Abstract: The paper deals with the analysis of triggering
conditions and evolution processes of piping phenomena, in relation
to both mechanical and hydraulic aspects. In particular, the aim of
the study is to predict slope instabilities triggered by piping,
analysing the conditions necessary for a flow failure to occur. Really,
the mechanical effect involved in the loads redistribution around the
pipe is coupled to the drainage process arising from higher
permeability of the pipe. If after the pipe formation, the drainage
goes prevented for pipe clogging, the porewater pressure increase can
lead to the failure or even the liquefaction, with a subsequent flow
slide. To simulate the piping evolution and to verify relevant stability
conditions, a iterative coupled modelling approach has been pointed
out. As example, the proposed tool has been applied to the Stava
Valley disaster (July, 1985), demonstrating that piping might be one
of triggering phenomena of the tailings dams collapse.
Abstract: Twelve lactating Etawah Crossedbred goats were used
in this study. Goat feed consisted of Cally andra callothyrsus,
Pennisetum purpureum, wheat bran and dried fermented cassava
peel. The cassava peels were fermented with a traditional culture
called “ragi tape" (mixed culture of Saccharomyces cerevisae,
Aspergillus sp, Candida, Hasnula and Acetobacter). The goats were
divided into 2 groups (Control and Treated) of six does. The
experimental diet of the Control group consisted of 70% of roughage
(fresh Callyandra callothyrsus and Pennisetum purpureum 60:40)
and 30% of wheat bran on dry matter (DM) base. In the Treated
group 30% of wheat bran was replaced with dried fermented cassava
peels. Data were statistically analyzed using analysis of variance
followed SPSS program. The concentration of HCN in fermented
cassava peel decreased to non toxic level. Nutrient composition of
dried fermented cassava peel consisted of 85.75% dry matter;
5.80% crude protein and 82.51% total digestible nutrien (TDN).
Substitution of 30% of wheat bran with dried fermented cassava peel
in the diet had no effect on dry matter and organic matter intake but
significantly (P< 0.05) decreased crude protein and TDN
consumption as well as milk yields and milk composition. The study
recommended to reduced the level of substitution to less than 30% of
concentrates in the diet in order to avoid low nutrient intake and milk
production of goats.
Abstract: Physical and mechanical properties of Russian olive
fruits were measured at moisture content of 14.43% w.b. The results
revealed that the mean length, width and thickness of Russian olive
fruits were 20.72, 15.73 and 14.69mm, respectively. Mean mass and
volume of Russian olive fruits were measured as 1.45 g and 2.55 cm3,
respectively. The sphericity, aspect ratio and surface area were
calculated as 0.81, 0.72 and 8.96 cm2, respectively, while arithmetic
mean diameter, geometric mean diameter and equivalent diameter of
Russian olive fruits were 17.05, 16.83 and 16.84 mm, respectively.
Whole fruit density, bulk density and porosity of jujube fruits were
measured and found to be 1.01 g/cm3, 0.29 g/cm3 and 69.5%,
respectively. The values of static coefficient of friction on three
surfaces of glass, galvanized iron and plywood were 0.35, 0.36 and
0.43, respectively. The skin color (L*, a*, b*) varied from 9.92 to
16.08; 2.04 to 3.91 and 1.12 to 3.83, respectively. The values of
rupture force, deformation, energy absorbed and hardness were found
to be between 12.14-16.85 N, 2.16-4.25 mm, 3.42-6.99 N mm and
17.1-23.85 N/mm.
Abstract: Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are used to monitor/observe vast inaccessible regions through deployment of large number of sensor nodes in the sensing area. For majority of WSN applications, the collected data needs to be combined with geographic information of its origin to make it useful for the user; information received from remote Sensor Nodes (SNs) that are several hops away from base station/sink is meaningless without knowledge of its source. In addition to this, location information of SNs can also be used to propose/develop new network protocols for WSNs to improve their energy efficiency and lifetime. In this paper, range free localization protocols for WSNs have been proposed. The proposed protocols are based on weighted centroid localization technique, where the edge weights of SNs are decided by utilizing fuzzy logic inference for received signal strength and link quality between the nodes. The fuzzification is carried out using (i) Mamdani, (ii) Sugeno, and (iii) Combined Mamdani Sugeno fuzzy logic inference. Simulation results demonstrate that proposed protocols provide better accuracy in node localization compared to conventional centroid based localization protocols despite presence of unintentional radio frequency interference from radio frequency (RF) sources operating in same frequency band.
