Abstract: In this paper, a novel approach for the multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) of complex mechatronic systems. This approach, which is a part of a global project aiming to include the MDO aspect inside an innovative design process. As a first step, the paper considers the MDO as a redesign approach which is limited to the parametric optimization. After defining and introducing the different keywords, the proposed method which is based on the V-Model which is commonly used in mechatronics.
Abstract: 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGR) catalyzes the conversion of HMG-CoA to mevalonate using NADPH and the enzyme is involved in rate-controlling step of mevalonate. Inhibition of HMGR is considered as effective way to lower cholesterol levels so it is drug target to treat hypercholesterolemia, major risk factor of cardiovascular disease. To discover novel HMGR inhibitor, we performed structure-based pharmacophore modeling combined with molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Four HMGR inhibitors were used for MD simulation and representative structure of each simulation were selected by clustering analysis. Four structure-based pharmacophore models were generated using the representative structure. The generated models were validated used in virtual screening to find novel scaffolds for inhibiting HMGR. The screened compounds were filtered by applying drug-like properties and used in molecular docking. Finally, four hit compounds were obtained and these complexes were refined using energy minimization. These compounds might be potential leads to design novel HMGR inhibitor.
Abstract: For the first incumbent operator it is very important
to understand how to react when the second operator comes to the
market. In this paper which is prepared for preliminary study of
GSM market in Iran, we have studied five MENA markets
according to the similarity point of view. This paper aims at
analyzing the impact of second entrants in selected markets on
certain marketing key performance indicators (KPI) such as:
Market shares (by operator), prepaid share, minutes of use (MoU),
Price and average revenue per user (ARPU) (for total market
each).
Abstract: This paper explores the effectiveness of machine
learning techniques in detecting firms that issue fraudulent financial
statements (FFS) and deals with the identification of factors
associated to FFS. To this end, a number of experiments have been
conducted using representative learning algorithms, which were
trained using a data set of 164 fraud and non-fraud Greek firms in the
recent period 2001-2002. The decision of which particular method to
choose is a complicated problem. A good alternative to choosing
only one method is to create a hybrid forecasting system
incorporating a number of possible solution methods as components
(an ensemble of classifiers). For this purpose, we have implemented
a hybrid decision support system that combines the representative
algorithms using a stacking variant methodology and achieves better
performance than any examined simple and ensemble method. To
sum up, this study indicates that the investigation of financial
information can be used in the identification of FFS and underline the
importance of financial ratios.
Abstract: In single trial analysis, when using Principal
Component Analysis (PCA) to extract Visual Evoked Potential
(VEP) signals, the selection of principal components (PCs) is an
important issue. We propose a new method here that selects only
the appropriate PCs. We denote the method as selective eigen-rate
(SER). In the method, the VEP is reconstructed based on the rate
of the eigen-values of the PCs. When this technique is applied on
emulated VEP signals added with background
electroencephalogram (EEG), with a focus on extracting the
evoked P3 parameter, it is found to be feasible. The improvement
in signal to noise ratio (SNR) is superior to two other existing
methods of PC selection: Kaiser (KSR) and Residual Power (RP).
Though another PC selection method, Spectral Power Ratio (SPR)
gives a comparable SNR with high noise factors (i.e. EEGs), SER
give more impressive results in such cases. Next, we applied SER
method to real VEP signals to analyse the P3 responses for
matched and non-matched stimuli. The P3 parameters extracted
through our proposed SER method showed higher P3 response for
matched stimulus, which confirms to the existing neuroscience
knowledge. Single trial PCA using KSR and RP methods failed to
indicate any difference for the stimuli.
Abstract: Chronic conditions carry with them strong emotions
and often lead to charged relationships between patients and their
health providers and, by extension, patients and health researchers.
Persons are both autonomous and relational and a purely cognitive
model of autonomy neglects the social and relational basis of chronic
illness. Ensuring genuine informed consent in research requires a
thorough understanding of how participants perceive a study and
their reasons for participation. Surveys may not capture the
complexities of reasoning that underlies study participation.
