Abstract: Grid computing is growing rapidly in the distributed
heterogeneous systems for utilizing and sharing large-scale resources
to solve complex scientific problems. Scheduling is the most recent
topic used to achieve high performance in grid environments. It aims
to find a suitable allocation of resources for each job. A typical
problem which arises during this task is the decision of scheduling. It
is about an effective utilization of processor to minimize tardiness
time of a job, when it is being scheduled. This paper, therefore,
addresses the problem by developing a general framework of grid
scheduling using dynamic information and an ant colony
optimization algorithm to improve the decision of scheduling. The
performance of various dispatching rules such as First Come First
Served (FCFS), Earliest Due Date (EDD), Earliest Release Date
(ERD), and an Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) are compared.
Moreover, the benefit of using an Ant Colony Optimization for
performance improvement of the grid Scheduling is also discussed. It
is found that the scheduling system using an Ant Colony
Optimization algorithm can efficiently and effectively allocate jobs
to proper resources.
Abstract: Distance protection of transmission lines including advanced flexible AC transmission system (FACTS) devices has been a very challenging task. FACTS devices of interest in this paper are static synchronous series compensators (SSSC) and unified power flow controller (UPFC). In this paper, a new algorithm is proposed to detect and classify the fault and identify the fault position in a transmission line with respect to a FACTS device placed in the midpoint of the transmission line. Discrete wavelet transformation and wavelet entropy calculations are used to analyze during fault current and voltage signals of the compensated transmission line. The proposed algorithm is very simple and accurate in fault detection and classification. A variety of fault cases and simulation results are introduced to show the effectiveness of such algorithm.
Abstract: The effects of equilibrium time, solution pH, and
sorption temperature of cationic methylene blue (MB) adsorption on nanoporous metallosilicoaluminophosphate ZnAPSO-34 was studied
using a batch equilibration method. UV–VIS spectroscopy was used
to obtain the adsorption isotherms at 20° C. The optimum period for
adsorption was 300 min. However, MB removal increased from
81,82 % to 94,81 %. The equilibrium adsorption data was analyzed
by using Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherm models.
Langmuir isotherm was found to be the better-fitting model and the process followed pseudo second–order kinetics. The results showed
that ZnAPSO-34 could be employed as an effective material and could be an attractive alternative for the removal of dyes and colors
from aqueous solutions.
Abstract: A new method for color image segmentation using fuzzy logic is proposed in this paper. Our aim here is to automatically produce a fuzzy system for color classification and image segmentation with least number of rules and minimum error rate. Particle swarm optimization is a sub class of evolutionary algorithms that has been inspired from social behavior of fishes, bees, birds, etc, that live together in colonies. We use comprehensive learning particle swarm optimization (CLPSO) technique to find optimal fuzzy rules and membership functions because it discourages premature convergence. Here each particle of the swarm codes a set of fuzzy rules. During evolution, a population member tries to maximize a fitness criterion which is here high classification rate and small number of rules. Finally, particle with the highest fitness value is selected as the best set of fuzzy rules for image segmentation. Our results, using this method for soccer field image segmentation in Robocop contests shows 89% performance. Less computational load is needed when using this method compared with other methods like ANFIS, because it generates a smaller number of fuzzy rules. Large train dataset and its variety, makes the proposed method invariant to illumination noise
Abstract: Multi User Virtual Worlds are becoming a valuable educational tool. Learning experiences within these worlds focus on discovery and active experiences that both engage students and motivate them to explore new concepts. As educators, we need to explore these environments to determine how they can most effectively be used in our instructional practices. This paper explores the current application of virtual worlds to identify meaningful educational strategies that are being used to engage students and enhance teaching and learning.
Abstract: The belief decision tree (BDT) approach is a decision
tree in an uncertain environment where the uncertainty is represented
through the Transferable Belief Model (TBM), one interpretation
of the belief function theory. The uncertainty can appear either in
the actual class of training objects or attribute values of objects to
classify. In this paper, we develop a post-pruning method of belief
decision trees in order to reduce size and improve classification
accuracy on unseen cases. The pruning of decision tree has a
considerable intention in the areas of machine learning.
