Abstract: The Portuguese Constitution, in article 22, instituted
the general principle of tort liability of the State and other public law
entities.
Consequently, ordinary legislation established the tort liability of
the State into the Portuguese Legal Order, by means of Decree-Law
48051, of 1967.
This decree, which was criticised extensively, was amended by
virtue of Law 67/2007, of 31st December, establishing the regime for
tort liability arising from losses caused by third parties, due to the
acts of public management in relation to all the functions of the State,
i.e. i) administrative, ii) legislative, and iii) jurisdictional.
Abstract: A generalized Digital Modulation Identification algorithm for adaptive demodulator has been developed and presented in this paper. The algorithm developed is verified using wavelet Transform and histogram computation to identify QPSK and QAM with GMSK and M–ary FSK modulations. It has been found that the histogram peaks simplifies the procedure for identification. The simulated results show that the correct modulation identification is possible to a lower bound of 5 dB and 12 dB for GMSK and QPSK respectively. When SNR is above 5 dB the throughput of the proposed algorithm is more than 97.8%. The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) has been computed to measure the performance of the proposed algorithm and the analysis shows that the probability of detection (Pd) drops rapidly when SNR is 5 dB and probability of false alarm (Pf) is smaller than 0.3. The performance of the proposed algorithm has been compared with existing methods and found it will identify all digital modulation schemes with low SNR.
Abstract: In this paper, a multi-agent robot system is presented. The system consists of four robots. The developed robots are able to automatically enter and patrol a harmful environment, such as the building infected with virus or the factory with leaking hazardous gas. Further, every robot is able to perform obstacle avoidance and search for the victims. Several operation modes are designed: remote control, obstacle avoidance, automatic searching, and so on.
Abstract: Video Mosaicing is the stitching of selected frames of
a video by estimating the camera motion between the frames and
thereby registering successive frames of the video to arrive at the
mosaic. Different techniques have been proposed in the literature for
video mosaicing. Despite of the large number of papers dealing with
techniques to generate mosaic, only a few authors have investigated
conditions under which these techniques generate good estimate of
motion parameters. In this paper, these techniques are studied under
different videos, and the reasons for failures are found. We propose
algorithms with incorporation of outlier removal algorithms for better
estimation of motion parameters.
Abstract: Isobaric vapor-liquid equilibrium measurements are
reported for the binary mixture of Methyl acetate and
Isopropylbenzene at 97.3 kPa. The measurements have been
performed using a vapor recirculating type (modified Othmer's)
equilibrium still. The mixture shows positive deviation from ideality
and does not form an azeotrope. The activity coefficients have been
calculated taking into consideration the vapor phase nonideality. The
data satisfy the thermodynamic consistency tests of Herington and
Black. The activity coefficients have been satisfactorily correlated by
means of the Margules, NRTL, and Black equations. A comparison
of the values of activity coefficients obtained by experimental data
with the UNIFAC model has been made.
Abstract: Based on Traub-s methods for solving nonlinear
equation f(x) = 0, we develop two families of third-order
methods for solving system of nonlinear equations F(x) = 0. The
families include well-known existing methods as special cases.
The stability is corroborated by numerical results. Comparison
with well-known methods shows that the present methods are
robust. These higher order methods may be very useful in the
numerical applications requiring high precision in their computations
because these methods yield a clear reduction in number of iterations.