Contradictory reasons for participation, for instance an initial claim
of altruism as rationale and a subsequent claim of personal benefit
(therapeutic misconception), affect the quality of informed consent.
Individuals apply principles through the filter of personal values and
lived experience. Authentic autonomy, and hence authentic consent
to research, occurs within the context of patients- unique life
narratives and illness experiences.
Abstract: In this paper we propose a family of algorithms based
on 3rd and 4th order cumulants for blind single-input single-output
(SISO) Non-Minimum Phase (NMP) Finite Impulse Response (FIR)
channel estimation driven by non-Gaussian signal. The input signal
represents the signal used in 10GBASE-T (or IEEE 802.3an-2006)
as a Tomlinson-Harashima Precoded (THP) version of random
Pulse-Amplitude Modulation with 16 discrete levels (PAM-16). The
proposed algorithms are tested using three non-minimum phase
channel for different Signal-to-Noise Ratios (SNR) and for different
data input length. Numerical simulation results are presented to
illustrate the performance of the proposed algorithms.
Abstract: Grid composite structures have many applications in aerospace industry in which deal with transverse loadings abundantly. In present paper a stiffened composite cylindrical shell with clamped-free boundary condition under transverse end load experimentally and numerically was studied. Some electrical strain gauges were employed to measure the strains. Also a finite element analysis was done for validation of experimental result. The FEM software used was ANSYS11. In addition, the results between stiffened composite shell and unstiffened composite shell were compared. It was observed that intersection of two stiffeners has an important effect in decrease of stress in the shell. Fairly good agreements were observed between the numerical and the measured results. According to recent studies about grid composite structures, it should be noted that any investigation like this research has not been reported.
Abstract: In any distributed systems, process scheduling plays a
vital role in determining the efficiency of the system. Process scheduling algorithms are used to ensure that the components of the
system would be able to maximize its utilization and able to complete all the processes assigned in a specified period of time.
This paper focuses on the development of comparative simulator for distributed process scheduling algorithms. The objectives of the works that have been carried out include the development of the
comparative simulator, as well as to implement a comparative study
between three distributed process scheduling algorithms; senderinitiated,
receiver-initiated and hybrid sender-receiver-initiated
algorithms. The comparative study was done based on the Average Waiting Time (AWT) and Average Turnaround Time (ATT) of the
processes involved. The simulation results show that the performance of the algorithms depends on the number of nodes in the system.
Abstract: The separation of dissolved gas including dissolved oxygen can be used in breathing for a human under water. When one is suddenly wrecked or meets a tsunami, one is instantly drowned and cannot breathe under water. To avoid this crisis, when we meet waves, the dissolved gas separated from water by wave is used, while air can be used to breathe when we are about to escape from water. In this thesis, we investigated the separation characteristics of dissolved gas using the pipe type of hollow fiber membrane with polypropylene and the nude type of one with polysulfone. The hollow fiber membranes with good characteristics under water are used to separate the dissolved gas. The hollow fiber membranes with good characteristics in an air are used to transfer air. The combination of membranes with good separation characteristics under water and good transferring one in an air is used to breathe instantly under water to be alive at crisis. These results showed that polypropylene represented better performance than polysulfone under both of air and water conditions.
Abstract: In this competitive age, one of the key tools of most successful organizations is knowledge management. Today some organizations measure their current knowledge and use it as an indicator for rating the organization on their reports. Noting that the universities and colleges of medical science have a great role in public health of societies, their access to newest scientific research and the establishment of organizational knowledge management systems is very important. In order to explore the Application of Knowledge Management Factors, a national study was undertaken. The main purpose of this study was to find the rate of the application of knowledge management factors and some ways to establish more application of knowledge management system in Esfahan University-s Medical College (EUMC). Esfahan is the second largest city after Tehran, the capital city of Iran, and the EUMC is the biggest medical college in Esfahan. To rate the application of knowledge management, this study uses a quantitative research methodology based on Probst, Raub and Romhardt model of knowledge management. A group of 267 faculty members and staff of the EUMC were asked via questionnaire. Finding showed that the rate of the application of knowledge management factors in EUMC have been lower than average. As a result, an interview with ten faculty members conducted to find the guidelines to establish more applications of knowledge management system in EUMC.
