Abstract: Most of the oil palm plantations have been threatened
by Basal Stem Rot (BSR) disease which causes serious economic
impact. This study was conducted to identify the healthy and BSRinfected
oil palm tree using thirteen color indices. Multispectral and
thermal camera was used to capture 216 images of the leaves taken
from frond number 1, 9 and 17. Indices of normalized difference
vegetation index (NDVI), red (R), green (G), blue (B), near infrared
(NIR), green – blue (GB), green/blue (G/B), green – red (GR),
green/red (G/R), hue (H), saturation (S), intensity (I) and thermal
index (T) were used. From this study, it can be concluded that G
index taken from frond number 9 is the best index to differentiate
between the healthy and BSR-infected oil palm trees. It not only gave
high value of correlation coefficient (R=-0.962), but also high value
of separation between healthy and BSR-infected oil palm tree.
Furthermore, power and S model developed using G index gave the
highest R2 value which is 0.985.
Abstract: This paper presents Carrier Sense Multiple Access
(CSMA) communication models based on SoC design methodology.
Such a model can be used to support the modeling of the complex
wireless communication systems. Therefore, the use of such
communication model is an important technique in the construction
of high-performance communication. SystemC has been chosen
because it provides a homogeneous design flow for complex designs
(i.e. SoC and IP-based design). We use a swarm system to validate
CSMA designed model and to show how advantages of incorporating
communication early in the design process. The wireless
communication created through the modeling of CSMA protocol that
can be used to achieve communication between all the agents and to
coordinate access to the shared medium (channel).
Abstract: Interstitial free steels possess better formability and
have many applications in automotive industries. Forming limit
diagrams (FLDs) indicate the formability of materials which can be
determined by experimental and finite element (FE) simulations.
FLDs were determined experimentally by LDH test, utilizing optical
strain measurement system for measuring the strains in different
width specimens and by FE simulations in Interstitial Free (IF) and
Interstitial Free High Strength (IFHS) steels. In this study, the
experimental and FE simulated FLDs are compared and also the
stress based FLDs were investigated.
Abstract: Remote arid areas of the vast expanses of the African
deserts hold huge subterranean reserves of brackish water resources
waiting for economic development. This work presents design
guidelines as well as initial performance data of new autonomous
solar desalination equipment which could help local communities
produce their own fresh water using solar energy only and, why not,
contribute to transforming desert lands into lush gardens. The output
of solar distillation equipments are typically low and in the range of 3
l/m2/day on the average. This new design with an integrated, water
based, environmentally-friendly solar heat storage system produced 5
l/m2/day in early spring weather. Equipment output during summer
exceeded 9 liters per m2 per day.
Abstract: Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPNU), a
subsidiary of ExxonMobil and the highest crude oil & condensate
producer in Nigeria has its operational base and an oil terminal, the
Qua Iboe terminal (QIT) located at Ibeno, Nigeria. Other oil
companies like Network Exploration and Production Nigeria Ltd,
Frontier Oil Ltd; Shell Petroleum Development Company Ltd; Elf
Petroleum Nigeria Ltd and Nigerian Agip Energy, a subsidiary of the
Italian ENI E&P operate onshore, on the continental shelf and in deep
offshore of the Atlantic Ocean, respectively with the coastal waters of
Ibeno, Nigeria as the nearest shoreline. This study was designed to
delineate the oil-polluted sites in Ibeno, Nigeria using
microbiological and physico-chemical characterization of soils,
sediments and ground and surface water samples from the study area.
Results obtained revealed that there have been significant recent
hydrocarbon inputs into this environment as observed from the high
counts of hydrocarbonoclastic microorganisms in excess of 1% at all
the stations sampled. Moreover, high concentrations of THC, BTEX
and heavy metals contents in all the samples analyzed corroborate the
high recent crude oil input into the study area. The results also
showed that the pollution of the different environmental media
sampled were of varying degrees, following the trend: ground water
> surface water > sediments > soils.
Abstract: In this paper, the actuality of the study, and the role of
subjective well-being problem in modern psychology and the
comprehending of subjective well-being by current students is
defined. The purpose of this research is to educe peculiarities of
comprehending of subjective well-being by students with various
levels of emotional intelligence. Methods of research are adapted
Russian-Language questionnaire of K. Riff 'The scales of
psychological well-being'; emotional intelligence questionnaire of D.
