Abstract: Networked schools have become a feature of
education systems in countries that seek to provide learning
opportunities in schools located beyond major centres of population.
The internet and e-learning have facilitated the development of
virtual educational structures that complement traditional schools,
encouraging collaborative teaching and learning to proceed. In rural
New Zealand and in the Atlantic Canadian province of
Newfoundland and Labrador, e-learning is able to provide new ways
of organizing teaching, learning and the management of educational
opportunities. However, the future of e-teaching and e-learning in
networked schools depends on the development of professional
education programs that prepare teachers for collaborative teaching
and learning environments in which both virtual and traditional face
to face instruction co-exist.
Abstract: This paper proposes a declarative language for
knowledge representation (Ibn Rochd), and its environment of
exploitation (DeGSE). This DeGSE system was designed and
developed to facilitate Ibn Rochd writing applications. The system
was tested on several knowledge bases by ascending complexity,
culminating in a system for recognition of a plant or a tree, and
advisors to purchase a car, for pedagogical and academic guidance,
or for bank savings and credit. Finally, the limits of the language and
research perspectives are stated.
Abstract: The experimental study of position control of a light
weight and small size robotic finger during non-contact motion is
presented in this paper. The finger possesses fingertip pinching and
self adaptive grasping capabilities, and is made of a seven bar linkage
mechanism with a slider in the middle phalanx. The control system is
tested under the Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) control
algorithm and Recursive Least Square (RLS) based Feedback Error
Learning (FEL) control scheme to overcome the uncertainties present
in the plant. The experiments conducted in Matlab Simulink and xPC
Target environments show that the overall control strategy is efficient
in controlling the finger movement.
Abstract: This paper addresses one of the most important issues
have been considered in hybrid MTS/MTO production environments. To cope with the problem, a mathematical programming model is
applied from a tactical point of view. The model is converted to a fuzzy goal programming model, because a degree of uncertainty is involved in hybrid MTS/MTO context. Finally, application of the
proposed model in an industrial center is reported and the results prove the validity of the model.
Abstract: This paper describes an efficient hardware implementation of a new technique for interfacing the data exchange between the microprocessor-based systems and the external devices. This technique, based on the use of software/hardware system and a reduced physical address, enlarges the interfacing capacity of the microprocessor-based systems, uses the Direct Memory Access (DMA) to increases the frequency of the new bus, and improves the speed of data exchange. While using this architecture in microprocessor-based system or in computer, the input of the hardware part of our system will be connected to the bus system, and the output, which is a new bus, will be connected to an external device. The new bus is composed of a data bus, a control bus and an address bus. A Xilinx Integrated Software Environment (ISE) 7.1i has been used for the programmable logic implementation.
Abstract: Biomass is becoming a large renewable resource for
power generation; it is involved in higher frequency in
environmentally clean processes, and even it is used for biofuels
preparation. On the other hand, hydrogen – other energy source – can
be produced in a variety of methods including gasification of
biomass. In this study, the production of hydrogen by gasification of
biomass waste is examined. This work explores the production of a
gaseous mixture with high power potential from Amazonas´ specie
known as copoazu, using a counter-flow fixed-bed bioreactor.
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: 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: The hospital and the health-care center of a
community, as a place for people-s life-care and health-care settings,
must provide more and better services for patients or residents. After
Establishing Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system -which is a
necessity- in the hospital, providing pervasive services is a further
step. Our objective in this paper is to use pervasive computing in a
case study of healthcare, based on EMR database that coordinates
application services over network to form a service environment for
medical and health-care. Our method also categorizes the hospital
spaces into 3 spaces: Public spaces, Private spaces and Isolated
spaces. Although, there are many projects about using pervasive
computing in healthcare, but all of them concentrate on the disease
recognition, designing smart cloths, or provide services only for
patient. The proposed method is implemented in a hospital. The
obtained results show that it is suitable for our purpose.
Abstract: This paper describes studies carried out to investigate
the viability of using wireless cameras as a tool in monitoring
changes in air quality. A camera is used to monitor the change in
colour of a chemically responsive polymer within view of the camera
as it is exposed to varying chemical species concentration levels. The
camera captures this image and the colour change is analyzed by
averaging the RGB values present. This novel chemical sensing
approach is compared with an established chemical sensing method
using the same chemically responsive polymer coated onto LEDs. In
this way, the concentration levels of acetic acid in the air can be
tracked using both approaches. These approaches to chemical plume
tracking have many applications for air quality monitoring.
Abstract: The development of sustainable utilization water resources is crucial. The ecological environment and water resources systems form the foundation of the existence and development of the social economy. The urban ecological support system depends on these resources as well. This research studies the vulnerability, criticality, and risk of climate change on water supply and demand in the main administrative district of the Taijiang Area (Tainan City). Based on the two situations set in this paper and various factors (indexes), this research adopts two kinds of weights (equal and AHP) to conduct the calculation and establish the water supply and demand risk map for the target year 2039. According to the risk analysis result, which is based on equal weight, only one district belongs to a high-grade district (Grade 4). Based on the AHP weight, 16 districts belong to a high-grade or higher-grade district (Grades 4 and 5), and from among them, two districts belong to the highest grade (Grade 5). These results show that the risk level of water supply and demand in cities is higher than that in towns. The government generally gives more attention to the adjustment strategy in the “cities." However, it should also provide proper adjustment strategies for the “towns" to be able to cope with the risks of water supply and demand.
