Abstract: Matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP3) is key member
of the MMP family, and is known to be present in coronary
atherosclerotic. Several studies have demonstrated that MMP-3
5A/6A polymorphism modify each transcriptional activity in allele
specific manner. We hypothesized that this polymorphism may play
a role as risk factor for development of coronary stenosis. The aim of
our study was to estimate MMP-3 (5A/6A) gene polymorphism on
interindividual variability in risk for coronary stenosis in an Iranian
population.DNA was extracted from white blood cells and genotypes
were obtained from coronary stenosis cases (n=95) and controls
(n=100) by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and restriction
fragment length polymorphism techniques. Significant differences
between cases and controls were observed for MMP3 genotype
frequencies (X2=199.305, p< 0.001); the 6A allele was less
frequently seen in the control group, compared to the disease group
(85.79 vs. 78%, 6A/6A+5A/6A vs. 5A/5A, P≤0.001). These data
imply the involvement of -1612 5A/6A polymorphism in coronary
stenosis, and suggest that probably the 6A/6A MMP-3 genotype is a
genetic susceptibility factor for coronary stenosis.
Abstract: Intellectual capital measurement is a central aspect of knowledge management. The measurement and the evaluation of intangible assets play a key role in allowing an effective management of these assets as sources of competitiveness. For these reasons, managers and practitioners need conceptual and analytical tools taking into account the unique characteristics and economic significance of Intellectual Capital. Following this lead, we propose an efficiency and productivity analysis of Intellectual Capital, as a determinant factor of the company competitive advantage. The analysis is carried out by means of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and Malmquist Productivity Index (MPI). These techniques identify Bests Practice companies that have accomplished competitive advantage implementing successful strategies of Intellectual Capital management, and offer to inefficient companies development paths by means of benchmarking. The proposed methodology is employed on the Biotechnology industry in the period 2007-2010.
Abstract: In today's world where everything is rapidly changing
and information technology is high in development, many features of culture, society, politic and economy has changed. The advent of
information technology and electronic data transmission lead to easy communication and fields like e-learning and e-commerce, are
accessible for everyone easily. One of these technologies is virtual
training. The "quality" of such kind of education systems is critical. 131 questionnaires were prepared and distributed among university
student in Toba University. So the research has followed factors that affect the quality of learning from the perspective of staff, students, professors and this type of university. It is concluded that the important factors in virtual training are the quality of professors, the
quality of staff, and the quality of the university. These mentioned factors were the most prior factors in this education system and
necessary for improving virtual training.
Abstract: A key requirement for e-learning materials is
reusability and interoperability, that is the possibility to use at least
part of the contents in different courses, and to deliver them trough
different platforms. These features make possible to limit the cost of
new packages, but require the development of material according to
proper specifications. SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference
Model) is a set of guidelines suitable for this purpose. A specific
adaptation project has been started to make possible to reuse existing
materials. The paper describes the main characteristics of SCORM
specification, and the procedure used to modify the existing material.
Abstract: The object of this paper is to design and analyze a
proportional – integral (PI) control for positive output elementary
super lift Luo converter (POESLLC), which is the start-of-the-art
DC-DC converter. The positive output elementary super lift Luo
converter performs the voltage conversion from positive source
voltage to positive load voltage. This paper proposes a
development of PI control capable of providing the good static and
dynamic performance compared to proportional – integralderivative
(PID) controller. Using state space average method
derives the dynamic equations describing the positive output
elementary super lift luo converter and PI control is designed. The
simulation model of the positive output elementary super lift Luo
converter with its control circuit is implemented in
Matlab/Simulink. The PI control for positive output elementary
super lift Luo converter is tested for transient region, line changes,
load changes, steady state region and also for components
variations.
Abstract: In rapidly changing market environment, firms are investing a lot of time and resources into new product development (NPD) projects to make profit and to obtain competitive advantage. However, failure rate of NPD projects is becoming high due to various internal and external risks which hinder successful NPD projects. To reduce the failure rate, it is critical that risks have to be managed effectively and efficiently through good strategy, and treated by optimal responses to minimize risk cost. Four strategies are adopted to handle the risks in this study. The optimal responses are characterized by high reduction of risk costs with high efficiency. This study suggests a framework to decide the optimal responses considering the core risks, risk costs, response efficiency and response costs for successful NPD projects. Both binary particles warm optimization (BPSO) and multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) methods are mainly used in the framework. Although several limitations exist in use for real industries, the frame work shows good strength for handling the risks with highly scientific ways through an example.