V. Lusin. The research involved 72 students from different
universities and disciplines aged between 18 and 24. Analyzing the
results of the studies, it can be concluded that the understanding of
happiness in different groups of students with high and low levels of
overall emotional intelligence is different, as well as differentiated by
gender. Students with a higher level of happiness possess more
capacity and higher need to control their emotions, to cause and
maintain the desired emotions and control something undesirable.
Abstract: In this paper, we propose moving object detection
method which is helpful for driver to safely take his/her car out of
parking lot. When moving objects such as motorbikes, pedestrians,
the other cars and some obstacles are detected at the rear-side of host
vehicle, the proposed algorithm can provide to driver warning. We
assume that the host vehicle is just before departure. Gaussian
Mixture Model (GMM) based background subtraction is basically
applied. Pre-processing such as smoothing and post-processing as
morphological filtering are added. We examine “which color space
has better performance for detection of moving objects?” Three color
spaces including RGB, YCbCr, and Y are applied and compared, in
terms of detection rate. Through simulation, we prove that RGB
space is more suitable for moving object detection based on
background subtraction.
Abstract: Evapotranspiration is one of the most important
components of the hydrological cycle. Evapotranspiration (ETo) is an
important variable in water and energy balances on the earth’s
surface, and knowledge of the distribution of ET is a key factor in
hydrology, climatology, agronomy and ecology studies. Many
researchers have a valid relationship, which is a function of climate
factors, to estimate the potential evapotranspiration presented to the
plant water stress or water loss, prevent. The FAO-Penman method
(PM) had been recommended as a standard method. This method
requires many data and these data are not available in every area of
world. So, other methods should be evaluated for these conditions.
When sufficient or reliable data to solve the PM equation are not
available then Hargreaves equation can be used. The Hargreaves
equation (HG) requires only daily mean, maximum and minimum air
temperature extraterrestrial radiation .In this study, Hargreaves
method (HG) were evaluated in 12 stations in the North West region
of Iran. Results of HG and M.HG methods were compared with
results of PM method. Statistical analysis of this comparison showed
that calibration process has had significant effect on efficiency of
Hargreaves method.
Abstract: In recent years, multi-antenna techniques are being considered as a potential solution to increase the flow of future wireless communication systems. The objective of this article is to study the emission and reception system MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output), and present the different reception decoding techniques. First we will present the least complex technical, linear receivers such as the zero forcing equalizer (ZF) and minimum mean squared error (MMSE). Then a nonlinear technique called ordered successive cancellation of interferences (OSIC) and the optimal detector based on the maximum likelihood criterion (ML), finally, we simulate the associated decoding algorithms for MIMO system such as ZF, MMSE, OSIC and ML, thus a comparison of performance of these algorithms in MIMO context.
Abstract: The use of hydroelectric pump-storage system at large
scale, MW-size systems, is already widespread around the world.
Designed for large scale applications, pump-storage station can be
scaled-down for small, remote residential applications. Given the cost
and complexity associated with installing a substation further than
100 miles from the main transmission lines, a remote, independent
and self-sufficient system is by far the most feasible solution. This
article is aiming at the design of wind and solar power generating
system, by means of pumped-storage to replace the wind and /or solar
power systems with a battery bank energy storage. Wind and solar
pumped-storage power generating system can reduce the cost of
power generation system, according to the user's electricity load and
resource condition and also can ensure system reliability of power
supply. Wind and solar pumped-storage power generation system is
well suited for remote residential applications with intermittent wind
and/or solar energy. This type of power systems, installed in these
locations, could be a very good alternative, with economic benefits
and positive social effects. The advantage of pumped storage power
system, where wind power regulation is calculated, shows that a
significant smoothing of the produced power is obtained, resulting in
a power-on-demand system’s capability, concomitant to extra
economic benefits.
Abstract: HZSM-5 zeolites modified by iron and phosphorus
were applied in catalytic cracking of butene. N2 adsorption and
NH3-TPD were employed to measure the structure and acidity of
catalysts. The results indicate that increasing phosphorus loading
decreased surface area, pore volume and strong acidity of catalysts.
The addition of phosphorus significantly decreased butene conversion
and promoted propylene selectivity. The catalytic performance of
catalyst was strongly dependent on the reaction conditions.
Appropriate reaction conditions could suppress side reactions and
enhance propylene selectivity.
