Abstract: The data is available in abundance in any business
organization. It includes the records for finance, maintenance,
inventory, progress reports etc. As the time progresses, the data keep
on accumulating and the challenge is to extract the information from
this data bank. Knowledge discovery from these large and complex
databases is the key problem of this era. Data mining and machine
learning techniques are needed which can scale to the size of the
problems and can be customized to the application of business. For
the development of accurate and required information for particular
problem, business analyst needs to develop multidimensional models
which give the reliable information so that they can take right
decision for particular problem. If the multidimensional model does
not possess the advance features, the accuracy cannot be expected.
The present work involves the development of a Multidimensional
data model incorporating advance features. The criterion of
computation is based on the data precision and to include slowly
change time dimension. The final results are displayed in graphical
form.
Abstract: Panoramic view generation has always offered
novel and distinct challenges in the field of image processing.
Panoramic view generation is nothing but construction of bigger
view mosaic image from set of partial images of the desired view.
The paper presents a solution to one of the problems of image
seascape formation where some of the partial images are color and
others are grayscale. The simplest solution could be to convert all
image parts into grayscale images and fusing them to get grayscale
image panorama. But in the multihued world, obtaining the colored
seascape will always be preferred. This could be achieved by picking
colors from the color parts and squirting them in grayscale parts of
the seascape. So firstly the grayscale image parts should be colored
with help of color image parts and then these parts should be fused to
construct the seascape image.
The problem of coloring grayscale images has no exact solution.
In the proposed technique of panoramic view generation, the job of
transferring color traits from reference color image to grayscale
image is done by palette based method. In this technique, the color
palette is prepared using pixel windows of some degrees taken from
color image parts. Then the grayscale image part is divided into pixel
windows with same degrees. For every window of grayscale image
part the palette is searched and equivalent color values are found,
which could be used to color grayscale window. For palette
preparation we have used RGB color space and Kekre-s LUV color
space. Kekre-s LUV color space gives better quality of coloring. The
searching time through color palette is improved over the exhaustive
search using Kekre-s fast search technique.
After coloring the grayscale image pieces the next job is fusion of
all these pieces to obtain panoramic view. For similarity estimation
between partial images correlation coefficient is used.
Abstract: There are four challenges of sustainable development
and in corporate level sustainability management-s role is to answer
for ecological sustainability challenge, social sustainability challenge,
economic sustainability challenges to environment and social
management and integration challenge of corporate sustainable
challenges by the help of different concepts, methods, instruments,
which are in the toolbox of sustainability management. These
instruments, concepts have different relevance in these challenges,
and according to different literatures environmental management is
outside of social and integration challenge. Main aim of this paper is
to represent the answer for the question that: is it true that social and
integration point of view is outside of the concept environmental
accounting? Using literature review and primer research at the end of
the paper the answer will be confirmed.
Abstract: Information and communication technology (ICT) has
become, within a very short time, one of the basic building blocks of
modern society. Many countries now understanding the importance
of ICT and mastering the basic skills and concepts of it as part of the
core of education. Organizations, experts and practitioners in the
education sector increasingly recognizing the importance of ICT in
supporting educational improvement and reform. This paper
addresses the convergence of ICT and education. When two
technologies are converging to each other, together they will generate
some great opportunities and challenges. This paper focuses on these
issues. In introduction section, it explains the ICT, education, and
ICT-enhanced education. In next section it describes need of ICT in
education, relationship between ICT skills and education, and stages
of teaching learning process. The next two sections describe
opportunities and challenges in integrating ICT in education. Finally
the concluding section summaries the idea and its usefulness.
Abstract: The European countries that during the past two
decades based their exchange rate regimes on currency board
arrangement (CBA) are usually analysed from the perspective of
corner solution choice’s stabilisation effects. There is an open
discussion on the positive and negative background of a strict
exchange rate regime choice, although it should be seen as part of the
transition process towards the monetary union membership. The
focus of the paper is on the Baltic countries that after two decades of
a rigid exchange rate arrangement and strongly influenced by global
crisis are finishing their path towards the euro zone. Besides the
stabilising capacity, the CBA is highly vulnerable regime, with
limited developing potential. The rigidity of the exchange rate (and
monetary) system, despite the ensured credibility, do not leave
enough (or any) space for the adjustment and/or active crisis
management. Still, the Baltics are in a process of recovery, with fiscal
consolidation measures combined with (painful and politically
unpopular) measures of internal devaluation. Today, two of them
(Estonia and Latvia) are members of euro zone, fulfilling their
ultimate transition targets, but de facto exchanging one fixed regime
with another.