Abstract: Ethanol has been known for a long time, being
perhaps the oldest product obtained through traditional biotechnology
fermentation. Agriculture waste as substrate in fermentation is vastly
discussed as alternative to replace edible food and utilization of
organic material. Pineapple peel, highly potential source as substrate
is a by-product of the pineapple processing industry. Bio-ethanol
from pineapple (Ananas comosus) peel extract was carried out by
controlling fermentation without any treatment. Saccharomyces
ellipsoides was used as inoculum in this fermentation process as it is
naturally found at the pineapple skin. In this study, the capability of
Response Surface Methodology (RSM) for optimization of ethanol
production from pineapple peel extract using Saccharomyces
ellipsoideus in batch fermentation process was investigated. Effect of
five test variables in a defined range of inoculum concentration 6-
14% (v/v), pH (4.0-6.0), sugar concentration (14-22°Brix),
temperature (24-32°C) and time of incubation (30-54 hrs) on the
ethanol production were evaluated. Data obtained from experiment
were analyzed with RSM of MINITAB Software (Version 15)
whereby optimum ethanol concentration of 8.637% (v/v) was
determined. The optimum condition of 14% (v/v) inoculum
concentration, pH 6, 22°Brix, 26°C and 30hours of incubation. The
significant regression equation or model at the 5% level with
correlation value of 99.96% was also obtained.
Abstract: In this paper we examine the use of global texture analysis based approaches for the purpose of Persian font recognition in machine-printed document images. Most existing methods for font recognition make use of local typographical features and connected component analysis. However derivation of such features is not an easy task. Gabor filters are appropriate tools for texture analysis and are motivated by human visual system. Here we consider document images as textures and use Gabor filter responses for identifying the fonts. The method is content independent and involves no local feature analysis. Two different classifiers Weighted Euclidean Distance and SVM are used for the purpose of classification. Experiments on seven different type faces and four font styles show average accuracy of 85% with WED and 82% with SVM classifier over typefaces
Abstract: The main goal of this paper is to establish a
methodology for testing and optimizing GPRS performance over
Libya GSM network as well as to propose a suitable optimization
technique to improve performance. Some measurements of
download, upload, throughput, round-trip time, reliability, handover,
security enhancement and packet loss over a GPRS access network
were carried out. Measured values are compared to the theoretical
values that could be calculated beforehand. This data should be
processed and delivered by the server across the wireless network to
the client. The client on the fly takes those pieces of the data and
process immediately. Also, we illustrate the results by describing the
main parameters that affect the quality of service. Finally, Libya-s
two mobile operators, Libyana Mobile Phone and Al-Madar al-
Jadeed Company are selected as a case study to validate our
methodology.
Abstract: Positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) is a
technique in which a single radioactive tracer particle can be
accurately tracked as it moves. A limitation of PET is that in order to
reconstruct a tomographic image it is necessary to acquire a large
volume of data (millions of events), so it is difficult to study rapidly
changing systems. By considering this fact, PEPT is a very fast
process compared with PET.
In PEPT detecting both photons defines a line and the annihilation
is assumed to have occurred somewhere along this line. The location
of the tracer can be determined to within a few mm from coincident
detection of a small number of pairs of back-to-back gamma rays and
using triangulation. This can be achieved many times per second and
the track of a moving particle can be reliably followed. This
technique was invented at the University of Birmingham [1].
The attempt in PEPT is not to form an image of the tracer particle
but simply to determine its location with time. If this tracer is
followed for a long enough period within a closed, circulating system
it explores all possible types of motion.
The application of PEPT to industrial process systems carried out
at the University of Birmingham is categorized in two subjects: the
behaviour of granular materials and viscous fluids. Granular
materials are processed in industry for example in the manufacture of
pharmaceuticals, ceramics, food, polymers and PEPT has been used
in a number of ways to study the behaviour of these systems [2].
PEPT allows the possibility of tracking a single particle within the
bed [3]. Also PEPT has been used for studying systems such as: fluid
flow, viscous fluids in mixers [4], using a neutrally-buoyant tracer
particle [5].
Abstract: Social, culture and artistic status of a society in
various historical eras is affected by numerous, and sometimes
imposed, factors that better understanding requires analysis of such
conditions. Throughout history Iran has been involved with
determining and significant events that examining each of these
events can improve the understanding of social conditions of this
country in the intended time. Mongolian conquest of Iran is one of
most significant events in the history of Iran with consequences that
never left Iranian societies. During this tragic invasion and
subsequent devastating wars, which led to establishment of Ilkhanate
dynasty, numerous cultural and artistic changes occurred both in
Mongolian conquerors and Iranian society. This study examines these
changes with a glimpse towards art and architecture as important part
of cultural aspects and social communication.