Abstract: Rice bran is normally used as a raw material for rice
bran oil production or sold as feed with a low price. Conventionally,
the protein in defatted rice bran was extracted using alkaline
extraction and acid precipitation, which involves in chemical usage
and lowering some nutritious component. This study was conducted
in order to extract of rice bran protein concentrate (RBPC) from
defatted rice bran using enzymes and employing polysaccharides in a
precipitating step. The properties of RBPC obtained will be compared
to those of a control sample extracted using a conventional method.
The results showed that extraction of protein from rice bran using
enzymes exhibited the higher protein recovery compared to that
extraction with alkaline. The extraction conditions using alcalase 2%
(v/w) at 50 C, pH 9.5 gave the highest protein (2.44%) and yield
(32.09%) in extracted solution compared to other enzymes. Rice bran
protein concentrate powder prepared by a precipitation step using
alginate (protein in solution: alginate 1:0.016) exhibited the highest
protein (27.55%) and yield (6.84%). Precipitation using alginate was
better than that of acid. RBPC extracted with alkaline (ALK) or
enzyme alcalase (ALC), then precipitated with alginate (AL)
(samples RBP-ALK-AL and RBP-ALC-AL) yielded the precipitation
rate of 75% and 91.30%, respectively. Therefore, protein
precipitation using alginate was then selected. Amino acid profile of
control sample, and sample precipitated with alginate, as compared to
casein and soy protein isolated, showed that control sample showed
the highest content among all sample. Functional property study of
RBP showed that the highest nitrogen solubility occurred in pH 8-10.
There was no statically significant between emulsion capacity and
emulsion stability of control and sample precipitated by alginate.
However, control sample showed a higher of foaming capacity and
foaming stability compared to those of sample precipitated with
alginate. The finding was successful in terms of minimizing
chemicals used in extraction and precipitation steps in preparation of
rice bran protein concentrate. This research involves in a production
of value-added product in which the double amount of protein (28%)
compared to original amount (14%) contained in rice bran could be
beneficial in terms of adding to food products e.g. healthy drink with
high protein and fiber. In addition, the basic knowledge of functional
property of rice bran protein concentrate was obtained, which can be
used to appropriately select the application of this value-added
product from rice bran.
Abstract: The new era of digital communication has brought up
many challenges that network operators need to overcome. The high
demand of mobile data rates require improved networks, which is a
challenge for the operators in terms of maintaining the quality of
experience (QoE) for their consumers. In live video transmission,
there is a sheer need for live surveillance of the videos in order to
maintain the quality of the network. For this purpose objective
algorithms are employed to monitor the quality of the videos that are
transmitted over a network. In order to test these objective algorithms,
subjective quality assessment of the streamed videos is required, as the
human eye is the best source of perceptual assessment. In this paper we
have conducted subjective evaluation of videos with varying spatial
and temporal impairments. These videos were impaired with frame
freezing distortions so that the impact of frame freezing on the quality
of experience could be studied. We present subjective Mean Opinion
Score (MOS) for these videos that can be used for fine tuning the
objective algorithms for video quality assessment.
Abstract: Fibre cement plates, often used in construction,
generally are made using quartz as an inert material, cement as a
binder and cellulose as a fibre. This paper, first of all, investigates the
mechanical properties and durability of fibre cement plates when
quartz is both partly and fully replaced with diatomite. Diatomite
does not only have lower density compared to quartz but also has
high pozzolanic activity. The main objective of this paper is the
investigation of the effects of supplementary cementing materials
(SCMs) on the short and long term mechanical properties and
durability characteristics of fibre cement plates prepared using
diatomite. Supplementary cementing materials such as ground
granulated blast furnace slug (GGBS) and fly ash (FA) are used in
this study. Volume proportions of 10, 20, 30 and 40% of GGBS and
FA are used as partial replacement materials to cement. Short and
long term mechanical properties such as compressive and flexural
strengths as well as sorptivity characteristics and mass were
investigated. Consistency and setting time at each replacement levels
of SCMs were also recorded. The effects of using supplementary
cementing materials on the carbonation and sulphate resistance of
fibre cement plates were then experimented. The results, first of all,
show that the use of diatomite as a full or partial replacement to
quartz resulted in a systematic decrease in total mass of the fibre
cement plates. The reduction of mass was largely due to the lower
density and finer particle size of diatomite compared to quartz. The
use of diatomite did not only reduce the mass of these plates but also
increased the compressive strength significantly as a result of its high
pozzolanic activity. The replacement levels of both GGBS and FA
resulted in a systematic decrease in short term compressive strength
with increasing replacement levels. This was essentially expected as
the total rate of hydration is much lower in GGBS and FA than that
of cement. Long term results however, indicated that the compressive
strength of fibre cement plates prepared using both GGBS and FA
increases with time and hence the compressive strength of plates
prepared using SCMs is either equivalent or more than the
compressive strength of plates prepared using cement alone.
