Abstract: In the present work, we propose a new technique to
enhance the learning capabilities and reduce the computation
intensity of a competitive learning multi-layered neural network
using the K-means clustering algorithm. The proposed model use
multi-layered network architecture with a back propagation learning
mechanism. The K-means algorithm is first applied to the training
dataset to reduce the amount of samples to be presented to the neural
network, by automatically selecting an optimal set of samples. The
obtained results demonstrate that the proposed technique performs
exceptionally in terms of both accuracy and computation time when
applied to the KDD99 dataset compared to a standard learning
schema that use the full dataset.
Abstract: Diagnosis can be achieved by building a model of a
certain organ under surveillance and comparing it with the real time
physiological measurements taken from the patient. This paper deals
with the presentation of the benefits of using Data Mining techniques
in the computer-aided diagnosis (CAD), focusing on the cancer
detection, in order to help doctors to make optimal decisions quickly
and accurately. In the field of the noninvasive diagnosis techniques,
the endoscopic ultrasound elastography (EUSE) is a recent elasticity
imaging technique, allowing characterizing the difference between
malignant and benign tumors. Digitalizing and summarizing the main
EUSE sample movies features in a vector form concern with the use
of the exploratory data analysis (EDA). Neural networks are then
trained on the corresponding EUSE sample movies vector input in
such a way that these intelligent systems are able to offer a very
precise and objective diagnosis, discriminating between benign and
malignant tumors. A concrete application of these Data Mining
techniques illustrates the suitability and the reliability of this
methodology in CAD.
Abstract: Experiments with pumpkin-rowanberry marmalade
candies were carried out at the Faculty of Food Technology of the
Latvia University of Agriculture. The objective of this investigation
was to evaluate the quality changes of pumpkin-rowanberry
marmalade candies packed in different packaging materials during
the storage of 15 weeks, and to find the most suitable packaging
material for prolongation of low sugar marmalade candies shelf-life.
An active packaging in combination with modified atmosphere
(MAP, CO2 100%) was examined and compared with traditional
packaging in air ambiance. Polymer Multibarrier 60 and paper bags
were used. Influence of iron based oxygen absorber in sachets of 500
cc obtained from Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Europe Ageless® on the
marmalade candies’ quality was tested during shelf life. Samples of
80±5 g were packaged in polymer pouches (110 mm x 110 mm),
hermetically sealed by MULTIVAC C300 vacuum chamber machine,
and stored in a room temperature +21±0.5 °C. The physiochemical
properties –moisture content, hardness, aw, pH, changes of
atmosphere content (CO2 and O2), ascorbic acid, total carotenoids,
total phenols in headspace of packs, and microbial conditions were
analysed before packaging and in the 1st, 3rd , 5th, 8th, 11th and 15th
weeks of storage.
Abstract: The Kowsar dam supply water for different usages
such as drinking, industrial, agricultural and aquaculture farms
usages and located next to the city of Dehdashat in Kohgiluye and
Boyerahmad province in southern Iran. There are some towns and
villages on the Kowsar dam watersheds, which Dehdasht and
Choram are the most important and populated cities in this area. The
study was undertaken to assess the status of water quality in the
urban areas of the Kowsar dam. A total of 28 water samples were
collected from 6 stations on surface water and 1 station from
groundwater on the watershed of the Kowsar dam. All the samples
were analyzed for Cd concentration using standard procedures. The
results were compared with other national and international
standards. Among the analyzed samples, as the maximum value of
cadmium (1.131 μg/L) was observed on the station 2 at the winter
2009, all the samples analyzed were within the maximum admissible
limits by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, EU,
WHO, New Zealand , Australian, Iranian, and the Indian standards.
In general results of the present study have shown that Cd mean
values of stations No. 4, 1 and 2 with 0.5135, 0.0.4733 and 0.4573
μg/L respectively are higher than the other stations . Although Cd
level of all samples and stations have had normal values but this is
an indication of pollution potential and hazards because of human
activity and waste water of towns in the areas, which can effect on
human health implications in future. This research, therefore,
recommends the government and other responsible authorities to take
suitable improving measures in the Kowsar dam watershed-s.
