Abstract: The sustainability of a place depends on a series of factors which contribute to the quality of life, sense of place and recognition of identity. An activity like walking, which in itself is obviously ''sustainable'', can become non sustainable if the context in which it is carried out does not meet the conditions for an adequate quality of life. This work is aimed at proposing the analytical method of Place Maker to identify the elements that do not feature in traditional mapping and which constitute the contemporary identity of the places, and the relative complex map to represent those elements and support sustainable urban identity design. The method's potential for areas with a predominantly pedestrian vocation is illustrated by means of the case study of the Ramblas in Barcelona.
Abstract: Roundabout work on the principle of circulation and
entry flows, where the maximum entry flow rates depend largely on
circulating flow bearing in mind that entry flows must give away to
circulating flows. Where an existing roundabout has a road hump
installed at the entry arm, it can be hypothesized that the kinematics
of vehicles may prevent the entry arm from achieving optimum
performance. Road humps are traffic calming devices placed across
road width solely as speed reduction mechanism. They are the
preferred traffic calming option in Malaysia and often used on single
and dual carriageway local routes. The speed limit on local routes is
30mph (50 km/hr). Road humps in their various forms achieved the
biggest mean speed reduction (based on a mean speed before traffic
calming of 30mph) of up to 10mph or 16 km/hr according to the UK
Department of Transport. The underlying aim of reduced speed
should be to achieve a 'safe' distribution of speeds which reflects the
function of the road and the impacts on the local community.
Constraining safe distribution of speeds may lead to poor drivers
timing and delayed reflex reaction that can probably cause accident.
Previous studies on road hump impact have focused mainly on speed
reduction, traffic volume, noise and vibrations, discomfort and delay
from the use of road humps. The paper is aimed at optimal entry and
circulating flow induced by road humps. Results show that
roundabout entry and circulating flow perform better in
circumstances where there is no road hump at entrance.
Abstract: This paper introduces a hand gesture recognition system to recognize real time gesture in unstrained environments. Efforts should be made to adapt computers to our natural means of communication: Speech and body language. A simple and fast algorithm using orientation histograms will be developed. It will recognize a subset of MAL static hand gestures. A pattern recognition system will be using a transforrn that converts an image into a feature vector, which will be compared with the feature vectors of a training set of gestures. The final system will be Perceptron implementation in MATLAB. This paper includes experiments of 33 hand postures and discusses the results. Experiments shows that the system can achieve a 90% recognition average rate and is suitable for real time applications.
Abstract: This paper presents an investigation of the power
penalties imposed by four-wave mixing (FWM) on G.652 (Single-
Mode Fiber - SMF), G.653 (Dispersion-Shifted Fiber - DSF), and
G.655 (Non-Zero Dispersion-Shifted Fiber - NZDSF) compliant
fibers, considering the DWDM grids suggested by the ITU-T
Recommendations G.692, and G.694.1, with uniform channel
spacing of 100, 50, 25, and 12.5 GHz. The mathematical/numerical
model assumes undepleted pumping, and shows very clearly the
deleterious effect of FWM on the performance of DWDM systems,
measured by the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The results make it
evident that non-uniform channel spacing is practically mandatory
for WDM systems based on DSF fibers.
Abstract: Two-dimensional Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS)
of high Schmidt number mass transfer in a convective flow environment
(Rayleigh-B'enard) is carried out and results are compared to
experimental data. A fourth-order accurate WENO-scheme has been
used for scalar transport in order to aim for a high accuracy in areas
of high concentration gradients. It was found that the typical spatial
distance between downward plumes of cold high concentration water
and the eddy size are in good agreement with experiments using a
combined PIV-LIF technique for simultaneous and spatially synoptic
measurements of 2D velocity and concentration fields.
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: The influence of axial magnetic field (B=0.48 T) on
the variation of ionization efficiency coefficient h and secondary
electron emission coefficient g with respect to reduced electric field
E/P is studied at a new range of plane-parallel electrode spacing (0<
d< 20 cm) and different nitrogen working pressure between 0.5-20
Pa. The axial magnetic field is produced from an inductive copper
coil of radius 5.6 cm. The experimental data of breakdown voltage is
adopted to estimate the mean Paschen curves at different working
features. The secondary electron emission coefficient is calculated
from the mean Paschen curve and used to determine the minimum
breakdown voltage. A reduction of discharge voltage of about 25% is
investigated by the applied of axial magnetic field. At high interelectrode
spacing, the effect of axial magnetic field becomes more
significant for the obtained values of h but it was less for the values
of g.
Abstract: This paper presents an interval-based multi-attribute
decision making (MADM) approach in support of the decision
process with imprecise information. The proposed decision
methodology is based on the model of linear additive utility function
but extends the problem formulation with the measure of composite
utility variance. A sample study concerning with the evaluation of
electric generation expansion strategies is provided showing how the
imprecise data may affect the choice toward the best solution and
how a set of alternatives, acceptable to the decision maker (DM),
may be identified with certain confidence.
Abstract: The dynamic behaviour of a four-bar linkage driven by a velocity controlled DC motor is discussed in the paper. In particular the author presents the results obtained by means of a specifically developed software, which implements the mathematical models of all components of the system (linkage, transmission, electric motor, control devices). The use of this software enables a more efficient design approach, since it allows the designer to check, in a simple and immediate way, the dynamic behaviour of the mechanism, arising from different values of the system parameters.
