Abstract: Objective: The objective of this paper is to assess the
hospitals preparedness for emergency using WHO standards.
Method: This is a cross-sectional study, consisted of site visit,
questionnaire survey, 16 health facilities were included. The WHO
standard for emergency preparedness of health facilities was used to
evaluate and assess the hospitals preparedness of health facilities.
Result: 13 hospitals were responded. They scored below average
in all measure >75%), while above average score was in 7 out 9 nine
measure with a range of 8%-25%. Un acceptable below average was
noted in two measures only.
Discussion: The biggest challenge facing the hospitals in their
emergency intervention is the lack of pre-emergency and emergency
preparedness plans as well as the coordination of the hospitals
response mechanisms.
Conclusion: The studied hospitals presently are far from
international disasters preparedness protocols. That necessitates
improvements in emergency preparedness, as well as in physician
skills for injury management.
Abstract: At present, dictionary attack has been the basic tool for
recovering key passwords. In order to avoid dictionary attack, users
purposely choose another character strings as passwords. According to
statistics, about 14% of users choose keys on a keyboard (Kkey, for
short) as passwords. This paper develops a framework system to attack
the password chosen from Kkeys and analyzes its efficiency. Within
this system, we build up keyboard rules using the adjacent and parallel
relationship among Kkeys and then use these Kkey rules to generate
password databases by depth-first search method. According to the
experiment results, we find the key space of databases derived from
these Kkey rules that could be far smaller than the password databases
generated within brute-force attack, thus effectively narrowing down
the scope of attack research. Taking one general Kkey rule, the
combinations in all printable characters (94 types) with Kkey adjacent
and parallel relationship, as an example, the derived key space is about
240 smaller than those in brute-force attack. In addition, we
demonstrate the method's practicality and value by successfully
cracking the access password to UNIX and PC using the password
databases created
Abstract: In this paper, the shape design process is briefly discussed emphasizing the use of topology optimization in the conceptual design stage. The basic idea is to view feasible domains for sensitivity region concepts. In this method, the main process consists of two steps: as the design moves further inside the feasible domain using Taguchi method, and thus becoming more successful topology optimization, the sensitivity region becomes larger. In designing a double-eccentric butterfly valve, related to hydrodynamic performance and disc structure, are discussed where the use of topology optimization has proven to dramatically improve an existing design and significantly decrease the development time of a shape design. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis results demonstrate the validity of this approach.
Abstract: Chinese Idioms are a type of traditional Chinese idiomatic
expressions with specific meanings and stereotypes structure
which are widely used in classical Chinese and are still common in
vernacular written and spoken Chinese today. Currently, Chinese
Idioms are retrieved in glossary with key character or key word in
morphology or pronunciation index that can not meet the need of
searching semantically. OCIRS is proposed to search the desired
idiom in the case of users only knowing its meaning without any key
character or key word. The user-s request in a sentence or phrase will
be grammatically analyzed in advance by word segmentation, key
word extraction and semantic similarity computation, thus can be
mapped to the idiom domain ontology which is constructed to provide
ample semantic relations and to facilitate description logics-based
reasoning for idiom retrieval. The experimental evaluation shows that
OCIRS realizes the function of searching idioms via semantics, obtaining
preliminary achievement as requested by the users.
Abstract: Based on the sources- smoothed rank profile (SRP) and modified minimum description length (MMDL) principle, a method for estimation of the source coherency structure (SCS) and the number of wideband sources is proposed in this paper. Instead of focusing, we first use a spatial smoothing technique to pre-process the array covariance matrix of each frequency for de-correlating the sources and then use smoothed rank profile to determine the SCS and the number of wideband sources. We demonstrate the availability of the method by numerical simulations.
Abstract: this paper presents an auto-regressive network called the Auto-Regressive Multi-Context Recurrent Neural Network (ARMCRN), which forecasts the daily peak load for two large power plant systems. The auto-regressive network is a combination of both recurrent and non-recurrent networks. Weather component variables are the key elements in forecasting because any change in these variables affects the demand of energy load. So the AR-MCRN is used to learn the relationship between past, previous, and future exogenous and endogenous variables. Experimental results show that using the change in weather components and the change that occurred in past load as inputs to the AR-MCRN, rather than the basic weather parameters and past load itself as inputs to the same network, produce higher accuracy of predicted load. Experimental results also show that using exogenous and endogenous variables as inputs is better than using only the exogenous variables as inputs to the network.
