Abstract: Heavy metal pollution is an environmental concern.
Phytoremediation is a low-cost, environmental-friendly approach to
solve this problem. Mustard has the potential in reducing heavy metal
contents in soils. Among mustard (Brassica juncea (L.) Czern &
Coss) genotypes in Sri Lanka, accessions 7788, 8831 and 5088 give
significantly a high yield. Therefore, present study was conducted to
quantify the phytoextractive potential among these local mustard
accessions and to assess the interaction of heavy metals, Pb, Co, Mn
on phytoextraction. A pot experiment was designed with acid washed
sand (quartz) and a series of heavy metal solutions of 0, 25, 50, 75
and 100 μg/g. Experiment was carried out with factorial
experimental design. Mustard accessions were tolerant to heavy
metals and could be successfully used in removal of Pb, Co and Mn
and they are capable of accumulating significant quantities of heavy
metals in vegetative and reproductive organs. The order of the
accumulative potential of Pb, Co and Mn in mustard accessions is,
root > shoot >seed.
Abstract: The purpose of this research is to develop and apply the
RSCMAC to enhance the dynamic accuracy of Global Positioning
System (GPS). GPS devices provide services of accurate positioning,
speed detection and highly precise time standard for over 98% area on
the earth. The overall operation of Global Positioning System includes
24 GPS satellites in space; signal transmission that includes 2
frequency carrier waves (Link 1 and Link 2) and 2 sets random
telegraphic codes (C/A code and P code), on-earth monitoring stations
or client GPS receivers. Only 4 satellites utilization, the client position
and its elevation can be detected rapidly. The more receivable
satellites, the more accurate position can be decoded. Currently, the
standard positioning accuracy of the simplified GPS receiver is greatly
increased, but due to affected by the error of satellite clock, the
troposphere delay and the ionosphere delay, current measurement
accuracy is in the level of 5~15m. In increasing the dynamic GPS
positioning accuracy, most researchers mainly use inertial navigation
system (INS) and installation of other sensors or maps for the
assistance. This research utilizes the RSCMAC advantages of fast
learning, learning convergence assurance, solving capability of
time-related dynamic system problems with the static positioning
calibration structure to improve and increase the GPS dynamic
accuracy. The increasing of GPS dynamic positioning accuracy can be
achieved by using RSCMAC system with GPS receivers collecting
dynamic error data for the error prediction and follows by using the
predicted error to correct the GPS dynamic positioning data. The
ultimate purpose of this research is to improve the dynamic positioning
error of cheap GPS receivers and the economic benefits will be
enhanced while the accuracy is increased.
Abstract: In power systems, protective relays must filter their
inputs to remove undesirable quantities and retain signal quantities of
interest. This job must be performed accurate and fast. A new
method for filtering the undesirable components such as DC and
harmonic components associated with the fundamental system
signals. The method is s based on a dynamic filtering algorithm. The
filtering algorithm has many advantages over some other classical
methods. It can be used as dynamic on-line filter without the need of
parameters readjusting as in the case of classic filters. The proposed
filter is tested using different signals. Effects of number of samples
and sampling window size are discussed. Results obtained are
presented and discussed to show the algorithm capabilities.
Abstract: An evaluation of the PCBs residues in the surface soils from Bacninh, Vietnam was carried out. Sixty representative soil samples were collected from the centre of Bacninh and three surrounding districts. The analyzed results indicated the wide extent of contamination of total PCBs in Bacninh. In industrial and urban zones, total PCBs concentrations ranged from ranged from
Abstract: There were many studies on how to alleviate breast discomfort by reducing breast motion, in which nipple motion was used to represent breast motion. However, this assumption had not been experimentally validated. The aim of this paper was to experimentally validate if nipple can be used as a good indicator of breast. Seven participants (average of 24.4 years old) were recruited to walk and run on the treadmill at 5km h-1 and 10km h-1 respectively. Six markers were pasted on their bodies to collect motion data of different parts of breasts. The results of Friedman test combined with the relationship among the five markers on the same breast revealed that nipple could be used as a good indicator of breast. Wilcoxon test showed that there was no significant (P
Abstract: In developing countries located in monsoon areas like
Thailand where rainwater is currently of no value for urban dwellers
due to easily access to piped water supply at each household, studies
in rainwater harvesting for domestic use are of low interest. However
it is needed to undertake research to find out appropriate rainwater
harvesting systems particularly for small urban communities that are
recently developed from a full rural structure to urban context. As a
matter of fact, in such transitional period, relying on only common
water resources is risky. With some specific economic settings, land
use patterns, and historical and cultural context that dominate
perceptions of water users in the study area, the level of service in
this study may certainly be different from megacities or cities located
in industrial zone. The overviews of some available technologies and
background of rainwater harvesting including alternate resource are
included in this paper. Among other sources of water supply, ground
water use as the water resource of Thailand and also in the study area.
