Abstract: Accurate software cost estimates are critical to both
developers and customers. They can be used for generating request
for proposals, contract negotiations, scheduling, monitoring and
control. The exact relationship between the attributes of the effort
estimation is difficult to establish. A neural network is good at
discovering relationships and pattern in the data. So, in this paper a
comparative analysis among existing Halstead Model, Walston-Felix
Model, Bailey-Basili Model, Doty Model and Neural Network
Based Model is performed. Neural Network has outperformed the
other considered models. Hence, we proposed Neural Network
system as a soft computing approach to model the effort estimation
of the software systems.
Abstract: In this study, static batch fermentation was used for bacterial cellulose production in date syrup solution (Bx. 10%) at 28°C using Gluconacetobacter. xylinus (PTCC 1734). The physicochemical properties of standard Sigma CMC and the produced carboxymethyl bacterial cellulose (CMBC) were studied using FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). According to the FT-IR spectra the bands at 1664 and 1431 cm-1 indicate that carboxylic acid groups and carboxylate groups exist on the surface. The SEM imaging of CMBC and CMC carried out in magnification of 1K. Comparing the SEM imaging obviously showed that the ribbon shape in CMC remained but the length of ribbons became shorter while that shape changed to flake shape for CMBC. Determination of the area under XRD patterns demonstrated that the crystallinity amount of CMC was more than that for CMBC (51.08% and 81.84% for CMBC and CMC, respectively).
Abstract: Learning using labeled and unlabelled data has
received considerable amount of attention in the machine learning
community due its potential in reducing the need for expensive
labeled data. In this work we present a new method for combining
labeled and unlabeled data based on classifier ensembles. The model
we propose assumes each classifier in the ensemble observes the
input using different set of features. Classifiers are initially trained
using some labeled samples. The trained classifiers learn further
through labeling the unknown patterns using a teaching signals that is
generated using the decision of the classifier ensemble, i.e. the
classifiers self-supervise each other. Experiments on a set of object
images are presented. Our experiments investigate different classifier
models, different fusing techniques, different training sizes and
different input features. Experimental results reveal that the proposed
self-supervised ensemble learning approach reduces classification
error over the single classifier and the traditional ensemble classifier
approachs.
Abstract: In this paper, a new design technique for enhancing
bandwidth that improves the performance of a conventional
microstrip patch antenna is proposed. This paper presents a novel
wideband probe fed inverted slotted microstrip patch antenna. The
design adopts contemporary techniques; coaxial probe feeding,
inverted patch structure and slotted patch. The composite effect of
integrating these techniques and by introducing the proposed patch,
offer a low profile, broadband, high gain, and low cross-polarization
level. The results for the VSWR, gain and co-and cross-polarization
patterns are presented. The antenna operating the band of 1.80-2.36
GHz shows an impedance bandwidth (2:1 VSWR) of 27% and a gain
of 10.18 dBi with a gain variation of 1.12 dBi. Good radiation
characteristics, including a cross-polarization level in xz-plane less
than -42 dB, have been obtained.
Abstract: In data mining, the association rules are used to search
for the relations of items of the transactions database. Following the
data is collected and stored, it can find rules of value through
association rules, and assist manager to proceed marketing strategy
and plan market framework. In this paper, we attempt fuzzy partition
methods and decide membership function of quantitative values of
each transaction item. Also, by managers we can reflect the
importance of items as linguistic terms, which are transformed as
fuzzy sets of weights. Next, fuzzy weighted frequent pattern growth
(FWFP-Growth) is used to complete the process of data mining. The
method above is expected to improve Apriori algorithm for its better
efficiency of the whole association rules. An example is given to
clearly illustrate the proposed approach.
Abstract: Because road traffic accidents are a major source of death worldwide, attempts have been made to create Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) able to detect vehicle, driver and
environmental conditions that are cues for possible potential accidents. This paper presents continued work on a novel Nonintrusive
Intelligent Driver Assistance and Safety System (Ni-DASS)
for assessing driver attention and hazard awareness. It uses two onboard
CCD cameras – one observing the road and the other observing
the driver-s face. The windscreen is divided into cells and analysis of
the driver-s eye-gaze patterns allows Ni-DASS to determine the windscreen cell the driver is focusing on using eye-gesture templates.
