Abstract: Regarding previous research studies it was concluded
that thin-walled fiber-cement composites are able to conduct electric
current under specific conditions. This property is ensured by using
of various kinds of carbon materials. Though carbon fibers are less
conductive than metal fibers, composites with carbon fibers were
evaluated as better current conductors than the composites with metal
fibers. The level of electric conductivity is monitored by the means of
impedance measurement of designed samples. These composites
could be used for a range of applications such as heating of
trafficable surfaces or shielding of electro-magnetic fields.
The aim of the present research was to design an element with the
ability to monitor internal processes in building structures and
prevent them from collapsing. As a typical element for laboratory
testing there was chosen a concrete column, which was repeatedly
subjected to load by simple pressure with continual monitoring of
changes in electrical properties.
Abstract: Optical 1x12 fused-taper-twisted polymer optical fiber (POF) couplers has been fabricated by a perform technique. Characterization of the coupler which proposed to be used in passive night vision application to tracking a blind sport area was reported. During the development process of fused-taper-twisted POF couplers was carried out, red LED fully utilized to be injected into the couplers to test the quality of fabricated couplers. Some characterization parameters, such as optical output power, POFs attenuation characteristics and power losses on the network were observed. The maximum output power efficiency of the coupler is about 40%, but it can be improved gradually through experience and practice.
Abstract: Information on weed distribution within the field is
necessary to implement spatially variable herbicide application.
Since hand labor is costly, an automated weed control system could be
feasible. This paper deals with the development of an algorithm for
real time specific weed recognition system based on Histogram
Analysis of an image that is used for the weed classification. This
algorithm is specifically developed to classify images into broad and
narrow class for real-time selective herbicide application. The
developed system has been tested on weeds in the lab, which have
shown that the system to be very effectiveness in weed identification.
Further the results show a very reliable performance on images of
weeds taken under varying field conditions. The analysis of the results
shows over 95 percent classification accuracy over 140 sample images
(broad and narrow) with 70 samples from each category of weeds.
Abstract: Optical networks are high capacity networks that meet
the rapidly growing demand for bandwidth in the terrestrial
telecommunications industry. This paper studies and evaluates singlemode
and multimode fiber transmission by varying the distance. It
focuses on their performance in LAN environment. This is achieved
by observing the pulse spreading and attenuation in optical spectrum
and eye-diagram that are obtained using OptSim simulator. The
behaviors of two modes with different distance of data transmission
are studied, evaluated and compared.
Abstract: Feed is one of the factors which play an important role in determining a successful development of an aquaculture industry. It is always critical to produce the best aquaculture diet at a minimum cost in order to trim down the operational cost and gain more profit. However, the feed mix problem becomes increasingly difficult since many issues need to be considered simultaneously. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to review the current techniques used by nutritionist and researchers to tackle the issues. Additionally, this paper introduce an enhance algorithm which is deemed suitable to deal with all the issues arise. The proposed technique refers to Hybrid Genetic Algorithm which is expected to obtain the minimum cost diet for farmed animal, while satisfying nutritional requirements. Hybrid GA technique with artificial bee algorithm is expected to reduce the penalty function and provide a better solution for the feed mix problem.
Abstract: The need for reputation assessment is particularly strong in peer-to-peer (P2P) systems because the peers' personal site autonomy is amplified by the inherent technological decentralization of the environment. However, the decentralization notion makes the problem of designing a peer-to-peer based reputation assessment substantially harder in P2P networks than in centralized settings.Existing reputation systems tackle the reputation assessment process in an ad-hoc manner. There is no systematic and coherent way to derive measures and analyze the current reputation systems. In this paper, we propose a reputation assessment process and use it to classify the existing reputation systems. Simulation experiments are conducted and focused on the different methods in selecting the recommendation sources and retrieving the recommendations. These two phases can contribute significantly to the overall performance due to communication cost and coverage.
Abstract: Overall, the findings of the present study suggest that
teachers have low to moderate levels of professionalisation, high
level of career identity and moderate levels of career resilience, and
career planning. From the T-tests and F-tests conducted, it was found
that gender has a significant impact on career identity whereas age
and marital status have significant impact on career planning and also
on career identity. The results indicate that there is a higher
possibility of male teachers to leave the teaching profession than the
female teachers. The result of the T-test on career identity in relation
to gender supports this deduction in which female teachers have
significantly higher career identity than their male counterparts.
