Abstract: Based on the hypothesis that disaster risk is
constructed socially and historically, this article shows the
importance of keeping alive the historical memory of disaster by
means of architectural and urban heritage conservation. This is
illustrated with three examples of Latin American World Heritage
cities, where disasters like floods and earthquakes have shaped urban
form. Therefore, the study of urban form or "Urban Morphology" is
proposed as a tool to understand and analyze urban transformations
with the documentation of the occurrence of disasters. Lessons
learned from such cities may be useful to reduce disasters risk in
contemporary built environments.
Abstract: Public space is essential to strengthen the social and
urban fabric and the social cohesion; there lies the importance of its
study. Hence, the aim of this paper is to analyze the quality of public
space in the XXI century in both quantitative and qualitative terms. In
this article, the concept of public space includes open spaces such as
parks, public squares and walking areas. To make this analysis, we
take Mexico City as the case study. It has a population of nearly 9
million inhabitants and is composed of sixteen boroughs. For this
analysis, we consider both existing public spaces and the government
intervention for building and improving new and existent public
spaces. Results show that on the one hand, quantitatively there is not
an equitable distribution of public spaces due to both the growth of
the city itself as well as due to the absence of political will to create
public spaces. Another factor is the evolution of this city, which has
been growing merely in a “patched pattern”, where public space has
played no role at all with a total absence of urban design. On the
other hand, qualitatively, even the boroughs with the most public
spaces have not shown interest in making these spaces qualitatively
inclusive and open to the general population aiming for integration.
Therefore, urban projects that privatize public space seem to be the
rule, rather than a rehabilitation effort of the existent public spaces.
Hence, state intervention should reinforce its role as an agent of
social change acting in benefit of the majority of the inhabitants with
the promotion of more inclusive public spaces.
Abstract: Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) enable new
applications and need non-conventional paradigms for the protocol
because of energy and bandwidth constraints, In WSN, sensor node’s
life is a critical parameter. Research on life extension is based on
Low-Energy Adaptive Clustering Hierarchy (LEACH) scheme,
which rotates Cluster Head (CH) among sensor nodes to distribute
energy consumption over all network nodes. CH selection in WSN
affects network energy efficiency greatly. This study proposes an
improved CH selection for efficient data aggregation in sensor
networks. This new algorithm is based on Bacterial Foraging
Optimization (BFO) incorporated in LEACH.
Abstract: The microstrip antennas area has seen some inventive
work in recent years and is now one of the most dynamic fields of
antenna theory. A novel and simple wideband monopole antenna is
presented printed on a single dielectric substrate which is fed by a 50
ohm microstrip line having a low-profile antenna structure with two
parallel s-shaped meandered line of same size. This antenna is fed by
a coaxial feeding tube. In this research, S–form microstrip patch antenna is designed from
measuring the prototypes of the proposed antenna one available
bands with 10db return loss bandwidths of about GPS application
(GPS L2 1490 MHz) and covering the 1400 to 1580 MHz frequency
band at 1.5 GHz, the simulated results for main parameters such as
return loss, impedance bandwidth, radiation patterns, and gains are
also discussed herein. The modeling study shows that such antennas,
in simplicity design and supply, can satisfy GPS application. Two
parallel slots are incorporated to disturb the surface flow path,
introducing local inductive effect. This antenna is fed by a coaxial
feeding tube.
