Abstract: Most of the drugs used for pharmaceutical purposes
are poorly water-soluble drugs. About 40% of all newly discovered
drugs are lipophilic and the numbers of lipophilic drugs seem to
increase more and more. Drug delivery systems such as
nanoparticles, micelles or liposomes are applied to improve their
solubility and thus their bioavailability. Besides various techniques of
solubilization, oil-in-water emulsions are often used to incorporate
lipophilic drugs into the oil phase. To stabilize emulsions surface
active substances (surfactants) are generally used. An alternative
method to avoid the application of surfactants was of great interest.
One possibility is to develop O/W-emulsion without any addition of
surface active agents or the so called “surfactant-free emulsion or
SFE”. The aim of this study was to develop and characterize SFE as a
drug carrier by varying the production conditions. Lidocaine base
was used as a model drug. The injection method was developed.
Effects of ultrasound as well as of temperature on the properties of
the emulsion were studied. Particle sizes and release were
determined. The long-term stability up to 30 days was performed.
The results showed that the surfactant-free O/W emulsions with
pharmaceutical oil as drug carrier can be produced.
Abstract: Today air-core coils (ACC) are a viable alternative to
ferrite-core coils in a range of applications due to their low induction
effect. An analytical study was carried out and the results were used as
a guide to understand the relationship between the magnet-coil
distance and the resulting attractive magnetic force. Four different
ACC models were fabricated for experimental study. The variation in
the models included the dimensions, the number of coil turns and the
current supply to the coil. Comparison between the analytical and
experimental results for all the models shows an average discrepancy
of less than 10%. An optimized ACC design was selected for the
scanner which can provide maximum magnetic force.
Abstract: Chloride induced corrosion of steel reinforcement is
the main cause of deterioration of reinforced concrete marine
structures. This paper investigates the relative performance of
alternative repair options with respect to the deterioration of
reinforced concrete bridge elements in marine environments. Focus is
placed on the initiation phase of reinforcement corrosion. A
laboratory study is described which involved exposing concrete
samples to accelerated chloride-ion ingress. The study examined the
relative efficiencies of two repair methods, namely Ordinary Portland
Cement (OPC) concrete and a concrete which utilised Ground
Granulated Blastfurnace Cement (GGBS) as a partial cement
replacement. The mix designs and materials utilised were identical to
those implemented in the repair of a marine bridge on the South East
coast of Ireland in 2007. The results of this testing regime serve to
inform input variables employed in probabilistic modelling of
deterioration for subsequent reliability based analysis to compare the
relative performance of the studied repair options.
Abstract: Earthmoving operations are a major part of many
construction projects. Because of the complexity and fast-changing
environment of such operations, the planning and estimating are
crucial on both planning and operational levels. This paper presents
the framework ofa microscopic discrete-event simulation system for
modeling earthmoving operations and conducting productivity
estimations on an operational level.A prototype has been developed
to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed framework, and this
simulation system is presented via a case study based on an actual
earthmoving project. The case study shows that the proposed
simulation model is capable of evaluating alternative operating
strategies and resource utilization at a very detailed level.
Abstract: This paper and its companion (Part 2) deal with
modeling and optimization of two NP-hard problems in production
planning of flexible manufacturing system (FMS), part type selection
problem and loading problem. The part type selection problem and
the loading problem are strongly related and heavily influence the
system-s efficiency and productivity. The complexity of the problems
is harder when flexibilities of operations such as the possibility of
operation processed on alternative machines with alternative tools are
considered. These problems have been modeled and solved
simultaneously by using real coded genetic algorithms (RCGA)
which uses an array of real numbers as chromosome representation.
These real numbers can be converted into part type sequence and
machines that are used to process the part types. This first part of the
papers focuses on the modeling of the problems and discussing how
the novel chromosome representation can be applied to solve the
problems. The second part will discuss the effectiveness of the
RCGA to solve various test bed problems.
