Abstract: Training neural networks to capture an intrinsic
property of a large volume of high dimensional data is a difficult
task, as the training process is computationally expensive. Input
attributes should be carefully selected to keep the dimensionality of
input vectors relatively small.
Technical indexes commonly used for stock market prediction
using neural networks are investigated to determine its effectiveness
as inputs. The feed forward neural network of Levenberg-Marquardt
algorithm is applied to perform one step ahead forecasting of
NASDAQ and Dow stock prices.
Abstract: In this paper, the decomposition-aggregation method
is used to carry out connective stability criteria for general linear
composite system via aggregation. The large scale system is
decomposed into a number of subsystems. By associating directed
graphs with dynamic systems in an essential way, we define the
relation between system structure and stability in the sense of
Lyapunov. The stability criteria is then associated with the stability
and system matrices of subsystems as well as those interconnected
terms among subsystems using the concepts of vector differential
inequalities and vector Lyapunov functions. Then, we show that the
stability of each subsystem and stability of the aggregate model
imply connective stability of the overall system. An example is
reported, showing the efficiency of the proposed technique.
Abstract: Air emissions from waste treatment plants often
consist of a combination of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
and odors. Hydrogen sulfide is one of the major odorous gases
present in the waste emissions coming from municipal wastewater
treatment facilities. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is odorous, highly toxic
and flammable. Exposure to lower concentrations can result in eye
irritation, a sore throat and cough, shortness of breath, and fluid in
the lungs. Biofiltration has become a widely accepted technology for
treating air streams containing H2S. When compared with other nonbiological
technologies, biofilter is more cost-effective for treating large
volumes of air containing low concentrations of biodegradable compounds.
Optimization of biofilter media is essential for many reasons such as:
providing a higher surface area for biofilm growth, low pressure drop,
physical stability, and good moisture retention. In this work, a novel
biofilter media is developed and tested at a pumping station of a
municipality located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The
media is found to be very effective (>99%) in removing H2S
concentrations that are expected in pumping stations under steady
state and shock loading conditions.
Abstract: This paper introduces an approach to construct a set of criteria for evaluating alternative options. Content analysis was used to collet criterion elements. Then the elements were classified and organized yielding to hierarchic structure. The reliability of the constructed criteria was evaluated in an experiment. Finally the criteria were used to evaluate alternative options indecision-making.
Abstract: Society has grown to rely on Internet services, and the
number of Internet users increases every day. As more and more
users become connected to the network, the window of opportunity
for malicious users to do their damage becomes very great and
lucrative. The objective of this paper is to incorporate different
techniques into classier system to detect and classify intrusion from
normal network packet. Among several techniques, Steady State
Genetic-based Machine Leaning Algorithm (SSGBML) will be used
to detect intrusions. Where Steady State Genetic Algorithm (SSGA),
Simple Genetic Algorithm (SGA), Modified Genetic Algorithm and
Zeroth Level Classifier system are investigated in this research.
SSGA is used as a discovery mechanism instead of SGA. SGA
replaces all old rules with new produced rule preventing old good
rules from participating in the next rule generation. Zeroth Level
Classifier System is used to play the role of detector by matching
incoming environment message with classifiers to determine whether
the current message is normal or intrusion and receiving feedback
from environment. Finally, in order to attain the best results,
Modified SSGA will enhance our discovery engine by using Fuzzy
Logic to optimize crossover and mutation probability. The
experiments and evaluations of the proposed method were performed
with the KDD 99 intrusion detection dataset.
Abstract: The rapid urbanization of cities has a bane in the form
road accidents that cause extensive damage to life and limbs. A
number of location based factors are enablers of road accidents in the
city. The speed of travel of vehicles is non-uniform among locations
within a city. In this study, the perception of vehicle users is captured
on a 10-point rating scale regarding the degree of variation in speed
of travel at chosen locations in the city. The average rating is used to
cluster locations using fuzzy c-means clustering and classify them as
low, moderate and high speed of travel locations. The high speed of
travel locations can be classified proactively to ensure that accidents
do not occur due to the speeding of vehicles at such locations. The
advantage of fuzzy c-means clustering is that a location may be a
part of more than one cluster to a varying degree and this gives a
better picture about the location with respect to the characteristic
(speed of travel) being studied.
