Abstract: Light rail systems have proliferated in Spain in the last decade, following a tendency that is common not only in other European countries but also in other parts of the world. This paper reviews the benefits of light rail systems, both related to environmental issues and mobility issues. It analyses the evolution of light rail projects in Spain and shows that light rail systems in this country have evolved towards an extensive use of public-private partnerships. The analysis of the Spanish projects, however, does not contribute any conclusive evidence about whether public-private partnerships have been more efficient than publicly owned enterprises in building and operating light rail systems.
Abstract: Young patients suffering from Cerebral Palsy are
facing difficult choices concerning heavy surgeries. Diagnosis settled
by surgeons can be complex and on the other hand decision for
patient about getting or not such a surgery involves important
reflection effort. Proposed software combining prediction for
surgeries and post surgery kinematic values, and from 3D model
representing the patient is an innovative tool helpful for both patients
and medicine professionals. Beginning with analysis and
classification of kinematics values from Data Base extracted from
gait analysis in 3 separated clusters, it is possible to determine close
similarity between patients. Prediction surgery best adapted to
improve a patient gait is then determined by operating a suitable
preconditioned neural network. Finally, patient 3D modeling based
on kinematic values analysis, is animated thanks to post surgery
kinematic vectors characterizing the closest patient selected from
patients clustering.
Abstract: Authentication plays a vital role in many secure
systems. Most of these systems require user to log in with his or her
secret password or pass phrase before entering it. This is to ensure all
the valuables information is kept confidential guaranteeing also its
integrity and availability. However, to achieve this goal, users are
required to memorize high entropy passwords or pass phrases.
Unfortunately, this sometimes causes difficulty for user to remember
meaningless strings of data. This paper presents a new scheme which
assigns a weight to each personal question given to the user in
revealing the encrypted secrets or password. Concentration of this
scheme is to offer fault tolerance to users by allowing them to forget
the specific password to a subset of questions and still recover the
secret and achieve successful authentication. Comparison on level of
security for weight-based and weightless secret recovery scheme is
also discussed. The paper concludes with the few areas that requires
more investigation in this research.
Abstract: In this study, the reduction of Cr(VI) by use of scrap
iron, a cheap and locally available industrial waste, was investigated
in continuous system. The greater scrap iron efficiency observed for
the first two sections of the column filling indicate that most of the
reduction process was carried out in the bottom half of the column
filling. This was ascribed to a constant decrease of Cr(VI)
concentration inside the filling, as the water front passes from the
bottom to the top end of the column. While the bottom section of the
column filling was heavily passivated with secondary mineral phases,
the top section was less affected by the passivation process; therefore
the column filling would likely ensure the reduction of Cr(VI) for
time periods longer than 216 hours. The experimental results indicate
that fixed beds columns packed with scrap iron could be successfully
used for the first step of Cr(VI) polluted wastewater treatment.
However, the mass of scrap iron filling should be carefully estimated
since it significantly affects the Cr(VI) reduction efficiency.
Abstract: A numerical simulation of vortex-induced vibration of
a 2-dimensional elastic circular cylinder with two degree of freedom
under the uniform flow is calculated when Reynolds is 200.
2-dimensional incompressible Navier-Stokes equations are solved
with the space-time finite element method, the equation of the cylinder
motion is solved with the new explicit integral method and the mesh
renew is achieved by the spring moving mesh technology. Considering
vortex-induced vibration with the low reduced damping parameter, the
variety trends of the lift coefficient, the drag coefficient, the
displacement of cylinder are analyzed under different oscillating
frequencies of cylinder. The phenomena of locked-in, beat and
phases-witch were captured successfully. The evolution of vortex
shedding from the cylinder with time is discussed. There are very
similar trends in characteristics between the results of the one degree
of freedom cylinder model and that of the two degree of freedom
cylinder model. The streamwise vibrations have a certain effect on the
lateral vibrations and their characteristics.
Abstract: Public housing is a vital factor in community
development. Successful city, housing and eco system regeneration
design is essential in providing positive community development.
This concerns work places, nice dwellings, providing premises for
child care, care of the elderly, providing qualitative premises for
different kinds of commercial service, providing a nice built
environment and housing areas and not the least activating tenants.
The public housing companies give value to society by stimulating
people, renovating socially and economically sustainable as well as
being partners to local business and authorities. By their activities the
housing companies contribute to sustainable local and regional
growth and the identity and reputation of cities. A Social, Economic
and Ecological Reputation Effect (SEERE) model for actions to
promote housing and community reputation is presented. The model
emphasizes regenerative actions to restore natural eco systems as part
of housing renewal strategies and to strengthen municipality
reputation.