Intersecting the driver-s field of view through the observed
windscreen cell with subsections of the camera-s field of view containing a potential hazard allows Ni-DASS to estimate the
probability that the driver has actually observed the hazard. Results
have shown that the proposed technique is an accurate enough
measure of driver observation to be useful in ADAS systems.
Abstract: German electricity European options on futures using
Lévy processes for the underlying asset are examined. Implied
volatility evolution, under each of the considered models, is
discussed after calibrating for the Merton jump diffusion (MJD),
variance gamma (VG), normal inverse Gaussian (NIG), Carr, Geman,
Madan and Yor (CGMY) and the Black and Scholes (B&S) model.
Implied volatility is examined for the entire sample period, revealing
some curious features about market evolution, where data fitting
performances of the five models are compared. It is shown that
variance gamma processes provide relatively better results and that
implied volatility shows significant differences through time, having
increasingly evolved. Volatility changes for changed uncertainty, or
else, increasing futures prices and there is evidence for the need to
account for seasonality when modelling both electricity spot/futures
prices and volatility.
Abstract: The various types of frequent pattern discovery
problem, namely, the frequent itemset, sequence and graph mining
problems are solved in different ways which are, however, in certain
aspects similar. The main approach of discovering such patterns can
be classified into two main classes, namely, in the class of the levelwise
methods and in that of the database projection-based methods.
The level-wise algorithms use in general clever indexing structures
for discovering the patterns. In this paper a new approach is proposed
for discovering frequent sequences and tree-like patterns efficiently
that is based on the level-wise issue. Because the level-wise
algorithms spend a lot of time for the subpattern testing problem, the
new approach introduces the idea of using automaton theory to solve
this problem.
Abstract: This article demonstrated development of
controlled release system of an NSAID drug, Diclofenac
sodium employing different ratios of Ethyl cellulose.
Diclofenac sodium and ethyl cellulose in different proportions
were processed by microencapsulation based on phase
separation technique to formulate microcapsules. The
prepared microcapsules were then compressed into tablets to
obtain controlled release oral formulations. In-vitro evaluation
was performed by dissolution test of each preparation was
conducted in 900 ml of phosphate buffer solution of pH 7.2
maintained at 37 ± 0.5 °C and stirred at 50 rpm. At predetermined
time intervals (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12,
16, 20 and 24 hrs). The drug concentration in the collected
samples was determined by UV spectrophotometer at 276 nm.
The physical characteristics of diclofenac sodium
microcapsules were according to accepted range. These were
off-white, free flowing and spherical in shape. The release
profile of diclofenac sodium from microcapsules was found to
be directly proportional to the proportion of ethylcellulose and
coat thickness. The in-vitro release pattern showed that with
ratio of 1:1 and 1:2 (drug: polymer), the percentage release of
drug at first hour was 16.91 and 11.52 %, respectively as
compared to 1:3 which is only 6.87 % with in this time. The
release mechanism followed higuchi model for its release
pattern. Tablet Formulation (F2) of present study was found
comparable in release profile the marketed brand Phlogin-SR,
microcapsules showed an extended release beyond 24 h.
Further, a good correlation was found between drug release
and proportion of ethylcellulose in the microcapsules.
Microencapsulation based on coacervation found as good
technique to control release of diclofenac sodium for making
the controlled release formulations.
Abstract: Here we have considered non uniform microstrip
leaky-wave antenna implemented on a dielectric waveguide by a
sinusoidal profile of periodic metallic grating. The non distribution of
the attenuation constant α along propagation axis, optimize the
radiating characteristics and performances of such antennas. The
method developped here is based on an integral method where the
formalism of the admittance operator is combined to a BKW
approximation. First, the effect of the modeling in the modal analysis
of complex waves is studied in detail. Then, the BKW model is used
for the dispersion analysis of the antenna of interest. According to
antenna theory, a forced continuity of the leaky-wave magnitude at
discontinuities of the non uniform structure is established. To test the
validity of our dispersion analysis, computed radiation patterns are
presented and compared in the millimeter band.