Abstract: In the present paper, disc loaded interaction structure
for potential application in wideband Gyro-TWT amplifier has been
analyzed, taking all the space and modal harmonics into
consideration, for the eigenwave solutions. The analysis has been
restricted to azimuthally symmetric TE0,n mode. Dispersion
characteristics have been plotted by varying the structure parameters
and have been validated against HFSS simulation results. The
variation of eigenvalue with respect to different structure parameters
has also been presented. It has been observed that disc periodicity
plays very important role for wideband operation of disc-loaded
Gyro-TWT.
Abstract: An empirical linearly-hyperbolic approximation of the I - V characteristic of a solar cell is presented. This approximation is based on hyperbolic dependence of a current of p-n junctions on voltage for large currents. Such empirical approximation is compared with the early proposed formal linearly-hyperbolic approximation of a solar cell. The expressions defining laws of change of parameters of formal approximation at change of a photo current of family of characteristics are received. It allows simplifying a finding of parameters of approximation on actual curves, to specify their values. Analytical calculation of load regime for linearly - hyperbolic model leads to quadratic equation. Also, this model allows to define soundly a deviation from the maximum power regime and to compare efficiency of regimes of solar cells with different parameters.
Abstract: This paper proposes a method of adaptively generating a gait pattern of biped robot. The gait synthesis is based on human's gait pattern analysis. The proposed method can easily be applied to generate the natural and stable gait pattern of any biped robot. To analyze the human's gait pattern, sequential images of the human's gait on the sagittal plane are acquired from which the gait control values are extracted. The gait pattern of biped robot on the sagittal plane is adaptively generated by a genetic algorithm using the human's gait control values. However, gait trajectories of the biped robot on the sagittal plane are not enough to construct the complete gait pattern because the biped robot moves on 3-dimension space. Therefore, the gait pattern on the frontal plane, generated from Zero Moment Point (ZMP), is added to the gait one acquired on the sagittal plane. Consequently, the natural and stable walking pattern for the biped robot is obtained.
Abstract: This study was conducted to investigate the incidence
of pathogenic bacteria: Salmonella, Shigella, Escherichia coli O157
and Staphylococcus aureus in cakes and tarts collected from thirtyfive
confectionery producing and selling premises located within
Tripoli city, Libya. The results revealed an incidence of S. aureus
with 94.4 and 48.0 %, E. coli O157 with 14.7 and 4.0 % and Salmonella
sp. with 5.9 and 8.0 % in cakes and tarts samples respectively;
while Shigella was not detected in all samples. In order to determine
the source of these pathogenic bacteria, cotton swabs were taken
from the hands of workers on the production line, the surfaces of
preparation tables and cream whipping instruments. The results
showed that the cotton swabs obtained from the hands of workers
contained S. aureus and Salmonella sp. with an incidence of 42.9 and
2.9 %, the cotton swabs obtained from the surfaces of preparation
tables 22.9 and 2.9 % and the cotton swabs obtained from the cream
whipping instruments 14.3 and 0.0 % respectively; while E. coli
O157 and Shigella sp. were not detected in all swabs. Additionally,
other bacteria were isolated from the hands of workers and the Surfaces
of producing equipments included: Aeromonas sp., Pseudomonas
sp., E. coli, Klebsiella sp., Enterobacter sp., Citrobacter sp.,
Proteus sp., Serratia sp. and Acinetobacter sp. These results indicate
that some of the cakes and tarts might pose threat to consumer's
health. Meanwhile, occurrences of pathogenic bacteria on the hands
of those who are working in production line and the surfaces of
equipments reflect poor hygienic practices at most confectionery
premises examined in this study. Thus, firm and continuous surveillance
of these premises is needed to insure the consumer's health and
safety.
Abstract: Khao Yai National Park is the First National Park in
Thailand and approximately 800,000 tourists visited Khao Yai yearly.
This study aimed to identify the perception of tourists in Khao Yai
National Park according to the implementation of eco-friendly
cleansers along their leisure in the campsites. Due to tourist’s
activities in the park were affected on quality of environment;
especially on water resource. Therefore, eco-friendly cleansers were
used in campsites for tourists and restaurants during high tourist
season. The results indicated positive effects of environmental
friendly cleansers on water quality in Lam Ta Khong River, as well
as the tourist’s perception on eco-friendly cleansers.