Abstract: A neurofuzzy approach for a given set of input-output training data is proposed in two phases. Firstly, the data set is partitioned automatically into a set of clusters. Then a fuzzy if-then rule is extracted from each cluster to form a fuzzy rule base. Secondly, a fuzzy neural network is constructed accordingly and parameters are tuned to increase the precision of the fuzzy rule base. This network is able to learn and optimize the rule base of a Sugeno like Fuzzy inference system using Hybrid learning algorithm, which combines gradient descent, and least mean square algorithm. This proposed neurofuzzy system has the advantage of determining the number of rules automatically and also reduce the number of rules, decrease computational time, learns faster and consumes less memory. The authors also investigate that how neurofuzzy techniques can be applied in the area of control theory to design a fuzzy controller for linear and nonlinear dynamic systems modelling from a set of input/output data. The simulation analysis on a wide range of processes, to identify nonlinear components on-linely in a control system and a benchmark problem involving the prediction of a chaotic time series is carried out. Furthermore, the well-known examples of linear and nonlinear systems are also simulated under the Matlab/Simulink environment. The above combination is also illustrated in modeling the relationship between automobile trips and demographic factors.
Abstract: A numerical study is presented on buckling and post
buckling behaviour of laminated carbon fiber reinforced plastic
(CFRP) thin-walled cylindrical shells under axial compression using
asymmetric meshing technique (AMT). Asymmetric meshing
technique is a perturbation technique to introduce disturbance without
changing geometry, boundary conditions or loading conditions.
Asymmetric meshing affects predicted buckling load, buckling mode
shape and post-buckling behaviour. Linear (eigenvalue) and nonlinear
(Riks) analyses have been performed to study the effect of
asymmetric meshing in the form of a patch on buckling behaviour.
The reduction in the buckling load using Asymmetric meshing
technique was observed to be about 15%. An isolated dimple formed
near the bifurcation point and the size of which increased to reach a
stable state in the post-buckling region. The load-displacement curve
behaviour applying asymmetric meshing is quite similar to the curve
obtained using initial geometric imperfection in the shell model.
Abstract: Few decades ago, electronic and sensor technologies
are merged into vehicles as the Advanced Driver Assistance
System(ADAS). However, sensor-based ADASs have limitations
about weather interference and a line-of-sight nature problem. In our
project, we investigate a Relative Position based ADAS(RP-ADAS).
We divide the RP-ADAS into four main research areas: GNSS,
VANET, Security/Privacy, and Application. In this paper, we research
the GNSS technologies and determine the most appropriate one. With
the performance evaluation, we figure out that the C/A code based
GPS technologies are inappropriate for 'which lane-level' application.
However, they can be used as a 'which road-level' application.
Abstract: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a complex
metabolic disorder that characterized by the presence of high glucose
in blood that cause from insulin resistance and insufficiency due to
deterioration β-cell Langerhans functions. T2DM is commonly
caused by the combination of inherited genetic variations as well as
our own lifestyle. Metallothionein (MT) is a known cysteine-rich
protein responsible in helping zinc homeostasis which is important in
insulin signaling and secretion as well as protection our body from
reactive oxygen species (ROS). MT scavenged ROS and free
radicals in our body happen to be one of the reasons of T2DM and its
complications. The objective of this study was to investigate the
association of MT1A and MT2A polymorphisms between T2DM and
control subjects among Malay populations. This study involved 150
T2DM and 120 Healthy individuals of Malay ethnic with mixed
genders. The genomic DNA was extracted from buccal cells and
amplified for MT1A and MT2A loci; the 347bp and 238bp banding
patterns were respectively produced by mean of the Polymerase
Chain Reaction (PCR). The PCR products were digested with Mlucl
and Tsp451 restriction enzymes respectively and producing
fragments lengths of (158/189/347bp) and (103/135/238bp)
respectively. The ANOVA test was conducted and it shown that there
was a significant difference between diabetic and control subjects for
age, BMI, WHR, SBP, FPG, HBA1C, LDL, TG, TC and family
history with (P0.05). The genotype
frequency for AA, AG and GG of MT1A polymorphisms was 72.7%,
22.7% and 4.7% in cases and 15%, 55% and 30% in control
respectively. As for MT2A, genotype frequency of GG, GC and CC
was 42.7%, 27.3% and 30% in case and 5%, 40% and 55% for
control respectively. Both polymorphisms show significant difference
between two investigated groups with (P=0.000). The Post hoc test
was conducted and shows a significant difference between the
genotypes within each polymorphism (P=0. 000). The MT1A and
MT2A polymorphisms were believed to be the reliable molecular
markers to distinguish the T2DM subjects from healthy individuals in
Malay populations.
