Abstract: Cost contribution arrangements (CCAs) and Cost
sharing agreements (CCAs) belong to the tools of modern finance
management. Costs spend by associated enterprises on developing
producing or obtaining assets, services or rights (in general -
benefits) are used for tax optimizing too. The main purpose of joint
research and development, producing or obtaining benefits is to
lower these costs as much as possible or to maximize the benefits. In
this article is mentioned the problematic of transfer pricing and arm's
length principle with connection of CCAs, CSAs. Next, there is
mentioned how to settle participation shares of the total cost and
benefits contributions with respect to the OECD Transfer pricing for
MNEs Guidelines and with respect to other significant regulations.
Abstract: An experiment of vented gas explosions involving two
different cylinder vessel volumes (0.2 and 0.0065 m3) was reported,
with equivalence ratio (Φ) ranged from 0.3 to 1.6. Both vessels were
closed at the rear end and fitted at the other side with a circular
orifice plate that gives a constant vent coefficient (K =Av/V2/3) of
16.4. It was shown that end ignition gives higher overpressures than
central ignition, even though most of the published work on venting
uses central ignition. For propane and ethylene, it is found that rich
mixtures gave the highest overpressures and these mixtures are not
considered in current vent design guidance; which the guideline is
based on mixtures giving the maximum flame temperature. A strong
influence of the vessel volume at constant K was found for methane,
propane, ethylene and hydrogen-air explosions. It can be concluded
that self- acceleration of the flame, which is dependent on the
distance of a flame from the ignition and the ‘suction’ at the vent
opening are significant factors affecting the vent flow during
explosion development in vented gas explosion. This additional
volume influence on vented explosions is not taken into account in
the current vent design guidance.
Abstract: Congestion control is one of the fundamental issues in computer networks. Without proper congestion control mechanisms there is the possibility of inefficient utilization of resources, ultimately leading to network collapse. Hence congestion control is an effort to adapt the performance of a network to changes in the traffic load without adversely affecting users perceived utilities. AIMD (Additive Increase Multiplicative Decrease) is the best algorithm among the set of liner algorithms because it reflects good efficiency as well as good fairness. Our control model is based on the assumption of the original AIMD algorithm; we show that both efficiency and fairness of AIMD can be improved. We call our approach is New AIMD. We present experimental results with TCP that match the expectation of our theoretical analysis.
Abstract: The product development process (PDP) in the
Technology group plays a very important role in the launch of any
product. While a manufacturing process encourages the use of certain
measures to reduce health, safety and environmental (HSE) risks on
the shop floor, the PDP concentrates on the use of Geometric
Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) to develop a flawless design.
Furthermore, PDP distributes and coordinates activities between
different departments such as marketing, purchasing, and
manufacturing. However, it is seldom realized that PDP makes a
significant contribution to developing a product that reduces HSE
risks by encouraging the Technology group to use effective GD&T.
The GD&T is a precise communication tool that uses a set of
symbols, rules, and definitions to mathematically define parts to be
manufactured. It is a quality assurance method widely used in the oil
and gas sector. Traditionally it is used to ensure the
interchangeability of a part without affecting its form, fit, and
function. Parts that do not meet these requirements are rejected
during quality audits.
This paper discusses how the Technology group integrates this
quality assurance tool into the PDP and how the tool plays a major
role in helping the HSE department in its goal towards eliminating
HSE incidents. The PDP involves a thorough risk assessment and
establishes a method to address those risks during the design stage.
An illustration shows how GD&T helped reduce safety risks by
ergonomically improving assembling operations. A brief discussion
explains how tolerances provided on a part help prevent finger injury.
This tool has equipped Technology to produce fixtures, which are
used daily in operations as well as manufacturing. By applying
GD&T to create good fits, HSE risks are mitigated for operating
personnel. Both customers and service providers benefit from
reduced safety risks.