Abstract: This study analyzes the critical gaps in the
architecture of European stability and the expected role of the
banking union as the new important step towards completing the
Economic and Monetary Union that should enable the creation of
safe and sound financial sector for the euro area market. The single
rulebook together with the Single Supervisory Mechanism and the
Single Resolution Mechanism - as two main pillars of the banking
union, should provide a consistent application of common rules and
administrative standards for supervision, recovery and resolution of
banks – with the final aim of replacing the former bail-out practice
with the bail-in system through which possible future bank failures
would be resolved by their own funds, i.e. with minimal costs for
taxpayers and real economy. In this way, the vicious circle between
banks and sovereigns would be broken. It would also reduce the
financial fragmentation recorded in the years of crisis as the result of
divergent behaviors in risk premium, lending activities and interest
rates between the core and the periphery. In addition, it should
strengthen the effectiveness of monetary transmission channels, in
particular the credit channels and overflows of liquidity on the money
market which, due to the fragmentation of the common financial
market, has been significantly disabled in period of crisis. However,
contrary to all the positive expectations related to the future
functioning of the banking union, major findings of this study
indicate that characteristics of the economic system in which the
banking union will operate should not be ignored. The euro area is an
integration of strong and weak entities with large differences in
economic development, wealth, assets of banking systems, growth
rates and accountability of fiscal policy. The analysis indicates that
low and unbalanced economic growth remains a challenge for the
maintenance of financial stability and this problem cannot be
resolved just by a single supervision. In many countries bank assets
exceed their GDP by several times and large banks are still a matter
of concern, because of their systemic importance for individual
countries and the euro zone as a whole. The creation of the Single
Supervisory Mechanism and the Single Resolution Mechanism is a
response to the European crisis, which has particularly affected
peripheral countries and caused the associated loop between the
banking crisis and the sovereign debt crisis, but has also influenced
banks’ balance sheets in the core countries, as the result of crossborder
capital flows. The creation of the SSM and the SRM should
prevent the similar episodes to happen again and should also provide
a new opportunity for strengthening of economic and financial
systems of the peripheral countries. On the other hand, there is a
potential threat that future focus of the ECB, resolution mechanism
and other relevant institutions will be extremely oriented towards
large and significant banks (whereby one half of them operate in the
core and most important euro area countries), and therefore it remains
questionable to what extent will the common resolution funds will be used for rescue of less important institutions. Recent geopolitical
developments will be the optimal indicator to show whether the
previously established mechanisms are sufficient enough to maintain
the adequate financial stability in the euro area market.
Abstract: In this study, a multi objective optimization for end
milling of Al 6061 alloy has been presented to provide better
surface quality and higher Material Removal Rate (MRR). The input
parameters considered for the analysis are spindle speed, depth of cut
and feed. The experiments were planned as per Taguchis design of
experiment, with L27 orthogonal array. The Grey Relational Analysis
(GRA) has been used for transforming multiple quality responses
into a single response and the weights of the each performance
characteristics are determined by employing the Principal Component
Analysis (PCA), so that their relative importance can be properly and
objectively described. The results reveal that Taguchi based G-PCA
can effectively acquire the optimal combination of cutting parameters.
Abstract: DNA analysis has been widely accepted as providing
valuable evidence concerning the identity of the source of biological
traces. Our work has showed that DNA samples can survive on
cartridges even after firing. The study also raised the possibility of
determining other information such as the age of the donor. Such
information may be invaluable in certain cases where spent cartridges
from automatic weapons are left behind at the scene of a crime. In
spite of the nature of touch evidence and exposure to high chamber
temperatures during shooting, we were still capable to retrieve
enough DNA for profile typing. In order to estimate age of
contributor, DNA methylation levels were analyzed using EpiTect
system for retrieved DNA. However, results were not conclusive, due
to low amount of input DNA.
Abstract: Tannase (tannin acyl hydrolase, E.C.3.1.1.20) is an
important hydrolysable enzyme with innumerable applications and
industrial potential. In the present study, a kinetic model has been
developed for the batch fermentation used for the production of
tannase by A.flavus MTCC 3783. Maximum tannase activity of
143.30 U/ml was obtained at 96 hours under optimum operating
conditions at 35oC, an initial pH of 5.5 and with an inducer tannic
acid concentration of 3% (w/v) for a fermentation period of 120
hours. The biomass concentration reaches a maximum of 6.62 g/l at
96 hours and further there was no increase in biomass concentration
till the end of the fermentation. Various unstructured kinetic models
were analyzed to simulate the experimental values of microbial
growth, tannase activity and substrate concentration. The Logistic
model for microbial growth , Luedeking - Piret model for production
of tannase and Substrate utilization kinetic model for utilization of
substrate were capable of predicting the fermentation profile with
high coefficient of determination (R2) values of 0.980, 0.942 and
0.983 respectively. The results indicated that the unstructured models
were able to describe the fermentation kinetics more effectively.
