Search results for: mobile game based learning

Authors: Nebiyou Masebo

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The severities of land degradation in southern Ethiopia has been increasing due to high population density, replacement of an age-old agroforestry (AF) based agricultural system with monocropping. The consequences of these activities combined with climate change have been impaired soil biota, soil organic carbon (SOC), soil glomalin, soil aggregation and aggregate stability. The AF systems could curb these problems due it is an ecologically and economically sustainable. This study was aimed to determine the effect of agroforestry practices (AFPs) on soil glomalin, soil aggregate stability (SAS), and aggregate association with SOC. Soil samples (from two depth level: 0-30 & 30-60 cm) and woody species were collected from homegarden based agroforestry practice (HAFP), cropland based agroforestry practice (ClAFP), woodlot based agroforestry practice (WlAFP) and trees on soil and water conservation based agroforestry practice (TSWAFP) using systematic sampling. In this study, both easily extractable glomalin related soil protein (EEGRSP) and total glomalin related soil protein (TGRSP) were significantly (p<0.05) higher in HAFP compared to others, with decreasing order HAFP>WlAFP>TSWAFP>ClAFP at upper surface but in subsurface in decreasing order: WlAFP>HAFP>TSWAFP>ClAFP. On the other hand, the macroaggregate fraction of AFPs ranged from 22.64-36.51% where the lowest was in ClAFP, while the highest was in HAFP, moreover, the order for subsurface was also the same but SAS decreased with the increasing of soil depths. The micro-aggregate fraction ranged from 15.9–24.56%, where the lowest was in HAFP, but the highest was in ClAFP. Besides, the association of OC with both macro-and micro-aggregates was greatest in HAFP and followed by WlAFP. The findings also showed that both glomalin and SAS were significantly high with woody species diversity and richness. Thus, AFP with good management practice can play role on maintenance of biodiversity, glomalin content and other soil quality parameters with future implications for a stable ecosystem.

Keywords: agroforestry, soil aggregate stability, glomalin, aggregate-associated carbon, HAFP, ClAFP, WlAFP, TSWAFP.

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Authors: H. Aghayan, F. A. Hashemi, R. Yavari, S. Zolghadri

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In this work, a new composite adsorbent based on a mesoporous silica SBA-15 with platelet morphology and tin salt of tungstomolybdophosphoric (TWMP) acid was synthesized and applied for uranium adsorption from aqueous solution. The sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transfer infra-red, and N₂ adsorption-desorption analysis, and then, effect of various parameters such as concentration of metal ions and contact time on adsorption behavior was examined. The experimental result showed that the adsorption process was explained by the Langmuir isotherm model very well, and predominant reaction mechanism is physisorption. Kinetic data of adsorption suggest that the adsorption process can be described by the pseudo second-order reaction rate model.

Keywords: platelet SBA-15, tungstomolybdophosphoric acid, adsorption, uranium ion

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Authors: Peter Unoh Bassey

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The study is predicated on the current trend of the rate of dispositional loneliness experienced by the elderly in society today as a result of the breakdown in the family attachment patterns, loss of close associates, and interpersonal conflicts. The research adopted the ex-post facto research design through a survey data collected from a total of 500 elderly comprising of both retirees and community-based elders. Both the stratified and simple sampling techniques were used to select the sample. Based on the findings, it was recommended that the elderly should be trained in acquiring specific attachment styles as well as be trained in developing appropriate social skills to counter loneliness.

Keywords: dispositional loneliness, mental health, elderly, cross river state

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Authors: Jirarat Teeravaraprug, Usawadee Inklay

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This paper gave an attempt in prioritizing information technologies that organizations should give concentration. The case study was organizations in the automotive assembly industry in Thailand. Data were first collected to gather all information technologies known and used in the automotive assembly industry in Thailand. Five experts from the industries were surveyed based on the concept of fuzzy DEMATEL. The information technologies were categorized into six groups, which were communication, transaction, planning, organization management, warehouse management, and transportation. The cause groups of information technologies for each group were analysed and presented. Moreover, the relationship between the used and the significant information technologies was given. Discussions based on the used information technologies and the research results are given.

Keywords: information technology, automotive assembly industry, fuzzy DEMATEL

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Authors: Sasidhar B., Bhaskar Rao N., Ramesh Babu D. R., Ravi Shankar M.

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Segmentation of lung pleura is a preprocessing step in Computer-Aided Diagnosis (CAD) which helps in reducing false positives in detection of lung cancer. The existing methods fail in extraction of lung regions with the nodules at the pleura of the lungs. In this paper, a new method is proposed which segments lung regions with nodules at the pleura of the lungs based on curvature analysis and morphological operators. The proposed algorithm is tested on 06 patient’s dataset which consists of 60 images of Lung Image Database Consortium (LIDC) and the results are found to be satisfactory with 98.3% average overlap measure (AΩ).