Abstract: The Time-Domain Boundary Element Method (TDBEM)
is a well known numerical technique that handles quite
properly dynamic analyses considering infinite dimension media.
However, when these analyses are also related to nonlinear behavior,
very complex numerical procedures arise considering the TD-BEM,
which may turn its application prohibitive. In order to avoid this
drawback and model nonlinear infinite media, the present work
couples two BEM formulations, aiming to achieve the best of two
worlds. In this context, the regions expected to behave nonlinearly
are discretized by the Domain Boundary Element Method (D-BEM),
which has a simpler mathematical formulation but is unable to deal
with infinite domain analyses; the TD-BEM is employed as in the
sense of an effective non-reflexive boundary. An iterative procedure
is considered for the coupling of the TD-BEM and D-BEM, which is
based on a relaxed renew of the variables at the common interfaces.
Elastoplastic models are focused and different time-steps are allowed
to be considered by each BEM formulation in the coupled analysis.
Abstract: This paper presents a cold flow simulation study of a small gas turbine combustor performed using laboratory scale test rig. The main objective of this investigation is to obtain physical insight of the main vortex, responsible for the efficient mixing of fuel and air. Such models are necessary for predictions and optimization of real gas turbine combustors. Air swirler can control the combustor performance by assisting in the fuel-air mixing process and by producing recirculation region which can act as flame holders and influences residence time. Thus, proper selection of a swirler is needed to enhance combustor performance and to reduce NOx emissions. Three different axial air swirlers were used based on their vane angles i.e., 30°, 45°, and 60°. Three-dimensional, viscous, turbulent, isothermal flow characteristics of the combustor model operating at room temperature were simulated via Reynolds- Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) code. The model geometry has been created using solid model, and the meshing has been done using GAMBIT preprocessing package. Finally, the solution and analysis were carried out in a FLUENT solver. This serves to demonstrate the capability of the code for design and analysis of real combustor. The effects of swirlers and mass flow rate were examined. Details of the complex flow structure such as vortices and recirculation zones were obtained by the simulation model. The computational model predicts a major recirculation zone in the central region immediately downstream of the fuel nozzle and a second recirculation zone in the upstream corner of the combustion chamber. It is also shown that swirler angles changes have significant effects on the combustor flowfield as well as pressure losses.
Abstract: Reducing energy consumption of embedded systems requires careful memory management. It has been shown that Scratch- Pad Memories (SPMs) are low size, low cost, efficient (i.e. energy saving) data structures directly managed at the software level. In this paper, the focus is on heuristic methods for SPMs management. A method is efficient if the number of accesses to SPM is as large as possible and if all available space (i.e. bits) is used. A Tabu Search (TS) approach for memory management is proposed which is, to the best of our knowledge, a new original alternative to the best known existing heuristic (BEH). In fact, experimentations performed on benchmarks show that the Tabu Search method is as efficient as BEH (in terms of energy consumption) but BEH requires a sorting which can be computationally expensive for a large amount of data. TS is easy to implement and since no sorting is necessary, unlike BEH, the corresponding sorting time is saved. In addition to that, in a dynamic perspective where the maximum capacity of the SPM is not known in advance, the TS heuristic will perform better than BEH.
Abstract: A bond graph model of an electrical transformer
including the nonlinear saturation is presented. A nonlinear observer for the transformer based on multivariable circle
criterion in the physical domain is proposed. In order to show the saturation and hysteresis effects on the electrical transformer,
simulation results are obtained. Finally, the paper describes that convergence of the estimates to the true states is achieved.
Abstract: Textile structures are engineered and fabricated to
meet worldwide structural applications. Nevertheless, research
varying textile structure on natural fibre as composite reinforcement
was found to be very limited. Most of the research is focusing on
short fibre and random discontinuous orientation of the reinforcement
structure. Realizing that natural fibre (NF) composite had been
widely developed to be used as synthetic fibre composite
replacement, this research attempted to examine the influence of
woven and cross-ply laminated structure towards its mechanical
performances. Laminated natural fibre composites were developed
using hand lay-up and vacuum bagging technique. Impact and
flexural strength were investigated as a function of fibre type (coir
and kenaf) and reinforcement structure (imbalanced plain woven,
0°/90° cross-ply and +45°/-45° cross-ply). Multi-level full factorial
design of experiment (DOE) and analysis of variance (ANOVA) was
employed to impart data as to how fibre type and reinforcement
structure parameters affect the mechanical properties of the
composites. This systematic experimentation has led to determination
of significant factors that predominant influences the impact and
flexural properties of the textile composites. It was proven that both
fibre type and reinforcement structure demonstrated significant
difference results. Overall results indicated that coir composite and
woven structure exhibited better impact and flexural strength. Yet,
cross-ply composite structure demonstrated better fracture resistance.