Abstract: In the present study, the properties of Al-Al2O3
nanocomposite hollow sphere structures were investigated. For this
reason, the Al-based nanocomposite hollow spheres with different
amounts of nano-alumina reinforcement (0-10wt %) and different
ratio of thickness to diameter (t/D: 0.06-0.3) were prepared via a
powder metallurgy method. Then, the effect of mentioned parameters
was studied on physical and quasi static mechanical properties of
their related prepared structures (open/closed cell) such as density,
hardness, strength, and energy absorption. It was found that, as the
t/D ratio increases the relative density, compressive strength and
energy absorption increase. The highest values of strength and energy
absorption were obtained from the specimen with 5 wt. % of
nanoparticle reinforcement, t/D of 0.3 (t=1 mm, D=400μm) as 22.88
MPa and 13.24 MJ/m3, respectively. The moderate specific strength
of prepared composites in the present study showed the good
consistency with the properties of others low carbon steel composite
with similar structure.
Abstract: In this paper, analysis of an infinite beam resting on
multilayer tensionless extensible geosynthetic reinforced granular
fill-poor soil system overlying soft soil strata under moving load with
constant velocity is presented. The beam is subjected to a
concentrated load moving with constant velocity. The upper
reinforced granular bed is modeled by a rough membrane embedded
in Pasternak shear layer overlying a series of compressible nonlinear
winkler springs representing the underlying the very poor soil. The
multilayer tensionless extensible geosynthetic layer has been
assumed to deform such that at interface the geosynthetic and the soil
have some deformation. Nonlinear behaviour of granular fill and the
very poor soil has been considered in the analysis by means of
hyperbolic constitutive relationships. Governing differential
equations of the soil foundation system have been obtained and
solved with the help of appropriate boundary conditions. The solution
has been obtained by employing finite difference method by means of
Gauss-Siedal iterative scheme. Detailed parametric study has been
conducted to study the influence of various parameters on the
response of soil–foundation system under consideration by means of
deflection and bending moment in the beam and tension mobilized in
the geosynthetic layer. These parameters include magnitude of
applied load, velocity of load, damping, ultimate resistance of poor
soil and granular fill layer. Range of values of parameters has been
considered as per Indian Railway conditions. This study clearly
observed that the comparisons of multilayer tensionless extensible
geosynthetic reinforcement with poor foundation soil and magnitude
of applied load, relative compressibility of granular fill and ultimate
resistance of poor soil has significant influence on the response of
soil–foundation system.
Abstract: The purpose of this study is the discrimination of 28
postmenopausal with osteoporotic femoral fractures from an agematched
control group of 28 women using texture analysis based on
fractals. Two pre-processing approaches are applied on radiographic
images; these techniques are compared to highlight the choice of the
pre-processing method. Furthermore, the values of the fractal
dimension are compared to those of the fractal signature in terms of
the classification of the two populations. In a second analysis, the
BMD measure at proximal femur was compared to the fractal
analysis, the latter, which is a non-invasive technique, allowed a
better discrimination; the results confirm that the fractal analysis of
texture on calcaneus radiographs is able to discriminate osteoporotic
patients with femoral fracture from controls. This discrimination was
efficient compared to that obtained by BMD alone. It was also
present in comparing subgroups with overlapping values of BMD.