Abstract: The paper provides a discussion of the most relevant
aspects of yield curve modeling. Two classes of models are
considered: stochastic and parsimonious function based, through the
approaches developed by Vasicek (1977) and Nelson and Siegel
(1987). Yield curve estimates for Croatia are presented and their
dynamics analyzed and finally, a comparative analysis of models is
conducted.
Abstract: The paper compares the treatment of fractions in a
typical undergraduate college curriculum and in abstract algebra
textbooks. It stresses that the main difference is that the
undergraduate curriculum treats equivalent fractions as equal, and
this treatment eventually leads to paradoxes and impairs the students-
ability to perceive ratios, proportions, radicals and rational exponents
adequately. The paper suggests a simplified version of rigorous
theory of fractions suitable for regular college curriculum.
Abstract: This paper presents a method of model selection and
identification of Hammerstein systems by hybridization of the genetic
algorithm (GA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO). An unknown
nonlinear static part to be estimated is approximately represented
by an automatic choosing function (ACF) model. The weighting
parameters of the ACF and the system parameters of the linear
dynamic part are estimated by the linear least-squares method. On
the other hand, the adjusting parameters of the ACF model structure
are properly selected by the hybrid algorithm of the GA and PSO,
where the Akaike information criterion is utilized as the evaluation
value function. Simulation results are shown to demonstrate the
effectiveness of the proposed hybrid algorithm.
Abstract: Water is the key of national development. Wherever a spring has been dried out or a river has changed its course, the area-s people have migrated and have been scattered and the area-s civilization has lost its brilliance. Today, air pollution, global warming and ozone layer damage are as the problems of countries, but certainly in the next decade the shortage and pollution of waters will be important issues of the world. The polluted waters are more dangerous in when they are used in agriculture. Because they infect plants and these plants are used in human and livestock consumption in food chain. With the increasing population growth and after that, the increase need to facilities and raw materials, human beings has started to do haste actions and wanted or unwanted destroyed his life basin. They try to overuse and capture his environment extremely, instead of having futurism approach in sustainable use of nature. This process includes Zayanderood recession, and caused its pollution after the transition from industrial and urban areas. Zayandehrood River in Isfahan is a vital artery of a living ecosystem. Now is the location of disposal waste water of many cities, villages and existing industries. The central area of the province is an important industrial place, and its environmental situation has reached a critical stage. Not only a large number of pollution-generating industries are active in the city limits, but outside of the city and adjacent districts Zayandehrood River, heavy industries like steel, Mobarakeh Steel and other tens great units pollute wild life. This article tries to study contaminant sources of Zayanderood and their severity, and determine and discuss the share of each of these resources by major industrial centers located in areas. At the end, we represent suitable strategy.
Abstract: One part of the total employee’s reward is apart from basic wages or salary, employee’s benefits and intangible remuneration also so called contingent (variable) pay. Contingent pay is connected to performance, contribution, cap competency or skills of individual employees, and to team’s or company-wide performance or to combination of few of the mentioned possibilities. Sometimes among the contingent pay is also incorporated the remuneration based on length of employment, when the financial reward is not connected to performance or skills, but to length of continuous employment either on one working position or in one level of remuneration scale. Main aim of this article is to define, based on available information, contingent pay, describe individual forms, its advantages and disadvantages and possibilities to utilization in practice; but also bring information not only about its extent and level of utilization of contingent pay by companies in one of the Czech Republic’s regions, but also mention their practical experience with this type of remuneration.
Abstract: Product customization is an essential requirement for
manufacturing firms to achieve higher customers- satisfaction and
fulfill business target. In order to achieve these objectives, firms need
to handle both external varieties such as customer preference,
government regulations, cultural considerations etc and internal
varieties such as functional requirements of product, production
efficiency, quality etc. Both of the varieties need to be accumulated
and integrated together for the purpose of producing customized
product. These varieties are presented and discussed in this paper
along with the perspectives of modular product design and
development process. Other development strategies such as
modularity, component commonality, product family design and
product platform are presented with a view to achieve product variety
quickly and economically. A case example both for the concept of
modular design and platform based product development process is
also presented with the help of design structure matrix (DSM) tool.