Abstract: We present the development of a system of programs designed for the compilation and execution of applications for handheld computers. In introduction we describe the purpose of the project and its components. The next two paragraphs present the first two components of the project (the scanner and parser generators). Then we describe the Object Pascal compiler and the virtual machines for Windows and Palm OS. In conclusion we emphasize the ways in which the project can be extended.
Abstract: It has been established that microRNAs (miRNAs) play
an important role in gene expression by post-transcriptional regulation
of messengerRNAs (mRNAs). However, the precise relationships
between microRNAs and their target genes in sense of numbers,
types and biological relevance remain largely unclear. Dissecting the
miRNA-target relationships will render more insights for miRNA
targets identification and validation therefore promote the understanding
of miRNA function. In miRBase, miRanda is the key
algorithm used for target prediction for Zebrafish. This algorithm
is high-throughput but brings lots of false positives (noise). Since
validation of a large scale of targets through laboratory experiments
is very time consuming, several computational methods for miRNA
targets validation should be developed. In this paper, we present an
integrative method to investigate several aspects of the relationships
between miRNAs and their targets with the final purpose of extracting
high confident targets from miRanda predicted targets pool. This is
achieved by using the techniques ranging from statistical tests to
clustering and association rules. Our research focuses on Zebrafish.
It was found that validated targets do not necessarily associate with
the highest sequence matching. Besides, for some miRNA families,
the frequency of their predicted targets is significantly higher in the
genomic region nearby their own physical location. Finally, in a case
study of dre-miR-10 and dre-miR-196, it was found that the predicted
target genes hoxd13a, hoxd11a, hoxd10a and hoxc4a of dre-miR-
10 while hoxa9a, hoxc8a and hoxa13a of dre-miR-196 have similar
characteristics as validated target genes and therefore represent high
confidence target candidates.
Abstract: With increasing utilization of the wireless devices in
different fields such as medical devices and industrial fields, the
paper presents a method for simplify the Bluetooth packets with
throughput enhancing. The paper studies a vital issue in wireless
communications, which is the throughput of data over wireless
networks. In fact, the Bluetooth and ZigBee are a Wireless Personal
Area Network (WPAN). With taking these two systems competition
consideration, the paper proposes different schemes for improve the
throughput of Bluetooth network over a reliable channel. The
proposition depends on the Channel Quality Driven Data Rate
(CQDDR) rules, which determines the suitable packet in the
transmission process according to the channel conditions. The
proposed packet is studied over additive White Gaussian Noise
(AWGN) and fading channels. The Experimental results reveal the
capability of extension of the PL length by 8, 16, 24 bytes for classic
and EDR packets, respectively. Also, the proposed method is suitable
for the low throughput Bluetooth.
Abstract: Forming a legal culture among citizens is a
complicated and lengthy process, influencing all spheres of social
life. It includes promoting justice, learning rights and duties, the
introduction of juridical norms and knowledge, and also a process of
developing a system of legal acts and constitutional norms. Currently,
the evaluative and emotional influence of attempts to establish a legal
culture among the citizens of Kazakhstan is limited by real legal
practice. As a result, the values essential to a sound civil society are
absent from the consciousness of the Kazakh people who are thus, in
turn, not able to develop respect for these values. One of the
disadvantages of the modern Kazakh educational system is a
tendency to underrate the actual forces shaping the worldview of
Kazakh youths. The mass-media, which are going through a
personnel crisis, cannot provide society with the legal and political
information necessary to form the sort of legal culture required for a
true civil society.
Abstract: A new code synchronization algorithm is proposed in
this paper for the secondary cell-search stage in wideband CDMA
systems. Rather than using the Cyclically Permutable (CP) code in the
Secondary Synchronization Channel (S-SCH) to simultaneously
determine the frame boundary and scrambling code group, the new
synchronization algorithm implements the same function with less
system complexity and less Mean Acquisition Time (MAT). The
Secondary Synchronization Code (SSC) is redesigned by splitting into
two sub-sequences. We treat the information of scrambling code group
as data bits and use simple time diversity BCH coding for further
reliability. It avoids involved and time-costly Reed-Solomon (RS)
code computations and comparisons. Analysis and simulation results
show that the Synchronization Error Rate (SER) yielded by the new
algorithm in Rayleigh fading channels is close to that of the
conventional algorithm in the standard. This new synchronization
algorithm reduces system complexities, shortens the average
cell-search time and can be implemented in the slot-based cell-search
pipeline. By taking antenna diversity and pipelining correlation
processes, the new algorithm also shows its flexible application in
multiple antenna systems.