Abstract: Process control and energy conservation are the two
primary reasons for using an adjustable speed drive. However,
voltage sags are the most important power quality problems facing
many commercial and industrial customers. The development of
boost converters has raised much excitement and speculation
throughout the electric industry. Now utilities are looking to these
devices for performance improvement and reliability in a variety of
areas. Examples of these include sags, spikes, or transients in supply
voltage as well as unbalanced voltages, poor electrical system
grounding, and harmonics. In this paper, simulations results are
presented for the verification of the proposed boost converter
topology. Boost converter provides ride through capability during
sag and swell. Further, input currents are near sinusoidal. This
eliminates the need of braking resistor also.
Abstract: The use of renewable energy sources incl. biogas has become topical in accordance with the increasing demand for energy, decrease of fossil energy resources and the efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as to increase energy independence from the territories where fossil energy resources are available.
As the technologies of biogas production from agricultural biomass develop, risk assessment and risk management become necessary for farms producing such a renewable energy. The need for risk assessments has become particularly topical when discussions on changing the biogas policy in the EU take place, which may influence the development of the sector in the future, as well as the operation of existing biogas facilities and their income level.
The current article describes results of the risk assessment for farms producing biomass from agriculture biomass in Latvia, the risk assessment system included 24 risks, that affect the whole biogas production process and the obtained results showed the high significance of political and production risks.
Abstract: This experiment was conducted to investigate the
effect of dietary supplementation of different levels of black seed
(Nigella sativa L.) on the performance and immune response of broiler chicks. A total 240 day-old broiler chicks were used and
randomly allotted equally into six experimental groups designated as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 having black seed at the rate of 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and
10 g /kg diet respectively. The study was lasted for 42 days. Average body weight, weight gain, relative growth rate, feed
conversion, antibody titer against Newcastle disease, phagocytic activity and phagocytic index, some blood parameters(GOT, GPT,
Glucose, Cholesterol, Triglyceride, Total protein, Albumen, WBCs,
RBCs, Hb and PCV), dressing percentage, weight of different body
organs, abdominal fat weight, were determined. It was found that, N. Sativa significantly improved final body weight, total body gain
and feed conversion ratio of groups 2 and 3 when compared with the control group. Higher levels of N. Sativa did not improve
growth performance of the chicks. Non significant differences were
observed for antibody titer against Newcastle virus, WBCs count,
serum GOT, glucose level, dressing %, relative liver, spleen, heart and head percentages. Lymphoid organs (Bursa and Thymus)
improved significantly with increasing N. Sativa level in all supplemented groups. Serum cholesterol, triglyceride and visible fat
% significantly decreased with Nigella sativa supplementation while
serum GPT level significantly increased with nigella sativa
supplementation.
Abstract: Information and communication service providers
(ICSP) that are significant in size and provide Internet-based services
take administrative, technical, and physical protection measures via
the information security check service (ISCS). These protection
measures are the minimum action necessary to secure the stability and
continuity of the information and communication services (ICS) that
they provide. Thus, information assets are essential to providing ICS,
and deciding the relative importance of target assets for protection is a
critical procedure. The risk analysis model designed to decide the
relative importance of information assets, which is described in this
study, evaluates information assets from many angles, in order to
choose which ones should be given priority when it comes to
protection. Many-sided risk analysis (MSRS) grades the importance of
information assets, based on evaluation of major security check items,
evaluation of the dependency on the information and communication
facility (ICF) and influence on potential incidents, and evaluation of
major items according to their service classification, in order to
identify the ISCS target. MSRS could be an efficient risk analysis
model to help ICSPs to identify their core information assets and take
information protection measures first, so that stability of the ICS can
be ensured.