Abstract: Stipples are desired for pattern fillings and
transparency effects. In contrast, some graphics standards, including
OpenGL ES 1.1 and 2.0, omitted this feature. We represent details of
providing line stipples and polygon stipples, through combining
texture mapping and alpha blending functions. We start from the
OpenGL-specified stipple-related API functions. The details of
mathematical transformations are explained to get the correct texture
coordinates. Then, the overall algorithm is represented, and its
implementation results are followed. We accomplished both of line
and polygon stipples, and verified its result with conformance test
routines.
Abstract: The Internet and the ever growing applications enable
communities to share and collaborate through common platforms.
However, this growing pattern is not witnessed yet even for elearning.
This paper is based on a doctoral research which aimed at
researching the ways students interact in an online campus and the
supports that they look for and require. Content analysis, based on the
Panchoo/Jaillet methodology, was done on four synchronous
meetings between a tutor and his ten students. The UNIV-Rct ecampus,
analogical to a physical campus, was found to be user
friendly and the students enrolled in a master-s course faced no
difficulties in using it. In addition to the environmental aspects, the
pedagogical implementation of the course has driven the students to
interact and collaborate significantly and this has contributed to
overcome the problems faced by the distance learners. This
completely online model was found to be fruitful in helping distant
learners fight their loneliness and brave their difficulties in a socioconstructivism
approach.
Abstract: This paper describes the development of a fully
automated measurement software for antenna radiation pattern
measurements in a Compact Antenna Test Range (CATR). The
CATR has a frequency range from 2-40 GHz and the measurement
hardware includes a Network Analyzer for transmitting and
Receiving the microwave signal and a Positioner controller to control
the motion of the Styrofoam column. The measurement process
includes Calibration of CATR with a Standard Gain Horn (SGH)
antenna followed by Gain versus angle measurement of the Antenna
under test (AUT). The software is designed to control a variety of
microwave transmitter / receiver and two axis Positioner controllers
through the standard General Purpose interface bus (GPIB) interface.
Addition of new Network Analyzers is supported through a slight
modification of hardware control module. Time-domain gating is
implemented to remove the unwanted signals and get the isolated
response of AUT. The gated response of the AUT is compared with
the calibration data in the frequency domain to obtain the desired
results. The data acquisition and processing is implemented in
Agilent VEE and Matlab. A variety of experimental measurements
with SGH antennas were performed to validate the accuracy of
software. A comparison of results with existing commercial
softwares is presented and the measured results are found to be
within .2 dBm.
Abstract: Analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) has become a
popular non-invasive tool for assessing the activities of autonomic
nervous system. Most of the methods were hired from techniques
used for time series analysis. Currently used methods are time
domain, frequency domain, geometrical and fractal methods. A new
technique, which searches for pattern repeatability in a time series, is
proposed for quantifying heart rate (HR) time series. These set of
indices, which are termed as pattern repeatability measure and
pattern repeatability ratio are able to distinguish HR data clearly
from noise and electroencephalogram (EEG). The results of analysis
using these measures give an insight into the fundamental difference
between the composition of HR time series with respect to EEG and
noise.
Abstract: The mosques have been appearance in Thailand since
Ayutthaya Kingdom (1350 to 1767 A.D.) Until today, more than 400 years later; there are many styles of art form behind their structure.
This research intended to identify Islamic Art in Thai mosques. A framework was applied using qualitative research methods; Thai
Muslims with dynamic roles in Islamic culture were interviewed. In
addition, a field survey of 40 selected mosques from 175 Thai
mosques was studied. Data analysis will be according to the pattern
of each period. The identification of Islamic Art in Thai Mosques are
1) the image of Thai identity: with Thai traditional art style and Government policy. 2) The image of the Ethnological identity: with
the traditional culture of Asian Muslims in Thailand. 3) The image of
the Nostalgia identity: with Islamic and Arabian conservative style.
4) The image of the Neo Classic identity: with Neo – Classic and
Contemporary art. 5) The image of the new identity: with Post
Modern and Deconstruction art.