Abstract: Qk
n has been shown as an alternative to the hypercube
family. For any even integer k ≥ 4 and any integer n ≥ 2, Qk
n is
a bipartite graph. In this paper, we will prove that given any pair of
vertices, w and b, from different partite sets of Qk
n, there exist 2n
internally disjoint paths between w and b, denoted by {Pi | 0 ≤ i ≤ 2n-1}, such that 2n-1
i=0 Pi covers all vertices of Qk
n. The result is
optimal since each vertex of Qk
n has exactly 2n neighbors.
Abstract: The values of managers and employees in organizations are phenomena that have captured the interest of researchers at large. Despite this attention, there continues to be a lack of agreement on what values are and how they influence individuals, or how they are constituted in individuals- mind. In this article content-based approach is presented as alternative reference frame for exploring values. In content-based approach human thinking in different contexts is set at the focal point. Differences in valuations can be explained through the information contents of mental representations. In addition to the information contents, attention is devoted to those cognitive processes through which mental representations of values are constructed. Such informational contents are in decisive role for understanding human behavior. By applying content-based analysis to an examination of values as mental representations, it is possible to reach a deeper to the motivational foundation of behaviors, such as decision making in organizational procedures, through understanding the structure and meanings of specific values at play.
Abstract: The psychological well-being of a family is a subjective matter for evaluation, all the more when it involves the element of religions, whether Islam, Christianity, Buddhism or Hinduism. Each of these religions emphasises similar values and morals on family psychological well-being. This comparative study is specifically to determine the role of religion on family psychological well-being in Pekan district, Pahang, Malaysia. The study adopts a quantitative and qualitative mixed method design and considers a total of 412 samples of parents and children for the quantitative study, and 21 samples for the qualitative study. The quantitative study uses simple random sampling, whereas the qualitative sampling is purposive. The instrument for quantitative study is Ryff’s Psychological Well-being Scale and the qualitative study involves the construction of a guidelines protocol for in-depth interviews of respondents. The quantitative study uses the SPSS version .19 with One Way Anova, and the qualitative analysis is manual based on transcripts with specific codes and themes. The results show nonsignificance, that is, no significant difference among religions in all family psychological well-being constructs in the comparison of Islam, Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism, thereby accepting a null hypothesis and rejecting an alternative hypothesis. The qualitative study supports the quantitative study, that is, all 21 respondents explain that no difference exists in psychological wellbeing in the comparison of teachings in all the religious mentioned. These implications may be used as guidelines for government and non-government bodies in considering religion as an important element in family psychological well-being in the long run.
Abstract: One of the important applications of gas turbines is
their utilization for heat recovery steam generator in combine-cycle technology. Exhaust flow and energy are two key parameters for
determining heat recovery steam generator performance which are mainly determined by the main gas turbine components performance
data. For this reason a method was developed for determining the
exhaust energy in the new edition of ASME PTC22. The result of this investigation shows that the method of standard has considerable
error. Therefore in this paper a new method is presented for modifying of the performance calculation. The modified method is
based on exhaust gas constituent analysis and combustion calculations. The case study presented here by two kind of General
Electric gas turbine design data for validation of methodologies. The
result shows that the modified method is more precise than the ASME PTC22 method. The exhaust flow calculation deviation from
design data is 1.5-2 % by ASME PTC22 method so that the deviation regarding with modified method is 0.3-0.5%. Based on precision of
analyzer instruments, the method can be suitable alternative for gas
turbine standard performance test. In advance two methods are
proposed based on known and unknown fuel in modified method procedure. The result of this paper shows that the difference between
the two methods is below than %0.02. In according to reasonable esult of the second procedure (unknown fuel composition), the
method can be applied to performance evaluation of gas turbine, so that the measuring cost and data gathering should be reduced.
Abstract: Environmental decision making, particularly about
hazardous waste management, is inherently exposed to a high
potential conflict, principally because of the trade-off between sociopolitical,
environmental, health and economic factors. The need to
plan complex contexts has led to an increasing request for decision
analytic techniques as support for the decision process. In this work,
alternative systems of asbestos-containing waste management
(ACW) in Puglia (Southern Italy) were explored by a multi-criteria
decision analysis. In particular, through Analytic Hierarchy Process
five alternatives management have been compared and ranked
according to their performance and efficiency, taking into account
environmental, health and socio-economic aspects. A separated
valuation has been performed for different temporal scale. For short
period results showed a narrow deviation between the disposal
alternatives “mono-material landfill in public quarry" and “dedicate
cells in existing landfill", with the best performance of the first one.