The paper analyses the challenges for the CBA in unstable
environment since the fixed regimes rely on imported stability and
are sensitive to external shocks. With limited monetary instruments,
these countries were oriented to the fiscal policies and used a
combination of internal devaluation and tax policy measures. Despite
their rather quick recovery, our second goal is to analyse the long
term influence that the measures had on the national economy.
Abstract: An enhanced particle swarm optimization algorithm
(PSO) is presented in this work to solve the non-convex OPF
problem that has both discrete and continuous optimization variables.
The objective functions considered are the conventional quadratic
function and the augmented quadratic function. The latter model
presents non-differentiable and non-convex regions that challenge
most gradient-based optimization algorithms. The optimization
variables to be optimized are the generator real power outputs and
voltage magnitudes, discrete transformer tap settings, and discrete
reactive power injections due to capacitor banks. The set of equality
constraints taken into account are the power flow equations while the
inequality ones are the limits of the real and reactive power of the
generators, voltage magnitude at each bus, transformer tap settings,
and capacitor banks reactive power injections. The proposed
algorithm combines PSO with Newton-Raphson algorithm to
minimize the fuel cost function. The IEEE 30-bus system with six
generating units is used to test the proposed algorithm. Several cases
were investigated to test and validate the consistency of detecting
optimal or near optimal solution for each objective. Results are
compared to solutions obtained using sequential quadratic
programming and Genetic Algorithms.
Abstract: The objective of this paper is to study the analysis and testing for determining the torsional stiffness of the student formula-s space frame. From past study, the space frame for Chulalongkorn University Student Formula team used in 2011 TSAE Auto Challenge Student Formula in Thailand was designed by considering required mass and torsional stiffness based on the numerical method and experimental method. The numerical result was compared with the experimental results to verify the torsional stiffness of the space frame. It can be seen from the large error of torsional stiffness of 2011 frame that the experimental result can not verify by the numerical analysis due to the different between the numerical model and experimental setting. In this paper, the numerical analysis and experiment of the same 2011 frame model is performed by improving the model setting. The improvement of both numerical analysis and experiment are discussed to confirm that the models from both methods are same. After the frame was analyzed and tested, the results are compared to verify the torsional stiffness of the frame. It can be concluded that the improved analysis and experiments can used to verify the torsional stiffness of the space frame.
Abstract: Solution for the complete removal of carbon
monoxide from the exhaust gases still poses a challenge to the
researchers and this problem is still under development. Modeling for
reduction of carbon monoxide is carried out using heterogeneous
reaction using low cost non-noble metal based catalysts for the
purpose of controlling emissions released to the atmosphere. A
simple one-dimensional model was developed for the monolith using
hopcalite catalyst. The converter is assumed to be an adiabatic
monolith operating under warm-up conditions. The effect of inlet gas
temperatures and catalyst loading on carbon monoxide reduction
during cold start period in the converter is analysed.
Abstract: Due to the recovering global economy, enterprises are
increasingly focusing on logistics. Investing in logistic measures for
a production generates a large potential for achieving a good starting
point within a competitive field. Unlike during the global economic
crisis, enterprises are now challenged with investing available capital
to maximize profits. In order to be able to create an informed and
quantifiably comprehensible basis for a decision, enterprises need an
adequate model for logistically and monetarily evaluating measures
in production. The Collaborate Research Centre 489 (SFB 489) at the
Institute for Production Systems (IFA) developed a Logistic
Information System which provides support in making decisions and
is designed specifically for the forging industry. The aim of a project
that has been applied for is to now transfer this process in order to
develop a universal approach to logistically and monetarily evaluate
measures in production.
Abstract: Proper management of residues originated from
industrial activities is considered as one of the serious challenges
faced by industrial societies due to their potential hazards to the
environment. Common disposal methods for industrial solid wastes
(ISWs) encompass various combinations of solely management
options, i.e. recycling, incineration, composting, and sanitary
landfilling. Indeed, the procedure used to evaluate and nominate the
best practical methods should be based on environmental, technical,
economical, and social assessments. In this paper an environmentaltechnical
assessment model is developed using analytical network
process (ANP) to facilitate the decision making practice for ISWs
generated at Gilan province, Iran. Using the results of performed
surveys on industrial units located at Gilan, the various groups of
solid wastes in the research area were characterized, and four
different ISW management scenarios were studied. The evaluation
process was conducted using the above-mentioned model in the
Super Decisions software (version 2.0.8) environment. The results
indicates that the best ISW management scenario for Gilan province
is consist of recycling the metal industries residues, composting the
putrescible portion of ISWs, combustion of paper, wood, fabric and
polymeric wastes as well as energy extraction in the incineration
plant, and finally landfilling the rest of the waste stream in addition
with rejected materials from recycling and compost production plants
and ashes from the incineration unit.