This paper is concluded with several managerial implications and
future research direction.
Abstract: The need for multilingual communication in Japan has
increased due to an increase in the number of foreigners in the
country. When people communicate in their nonnative language,
the differences in language prevent mutual understanding among
the communicating individuals. In the medical field, communication
between the hospital staff and patients is a serious problem. Currently,
medical translators accompany patients to medical care facilities, and
the demand for medical translators is increasing. However, medical
translators cannot necessarily provide support, especially in cases in
which round-the-clock support is required or in case of emergencies.
The medical field has high expectations from information technology.
Hence, a system that supports accurate multilingual communication is
required. Despite recent advances in machine translation technology,
it is very difficult to obtain highly accurate translations. We have
developed a support system called M3 for multilingual medical
reception. M3 provides support functions that aid foreign patients in
the following respects: conversation, questionnaires, reception procedures,
and hospital navigation; it also has a Q&A function. Users
can operate M3 using a touch screen and receive text-based support.
In addition, M3 uses accurate translation tools called parallel texts
to facilitate reliable communication through conversations between
the hospital staff and the patients. However, if there is no parallel
text that expresses what users want to communicate, the users cannot
communicate. In this study, we have developed a circulating support
environment for multilingual medical communication using parallel
texts. The proposed environment can circulate necessary parallel texts
through the following procedure: (1) a user provides feedback about
the necessary parallel texts, following which (2) these parallel texts
are created and evaluated.
Abstract: In this contribution is presented a complex design of
individual objects identification in the workplace of intelligent
assembly cell. Intelligent assembly cell is situated at Institute of
Manufacturing Systems and Applied Mechanics and is used for
pneumatic actuator assembly. Pneumatic actuator components are
pneumatic roller, cover, piston and spring. Two identification objects
alternatives for assembly are designed in the workplace of industrial
robot. In the contribution is evaluated and selected suitable
alternative for identification – 2D codes reader. The complex design
of individual object identification is going out of intelligent
manufacturing systems knowledge.
Intelligent assembly and manufacturing systems as systems of
new generation are gradually loaded in to the mechanical production,
when they are removeing human operation out of production process
and they also short production times.
Abstract: Data Mining aims at discovering knowledge out of
data and presenting it in a form that is easily comprehensible to
humans. One of the useful applications in Egypt is the Cancer
management, especially the management of Acute Lymphoblastic
Leukemia or ALL, which is the most common type of cancer in
children.
This paper discusses the process of designing a prototype that can
help in the management of childhood ALL, which has a great
significance in the health care field. Besides, it has a social impact
on decreasing the rate of infection in children in Egypt. It also
provides valubale information about the distribution and
segmentation of ALL in Egypt, which may be linked to the possible
risk factors.
Undirected Knowledge Discovery is used since, in the case of this
research project, there is no target field as the data provided is
mainly subjective. This is done in order to quantify the subjective
variables. Therefore, the computer will be asked to identify
significant patterns in the provided medical data about ALL. This
may be achieved through collecting the data necessary for the
system, determimng the data mining technique to be used for the
system, and choosing the most suitable implementation tool for the
domain.
The research makes use of a data mining tool, Clementine, so as to
apply Decision Trees technique. We feed it with data extracted from
real-life cases taken from specialized Cancer Institutes. Relevant
medical cases details such as patient medical history and diagnosis
are analyzed, classified, and clustered in order to improve the disease
management.
Abstract: The article deals with the problems of political and
economic processes in Kazakhstan since independence in the context
of globalization. It analyzes the geopolitical situation and selfpositioning
processes in the world after the end of the "cold war". It
examines the problems of internal economization of the Republic for
20 years of independence. The authors argue that the reforms
proceeded in the economic sphere have brought ambiguous and
tangible results. Despite the difficult economic and political conditions
facing a world economical crisis the country has undergone
fundamental and radical transformations in the whole socio-economic
system
Abstract: One field experiment was conducted on corn (Zea
mays L.Var. SC 704) to study the effect of three different basic levels
of nitrogen (90, 140and 190 Kg/ha as urea) with 0.01% and 0.02%
pyridoxine pre-sowing seed soaking for 8 hours. Water-soaked seeds
were treated as controled. biomass production was recorded on 45,
70 and 95 days after sowing. Total dry material (TDM), leaf area
index (LAI), crop growth rate (CGR), relative growth rate (RGR) and
net assimilation rate (NAR) was calculated form 45until 95 days after
sowing. Yield and its components such as kernel yield, grain weight,
biologic yield, harvest index and protein percentage was measured at
harvest. In general, 0.02% pyridoxine and 190 Kg pure nitrogen/ha
was shown gave maximum value for growth and yield parameters.