Abstract: Microcirculation is essential for the proper supply of
oxygen and nutritive substances to the biological tissue and the
removal of waste products of metabolism. The determination of
blood flow in the capillaries is therefore of great interest to clinicians.
A comparison has been carried out using the developed non-invasive,
non-contact and whole field laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI)
based technique and as well as a commercially available laser
Doppler blood flowmeter (LDF) to evaluate blood flow at the finger
tip and elbow and is presented here. The LSCI technique gives more
quantitative information on the velocity of blood when compared to
the perfusion values obtained using the LDF. Measurement of blood
flow in capillaries can be of great interest to clinicians in the
diagnosis of vascular diseases of the upper extremities.
Abstract: Logistics outsourcing is a growing trend and measuring its performance, a challenge. It must be consistent with the objectives set for logistics outsourcing, but we have found no objective-based performance measurement system. We have conducted a comprehensive review of the specialist literature to cover this gap, which has led us to identify and define these objectives. The outcome is that we have obtained a list of the most relevant objectives and their descriptions. This will enable us to analyse in a future study whether the indicators used for measuring logistics outsourcing performance are consistent with the objectives pursued with the outsourcing. If this is not the case, a proposal will be made for a set of financial and operational indicators to measure performance in logistics outsourcing that take the goals being pursued into account.
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 this work, ionic liquids (ILs) for CO2 capturing in typical absorption/stripper process are considered. The use of ionic liquids is considered to be cost-effective because it requires less energy for solvent recovery compared to other conventional processes. A mathematical model is developed for the process based on Peng-Robinson (PR) equation of state (EoS) which is validated with experimental data for various solutions involving CO2. The model is utilized to study the sorbent and energy demand for three types of ILs at specific CO2 capturing rates. The energy demand is manifested by the vapor-liquid equilibrium temperature necessary to remove the captured CO2 from the used solvent in the regeneration step. It is found that higher recovery temperature is required for solvents with higher solubility coefficient. For all ILs, the temperature requirement is less than that required by the typical monoethanolamine (MEA) solvent. The effect of the CO2 loading in the sorbent stream on the process performance is also examined.
Abstract: The camera parameters are changed due to temperature
variations, which directly influence calibrated cameras accuracy.
Robustness of calibration methods were measured and their accuracy
was tested. An error ratio due to camera parameters change
with respect to total error originated during calibration process was
determined. It pointed out that influence of temperature variations
decrease by increasing distance of observed objects from cameras.
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: The work we have accomplished in implementing a
Mobile Payment mechanism that enables customers to pay bills for
groceries and other purchased items in a store through the means of a
mobile phone, specifically a Smartphone. The mode of transaction, as
far as communication between the customer-s handset and the
merchant-s POS is concerned, we have decided upon NFC (Near
Field Communication). This is due to the fact that for the most part,
Pakistani Smartphone users have handsets that have Android mobile
OS, which supports the aforementioned platform, IOS, on the other
hand does not.
Abstract: In this paper, a benchmarking framework is presented
for the performance assessment of irrigations systems. Firstly, a data
envelopment analysis (DEA) is applied to measure the technical
efficiency of irrigation systems. This method, based on linear
programming, aims to determine a consistent efficiency ranking of
irrigation systems in which known inputs, such as water volume
supplied and total irrigated area, and a given output corresponding to
the total value of irrigation production are taken into account
simultaneously. Secondly, in order to examine the irrigation
efficiency in more detail, a cross – system comparison is elaborated
using a performance indicators set selected by IWMI. The above
methodologies were applied in Thessaloniki plain, located in
Northern Greece while the results of the application are presented and
discussed. The conjunctive use of DEA and performance indicators
seems to be a very useful tool for efficiency assessment and
identification of best practices in irrigation systems management.
Abstract: The principal focus of this study is on the
measurement and analysis of labor learnings in Pakistan. The study
at the aggregate economy level focus on the labor productivity
movements and at large-scale manufacturing level focus on the cost
structure, with isolating the contribution of the learning curve. The
analysis of S-shaped curve suggests that learnings are only below one
half of aggregate learning curve and other half shows the retardation
in learning, hence retardation in productivity movements. The study
implies the existence of learning economies in term of cost reduction
that is input cost per unit produced decreases by 0.51 percent every
time the cumulative production output doubles.
Abstract: The paper presents an approach for handling uncertain
information in deductive databases using multivalued logics. Uncertainty
means that database facts may be assigned logical values other
than the conventional ones - true and false. The logical values represent
various degrees of truth, which may be combined and propagated
by applying the database rules. A corresponding multivalued database
semantics is defined. We show that it extends successful conventional
semantics as the well-founded semantics, and has a polynomial time
data complexity.
Abstract: Decision fusion is one of hot research topics in
classification area, which aims to achieve the best possible
performance for the task at hand. In this paper, we
investigate the usefulness of this concept to improve change
detection accuracy in remote sensing. Thereby, outputs of
two fuzzy change detectors based respectively on
simultaneous and comparative analysis of multitemporal
data are fused by using fuzzy integral operators. This
method fuses the objective evidences produced by the
change detectors with respect to fuzzy measures that express
the difference of performance between them. The proposed
fusion framework is evaluated in comparison with some
ordinary fuzzy aggregation operators. Experiments carried
out on two SPOT images showed that the fuzzy integral was
the best performing. It improves the change detection
accuracy while attempting to equalize the accuracy rate in
both change and no change classes.