Abstract: The Metropolitan Region of Sao Paulo (MRSP) has suffered from serious water scarcity. Consequently, the most convenient solution has been building wells to extract groundwater from local aquifers. However, it requires constant vigilance to prevent over extraction and future events that can pose serious threat to the population, such as subsidence. Radar imaging techniques (InSAR) have allowed continuous investigation of such phenomena. The analysis of data in the present study consists of 23 SAR images dated from October 2007 to March 2011, obtained by the ALOS-1 spacecraft. Data processing was made with the software GMTSAR, by using the InSAR technique to create pairs of interferograms with ground displacement during different time spans. First results show a correlation between the location of 102 wells registered in 2009 and signals of ground displacement equal or lower than -90 millimeters (mm) in the region. The longest time span interferogram obtained dates from October 2007 to March 2010. As a result, from that interferogram, it was possible to detect the average velocity of displacement in millimeters per year (mm/y), and which areas strong signals have persisted in the MRSP. Four specific areas with signals of subsidence of 28 mm/y to 40 mm/y were chosen to investigate the phenomenon: Guarulhos (Sao Paulo International Airport), the Greater Sao Paulo, Itaquera and Sao Caetano do Sul. The coverage area of the signals was between 0.6 km and 1.65 km of length. All areas are located above a sedimentary type of aquifer. Itaquera and Sao Caetano do Sul showed signals varying from 28 mm/y to 32 mm/y. On the other hand, the places most likely to be suffering from stronger subsidence are the ones in the Greater Sao Paulo and Guarulhos, right beside the International Airport of Sao Paulo. The rate of displacement observed in both regions goes from 35 mm/y to 40 mm/y. Previous investigations of the water use at the International Airport highlight the risks of excessive water extraction that was being done through 9 deep wells. Therefore, it is affirmed that subsidence events are likely to occur and to cause serious damage in the area. This study could show a situation that has not been explored with proper importance in the city, given its social and economic consequences. Since the data were only available until 2011, the question that remains is if the situation still persists. It could be reaffirmed, however, a scenario of risk at the International Airport of Sao Paulo that needs further investigation.
Abstract: Water suspensions of in-organic (metals and oxides)
and organic nano-objects (chitozan and collagen) were subjected to
the treatment of direct and alternative electrical fields. In addition to
quasi-periodical spatial patterning resonance-like performance of
spatial distributions of these suspensions has been found at low
frequencies of alternating electrical field. These resonances are
explained as the result of creation of equilibrium states of groups of
charged nano-objects with opposite signs of charges at the interparticle
distances where the forces of Coulomb attraction are
compensated by the repulsion forces induced by relatively negative
polarization of hydrated regions surrounding the nanoparticles with
respect to pure water. The low frequencies of these resonances are
explained by comparatively big distances between the particles and
their big masses with t\respect to masses of atoms constituting
molecules with high resonance frequencies. These new resonances
open a new approach to detailed modeling and understanding of
mechanisms of the influence of electrical fields on the functioning of
internal organs of living organisms at the level of cells and neurons.
Abstract: Experiments were performed to investigate the effects of roughness on the reattachment and redevelopment regions over a 12 mm forward facing step (FFS) in an open channel flow. The experiments were performed over an upstream smooth wall and a smooth FFS, an upstream wall coated with sandpaper 36 grit and a smooth FFS and an upstream rough wall produced from sandpaper 36 grit and a FFS coated with sandpaper 36 grit. To investigate only the wall roughness effects, Reynolds number, Froude number, aspect ratio and blockage ratio were kept constant. Upstream profiles showed reduced streamwise mean velocities close to the rough wall compared to the smooth wall, but the turbulence level was increased by upstream wall roughness. The reattachment length for the smooth-smooth wall experiment was 1.78h; however, when it is replaced with rough-smooth wall the reattachment length decreased to 1.53h. It was observed that the upstream roughness increased the physical size of contours of maximum turbulence level; however, the downstream roughness decreased both the size and magnitude of contours in the vicinity of the leading edge of the step. Quadrant analysis was performed to investigate the dominant Reynolds shear stress contribution in the recirculation region. The Reynolds shear stress and turbulent kinetic energy profiles after the reattachment showed slower recovery compared to the streamwise mean velocity, however all the profiles fairly collapse on their corresponding upstream profiles at x/h = 60. It was concluded that to obtain a complete collapse several more streamwise distances would be required.