Abstract: Synthetic juice clarification was done through spiral
wound ultrafiltration (UF) membrane module. Synthetic juice was
clarified at two different operating conditions, such as, with and
without permeates recycle at turbulent flow regime. The performance
of spiral wound ultrafiltration membrane was analyzed during
clarification of synthetic juice. Synthetic juice was the mixture of
deionized water, sucrose and pectin molecule. The operating
conditions are: feed flowrate of 10 lpm, pressure drop of 413.7 kPa
and Reynolds no of 5000. Permeate sample was analyzed in terms of
volume reduction factor (VRF), viscosity (Pa.s), ⁰Brix, TDS (mg/l),
electrical conductivity (μS) and turbidity (NTU). It was observe that
the permeate flux declined with operating time for both conditions of
with and without permeate recycle due to increase of concentration
polarization and increase of gel layer on membrane surface. For
without permeate recycle, the membrane fouling rate was faster
compared to with permeate recycle. For without permeate recycle,
the VRF rose up to 5 and for with recycle permeate the VRF is 1.9.
The VRF is higher due to adsorption of solute (pectin) molecule on
membrane surface and resulting permeateflux declined with VRF.
With permeate recycle, quality was within acceptable limit. Fouled
membrane was cleaned by applying different processes (e.g.,
deionized water, SDS and EDTA solution). Membrane cleaning was
analyzed in terms of permeability recovery.
Abstract: To distinguish small retinal hemorrhages in early
diabetic retinopathy from dust artifacts, we analyzed hue, lightness,
and saturation (HLS) color spaces. The fundus of 5 patients with
diabetic retinopathy was photographed. For the initial experiment, we
placed 4 different colored papers on the ceiling of a darkroom. Using
each color, 10 fragments of house dust particles on a magnifier were
photographed. The colored papers were removed, and 3 different
colored light bulbs were suspended from the ceiling. Ten fragments of
house dust particles on the camera-s object lens were photographed.
We then constructed an experimental device that can photograph
artificial eyes. Five fragments of house dust particles under the ocher
fundus of the artificial eye were photographed. On analyzing HLS
color space of the dust artifact, lightness and saturation were found to
be highly sensitive. However, hue was not highly sensitive.
Abstract: Tourism industry is an important sector in Malaysia economy and this motivates the examination of long-run relationships between tourist arrivals from three selected European countries in Malaysia and four possible determinants; relative prices, exchange rates, transportation cost and relative prices of substitute destination. The study utilizes data from January 1999 to September 2008 and employs standard econometric techniques that include unit root test and cointegration test. The estimated demand model indicates that depreciation of local currency and increases in prices at substitute destination have positive impact on tourist arrivals while increase in transportation cost has negative impact on tourist arrivals. In addition, the model suggests that higher rate of increase in local prices relative to prices at tourist country of origin may not deter tourists from coming to Malaysia
Abstract: Business Process Modeling (BPM) is the first and
most important step in business process management lifecycle. Graph
based formalism and rule based formalism are the two most
predominant formalisms on which process modeling languages are
developed. BPM technology continues to face challenges in coping
with dynamic business environments where requirements and goals
are constantly changing at the execution time. Graph based
formalisms incur problems to react to dynamic changes in Business
Process (BP) at the runtime instances. In this research, an adaptive
and flexible framework based on the integration between Object
Oriented diagramming technique and Petri Net modeling language is
proposed in order to support change management techniques for
BPM and increase the representation capability for Object Oriented
modeling for the dynamic changes in the runtime instances. The
proposed framework is applied in a higher education environment to
achieve flexible, updatable and dynamic BP.
