Abstract: Evapotranspiration is one of the most important
components of the hydrological cycle. Evapotranspiration (ETo) is an
important variable in water and energy balances on the earth’s
surface, and knowledge of the distribution of ET is a key factor in
hydrology, climatology, agronomy and ecology studies. Many
researchers have a valid relationship, which is a function of climate
factors, to estimate the potential evapotranspiration presented to the
plant water stress or water loss, prevent. The FAO-Penman method
(PM) had been recommended as a standard method. This method
requires many data and these data are not available in every area of
world. So, other methods should be evaluated for these conditions.
When sufficient or reliable data to solve the PM equation are not
available then Hargreaves equation can be used. The Hargreaves
equation (HG) requires only daily mean, maximum and minimum air
temperature extraterrestrial radiation .In this study, Hargreaves
method (HG) were evaluated in 12 stations in the North West region
of Iran. Results of HG and M.HG methods were compared with
results of PM method. Statistical analysis of this comparison showed
that calibration process has had significant effect on efficiency of
Hargreaves method.
Abstract: The use of hydroelectric pump-storage system at large
scale, MW-size systems, is already widespread around the world.
Designed for large scale applications, pump-storage station can be
scaled-down for small, remote residential applications. Given the cost
and complexity associated with installing a substation further than
100 miles from the main transmission lines, a remote, independent
and self-sufficient system is by far the most feasible solution. This
article is aiming at the design of wind and solar power generating
system, by means of pumped-storage to replace the wind and /or solar
power systems with a battery bank energy storage. Wind and solar
pumped-storage power generating system can reduce the cost of
power generation system, according to the user's electricity load and
resource condition and also can ensure system reliability of power
supply. Wind and solar pumped-storage power generation system is
well suited for remote residential applications with intermittent wind
and/or solar energy. This type of power systems, installed in these
locations, could be a very good alternative, with economic benefits
and positive social effects. The advantage of pumped storage power
system, where wind power regulation is calculated, shows that a
significant smoothing of the produced power is obtained, resulting in
a power-on-demand system’s capability, concomitant to extra
economic benefits.
Abstract: In the field of fashion design, 3D Mannequin is a kind
of assisting tool which could rapidly realize the design concepts.
While the concept of 3D Mannequin is applied to the computer added
fashion design, it will connect with the development and the
application of design platform and system. Thus, the situation
mentioned above revealed a truth that it is very critical to develop a
module of 3D Mannequin which would correspond with the necessity
of fashion design. This research proposes a concrete plan that
developing and constructing a system of 3D Mannequin with Kinect.
In the content, ergonomic measurements of objective human features
could be attained real-time through the implement with depth camera
of Kinect, and then the mesh morphing can be implemented through
transformed the locations of the control-points on the model by
inputting those ergonomic data to get an exclusive 3D mannequin
model. In the proposed methodology, after the scanned points from the
Kinect are revised for accuracy and smoothening, a complete human
feature would be reconstructed by the ICP algorithm with the method
of image processing. Also, the objective human feature could be
recognized to analyze and get real measurements. Furthermore, the
data of ergonomic measurements could be applied to shape morphing
for the division of 3D Mannequin reconstructed by feature curves. Due
to a standardized and customer-oriented 3D Mannequin would be
generated by the implement of subdivision, the research could be
applied to the fashion design or the presentation and display of 3D
virtual clothes. In order to examine the practicality of research
structure, a system of 3D Mannequin would be constructed with JAVA
program in this study. Through the revision of experiments the
practicability-contained research result would come out.
Abstract: UAV’s are small remote operated or automated aerial
surveillance systems without a human pilot aboard. UAV’s generally
finds its use in military and special operation application, a recent
growing trend in UAV’s finds its application in several civil and nonmilitary
works such as inspection of power or pipelines. The
objective of this paper is the augmentation of a UAV in order to
replace the existing expensive sonar (Sound Navigation And
Ranging) based equipment amongst small scale fisherman, for whom
access to sonar equipment are restricted due to limited economic
resources. The surveillance equipment’s present in the UAV will
relay data and GPS (Global Positioning System) location onto a
receiver on the fishing boat using RF signals, using which the
location of the schools of fishes can be found. In addition to this, an
emergency beacon system is present for rescue operations and drone
recovery.
