Abstract: The application of agro-industrial waste in Aluminum
Metal Matrix Composites has been getting more attention as they
can reinforce particles in metal matrix which enhance the strength
properties of the composites. In addition, by applying these agroindustrial
wastes in useful way not only save the manufacturing cost
of products but also reduce the pollutions on environment. This
paper represents a literature review on a range of industrial wastes
and their utilization in metal matrix composites. The paper describes
the synthesis methods of agro-industrial waste filled metal matrix
composite materials and their mechanical, wear, corrosion, and
physical properties. It also highlights the current application and
future potential of agro-industrial waste reinforced composites in
aerospace, automotive and other construction industries.
Abstract: The selection of appropriate requirements for product
releases can make a big difference in a product success. The selection
of requirements is done by different requirements prioritization
techniques. These techniques are based on pre-defined and
systematic steps to calculate the requirements relative weight.
Prioritization is complicated by new development settings, shifting
from traditional co-located development to geographically distributed
development. Stakeholders, connected to a project, are distributed all
over the world. These geographically distributions of stakeholders
make it hard to prioritize requirements as each stakeholder have their
own perception and expectations of the requirements in a software
project. This paper discusses limitations of the Analytical Hierarchy
Process with respect to geographically distributed stakeholders-
(GDS) prioritization of requirements. This paper also provides a
solution, in the form of a modified AHP, in order to prioritize
requirements for GDS. We will conduct two experiments in this
paper and will analyze the results in order to discuss AHP limitations
with respect to GDS. The modified AHP variant is also validated in
this paper.
Abstract: Since 1991 Ethiopia has officially adopted multi-party democracy. At present, there are 89 registered political parties in the country. Though political parties play an important role in the functioning of a democratic government, how to fund them is an issue of major concern. Political parties and individual candidates running for political office have to raise funds for election campaigns, and to survive as political candidates. The aim of this paper is to examine party funding problems in Africa by taking the case of Ethiopia as an example. The paper also evaluates the motives of local and international donors in giving financial and material support to political parties in emerging democracies and assesses the merits and de-merits of their donations.
Abstract: The iron loss is a source of detuning in vector controlled
induction motor drives if the classical rotor vector controller is used for
decoupling. In fact, the field orientation will not be satisfied and the
output torque will not truck the reference torque mostly used by Loss
Model Controllers (LMCs). In addition, this component of loss, among
others, may be excessive if the vector controlled induction motor is
driving light loads. In this paper, the series iron loss model is used to
develop a vector controller immune to iron loss effect and then an LMC
to minimize the total power loss using the torque generated by the speed
controller.
Abstract: Phytotoxicity of Daphne gnidium L. was evaluated
through the effect of incorporating leaves, stems and roots biomass
into soil (at 12.5, 25, 50g/Kg) and irrigation by their aqueous extracts
(50g/L), on the growth of two crops (Lactuca sativa L. and Raphanus
sativus L.) and two weeds (Peaganum harmala L. and Scolymus
maculatus L.). Results revealed a perceptible phytotoxic effect which
increased with dose and concentration. At the highest dose, roots and
leaves residues was the most toxic and caused total inhibition
respectively, for lettuce and thistle seedling growth. Irrigation with
aqueous extracts of D. gnidium different organs decreased also
seedlings length of all test species. Stems extract was more inhibitor
on thistle than peganum seedling growth; it induced a significant
reduction of 80% and 67%, for, respectively, roots and shoots.
Results of the present study suggest that different organs of D.
gnidium could be exploited in the management of agro-ecosystems.
Abstract: This paper proposes two types of non-isolated
direct AC-DC converters. First, it shows a buck-boost
converter with an H-bridge, which requires few components
(three switches, two diodes, one inductor and one capacitor) to
convert AC input to DC output directly. This circuit can handle
a wide range of output voltage. Second, a direct AC-DC buck
converter is proposed for lower output voltage applications.
This circuit is analyzed with output voltage of 12V. We
describe circuit topologies, operation principles and simulation
results for both circuits.
Abstract: High Strength Concrete (HSC) is defined as concrete
that meets special combination of performance and uniformity
requirements that cannot be achieved routinely using conventional
constituents and normal mixing, placing, and curing procedures. It is
a highly complex material, which makes modeling its behavior a very
difficult task. This paper aimed to show possible applicability of
Neural Networks (NN) to predict the slump in High Strength
Concrete (HSC). Neural Network models is constructed, trained and
tested using the available test data of 349 different concrete mix
designs of High Strength Concrete (HSC) gathered from a particular
Ready Mix Concrete (RMC) batching plant. The most versatile
Neural Network model is selected to predict the slump in concrete.
The data used in the Neural Network models are arranged in a format
of eight input parameters that cover the Cement, Fly Ash, Sand,
Coarse Aggregate (10 mm), Coarse Aggregate (20 mm), Water,
Super-Plasticizer and Water/Binder ratio. Furthermore, to test the
accuracy for predicting slump in concrete, the final selected model is
further used to test the data of 40 different concrete mix designs of
High Strength Concrete (HSC) taken from the other batching plant.