Marital status was also found to have a significant impact on career
identity.
Abstract: This research presents the development of simulation
modeling for WIP management in semiconductor fabrication.
Manufacturing simulation modeling is needed for productivity
optimization analysis due to the complex process flows involved
more than 35 percent re-entrance processing steps more than 15 times
at same equipment. Furthermore, semiconductor fabrication required
to produce high product mixed with total processing steps varies from
300 to 800 steps and cycle time between 30 to 70 days. Besides the
complexity, expansive wafer cost that potentially impact the
company profits margin once miss due date is another motivation to
explore options to experiment any analysis using simulation
modeling. In this paper, the simulation model is developed using
existing commercial software platform AutoSched AP, with
customized integration with Manufacturing Execution Systems
(MES) and Advanced Productivity Family (APF) for data collections
used to configure the model parameters and data source. Model
parameters such as processing steps cycle time, equipment
performance, handling time, efficiency of operator are collected
through this customization. Once the parameters are validated, few
customizations are made to ensure the prior model is executed. The
accuracy for the simulation model is validated with the actual output
per day for all equipments. The comparison analysis from result of
the simulation model compared to actual for achieved 95 percent
accuracy for 30 days. This model later was used to perform various
what if analysis to understand impacts on cycle time and overall
output. By using this simulation model, complex manufacturing
environment like semiconductor fabrication (fab) now have
alternative source of validation for any new requirements impact
analysis.
Abstract: This study examines the effect of Islamic Corporate
Social Responsibility disclosure and on corporate reputation as well
as performance. These relationships are examined based on content
analysis of of annual reports of 17 Islamic banks in Malaysia for
2008, 2009 and 2010. Results of this study provide evidence that
CSR activities communicated in corporate annual reports are
significantly positively related with corporate reputation as well as
firm performance. These results indicate that CSR activities and
disclosure from Islamic perspectives are equally important business
strategies in creating continuous superior performance for
organisations. In addition, it also highlights that organisations need to
develop a stakeholder orientation particularly in an environment of
increasing pressure from jurisdictions dominated by Islamic
stakeholders on organisations engaging in Islamic products to
increase their social responsibilities from the Islamic perspectives.
Abstract: The Yasuj city stream named the Beshar supply
water for different usages such as aquaculture farms , drinking,
agricultural and industrial usages. Fish processing plants
,Agricultural farms, waste water of industrial zones and hospitals
waste water which they are generate by human activity produce a
considerable volume of effluent and when they are released in to the
stream they can effect on the water quality and down stream aquatic
systems. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of outflow
effluent from different human activity and point and non point
pollution sources on the water quality and health of the Beshar
river next to Yasuj. Yasuj is the biggest and most important city in
the Kohkiloye and Boyerahmad province . The Beshar River is one
of the most important aquatic ecosystems in the upstream of the
Karun watershed in south of Iran which is affected by point and non
point pollutant sources . This study was done in order to evaluate the
effects of human activities on the water quality and health of the
Beshar river. This river is approximately 190 km in length and
situated at the geographical positions of 51° 20' to 51° 48' E and 30°
18' to 30° 52' N it is one of the most important aquatic ecosystems of
Kohkiloye and Boyerahmad province in south-west Iran. In this
research project, five study stations were selected to examine water
pollution in the Beshar River systems. Human activity is now one of
the most important factors affecting on hydrology and water quality
of the Beshar river. Humans use large amounts of resources to sustain
various standards of living, although measures of sustainability are
highly variable depending on how sustainability is defined. The
Beshar river ecosystems are particularly sensitive and vulnerable to
human activities. The water samples were analyzed, then some
important water quality parameters such as pH, dissolve oxygen
(DO), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5), Chemical Oxygen
Demand (COD), Total Suspended Solids (TDS),Turbidity,
Temperature, Nitrates (NO3) and Phosphates (PO4) were estimated
at the two stations. The results show a downward trend in the water
quality at the down stream of the city. The amounts of
BOD5,COD,TSS,T,Turbidity, NO3 and PO4 in the down stream
stations were considerably more than the station 1. By contrast the
amounts of DO in the down stream stations were less than to the
station 1. However when effluent discharge consequence of human
activities are released into the Beshar river near the city, the quality
of river are decreases and the environmental problems of the river
during the next years are predicted to rise.