Abstract: A hybrid Photovoltaic/Thermal (PV/T) solar system integrates photovoltaic and solar thermal technologies into one single solar energy device, with dual generation of electricity and heat energy. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the potential for introduction of the PV/T technology into Northern China. For this purpose, outdoor experiments were conducted on a prototype of a PV/T water-heating system. The annual thermal and electrical performances were investigated under the climatic conditions of Beijing. An economic analysis of the system was then carried out, followed by a sensitivity study. The analysis revealed that the hybrid system is not economically attractive with the current market and energy prices. However, considering the continuous commitment of the Chinese government towards policy development in the renewable energy sector, and technological improvements like the increasing cost-effectiveness of PV cells, PV/Thermal technology may become economically viable in the near future.
Abstract: The vast rural landscape in the southern United States
is conspicuously characterized by the hedgerow trees or groves. The
patchwork landscape of fields surrounded by high hedgerows is a
traditional and familiar feature of the American countryside.
Hedgerows are in effect linear strips of trees, groves, or woodlands,
which are often critical habitats for wildlife and important for the
visual quality of the landscape. As landscape interfaces, hedgerows
define the spaces in the landscape, give the landscape life and
meaning, and enrich ecologies and cultural heritages of the American
countryside. Although hedgerows were originally intended as fences
and to mark property and townland boundaries, they are not merely
the natural or man-made additions to the landscape--they have
gradually become “naturalized" into the landscape, deeply rooted in
the rural culture, and now formed an important component of the
southern American rural environment. However, due to the ever
expanding real estate industry and high demand for new residential
development, substantial areas of authentic hedgerow landscape in
the southern United States are being urbanized. Using Hudson Farm
as an example, this study illustrated guidelines of how hedgerows can
be integrated into town planning as green infrastructure and
landscape interface to innovate and direct sustainable land use, and
suggest ways in which such vernacular landscapes can be preserved
and integrated into new development without losing their contextual
inspiration.
Abstract: This paper aims to explain the project carried out at
the University of Cordoba, specifically at the High Polytechnic
School in collaboration with two other organizations belonging to the
Andalusian Ministry of Innovation, Science and Business:
Andalusian Innovation and Development Agency (IDEA agency) [1]
and the Territorial Net of Entrepreneurship Support (in Spanish Red
Territorial de Apoyo al Emprendedor) [11].
The project is being developed in several stages of which only the
first one has already been completed. However, several important
preliminary results derive from it, based mainly in the description of
the nature of entrepreneurship in the field of university education and
its impact on student-s competency as recommended by the European
Higher Education Area. Some problems holding back the correct
future development will also be shown as derived from the specific
context of application of the project.
Abstract: The study of the transport coefficients in electronic
devices is currently carried out by analytical and empirical models.
This study requires several simplifying assumptions, generally
necessary to lead to analytical expressions in order to study the
different characteristics of the electronic silicon-based devices.
Further progress in the development, design and optimization of
Silicon-based devices necessarily requires new theory and modeling
tools. In our study, we use the PSO (Particle Swarm Optimization)
technique as a computational tool to develop analytical approaches in
order to study the transport phenomenon of the electron in crystalline
silicon as function of temperature and doping concentration. Good
agreement between our results and measured data has been found.
The optimized analytical models can also be incorporated into the
circuits simulators to study Si-based devices without impact on the
computational time and data storage.
Abstract: This paper proposes a modeling methodology for the
development of data analysis solution. The Author introduce the
approach to address data warehousing issues at the at enterprise level.
The methodology covers the process of the requirements eliciting and
analysis stage as well as initial design of data warehouse. The paper
reviews extended business process model, which satisfy the needs of
data warehouse development. The Author considers that the use of
business process models is necessary, as it reflects both enterprise
information systems and business functions, which are important for
data analysis. The Described approach divides development into
three steps with different detailed elaboration of models. The
Described approach gives possibility to gather requirements and
display them to business users in easy manner.