Abstract: Modern Society is strongly dependent on a reliable
power supply. The availability of cheap and reliable supply of
electrical energy is an indicator of societal welfare. Uninterrupted
reliable operation of a modern power system depends to a great
extent on reliable and satisfactory performance of insulators under
different environmental conditions. This paper reports result of
natural pollution tests that have been done at sites around city of
Aligarh (India). Flashover voltage per insulation distance (FOVUID)
of porcelain disc insulator for different pH values, ESDD has been
recorded for proper correlation between electrical and chemical
parameters. The pH of the contaminants has been suggested to be an
effective pollution severity indicator and may be used as a diagnostic
parameter for proper maintenance of porcelain insulators.
Abstract: In this study, we present an advanced detection
technique for mass type breast cancer based on texture information
of organs. The proposed method detects the cancer areas in three
stages. In the first stage, the midpoints of mass area are determined
based on AHE (Adaptive Histogram Equalization). In the second
stage, we set the threshold coefficient of homogeneity by using
MLE (Maximum Likelihood Estimation) to compute the uniformity
of texture. Finally, mass type cancer tissues are extracted from the
original image. As a result, it was observed that the proposed
method shows an improved detection performance on dense breast
tissues of Korean women compared with the existing methods. It is
expected that the proposed method may provide additional
diagnostic information for detection of mass-type breast cancer.
Abstract: Nigella sativa L. is an aromatic plant belonging to the
family Ranunculaceae. It has been used traditionally, especially in the
middle East and India, for the treatment of asthma, cough, bronchitis,
headache, rheumatism, fever, influenza and eczema. Several
biological activities have been reported in Nigella sativa seeds,
including antioxidant. In this context we tried to estimate the
antioxidant activity of various extracts prepared from Nigella sativa
seeds, methanolic extract (ME), chloroformic extract (CE), hexanic
extract (HE : fixed oil), ethyl acetate extract (EAE) water extract
(WE). The Folin-Ciocalteu assay showed that CE and EAE contained
high level of phenolic compounds 81.31 and 72.43μg GAE/mg of
extract respectively. Similarly, the CE and EAE exhibited the highest
DPPH radical scavenging activity, with IC50 values of 106.56μg/ml
and 121.62μg/ml respectively. In addition, CE and HE showed the
most scavenging activity against superoxide radical generated in the
PMS-NADH-NBT system with respective IC50 values of 361.86
μg/ml and 371.80 μg/ml, which is comparable to the activity of the
standard antioxidant BHT (344.59 μg/ml). Ferrous ion chelating
capacity assay showed that WE, EAE and ME are the most active
with 40.57, 39.70 and 22.02 mg EDTA-E/g of extract. The inhibition
of linoleic acid/ß-carotene coupled oxidation was estimated by ßcarotene
bleaching assay, this showed a highest relative antioxidant
activity with CE and EAE (69.82% of inhibition). The antioxidant
activities of the methanolic extract and the fixed oil are confirmed by
an in vivo assay in mice, the daily oral administration of methanolic
extract (500 and 800 mg/kg/day) and fixed oil (2 and 4 ml/kg/day)
during 21 days, resulted in a significant enhancement of the blood
total antioxidant capacity (measured by KRL test) and the plasmatic
antioxidant capacity towards DPPH radical.
Abstract: Recent research result has shown that two multidelay
feedback systems can synchronize each other under different
schemes, i.e. lag, projective-lag, anticipating, or projectiveanticipating
synchronization. There, the driving signal is significantly
complex due that it is constituted by multiple nonlinear transformations
of delayed state variable. In this paper, a secure communication
model is proposed based on synchronization of coupled multidelay
feedback systems, in which the plain signal is mixed with a complex
signal at the transmitter side and it is precisely retrieved at the receiver
side. The effectiveness of the proposed model is demonstrated and
verified in the specific example, where the message signal is masked
directly by the complex signal and security is examined under the
breaking method of power spectrum analysis.