Abstract: In neural networks, when new patterns are learned by a network, the new information radically interferes with previously stored patterns. This drawback is called catastrophic forgetting or catastrophic interference. In this paper, we propose a biologically inspired neural network model which overcomes this problem. The proposed model consists of two distinct networks: one is a Hopfield type of chaotic associative memory and the other is a multilayer neural network. We consider that these networks correspond to the hippocampus and the neocortex of the brain, respectively. Information given is firstly stored in the hippocampal network with fast learning algorithm. Then the stored information is recalled by chaotic behavior of each neuron in the hippocampal network. Finally, it is consolidated in the neocortical network by using pseudopatterns. Computer simulation results show that the proposed model has much better ability to avoid catastrophic forgetting in comparison with conventional models.
Abstract: This paper presents the prediction of air flow,
humidity and temperature patterns in a co-current pilot plant spray
dryer fitted with a pressure nozzle using a three dimensional model.
The modelling was done with a Computational Fluid Dynamic
package (Fluent 6.3), in which the gas phase is modelled as
continuum using the Euler approach and the droplet/ particle phase is
modelled by the Discrete Phase model (Lagrange approach).Good
agreement was obtained with published experimental data where the
CFD simulation correctly predicts a fast downward central flowing
core and slow recirculation zones near the walls. In this work, the
effects of the air flow pattern on droplets trajectories, residence time
distribution of droplets and deposition of the droplets on the wall also
were investigated where atomizing of maltodextrin solution was
used.
Abstract: Supplement use is common in athletes. Besides their cost, they may have side effects on health and performance. 250 questionnaires were distributed among female athletes (mean age 27.08 years). The questionnaire aimed to explore the frequency, type, believes, attitudes and knowledge regarding dietary supplements. Knowledge was good in 30.3%, fair in 60.2%, and poor in 9.1% of respondents. 65.3% of athletes did not use supplements regularly. The most widely used supplements were vitamins (48.4%), minerals (42.9%), energy supplements (21.3%), and herbals (20.9%). 68.9% of athletes believed in their efficacy. 34.4% experienced performance enhancement and 6.8% of reported side effects. 68.2% reported little knowledge and 60.9% were eager to learn more. In conclusion, many of the female athletes believe in the efficacy of supplements and think they are an unavoidable part of competitive sports. However, their information is not sufficient. We have to stress on education, consulting sessions, and rational prescription.
Abstract: This study had two goals. First, it investigated marital
interaction variables as predictors of treatment outcome in panic
disorder with agoraphobia (PDA) in sixty-five couples with one
spouse suffering from PDA. Second, it analyzed the impact of PDA
improvement, following therapy, on marital interaction patterns of
both spouses. The partners were observed during a problem-solving
task, before and after treatment. Negative behaviors at the outset of
therapy, both in the PDA and the NPDA partners, predicted less
improvement at post-test. It also appears that improvement in some
PDA symptoms following therapy is linked to increase in the
dominant behavior of the NPDA spouse and to an improvement in
terms of his intrusiveness.
Abstract: Hollywood has produced various blockbusters on the
subject of disasters. Entering the 2000s, disaster films began to be
produced in the East Asian region as well, and as most of them were
successful, disaster films have settled as a popular genre in the region.
East Asian disaster films utilize a plot structure similar to Hollywood
films but, at the same time, represent East Asian people-s unique value
system. East Asian people-s social behavior pattern defined as
collectivism is a characteristic that distinguishes this region from other
cultural regions. In order to examine Confucian culture in disaster
films on the premise of the difference, the author conducts this
research as follows.This study first reviews the concepts disaster and
disaster film, and understands the genre through analyzing the
narrative structure and style. In addition, it discusses collectivism, a
characteristic of the East Asian region distinguished from the West,
and investigates Confucian culture in films and examines differences
among Korean, Chinese and Japanese Confucianism. Films selected
for this study are Tidal Wave (Korea, 2009), After Shock (China,
2006), and The Sinking of Japan (Japan, 2006). Using the characters in
these films, we analyze how Confucian thought is described and
reproduced.