Abstract: This paper focuses on a critical component of the situational awareness (SA), the neural control of depth flight of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). Constant depth flight is a challenging but important task for AUVs to achieve high level of autonomy under adverse conditions. With the SA strategy, we proposed a multirate neural control of an AUV trajectory for a nontrivial mid-small size AUV “r2D4" stochastic model. This control system has been demonstrated and evaluated by simulation of diving maneuvers using software package Simulink. From the simulation results it can be seen that the chosen AUV model is stable in the presence of noises, and also can be concluded that the proposed research technique will be useful for fast SA of similar AUV systems in real-time search-and-rescue operations.
Abstract: In a lowland dipterocarp forest, we assessed the impact of canopy openness (CO) and the resultant changes under different logging systems using hemispherical photography. CO was assessed in a primary forest and two forests logged selectively using reduced impact logging. At one site, 3-m-wide strip cutting was conducted for line planting. From the comparison of CO among the three sites, we found significant changes caused by logging. However, no significant difference was observed between the two logged sites. Strip cutting treatment did not affect CO. One year after, significant canopy closure occurred in both of the logged sites. Canopy closure was significant regardless of the disturbance element, logging gap, skid trail, or strip cutting line. Significant establishment of seedlings within a year was observed in the strip cutting line. Seedling establishment seemed to contribute to rapid canopy closure and prospected to affect to the survival and growth of planted trees.
Abstract: The Euler-s equation of motion is extended to include
the viscosity stress tensor leading to the formulation of Navier–
Stokes type equation. The latter is linearized and applied to
investigate the rotational motion or vorticity in a viscous fluid.
Relations for the velocity of viscous waves and attenuation parameter
are obtained in terms of viscosity (μ) and the density (¤ü) of the fluid.
μ and ¤ü are measured experimentally as a function of temperature for
two different samples of light and heavy crude oil. These data
facilitated to determine the activation energy, velocity of viscous
wave and the attenuation parameter. Shear wave velocity in heavy oil
is found to be much larger than the light oil, whereas the attenuation
parameter in heavy oil is quite low in comparison to light one. The
activation energy of heavy oil is three times larger than light oil.
Abstract: Peer review is an activity where students review their
classmates- writing and then evaluate the content, development, unity
and organization. Studies have shown that peer review activities
benefit both the reviewer and the writer in developing their reading
and writing skills. Furthermore, peer review activities may also
enhance students- soft skills. This study was conducted to find out the
benefits of peer review activity in a technical writing class based on
engineering students- perceptions. The study also highlights how
these benefits could improve the students- soft skills. A set of
questionnaire was given to 200 undergraduate students of a technical
writing course. The results of the study indicate that the activity could
help improve their critical thinking skills, written and oral
communication skills, as well as team work. This paper further
discusses how the implications of these benefits could help enhance
students- soft skills.
Abstract: In order to derive important parameters concerning
mobile subscriber MS with ongoing calls in Low Earth Orbit Mobile
Satellite Systems LEO MSSs, a positioning system had to be
integrated into MSS in order to localize mobile subscribers MSs and
track them during the connection. Such integration is regarded as a
complex implementation.
We propose in this paper a novel method based on advantages of
mobility model of Low Earth Orbit Mobile Satellite System LEO
MSS called Evaluation Parameters Method EPM which allows for
such systems the evaluation of different information concerning a
MS with a call in progress even if its location is unknown.
Abstract: Understanding the cell's large-scale organization is an interesting task in computational biology. Thus, protein-protein interactions can reveal important organization and function of the cell. Here, we investigated the correspondence between protein interactions and function for the yeast. We obtained the correlations among the set of proteins. Then these correlations are clustered using both the hierarchical and biclustering methods. The detailed analyses of proteins in each cluster were carried out by making use of their functional annotations. As a result, we found that some functional classes appear together in almost all biclusters. On the other hand, in hierarchical clustering, the dominancy of one functional class is observed. In the light of the clustering data, we have verified some interactions which were not identified as core interactions in DIP and also, we have characterized some functionally unknown proteins according to the interaction data and functional correlation. In brief, from interaction data to function, some correlated results are noticed about the relationship between interaction and function which might give clues about the organization of the proteins, also to predict new interactions and to characterize functions of unknown proteins.