Abstract: A catastrophic earthquake measuring 6.3 on the
Richter scale struck the Christchurch, New Zealand Central Business
District on February 22, 2012, abruptly disrupting the business of
teaching and learning at Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of
Technology. This paper presents the findings from a study
undertaken about the complexity of delivering an educational
programme in the face of this traumatic natural event. Nine
interconnected themes emerged from this multiple method study:
communication, decision making, leader- and follower-ship,
balancing personal and professional responsibilities, taking action,
preparedness and thinking ahead, all within a disruptive and uncertain
context. Sustainable responses that maximise business continuity, and
provide solutions to practical challenges, are among the study-s
recommendations.
Abstract: Studies were carried out to determine the in vitro
susceptibility of the typhoid pathogens to combined action of Euphorbia hirta, Euphorbia heterophylla and Phyllanthus niruri. Clinical isolates of the typhoid bacilli were subjected to susceptibility testing using agar diffusion technique and the minimum inhibitory
concentration (MIC) determined with tube dilution technique. These
isolates, when challenged with doses of the extracts from the three
medicinal plants showed zones of inhibition as wide as 26±0.2mm, 22±0.1mm and 18±0.0mm respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) revealed organisms inhibited at varying
concentrations of extracts: E. hirta (S. typhi 0.250mg/ml, S. paratyphi A 0.125mg/ml, S. paratyphi B 0.185mg/ml and S. paratyphi C 0.225mg/ml), E. heterophylla (S. typhi 0.280mg/ml, S. paratyphi A
0.150mg/ml, S. paratyphi B 0.200mg/ml and S. paratyphi C 0.250mg/ml) and P. niruri (S. typhi 0.150mg/ml, S. paratyphi A 0.100mg/ml, S. paratyphi B 0.115mg/ml and S. paratyphi C 0.125mg/ml). The results of the synergy between the three plants in
the ration of 1:1:1 showed very low MICs for the test pathogens as follows S. typhi 0.025mg/ml, S. paratyphi A 0.080mg/ml, S. paratyphi B 0.015mg/ml and S. paratyphi C 0.10mg/ml with the
diameter zone of inhibition (DZI) ranging from 35±0.2mm,
28±0.4mm, 20±0.1mm and 32±0.3mm respectively. The secondary
metabolites were identified using simple methods and HPLC. Organic components such as anthroquinones, different alkaloids,
tannins, 6-ethoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-2,2,4-trimethyl and steroids were identified. The prevalence of Salmonellae, a deadly infectious disease, is still very high in parts of Nigeria. The synergistic action of these three plants is very high. It is concluded that pharmaceutical companies should take advantage of these findings to develop new
anti-typhoid drugs from these plants.
Abstract: The effect of beak trimming on behavior of two strains
of Thai native pullets kept in floor pens was studied. Six general
activities (standing, crouching, moving, comforting, roosting, and
nesting), 6 beak related activities (preening, feeding, drinking,
pecking at inedible object, feather pecking, and litter pecking), and 4
agonistic activities (head pecking, threatening, avoiding, and fighting)
were measured twice a for 15 consecutive days, started when the
pullets were 19 wk old. It was found that beak trimmed pullets drank
more frequent (P
Abstract: As the gradual increase of the enterprise scale, the
firms may possess many manufacturing plants located in different
places geographically. This change will result in the multi-site
production planning problems under the environment of multiple
plants or production resources. Our research proposes the structural
framework to analyze the multi-site planning problems. The analytical
framework is composed of six elements: multi-site conceptual model,
product structure (bill of manufacturing), production strategy,
manufacturing capability and characteristics, production planning
constraints, and key performance indicators. As well as the discussion
of these six ingredients, we also review related literatures in this paper
to match our analytical framework. Finally we take a real-world
practical example of a TFT-LCD manufacturer in Taiwan to explain
our proposed analytical framework for the multi-site production
planning problems.
Abstract: Short Message Service (SMS) has grown in
popularity over the years and it has become a common way of
communication, it is a service provided through General System
for Mobile Communications (GSM) that allows users to send text
messages to others.