Durability characteristics of fibre cement plates prepared using SCMs
were enhanced significantly. Measurements of sopritivty
characteristics were also indicated that the plates prepared using
SCMs has much lower water absorption capacities compared to
plates prepared cement alone. Much higher resistance to carbonation
and sulphate attach were observed with plates prepared using SCMs.
The results presented in this paper show that the use of SCMs does
not only support the production of more sustainable construction
materials but also enhances the mechanical properties and durability
characteristics of fibre cement plates.
Abstract: This paper presents a new automatic vehicle detection
method from very high resolution aerial images to measure traffic
density. The proposed method starts by extracting road regions from
image using road vector data. Then, the road image is divided into
equal sections considering resolution of the images. Gradient vectors
of the road image are computed from edge map of the corresponding
image. Gradient vectors on the each boundary of the sections are
divided where the gradient vectors significantly change their
directions. Finally, number of vehicles in each section is carried out
by calculating the standard deviation of the gradient vectors in each
group and accepting the group as vehicle that has standard deviation
above predefined threshold value. The proposed method was tested in
four very high resolution aerial images acquired from Istanbul,
Turkey which illustrate roads and vehicles with diverse
characteristics. The results show the reliability of the proposed
method in detecting vehicles by producing 86% overall F1 accuracy
value.
Abstract: Continuous upflow filters can combine the nutrient
(nitrogen and phosphate) and suspended solid removal in one unit
process. The contaminant removal could be achieved chemically or
biologically; in both processes the filter removal efficiency depends
on the interaction between the packed filter media and the influent. In
this paper a residence time distribution (RTD) study was carried out
to understand and compare the transfer behaviour of contaminants
through a selected filter media packed in a laboratory-scale
continuous up flow filter; the selected filter media are limestone and
white dolomite. The experimental work was conducted by injecting a
tracer (red drain dye tracer –RDD) into the filtration system and then
measuring the tracer concentration at the outflow as a function of
time; the tracer injection was applied at hydraulic loading rates
(HLRs) (3.8 to 15.2 m h-1). The results were analysed according to
the cumulative distribution function F(t) to estimate the residence
time of the tracer molecules inside the filter media. The mean
residence time (MRT) and variance σ2 are two moments of RTD that
were calculated to compare the RTD characteristics of limestone with
white dolomite. The results showed that the exit-age distribution of
the tracer looks better at HLRs (3.8 to 7.6 m h-1) and (3.8 m h-1) for
limestone and white dolomite respectively. At these HLRs the
cumulative distribution function F(t) revealed that the residence time
of the tracer inside the limestone was longer than in the white
dolomite; whereas all the tracer took 8 minutes to leave the white
dolomite at 3.8 m h-1. On the other hand, the same amount of the
tracer took 10 minutes to leave the limestone at the same HLR. In
conclusion, the determination of the optimal level of hydraulic
loading rate, which achieved the better influent distribution over the
filtration system, helps to identify the applicability of the material as
filter media. Further work will be applied to examine the efficiency
of the limestone and white dolomite for phosphate removal by
pumping a phosphate solution into the filter at HLRs (3.8 to 7.6 m h-1).
Abstract: Background in music analysis: Traditionally, when we
think about a composer’s sketches, the chances are that we are
thinking in terms of the working out of detail, rather than the
evolution of an overall concept. Since music is a “time art,” it follows
that questions of a form cannot be entirely detached from
considerations of time. One could say that composers tend to regard
time either as a place gradually and partially intuitively filled, or they
can look for a specific strategy to occupy it. It seems that the one
thing that sheds light on Stockhausen’s compositional thinking is his
frequent use of “form schemas,” that is often a single-page
representation of the entire structure of a piece.
Background in music technology: Sonic Visualiser is a program
used to study a musical recording. It is an open source application for
viewing, analyzing, and annotating music audio files. It contains a
number of visualisation tools, which are designed with useful default
parameters for musical analysis. Additionally, the Vamp plugin
format of SV supports to provide analysis such as for example
structural segmentation.