Abstract: The habitat where the present study has been carried
out is productive in relation to nutrient quality and they may perform
several useful functions, but are also threatened for their existence.
Hence, the proposed work, will add much new information about
biodiversity of macrophytes in drains and their embankment. All the
species were identified with their different stages of growth which
encountered on the three selected sites (I, II and III). The number of
species occurring at each site is grouped seasonally, i.e. summer,
rainy and winter season and the species were further recorded for the
study of phytosociology. Phytosociological characters such as
frequency, density and abundance were influenced by the climatic,
anthropogenic and biotic stresses prevailing at the three study sites.
All the species present at the study sites have shown maximum
values of frequency, density and abundance in rainy season in
comparison to that of summer and winter seasons.
Abstract: In working mode some unexpected changes could
be arise in inner structure of electromagnetic device. They
influence modification in electromagnetic field propagation map.
The field values at an observed boundary are also changed. The
development of the process has to be watched because the arising
structural changes would provoke the device to be gone out later.
The probabilistic assessment of the state is possible to be made.
The numerical assessment points if the resulting changes have
only accidental character or they are due to the essential inner
structural disturbances.
The presented application example is referring to the 200MW
turbine-generator. A part of the stator core end teeth zone is
simulated broken. Quasi three-dimensional electromagnetic and
temperature field are solved applying FEM. The stator core state
diagnosis is proposed to be solved as an identification problem on
the basis of a statistical criterion.
Abstract: The objective of this work is to investigate the
turbulent reacting flow in a three dimensional combustor with
emphasis on the effect of inlet swirl flow through a numerical
simulation. Flow field is analyzed using the SIMPLE method which is
known as stable as well as accurate in the combustion modeling, and
the finite volume method is adopted in solving the radiative transfer
equation. In this work, the thermal and flow characteristics in a three
dimensional combustor by changing parameters such as equivalence
ratio and inlet swirl angle have investigated. As the equivalence ratio
increases, which means that more fuel is supplied due to a larger inlet
fuel velocity, the flame temperature increases and the location of
maximum temperature has moved towards downstream. In the mean
while, the existence of inlet swirl velocity makes the fuel and
combustion air more completely mixed and burnt in short distance.
Therefore, the locations of the maximum reaction rate and temperature
were shifted to forward direction compared with the case of no swirl.
Abstract: Condition monitoring of electrical power equipment
has attracted considerable attention for many years. The aim of this
paper is to use Labview with Fuzzy Logic controller to build a
simulation system to diagnose transformer faults and monitor its
condition. The front panel of the system was designed using
LabVIEW to enable computer to act as customer-designed
instrument. The dissolved gas-in-oil analysis (DGA) method was
used as technique for oil type transformer diagnosis; meanwhile
terminal voltages and currents analysis method was used for dry type
transformer. Fuzzy Logic was used as expert system that assesses all
information keyed in at the front panel to diagnose and predict the
condition of the transformer. The outcome of the Fuzzy Logic
interpretation will be displayed at front panel of LabVIEW to show
the user the conditions of the transformer at any time.
Abstract: Permanent rivers are the main sources of renewable
water supply for the croplands under the irrigation and drainage
schemes. They are also the major source of sediment loads transport
into the storage reservoirs of the hydro-electrical dams, diversion
weirs and regulating dams. Sedimentation process results from soil
erosion which is related to poor watershed management and human
intervention ion in the hydraulic regime of the rivers. These could
change the hydraulic behavior and as such, leads to riverbed and river
bank scouring, the consequences of which would be sediment load
transport into the dams and therefore reducing the flow discharge in
water intakes. The present paper investigate sedimentation process
by varying the Manning coefficient "n" by using the SHARC
software along the watercourse in the Dez River. Results indicated
that the optimum "n" within that river range is 0.0315 at which
quantity minimum sediment loads are transported into the Eastern
intake. Comparison of the model results with those obtained by those
from the SSIIM software within the same river reach showed a very
close proximity between them. This suggests a relative accuracy with
which the model can simulate the hydraulic flow characteristics and
therefore its suitability as a powerful analytical tool for project
feasibility studies and project implementation.