The results are compared on the basis of error function (or
performance function).
Abstract: This paper highlights the importance of the selection
of the building-s wall material,and the shortcomings of the most
commonly used framed structures with masonry infills .The
objective of this study is investigating the behavior of infill walls as
structural components in existing structures.Structural infill walls are
very important in structural behavior under earthquake effects.
Structural capacity under the effect of earthquake,displacement and
relative story displacement are affected by the structural irregularities
.The presence of nonstructural masonry infill walls can modify
extensively the global seismic behavior of framed buildings .The
stability and integrity of reinforced concrete frames are enhanced by
masonry infill walls. Masonry infill walls alter displacement and
base shear of the frame as well. Short columns have great
importance during earthquakes,because their failure may lead to
additional structural failures and result in total building collapse.
Consequently the effects of short columns are considered in this
study.
Abstract: This case study investigates the effects of reactive
focus on form through negotiation on the linguistic development of
an adult EFL learner in an exclusive private EFL classroom. The
findings revealed that in this classroom negotiated feedback occurred
significantly more often than non-negotiated feedback. However, it
was also found that in the long run the learner was significantly more
successful in correcting his own errors when he had received nonnegotiated
feedback than negotiated feedback. This study, therefore,
argues that although negotiated feedback seems to be effective for
some learners in the short run, it is non-negotiated feedback which
seems to be more effective in the long run. This long lasting effect
might be attributed to the impact of schooling system which is itself
indicative of the dominant culture, or to the absence of other
interlocutors in the course of interaction.
Abstract: Transferring patient information between medical care
sites is necessary to deliver better patient care and to reduce medical
cost. So developing of electronic medical records is an important trend
for the world.The Continuity of Care Document (CCD) is product of
collaboration between CDA and CCR standards. In this study, we will
develop a system to generate medical records with entry level based on
CCD template module.
Abstract: Protecting is the sources of drinking water is the first
barrier of contamination of drinking water. The Feitsui Reservoir
watershed of Taiwan supplies domestic water for around 5 million
people in the Taipei metropolitan area. Understanding the spatial
patterns of water quality trends in this watershed is an important
agenda for management authorities. This study examined 7 sites in the
watershed for water quality parameters regulated in the standard for
drinking water source. The non-parametric seasonal Mann-Kendall-s
test was used to determine significant trends for each parameter.
Significant trends of increasing pH occurred at the sampling station in
the uppermost stream watershed, and in total phosphorus at 4 sampling
stations in the middle and downstream watershed. Additionally, the
multi-scale land cover assessment and average land slope were used to
explore the influence on the water quality in the watershed. Regression
models for predicting water quality were also developed.
Abstract: This paper presents a procedure for estimating VAR
using Sequential Discounting VAR (SDVAR) algorithm for online
model learning to detect fraudulent acts using the telecommunications
call detailed records (CDR). The volatility of the VAR is observed
allowing for non-linearity, outliers and change points based on the
works of [1]. This paper extends their procedure from univariate
to multivariate time series. A simulation and a case study for
detecting telecommunications fraud using CDR illustrate the use of
the algorithm in the bivariate setting.
Abstract: This research attempts to explore gaps in Information
Systems (IS) and innovation literatures by developing a model of
Information Technology (IT) capability in enabling innovation. The
research was conducted by using semi-structured interview with six
innovators in business consulting, financial, healthcare and academic
organizations. The interview results suggest four elements of ITenabled
innovation capability which are information (ability to
capture ideas and knowledge), connectivity (ability to bridge
geographical boundary and mobilize human resources),
communication (ability to attain and engage relationships between
human resources) and transformation (ability to change the functions
and process integrations) in defining IT-enabled innovation platform.
The results also suggests innovators- roles and IT capability.
Abstract: A model of user behaviour based automated planning
is introduced in this work. The behaviour of users of web interactive
systems can be described in term of a planning domain encapsulating
the timed actions patterns representing the intended user profile. The
user behaviour recognition is then posed as a planning problem
where the goal is to parse a given sequence of user logs of the
observed activities while reaching a final state.
A general technique for transforming a timed finite state automata
description of the behaviour into a numerical parameter planning
model is introduced.
Experimental results show that the performance of a planning
based behaviour model is effective and scalable for real world
applications. A major advantage of the planning based approach is to
represent in a single automated reasoning framework problems of
plan recognitions, plan synthesis and plan optimisation.
Abstract: Structural performance and seismic vulnerability of
masonry buildings in Algeria are investigated in this paper. Structural
classification of such buildings is carried out regarding their
structural elements. Seismicity of Algeria is briefly discussed. Then
vulnerability of masonry buildings and their failure mechanisms in
the Boumerdes earthquake (May, 2003) are examined.