Abstract: In this article, we discuss project-based learning in the context of a wheel garden as an instructional tool in science and mathematics education. A wheel garden provides multiple opportunities to teach across the curriculum, to integrate disciplines, and to promote community involvement. Grounded in the theoretical framework of constructivism, the wheel garden provides a multidisciplined educational tool that provides a hands-on, non-traditional arena for learning. We will examine some of the cultural, art, science, and mathematics connections made with this project.
Abstract: The image segmentation method described in this
paper has been developed as a pre-processing stage to be used in
methodologies and tools for video/image indexing and retrieval by
content. This method solves the problem of whole objects extraction
from background and it produces images of single complete objects
from videos or photos. The extracted images are used for calculating
the object visual features necessary for both indexing and retrieval
processes.
The segmentation algorithm is based on the cooperation among an
optical flow evaluation method, edge detection and region growing
procedures. The optical flow estimator belongs to the class of
differential methods. It permits to detect motions ranging from a
fraction of a pixel to a few pixels per frame, achieving good results in
presence of noise without the need of a filtering pre-processing stage
and includes a specialised model for moving object detection.
The first task of the presented method exploits the cues from
motion analysis for moving areas detection. Objects and background
are then refined using respectively edge detection and seeded region
growing procedures. All the tasks are iteratively performed until
objects and background are completely resolved.
The method has been applied to a variety of indoor and outdoor
scenes where objects of different type and shape are represented on
variously textured background.
Abstract: The occurrence and removal of trace organic
contaminants in the aquatic environment has become a focus of
environmental concern. For the selective removal of carbamazepine
from loaded waters molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were
synthesized with carbamazepine as template. Parameters varied were
the type of monomer, crosslinker, and porogen, the ratio of starting
materials, and the synthesis temperature. Best results were obtained
with a template to crosslinker ratio of 1:20, toluene as porogen, and
methacrylic acid (MAA) as monomer. MIPs were then capable to
recover carbamazepine by 93% from a 10-5 M landfill leachate
solution containing also caffeine and salicylic acid. By comparison,
carbamazepine recoveries of 75% were achieved using a nonimprinted
polymer (NIP) synthesized under the same conditions, but
without template. In landfill leachate containing solutions
carbamazepine was adsorbed by 93-96% compared with an uptake of
73% by activated carbon. The best solvent for desorption was
acetonitrile, with which the amount of solvent necessary and dilution
with water was tested. Selected MIPs were tested for their reusability
and showed good results for at least five cycles. Adsorption
isotherms were prepared with carbamazepine solutions in the
concentration range of 0.01 M to 5*10-6 M. The heterogeneity index
showed a more homogenous binding site distribution.
Abstract: Fine alignment of main ship power plants mechanisms
and shaft lines provides long-term and failure-free performance of
propulsion system while fast and high-quality installation of
mechanisms and shaft lines decreases common labor intensity. For
checking shaft line allowed stress and setting its alignment it is
required to perform calculations considering various stages of life
cycle. In 2012 JSC SSTC developed special software complex
“Shaftline” for calculation of alignment of having its own I/O
interface and display of shaft line 3D model. Alignment of shaft line
as per bearing loads is rather labor-intensive procedure. In order to
decrease its duration, JSC SSTC developed automated alignment
system from ship power plants mechanisms. System operation
principle is based on automatic simulation of design load on bearings.
Initial data for shaft line alignment can be exported to automated
alignment system from PC “Shaft line”.
Abstract: This article demonstrated development of
controlled release system of an NSAID drug, Diclofenac
sodium employing different ratios of Ethyl cellulose.
Diclofenac sodium and ethyl cellulose in different proportions
were processed by microencapsulation based on phase
separation technique to formulate microcapsules. The
prepared microcapsules were then compressed into tablets to
obtain controlled release oral formulations. In-vitro evaluation
was performed by dissolution test of each preparation was
conducted in 900 ml of phosphate buffer solution of pH 7.2
maintained at 37 ± 0.5 °C and stirred at 50 rpm. At predetermined
time intervals (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12,
16, 20 and 24 hrs). The drug concentration in the collected
samples was determined by UV spectrophotometer at 276 nm.