Abstract: In current common research reports, salient regions
are usually defined as those regions that could present the main
meaningful or semantic contents. However, there are no uniform
saliency metrics that could describe the saliency of implicit image
regions. Most common metrics take those regions as salient regions,
which have many abrupt changes or some unpredictable
characteristics. But, this metric will fail to detect those salient useful
regions with flat textures. In fact, according to human semantic
perceptions, color and texture distinctions are the main characteristics
that could distinct different regions. Thus, we present a novel saliency
metric coupled with color and texture features, and its corresponding
salient region extraction methods. In order to evaluate the
corresponding saliency values of implicit regions in one image, three
main colors and multi-resolution Gabor features are respectively used
for color and texture features. For each region, its saliency value is
actually to evaluate the total sum of its Euclidean distances for other
regions in the color and texture spaces. A special synthesized image
and several practical images with main salient regions are used to
evaluate the performance of the proposed saliency metric and other
several common metrics, i.e., scale saliency, wavelet transform
modulus maxima point density, and important index based metrics.
Experiment results verified that the proposed saliency metric could
achieve more robust performance than those common saliency
metrics.
Abstract: In this paper, creep constitutive equations of base
(Parent) and weld materials of the weldment for cold-drawn 304L
stainless steel have been obtained experimentally. For this purpose,
test samples have been generated from cold drawn bars and weld
material according to the ASTM standard. The creep behavior and
properties have been examined for these materials by conducting uniaxial
creep tests. Constant temperatures and constant load uni-axial
creep tests have been carried out at two high temperatures, 680 and
720 oC, subjected to constant loads, which produce initial stresses
ranging from 240 to 360 MPa. The experimental data have been used
to obtain the creep constitutive parameters using numerical
optimization techniques.
Abstract: Complexity, as a theoretical background has made it
easier to understand and explain the features and dynamic behavior
of various complex systems. As the common theoretical background
has confirmed, borrowing the terminology for design from the
natural sciences has helped to control and understand urban
complexity. Phenomena like self-organization, evolution and
adaptation are appropriate to describe the formerly inaccessible
characteristics of the complex environment in unpredictable bottomup
systems. Increased computing capacity has been a key element in
capturing the chaotic nature of these systems.
A paradigm shift in urban planning and architectural design has
forced us to give up the illusion of total control in urban
environment, and consequently to seek for novel methods for
steering the development. New methods using dynamic modeling
have offered a real option for more thorough understanding of
complexity and urban processes. At best new approaches may renew
the design processes so that we get a better grip on the complex
world via more flexible processes, support urban environmental
diversity and respond to our needs beyond basic welfare by liberating
ourselves from the standardized minimalism.
A complex system and its features are as such beyond human
ethics. Self-organization or evolution is either good or bad. Their
mechanisms are by nature devoid of reason. They are common in
urban dynamics in both natural processes and gas. They are features
of a complex system, and they cannot be prevented. Yet their
dynamics can be studied and supported.
The paradigm of complexity and new design approaches has been
criticized for a lack of humanity and morality, but the ethical
implications of scientific or computational design processes have not
been much discussed. It is important to distinguish the (unexciting)
ethics of the theory and tools from the ethics of computer aided
processes based on ethical decisions. Urban planning and architecture
cannot be based on the survival of the fittest; however, the natural
dynamics of the system cannot be impeded on grounds of being
“non-human".
In this paper the ethical challenges of using the dynamic models
are contemplated in light of a few examples of new architecture and
dynamic urban models and literature. It is suggested that ethical
challenges in computational design processes could be reframed
under the concepts of responsibility and transparency.
Abstract: The segmentation of endovascular tools in fluoroscopy images can be accurately performed automatically or by minimum user intervention, using known modern techniques. It has been proven in literature, but no clinical implementation exists so far because the computational time requirements of such technology have not yet been met. A classical segmentation scheme is composed of edge enhancement filtering, line detection, and segmentation. A new method is presented that consists of a vector that propagates in the image to track an edge as it advances. The filtering is performed progressively in the projected path of the vector, whose orientation allows for oriented edge detection, and a minimal image area is globally filtered. Such an algorithm is rapidly computed and can be implemented in real-time applications. It was tested on medical fluoroscopy images from an endovascular cerebral intervention. Ex- periments showed that the 2D tracking was limited to guidewires without intersection crosspoints, while the 3D implementation was able to cope with such planar difficulties.