Abstract: The first and basic cause of the failure of concrete is repeated freezing (thawing) of moisture contained in the pores, microcracks, and cavities of the concrete. On transition to ice, water existing in the free state in cracks increases in volume, expanding the recess in which freezing occurs. A reduction in strength below the initial value is to be expected and further cycle of freezing and thawing have a further marked effect. By using some experimental parameters like nuclear magnetic resonance variation (NMR), enthalpy-temperature (or heat capacity) variation, we can resolve between the various water states and their effect on concrete properties during cooling through the freezing transition temperature range. The main objective of this paper is to describe the principal type of water responsible for the reduction in strength and structural damage (frost damage) of concrete following repeated freeze –thaw cycles. Some experimental work was carried out at the institute of cryogenics to determine what happens to water in concrete during the freezing transition.
Abstract: Pummelo is known to be the largest of all citrus fruits, with expected ratio of 2:1 (w/v) of producing juice, is an attractive opportunity for Malaysia to expand pummelo-s influence and marketability over the international market of juices. The purpose of this study is to identify and quantify the phenolic compounds in two Malaysian varieties of pummelo fruit juice: Ledang (PO55) and Tambun (PO52). Identifications of polyphenols composition were done using High Performance Liquid Chromatography Diode Array Detection (HPLC-DAD). The phenolic compounds that were found in both varieties were hydroxycinnamic acids and flavonones. This study proved that Tambun variety has the highest antioxidant and phenolic compounds in comparison to Ledang variety. However, considerations have to be made to suit consumer-s taste bud and the amount of enzyme needed to clarify the juice for its marketability.
Abstract: The 2008 Candlelight Protests of Korea was very
significant to portray the political environment among the South
Korean youth. Many challenges and new advanced technologies have
driven the youth community to be engaged in the political arena that
has shifted them from traditional Korean youth to a very greater
community. Due to historical perspective with the people of North
Korea, the young generation has embraced different view of ethnic
nationalism. This study examines the youth involvement in politics in
line with their level of acceptance the practice of democracy. The
increase usage of new media has shown great results in the survey
results whereby the youth used as a platform to gain political
information and brought higher degree of their sociopolitical interests
among them. Furthermore, the rise of nationalism and patriotism will
be discussed in this paper to the dynamism of the political approaches
used by the Korea government
Abstract: A well balanced numerical scheme based on
stationary waves for shallow water flows with arbitrary topography
has been introduced by Thanh et al. [18]. The scheme was
constructed so that it maintains equilibrium states and tests indicate
that it is stable and fast. Applying the well-balanced scheme for the
one-dimensional shallow water equations, we study the early shock
waves propagation towards the Phuket coast in Southern Thailand
during a hypothetical tsunami. The initial tsunami wave is generated
in the deep ocean with the strength that of Indonesian tsunami of
2004.
Abstract: Reinforced Concrete (RC) structures strengthened
with fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) lack in thermal resistance under
elevated temperatures in the event of fire. This phenomenon led to
the lining of strengthened concrete with thin high performance
cementitious composites (THPCC) to protect the substrate against
elevated temperature. Elevated temperature effects on THPCC, based
on different cementitious materials have been studied in the past but
high-alumina cement (HAC)-based THPCC have not been well
characterized. This research study will focus on the THPCC based on
HAC replaced by 60%, 70%, 80% and 85% of ground granulated
blast furnace slag (GGBS). Samples were evaluated by the
measurement of their mechanical strength (28 & 56 days of curing)
after exposed to 400°C, 600°C and 28°C of room temperature for
comparison and corroborated by their microstructure study. Results
showed that among all mixtures, the mix containing only HAC
showed the highest compressive strength after exposed to 600°C as
compared to other mixtures. However, the tensile strength of THPCC
made of HAC and 60% GGBS content was comparable to the
THPCC with HAC only after exposed to 600°C. Field emission
scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images of THPCC
accompanying Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) microanalysis
revealed that the microstructure deteriorated considerably after
exposure to elevated temperatures which led to the decrease in
mechanical strength.