Abstract: Most buildings have been using anchor bolts
commonly for installing outdoor advertising structures. Anchor bolts
of common carbon steel are widely used and often installed
indiscriminately by inadequate installation standards. In the area
where strong winds frequently blow, falling accidents of outdoor
advertising structures can occur and cause a serious disaster, which is
very dangerous and to be prevented. In this regard, the development of
high-performance anchor bolts is urgently required. In the present
study, 25Cr-8Ni-1.5Si-1Mn-0.4C alloy was produced by traditional
vacuum induction melting (VIM) for the application of anchor bolt.
The alloy composition is revealed as a duplex microstructure from
thermodynamic phase analysis by FactSage® and confirmed by
metallographic experiment. Addition of Nitrogen to the alloy was
found to reduce the ferritic phase domain and significantly increase the
hardness and the tensile strength. Microstructure observation revealed
mixed structure of austenite and ferrite with fine carbide distributed
along the grain and phase boundaries.
Abstract: With the advancement of wireless sensor network technology,
its practical utilization is becoming an important challange.
This paper overviews my past environmental monitoring project,
and discusses the process of starting the monitoring by classifying
it into four steps. The steps to start environmental monitoring can
be complicated, but not well discussed by researchers of wireless
sensor network technology. This paper demonstrates our activity and
challenges in each of the four steps to ease the process, and argues
future challenges to enable quick start of environmental monitoring.
Abstract: In this paper, we evaluate the performance of the
Hybrid-MIMO Receiver Scheme (HMRS) in Cognitive Radio
network (CR-network). We investigate the efficiency of the proposed
scheme which the energy level and user number of primary user are
varied according to the characteristic of CR-network. HMRS can
allow users to transmit either Space-Time Block Code (STBC) or
Spatial-Multiplexing (SM) streams simultaneously by using
Successive Interference Cancellation (SIC) and Maximum Likelihood
Detection (MLD). From simulation, the results indicate that the
interference level effects to the performance of HMRS. Moreover,
the exact closed-form capacity of the proposed scheme is derived and
compared with STBC scheme.
Abstract: The present study addresses problems and solutions
related to new functional food production. Wheat (Triticum aestivum
L) bran obtained from industrial mill company “Dobeles
dzirnavieks”, was used to investigate them as raw material like
nutrients for Bifidobacterium lactis Bb-12. Enzymatic hydrolysis of
wheat bran starch was carried out by α-amylase from Bacillus
amyloliquefaciens (Sigma Aldrich). The Viscozyme L purchased
from (Sigma Aldrich) were used for reducing released sugar.
Bifidibacterium lactis Bb-12 purchased from (Probio-Tec® CHR
Hansen) was cultivated in enzymatically hydrolysed wheat bran
mash. All procedures ensured the number of active Bifidobacterium
lactis Bb-12 in the final product reached 105 CFUg-1. After enzymatic
and bacterial fermentations sample were freeze dried for analysis of
chemical compounds. All experiments were performed at Faculty of
Food Technology of Latvia University of Agriculture in January-
March 2013. The obtained results show that both types of wheat bran
(enzymatically treated and non-treated) influenced the fermentative
activity and number of Bifidibacterium lactis Bb-12 viable in wheat
bran mash. Amount of acidity strongly increase during the wheat
bran mash fermentation. The main objective of this work was to
create low-energy functional enzymatically and bacterially treated
food from wheat bran using enzymatic hydrolysis of carbohydrates
and following cultivation of Bifidobacterium lactis Bb-12.
Abstract: Factoring Boolean functions is one of the basic operations in algorithmic logic synthesis. A novel algebraic factorization heuristic for single-output combinatorial logic functions is presented in this paper and is developed based on the set theory paradigm. The impact of factoring is analyzed mainly from a low power design perspective for standard cell based digital designs in this paper. The physical implementation of a number of MCNC/IWLS combinational benchmark functions and sub-functions are compared before and after factoring, based on a simple technology mapping procedure utilizing only standard gate primitives (readily available as standard cells in a technology library) and not cells corresponding to optimized complex logic. The power results were obtained at the gate-level by means of an industry-standard power analysis tool from Synopsys, targeting a 130nm (0.13μm) UMC CMOS library, for the typical case. The wire-loads were inserted automatically and the simulations were performed with maximum input activity. The gate-level simulations demonstrate the advantage of the proposed factoring technique in comparison with other existing methods from a low power perspective, for arbitrary examples. Though the benchmarks experimentation reports mixed results, the mean savings in total power and dynamic power for the factored solution over a non-factored solution were 6.11% and 5.85% respectively. In terms of leakage power, the average savings for the factored forms was significant to the tune of 23.48%. The factored solution is expected to better its non-factored counterpart in terms of the power-delay product as it is well-known that factoring, in general, yields a delay-efficient multi-level solution.