Abstract: The importance of culture and tourism in the attractiveness and competitiveness of the countries is central, and many regions are evidencing their cultural assets, tangible and intangible, as a means to create comparative advantages in tourism and produce a distinctive place in response to the pressures of globalization. Culture and tourism are interlinked because of their obvious combination and growth potential. Cultural tourism is a crucial global tourism market with fast growing. Regions can develop significant relations between culture and tourism to increase their attractiveness as places to visit, live and invest, increasing their competitiveness. Accordingly, having new and creative approach to historical areas as cultural value-based destinations can improve their conditions to promote tourism. Furthermore, in 21st century, media become the most important factor affecting the development of urban cities, including public places. As a result of the digital revolution, re-imaging and re-linkage public places by media are essential to create more interactions between public spaces and users, interaction media display, and urban screens, one of the most important defined media. This interaction can transform the urban space from being neglected to be more interactive space with users, especially the pedestrians. The paper focuses on The Walled City of Famagusta. As many other historic quarters elsewhere in the world, is in a process, of decay and deterioration, and its functionally distinctive areas are severely threatened by physical, functional, locational, and image obsolescence at varying degrees. So the focus on the future development of this area through tourism promotion can be an appropriate decision for the monument enhancement of the spatial quality in Walled City of Famagusta. In this paper, it is aimed to identify the effects of these new digital factors to transform public spaces especially in historic urban areas to promote creative tourism. Accordingly, two different analysis methods are used as well as a theoretical review. The first is case study on site and the second is Close ended questionnaire, test many concepts raised in this paper. The physical analysis on site carried out in order to evaluate the walled city restoration for touristic purpose. Besides, theoretical review is done in order to provide background to the subject and cleared Factors to attract tourists.
Abstract: Community living adjacent to forests and Protected
Areas, especially in South Asian countries, have a common practice
in extracting resources for their living and livelihoods. This
extraction of resources, because the way it is done, destroys the biophysical
features of the area. Deforestation, wildlife poaching, illegal
logging, unauthorized hill cutting etc. are some of the serious issues
of concern for the sustainability of the natural resources that has a
direct impact on environment and climate as a whole. To ensure
community involvement in conservation initiatives of the state,
community based forest management, commonly known as Comanagement,
has been in practice in 6 South Asian countries. These
are -India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh.
Involving community in forestry management was initiated first in
Bangladesh in 1979 and reached as an effective co-management
approach through a several paradigm shifts. This idea of Comanagement
has been institutionalized through a Government Order
(GO) by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of
Bangladesh on November 23, 2009. This GO clearly defines the
structure and functions of Co-management and its different bodies.
Bangladesh Forest Department has been working in association with
community to conserve and manage the Forests and Protected areas
of Bangladesh following this legal document. Demographically
young people constitute the largest segment of population in
Bangladesh. This group, if properly sensitized, can produce valuable
impacts on the conservation initiatives, both by community and
government. This study traced the major factors that motivate
community youths to work effectively with different tiers of comanagement
organizations in conservation of forests and Protected
Areas of Bangladesh. For the purpose of this study, 3 FGDs were
conducted with 30 youths from the community living around the
Protected Areas of Cox’s bazar, South East corner of Bangladesh,
who are actively involved in Co-management organizations. KII were
conducted with 5 key officials of Forest Department stationed at
Cox’s Bazar. 2 FGDs were conducted with the representatives of 7
Co-management organizations working in Cox’s Bazar region and
approaches of different community outreach activities conducted for
forest conservation by 3 private organizations and Projects have been
reviewed. Also secondary literatures were reviewed for the history
and evolution of Co-management in Bangladesh and six South Asian
countries. This study found that innovative community outreach
activities that are financed by public and private sectors involving
youths and community as a whole have played a pivotal role in
conservation of forests and Protected Areas of the region. This
approach can be replicated in other regions of Bangladesh as well as
other countries of South Asia where Co-Management exists in
practice.