Abstract: Today with the rapid growth of telecommunications equipment, electronic and developing more and more networks of power, influence of electromagnetic waves on one another has become hot topic discussions. So in this article, this issue and appropriate mechanisms for EMC operations have been presented. First, a source of alternating current (50 Hz) and a clear victim in a certain distance from the source is placed. With this simple model, the effects of electromagnetic radiation from the source to the victim will be investigated and several methods to reduce these effects have been presented. Therefore passive and active shields have been used. In some steps, shielding effectiveness of proposed shields will be compared. . It should be noted that simulations have been done by the finite element method (FEM).
Abstract: This paper explores the plant maintenance management system that has been used by giant oil and gas company in Malaysia. The system also called as PMMS used to manage the upstream operations for more than 100 plants of the case study company. Moreover, from the observations, focus group discussion with PMMS personnel and application through simulation (SAP R/3), the paper reviews the step-by-step approach and the elements that required for the PMMS. The findings show that the PMMS integrates the overall business strategy in upstream operations that consist of asset management, work management and performance management. In addition, PMMS roles are to help operations personnel organize and plan their daily activities, to improve productivity and reduce equipment downtime and to help operations management analyze the facilities and create performance, and to provide and maintain the operational effectiveness of the facilities.
Abstract: In Mauritius, much emphasis is put on measures to
combat the high prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Health promotion campaigns for the adoption of healthy behaviors
and screening programs are done regularly by local authorities and
NCD surveys are carried out at intervals. However, the health
behaviors of the poor have not been investigated so far. This study
aims to give an insight on the perceptions of health status and
lifestyle health behaviors of poor people in Mauritius. A crosssectional
study among 83 persons benefiting from social aid in a
selected urban district was carried out. Results showed that 51.8% of
respondents perceived that they had good health status. 57.8% had no
known NCD whilst 25.3% had hypertension, followed by diabetes
(16.9%), asthma (9.6%) and heart disease (7.2%).They had low
smoking (10.8%) and alcohol consumption (6.0%) as well as high
physical activity prevalence (54.2%). These results were significantly
different from the NCD survey carried out in the general population.
Consumption of vegetables in the study was high. Overweight and
obesity trends were however similar to the NCD survey report 2009.
These findings contrast with other international studies showing poor
people having poor perceptions of health status and unhealthy
behavioral choices. Whether these positive health behaviors of poor
people in Mauritius arise out of choice or whether it is because the
alternative behavior is too costly remains to be investigated further.
Abstract: A novel file splitting technique for the reduction of the nth-order entropy of text files is proposed. The technique is based on mapping the original text file into a non-ASCII binary file using a new codeword assignment method and then the resulting binary file is split into several subfiles each contains one or more bits from each codeword of the mapped binary file. The statistical properties of the subfiles are studied and it is found that they reflect the statistical properties of the original text file which is not the case when the ASCII code is used as a mapper. The nth-order entropy of these subfiles are determined and it is found that the sum of their entropies is less than that of the original text file for the same values of extensions. These interesting statistical properties of the resulting subfiles can be used to achieve better compression ratios when conventional compression techniques are applied to these subfiles individually and on a bit-wise basis rather than on character-wise basis.
Abstract: This paper presents an overview of the design and
implementation of an online rule-based Expert Systems for Islamic
medication. T his Online Islamic Medication Expert System (OIMES)
focuses on physical illnesses only. Knowledge base of this Expert
System contains exhaustively the types of illness together with their
related cures or treatments/therapies, obtained exclusively from the
Quran and Hadith. Extensive research and study are conducted to
ensure that the Expert System is able to provide the most suitable
treatment with reference to the relevant verses cited in Quran or
Hadith. These verses come together with their related 'actions'
(bodily actions/gestures or some acts) to be performed by the patient
to treat a particular illness/sickness. These verses and the instructions
for the 'actions' are to be displayed unambiguously on the computer
screen. The online platform provides the advantage for patient getting
treatment practically anytime and anywhere as long as the computer
and Internet facility exist. Patient does not need to make appointment
to see an expert for a therapy.