Abstract: In this paper we developed the Improved Runge-Kutta Nystrom (IRKN) method for solving second order ordinary differential equations. The methods are two step in nature and require lower number of function evaluations per step compared with the existing Runge-Kutta Nystrom (RKN) methods. Therefore, the methods are computationally more efficient at achieving the higher order of local accuracy. Algebraic order conditions of the method are obtained and the third and fourth order method are derived with two and three stages respectively. The numerical results are given to illustrate the efficiency of the proposed method compared to the existing RKN methods.
Abstract: Nuts are part of a healthy diet such as Mediterranean diet. Benefits of nuts in reducing the risk of heart disease has been reasonably attributed to their composition of vitamins, minerals, unsaturated fatty acids, fiber and phytochemicals such as polyphenols, tocopherols, squalene and phytosterols. More than 75% of total fatty acids of nuts are unsaturated. α- tocopherol is the main tocopherol isomer present in most of the nuts. While walnuts, Brazil nut, cashew nut, peanut, pecan and pistachio nuts are rich in γ- tocopherol. β- sitosterol is dominant sterol in nuts. Pistachio and pine nut have the highest total phytosterol and Brazil nut and English walnut the lowest. Walnuts also contain large amount of phenolic compounds compared with other nuts. Nuts are rich in compounds with antioxidant properties and their consumption can offer preventing from incidence of many diseases including cardiovascular.
Abstract: Equilibrium and rate based models have been applied
in the simulation of methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) synthesis
through reactive distillation. Temperature and composition profiles
were compared for both the models and found that both the profiles
trends, though qualitatively similar are significantly different
quantitatively. In the rate based method (RBM), multicomponent
mass transfer coefficients have been incorporated to describe
interphase mass transfer. MTBE mole fraction in the bottom stream is
found to be 0.9914 in the Equilibrium Model (EQM) and only 0.9904
for RBM when the same column configuration was preserved. The
individual tray efficiencies were incorporated in the EQM and
simulations were carried out. Dynamic simulation have been also
carried out for the two column configurations and compared.
Abstract: In this paper, we consider the uniform asymptotic stability, global asymptotic stability and global exponential stability of the equilibrium point of discrete Hopfield neural networks with delays. Some new stability criteria for system are derived by using the Lyapunov functional method and the linear matrix inequality approach, for estimating the upper bound of Lyapunov functional derivative.
Abstract: In this paper, we study the existence, the boundedness and the asymptotic behavior of the positive solutions of a fuzzy nonlinear difference equations xn+1 = A + k i=0 Bi xn-i , n= 0, 1, · · · . where (xn) is a sequence of positive fuzzy numbers, A,Bi and the initial values x-k, x-k+1, · · · , x0 are positive fuzzy numbers. k ∈ {0, 1, 2, · · ·}.
Abstract: This paper makes a contribution to the on-going
debate on conceptualization and lexicalization of cutting and
breaking (C&B) verbs by discussing data from Telugu, a language of
India belonging to the Dravidian family. Five Telugu native speakers-
verbalizations of agentive actions depicted in 43 short video-clips
were analyzed. It was noted that verbalization of C&B events in
Telugu requires formal units such as simple lexical verbs, explicator
compound verbs, and other complex verb forms. The properties of
the objects involved, the kind of instruments used, and the manner of
action had differential influence on the lexicalization patterns.
Further, it was noted that all the complex verb forms encode 'result'
and 'cause' sub-events in that order. Due to the polysemy associated
with some of the verb forms, our data does not support the
straightforward bipartition of this semantic domain.
Abstract: In conducting a case study to analyze the status-quo of
the extremists’ dominance in Egypt, the author of this paper uses
qualitative research method to analyze the evolution of extreme
Islamist groups in Egypt. In conducting this qualitative research, the
author of this paper intends to use several lenses to understand the
rise and the evolution of the hegemony of extremist groups, such as
the Muslim Brotherhood and other groups in Egypt. Therefore, unless
he intends to show an important nexus between the Egyptian groups
and their sister-groups in other countries, he will intentionally
exclude analyzing extreme Islamism of non-Egyptian origins. This
case study relies on the moral disengagement theory to shed light on
the ideological evolution of extremism in Egypt. The goal of this case
study is to help in understanding extreme-Islamism adverse to the
mainstream Islam; therefore, understanding the concept here should
help in preventing similar groups from threatening the international
community.