Abstract: Surface characteristics of Bacillus megaterium strain
were investigated; zeta potential, FTIR and contact angle were
measured. Surface energy components including Lifshitz-van der
Waals, Hamaker constant, and acid/base components (Lewis
acid/Lewis base) were calculated from the contact angle data. The
results showed that the microbial cells were negatively charged over
all pH regions with high values at alkaline region. A hydrophilic
nature for the strain was confirmed by contact angle and free energy
of adhesion between microbial cells. Adsorption affinity of the strain
toward dolomite was studied at different pH values. The results
showed that the cells had a high affinity to dolomite at acid pH
comparing to neutral and alkaline pH. Extended DLVO theory was
applied to calculate interaction energy between B. megaterium cells
and dolomite particles. The adsorption results were in agreement with
the results of Extended DLVO approach. Surface changes occurred
on dolomite surface after the bio-treatment were monitored; contact
angle decreased from 69° to 38° and the mineral’s floatability
decreased from 95% to 25% after the treatment.
Abstract: A myriad of environmental issues face the Nigerian
industrial region, resulting from; oil and gas production, mining,
manufacturing and domestic wastes. Amidst these, much effort has
been directed by stakeholders in the Nigerian oil producing regions,
because of the impacts of the region on the wider Nigerian economy.
Although collaborative environmental management has been noted as
an effective approach in managing environmental issues, little
attention has been given to the roles and practices of stakeholders in
effecting a collaborative environmental management framework for
the Nigerian oil-producing region. This paper produces a framework
to expand and deepen knowledge relating to stakeholders aspects of
collaborative roles in managing environmental issues in the Nigeria
oil-producing region. The knowledge is derived from analysis of
stakeholders’ practices – studied through multiple case studies using
document analysis. Selected documents of key stakeholders –
Nigerian government agencies, multi-national oil companies and host
communities, were analyzed. Open and selective coding was
employed manually during document analysis of data collected from
the offices and websites of the stakeholders. The findings showed
that the stakeholders have a range of roles, practices, interests, drivers
and barriers regarding their collaborative roles in managing
environmental issues. While they have interests for efficient resource
use, compliance to standards, sharing of responsibilities, generating
of new solutions, and shared objectives; there is evidence of major
barriers and these include resource allocation, disjointed policy,
ineffective monitoring, diverse socio- economic interests, lack of
stakeholders’ commitment and limited knowledge sharing. However,
host communities hold deep concerns over the collaborative roles of
stakeholders for economic interests, particularly, where government
agencies and multi-national oil companies are involved. With these
barriers and concerns, a genuine stakeholders’ collaboration is found
to be limited, and as a result, optimal environmental management
practices and policies have not been successfully implemented in the
Nigeria oil-producing region. A framework is produced that describes
practices that characterize collaborative environmental management
might be employed to satisfy the stakeholders’ interests. The
framework recommends critical factors, based on the findings, which
may guide a collaborative environmental management in the oil
producing regions. The recommendations are designed to re-define
the practices of stakeholders in managing environmental issues in the
oil producing regions, not as something wholly new, but as an
approach essential for implementing a sustainable environmental
policy. This research outcome may clarify areas for future research as
well as to contribute to industry guidance in the area of collaborative
environmental management.
Abstract: Geological and tectonic framework indicates that
Bangladesh is one of the most seismically active regions in the world.
The Bengal Basin is at the junction of three major interacting plates:
the Indian, Eurasian, and Burma Plates. Besides there are many
active faults within the region, e.g. the large Dauki fault in the north.
The country has experienced a number of destructive earthquakes due
to the movement of these active faults. Current seismic provisions of
Bangladesh are mostly based on earthquake data prior to the 1990.