Abstract: This work considered the thermodynamic feasibility
of scrubbing volatile organic compounds into biodiesel in view of
designing a gas treatment process with this absorbent. A detailed
vapour – liquid equilibrium investigation was performed using the
original UNIFAC group contribution method. The four biodiesels
studied in this work are methyl oleate, methyl palmitate, methyl
linolenate and ethyl stearate. The original UNIFAC procedure was
used to estimate the infinite dilution activity coefficients of 13
selected volatile organic compounds in the biodiesels. The
calculations were done at the VOC mole fraction of 9.213x10-8. Ethyl
stearate gave the most favourable phase equilibrium. A close
agreement was found between the infinite dilution activity coefficient
of toluene found in this work and those reported in literature.
Thermodynamic models can efficiently be used to calculate vast
amount of phase equilibrium behaviour using limited number of
experimental data.
Abstract: Recent years have seen a growing trend towards the
integration of multiple information sources to support large-scale
prediction of protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks in model
organisms. Despite advances in computational approaches, the
combination of multiple “omic" datasets representing the same type
of data, e.g. different gene expression datasets, has not been
rigorously studied. Furthermore, there is a need to further investigate
the inference capability of powerful approaches, such as fullyconnected
Bayesian networks, in the context of the prediction of PPI
networks. This paper addresses these limitations by proposing a
Bayesian approach to integrate multiple datasets, some of which
encode the same type of “omic" data to support the identification of
PPI networks. The case study reported involved the combination of
three gene expression datasets relevant to human heart failure (HF).
In comparison with two traditional methods, Naive Bayesian and
maximum likelihood ratio approaches, the proposed technique can
accurately identify known PPI and can be applied to infer potentially
novel interactions.
Abstract: An active RC filters with a 880 / 1760 MHz dual bandwidth tuning ability is present for 60 GHz unlicensed band applications. A third order Butterworth low-pass filter utilizes two Cherry-Hooper amplifiers to satisfy the very high bandwidth requirements of an amplifier. The low-pass filter is fabricated in 90nm standard CMOS process. Drawing 6.7 mW from 1.2 V power supply, the low frequency gains of the filter are -2.5 and -4.1 dB, and the output third order intercept points (OIP3) are +2.2 and +1.9 dBm for the single channel and channel bonding conditions, respectively.
Abstract: This paper presents an algorithm which
combining ant colony optimization in the dynamic
programming for solving a dynamic facility layout problem.
The problem is separated into 2 phases, static and dynamic
phase. In static phase, ant colony optimization is used to find
the best ranked of layouts for each period. Then the dynamic
programming (DP) procedure is performed in the dynamic
phase to evaluate the layout set during multi-period planning
horizon. The proposed algorithm is tested over many
problems with size ranging from 9 to 49 departments, 2 and 4
periods. The experimental results show that the proposed
method is an alternative way for the plant layout designer to
determine the layouts during multi-period planning horizon.
Abstract: There are three distinct stages in the evolution of
economic thought, namely:
1. in the first stage, the major concern was to accelerate
economic growth with increased availability of material
goods, especially in developing economies with very low
living standards, because poverty eradication meant faster
economic growth.
2. in the second stage, economists made distinction between
growth and development. Development was seen as going
beyond economic growth, and bringing certain changes in
the structure of the economy with more equitable
distribution of the benefits of growth, with the growth
coming automatic and sustained.
3. the third stage is now reached. Our concern is now with
“sustainable development", that is, development not only
for the present but also of the future.
Thus the focus changed from “sustained growth" to “sustained
development". Sustained development brings to the fore the long
term relationship between the ecology and economic development.
Since the creation of UNEP in 1972 it has worked for
development without destruction for environmentally sound and
sustained development. It was realised that the environment cannot
be viewed in a vaccum, it is not separate from development, nor is it
competing. It suggested for the integration of the environment with
development whereby ecological factors enter development planning,
socio-economic policies, cost-benefit analysis, trade, technology
transfer, waste management, educational and other specific areas.