While for long period “treatment plant to eliminate hazard from
asbestos-containing waste" was prevalent, although high energy
demand required to achieve the change of crystalline structure. A
comparison with results from a participative approach in valuation
process might be considered as future development of method
application to ACW management.
Abstract: In this paper, the application of the Mode Matching
(MM) method in the case of photonic crystal waveguide
discontinuities is presented. The structure under consideration is
divided into a number of cells, which supports a number of guided
and evanescent modes. These modes can be calculated numerically
by an alternative formulation of the plane wave expansion method
for each frequency. A matrix equation is then formed relating the
modal amplitudes at the beginning and at the end of the structure.
The theory is highly efficient and accurate and can be applied to
study the transmission sensitivity of photonic crystal devices due to
fabrication tolerances. The accuracy of the MM method is compared
to the Finite Difference Frequency Domain (FDFD) and the Adjoint
Variable Method (AVM) and good agreement is observed.
Abstract: The main objective of this work is to compare the
quality of service of the bus companies operating in the city of Rio
Branco, located in the state of Acre with the quality of service of the
bus companies operating in the city of Campos, situated in the state
of Rio de Janeiro, both cities in Brazil. This comparison, based on the
opinion of the bus users, will determine their degree of satisfaction
with the service available in both cities. The outcome of this
evaluation shows the users unhappy with the quality of the service
provided by the bus companies operating in both cities and the need
to identify alternative solutions that may minimize the consequences
caused by the main problems detected in this work. With these
alternatives available, the bus companies will be able to better
understand the needs of their customers in terms of manpower,
service cost, time schedule, etc.
Abstract: Massive use of places with strong tourist attraction
with the consequent possibility of losing place-identity produces
harmful effects on cities and their users. In order to mitigate this risk,
areas close to such places can be identified so as to widen the
visitor-s range of action and offer alternative activities integrated
with the main site. The cultural places and appropriate activities can
be identified using a method of analysis and design able to trace the
identity of the places, their characteristics and potential, and to
provide a sustainable improvement. The aim of this work is to
propose PlaceMaker as a method of urban analysis and design which
both detects elements that do not feature in traditional mapping and
which constitute the contemporary identity of the places, and
identifies appropriate project interventions. Two final complex maps
– the first of analysis and the second of design – respectively
represent the identity of places and project interventions. In order to
illustrate the method-s potential; the results of the experimentation
carried out in the Trevi-Pantheon route in Rome and the appropriate
interventions to decongest the area are illustrated.
Abstract: The search for factors that influence user behavior has remained an important theme for both the academic and practitioner Information Systems Communities. In this paper we examine relevant user behaviors in the phase after adoption and investigate two factors that are expected to influence such behaviors, namely User Involvement (UI) and Personal Innovativeness in IT (PIIT). We conduct a field study to examine how these factors influence postadoption behavior and how they are interrelated. Building on theoretical premises and prior empirical findings, we propose and test two alternative models of the relationship between these factors. Our results reveal that the best explanation of post-adoption behavior is provided by the model where UI and PIIT independently influence post-adoption behavior. Our findings have important implications for research and practice. To that end, we offer directions for future research.
Abstract: Given a bivariate normal sample of correlated variables,
(Xi, Yi), i = 1, . . . , n, an alternative estimator of Pearson’s correlation
coefficient is obtained in terms of the ranges, |Xi − Yi|.
An approximate confidence interval for ρX,Y is then derived, and
a simulation study reveals that the resulting coverage probabilities
are in close agreement with the set confidence levels. As well, a
new approximant is provided for the density function of R, the
sample correlation coefficient. A mixture involving the proposed
approximate density of R, denoted by hR(r), and a density function
determined from a known approximation due to R. A. Fisher is shown
to accurately approximate the distribution of R. Finally, nearly exact
density approximants are obtained on adjusting hR(r) by a 7th degree
polynomial.