SMS is usually used to transport unclassified information, but
with the rise of mobile commerce it has become a popular tool for
transmitting sensitive information between the business and its
clients. By default SMS does not guarantee confidentiality and
integrity to the message content.
In the mobile communication systems, security (encryption)
offered by the network operator only applies on the wireless link.
Data delivered through the mobile core network may not be
protected. Existing end-to-end security mechanisms are provided
at application level and typically based on public key
cryptosystem.
The main concern in a public-key setting is the authenticity of
the public key; this issue can be resolved by identity-based (IDbased)
cryptography where the public key of a user can be derived
from public information that uniquely identifies the user.
This paper presents an encryption mechanism based on the IDbased
scheme using Elliptic curves to provide end-to-end security
for SMS. This mechanism has been implemented over the standard
SMS network architecture and the encryption overhead has been
estimated and compared with RSA scheme. This study indicates
that the ID-based mechanism has advantages over the RSA
mechanism in key distribution and scalability of increasing
security level for mobile service.
Abstract: This paper presented the potential of smart phone to
provide support on mapping the indoor asset. The advantage of using
the smart phone to generate the indoor map is that it has the ability to
capture, store and reproduces still or video images; indeed most of us
do have this powerful gadget. The captured images usually used by
maintenance team to save a record for future reference. Here, these
images are used to generate 3D models of an object precisely and
accurately for efficient and effective solution in data gathering. Thus,
it could be a resource for an informative database in asset
management.
Abstract: In the Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) method, use of Carbon dioxide flooding whereby CO2 is injected into an oil reservoir to increase output when extracting oil resulted significant recovery worldwide. The carbon dioxide function as a pressurizing agent when mixed into the underground crude oil will reduce its viscosity and will enable a rapid oil flow. Despite the CO2’s advantage in the oil recovery, it may result to asphaltene precipitation a problem that will cause the reduction of oil produced from oil wells. In severe cases, asphaltene precipitation can cause costly blockages in oil pipes and machinery. This paper presents reviews of several studies done on mathematical modeling of asphaltene precipitation. The synthesized result from several researches done on this topic can be used as guide in order to better understand asphaltene precipitation. Likewise, this can be used as initial reference for students, and new researchers doing study on asphaltene precipitation.
Abstract: In this paper a stochastic scenario-based model predictive control applied to molten salt storage systems in concentrated solar tower power plant is presented. The main goal of this study is to build up a tool to analyze current and expected future resources for evaluating the weekly power to be advertised on electricity secondary market. This tool will allow plant operator to maximize profits while hedging the impact on the system of stochastic variables such as resources or sunlight shortage.
Solving the problem first requires a mixed logic dynamic modeling of the plant. The two stochastic variables, respectively the sunlight incoming energy and electricity demands from secondary market, are modeled by least square regression. Robustness is achieved by drawing a certain number of random variables realizations and applying the most restrictive one to the system. This scenario approach control technique provides the plant operator a confidence interval containing a given percentage of possible stochastic variable realizations in such a way that robust control is always achieved within its bounds. The results obtained from many trajectory simulations show the existence of a ‘’reliable’’ interval, which experimentally confirms the algorithm robustness.
Abstract: This frame work describes a computationally more
efficient and adaptive threshold estimation method for image
denoising in the wavelet domain based on Generalized Gaussian
Distribution (GGD) modeling of subband coefficients. In this
proposed method, the choice of the threshold estimation is carried out
by analysing the statistical parameters of the wavelet subband
coefficients like standard deviation, arithmetic mean and geometrical
mean. The noisy image is first decomposed into many levels to
obtain different frequency bands. Then soft thresholding method is
used to remove the noisy coefficients, by fixing the optimum
thresholding value by the proposed method. Experimental results on
several test images by using this method show that this method yields
significantly superior image quality and better Peak Signal to Noise
Ratio (PSNR). Here, to prove the efficiency of this method in image
denoising, we have compared this with various denoising methods
like wiener filter, Average filter, VisuShrink and BayesShrink.