Given the record of earthquakes post 1990, there is a need to revisit
the design provisions of the code. This paper compares the base shear
demand of three major cities in Bangladesh: Dhaka (the capital city),
Sylhet, and Chittagong for earthquake scenarios of magnitudes
7.0MW, 7.5MW, 8.0MW, and 8.5MW using a stochastic model. In
particular, the stochastic model allows the flexibility to input region
specific parameters such as shear wave velocity profile (that were
developed from Global Crustal Model CRUST2.0) and include the
effects of attenuation as individual components. Effects of soil
amplification were analysed using the Extended Component
Attenuation Model (ECAM). Results show that the estimated base
shear demand is higher in comparison with code provisions leading to
the suggestion of additional seismic design consideration in the study
regions.
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to propose an effective method to improve frictional coefficient between shoe rubber soles with added glass fibers and the surfaces of icy and snowy road in order to prevent slip-and-fall accidents by the users. The additional fibers into the rubber were uniformly tilted to the perpendicular direction of the frictional surface, where tilting angles were -60, -30, +30, +60, 90 degrees and 0 (as normal specimen), respectively. It was found that parallel arraignment was effective to improve the frictional coefficient when glass fibers were embedded in the shoe rubber, while perpendicular to normal direction of the embedded glass fibers on the shoe surface was also effective to do that once after they were exposed from the shoe rubber with its abrasion. These improvements were explained by the increase of stiffness against the shear deformation of the rubber at critical frictional state and adequate scratching of fibers when fibers were protruded in perpendicular to frictional direction, respectively. Most effective angle of tilting of frictional coefficient between rubber specimens and a stone was perpendicular (= 0 degree) to frictional direction. Combinative modified rubber specimen having 2 layers was fabricated where tilting angle of protruded fibers was 0 degree near the contact surface and tilting angle of embedded fibers was 90 degrees near back surface in thickness direction to further improve the frictional coefficient. Current study suggested that effective arraignments in tilting angle of the added fibers should be applied in designing rubber shoe soles to keep the safeties for users in regions of cold climates.
Abstract: Liver segmentation from medical images poses more
challenges than analogous segmentations of other organs. This
contribution introduces a liver segmentation method from a series of
computer tomography images. Overall, we present a novel method for
segmenting liver by coupling density matching with shape priors.
Density matching signifies a tracking method which operates via
maximizing the Bhattacharyya similarity measure between the
photometric distribution from an estimated image region and a model
photometric distribution. Density matching controls the direction of
the evolution process and slows down the evolving contour in regions
with weak edges. The shape prior improves the robustness of density
matching and discourages the evolving contour from exceeding liver’s
boundaries at regions with weak boundaries. The model is
implemented using a modified distance regularized level set (DRLS)
model. The experimental results show that the method achieves a
satisfactory result. By comparing with the original DRLS model, it is
evident that the proposed model herein is more effective in addressing
the over segmentation problem. Finally, we gauge our performance of
our model against matrices comprising of accuracy, sensitivity, and
specificity.
Abstract: Iranian architects had creative ways for constructing
the buildings in each climate. Some of these architectural elements
were made under the ground. Shovadan is one of these underground
spaces in hot-humid regions in Dezfoul and Shoushtar city that had
special functions and characteristics. In this paper some subjects such
as the history of Shovadan, its elements and effective factors in the
formation of Shovadan in Dezfool city are discussed.
Abstract: This paper concentrates on the sustainable traditional
architecture and urban planning in hot-humid regions of Iran. In a
vast country such as Iran with different climatic zones traditional
builders have presented series of logical solutions for human comfort.
The aim of this paper is to demonstrate traditional architecture in hothumid
climate of Iran as a sample of sustainable architecture. Iranian
traditional architecture has been able to response to environmental
problems for a long period of time. Its features are based on climatic
factors, local construction materials of hot-humid regions and culture.
This paper concludes that Iranian traditional architecture can be
addressed as a sustainable architecture.