Abstract: In this paper comprehensive studies have been carried
out for the design optimization of a waste heat recovery system for
effectively utilizing the domestic air conditioner heat energy for
producing hot water. Numerical studies have been carried for the
geometry optimization of a waste heat recovery system for domestic
air conditioners. Numerical computations have been carried out using
a validated 2d pressure based, unsteady, 2nd-order implicit, SST k-ω
turbulence model. In the numerical study, a fully implicit finite
volume scheme of the compressible, Reynolds-Averaged, Navier-
Stokes equations is employed. At identical inflow and boundary
conditions various geometries were tried and effort has been taken for
proposing the best design criteria. Several combinations of pipe line
shapes viz., straight and spiral with different number of coils for the
radiator have been attempted and accordingly the design criteria has
been proposed for the waste heat recovery system design. We have
concluded that, within the given envelope, the geometry optimization
is a meaningful objective for getting better performance of waste heat
recovery system for air conditioners.
Abstract: The use of titanium fluoride and iron fluoride
(TiF3/FeF3) catalysts in combination with polutetrafluoroethylene
(PTFE) in plain zinc- dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP) oil is important
for the study of engine tribocomponents and is increasingly a strategy
to improve the formation of tribofilm and provide low friction and
excellent wear protection in reduced phosphorus plain ZDDP oil. The
influence of surface roughness and the concentration of
TiF3/FeF3/PTFE were investigated using bearing steel samples
dipped in lubricant solution at 100°C for two different heating time
durations. This paper addresses the effects of water drop contact
angle using different surface; finishes after treating them with
different lubricant combination. The calculated water drop contact
angles were analyzed using Design of Experiment software (DOE)
and it was determined that a 0.05 μm Ra surface roughness would
provide an excellent TiF3/FeF3/PTFE coating for antiwear resistance
as reflected in the Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and
the tribological testing under extreme pressure conditions. Both
friction and wear performance depend greatly on the PTFE/and
catalysts in plain ZDDP oil with 0.05 % phosphorous and on the
surface finish of bearing steel. The friction and wear reducing effects,
which was observed in the tribological tests, indicated a better micro
lubrication effect of the 0.05 μm Ra surface roughness treated at
100°C for 24 hours when compared to the 0.1 μm Ra surface
roughness with the same treatment.
Abstract: Drying is a phenomenon that accompanies the
hardening of hydraulic materials. This study is concerned the
modelling of drying shrinkage of the hydraulic materials and the
prediction of the rate of spontaneous deformations of hydraulic
materials during hardening. The model developed takes consideration
of the main factors affecting drying shrinkage. There was agreement
between drying shrinkage predicted by the developed model and
experimental results. In last we show that developed model describe
the evolution of the drying shrinkage of high performances concretes
correctly.
Abstract: Background: Muscle Energy Techniques (MET) have
been widely used by manual therapists over the past years, but still
limited research validated its use and there was limited evidence to
substantiate the theories used to explain its effects. Objective: To
investigate the effect of Muscle Energy Technique (MET) on anterior
pelvic tilt in patients with lumbar spondylosis. Design: Randomized
controlled trial. Subjects: Thirty patients with anterior pelvic tilt from
both sexes were involved, aged between 35 to 50 years old and they
were divided into MET and control groups with 15 patients in each.
Methods: All patients received 3sessions/week for 4 weeks where the
study group received MET, Ultrasound and Infrared, and the control
group received U.S and I.R only. Pelvic angle was measured by
palpation meter, pain severity by the visual analogue scale and
functional disabilities by the Oswestry disability index. Results: Both
groups showed significant improvement in all measured variables.
The MET group was significantly better than the control group in
pelvic angle, pain severity, and functional disability as p-value were
(0.001, 0.0001, 0.0001) respectively. Conclusion and implication: the
study group fulfilled greater improvement in all measured variables
than the control group which implies that application of MET in
combination with U.S and I.R were more effective in improving
pelvic tilting angle, pain severity and functional disabilities than
using electrotherapy only.