Abstract: This paper explores the social and political imperatives in the sphere of public policy relating to social justice. In India, the colonial legacy and post-colonial social and political pressures sustained the appropriation of 'caste' category in allocating public resources to the backward class of citizens. For several reasons, 'economic' category could not be placed in allocating resources. This paper examines the reasons behind the deliberative exercises and formulating policies and seeks an alternative framework in realizing social justice in terms of a unified category. This attempt can be viewed as a reconciliation of traditional and modern values for a viable alternative in public policy making.
Abstract: Segmentation of a color image composed of different
kinds of regions can be a hard problem, namely to compute for an
exact texture fields. The decision of the optimum number of
segmentation areas in an image when it contains similar and/or un
stationary texture fields. A novel neighborhood-based segmentation
approach is proposed. A genetic algorithm is used in the proposed
segment-pass optimization process. In this pass, an energy function,
which is defined based on Markov Random Fields, is minimized. In
this paper we use an adaptive threshold estimation method for image
thresholding in the wavelet domain based on the generalized
Gaussian distribution (GGD) modeling of sub band coefficients. This
method called Normal Shrink is computationally more efficient and
adaptive because the parameters required for estimating the threshold
depend on sub band data energy that used in the pre-stage of
segmentation. A quad tree is employed to implement the multi
resolution framework, which enables the use of different strategies at
different resolution levels, and hence, the computation can be
accelerated. The experimental results using the proposed
segmentation approach are very encouraging.
Abstract: increased competition and increased costs of
designing made it important for the firms to identify the right
products and the right methods for manufacturing the products. Firms
should focus on customers and identify customer demands directly to
design the right products. Several management methods and
techniques that are currently available improve one or more functions
or processes in an industry and do not take the complete product life
cycle into consideration. On the other hand target costing is a method
/ philosophy that takes financial, manufacturing and customer aspects
into consideration during designing phase and helps firms in making
product design decisions to increase the profit / value of the
company. It uses various techniques to identify customer demands, to
decrease costs of manufacturing and finally to achieve strategic goals.
Target Costing forms an integral part of total product design /
redesign based on strategic plans.
Abstract: Internet access is a vital part of the modern world and an important tool in the education of our children. It is present in schools, homes and even shopping malls. Mastering the use of the internet is likely to be an important skill for those entering the job markets of the future. An internet user can be anyone he or she wants to be in an online chat room, or play thrilling and challenging games against other players from all corners of the globe. It seems at present time (or near future) for many people relationships in the real world may be neglected as those in the virtual world increase in importance. Internet is provided a fast mode of transportation caused freedom from family bonds and mixing with different cultures and new communities. This research is an attempt to study effect of Internet on Social capital. For this purpose a survey technique on the sample size amounted 168 students of Payame Noor University of Kermanshah city in country of Iran were considered. Degree of social capital is moderate. With the help of the Multi-variable Regression, variables of Iranian message attractive, Interest to internet with effect of positive and variable Creating a cordial atmosphere with negative effect be significant.
Abstract: WiMAX and Wi-Fi are considered as the promising
broadband access solutions for wireless MAN’s and LANs,
respectively. In the recent works WiMAX is considered suitable as a
backhaul service to connect multiple dispersed Wi-Fi ‘hotspots’.
Hence a new integrated WiMAX/Wi-Fi architecture has been
proposed in literatures. In this paper the performance of an integrated
WiMAX/Wi-Fi network has been investigated by streaming a video
conference application. The difference in performance between the
two protocols is compared with respect to video conferencing. The
Heterogeneous network was simulated in the OPNET simulator.
Abstract: In this note, we consider a family of iterative formula for computing the weighted Minskowski inverses AM,N in Minskowski space, and give two kinds of iterations and the necessary and sufficient conditions of the convergence of iterations.
Abstract: An optimal control of Reverse Osmosis (RO) plant is
studied in this paper utilizing the auto tuning concept in conjunction
with PID controller. A control scheme composing an auto tuning
stochastic technique based on an improved Genetic Algorithm (GA) is
proposed. For better evaluation of the process in GA, objective
function defined newly in sense of root mean square error has been
used. Also in order to achieve better performance of GA, more
pureness and longer period of random number generation in operation
are sought. The main improvement is made by replacing the uniform
distribution random number generator in conventional GA technique
to newly designed hybrid random generator composed of Cauchy
distribution and linear congruential generator, which provides
independent and different random numbers at each individual steps in
Genetic operation. The performance of newly proposed GA tuned
controller is compared with those of conventional ones via simulation.
Abstract: With the rapid advanced of technology, the industrial processes become increasingly demanding, from the point of view, power quality and controllability. The advent of multi levels inverters responds partially to these requirements. But actually, the new generation of multi-cells inverters permits to reach more performances, since, it offers more voltage levels. The disadvantage in the increase of voltage levels by the number of cells in cascades is on account of series igbts synchronisation loss, from where, a limitation of cells in cascade to 4. Regarding to these constraints, a new topology is proposed in this paper, which increases the voltage levels of the three-cell inverter from 4 to 8; with the same number of igbts, and using less stored energy in the flaying capacitors. The details of operation and modelling of this new inverter structure are also presented, then tested thanks to a three phase induction motor. KeywordsFlaying capacitors, Multi-cells inverter, pwm, switchers, modelling.