Abstract: This study was aimed to measure effective transverse
relaxation rates (R2*) in the liver and muscle of normal New Zealand
White (NZW) rabbits. R2* relaxation rate has been widely used in
various hepatic diseases for iron overload by quantifying iron contents
in liver. R2* relaxation rate is defined as the reciprocal of T2*
relaxation time and mainly depends on the constituents of tissue.
Different tissues would have different R2* relaxation rates. The signal
intensity decay in Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be
characterized by R2* relaxation rates. In this study, a 1.5T GE Signa
HDxt whole body MR scanner equipped with an 8-channel high
resolution knee coil was used to observe R2* values in NZW rabbit’s
liver and muscle. Eight healthy NZW rabbits weighted 2 ~ 2.5 kg were
recruited. After anesthesia using Zoletil 50 and Rompun 2% mixture,
the abdomen of rabbit was landmarked at the center of knee coil to
perform 3-plane localizer scan using fast spoiled gradient echo
(FSPGR) pulse sequence. Afterwards, multi-planar fast gradient echo
(MFGR) scans were performed with 8 various echo times (TEs) to
acquire images for R2* measurements. Regions of interest (ROIs) at
liver and muscle were measured using Advantage workstation.
Finally, the R2* was obtained by a linear regression of ln(sı) on TE.
The results showed that the longer the echo time, the smaller the signal
intensity. The R2* values of liver and muscle were 44.8 ± 10.9 s-1 and
37.4 ± 9.5 s-1, respectively. It implies that the iron concentration of
liver is higher than that of muscle. In conclusion, the more the iron
contents in tissue, the higher the R2*. The correlations between R2*
and iron content in NZW rabbits might be valuable for further
exploration.
Abstract: The practical efficient approach is suggested for
estimation of the seismoacoustic sources energy in C-OTDR
monitoring systems. This approach is represents the sequential plan
for confidence estimation both the seismoacoustic sources energy, as
well the absorption coefficient of the soil. The sequential plan
delivers the non-asymptotic guaranteed accuracy of obtained
estimates in the form of non-asymptotic confidence regions with
prescribed sizes. These confidence regions are valid for a finite
sample size when the distributions of the observations are unknown.
Thus, suggested estimates are non-asymptotic and nonparametric,
and also these estimates guarantee the prescribed estimation accuracy
in form of prior prescribed size of confidence regions, and prescribed
confidence coefficient value.
Abstract: This research paper portrays a comparative analysis of
thermomechanical behaviour of Shielded Metal Arc Welding
(SMAW) and Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) of low carbon
steel of AISI 1020 grade butt joints. The thermal history has been
obtained by experimental work. We have focused on temperature
dependent cooling rate as depicted by Adam’s two-dimensional
model. The effect of moving point heat source of SMAW and GTAW
on mechanical properties has been judged by optical and scanning
electron micrographs of different regions in weld joints. The
microhardness study has been carried to visualize the joint strength
due to formation of different phases.
Abstract: In Algeria, the most impressive and most known
prehistoric art is the painted or engraved rock art which is present
with abundance in several regions. The existence of rock art in Great
Kabylia region has been known for over sixty years. The main purpose of this research is to show the dangers facing
these rock paintings and engravings and what are the arrangements
for their protection and recovery. As every vestige destroyed is a part of the world's memory which
disappears, some steps have to be taken in order to protect these
historical and archaeological heritages.
Abstract: The aim of sustainable architecture is to design
buildings with the least adverse effects on the environment and
provide better conditions for people. What building forms make the
best use of land? This question was addressed in the late 1960s at the
center of Land Use and Built Form Studies in Cambridge. This led to
a number of influential papers which had a great influence on the
practice of urban design. This paper concentrates on the results of
sustainability caused by climatic conditions in Iranian traditional
architecture in hot-arid regions. As people spent a significant amount
of their time in houses, it was very important to have such houses to
fulfill their needs physically and spiritually as well as satisfying their
cultural and religious aspects of their lifestyles. In a vast country such
as Iran with different climatic zones, traditional builders have
presented series of logical solutions for human comfort. These
solutions have been able to response to the environmental problems
for a long period of time. As a result, by considering the experience
in traditional architecture of hot–arid climate in Iran, it is possible to
attain sustainable architecture.