Industrialisation has contributed to the growth of economy of
several countries. It has improved the standards of living of its people
and provided benefits to the society. It has also created in the process
great environmental problems like climate change, forest destruction
and denudation, soil erosion and desertification etc.
On the other hand, industry has provided jobs and improved the
prospects of wealth for the industrialists. The working class
communities had to simply put up with the high levels of pollution in
order to keep up their jobs and also to save their income.
There are many roots of the environmental problem. They may be
political, economic, cultural and technological conditions of the
modern society. The experts concede that industrial growth lies
somewhere close to the heart of the matter. Therefore, the objective
of this paper is not to document all roots of an environmental crisis
but rather to discuss the effects of industrial growth and
development.
We have come to the conclusion that although public intervention
is often unnecessary to ensure that perfectly competitive markets will
function in society-s best interests, such intervention is necessary
when firms or consumers pollute.
Abstract: The multidelays linear control systems described by
difference differential equations are often studied in modern control
theory. In this paper, the delay-independent stabilization algebraic
criteria and the theorem of delay-independent stabilization for linear
systems with multiple time-delays are established by using the
Lyapunov functional and the Riccati algebra matrix equation in the
matrix theory. An illustrative example and the simulation result, show
that the approach to linear systems with multiple time-delays is
effective.
Abstract: The spatial variation in plant species associated with intercropping is intended to reduce resource competition between species and increase yield potential. A field experiment was carried out on corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) intercropping in a replacement series experiment with weed contamination consist of: weed free, infestation of redroot pigweed, infestation of jimsonweed and simultaneous infestation of redroot pigweed and jimsonweed in Karaj, Iran during 2007 growing season. The experimental design was a randomized complete block in factorial experiment with replicated thrice. Significant (P≤0.05) differences were observed in yield in intercropping. Corn yield was higher in intercropping, but soybean yield was significantly reduced by corn when intercropped. However, total productivity and land use efficiency were high under the intercropping system even in contamination of either species of weeds. Aggressivity of corn relative to soybean revealed the greater competitive ability of corn than soybean. Land equivalent ratio (LER) more than 1 in all treatments attributed to intercropping advantages and was highest in 50: 50 (corn/soybean) in weed free. These findings suggest that intercropping corn and soybean increase total productivity per unit area and improve land use efficiency. Considering the experimental findings, corn-soybean intercropping (50:50) may be recommended for yield advantage, more efficient utilization of resources, and weed suppression as a biological control.
Abstract: In the globalization process, when the struggle for minds and values of the people is taking place, the impact of the virtual space can cause unexpected effects and consequences in the process of adjustment of young people in this world. Their special significance is defined by unconscious influence on the underlying process of meaning and therefore the values preached by them are much more effective and affect both the personal characteristics and the peculiarities of adjustment process. Related to this the challenge is to identify factors influencing the reflection characteristics of virtual subjects and measures their impact on the personal characteristics of the students.
Abstract: In this paper we propose a computational model for the representation and processing of morpho-phonological phenomena in a natural language, like Modern Greek. We aim at a unified treatment of inflection, compounding, and word-internal phonological changes, in a model that is used for both analysis and generation. After discussing certain difficulties cuase by well-known finitestate approaches, such as Koskenniemi-s two-level model [7] when applied to a computational treatment of compounding, we argue that a morphology-based model provides a more adequate account of word-internal phenomena. Contrary to the finite state approaches that cannot handle hierarchical word constituency in a satisfactory way, we propose a unification-based word grammar, as the nucleus of our strategy, which takes into consideration word representations that are based on affixation and [stem stem] or [stem word] compounds. In our formalism, feature-passing operations are formulated with the use of the unification device, and phonological rules modeling the correspondence between lexical and surface forms apply at morpheme boundaries. In the paper, examples from Modern Greek illustrate our approach. Morpheme structures, stress, and morphologically conditioned phoneme changes are analyzed and generated in a principled way.