Abstract: Emergence of smartphones brings to live the concept
of converged devices with the availability of web amenities. Such
trend also challenges the mobile devices manufactures and service
providers in many aspects, such as security on mobile phones,
complex and long time design flow, as well as higher development
cost. Among these aspects, security on mobile phones is getting more
and more attention. Microkernel based virtualization technology will
play a critical role in addressing these challenges and meeting mobile
market needs and preferences, since virtualization provides essential
isolation for security reasons and it allows multiple operating systems
to run on one processor accelerating development and cutting development
cost. However, virtualization benefits do not come for free.
As an additional software layer, it adds some inevitable virtualization
overhead to the system, which may decrease the system performance.
In this paper we evaluate and analyze the virtualization performance
cost of L4 microkernel based virtualization on a competitive mobile
phone by comparing the L4Linux, a para-virtualized Linux on top of
L4 microkernel, with the native Linux performance using lmbench
and a set of typical mobile phone applications.
Abstract: The challenge for software development house in
Bangladesh is to find a path of using minimum process rather than CMMI or ISO type gigantic practice and process area. The small and medium size organization in Bangladesh wants to ensure minimum
basic Software Process Improvement (SPI) in day to day operational
activities. Perhaps, the basic practices will ensure to realize their company's improvement goals. This paper focuses on the key issues in basic software practices for small and medium size software
organizations, who are unable to effort the CMMI, ISO, ITIL etc. compliance certifications. This research also suggests a basic software process practices model for Bangladesh and it will show the mapping of our suggestions with international best practice. In this IT
competitive world for software process improvement, Small and medium size software companies that require collaboration and
strengthening to transform their current perspective into inseparable global IT scenario. This research performed some investigations and analysis on some projects- life cycle, current good practice, effective approach, reality and pain area of practitioners, etc. We did some
reasoning, root cause analysis, comparative analysis of various
approach, method, practice and justifications of CMMI and real life. We did avoid reinventing the wheel, where our focus is for minimal
practice, which will ensure a dignified satisfaction between
organizations and software customer.
Abstract: Power cables are vulnerable to failure due to aging or
defects that occur with the passage of time under continuous
operation and loading stresses. PD detection and characterization
provide information on the location, nature, form and extent of the
degradation. As a result, PD monitoring has become an important
part of condition based maintenance (CBM) program among power
utilities. Online partial discharge (PD) localization of defect sources
in power cable system is possible using the time of flight method.
The information regarding the time difference between the main and
reflected pulses and cable length can help in locating the partial
discharge source along the cable length. However, if the length of
the cable is not known and the defect source is located at the extreme
ends of the cable or in the middle of the cable, then double ended
measurement is required to indicate the location of PD source. Use of
multiple sensors can also help in discriminating the cable PD or local/
external PD. This paper presents the experience and results from
online partial discharge measurements conducted in the laboratory
and the challenges in partial discharge source localization.
Abstract: A major challenge in camel productivity is the high
mortality rate of camel calves in the early stage due to the lack of
colostrums. This study investigates the time required for the calves to
obtain the optimum amount of the immunoglobulin (IgG). Eleven
pregnant female camels (Camelus Dromedarus) were selected
randomly and variant in age and gestation. After delivery, 7 calves
were obtained and used for this investigation. Colostrum samples
were collected from mothers immediately after parturition. Blood
samples were obtained from the calves as follow: 0 day (before
suckling), 24, 48, 72, 96, 120 and 144 hours, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th weeks
post suckling. Blood serum and colostrums whey were separated and
used to determine IgG concentration, total protein and concentration
of Cortisol and Thyroxin. The results showed high levels of IgG in
camel colostrums (328.8 ± 4.5 mg / ml). The IgG concentration in
serum of calves was the highest within 1st 24 h after suckling (140.75
mg /ml), and then declined gradually reached lower level at 144 h
(41.97 mg / ml). The average turnover rate (t 1/2) of serum IgG in
the all cases was 3.22 days. The turnover of ranged from 2.56 days
for calves have values of IgG more than average and 7.7 days for
those with values below average. In spite of very high levels of
thyroxin in sera of new born the results showed no correlation
between cortisol and thyroxin with IgG levels.
Abstract: The main aim of this paper is to present the research
findings on the solution of centralized Web-Services for students by
adopting a framework and a prototype for Service Oriented
Architecture (SOA) Web-Services. The current situation of students-
Web-based application services has been identified and proposed an
effective SOA to increase the operational efficiency of Web-Services
for them it was necessary to identify the challenges in delivering a
SOA technology to increase operational efficiency of Web-Services.