Abstract: The traditional rhythms of the West African country
of Guinea have played a centuries-long role in defining the different
people groups that make up the country. Throughout their history,
before and since colonization by the French, the different ethnicities
have used their traditional music as a distinct part of their historical
identities. That is starting to change. Guinea is an impoverished
nation created in the early twentieth-century with little regard for the
history and cultures of the people who were included. The traditional
rhythms of the different people groups and their heritages have
remained. Fifteen individual traditional Guinean rhythms were
chosen to represent popular rhythms from the four geographical
regions of Guinea. Each rhythm was traced back to its native village
and video recorded on-site by as many different local performing
groups as could be located. The cyclical patterns rhythms were
transcribed via a circular, spatial design and then copied into a box
notation system where sounds happening at the same time could be
studied. These rhythms were analyzed for their consistency-overperformance
in a Fundamental Rhythm Pattern analysis so rhythms
could be compared for how they are changing through different
performances. The analysis showed that the traditional rhythm
performances of the Middle and Forest Guinea regions were the most
cohesive and showed the least evidence of change between
performances. The role of music in each of these regions is both
limited and focused. The Coastal and High Guinea regions have
much in common historically through their ethnic history and
modern-day trade connections, but the rhythm performances seem to
be less consistent and demonstrate more changes in how they are
performed today. In each of these regions the role and usage of music
is much freer and wide-spread. In spite of advances being made as a
country, different ethnic groups still frequently only respond and
participate (dance and sing) to the music of their native ethnicity.
There is some evidence that this self-imposed musical barrier is
beginning to change and evolve, partially through the development of
better roads, more access to electricity and technology, the nationwide
Ebola health crisis, and a growing self-identification as a
unified nation.
Abstract: Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs) have been used
widely through evolution theory to discover acceptable solutions that
corresponds to challenges such as natural resources management.
EAs are also used to solve varied problems in the real world. EAs
have been rapidly identified for its ease in handling multiple
objective problems. Reservoir operations is a vital and researchable
area which has been studied in the last few decades due to the limited
nature of water resources that is found mostly in the semi-arid
regions of the world. The state of some developing economy that
depends on electricity for overall development through hydropower
production, a renewable form of energy, is appalling due to water
scarcity. This paper presents a review of the applications of
evolutionary algorithms to reservoir operation for hydropower
production. This review includes the discussion on areas such as
genetic algorithm, differential evolution, and reservoir operation. It
also identified the research gaps discovered in these areas. The results
of this study will be an eye opener for researchers and decision
makers to think deeply of the adverse effect of water scarcity and
drought towards economic development of a nation. Hence, it
becomes imperative to identify evolutionary algorithms that can
address this issue which can hamper effective hydropower
generation.
Abstract: People, throughout the history, have made estimates
and inferences about the future by using their past experiences.
Developing information technologies and the improvements in the
database management systems make it possible to extract useful
information from knowledge in hand for the strategic decisions.
Therefore, different methods have been developed. Data mining by
association rules learning is one of such methods. Apriori algorithm,
one of the well-known association rules learning algorithms, is not
commonly used in spatio-temporal data sets. However, it is possible
to embed time and space features into the data sets and make Apriori
algorithm a suitable data mining technique for learning spatiotemporal
association rules. Lake Van, the largest lake of Turkey, is a
closed basin. This feature causes the volume of the lake to increase or
decrease as a result of change in water amount it holds. In this study,
evaporation, humidity, lake altitude, amount of rainfall and
temperature parameters recorded in Lake Van region throughout the
years are used by the Apriori algorithm and a spatio-temporal data
mining application is developed to identify overflows and newlyformed
soil regions (underflows) occurring in the coastal parts of
Lake Van. Identifying possible reasons of overflows and underflows
may be used to alert the experts to take precautions and make the
necessary investments.