Abstract: This paper presents results of the survey regarding the
awareness about HIV/AIDS among HIV-infected individuals. A
questionnaire covering various aspects of HIV-infection was
conducted among 110 HIV-infected individuals who attended the
G.A. Zaharyan Moscow Tuberculosis Clinic, Department for
treatment of TB patients with HIV. The questionnaire included
questions about modes of HIV transmission and preventive measures
against HIV/AIDS, as well as questions about age, gender, education
and employment status. The survey revealed that the respondents in
the whole had a good knowledge regarding modes of HIV
transmission and preventive measures against HIV/AIDS: about
83,6% male respondents and 85,7% female respondents gave an
accurate answers regarding the HIV-infection. However, the
overwhelming majority of the study participants, that is, 88,5% men
and 98% women, was quite ignorant about the risk of acquiring HIV
through saliva and toothbrush of HIV-infected individual. Though
that risk is rather insignificant, it is still biologically possible. And
this gap in knowledge needs to be filled. As the study showed another
point of concern was the fact, that despite the knowledge of HIV
transmission risk through unprotected sex about 40% percent of HIVpositive
men and 25% of HIV-positive women did not insist on using
condoms with their sexual partners. These findings indicate that there
are still some aspects about HIV-infection which needed to be
clarified and explained through more detailed and specific
educational programs.
Abstract: This study makes an integrated investigation on how
life satisfaction is associated with the Korean game users'
psychological variables (self-esteem, game and life self- efficacy),
social variables (bonding and bridging social capital), and
demographic variables (age, gender). The data used for the empirical
analysis came from a representative sample survey conducted in South
Korea. Results show that self-esteem and game efficacy were an
important antecedent to the degree of users’ life satisfaction. Both
bonding social capital and bridging social capital enhance the level of
the users’ life satisfaction. The importance of perspectives as well as
their implications for the game users and further associated research is
explored.
Abstract: A lower consumption of thermal energy will
contribute not only to a reduction in the running costs, but also in the
reduction of pollutant emissions that contribute to the greenhouse
effect. Cogeneration or CHP (Combined Heat and Power) is the
system that produces power and usable heat simultaneously by
decreasing the pollutant emissions and increasing the efficiency.
Combined production of mechanical or electrical and thermal energy
using a simple energy source, such as oil, coal, natural or liquefied
gas, biomass or the sun; affords remarkable energy savings and
frequently makes it possible to operate with greater efficiency when
compared to a system producing heat and power separately. This
study aims to bring out the contributions of cogeneration systems to
the environment and sustainability by saving the energy and reducing
the emissions. In this way we made a comprehensive investigation in
the literature by focusing on the environmental aspects of the
cogeneration systems. In the light of these studies we reached that,
cogeneration systems must be consider in sustainability and their
benefits on protecting the ecology must be investigated.
Abstract: Workflow scheduling is an important part of cloud
computing and based on different criteria it decides cost, execution
time, and performances. A cloud workflow system is a platform
service facilitating automation of distributed applications based on
new cloud infrastructure. An aspect which differentiates cloud
workflow system from others is market-oriented business model, an
innovation which challenges conventional workflow scheduling
strategies. Time and Cost optimization algorithm for scheduling
Hybrid Clouds (TCHC) algorithm decides which resource should be
chartered from public providers is combined with a new De-De
algorithm considering that every instance of single and multiple
workflows work without deadlocks. To offset this, two new concepts
- De-De Dodging Algorithm and Priority Based Decisive Algorithm -
combine with conventional deadlock avoidance issues by proposing
one algorithm that maximizes active (not just allocated) resource use
and reduces Makespan.
Abstract: This paper presents the design process of a high
performance 3-phase 3.7 kW 2-pole line start permanent magnet
synchronous motor for pumping system. A method was proposed to
study the starting torque characteristics considering line start with
high inertia load. A d-q model including cage was built to study the
synchronization capability. Time-stepping finite element method
analysis was utilized to accurately predict the dynamic and transient
performance, efficiency, starting current, speed curve and etc.
Considering the load torque of pumps during starting stage, the rotor
bar was designed with minimum demagnetization of permanent
magnet caused by huge starting current.