The physical characteristics of diclofenac sodium
microcapsules were according to accepted range. These were
off-white, free flowing and spherical in shape. The release
profile of diclofenac sodium from microcapsules was found to
be directly proportional to the proportion of ethylcellulose and
coat thickness. The in-vitro release pattern showed that with
ratio of 1:1 and 1:2 (drug: polymer), the percentage release of
drug at first hour was 16.91 and 11.52 %, respectively as
compared to 1:3 which is only 6.87 % with in this time. The
release mechanism followed higuchi model for its release
pattern. Tablet Formulation (F2) of present study was found
comparable in release profile the marketed brand Phlogin-SR,
microcapsules showed an extended release beyond 24 h.
Further, a good correlation was found between drug release
and proportion of ethylcellulose in the microcapsules.
Microencapsulation based on coacervation found as good
technique to control release of diclofenac sodium for making
the controlled release formulations.
Abstract: A homologous series of aromatic esters, 4-nalkanoyloxybenzylidene-
4--bromoanilines, nABBA,
consisting of two 1,4-disubstituted phenyl cores and a Schiff
base central linkage was synthesized. All the members can be
differed by the number of carbon atoms at terminal
alkanoyloxy chain (CnH2n-1COO-, n = 2, 6, 18). The molecular
structure of nABBA was confirmed with infrared
spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)
spectroscopy and electron-ionization mass (EI-MS)
spectrometry. Mesomorphic properties were studied using
differential scanning calorimetry and polarizing optical
microscopy.
Abstract: one of the significant factors for improving the
accuracy of Land Surface Temperature (LST) retrieval is the correct
understanding of the directional anisotropy for thermal radiance. In
this paper, the multiple scattering effect between heterogeneous
non-isothermal surfaces is described rigorously according to the
concept of configuration factor, based on which a directional thermal
radiance model is built, and the directional radiant character for urban
canopy is analyzed. The model is applied to a simple urban canopy
with row structure to simulate the change of Directional Brightness
Temperature (DBT). The results show that the DBT is aggrandized
because of the multiple scattering effects, whereas the change range of
DBT is smoothed. The temperature difference, spatial distribution,
emissivity of the components can all lead to the change of DBT. The
“hot spot" phenomenon occurs when the proportion of high
temperature component in the vision field came to a head. On the other
hand, the “cool spot" phenomena occur when low temperature
proportion came to the head. The “spot" effect disappears only when
the proportion of every component keeps invariability. The model
built in this paper can be used for the study of directional effect on
emissivity, the LST retrieval over urban areas and the adjacency effect
of thermal remote sensing pixels.
Abstract: In this study, an inland metropolitan area, Gwangju, in Korea was selected to assess the amplification potential of earthquake motion and provide the information for regional seismic countermeasure. A geographic information system-based expert system was implemented for reliably predicting the spatial geotechnical layers in the entire region of interesting by building a geo-knowledge database. Particularly, the database consists of the existing boring data gathered from the prior geotechnical projects and the surface geo-knowledge data acquired from the site visit. For practical application of the geo-knowledge database to estimate the earthquake hazard potential related to site amplification effects at the study area, seismic zoning maps on geotechnical parameters, such as the bedrock depth and the site period, were created within GIS framework. In addition, seismic zonation of site classification was also performed to determine the site amplification coefficients for seismic design at any site in the study area. KeywordsEarthquake hazard, geo-knowledge, geographic information system, seismic zonation, site period.
Abstract: Problem-based learning (PBL) is one of the student
centered approaches and has been considered by a number of higher
educational institutions in many parts of the world as a method of
delivery. This paper presents a creative thinking approach for
implementing Problem-based Learning in Mechanics of Structure
within a Malaysian Polytechnics environment. In the learning
process, students learn how to analyze the problem given among the
students and sharing classroom knowledge into practice. Further,
through this course-s emphasis on problem-based learning, students
acquire creative thinking skills and professional skills as they tackle
complex, interdisciplinary and real-situation problems. Once the
creative ideas are generated, there are useful additional techniques
for tender ideas that will grow into a productive concept or solution.
The combination of creative skills and technical abilities will enable
the students to be ready to “hit-the-ground-running" and produce in
industry when they graduate.