Aims: The aim of paper is to show how SV may be used to obtain
a better understanding of the specific musical work, and how the
compositional strategy does impact on musical structures and musical
surfaces. It is known that “traditional” music analytic methods don’t
allow indicating interrelationships between musical surface (which is
perceived) and underlying musical/acoustical structure.
Main Contribution: Stockhausen had dealt with the most diverse
musical problems by the most varied methods. A characteristic which
he had never ceased to be placed at the center of his thought and
works, it was the quest for a new balance founded upon an acute
connection between speculation and intuition. In the case with
Mikrophonie I (1964) for tam-tam and 6 players Stockhausen makes
a distinction between the “connection scheme,” which indicates the
ground rules underlying all versions, and the form scheme, which is
associated with a particular version. The preface to the published
score includes both the connection scheme, and a single instance of a
“form scheme,” which is what one can hear on the CD recording. In
the current study, the insight into the compositional strategy chosen
by Stockhausen was been compared with auditory image, that is, with
the perceived musical surface. Stockhausen’s musical work is
analyzed both in terms of melodic/voice and timbre evolution.
Implications: The current study shows how musical structures
have determined of musical surface. The general assumption is this,
that while listening to music we can extract basic kinds of musical
information from musical surfaces. It is shown that interactive
strategies of musical structure analysis can offer a very fruitful way
of looking directly into certain structural features of music.
Abstract: In the field of fashion design, 3D Mannequin is a kind
of assisting tool which could rapidly realize the design concepts.
While the concept of 3D Mannequin is applied to the computer added
fashion design, it will connect with the development and the
application of design platform and system. Thus, the situation
mentioned above revealed a truth that it is very critical to develop a
module of 3D Mannequin which would correspond with the necessity
of fashion design. This research proposes a concrete plan that
developing and constructing a system of 3D Mannequin with Kinect.
In the content, ergonomic measurements of objective human features
could be attained real-time through the implement with depth camera
of Kinect, and then the mesh morphing can be implemented through
transformed the locations of the control-points on the model by
inputting those ergonomic data to get an exclusive 3D mannequin
model. In the proposed methodology, after the scanned points from the
Kinect are revised for accuracy and smoothening, a complete human
feature would be reconstructed by the ICP algorithm with the method
of image processing. Also, the objective human feature could be
recognized to analyze and get real measurements. Furthermore, the
data of ergonomic measurements could be applied to shape morphing
for the division of 3D Mannequin reconstructed by feature curves. Due
to a standardized and customer-oriented 3D Mannequin would be
generated by the implement of subdivision, the research could be
applied to the fashion design or the presentation and display of 3D
virtual clothes. In order to examine the practicality of research
structure, a system of 3D Mannequin would be constructed with JAVA
program in this study. Through the revision of experiments the
practicability-contained research result would come out.
Abstract: UAV’s are small remote operated or automated aerial
surveillance systems without a human pilot aboard. UAV’s generally
finds its use in military and special operation application, a recent
growing trend in UAV’s finds its application in several civil and nonmilitary
works such as inspection of power or pipelines. The
objective of this paper is the augmentation of a UAV in order to
replace the existing expensive sonar (Sound Navigation And
Ranging) based equipment amongst small scale fisherman, for whom
access to sonar equipment are restricted due to limited economic
resources. The surveillance equipment’s present in the UAV will
relay data and GPS (Global Positioning System) location onto a
receiver on the fishing boat using RF signals, using which the
location of the schools of fishes can be found. In addition to this, an
emergency beacon system is present for rescue operations and drone
recovery.
Abstract: This study, for its research subjects, uses patients who
had undergone total knee replacement surgery from the database of the
National Health Insurance Administration. Through the review of
literatures and the interviews with physicians, important factors are
selected after careful screening. Then using Cross Entropy Method,
Genetic Algorithm Logistic Regression, and Particle Swarm
Optimization, the weight of each factor is calculated and obtained. In
the meantime, Excel VBA and Case Based Reasoning are combined
and adopted to evaluate the system. Results show no significant
difference found through Genetic Algorithm Logistic Regression and
Particle Swarm Optimization with over 97% accuracy in both
methods. Both ROC areas are above 0.87. This study can provide
critical reference to medical personnel as clinical assessment to
effectively enhance medical care quality and efficiency, prevent
unnecessary waste, and provide practical advantages to resource
allocation to medical institutes.