Moreover, the SOA is an emerging concept, used for delivering
efficient student SOA Web-Services. Therefore, service reusability
from SOA Web-Services is provided and logically divided services
into smaller services to increase reusability and modularity. In this
case each service is a modular unit by itself and interoperability
services.
Abstract: The advances in wireless communication have opened unlimited horizons but there are some challenges as well. The Nature derived air medium between MS (Mobile Station) and BS (Base Station) is beyond human control and produces channel impairment. The impact of the natural conditions at the air medium is the biggest issue in wireless communication. Natural conditions make reliability more cumbersome; here reliability refers to the efficient recovery of the lost or erroneous data. The SR-ARQ (Selective Repeat-Automatic Repeat Request) protocol is a de facto standard for any wireless technology at the air interface with its standard reliability features. Our focus in this research is on the reliability of the control or feedback signal of the SR-ARQ protocol. The proposed mechanism, RSR-ARQ (Reliable SR-ARQ) is an enhancement of the SR-ARQ protocol that has ensured the reliability of the control signals through channel impairment sensitive mechanism. We have modeled the system under two-state discrete time Markov Channel. The simulation results demonstrate the better recovery of the lost or erroneous data that will increase the overall system performance.
Abstract: Social media has led to paradigm shifts in ways
people work and do business, interact and socialize, learn and obtain
knowledge. So much so that social media has established itself as an
important spatial extension of this nation-s historicity and challenges.
Regardless of the enabling reputation and recommendation features
through social networks embedded in the social media system, the
overflow of broadcasted and publicized media contents turns the
table around from engendering trust to doubting the trust system.
When the trust is at doubt, the effects include deactivation of
accounts and creation of multiple profiles, which lead to the overflow
of 'ghost' contents (i.e. “the abundance of abandoned ships"). In
most literature, the study of trust can be related to culture; hence the
difference between Western-s “openness" and Eastern-s “blue-chip"
concepts in networking and relationships. From a survey on issues
and challenges among Malaysian social media users, 'authenticity'
emerges as one of the main factors that causes and is caused by other
factors. The other issue that has surfaced is credibility either in terms
of message/content and source. Another is the quality of the
knowledge that is shared. This paper explores the terrains of this
critical space which in recent years has been dominated increasingly
by, arguably, social networks embedded in the social media system,
the overflow of broadcasted and publicized media content.
Abstract: Machine Translation (MT 3) of English text to its Urdu equivalent is a difficult challenge. Lot of attempts has been made, but a few limited solutions are provided till now. We present a direct approach, using an expert system to translate English text into its equivalent Urdu, using The Unicode Standard, Version 4.0 (ISBN 0-321-18578-1) Range: 0600–06FF. The expert system works with a knowledge base that contains grammatical patterns of English and Urdu, as well as a tense and gender-aware dictionary of Urdu words (with their English equivalents).
Abstract: Ultra-low-power (ULP) circuits have received
widespread attention due to the rapid growth of biomedical
applications and Battery-less Electronics. Subthreshold region of
transistor operation is used in ULP circuits. Major research challenge
in the subthreshold operating region is to extract the ULP benefits
with minimal degradation in speed and robustness. Process, Voltage
and Temperature (PVT) variations significantly affect the
performance of subthreshold circuits. Designed performance
parameters of ULP circuits may vary largely due to temperature
variations. Hence, this paper investigates the effect of temperature
variation on device and circuit performance parameters at different
biasing voltages in the subthreshold region. Simulation results clearly
demonstrate that in deep subthreshold and near threshold voltage
regions, performance parameters are significantly affected whereas in
moderate subthreshold region, subthreshold circuits are more
immune to temperature variations. This establishes that moderate
subthreshold region is ideal for temperature immune circuits.
Abstract: Perhaps no single issue has been cited as either the root
cause and / or the greatest challenge to the restructured power system then the lack of adequate reliable transmission. Probabilistic transmission planning has become increasingly necessary and important in recent
years. The transmission planning analysis carried out by the authors,
spans a 10-year horizon, taking into consideration a value of 2 % load
increase / year at each consumer. Taking into consideration this increased
load, a probabilistic power flow was carried out, all the system components
being regarded from probabilistic point of view. Several contingencies
have been generated, for assessing the security of the power system. The results have been analyzed and several important conclusions were pointed. The objective is to achieve a network that works without limit violations for all (or most of) scenario realizations. The case study is represented by the IEEE 14 buses test power system.