Abstract: In this paper, we propose a novel adaptive
spatiotemporal filter that utilizes image sequences in order to remove
noise. The consecutive frames include: current, previous and next
noisy frames. The filter proposed in this paper is based upon the
weighted averaging pixels intensity and noise variance in image
sequences. It utilizes the Appropriate Number of Consecutive Frames
(ANCF) based on the noisy pixels intensity among the frames. The
number of consecutive frames is adaptively calculated for each
region in image and its value may change from one region to another
region depending on the pixels intensity within the region. The
weights are determined by a well-defined mathematical criterion,
which is adaptive to the feature of spatiotemporal pixels of the
consecutive frames. It is experimentally shown that the proposed
filter can preserve image structures and edges under motion while
suppressing noise, and thus can be effectively used in image
sequences filtering. In addition, the AWA filter using ANCF is
particularly well suited for filtering sequences that contain segments
with abruptly changing scene content due to, for example, rapid
zooming and changes in the view of the camera.
Abstract: The paper presents an applied study of a multivariate AR(p) process fitted to daily data from U.S. commodity futures markets with the use of Bayesian statistics. In the first part a detailed description of the methods used is given. In the second part two BVAR models are chosen one with assumption of lognormal, the second with normal distribution of prices conditioned on the parameters. For a comparison two simple benchmark models are chosen that are commonly used in todays Financial Mathematics. The article compares the quality of predictions of all the models, tries to find an adequate rate of forgetting of information and questions the validity of Efficient Market Hypothesis in the semi-strong form.
Abstract: Iris localization is a very important approach in
biometric identification systems. Identification process usually is
implemented in three levels: iris localization, feature extraction, and
pattern matching finally. Accuracy of iris localization as the first step
affects all other levels and this shows the importance of iris
localization in an iris based biometric system. In this paper, we
consider Daugman iris localization method as a standard method,
propose a new method in this field and then analyze and compare the
results of them on a standard set of iris images. The proposed method
is based on the detection of circular edge of iris, and improved by
fuzzy circles and surface energy difference contexts. Implementation
of this method is so easy and compared to the other methods, have a
rather high accuracy and speed. Test results show that the accuracy of
our proposed method is about Daugman method and computation
speed of it is 10 times faster.
Abstract: Polyurethane foam (PUF) is formed by a chemical
reaction of polyol and isocyanate. The aim is to understand the
impact of Silicone on synthesizing polyurethane in differentiate
volume of molding. The method used was one step process, which is
simultaneously caried out a blending polyol (petroleum polyol and
soybean polyol), a TDI (2,4):MDI (4,4-) (80:20), a distilled water,
and a silicone. The properties of the material were measured via a
number of parameters, which are polymer density, compressive
strength, and cellular structures. It is found that density of
polyurethane using silicone with volume of molding either 250 ml or
500 ml is lower than without using silicone.
Abstract: The standard approach to image reconstruction is to stabilize the problem by including an edge-preserving roughness penalty in addition to faithfulness to the data. However, this methodology produces noisy object boundaries and creates a staircase effect. The existing attempts to favor the formation of smooth contour lines take the edge field explicitly into account; they either are computationally expensive or produce disappointing results. In this paper, we propose to incorporate the smoothness of the edge field in an implicit way by means of an additional penalty term defined in the wavelet domain. We also derive an efficient half-quadratic algorithm to solve the resulting optimization problem, including the case when the data fidelity term is non-quadratic and the cost function is nonconvex. Numerical experiments show that our technique preserves edge sharpness while smoothing contour lines; it produces visually pleasing reconstructions which are quantitatively better than those obtained without wavelet-domain constraints.
Abstract: A number of mass spectrometry applications are already available as web-based and windows-based systems to calculate isotope pattern and to display the mass spectrum based on the specific molecular formula besides providing necessary information. These applications were evaluated and compared with our new alternative application called Theoretical Isotope Generator (TIG) in terms of its functionality and features provided to prove this new application is working better and performing well. TIG provides extra features than others, complete with several functionality such as drawing, normalizing and zooming the generated graph that convey with the molecular information in a number of formats by providing the details of the calculation and molecules. Thus, any chemist, students, lecturers and researchers from anywhere could use TIG to gain related information on molecules and their relative intensity.