Abstract: This paper presents application artificial intelligent (AI) techniques, namely artificial neural network (ANN), adaptive neuro fuzzy interface system (ANFIS), to estimate the real power transfer between generators and loads. Since these AI techniques adopt supervised learning, it first uses modified nodal equation method (MNE) to determine real power contribution from each generator to loads. Then the results of MNE method and load flow information are utilized to estimate the power transfer using AI techniques. The 25-bus equivalent system of south Malaysia is utilized as a test system to illustrate the effectiveness of both AI methods compared to that of the MNE method. The mean squared error of the estimate of ANN and ANFIS power transfer allocation methods are 1.19E-05 and 2.97E-05, respectively. Furthermore, when compared to MNE method, ANN and ANFIS methods computes generator contribution to loads within 20.99 and 39.37msec respectively whereas the MNE method took 360msec for the calculation of same real power transfer allocation.
Abstract: This paper features the modeling and design of a Fast
Output Sampling (FOS) Feedback control technique for the Active
Vibration Control (AVC) of a smart flexible aluminium cantilever
beam for a Single Input Single Output (SISO) case. Controllers are
designed for the beam by bonding patches of piezoelectric layer as
sensor / actuator to the master structure at different locations along
the length of the beam by retaining the first 2 dominant vibratory
modes. The entire structure is modeled in state space form using the
concept of piezoelectric theory, Euler-Bernoulli beam theory, Finite
Element Method (FEM) and the state space techniques by dividing
the structure into 3, 4, 5 finite elements, thus giving rise to three
types of systems, viz., system 1 (beam divided into 3 finite
elements), system 2 (4 finite elements), system 3 (5 finite elements).
The effect of placing the sensor / actuator at various locations along
the length of the beam for all the 3 types of systems considered is
observed and the conclusions are drawn for the best performance and
for the smallest magnitude of the control input required to control the
vibrations of the beam. Simulations are performed in MATLAB. The
open loop responses, closed loop responses and the tip displacements
with and without the controller are obtained and the performance of
the proposed smart system is evaluated for vibration control.
Abstract: The join dependency provides the basis for obtaining
lossless join decomposition in a classical relational schema. The
existence of Join dependency shows that that the tables always
represent the correct data after being joined. Since the classical
relational databases cannot handle imprecise data, they were
extended to fuzzy relational databases so that uncertain, ambiguous,
imprecise and partially known information can also be stored in
databases in a formal way. However like classical databases, the
fuzzy relational databases also undergoes decomposition during
normalization, the issue of joining the decomposed fuzzy relations
remains intact. Our effort in the present paper is to emphasize on this
issue. In this paper we define fuzzy join dependency in the
framework of type-1 fuzzy relational databases & type-2 fuzzy
relational databases using the concept of fuzzy equality which is
defined using fuzzy functions. We use the fuzzy equi-join operator
for computing the fuzzy equality of two attribute values. We also
discuss the dependency preservation property on execution of this
fuzzy equi- join and derive the necessary condition for the fuzzy
functional dependencies to be preserved on joining the decomposed
fuzzy relations. We also derive the conditions for fuzzy join
dependency to exist in context of both type-1 and type-2 fuzzy
relational databases. We find that unlike the classical relational
databases even the existence of a trivial join dependency does not
ensure lossless join decomposition in type-2 fuzzy relational
databases. Finally we derive the conditions for the fuzzy equality to
be non zero and the qualification of an attribute for fuzzy key.
Abstract: The main goal of this paper is to study Statistical Process Control (SPC) with Exponentially Weighted Moving Average (EWMA) control chart when observations are serially-correlated. The characteristic of control chart is Average Run Length (ARL) which is the average number of samples taken before an action signal is given. Ideally, an acceptable ARL of in-control process should be enough large, so-called (ARL0). Otherwise it should be small when the process is out-of-control, so-called Average of Delay Time (ARL1) or a mean of true alarm. We find explicit formulas of ARL for EWMA control chart for Seasonal Autoregressive and Moving Average processes (SARMA) with Exponential white noise. The results of ARL obtained from explicit formula and Integral equation are in good agreement. In particular, this formulas for evaluating (ARL0) and (ARL1) be able to get a set of optimal parameters which depend on smoothing parameter (λ) and width of control limit (H) for designing EWMA chart with minimum of (ARL1).
