely reduce the deformation in the R/C
structure. On the other hand, increasing the period of the underlying
soil will cause an increase in the lateral displacements at story levels
and create irregularity in the distribution of story shears. Possible
resonance between the frequency content of the input motion and soil
could also play an important role in increasing the structural
response.
Abstract: This study integrates a larger research empirical
project that examines second language (SL) learners’ profiles and
valid procedures to perform complete and diagnostic assessment in
schools. 102 learners of Portuguese as a SL aged 7 and 17 years
speakers of distinct home languages were assessed in several
linguistic tasks. In this article, we focused on writing performance in
the specific task of narrative essay composition. The written outputs
were measured using the score in six components adapted from an
English SL assessment context (Alberta Education): linguistic
vocabulary, grammar, syntax, strategy, socio-linguistic, and
discourse. The writing processes and strategies in Portuguese
language used by different immigrant students were analysed to
determine features and diversity of deficits on authentic texts
performed by SL writers. Differentiated performance was based on
the diversity of the following variables: grades, previous schooling,
home language, instruction in first language, and exposure to
Portuguese as Second Language. Indo-Aryan languages speakers
showed low writing scores compared to their peers and the type of
language and respective cognitive mapping (such as Mandarin and
Arabic) was the predictor, not linguistic distance. Home language
instruction should also be prominently considered in further research
to understand specificities of cognitive academic profile in a
Romance languages learning context. Additionally, this study also
examined the teachers’ representations that will be here addressed to
understand educational implications of second language teaching in
psychological distress of different minorities in schools of specific
host countries.
Abstract: Speaker Identification (SI) is the task of establishing
identity of an individual based on his/her voice characteristics. The SI
task is typically achieved by two-stage signal processing: training and
testing. The training process calculates speaker specific feature
parameters from the speech and generates speaker models
accordingly. In the testing phase, speech samples from unknown
speakers are compared with the models and classified. Even though
performance of speaker identification systems has improved due to
recent advances in speech processing techniques, there is still need of
improvement. In this paper, a Closed-Set Tex-Independent Speaker
Identification System (CISI) based on a Multiple Classifier System
(MCS) is proposed, using Mel Frequency Cepstrum Coefficient
(MFCC) as feature extraction and suitable combination of vector
quantization (VQ) and Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) together
with Expectation Maximization algorithm (EM) for speaker
modeling. The use of Voice Activity Detector (VAD) with a hybrid
approach based on Short Time Energy (STE) and Statistical
Modeling of Background Noise in the pre-processing step of the
feature extraction yields a better and more robust automatic speaker
identification system. Also investigation of Linde-Buzo-Gray (LBG)
clustering algorithm for initialization of GMM, for estimating the
underlying parameters, in the EM step improved the convergence rate
and systems performance. It also uses relative index as confidence
measures in case of contradiction in identification process by GMM
and VQ as well. Simulation results carried out on voxforge.org
speech database using MATLAB highlight the efficacy of the
proposed method compared to earlier work.
Abstract: This paper deals with nonlinear vibration analysis
using finite element method for frame structures consisting of elastic
and viscoelastic damping layers supported by multiple nonlinear
concentrated springs with hysteresis damping. The frame is supported
by four nonlinear concentrated springs near the four corners. The
restoring forces of the springs have cubic non-linearity and linear
component of the nonlinear springs has complex quantity to represent
linear hysteresis damping. The damping layer of the frame structures
has complex modulus of elasticity. Further, the discretized equations in
physical coordinate are transformed into the nonlinear ordinary
coupled differential equations using normal coordinate corresponding
to linear natural modes. Comparing shares of strain energy of the
elastic frame, the damping layer and the springs, we evaluate the
influences of the damping couplings on the linear and nonlinear impact
responses. We also investigate influences of damping changed by
stiffness of the elastic frame on the nonlinear coupling in the damped
impact responses.
Abstract: A large amount of software products offer a wide
range and number of features. This is called featuritis or creeping
featurism and tends to rise with each release of the product. Feautiris
often adds unnecessary complexity to software, leading to longer
learning curves and overall confusing the users and degrading their
experience. We take a look to a new design approach tendency that
has been coming up, the so-called “What You Get is What You
Need” concept that argues that products should be very focused,
simple and with minimalistic interfaces in order to help users conduct
their tasks in distraction-free ambiences. This isn’t as simple to
implement as it might sound and the developers need to cut down
features. Our contribution illustrates and evaluates this design method
through a novel distraction-free diagramming tool named Delineato
Pro for Mac OS X in which the user is confronted with an empty
canvas when launching the software and where tools only show up
when really needed.
Abstract: Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), vetch (Vicia villosa),
and grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) monocultures as well as mixtures
of barley with each of the above legumes, in three seeding ratios (i.e.,
barley: legume 75:25, 50:50 and 25:75, based on seed numbers) were
used to investigated forage yield and competition indices. The results
showed that intercropping reduced the dry matter yield of the three
component plants, compared with their respective monocrops. The
greatest value of total dry matter yield was obtained from barley25-
grasspea75 (5.44 t ha-1) mixture, followed by grass pea sole crop (4.99
t ha-1). The total actual yield loss (AYL) values were positive and
greater than 0 in all mixtures, indicating an advantage from
intercropping over sole crops. Intercropped barley had a higher
relative crowding coefficient (K=1.64) than intercropped legumes
(K=1.20), indicating that barley was more competitive than legumes
in mixtures. Furthermore, grass pea was more competitive than vetch
in mixtures with barley. The highest land equivalent ratio (LER),
system productivity index (SPI) and monetary advantage index
(MAI) were obtained when barley was mixed at a rate of 25% with
75% seed rate of grass pea. It is concluded that intercropping of
barley with grass pea has a good potential to improve the
performance of forage with high land-use efficiency.