Abstract: The fuzzy technique is an operator introduced in order
to simulate at a mathematical level the compensatory behavior in
process of decision making or subjective evaluation. The following
paper introduces such operators on hand of computer vision
application.
In this paper a novel method based on fuzzy logic reasoning
strategy is proposed for edge detection in digital images without
determining the threshold value. The proposed approach begins by
segmenting the images into regions using floating 3x3 binary matrix.
The edge pixels are mapped to a range of values distinct from each
other. The robustness of the proposed method results for different
captured images are compared to those obtained with the linear Sobel
operator. It is gave a permanent effect in the lines smoothness and
straightness for the straight lines and good roundness for the curved
lines. In the same time the corners get sharper and can be defined
easily.
Abstract: In a bi-fuel diesel engine, the carburetor plays a vital
role in switching from fuel gas to petrol mode operation and viceversa.
The carburetor is the most important part of the fuel system of
a diesel engine. All diesel engines carry variable venturi mixer
carburetors. The basic operation of the carburetor mainly depends on
the restriction barrel called the venturi. When air flows through the
venturi, its speed increases and its pressure decreases. The main
challenge focuses on designing a mixing device which mixes the
supplied gas is the incoming air at an optimum ratio. In order to
surmount the identified problems, the way fuel gas and air flow in
the mixer have to be analyzed. In this case, the Computational Fluid
Dynamics or CFD approach is applied in design of the prototype
mixer. The present work is aimed at further understanding of the air
and fuel flow structure by performing CFD studies using a software
code. In this study for mixing air and gas in the condition that has
been mentioned in continuance, some mixers have been designed.
Then using of computational fluid dynamics, the optimum mixer has
been selected. The results indicated that mixer with 12 holes can
produce a homogenous mixture than those of 8-holes and 6-holes
mixer. Also the result showed that if inlet convergency was smoother
than outlet divergency, the mixture get more homogenous, the reason
of that is in increasing turbulence in outlet divergency.
Abstract: Vapour recompression system has been used to
enhance reduction in energy consumption and improvement in
energy effectiveness of distillation columns. However, the effects of
certain parameters have not been taken into consideration. One of
such parameters is the column heat loss which has either been
assumed to be a certain percent of reboiler heat transfer or negligible.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the heat loss from an
ethanol-water vapour recompression distillation column with
pressure increase across the compressor (VRCAS) and compare the
results obtained and its effect on some parameters in similar system
(VRCCS) where the column heat loss has been assumed or neglected.
Results show that the heat loss evaluated was higher when compared
with that obtained for the column VRCCS. The results also showed
that increase in heat loss could have significant effect on the total
energy consumption, reboiler heat transfer, the number of trays and
energy effectiveness of the column.
Abstract: The excessive consumption of fossil energies (electrical energy) during summer caused by the technological development involves more and more climate warming.
In order to reduce the worst impact of gas emissions produced from classical air conditioning, heat driven solar absorption chiller is pretty promising; it consists on using solar as motive energy which is clean and environmentally friendly to provide cold.
Solar absorption machine is composed by four components using Lithium Bromide /water as a refrigerating couple. LiBr- water is the most promising in chiller applications due to high safety, high volatility ratio, high affinity, high stability and its high latent heat. The lithium bromide solution is constitute by the salt lithium bromide which absorbs water under certain conditions of pressure and temperature however if the concentration of the solution is high in the absorption chillers; which exceed 70%, the solution will crystallize.
The main aim of this article is to study the phenomena of the crystallization and to evaluate how the dependence between the electric conductivity and the concentration which should be controlled.