Abstract: Socio-economic development, which is seen around
the world today, has contributed to the emergence of new problems
of a social nature. Different political, historical, geographical or
economic conditions cause that, in addition to global issues of social
policy such as an aging population, unemployment, migration,
countries, regions, there are also specific new problems that require
diagnosis, individualized approach and efficient, planned solutions.
These should include, among others, digital addiction, peer violence,
obesity among children, the problem of ‘legal highs’, stress,
depression, diseases associated with environmental pollution etc. The
central authorities, selected most often with the tools specific to
representative democracy, that is, the general election, for many
reasons, inter alia, organizational, communication, are not able to
effectively diagnose their intensity, territorial distribution, and thus to
effectively fight them. This article aims to show how in Poland,
citizens influence solving problems related to the broader social
policy implemented at the local government level and indicates the
possibilities of improving those solutions. The conclusions of
theoretical analysis have been supported by empirical studies, which
tested the use of instruments of participatory democracy in the
planning and creation of communal strategies for solving social
problems in one of the Polish voivodeships.
Abstract: In recent years a new method of combination
treatment for cancer has been developed and studied that has led to
significant advancements in the field of cancer therapy. Hyperthermia
is a traditional therapy that, along with a creation of a medically
approved level of heat with the help of an alternating magnetic AC
current, results in the destruction of cancer cells by heat. This paper
gives details regarding the production of the spherical nanocomposite
PVA/γ-Fe2O3 in order to be used for medical purposes such as tumor
treatment by hyperthermia. To reach a suitable and evenly distributed
temperature, the nanocomposite with core-shell morphology and
spherical form within a 100 to 200 nanometer size was created using
phase separation emulsion, in which the magnetic nano-particles γ-
Fe2O3 with an average particle size of 20 nano-meters and with
different percentages of 0.2, 0.4, 0.5 and 0.6 were covered by
polyvinyl alcohol. The main concern in hyperthermia and heat
treatment is achieving desirable specific absorption rate (SAR) and
one of the most critical factors in SAR is particle size. In this project
all attempts has been done to reach minimal size and consequently
maximum SAR. The morphological analysis of the spherical
structure of the nanocomposite PVA/γ-Fe2O3 was achieved by SEM
analyses and the study of the chemical bonds created was made
possible by FTIR analysis. To investigate the manner of magnetic
nanocomposite particle size distribution a DLS experiment was
conducted. Moreover, to determine the magnetic behavior of the γ-
Fe2O3 particle and the nanocomposite PVA/γ-Fe2O3 in different
concentrations a VSM test was conducted. To sum up, creating
magnetic nanocomposites with a spherical morphology that would be
employed for drug loading opens doors to new approaches in
developing nanocomposites that provide efficient heat and a
controlled release of drug simultaneously inside the magnetic field,
which are among their positive characteristics that could significantly
improve the recovery process in patients.
Abstract: Construction and reconstruction of settlements and
individual municipalities, environmental management and the
creation, deployment of the forces of production and building
transport and technical equipment requires a large expenditure of
material and human resources. That is why the economic aspects of
the majority decision in these planes built in the foreground and are
often decisive. Thereby but more serious is that the economic aspects
of the settlement, the creation and function remain in their whole,
unprocessed, and cannot speak of a set of individual techniques and
methods traditional indicators and experiments with new approaches.
This is true both at the level of the national economy, and in their
own urban designs. Still a few remain identified specific economic
shaping patterns of settlement and the less it is possible to speak of
their control. Also practical assessing economics of specific solutions
are often used non-apt indicators in addition to economics usually
identifies with the lowest acquisition cost or high-intensity land use
with little regard for functional efficiency and little studied much
higher operating and maintenance costs".