Abstract: The inability to implement the principles of good
corporate governance (GCG) as demonstrated in the surveys is due to
a number of constraints which can be classified into three; namely internal constraints, external constraints, and constraints coming
from the structure of ownership. The issues in the internal constraints
mentioned are related to the function of several elements of the company. As a business organization, corporation is unable to
achieve its goal to successfully implement GCG principles since it is
not support by its internal elements- functions. Two of several numbers of internal elements of a company are ethical work climate
and leadership style of the top management.
To prove the correlation between internal function of organization
(in this case ethical work climate and transformational leadership)
and the successful implementation of GCG principles, this study
proposes two hypotheses to be empirically tested on thirty surveyed organizations; eleven of which are state-owned companies and
nineteen are private companies. These thirty corporations are listed in
the Jakarta Stock Exchange. All state-owned companies in the
samples are those which have been privatized.
The research showed that internal function of organization give
support to the successful implementation of GCG principle. In this
research we can prove that : (i) ethical work climate has positive
significance of correlation with the successful implementation of
social awareness principle (one of principles on GCG) and, (ii) only
at the state-owned companies, transformational leadership have
positive significance effect to forming the ethical work climate.
Abstract: Sample of CsAg2I3 was prepared by solid state reaction. Then, microstructure parameters of this sample have been determined using wide angle X-ray scattering WAXS method. As well as, Cell parameters of crystal structure have been refined using CHEKCELL program. This analysis states that the lattice intrinsic strainof the sample is so small and the crystal size is on the order of 559Å.
Abstract: Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) is one of the most
commonest constructed asphalts in Iran and the quality control of
constructed roads with HMA have been always paid due attention by
researchers. The quality control of constructed roads with this
method is being usually carried out by measuring volumetric
parameters of HMA marshall samples. One of the important
parameters that has a critical role in changing these volumetric
parameters is “compaction temperature"; which as a result of its
changing, volumetric parameters of Marshall Samples and
subsequently constructed asphalt is encountered with variations. In
this study, considering the necessity of preservation of the
compaction temperature, the effect of various temperatures on Hot
Mix Asphalt (HMA) samples properties has been evaluated. As well,
to evaluate the effect of this parameter on different grading, two
different grading (Top coat index grading and binder index grading)
have been used and samples were compacted at 5 various
temperatures.
Abstract: Samples of CoFe2-xCrxO4 where x varies from 0.0 to 0.5 were prepared by co-precipitation route. These samples were sintered at 750°C for 2 hours. These particles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) at room temperature. The FCC spinel structure was confirmed by XRD patterns of the samples. The crystallite sizes of these particles were calculated from the most intense peak by Scherrer formula. The crystallite sizes lie in the range of 37-60 nm. The lattice parameter was found decreasing upon substitution of Cr. DC electrical resistivity was measured as a function of temperature. The room temperature thermoelectric power was measured for the prepared samples. The magnitude of Seebeck coefficient depends on the composition and resistivity of the samples.
Abstract: The classic problem of recovering arbitrary values of
a band-limited signal from its samples has an added complication
in software radio applications; namely, the resampling calculations
inevitably fold aliases of the analog signal back into the original
bandwidth. The phenomenon is quantified by the spur-free dynamic
range. We demonstrate how a novel application of the Remez (Parks-
McClellan) algorithm permits optimal signal recovery and SFDR, far
surpassing state-of-the-art resamplers.
Abstract: Sorghum flour was supplemented with 15 and 30%
chickpea flour. Sorghum flour and the supplement were fermented at
35 oC for 0, 8, 16, and 24 h. Changes in pH, titrable acidity, total
soluble solids, protein content, in vitro protein digestibility and
amino acid composition were investigated during fermentation and/or
after supplementation of sorghum flour with chickpea. The pH of the
fermenting material decreased sharply with a concomitant increase in
the titrable acidity. The total soluble solids remained unchanged with
progressive fermentation time. The protein content of sorghum
cultivar was found to be 9.27 and that of chickpea was 22.47%. The
protein content of sorghum cultivar after supplementation with15 and
30% chickpea was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased to 11.78 and
14.55%, respectively. The protein digestibility also increased after
fermentation from 13.35 to 30.59 and 40.56% for the supplements,
respectively. Further increment in protein content and digestibility
was observed when supplemented and unsupplemented samples were
fermented for different periods of time. Cooking of fermented
samples was found to increase the protein content slightly and
decreased digestibility for both supplements. Amino acid content of
fermented and fermented and cooked supplements was determined.