Abstract: Recent developments in storage technology and
networking architectures have made it possible for broad areas of applications to rely on data streams for quick response and accurate
decision making. Data streams are generated from events of real world so existence of associations, which are among the occurrence of these events in real world, among concepts of data streams is
logical. Extraction of these hidden associations can be useful for prediction of subsequent concepts in concept shifting data streams. In this paper we present a new method for learning association among
concepts of data stream and prediction of what the next concept will be. Knowing the next concept, an informed update of data model will be possible. The results of conducted experiments show that the proposed method is proper for classification of concept shifting data
streams.
Abstract: The use of Electronic Commerce (EC)
technologies enables Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to improve their efficiency and competitive position. Much of the literature proposes an extensive set of benefits for
organizations that choose to adopt and implement ECommerce
systems. Factors of Business –to-business (B2B)
E-Commerce adoption and implementation have been
extensively investigated. Despite enormous attention given to encourage Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to adopt and
implement E-Commerce, little research has been carried out in identifying the factors of Business-to-Consumer ECommerce adoption and implementation for SMEs. To conduct the study, Tornatsky and Fleischer model was adopted
and tested in four SMEs located in Christchurch, New
Zealand. This paper explores the factors that impact the
decision and method of adoption and implementation of ECommerce
systems in automobile industry. Automobile
industry was chosen because the product they deal with i.e.
cars are not a common commodity to be sold online, despite this fact the eCommerce penetration in automobile industry is
high. The factors that promote adoption and implementation of
E-Commerce technologies are discussed, together with the
barriers. This study will help SME owners to effectively
handle the adoption and implementation process and will also
improve the chance of successful E-Commerce
implementation. The implications of the findings for
managers, consultants, and government organizations engaged in promoting E-Commerce adoption and implementation in
small businesses and future research are discussed.
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to introduce an interactive online case-study library website developed in a national project. The design goal of the website is to provide interactive, enhanced, case-based and online educational resource for educators through the purpose and within the scope of a national project. The ADDIE instructional design model was used in the development of the website for interactive case-based library. This library is developed on a web-based platform, which is important in terms of manageability, accessibility, and updateability of data. Users are able to sort the displayed case-studies by their titles, dates, ratings, view counts, etc. The usability test is used and the expert opinion is taken for the evaluation of the website. This website is a tool to integrate technology into education. It is believed that this website will be beneficial for pre-service and in-service teachers in terms of their professional developments.
Abstract: In this research, a mathematical model for integrated evaluation of green design and green manufacturing processes is presented. To design a product, there can be alternative options to design the detailed components to fulfill the same product requirement. In the design alternative cases, the components of the product can be designed with different materials and detailed specifications. If several design alternative cases are proposed, the different materials and specifications can affect the manufacturing processes. In this paper, a new concept for integrating green design and green manufacturing processes is presented. A green design can be determined based the manufacturing processes of the designed product by evaluating the green criteria including energy usage and environmental impact, in addition to the traditional criteria of manufacturing cost. With this concept, a mathematical model is developed to find the green design and the associated green manufacturing processes. In the mathematical model, the cost items include material cost, manufacturing cost, and green related cost. The green related cost items include energy cost and environmental cost. The objective is to find the decisions of green design and green manufacturing processes to achieve the minimized total cost. In practical applications, the decision-making can be made to select a good green design case and its green manufacturing processes. In this presentation, an example product is illustrated. It shows that the model is practical and useful for integrated evaluation of green design and green manufacturing processes.
Abstract: The paper proposes a novel technique for iris
recognition using texture and phase features. Texture features are
extracted on the normalized iris strip using Haar Wavelet while phase
features are obtained using LOG Gabor Wavelet. The matching
scores generated from individual modules are combined using sum of
score technique. The system is tested on database obtained from Bath
University and Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur and is giving
an accuracy of 95.62% and 97.66% respectively. The FAR and FRR
of the combined system is also reduced comparatively.