Abstract: In this paper an alternative analysis in the time
domain is described and the results of the interpolation process are
presented by means of functions that are based on the rule of
conditional mathematical expectation and the covariance function. A
comparison between the interpolation error caused by low order
filters and the classic sinc(t) truncated function is also presented.
When fewer samples are used, low-order filters have less error. If the
number of samples increases, the sinc(t) type functions are a better
alternative. Generally speaking there is an optimal filter for each
input signal which depends on the filter length and covariance
function of the signal. A novel scheme of work for adaptive
interpolation filters is also presented.
Abstract: Pyritisation halos are identified in weathering crusts and unconsolidated formations at five locations within large fault structure of the Urals’ eastern slope. Electron microscopy reveals the presence of inclusions and growths on pyrite faces – normally on cubic pyrite with striations, or combinations of cubes and other forms. Following neogenesis types are established: native elements and intermetallic compounds (including gold and silver), halogenides, sulphides, sulfosalts, tellurides, sulphotellurides,
selenides, tungstates, sulphates, phosphates, carbon-based substances. Direct relationship is noted between amount and diversity of such mineral phases, and proximity to and scale of ore-grade mineralization. Gold and silver, both in native form and within tellurides, presence of lead (galena, native lead), native tungsten, and, possibly, molybdenite and sulfosalts can indicate gold-bearing formations. First find of native tungsten in the Urals is for the first time – in crystallised and druse-like form. Link is suggested between unusual mineralization and “reducing” hydrothermal fluids from deep-seated faults at later stages of Urals’ reactivation.
Abstract: Elementary particles are created in pairs of equal and opposite momentums at a reference frame at the speed of light. The speed of light reference frame is viewed as a point in space as observed by observer at rest. This point in space is the bang location of the big bang theory. The bang in the big bang theory is not more than sustained flow of pairs of positive and negative elementary particles. Electrons and negative charged elementary particles are ejected from this point in space at velocities faster than light, while protons and positively charged particles obtain velocities lower than light. Subsonic masses are found to have real and positive charge, while supersonic masses are found to be negative and imaginary indicating that the two masses are of different entities. The electron-s super-sonic speed, as viewed by rest observer was calculated and found to be less than the speed of light and is little higher than the electron speed in Bohr-s orbit. The newly formed hydrogen gas temperature was found to be in agreement with temperatures found on newly formed stars. Universe expansion was found to be in agreement. Partial mass and charge elementary particles and particles with momentum only were explained in the context of this theoretical approach.
Abstract: One of the most important issues in multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) is to determine the weights of criteria so that all alternatives can be compared based on the collective performance of criteria. In this paper, one of popular methods in data envelopment analysis (DEA) known as common weights (CWs) is used to determine the weights in MCDA. Two frontiers named ideal and anti-ideal frontiers, instead of ideal and anti-ideal alternatives, are defined based on two new proposed CWs models. Ideal and antiideal frontiers are more flexible than that of alternatives. According to the optimal solutions of these two models, the distances of an alternative from the ideal and anti-ideal frontiers are derived. Then, a relative distance is introduced to measure the value of each alternative. The suggested models are linear and despite weight restrictions are feasible. An example is presented for explaining the method and for comparing to the existing literature.
Abstract: Research in e-Business has been growing
tremendously covering all related aspects such as adoption issues, e-
Business models, strategies, etc. This research aims to explore the
potential of adopting e-Business for a micro size business operating
from home called home-based businesses (HBBs). In Malaysia, the
HBB industry started many years ago and were mostly monopolized
by women or housewives managed as a part-time job to support their
family economy. Today, things have changed. The availability of the
Internet technology and the emergence of e-Business concept
promote the evolution of HBBs, which have been adopted as another
alternative as a professional career for women without neglecting
their family needs especially the children. Although this study is
confined to a limited sample size and within geographical biasness,
the findings show that it concurs with previous large scale studies. In
this study, both qualitative and quantitative methods were used and
data were gathered using triangulation methods via interview, direct
observation, document analysis and survey questionnaires. This paper
discusses the literature review, research methods and findings
pertaining to e-Business adoption factors that influence the HBBs in
Malaysia.