Supplementation was found to increase the lysine and therionine
content. Cooking following fermentation decreased lysine,
isoleucine, valine and sulfur containg amino acids.
Abstract: In this study, participants with adjustment disorder with depressed mood (aged 18-54 years) with mild depression (N=18), severe depression (N=12) were compared with healthy controls (N=20) on the Multidimensional Aptitude Battery (MAB) a cognitive performance test. Using One Way Analysis of Variance and Matched Sample t-test. The results of the analysis shows that severely depressed participants performed poorly on the cognitive performance test relative to controls, however there were no significant differences on the cognitive performance test scores between the severely depressed and the mildly depressed. In addition, performance on the non-verbal performance subtest was poorer than that of the verbal subtest, suggesting that depression affects the executive functions of the person.
Abstract: This study analyzed the creativity of student teams
participating in an exploratory information system development
project (ISDP) and examined antecedents of their creativity. By using
partial least squares (PLS) to analyze a sample of thirty-six teams
enrolled in an information system department project training course
that required three semesters of project-based lessons, the results
found social capitals (structural, relational and cognitive social capital)
positively influence knowledge integration. However, relational social
capital does not significantly influence knowledge integration.
Knowledge integration positively affects team creativity. This study
also demonstrated that social capitals significantly influence team
creativity through knowledge integration. The implications of our
findings for future research are discussed.
Abstract: In order to evaluate the relationship between the sulphur (S), glucose (G), nitrogen (N) and plant residues (st), sulphur immobilization and microbial transformation were monitored in five soil samples from 0-30 cm of Bastam farmers fields of Shahrood area following 11 treatments with different levels of Sulphur (S), glucose (G), N and plant residues (wheat straw) in a randomized block design with three replications and incubated over 20, 45 and 60 days, the immobilization of SO4 -2-S presented as a percentage of that added, was inversely related to its addition rate. Additions of glucose and plant residues increased with the C-to-S ratio of the added amendments, irrespective of their origins (glucose and plant residues). In the presence of C sources (glucose or plant residues). N significantly increased the immobilization of SO4 -2-S, whilst the effect of N was insignificant in the absence of a C amendment. In first few days the amounts of added SO4 -2-S immobilized were linearly correlated with the amounts of added S recovered in the soil microbial biomass. With further incubation the proportions of immobilized SO4 -2-S remaining as biomass-S decreased. Decrease in biomass-S was thought to be due to the conversion of biomass-S into soil organic-S. Glucose addition increased the immobilization (microbial utilization and incorporation into the soil organic matter) of native soil SO4 -2-S. However, N addition enhance the mineralization of soil organic-S, increasing the concentration of SO4 - 2-S in soil.
Abstract: The study examines the determinants of corporate cash holding of non-financial quoted firms in Nigeria using a sample of fifty four non-financial quoted firms listed on the Nigeria Stock Exchange for the period 1995-2009. Data were sourced from the Annual reports of the sampled firms and analyzed using Generalized Method of Moments(GMM). The study finds evidence supportive of a target adjustment model and that firms can not instantaneously adjust towards the target cash level owing to the fact that adjustment cost being costly,. Also, the result shows significant negative relationship between cash holdings and firm size, net working capital, return on asset and bank relationship and positive relationship with growth opportunities, leverage, inventories, account receivables and financial distress. Furthermore, there is no significant relationship between cash holdings and cash flow. In Nigerian setting, most of the variables that are relevant for explaining cash holdings in the Developed countries are found by this study to be relevant also in Nigeria.
Abstract: Thermo-chemical treatment (TCT) such as pyrolysis
is getting recognized as a valid route for (i) materials and valuable
products and petrochemicals recovery; (ii) waste recycling; and (iii)
elemental characterization. Pyrolysis is also receiving renewed
attention for its operational, economical and environmental
advantages. In this study, samples of polyethylene terephthalate
(PET) and polystyrene (PS) were pyrolysed in a microthermobalance
reactor (using a thermogravimetric-TGA setup). Both
polymers were prepared and conditioned prior to experimentation.
The main objective was to determine the kinetic parameters of the
depolymerization reactions that occur within the thermal degradation
process. Overall kinetic rate constants (ko) and activation energies
(Eo) were determined using the general kinetics theory (GKT)
method previously used by a number of authors. Fitted correlations
were found and validated using the GKT, errors were within ± 5%.