Abstract: The numerical simulation has made tremendous
advances in investigating the blood flow phenomenon through elastic
arteries. Such study can be useful in demonstrating the disease
progression and hemodynamics of cardiovascular diseases such as
atherosclerosis. In the present study, patient specific case diagnosed
with partially stenosed complete right ICA and normal left carotid
bifurcation without any atherosclerotic plaque formation is
considered. 3D patient specific carotid bifurcation model is generated
based on CT scan data using MIMICS-4.0 and numerical analysis is
performed using FSI solver in ANSYS-14.5. The blood flow is
assumed to be incompressible, homogenous and Newtonian, while
the artery wall is assumed to be linearly elastic. The two-way
sequentially coupled transient FSI analysis is performed using FSI
solver for three pulse cycles. The hemodynamic parameters such as
flow pattern, Wall Shear Stress, pressure contours and arterial wall
deformation are studied at the bifurcation and critical zones such as
stenosis. The variation in flow behavior is studied throughout the
pulse cycle. Also, the simulation results reveal that there is a
considerable increase in the flow behavior in stenosed carotid in
contrast to the normal carotid bifurcation system. The investigation
also demonstrates the disturbed flow pattern especially at the
bifurcation and stenosed zone elevating the hemodynamics,
particularly during peak systole and later part of the pulse cycle. The
results obtained agree well with the clinical observation and
demonstrates the potential of patient specific numerical studies in
prognosis of disease progression and plaque rupture.
Abstract: Given the limited research on Small and Mediumsized
Enterprises’ (SMEs) contribution to Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) and even scarcer research on Swiss SMEs, this
paper helps to fill these gaps by enabling the identification of supranational
SME parameters. Thus, the paper investigates the current
state of SME practices in Switzerland and across 15 other countries.
Combining the degree to which SMEs demonstrate an explicit (or
business case) approach or see CSR as an implicit moral activity with
the assessment of their attributes for “variety of capitalism” defines
the framework of this comparative analysis. To outline Swiss small
business CSR patterns in particular, 40 SME owner-managers were
interviewed. A secondary data analysis of studies from different
countries laid groundwork for this comparative overview of small
business CSR. The paper identifies Swiss small business CSR as
driven by norms, values, and by the aspiration to contribute to
society, thus, as an implicit part of the day-to-day business. Similar to
most Central European, Mediterranean, Nordic, and Asian countries,
explicit CSR is still very rare in Swiss SMEs. Astonishingly, also
British and American SMEs follow this pattern in spite of their strong
and distinctly liberal market economies. Though other findings show
that nationality matters this research concludes that SME culture and
an informal CSR agenda are strongly formative and superseding even
forces of market economies, nationally cultural patterns, and
language. Hence, classifications of countries by their market system,
as found in the comparative capitalism literature, do not match the
CSR practices in SMEs as they do not mirror the peculiarities of their
business. This raises questions on the universality and
generalisability of unmediated, explicit management concepts,
especially in the context of small firms.
Abstract: In the years followed independence, an economic
crisis and some conflicts led to the displacement of many people
inside Georgia. The growing poverty, unemployment, low income
and its unequal distribution limited access to basic social service have
had a clear direct impact on Georgian population dynamics and its
age-sex structure. Factors influencing the changing population age
structure and urbanization include mortality, fertility, migration and
expansion of urban. In this paper presents the main factors of
changing the distribution by urban and rural areas. How different are
the urban and rural age and sex structures? Does Georgia have the
same age-sex structure among their urban and rural populations since
1950s?
Abstract: It is a well-established fact that terrorism is one of the foremost threats to present-day international security. The creation of tools or mechanisms for confronting it in an effective and efficient manner will only be possible by way of an objective assessment of the phenomenon. In order to achieve this, this paper has the following three main objectives: Firstly, setting out to find the reasons that have prevented the establishment of a universally accepted definition of terrorism, and consequently trying to outline the main features defining the face of the terrorist threat in order to discover the fundamental goals of what is now a serious blight on world society. Secondly, trying to explain the differences between a terrorist movement and a terrorist organisation, and the reasons for which a terrorist movement can be led to transform itself into an organisation. After analysing these motivations and the characteristics of a terrorist organisation, an example of the latter will be succinctly analysed to help the reader understand the ideas expressed. Lastly, discovering and exposing the factors that can lead to the appearance of terrorist tendencies, and discussing the most efficient and effective responses that can be given to this global security threat.