N190 + 0.02 % pyridoxine enhanced seed yield and biologic yield by
57.15% and 62.98% compared to 90kg N and water – soaked
treatment.
Abstract: With the advent of digital cinema and digital
broadcasting, copyright protection of video data has been one of the
most important issues.
We present a novel method of watermarking for video image data
based on the hardware and digital wavelet transform techniques and
name it as “traceable watermarking" because the watermarked data is
constructed before the transmission process and traced after it has been
received by an authorized user.
In our method, we embed the watermark to the lowest part of each
image frame in decoded video by using a hardware LSI.
Digital Cinema is an important application for traceable
watermarking since digital cinema system makes use of watermarking
technology during content encoding, encryption, transmission,
decoding and all the intermediate process to be done in digital cinema
systems. The watermark is embedded into the randomly selected
movie frames using hash functions.
Embedded watermark information can be extracted from the
decoded video data. For that, there is no need to access original movie
data. Our experimental results show that proposed traceable
watermarking method for digital cinema system is much better than the
convenient watermarking techniques in terms of robustness, image
quality, speed, simplicity and robust structure.
Abstract: The objective of this research is to study the technical
and economic performance of wind/diesel/battery (W/D/B) system
supplying a remote small gathering of six families using HOMER
software package. The electrical energy is to cater for the basic needs
for which the daily load pattern is estimated. Net Present Cost (NPC)
and Cost of Energy (COE) are used as economic criteria, while the measure of performance is % of power shortage. Technical and
economic parameters are defined to estimate the feasibility of the
system under study. Optimum system configurations are estimated for two sites. Using HOMER software, the simulation results showed that W/D/B systems are economical for the assumed community sites
as the price of generated electricity is about 0.308 $/kWh, without
taking external benefits into considerations. W/D/B systems are more
economical than W/B or diesel alone systems, as the COE is 0.86 $/kWh for W/B and 0.357 $/kWh for diesel alone.
Abstract: Shoots, with three leaves, of Paphiopedilum 'Delrosi'
were used as explants for multiple shoot induction. Modified
Hyponex medium was supplemented with thidiazuron (TDZ), N6-
benzyladenine (BA) or kinetin (Kn) alone and in combinations with
2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). All explants were cultured
for 15 weeks. It was found that TDZ alone at the concentration of
0.45μM or in combination with 4.52μM 2,4-D and 8.88μM BA in
combination with 13.56μM 2,4-D promoted multiple shoots. The
highest shoot sprouting efficiencies (80.0, 90.0 and 80.0%) and new
shoot numbers (1.5, 1.3 and 1.1) were obtained, respectively. Fresh
weight, height, numbers of leaf and root of new shoots and initial
explants were discussed.
Abstract: The optimization problem using time scales is studied.
Time scale is a model of time. The language of time scales seems to
be an ideal tool to unify the continuous-time and the discrete-time
theories. In this work we present necessary conditions for a solution
of an optimization problem on time scales. To obtain that result we
use properties and results of the partial diamond-alpha derivatives for
continuous-multivariable functions. These results are also presented
here.
Abstract: In this work, several ASP solutions were flooded into
fractured models initially saturated with heavy oil at a constant flow
rate and different geometrical characteristics of fracture. The ASP
solutions are constituted from 2 polymers i.e. a synthetic polymer,
hydrolyzed polyacrylamide as well as a biopolymer, a surfactant and
2types of alkaline. The results showed that using synthetic
hydrolyzed polyacrylamide polymer increases ultimate oil recovery;
however, type of alkaline does not play a significant rule on oil
recovery. In addition, position of the injection well respect to the
fracture system has remarkable effects on ASP flooding. For instance
increasing angle of fractures with mean flow direction causes more
oil recovery and delays breakthrough time. This work can be
accounted as a comprehensive survey on ASP flooding which
considers most of effective factors in this chemical EOR method.