Abstract: Goat milk has an hypoallergenic effects, and allergic
diseases related to abnormal of intestinal flora. Probiotic microorganisms
do exert an activity on the immune system in the skin of
the individual.The purpose of this study are to determine the number
of leukocyte and lymphocyte proliferation in rat supplemented with
fermented goat milk (acidophilus milk and kefir) and sensitized with
dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB). Female Wistar rats 6-8 weeks olds
were divided into 3 treatment groups. The first group supplemented
goat milk kefir, second group acidophilus goat milk, and third group
as control. During 28-day experiment, on day 15 rat sensitized with
allergen DNCB on the dorsal of the body, and on day 24 was
challenged with DNCB on the ear. Sampling of blood and tissue of
intestinal Peyer'patch (PP) were performed on day 14 (before DNCB
sensitized) and on day 28 (after DNCB sensitized). The results
showed the number of neutrophils in rats supplemented with
acidophilus milk was higher (P
Abstract: The spiral angle of the elementary cellulose fibril in
the wood cell wall, often called microfibril angle, (MFA). Microfibril
angle in hardwood is one of the key determinants of solid timber
performance due to its strong influence on the stiffness, strength,
shrinkage, swelling, thermal-dynamics mechanical properties and
dimensional stability of wood. Variation of MFA (degree) in the S2
layer of the cell walls among Acacia mangium trees was determined
using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The length and
orientation of the microfibrils of the cell walls in the irradiated
volume of the thin samples are measured using SAXS and optical
microscope for 3D surface measurement. The undetermined
parameters in the analysis are the MFA, (M) and the standard
deviation (σФ) of the intensity distribution arising from the wandering
of the fibril orientation about the mean value. Nine separate pairs of
values are determined for nine different values of the angle of the
incidence of the X-ray beam relative to the normal to the radial
direction in the sample. The results show good agreement. The
curve distribution of scattered intensity for the real cell wall structure
is compared with that calculated with that assembly of rectangular
cells with the same ratio of transverse to radial cell wall length. It is
demonstrated that for β = 45°, the peaks in the curve intensity
distribution for the real and the rectangular cells coincide. If this
peak position is Ф45, then the MFA can be determined from the
relation M = tan-1 (tan Ф45 / cos 45°), which is precise for rectangular
cells. It was found that 92.93% of the variation of MFA can be
attributed to the distance from pith to bark. Here we shall present our
results of the MFA in the cell wall with respect to its shape, structure
and the distance from pith to park as an important fast check and yet
accurate towards the quality of wood, its uses and application.
Abstract: Series of tellurite glass of the system 78TeO2-10PbO-
10Li2O-(2-x)Nd2O3-xEr2O3, where x = 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 was
successfully been made. A study of upconversion luminescence of
the Nd3+/Er3+ co-doped tellurite glass has been carried out. From
Judd-Ofelt analysis, the experimental lifetime, exp. τ of the glass
serie are found higher in the visible region as they varies from
65.17ms to 114.63ms, whereas in the near infrared region (NIR) the
lifetime are varies from 2.133ms to 2.270ms. Meanwhile, the
emission cross section,σ results are found varies from 0.004 x 1020
cm2 to 1.007 x 1020 cm2 with respect to composition. The emission
spectra of the glass are found been contributed from Nd3+ and Er3+
ions by which nine significant transition peaks are observed. The
upconversion mechanism of the co-doped tellurite glass has been
shown in the schematic energy diagrams. In this works, it is found
that the excited state-absorption (ESA) is still dominant in the
upconversion excitation process as the upconversion excitation
mechanism of the Nd3+ excited-state levels is accomplished through a
stepwise multiphonon process. An efficient excitation energy transfer
(ET) has been observed between Nd3+ as a donor and Er3+ as the
acceptor. As a result, respective emission spectra had been observed.