Abstract: The modeling lung respiratory system that has complex anatomy and biophysics presents several challenges including tissue-driven flow patterns and wall motion. Also, the pulmonary lung system because of that they stretch and recoil with each breath, has not static walls and structures. The direct relationship between air flow and tissue motion in the lung structures naturally prefers an FSI simulation technique. Therefore, in order to toward the realistic simulation of pulmonary breathing mechanics the development of a coupled FSI computational model is an important step. A simple but physiologically relevant three-dimensional deep long geometry is designed and fluid-structure interaction (FSI) coupling technique is utilized for simulating the deformation of the lung parenchyma tissue that produces airflow fields. The real understanding of respiratory tissue system as a complex phenomenon have been investigated with respect to respiratory patterns, fluid dynamics and tissue viscoelasticity and tidal breathing period.
Abstract: The main objective of this article is to examine the
impact of interest rates on investments in Poland in the context of
financial crisis. The paper also investigates the dependence of bank
loans to enterprises on interbank market rates. The article studies the
impact of interbank market rate on the level of investments in Poland.
Besides, this article focuses on the research of the correlation
between the level of corporate loans and the amount of investments
in Poland in order to determine the indirect impact of central bank
interest rates through the transmission mechanism of monetary policy
on the real economy. To achieve the objective we have used
econometric and statistical research methods like: econometric model
and Pearson correlation coefficient.
This analysis suggests that the central bank reference rate
inversely proportionally affects the level of investments in Poland
and this dependence is moderate. This is also important issue because
it is related to preparing of Poland to accession to euro area. The
research is important from both theoretical and empirical points of
view. The formulated conclusions and recommendations determine
the practical significance of the paper which may be used in the
decision making process of monetary and economic authorities of the
country.
Abstract: This paper focuses on a critical component of the
situational awareness (SA), the control of autonomous vertical flight
for vectored thrust aerial vehicle (VTAV). With the SA strategy, we
proposed a neural network motion control procedure to address the
dynamics variation and performance requirement difference of flight
trajectory for a VTAV. This control strategy with using of NARMAL2
neurocontroller for chosen model of VTAV has been verified by
simulation of take-off and forward maneuvers using software
package Simulink and demonstrated good performance for fast
stabilization of motors, consequently, fast SA with economy in
energy can be asserted during search-and-rescue operations.
Abstract: Experts, enterprises and operators expect that the
bandwidth request will increase up to rates of 100 to 1,000 Mbps
within several years. Therefore the most important question is which
technology shall satisfy the future consumer broadband demands.
Currently the consensus is, that the fiber technology has the best
technical characteristics to achieve such the high bandwidth rates.
But fiber technology is so far very cost-intensive and resource
consuming. To avoid these investments, operators are concentrating
to upgrade the existing copper and hybrid fiber coax infrastructures.
This work presents a comparison of the copper and fiber
technologies including an overview about the current German
broadband market. Both technologies are reviewed in the terms of
demand, willingness to pay and economic efficiency in connection
with the technical characteristics.
Abstract: Experimental economics is subject to criticism with
regards to frequently discussed the trade-off between internal and
external validity requirements, which seems to be critically flawed.
This paper evaluates incompatibility of trade-off condition and
condition of internal validity as a prerequisite for external validity. In
addition, it outlines the imprecise concept of artificiality, which is
found to be rather improving the external validity and seems to
strengthen the illusory status of external versus internal validity
tension. Internal validity is further analyzed with regards to Duhem-
Quine problem, where unpredictability argument is significantly
weakened trough application of inductivism within the illustrative
hypothetical-deductive model. Our discussion partially weakens
critical arguments related to the robustness of results in experimental
economics, if the perfectly controlled experimental environment is
secured.