Abstract: The reservoir of Kowsar dam supply water for
different usages such as aquaculture farms , drinking, agricultural and
industrial usages for some provinces in south of Iran. The Kowsar
dam is 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 twons in this area, which can to
be sources of pollution for water reservoir of the Kowsar dam . This
study was done to determine of water pollution of the Kowsar dam
reservoir which is one of the most important water resources of
Kohkiloye and Boyerahmad and Bushehr provinces in south-west
Iran. In this study , water samples during 12 months were collected to
examine Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Dissolved
Oxygen(DO) as a criterion for evaluation of water pollution of the
reservoir. In summary ,the study has shown Maximum, average and
minimum levels of BOD have observed 25.9 ,9.15 and 2.3 mg/L
respectively and statistical parameters of data such as standard
deviation , variance and skewness have calculated 7.88, 62 and 1.54
respectively. Finally the results were compared with Iranian national
standards. Among the analyzed samples, as the maximum value of
BOD (25.9 mg/L) was observed at the May 2010 , was within the
maximum admissible limits by the Iranian standards.
Abstract: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become a
new trend of business governance. Few research studies on CSR
published in Taiwanese academia, especially for medical settings, we
were interested in probing the relationship of CSR and financial
performance in medical settings in Taiwan. The results illustrate that:
(1) a time delay effect exists with a lag between CSR effort and its
performance in the hospital foundation, (2) input into the internal
domains of CSR will be helpful to improve employee productivity in
the hospital foundation, and (3) input into the external domains of CSR
will be helpful in improving financial performance in the hospital
foundation. This study overviews CSR in the medical industry in
Taiwan and the relationship of CSR and financial performance.
Discussions of possible implications from the study results are applied
to consult the CSR concept that will be transferred into a business
strategy for the organization manager.
Abstract: Microorganisms isolated from water and soil of
Kazakhstan to identify potential high-effective producers of the
arachidonic acid, exhibiting a wide range of physiological activity
and having practical applications were screened. Based on the results
of two independent tests (the test on the sensitivity of the growth
processes of microorganisms to acetylsalicylic acid - an irreversible
inhibitor of PGH-synthase involved in the metabolism of arachidonic
acid and its derivatives, the test for inhibition of peroxidase activity
of membrane-bounding fraction of PGH - synthase by acetylsalicylic
acid) were selected microbial cultures which are potential highproducer
of arachidonic acid. They are characterized by a stable
strong growth in the laboratory conditions. Identification of
microorganism cultures based on morphological, physiological,
biochemical and molecular genetic characteristics was performed.
Abstract: The dilute acid pretreatment and enzymatic
saccharification of lignocellulosic substrate, cogon grass (Imperata
cylindrical, L.) was optimized prior ethanol fermentation using
simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) method. The
optimum pretreatment conditions, temperature, sulfuric acid
concentration, and reaction time were evaluated by determining the
maximum sugar yield at constant enzyme loading. Cogon grass, at
10% w/v substrate loading, has optimum pretreatment conditions of
126°C, 0.6% v/v H2SO4, and 20min reaction time. These
pretreatment conditions were used to optimize enzymatic
saccharification using different enzyme combinations. The maximum
saccharification yield of 36.68mg/mL (71.29% reducing sugar) was
obtained using 25FPU/g-cellulose cellulase complex combined with
1.1% w/w of cellobiase, ß-glucosidase, and 0.225% w/w of
hemicellulase complex, after 96 hours of saccharification. Using the
optimum pretreatment and saccharification conditions, SSF of treated
substrates was done at 37°C for 120 hours using industrial yeast
strain HBY3, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The ethanol yield for cogon
grass at 4% w/w loading was 9.11g/L with 5.74mg/mL total residual
sugar.
Abstract: A portable sensor for the analysis of phosphate in
aqueous samples has been developed. The sensor incorporates
microfluidic technology, colorimetric detection, and wireless
communications into a compact and rugged portable device. The
detection method used is the molybdenum yellow method, in which a
phosphate-containing sample is mixed with a reagent containing
ammonium metavanadate and ammonium molybdate in an acidic
medium. A yellow-coloured compound is generated and the
absorption of this compound is measured using a light emitting diode
(LED) light source and a photodiode detector. The absorption is
directly proportional to the phosphate concentration in the original
sample. In this paper we describe the application of this phosphate
sensor to the analysis of wastewater at a municipal wastewater
treatment plant in Co. Kildare, Ireland.
Abstract: This paper presents the results of preliminary
assessment of water quality along the coastal areas in the vicinity of
Left Bank Outfall Drainage (LBOD) and Tidal Link Drain (TLD) in
Sindh province after the cyclone 2A occurred in 1999. The water
samples were collected from various RDs of Tidal Link Drain and
lakes during September 2001 to April 2002 and were analysed for
salinity, nitrite, phosphate, ammonia, silicate and suspended material
in water. The results of the study showed considerable variations in
water quality depending upon the location along the coast in the
vicinity of LBOD and RDs. The salinity ranged between 4.39–65.25
ppt in Tidal Link Drain samples whereas 2.4–38.05 ppt in samples
collected from lakes. The values of suspended material at various
RDs of Tidal Link Drain ranged between 56.6–2134 ppm and at the
lakes between 68–297 ppm. The data of continuous monitoring at
RD–93 showed the range of PO4 (8.6–25.2 μg/l), SiO3 (554.96–1462
μg/l), NO2 (0.557.2–25.2 μg/l) and NH3 (9.38–23.62 μg/l). The
concentration of nutrients in water samples collected from different
RDs was found in the range of PO4 (10.85 to 11.47 μg/l), SiO3 (1624
to 2635.08 μg/l), NO2 (20.38 to 44.8 μg/l) and NH3 (24.08 to 26.6
μg/l). Sindh coastal areas which situated at the north-western
boundary the Arabian Sea are highly vulnerable to flood damages
due to flash floods during SW monsoon or impact of sea level rise
and storm surges coupled with cyclones passing through Arabian Sea
along Pakistan coast. It is hoped that the obtained data in this study
would act as a database for future investigations and monitoring of
LBOD and Tidal Link Drain coastal waters.
Abstract: The aim of this study was to synthesize the single
walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and determine their hydrogen
storage capacities. SWCNTs were firstly synthesized by chemical
vapor deposition (CVD) of acetylene (C2H2) on a magnesium oxide
(MgO) powder impregnated with an iron nitrate (Fe(NO3)3·9H2O)
solution. The synthesis parameters were selected as: the synthesis
temperature of 800°C, the iron content in the precursor of 5% and the
synthesis time of 30 min. Purification process of SWCNTs was
fulfilled by microwave digestion at three different temperatures (120,
150 and 200 °C), three different acid concentrations (0.5, 1 and 1.5
M) and for three different time intervals (15, 30 and 60 min). Nitric
acid (HNO3) was used in the removal of the metal catalysts. The
hydrogen storage capacities of the purified materials were measured
using volumetric method at the liquid nitrogen temperature and gas
pressure up to 100 bar. The effects of the purification conditions such
as temperature, time and acid concentration on hydrogen adsorption
were investigated.
Abstract: A self-association model has been used to understand
the concentration dependence of free energy of mixing (GM), heat of
mixing (HM), entropy of mixing (SM), activity (a) and microscopic
structures, such as concentration fluctuation in long wavelength limit
(Scc(0)) and Warren-Cowley short range order parameter ( 1
α )for Cu-
Tl molten alloys at 1573K. A comparative study of surface tension of
the alloys in the liquid state at that temperature has also been carried
out theoretically as function of composition in the light of Butler-s
model, Prasad-s model and quasi-chemical approach. Most of the
computed thermodynamic properties have been found in agreement
with the experimental values. The analysis reveals that the Cu-Tl
molten alloys at 1573K represent a segregating system at all
concentrations with moderate interaction. Surface tensions computed
from different approaches have been found to be comparable to each
other showing increment with the composition of copper.
Abstract: In this study, the conversion of n-pentane to aromatics is investigated on HZSM-5 zeolites modified by Ga ion-exchange and silylation using tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) via chemical liquid deposition (CLD). The effect of SiO2/Al2O3 ratios of HZSM-5 was also studied. Parameters in preparing catalysts i.e. TEOS loading and cycles of deposition were varied to obtain the optimal condition for enhancing p-xylene selectivity. The highest p-xylene selectivity 99.7% was achieved when the amount of TEOS was 20 vol.%.The catalysts were characterized by TPD, TPO, XRF, and BET. Results show that the conversion of n-pentane was influenced remarkably by the SiO2/Al2O3 ratios of HZSM-5. The highest p-xylene selectivity 99.7% was achieved when the amount of TEOS was 20 vol.%. And cycles of deposition greatly improves HZSM-5 shape-selectivity.