Abstract: Current image-based individual human recognition
methods, such as fingerprints, face, or iris biometric modalities
generally require a cooperative subject, views from certain aspects,
and physical contact or close proximity. These methods cannot
reliably recognize non-cooperating individuals at a distance in the
real world under changing environmental conditions. Gait, which
concerns recognizing individuals by the way they walk, is a relatively
new biometric without these disadvantages. The inherent gait
characteristic of an individual makes it irreplaceable and useful in
visual surveillance.
In this paper, an efficient gait recognition system for human
identification by extracting two features namely width vector of
the binary silhouette and the MPEG-7-based region-based shape
descriptors is proposed. In the proposed method, foreground objects
i.e., human and other moving objects are extracted by estimating
background information by a Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) and
subsequently, median filtering operation is performed for removing
noises in the background subtracted image. A moving target classification
algorithm is used to separate human being (i.e., pedestrian)
from other foreground objects (viz., vehicles). Shape and boundary
information is used in the moving target classification algorithm.
Subsequently, width vector of the outer contour of binary silhouette
and the MPEG-7 Angular Radial Transform coefficients are taken as
the feature vector. Next, the Principal Component Analysis (PCA)
is applied to the selected feature vector to reduce its dimensionality.
These extracted feature vectors are used to train an Hidden Markov
Model (HMM) for identification of some individuals. The proposed
system is evaluated using some gait sequences and the experimental
results show the efficacy of the proposed algorithm.
Abstract: To evaluate the ability to predict xerostomia after
radiotherapy, we constructed and compared neural network and
logistic regression models. In this study, 61 patients who completed a
questionnaire about their quality of life (QoL) before and after a full
course of radiation therapy were included. Based on this questionnaire,
some statistical data about the condition of the patients’ salivary
glands were obtained, and these subjects were included as the inputs of
the neural network and logistic regression models in order to predict
the probability of xerostomia. Seven variables were then selected from
the statistical data according to Cramer’s V and point-biserial
correlation values and were trained by each model to obtain the
respective outputs which were 0.88 and 0.89 for AUC, 9.20 and 7.65
for SSE, and 13.7% and 19.0% for MAPE, respectively. These
parameters demonstrate that both neural network and logistic
regression methods are effective for predicting conditions of parotid
glands.
Abstract: Waste corn pulp was investigated as a potential feedstock during vermicomposting using Eisenia fetida. Corn pulp is the major staple food in Southern Africa and constitutes about 25% of the total organic waste. Wastecooked corn pulp was blended with cow dung in the ratio 6:1 respectively to optimize the vermicomposting process. The feedstock was allowed to vermicompost for 30 days. The vermicomposting took place in a 3- tray plastic worm bin. Moisture content, temperature, pH, and electrical conductivity were monitoreddaily. The NPK content was determined at day 30. During vermicomposting, moisture content increased from 27.68% to 52.41%, temperature ranged between 19- 25◦C, pH increased from 5.5 to 7.7, and electrical conductivity decreased from 80000μS/cm to 60000μS/cm. The ash content increased from 11.40% to 28.15%; additionally the volatile matter increased from 1.45% to 10.02%. An odorless, dark brown vermicompost was obtained. The vermicompost NPK content was 4.19%, 1.15%, and 6.18% respectively.
Abstract: Cancers could normally be marked by a number of
differentially expressed genes which show enormous potential as
biomarkers for a certain disease. Recent years, cancer classification
based on the investigation of gene expression profiles derived by
high-throughput microarrays has widely been used. The selection of
discriminative genes is, therefore, an essential preprocess step in
carcinogenesis studies. In this paper, we have proposed a novel gene
selector using information-theoretic measures for biological
discovery. This multivariate filter is a four-stage framework through
the analyses of feature relevance, feature interdependence, feature
redundancy-dependence and subset rankings, and having been
examined on the colon cancer data set. Our experimental result show
that the proposed method outperformed other information theorem
based filters in all aspect of classification errors and classification
performance.