Abstract: As technology-based service industries grow
drastically worldwide; companies are recognizing the importance of
market preoccupancy and have made an effort to capture a large
market to gain the upper hand. To this end, a focus on patents can be
used to determine the properties of a technology, as well as to capture
advantages in technical skills, in comparison with the firm’s
competitors. However, technology-based services largely depend not
only on their technological value but also their economic value, due
to the recognized worth that is passed to a plurality of users. Thus, it
is important to determine whether there are any competitors in the
target areas and what services they provide in any field. Despite this
importance, little effort has been made to systematically benchmark
competitors in order to identify business opportunities. Thus, this
study aims to not only identify each position of technology-centered
service companies in complex market dynamics, but also to discover
new business opportunities. For this, we try to consider both
technology and market environments simultaneously by utilizing
patent data as a representative proxy for technology and trademark
dates as an index for a firm’s target goods and services. Theoretically,
this is one of the earliest attempts to combine patent data and
trademark data to analyze corporate strategies. In practice, the
research results are expected to be used as a decision criterion to
diagnose the economic value that companies can obtain by entering
the market, as well as the technological value to be passed onto their
customers. Thus, the proposed approach can be useful to support
effective technology and business strategies in a firm.
Abstract: Past literature on business incubators distinguished incubators based on their mission statements. However, more and more mission statements become a slogan rather than a reality. It is therefore more appropriate to identify business incubators based on their real activities, rather than the missions they declared. With a sample of technology business incubators (TBIs) in China, we try to investigate business incubators’ real activities by examining the incubation efficiency along the following five dimensions, i.e., survival of new ventures, technology transfer, local economic growth, job creation, and profit generation. Furthermore, we identified six types of business incubators. The results indicate that generally Chinese TBIs have a greater preference for acquiring profits over other dimensions.
Abstract: The venture capital becomes more and more advanced
and effective source of the innovation project financing, connected
with a high-risk level. In the developed countries, it plays a key role
in transforming innovation projects into successful businesses and
creating the prosperity of the modern economy. In Russia, there are
many necessary preconditions for creation of the effective venture
investment system: the network of the public institutes for innovation
financing operates; there is a significant number of the small and
medium-sized enterprises, capable to sell production with good
market potential. However, the current system does not confirm the
necessary level of efficiency in practice that can be substantially
explained by the absence of the accurate plan of action to form the
national venture model and by the lack of experience of successful
venture deals with profitable exits in Russian economy. This paper
studies the influence of various factors on the venture industry
development by the example of the IT-sector in Russia. The choice of
the sector is based on the fact, that this segment is the main driver of
the venture capital market growth in Russia, and the necessary set of
data exists. The size of investment of the second round is used as the
dependent variable. To analyse the influence of the previous round,
such determinant as the volume of the previous (first) round
investments is used. There is also used a dummy variable in
regression to examine that the participation of an investor with high
reputation and experience in the previous round can influence the size
of the next investment round. The regression analysis of short-term
interrelations between studied variables reveals prevailing influence
of the volume of the first round investments on the venture
investments volume of the second round. The most important
determinant of the value of the second-round investment is the value
of first–round investment, so it means that the most competitive on
the Russian market are the start-up teams that can attract more money
on the start, and the target market growth is not the factor of crucial
importance. This supports the point of view that VC in Russia is
driven by endogenous factors and not by exogenous ones that are
based on global market growth.
Abstract: The 3D printing is a combination of digital technology, material science, intelligent manufacturing and control of opto-mechatronics systems. It is called the third industrial revolution from the view of the Economist Journal. A color 3D printing machine may provide the necessary support for high value-added industrial and commercial design, architectural design, personal boutique, and 3D artist’s creation. The main goal of this paper is to develop photo-curable color 3D manufacturing technology and system implementation. The key technologies include (1) Photo-curable color 3D additive manufacturing processes development and materials research (2) Piezo type ink-jet head control and Opto-mechatronics integration technique of the photo-curable color 3D laminated manufacturing system. The proposed system is integrated with single Piezo type ink-jet head with two individual channels for two primary UV light curable color resins which can provide for future colorful 3D printing solutions. The main research results are 16 grey levels and grey resolution of 75 dpi.