Abstract: The present work deals with the structural analysis of
turbine blades and modeling of turbine blades. A common failure
mode for turbine machines is high cycle of fatigue of compressor and
turbine blades due to high dynamic stresses caused by blade vibration
and resonance within the operation range of the machinery. In this
work, proper damping system will be analyzed to reduce the
vibrating blade. The main focus of the work is the modeling of under
platform damper to evaluate the dynamic analysis of turbine-blade
vibrations. The system is analyzed using Bond graph technique. Bond
graph is one of the most convenient ways to represent a system from
the physical aspect in foreground. It has advantage of putting together
multi-energy domains of a system in a single representation in a
unified manner. The bond graph model of dry friction damper is
simulated on SYMBOLS-shakti® software. In this work, the blades
are modeled as Timoshenko beam. Blade Vibrations under different
working conditions are being analyzed numerically.
Abstract: Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) play an important role in many economies. In New Zealand, for example, 97% of all manufacturing companies employ less than 100 staff, and generate the predominant part of this industry sector-s economic output. Manufacturing SMEs as a group also have a significant impact on the environment. This situation is similar in many developed economies, including the European Union. Sustainable economic development therefore needs to strongly consider the role of manufacturing SMEs, who generally find it challenging to move towards more environmentally friendly business practices. This paper presents a systems thinking approach to modelling and understanding the factors which have an influence on the successful uptake of environmental practices in small and medium sized manufacturing companies. It presents a number of causal loop diagrams which have been developed based on primary action research, and a thorough understanding of the literature in this area. The systems thinking model provides the basis for further development of a strategic framework for the successful uptake of environmental innovation in manufacturing SMEs.
Abstract: TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized by hydrothermal
method at 180°C from TiOSO4 aqueous solution with1m/l
concentration. The obtained products were coated with silica by
means of a seeded polymerization technique for a coating time of
1440 minutes to obtain well defined TiO2@SiO2 core-shell structure.
The uncoated and coated nanoparticles were characterized by using
X-Ray diffraction technique (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared
Spectroscopy (FT-IR) to study their physico-chemical properties.
Evidence from XRD and FTIR results show that SiO2 is
homogenously coated on the surface of titania particles. FTIR spectra
show that there exists an interaction between TiO2 and SiO2 and
results in the formation of Ti-O-Si chemical bonds at the interface of
TiO2 particles and SiO2 coating layer. The non linear optical limiting
properties of TiO2 and TiO2@SiO2 nanoparticles dispersed in
ethylene glycol were studied at 532nm using 5ns Nd:YAG laser
pulses. Three-photon absorption is responsible for optical limiting
characteristics in these nanoparticles and it is seen that the optical
nonlinearity is enhanced in core-shell structures when compared with
single counterparts. This effective three-photon type absorption at
this wavelength, is of potential application in fabricating optical
limiting devices.
Abstract: Early Intervention Program (EIP) is required to
improve the overall development of children with Trisomy 21 (Down
syndrome). In order to help trainer and parent in the implementation
of EIP, a support system has been developed. The support system is
able to screen data automatically, store and analyze data, generate
individual EIP (curriculum) with optimal training duration and to
generate training automatically. The system consists of hardware and
software where the software has been implemented using Java
language and Linux Fedora. The software has been tested to ensure the
functionality and reliability. The prototype has been also tested in
Down syndrome centers. Test result shows that the system is reliable
to be used for generation of an individual curriculum which includes
the training program to improve the motor, cognitive, and combination
abilities of Down syndrome children under 6 years.
Abstract: The hydrologic time series data display periodic
structure and periodic autoregressive process receives considerable
attention in modeling of such series. In this communication long
term record of monthly waste flow of Lyari river is utilized to
quantify by using PAR modeling technique. The parameters of
model are estimated by using Frances & Paap methodology. This
study shows that periodic autoregressive model of order 2 is the most
parsimonious model for assessing periodicity in waste flow of the
river. A careful statistical analysis of residuals of PAR (2) model is
used for establishing goodness of fit. The forecast by using proposed
model confirms significance and effectiveness of the model.
Abstract: A model based fault detection and diagnosis
technique for DC motor is proposed in this paper. Fault detection
using Kalman filter and its different variants are compared. Only
incipient faults are considered for the study. The Kalman Filter
iterations and all the related computations required for fault detection
and fault confirmation are presented. A second order linear state
space model of DC motor is used for this work. A comparative
assessment of the estimates computed from four different observers
and their relative performance is evaluated.