Abstract: The aim of the paper is based on detailed analysis of
literary sources and carried out research to develop a model
development and implementation of innovation strategy in the
business. The paper brings the main results of the authors conducted
research on a sample of 462 respondents that shows the current
situation in the Slovak enterprises in the use of innovation strategy.
Carried out research and analysis provided the base for a model
development and implementation of innovation strategy in the
business, which is in the paper in detail, step by step explained with
emphasis on the implementation process. Implementing the
innovation strategy is described a separate model. Paper contains
recommendations for successful implementation of innovation
strategy in the business. These recommendations should serve mainly
business managers as valuable tool in implementing the innovation
strategy.
Abstract: Software effort estimation is the process of predicting
the most realistic use of effort required to develop or maintain
software based on incomplete, uncertain and/or noisy input. Effort
estimates may be used as input to project plans, iteration plans,
budgets. There are various models like Halstead, Walston-Felix,
Bailey-Basili, Doty and GA Based models which have already used
to estimate the software effort for projects. In this study Statistical
Models, Fuzzy-GA and Neuro-Fuzzy (NF) Inference Systems are
experimented to estimate the software effort for projects. The
performances of the developed models were tested on NASA
software project datasets and results are compared with the Halstead,
Walston-Felix, Bailey-Basili, Doty and Genetic Algorithm Based
models mentioned in the literature. The result shows that the NF
Model has the lowest MMRE and RMSE values. The NF Model
shows the best results as compared with the Fuzzy-GA based hybrid
Inference System and other existing Models that are being used for
the Effort Prediction with lowest MMRE and RMSE values.
Abstract: The objective of this study was to improve our
understanding of vulnerability and environmental change; it's causes
basically show the intensity, its distribution and human-environment
effect on the ecosystem in the Apodi Valley Region, This paper is
identify, assess and classify vulnerability and environmental change
in the Apodi valley region using a combined approach of landscape
pattern and ecosystem sensitivity. Models were developed using the
following five thematic layers: Geology, geomorphology, soil,
vegetation and land use/cover, by means of a Geographical
Information Systems (GIS)-based on hydro-geophysical parameters.
In spite of the data problems and shortcomings, using ESRI-s ArcGIS
9.3 program, the vulnerability score, to classify, weight and combine
a number of 15 separate land cover classes to create a single indicator
provides a reliable measure of differences (6 classes) among regions
and communities that are exposed to similar ranges of hazards.
Indeed, the ongoing and active development of vulnerability
concepts and methods have already produced some tools to help
overcome common issues, such as acting in a context of high
uncertainties, taking into account the dynamics and spatial scale of
asocial-ecological system, or gathering viewpoints from different
sciences to combine human and impact-based approaches. Based on
this assessment, this paper proposes concrete perspectives and
possibilities to benefit from existing commonalities in the
construction and application of assessment tools.
Abstract: In Algeria, liberalization reforms undertaken since the 1990s have resulted in negative effects on the development and management of irrigation schemes, as well as on the conditions of farmers. Reforms have been undertaken to improve the performance of irrigation schemes, such as the national plan of agricultural development (PNDA) in 2000 and the water pricing policy of 2005. However, after implementation of these policies, questions have arisen with regard to irrigation performance and its suitability for agricultural development. Hence, the aim of this paper is to provide insight into the profitability of irrigation during the transition period under current irrigation agricultural policies in Algeria. By using the method of farm crop budget analysis in the East Mitidja irrigation scheme, the returns from using surface water resources based on farm typology were found to vary among crops and farmers- groups within the scheme. Irrigation under the current situation is profitable for all farmers, including both those who benefit from subsidies and those who do not. However, the returns to water were found to be very sensitive to crop price fluctuations, particularly for non-subsidized groups and less so for those whose farming is based on orchards. Moreover, the socio-economic environment of the farmers contributed to less significant impacts of the PNDA policy. In fact, the limiting factor is not only the water, but also the lack of land ownership title. Market access constraints led to less agricultural investment and therefore to low intensification and low water productivity. It is financially feasible to recover the annual O&M costs in the irrigation scheme. By comparing the irrigation water price, returns to water, and O&M costs of water delivery, it is clear that irrigation can be profitable in the future. However, water productivity must be improved by enhancing farmers- income through farming investment, improving assets access, and the allocation of activities and crops which bring high returns to water; this could allow the farmers to pay more for water and allow cost recovery for water systems.