Abstract: Over the past few years, a lot of research has been
conducted to bring Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) into various
areas of Air Traffic Control (ATC), such as air traffic control
simulation and training, monitoring live operators for with the aim
of safety improvements, air traffic controller workload measurement
and conducting analysis on large quantities controller-pilot speech.
Due to the high accuracy requirements of the ATC context and its
unique challenges, automatic speech recognition has not been widely
adopted in this field. With the aim of providing a good starting
point for researchers who are interested bringing automatic speech
recognition into ATC, this paper gives an overview of possibilities
and challenges of applying automatic speech recognition in air traffic
control. To provide this overview, we present an updated literature
review of speech recognition technologies in general, as well as
specific approaches relevant to the ATC context. Based on this
literature review, criteria for selecting speech recognition approaches
for the ATC domain are presented, and remaining challenges and
possible solutions are discussed.
Abstract: This research paper presents guiding on how to design
social media into higher education courses. The research
methodology used a survey approach. The research instrument was a
questionnaire about guiding on how to design social media into
higher education courses. Thirty-one lecturers completed the
questionnaire. The data were scored by frequency and percentage.
The research results were the lecturers’ opinions concerning the
designing social media into higher education courses as follows: 1)
Lecturers deem that the most suitable learning theory is Collaborative
Learning. 2) Lecturers consider that the most important learning and
innovation Skill in the 21st century is communication and
collaboration skills. 3) Lecturers think that the most suitable
evaluation technique is authentic assessment. 4) Lecturers consider
that the most appropriate portion used as blended learning should be
70% in the classroom setting and 30% online.
Abstract: This paper discusses the propagation of sound waves in
air, specifically in narrow rectangular pathways of an occluded-ear
simulator for acoustic measurements. In narrow pathways, both the
speed of sound and the phase of the sound waves are affected by the
damping of the air viscosity. Herein, we propose a new finite-element
method (FEM) that considers the effects of the air viscosity. The
method was developed as an extension of existing FEMs for porous,
sound-absorbing materials. The results of a numerical calculation for a
three-dimensional ear-simulator model using the proposed FEM were
validated by comparing with theoretical lumped-parameter modeling
analysis and standard values.
Abstract: In order to obtain efficient pollutants removal in
small-scale wastewater treatment plants, uniform water flow has to be
achieved. The experimental setup, designed for treating high-load
wastewater (leachate), consists of two aerobic biological reactors and
a lamellar settler. Both biological tanks were aerated by using three
different types of aeration systems - perforated pipes, membrane air
diffusers and tube ceramic diffusers. The possibility of homogenizing
the water mass with each of the air diffusion systems was evaluated
comparatively. The oxygen concentration was determined by optical
sensors with data logging. The experimental data was analyzed
comparatively for all three different air dispersion systems aiming to
identify the oxygen concentration variation during different
operational conditions. The Oxygenation Capacity was calculated for
each of the three systems and used as performance and selection
parameter. The global mass transfer coefficients were also evaluated
as important tools in designing the aeration system. Even though
using the tubular porous diffusers leads to higher oxygen
concentration compared to the perforated pipe system (which
provides medium-sized bubbles in the aqueous solution), it doesn’t
achieve the threshold limit of 80% oxygen saturation in less than 30
minutes. The study has shown that the optimal solution for the
studied configuration was the radial air diffusers which ensure an
oxygen saturation of 80% in 20 minutes. An increment of the values
was identified when the air flow was increased.
Abstract: Standard Gibbs energy of formation ΔGfor(298.15) of
lanthanide-iron double oxides of garnet-type crystal structure
R3Fe5O12 - RIG (R – are rare earth ions) from initial oxides are
evaluated. The calculation is based on the data of standard entropies
S298.15 and standard enthalpies ΔH298.15 of formation of compounds
which are involved in the process of garnets synthesis. Gibbs energy
of formation is presented as temperature function ΔGfor(T) for the
range 300-1600K. The necessary starting thermodynamic data were
obtained from calorimetric study of heat capacity – temperature
functions and by using the semi-empirical method for calculation of
ΔH298.15 of formation. Thermodynamic functions for standard
temperature – enthalpy, entropy and Gibbs energy - are
recommended as reference data for technological evaluations.
Through the structural series of rare earth-iron garnets the correlation
between thermodynamic properties and characteristics of lanthanide
ions are elucidated.
Abstract: There is currently a gap in the technology covering the
rapid establishment of control after a reconfiguration in a
Reconfigurable Manufacturing System. This gap involves the
detection of the factory floor state and the communication link
between the factory floor and the high-level software. In this paper, a
thin, hardware-supported Middleware Management System (MMS) is
proposed and its design and implementation are discussed. The
research found that a cost-effective localization technique can be
combined with intelligent software to speed up the ramp-up of a
reconfigured system. The MMS makes the process more intelligent,
more efficient and less time-consuming, thus supporting the
industrial implementation of the RMS paradigm.