Abstract: As a part of routine oesophageal HDR Brachytherapy procedure, treatment planning takes about 45 minutes while patients are under light sedation. Some patients may suffer gagging and/or spasms before the 90-minute brachytherapy procedure complete, and the treatment may need to be aborted. A pre-prepared plan generated before patient’s sedation may reduce the brachytherapy procedure time by 40 minutes. This paper reports rationality and evidence of pre-prepared treatment plans. A retrospective study of 28 patients confirms that pre-prepared plans would be acceptable for all reviewed patients. The rationality is further confirmed by a systemic study with a wide range of applicator curvature and treatment volume. Detailed comparison between CT based treatment plans and pre-prepared plans are discussed. The argument holds for endobronchial HDR brachytherapy too. With the above evidence, pre-prepared plans have been used for all oesophageal and endobronchial HDR brachytherapy cases in our clinic.
Abstract: To increase the maximum span of cable-stayed
bridges, Uwe Starossek has developed a modified statical system.
The basic idea of this new concept is the use of pairs of inclined
pylon legs that spread out longitudinally from the foundation base or
from the girder level.
Spread-pylon cable-stayed bridge has distinct advantage like
reduction of sag of cables and oscillation of cable during earthquake
over traditional cable-stayed bridges. Spread-pylon also improves
seismic performance of deck during strong ground motion.
Abstract: In pressure vessels contain hydrogen, the role of
hydrogen will be important because of hydrogen cracking problem. It
is difficult to predict what is happened in metallurgical field spite of a
lot of studies have been searched. The main role in controlling the
mass diffusion as driving force is related to stress. In this study, finite
element analysis is implemented to estimate material-s behavior
associated with hydrogen embrittlement. For this purpose, one model
of a pressure vessel is introduced that it has definite boundary and
initial conditions. In fact, finite element is employed to solve the
sequentially coupled mass diffusion with stress near a crack front in a
pressure vessel. Modeling simulation intergrarnular fracture of AISI
4135 steel due to hydrogen is investigated. So, distribution of
hydrogen and stress are obtained and they indicate that their
maximum amounts occur near the crack front. This phenomenon is
happened exactly the region between elastic and plastic field.
Therefore, hydrogen is highly mobile and can diffuse through crystal
lattice so that this zone is potential to trap high volume of hydrogen.
Consequently, crack growth and fast fracture will be happened.
Abstract: The use of technology is increasingly adopted to
support flexible learning in Higher Education institutions. The
adoption of more sophisticated technologies offers a broad range of
facilities for communication and resource sharing, thereby creating a
flexible learning environment that facilitates and even encourages
students not to physically attend classes. However this emerging
trend seems to contradict class attendance requirements within
universities, inevitably leading to a dilemma between amending
traditional regulations and creating new policies for the higher
education institutions. This study presents an investigation into
student engagement in a technology enhanced/driven flexible
environment along with its relationship to attainment. We propose an
approach to modelling engagement from different perspectives in
terms of indicators and then consider what impact these indicators
have on student academic performance. We have carried out a case
study on the relation between attendance and attainment in a flexible
environment. Although our preliminary results show attendance is
quantitatively correlated with successful student development and
learning outcomes, our results also indicate there is a cohort that did
not follow such a pattern. Nevertheless the preliminary results could
provide an insight into pilot studies in the wider deployment of new
technology to support flexible learning.
Abstract: Understanding driving behavior is a complicated
researching topic. To describe accurate speed, flow and density of a
multiclass users traffic flow, an adequate model is needed. In this
study, we propose the concept of standard passenger car equivalent
(SPCE) instead of passenger car equivalent (PCE) to estimate the
influence of heavy vehicles and slow cars. Traffic cellular automata
model is employed to calibrate and validate the results. According to
the simulated results, the SPCE transformations present good
accuracy.