Abstract: The study was carried out to evaluated effect of S-gridling on fruit growth and quality of wax apple. The study was laid in Random completed block design with four replicated. Four treatment were applied as follows: S-girdling, fruit thinning plus bagging with 2,4-D sprayed, fruit thinning plus bagging and the control treatment. 2,4D was sprayed at the small bud and petal fall stage. Girdling was applied three week before flowering. The effect of all treatments on fruit growth was measured weekly. Number of flower, fruit set, fruit drop, fruit crack, and fruit quality were recorded. The result indicated that S-girdling, 2,4D application produced the lowest bud drop, fruit drop compared to untreated control. S-girdling improved faster fruit growth producing the best final fruit length and diameter compared to untreated control. S-girdling also markedly enhanced fruit set, fruit weight, and total soluble solid, reduced fruit crack, titratable acidity. On the other hand, it was noticed that with 2,4-D application also increased the fruit growth rate, improved physiological and biochemical characters of fruit than control treatment. It was concluded that S-girdling was recommended as the industry norm to increase fruit set, fruit quality in wax apple. 2,4D application had a distinctive and significant effect on most of the fruit quality characteristics assessed.
Abstract: Academic research information service is a must for surveying previous studies in research and development process. OntoFrame is an academic research information service under Semantic Web framework different from simple keyword-based services such as CiteSeer and Google Scholar. The first purpose of this study is for revealing user behavior in their surveys, the objects of using academic research information services, and their needs. The second is for applying lessons learned from the results to OntoFrame.
Abstract: Experimental data from an atmospheric air/water terrain slugging case has been made available by the Shell Amsterdam research center, and has been subject to numerical simulation and comparison with a one-dimensional two-phase slug tracking simulator under development at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. The code is based on tracking of liquid slugs in pipelines by use of a Lagrangian grid formulation implemented in Cµ by use of object oriented techniques. An existing hybrid spatial discretization scheme is tested, in which the stratified regions are modelled by the two-fluid model. The slug regions are treated incompressible, thus requiring a single momentum balance over the whole slug. Upon comparison with the experimental data, the period of the simulated severe slugging cycle is observed to be sensitive to slug generation in the horizontal parts of the system. Two different slug initiation methods have been tested with the slug tracking code, and grid dependency has been investigated.
Abstract: This research aims to develop and evaluate a training
course to promote learning activities of 2nd year, Suan Sunandha
Rajabhat University, faculty of education students using multiple
intelligences theory. The process is divided into two phases: Phase 1
development of training course to promote learning activities
consisting of principles, objectives of the course, structure, training
duration, content, training materials, training activities, media
training, monitoring, measurement and evaluation quality of the
course. Phase 2 evaluation efficiency of training course was to use
the improved curriculum with experimental group which is 2nd year,
Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, faculty of education students
was drawn randomly 152 students. The experimental pattern was
randomized Control Group Pre-Test Post-Test Design, Analysis Data
by t-Test with the software SPFSS for Windows. Research has shown
that: 1). the ability of teaching and learning according to the theory of
multiple intelligences after training is higher than before training
significantly in statistic at .01 level, 2). The satisfaction of students
to the training courses was overall at the highest level.
Abstract: This paper presents the development of an electricity simulation model taking into account electrical network constraints, applied on the Belgian power system. The base of the model is optimizing an extensive Unit Commitment (UC) problem through the use of Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP). Electrical constraints are incorporated through the implementation of a DC load flow. The model encloses the Belgian power system in a 220 – 380 kV high voltage network (i.e., 93 power plants and 106 nodes). The model features the use of pumping storage facilities as well as the inclusion of spinning reserves in a single optimization process. Solution times of the model stay below reasonable values.