Abstract: The main problem is that there is a very low innovation performance in Latvia. Since Latvia is a Member State of European Union, it also shall have to fulfill the set targets and to improve innovative results.Universities are one of the main performers to provide innovative capacity of country. University, industry and government need to cooperate for getting best results.The intellectual property is one of the indicators to determine innovation level in the country or organization, and patents are one of the characteristics of intellectual property.The objective of the article is to determine indicators characterizing innovative environment in Latvia and influence of the development of universities on them.The methods that will be used in the article to achieve the objectives are quantitative and qualitative analysis of the literature, statistical data analysis and graphical analysis methods.
Abstract: As current business environment is demanding a
constant adaptation of companies, the planning and strategic
management should be an ongoing and natural process in all kind of
organizations. The use of management and monitoring strategic
performance tools such as the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) have been
popular; even to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. This paper
aims to investigate whether the BSC is being used in monitoring the
performance of small businesses, particularly in small fuel retailers
companies, which are competing in co-branding; and if not, it aims to
identify its strategic orientation in order to recommend a possible
strategy map for those managers that are willing to adopt this model
as an alternative to traditional ones for organizational performance
evaluation, which often focus only on evaluation of the
organizational financial performance.
Abstract: The urbanization phenomenon in Yogyakarta Special
Province, Indonesia, encouraged people move to the city for getting
jobs in the informal sectors. They live in some temporary houses in
the three main riverbanks: Gadjahwong, Code, and Winongo.
Triggered by its independent status they use it as the space for
accommodating domestic, social and economy activities because of
the non standardized room size of their houses, where are recognized
as the environmental hazards. This recognition makes the ambivalent
perception when was related to the twelfth point of the philosophy of
community development concept: the empowering individuals and
communities. Its spatial implication have actually described the
territory and the place making phenomena. By analyzing some data
collected the author-s fundamental research funded by The General
Directorate of Higher Education of Indonesia, this paper will discuss
how do the spatial implications of the occupants- behavior and the
numerous perceptions of those phenomena.
Abstract: The scope of this research was to study the relation between the facial expressions of three lecturers in a real academic lecture theatre and the reactions of the students to those expressions. The first experiment aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a virtual lecturer-s expressions on the students- learning outcome in a virtual pedagogical environment. The second experiment studied the effectiveness of a single facial expression, i.e. the smile, on the students- performance. Both experiments involved virtual lectures, with virtual lecturers teaching real students. The results suggest that the students performed better by 86%, in the lectures where the lecturer performed facial expressions compared to the results of the lectures that did not use facial expressions. However, when simple or basic information was used, the facial expressions of the virtual lecturer had no substantial effect on the students- learning outcome. Finally, the appropriate use of smiles increased the interest of the students and consequently their performance.
Abstract: Information is power. Geographical information is an
emerging science that is advancing the development of knowledge to
further help in the understanding of the relationship of “place" with
other disciplines such as crime. The researchers used crime data for
the years 2004 to 2007 from the Baguio City Police Office to
determine the incidence and actual locations of crime hotspots.
Combined qualitative and quantitative research methodology was
employed through extensive fieldwork and observation, geographic
visualization with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Global
Positioning Systems (GPS), and data mining. The paper discusses
emerging geographic visualization and data mining tools and
methodologies that can be used to generate baseline data for
environmental initiatives such as urban renewal and rejuvenation.
The study was able to demonstrate that crime hotspots can be
computed and were seen to be occurring to some select places in the
Central Business District (CBD) of Baguio City. It was observed that
some characteristics of the hotspot places- physical design and milieu
may play an important role in creating opportunities for crime. A list
of these environmental attributes was generated. This derived
information may be used to guide the design or redesign of the urban
environment of the City to be able to reduce crime and at the same
time improve it physically.
Abstract: The paper presents an overview of environmental
issues that may be expected with nuclear desalination. The analysis
of coupling nuclear power with desalination plants indicates that
adverse marine impacts can be mitigated with alternative intake
designs or cooling systems. The atmospheric impact of desalination
may be greatly reduced through the coupling with nuclear power,
while maximizing the socio-economic benefit for both processes. The
potential for tritium contamination of the desalinated water was
reviewed. Experience with the systems and practices related to the
radiological quality of the product water, shows no examples of
cross-contamination. Furthermore, the indicators for the public
acceptance of nuclear desalination, as one of the most important
sustainability aspects of any such large project, show a positive trend.
From the data collected, a conclusion is made that nuclear
desalination should be supported by decision-makers.
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: The phenomenon of global warming or climate
change has led to many environmental issues including higher
atmospheric temperatures, intense precipitation, increased
greenhouse gaseous emissions and increased indoor discomfort.
Studies have shown that bringing nature to the roof such as
constructing green roof and implementing high-reflective roof may
give positive impact in mitigating the effects of global warming and
in increasing thermal comfort sensation inside buildings. However,
no study has been conducted to compare both types of passive roof
treatments in Malaysia in order to increase thermal comfort in
buildings. Therefore, this study is conducted to investigate the effect
of green roof and white painted roof as passive roof treatment in
improving indoor comfort of Malaysian homes. This study uses an
experimental approach in which the measurements of temperatures
are conducted on the case study building. The measurements of
outdoor and indoor environments were conducted on the flat roof
with two different types of roof treatment that are green roof and
white roof. The measurement of existing black bare roof was also
conducted to act as a control for this study.
Abstract: The last Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change, stating that the greatest risk in climate
change affects sustainability is now widely known and accepted.
However, it has not provoked substantial reaction and attention in
Hungary, while international and national efforts have also not
achieved expected results so far. Still, there are numerous examples
on different levels (national, regional, local, household) making
considerable progress in limiting their own emissions and making
steps toward mitigation of and adaptation to climate change. The
local level is exceptionally important in sustainability adaptation, as
local communities are often able to adapt more flexibly to changes in
the natural environment.The aim of this paper is to attempt a review
of the national climate policy and the local climate change strategies
in Hungary considering sustainable development.