Abstract: The aim of this paper is to emphasize and alleviate the effect of phase noise due to imperfect local oscillators on the performances of a Multi-Carrier CDMA system. After the cancellation of Common Phase Error (CPE), an iterative approach is introduced which iteratively estimates Inter-Carrier Interference (ICI) components in the frequency domain and cancels their contribution in the time domain. Simulation are conducted in order to investigate the achievable performances for several parameters, such as the spreading factor, the modulation order, the phase noise power and the transmission Signal-to-Noise Ratio.
Abstract: Characterized as rich mineral substances, low
temperature, few bacteria, and stability with numerous implementation
aspects on aquaculture, food, drinking, and leisure, the deep sea water
(DSW) development has become a new industry in the world. It has
been report that marine algae contain various biologically active
compounds. This research focued on the affections in cultivating
Sagrassum cristaefolium with different concentration of deep sea
water(DSW) and surface sea water(SSW). After two and four weeks,
the total phenolic contents were compared in Sagrassum cristaefolium
culturing with different ways, and the reductive activity of them was
also be tried with potassium ferricyanide. Those fresh seaweeds were
dried with oven and were ground to powder. Progressively, the marine
algae we cultured was extracted by water under the condition with
heating them at 90Ôäâ for 1hr.The total phenolic contents were be
executed using Folin–Ciocalteu method. The results were explaining
as follows: the highest total phenolic contents and the best reductive
ability of all could be observed on the 1/4 proportion of DSW to SSW
culturing in two weeks. Furthermore, the 1/2 proportion of DSW to
SSW also showed good reductive ability and plentiful phenolic
compositions. Finally, we confirmed that difference proportion of
DSW and SSW is the major point relating to ether the total phenolic
components or the reductive ability in the Sagrassum cristaefolium. In
the future, we will use this way to mass production the marine algae or
other micro algae on industry applications.
Abstract: Most paddy rice fields in East Asia are small parcels,
and the weather conditions during the growing season are usually
cloudy. FORMOSAT-2 multi-spectral images have an 8-meter
resolution and one-day recurrence, ideal for mapping paddy rice fields
in East Asia. To map rice fields, this study first determined the
transplanting and the most active tillering stages of paddy rice and
then used multi-temporal images to distinguish different growing
characteristics between paddy rice and other ground covers. The
unsupervised ISODATA (iterative self-organizing data analysis
techniques) and supervised maximum likelihood were both used to
discriminate paddy rice fields, with training areas automatically
derived from ten-year cultivation parcels in Taiwan. Besides original
bands in multi-spectral images, we also generated normalized
difference vegetation index and experimented with object-based
pre-classification and post-classification. This paper discusses results
of different image classification methods in an attempt to find a
precise and automatic solution to mapping paddy rice in Taiwan.
Abstract: The production of activated carbon from low or zero cost of agricultural by-products or wastes has received great attention from academics and practitioners due to its economic and environmental benefits. In the production of bamboo furniture, a significant amount of bamboo waste is inevitably generated. Therefore, this research aimed to prepare activated carbons from bamboo furniture waste by chemical (KOH) activation and determine their properties and adsorption capacities for water treatment. The influence of carbonization time on the properties and adsorption capacities of activated carbons was also investigated. The finding showed that the bamboo-derived activated carbons had microporous characteristics. They exhibited high tendency for the reduction of impurities present in effluent water. Their adsorption capacities were comparable to the adsorption capacity of a commercial activated carbon regarding to the reduction in COD, TDS and turbidity of the effluent water.
Abstract: The problem of Small Area Estimation (SAE) is complex because of various information sources and insufficient data. In this paper, an approach for SAE is presented for decision-making at national, regional and local level. We propose an Empirical Best Linear Unbiased Predictor (EBLUP) as an estimator in order to combine several information sources to evaluate various indicators. First, we present the urban audit project and its environmental, social and economic indicators. Secondly, we propose an approach for decision making in order to estimate indicators. An application is used to validate the theoretical proposal. Finally, a decision support system is presented based on open-source environment.