This study represents a fundamental step to pave the way towards the
development of scaling relationship for the investigation of larger
scale reactors relevant to industry.
Abstract: A frequency grouping approach for multi-channel
instantaneous blind source separation (I-BSS) of convolutive
mixtures is proposed for a lower net residual inter-symbol
interference (ISI) and inter-channel interference (ICI) than the
conventional short-time Fourier transform (STFT) approach. Starting
in the time domain, STFTs are taken with overlapping windows to
convert the convolutive mixing problem into frequency domain
instantaneous mixing. Mixture samples at the same frequency but
from different STFT windows are grouped together forming unique
frequency groups.
The individual frequency group vectors are input to the I-BSS
algorithm of choice, from which the output samples are dispersed
back to their respective STFT windows. After applying the inverse
STFT, the resulting time domain signals are used to construct the
complete source estimates via the weighted overlap-add method
(WOLA). The proposed algorithm is tested for source deconvolution
given two mixtures, and simulated along with the STFT approach to
illustrate its superiority for fairly motionless sources.
Abstract: The biological activity of A. pullulans isolates against
species of the genus Fusarium, bacteria of the genus Azotobacter and
pseudomonads colonizing wheat kernels was evaluated. A field
experiment was carried out in 2009-2011, in north-eastern Poland.
Winter wheat (cv. Bogatka) plants were sprayed with a cell
suspension of A. pullulans at a density of 106 - 108 per cm3 water at
the stem elongation stage and the heading stage. Untreated plants
served as control. The abundance of epiphytic yeasts, bacteria of the
genus Azotobacter, pseudomonads and Fusarium pathogens on wheat
grain was estimated at harvest and after six months’ storage. The
average size of yeast communities was significantly greater on wheat
kernels treated with a cell suspension of A. pullulans, compared with
control samples. In 2010-2011, biological control reduced the
abundance of some species of the genus Fusarium.
Abstract: The Kowsar dam supply water for different usages
such as drinking, industrial, agricultural and aquaculture farms
usages and located next to the city of Dehdashat in Kohgiluye and
Boyerahmad province in southern Iran. There are some towns and
villages on the Kowsar dam watersheds, which Dehdasht and Choram
are the most important and populated cities in this area. The study
was undertaken to assess the status of water quality in the urban areas
of the Kowsar dam. A total of 28 water samples were collected from
6 stations on surface water and 1 station from groundwater on the
watershed of the Kowsar dam. All the samples were analyzed for Ni
concentration using standard procedures. The results were compared
with other national and international standards. Among the analyzed
samples, as the maximum value of Nickel (0.01 mg/L) was observed
on the station 2 at the autumn 2010, all the samples analyzed were
within the maximum admissible limits by the United States
Environmental Protection Agency, EU, WHO and the Iranian. In
general results of the present study have shown that a Ni mean value
of station No. 2 with 0.006 mg/L is higher than the other stations. Ni
level of all samples and stations have had normal values and this is an
indication of pollution potential and hazards because of human
activity and waste water of towns in the areas, which can effect on
human health implications in future. This research, therefore,
recommends the government and other responsible authorities to take
suitable improving measures in the Kowsar dam watersheds.
Abstract: This research aimed to study correlation between
work satisfaction and organization core value of officers in
Waterworks Authority, Bangkean Branch. Sample group of the study
was 112 officers who worked in the Waterworks Authority,
Bangkean Branch. Questionnaires were employed as a research tools,
while, Percentage, Mean, Standard Deviation, T-test, One-way
ANOVA, and Pearson Product Moment Correlation were claimed as
statistics used in this study. Researcher found that overall and
individual aspects of work satisfaction namely, work characteristic,
work progress, and colleagues significantly correlated with
organization core value in aspect of perception in choice of work at
0.5, 0.01, and 0.01 respectively. Also, such aspects were compatible
with income at .05 which indicated the low level of correlation, mid
low correlation respectively at the same direction, same direction,
opposite direction, and same direction, correspondingly.
Abstract: In this paper, the bond strength of thermal spray
coatings in high speed shafts has been studied. The metallurgical and
mechanical studies has been made on the coated samples and shaft
using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM).