Abstract: The standard investigational method for obstructive
sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) diagnosis is polysomnography (PSG),
which consists of a simultaneous, usually overnight recording of
multiple electro-physiological signals related to sleep and
wakefulness. This is an expensive, encumbering and not a readily
repeated protocol, and therefore there is need for simpler and easily
implemented screening and detection techniques. Identification of
apnea/hypopnea events in the screening recordings is the key factor
for the diagnosis of OSAS. The analysis of a solely single-lead
electrocardiographic (ECG) signal for OSAS diagnosis, which may
be done with portable devices, at patient-s home, is the challenge of
the last years. A novel artificial neural network (ANN) based
approach for feature extraction and automatic identification of
respiratory events in ECG signals is presented in this paper. A
nonlinear principal component analysis (NLPCA) method was
considered for feature extraction and support vector machine for
classification/recognition. An alternative representation of the
respiratory events by means of Kohonen type neural network is
discussed. Our prospective study was based on OSAS patients of the
Clinical Hospital of Pneumology from Iaşi, Romania, males and
females, as well as on non-OSAS investigated human subjects. Our
computed analysis includes a learning phase based on cross signal
PSG annotation.
Abstract: This is a cross-cultural study that determines South
African multinational enterprises (MNEs) entry strategies as they
invest in Africa. An integrated theoretical framework comprising the
transaction cost theory, Uppsala model, eclectic paradigm and the
distance framework was adopted. A sample of 40 South African
MNEs with 415 existing FDI entries in Africa was drawn. Using an
ordered logistic regression model, the impact of culture on the choice
of degree of control by South African MNEs in Africa was
determined. Cultural distance was one of significant factors that
influenced South African MNEs- choice of degree of control.
Furthermore, South African MNEs are risk averse in all countries in
Africa but minimize the risks differently across sectors. Service
sectors chooses to own their subsidiaries 100% and avoid dealing
with the locals while manufacturing, resources and construction
choose to have a local partner to share the risk.
Abstract: This paper presented two new efficient algorithms
for contour approximation. The proposed algorithm is compared
with Ramer (good quality), Triangle (faster) and Trapezoid (fastest)
in this work; which are briefly described. Cartesian co-ordinates of
an input contour are processed in such a manner that finally
contours is presented by a set of selected vertices of the edge of the
contour. In the paper the main idea of the analyzed procedures for
contour compression is performed. For comparison, the mean
square error and signal-to-noise ratio criterions are used.
Computational time of analyzed methods is estimated depending on
a number of numerical operations. Experimental results are
obtained both in terms of image quality, compression ratios, and
speed. The main advantages of the analyzed algorithm is small
numbers of the arithmetic operations compared to the existing
algorithms.
Abstract: In a liberalized electricity market, it is not surprising
that different customers require different power quality (PQ) levels at
different price. Power quality related to several power disturbances is
described by many parameters, so how to define a comprehensive
hierarchy evaluation system of power quality (PQCHES) has become
a concerned issue. In this paper, based on four electromagnetic
compatibility (EMC) levels, the numerical range of each power
disturbance is divided into five grades (Grade I –Grade V), and the
“barrel principle" of power quality is used for the assessment of
overall PQ performance with only one grade indicator. A case study
based on actual monitored data of PQ shows that the site PQ grade
indicates the electromagnetic environment level and also expresses the
characteristics of loads served by the site.
The shortest plank principle of PQ barrel is an incentive
mechanism, which can combine with the rewards/penalty mechanism
(RPM) of consumed energy “on quality demand", to stimulate utilities
to improve the overall PQ level and also stimulate end-user more
“smart" under the infrastructure of future SmartGrid..
Abstract: Self-compacting concrete (SCC), a new kind of high
performance concrete (HPC) have been first developed in Japan in
1986. The development of SCC has made casting of dense
reinforcement and mass concrete convenient, has minimized noise.
Fresh self-compacting concrete (SCC) flows into formwork and
around obstructions under its own weight to fill it completely and
self-compact (without any need for vibration), without any
segregation and blocking. The elimination of the need for
compaction leads to better quality concrete and substantial
improvement of working conditions. SCC mixes generally have a
much higher content of fine fillers, including cement, and produce
excessively high compressive strength concrete, which restricts its
field of application to special concrete only. To use SCC mixes in
general concrete construction practice, requires low cost materials to
make inexpensive concrete.
Rice husk ash (RHA) has been used as a highly reactive
pozzolanic material to improve the microstructure of the interfacial
transition zone (ITZ) between the cement paste and the aggregate in
self compacting concrete. Mechanical experiments of RHA blended
Portland cement concretes revealed that in addition to the pozzolanic
reactivity of RHA (chemical aspect), the particle grading (physical
aspect) of cement and RHA mixtures also exerted significant
influences on the blending efficiency.
The scope of this research was to determine the usefulness of Rice
husk ash (RHA) in the development of economical self compacting
concrete (SCC). The cost of materials will be decreased by reducing
the cement content by using waste material like rice husk ash instead
of.
This paper presents a study on the development of Mechanical
properties up to 180 days of self compacting and ordinary concretes
with rice-husk ash (RHA), from a rice paddy milling industry in
Rasht (Iran). Two different replacement percentages of cement by
RHA, 10%, and 20%, and two different water/cementicious material
ratios (0.40 and 0.35), were used for both of self compacting and
normal concrete specimens. The results are compared with those of
the self compacting concrete without RHA, with compressive,
flexural strength and modulus of elasticity. It is concluded that RHA
provides a positive effect on the Mechanical properties at age after
60 days.
Base of the result self compacting concrete specimens have higher
value than normal concrete specimens in all test except modulus of
elasticity. Also specimens with 20% replacement of cement by RHA
have the best performance.
Abstract: This paper focuses on robust design and optimization
of industrial production wastes. Past literatures were reviewed to case
study Clamason Industries Limited (CIL) - a leading ladder-tops
manufacturer. A painstaking study of the firm-s practices at the shop
floor revealed that Over-production, Waiting time, Excess inventory,
and Defects are the major wastes that are impeding their progress and
profitability. Design expert8 software was used to apply Taguchi
robust design and response surface methodology in order to model,
analyse and optimise the wastes cost in CIL. Waiting time and overproduction
rank first and second in contributing to the costs of wastes
in CIL. For minimal wastes cost the control factors of overproduction,
waiting-time, defects and excess-inventory must be set at
0.30, 390.70, 4 and 55.70 respectively for CIL. The optimal value of
cost of wastes for the months studied was 22.3679. Finally, a
recommendation was made that for the company to enhance their
profitability and customer satisfaction, they must adopt the Shingeo
Shingo-s Single Minute Exchange of Dies (SMED), which will
immediately tackle the waste of waiting by drastically reducing their
setup time.
Abstract: This study examines causal link between energy use and economic growth for five South Asian countries over period 1971-2006. Panel cointegration, ECM and FMOLS are applied for short and long run estimates. In short run unidirectional causality from per capita GDP to per capita energy consumption is found, but not vice versa. In long run one percent increase in per capita energy consumption tend to decrease 0.13 percent per capita GDP. i.e. Energy use discourage economic growth. This short and long run relationship indicate energy shortage crisis in South Asia due to increased energy use coupled with insufficient energy supply. Beside this long run estimated coefficient of error term suggest that short term adjustment to equilibrium are driven by adjustment back to long run equilibrium. Moreover, per capita energy consumption is responsive to adjustment back to equilibrium and it takes 59 years approximately. It specifies long run feedback between both variables.
Abstract: The ferroelectric behavior of barium strontium
titanate (BST) in thin film form has been investigated in order to
study the possibility of using BST for ferroelectric gate-field effect
transistor (FeFET) for memory devices application. BST thin films
have been fabricated as Al/BST/Pt/SiO2/Si-gate configuration. The
variation of the dielectric constant (ε) and tan δ with frequency have
been studied to ensure the dielectric quality of the material. The
results show that at low frequencies, ε increases as the Ba content
increases, whereas at high frequencies, it shows the opposite
variation, which is attributed to the dipole dynamics. tan δ shows low
values with a peak at the mid-frequency range. The ferroelectric
behavior of the Al/BST/Pt/SiO2/Si has been investigated using C-V
characteristics. The results show that the strength of the ferroelectric
hysteresis loop increases as the Ba content increases; this is attributed
to the grain size and dipole dynamics effect.
Abstract: Lignocellulosic materials are new targeted source to
produce second generation biofuels like biobutanol. However, this
process is significantly resisted by the native structure of biomass.
Therefore, pretreatment process is always essential to remove
hemicelluloses and lignin prior to the enzymatic hydrolysis.
The goals of pretreatment are removing hemicelluloses and
lignin, increasing biomass porosity, and increasing the enzyme
accessibility. The main goal of this research is to study the important
variables such as pretreatment temperature and time, which can give
the highest total sugar yield in pretreatment step by using dilute
phosphoric acid. After pretreatment, the highest total sugar yield of
13.61 g/L was obtained under an optimal condition at 140°C for 10
min of pretreatment time by using 1.75% (w/w) H3PO4 and at 15:1
liquid to solid ratio. The total sugar yield of two-stage process
(pretreatment+enzymatic hydrolysis) of 27.38 g/L was obtained.
Abstract: Kuwait-s electric power system is vertically integrated
organization owned and operated by the government. For more than
five decades, the government of Kuwait has provided relatively
reliable electric services to consumers with subsidized electric
service fees. Given the country-s rapid socio-economical
development and consequently the increase of electricity demand, a
question that inflicts itself: Is it necessary to reform the power system
to face the fast growing demand? This paper recommends that the
government should consider the private sector as a partner in
operating the power system. Therefore, power system restructuring is
needed to allow such partnership. There are challenges that prevent
such restructuring. Abstract recommendations toward resolving these
challenges are proposed.
Abstract: This study employs a bivariate asymmetric GARCH
model to reveal the hidden dynamics price changes and volatility
among the emerging markets of Thailand and Malaysian after the
Asian financial crisis from January 2001 to December 2008. Our
results indicated that the equity markets are sharing the common
information (shock) that transmitted among each others. These
empirical findings are used to demonstrate the importance of shock
and volatility dynamic transmissions in the cross-market hedging and
market risk.
Abstract: Travel demand forecasting including four travel choices, i.e., trip generation, trip distribution, modal split and traffic assignment constructs the core of transportation planning. In its current application, travel demand forecasting has associated with three important issues, i.e., interface inconsistencies among four travel choices, inefficiency of commonly used solution algorithms, and undesirable multiple path solutions. In this paper, each of the three issues is extensively elaborated. An ideal unified framework for the combined model consisting of the four travel choices and variable demand functions is also suggested. Then, a few remarks are provided in the end of the paper
Abstract: In this paper, we propose a novel metal oxide
semiconductor field effect transistor with L-shaped channel structure
(LMOS), and several type of L-shaped structures are also designed,
studied and compared with the conventional MOSFET device for the
same average gate length (Lavg). The proposed device electrical
characteristics are analyzed and evaluated by three dimension (3-D)
ISE-TCAD simulator. It can be confirmed that the LMOS devices
have higher on-state drain current and both lower drain-induced
barrier lowering (DIBL) and subthreshold swing (S.S.) than its
conventional counterpart has. In addition, the transconductance and
voltage gain properties of the LMOS are also improved.
Abstract: Intelligent schools are those which use IT devices and
technologies as media software, hardware and networks to improve
learning process. On the other hand management improvement is
best described as the process from which managers learn and improve
their skills not only to benefit themselves but also their employing
organizations Here, we present a model Management improvement
System that has been applied on some schools and have made strict
improvement.
Abstract: The goal of this paper is to develop a model to
integrate “pricing" and “advertisement" for short life cycle products,
such as branded fashion clothing products. To achieve this goal, we
apply the concept of “Dynamic Pricing". There are two classes of
advertisements, for the brand (regardless of product) and for a
particular product. Advertising the brand affects the demand and
price of all the products. Thus, the model considers all these products
in relation with each other. We develop two different methods to
integrate both types of advertisement and pricing. The first model is
developed within the framework of dynamic programming. However,
due to the complexity of the model, this method cannot be applicable
for large size problems. Therefore, we develop another method,
called hieratical approach, which is capable of handling the real
world problems. Finally, we show the accuracy of this method, both
theoretically and also by simulation.
Abstract: In this paper, a novel LVTSCR-based device for
electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection of integrated circuits (ICs) is
designed, fabricated and characterized. The proposed device is similar
to the conventional LVTSCR but it has an embedded PMOSFET in the
anode n-well to enhance the turn on speed, the clamping capability and
the robustness. This is possible because the embedded PMOSFET
provides the sub-path of ESD discharge current. The TLP, HBM and
MM testing are carried out to verify the ESD performance of the
proposed devices, which are fabricated in 0.35um
(Bipolar-CMOS-DMOS) BCDMOS process. The device has the
robustness of 70mA/um that is higher about 60mA/um than the
LVTSCR, approximately.
Abstract: Let p be a prime number such that p ≡ 1(mod 4), say
p = 1+4k for a positive integer k. Let P = 2k + 1 and Q = k2.
In this paper, we consider the integer solutions of the Pell equation
x2-Py2 = Q over Z and also over finite fields Fp. Also we deduce
some relations on the integer solutions (xn, yn) of it.
Abstract: The subject of the paper is comparative analysis of the hotel guest-s contractual liability for breaching the obligation for non-payment of hotel services in the hotel-keeper-s contract. The paper is methodologically conceived of six chapters (1. introduction, 2. comparative law sources of the hotel-keeper-s contract, 3. the guest-s obligation for payment of hotel services, 4. hotel guest's liability for non-payment, 5. the hotel-keeper-s rights due to nonpayment and 6. conclusion), which analyzes the guest-s liability for non-payment of hotel services through the international law, European law, euro-continental national laws (France, Germany, Italy, Croatia) and Anglo-American national laws (UK, USA). The paper-s results are the synthesis of answers to the set hypothesis and comparative review of hotel guest-s contractual liability for nonpayment of hotel services provided. In conclusion, it is necessary to adopt an international convention on the hotel-keeper-s contract, which would unify the institute of the hotel guest-s contractual liability for non-payment of hotel services at the international level.
Abstract: The technique of inducing micro ecosystem
restoration is one of aquatic ecology engineering methods used to
retrieve the polluted water. Batch scale study, pilot plant study, and
field study were carried out to observe the eutrophication using the
Inducing Ecology Restorative Symbiosis Agent (IERSA) consisting
mainly degraded products by using lactobacillus, saccharomycete,
and phycomycete. The results obtained from the experiments of the
batch scale and pilot plant study allowed us to development the
parameters for the field study. A pond, 5 m to the outlet of a lake,
with an area of 500 m2 and depth of 0.6-1.2 m containing about 500
tons of water was selected as a model. After the treatment with 10
mg IERSA/L water twice a week for 70 days, the micro restoration
mechanisms consisted of three stages (i.e., restoration, impact
maintenance, and ecology recovery experiment after impact). The
COD, TN, TKN, and chlorophyll a were reduced significantly in the
first week. Although the unexpected heavy rain and contaminate
from sewage system might slow the ecology restoration. However,
the self-cleaning function continued and the chlorophyll a reduced
for 50% in one month. In the 4th week, amoeba, paramecium, rotifer,
and red wriggle worm reappeared, and the number of fish flies
appeared up to1000 fish fries/m3. Those results proved that inducing
restorative mechanism can be applied to improve the eutrophication
and to control the growth of algae in the lakes by gaining the selfcleaning
through inducing and competition of microbes. The
situation for growth of fishes also can reach an excellent result due to
the improvement of water quality.
Abstract: In this paper a novel scheme for watermarking digital
audio during its compression to MPEG-1 Layer III format is
proposed. For this purpose we slightly modify some of the selected
MDCT coefficients, which are used during MPEG audio
compression procedure. Due to the possibility of modifying different
MDCT coefficients, there will be different choices for embedding the
watermark into audio data, considering robustness and transparency
factors. Our proposed method uses a genetic algorithm to select the
best coefficients to embed the watermark. This genetic selection is
done according to the parameters that are extracted from the
perceptual content of the audio to optimize the robustness and
transparency of the watermark. On the other hand the watermark
security is increased due to the random nature of the genetic
selection. The information of the selected MDCT coefficients that
carry the watermark bits, are saves in a database for future extraction
of the watermark. The proposed method is suitable for online MP3
stores to pursue illegal copies of musical artworks. Experimental
results show that the detection ratio of the watermarks at the bitrate
of 128kbps remains above 90% while the inaudibility of the
watermark is preserved.