Abstract: In the crack growth analysis, the Stress Intensity
Factor (SIF) is a fundamental prerequisite. In the present study, the
mode I stress intensity factor (SIF) of three-dimensional penny-
Shaped crack is obtained in an isotropic elastic cylindrical medium
with arbitrary dimensions under arbitrary loading at the top of the
cylinder, by the semi-analytical method based on the Rayleigh-Ritz
method. This method that is based on minimizing the potential
energy amount of the whole of the system, gives a very close results
to the previous studies. Defining the displacements (elastic fields) by
hypothetical functions in a defined coordinate system is the base of
this research. So for creating the singularity conditions at the tip of
the crack the appropriate terms should be found.
Abstract: Sol-gel method has been used to fabricate
nanocomposite films on glass substrates composed halloysite clay
mineral and nanocrystalline TiO2. The methodology for the synthesis
involves a simple chemistry method utilized nonionic surfactant
molecule as pore directing agent along with the acetic acid-based solgel
route with the absence of water molecules. The thermal treatment
of composite films at 450oC ensures elimination of organic material
and lead to the formation of TiO2 nanoparticles onto the surface of
the halloysite nanotubes. Microscopy techniques and porosimetry
methods used in order to delineate the structural characteristics of the
materials. The nanocomposite films produced have no cracks and
active anatase crystal phase with small crystallite size were deposited
on halloysite nanotubes. The photocatalytic properties for the new
materials were examined for the decomposition of the Basic Blue 41
azo dye in solution. These, nanotechnology based composite films
show high efficiency for dye’s discoloration in spite of different
halloysite quantities and small amount of halloysite/TiO2 catalyst
immobilized onto glass substrates. Moreover, we examined the
modification of the halloysite/TiO2 films with silver particles in order
to improve the photocatalytic properties of the films. Indeed, the
presence of silver nanoparticles enhances the discoloration rate of the
Basic Blue 41 compared to the efficiencies obtained for unmodified
films.
Abstract: The effect of Alumina nanoparticle size on thermophysical
properties, heat transfer performance and pressure loss characteristics of
Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF)-Al2O3 nanofluids is studied experimentally for
the proposed application of regenerative cooling of semi-cryogenic rocket
engine thrust chambers. Al2O3 particles with mean diameters of 50 nm or 150
nm are dispersed in ATF. At 500C and 0.3% particle volume concentration,
the bigger particles show increases of 17% in thermal conductivity and 55% in
viscosity, whereas the smaller particles show corresponding increases of 21%
and 22% for thermal conductivity and viscosity respectively. Contrary to these
results, experiments to study the heat transfer performance and pressure loss
characteristics show that at the same pumping power, the maximum
enhancement in heat transfer coefficient at 500C and 0.3% concentration is
approximately 47% using bigger particles, whereas it is only 36% using
smaller particles.
Abstract: The notions of intuitionistic fuzzy h-ideal and normal
intuitionistic fuzzy h-ideal in Γ-hemiring are introduced and some
of the basic properties of these ideals are investigated. Cartesian
product of intuitionistic fuzzy h-ideals is also defined. Finally a
characterization of intuitionistic fuzzy h-ideals in terms of fuzzy
relations is obtained.
Abstract: Knowledge sharing enables the information or
knowledge to be transmitted from one source to another. This paper
demonstrates the needs of having the online book catalogue which
can be used to facilitate disseminating information on textbook used
in the university. This project is aimed to give access to the students
and lecturers to the list of books in the bookstore and at the same
time to allow book reviewing without having to visit the bookstore
physically. Research is carried out according to the boundaries which
accounts to current process of new book purchasing, current system
used by the bookstore and current process the lecturers go through
for reviewing textbooks. The questionnaire is used to gather the
requirements and it is distributed to 100 students and 40 lecturers.
This project has enabled the improvement of a manual process to be
carried out automatically, through a web based platform. It is shown
based on the user acceptance survey carried out that target groups
found that this web service is feasible to be implemented in
Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP), and they have shown
positive signs of interest in utilizing it in the future.