Keywords: curvature analysis, image segmentation, morphological operators, thresholding

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Authors: Cleto J. Sauer Jr., Rita C. Sauer, Chaider G. Andrade, Doris F. Rabelo

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Introduction: Endotracheal Intubation (ETI) is a procedure for clinical management of patients with severe clinical presentation of COVID-19 disease. Realistic simulation (RS) is an active learning methodology utilized for clinical skill's improvement. To improve ETI skills of public health network's physicians from Recôncavo da Bahia region in Brazil, during COVID-19 outbreak, RS training was planned and carried out. Training scenario included the Nasco Lifeform realistic simulator, and three actions were simulated: ETI procedure, sedative drugs management, and bougie guide utilization. Training intervention occurred between May and June 2020, as an interinstitutional cooperation between the Health's Department of Bahia State and the Federal University from Recôncavo da Bahia. Objective: The main objective is to report the effects on participants' self-confidence perception for ETI procedure after RS based training. Methods: This is a descriptive study, with secondary data extracted from questionnaires applied throughout RS training. Priority workplace, time from last intubation, and knowledge about bougie were reported on a preparticipation questionnaire. Additionally, participants completed pre- and post-training qualitative self-assessment (10-point Likert scale) regarding self-confidence perception in performing each of simulated actions. Distribution analysis for qualitative data was performed with Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test, and self-confidence increase analysis in frequency contingency tables with Fisher's Exact Test. Results: 36 physicians participated of training, 25 (69%) from primary care setting, 25 (69%) performed ETI over a year ago, and only 4 (11%) had previous knowledge about the bougie guide utilization. There was an increase in self-confidence medians for all three simulated actions. Medians (variation) for self-confidence before and after training, for each simulated action were as follows: ETI [5 (1-9) vs. 8 (6-10) (p < 0.0001)]; Sedative drug management [5 (1-9) vs. 8 (4-10) (p < 0.0001)]; Bougie guide utilization [2.5 (1-7) vs. 8 (4-10) (p < 0.0001)]. Among those who performed ETI over a year ago (n = 25), an increase in self-confidence greater than 3 points for ETI was reported by 23 vs. 2 physicians (p = 0.0002), and by 21 vs. 4 (p = 0.03) for sedative drugs management. Conclusions: RS training contributed to self-confidence increase in performing ETI. Among participants who performed ETI over a year, there was a significant association between RS training and increase of more than 3 points in self-confidence, both for ETI and sedative drug management. Training with RS methodology is suitable for ETI confidence enhancement during COVID-19 outbreak.

Keywords: confidence, COVID-19, endotracheal intubation, realistic simulation

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Authors: Nur Hidayah Iwani Mohd Kamal

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The higher education institutions in Malaysia is challenged with a more socially and culturally diverse student population than ever before, especially with the increasing number of international students studying in Malaysia in the recent years. First year university is a critical time in students’ lives. Students are not only developing intelectually, they are also establishing and maintaining personal relationships, developing an identity, deciding about career and lifestyle, maintaining personal health and wellness, and developing an integrated philosohy of life. The higher education institutions work as a diverse community of learners to provide a supportive environment for these first year students in assisting them in their transition from high school to university. Although many universities are taking steps to improve the first year experience for their new local and international students, efforts must be taken to ensure organized and coordinated manner in order for the initiatives to be successful. The objectives of the study are to examine the international students’ perceptions and interpretation of their first year experiences in shaping and determining their attitudes toward study and the quality of their entire undergraduate academic career; and identify an appropriate mechanism to encounter the international students’ adjustment in the new environment in order to facilitate cross-functional communication and create a coherent and meaningful first year experience. A key construct in this study is that if universities wish to recruiting and retaining international students, it is their ethical responsibility to determine how they can best meet their needs at the academic and social level, create a supportive ‘learning community’ as a foundation of their educational experience, hence facilitate cross-cultural communication and create a coherent and meaningful first year experience. This study is simultaneously frames in relation to focus on the factors that influence a successful and satisfying transition to university life by the first year international students. The study employs a mixed-method data collection involving semi-structured interviews, questionnaire, classroom observation and document analysis. This study provides valuable insight into the struggles that many international students face as they attempt to make the adjustment not only to a new educational system but factors such as psychosocial and cultural problems. It would discuss some of the factors that impact the international students during their first year in university in their quest to be academically successful. It concludes with some recommendations on how Malaysian universities provide these students with a good first year experience based on some the best practices of universities around the world.

Keywords: first year experience, Malaysian universities, international students, education

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Authors: Stephen L. Green, Alexander N. Gorban, Ivan Y. Tyukin

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Within the past decade, using Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN)’s to create Deep Learning systems capable of translating Sign Language into text has been a breakthrough in breaking the communication barrier for deaf-mute people. Conventional research on this subject has been concerned with training the network to recognize the fingerspelling gestures of a given language and produce their corresponding alphanumerics. One of the problems with the current developing technology is that images are scarce, with little variations in the gestures being presented to the recognition program, often skewed towards single skin tones and hand sizes that makes a percentage of the population’s fingerspelling harder to detect. Along with this, current gesture detection programs are only trained on one finger spelling language despite there being one hundred and forty-two known variants so far. All of this presents a limitation for traditional exploitation for the state of current technologies such as CNN’s, due to their large number of required parameters. This work aims to present a technology that aims to resolve this issue by combining a pretrained legacy AI system for a generic object recognition task with a corrector method to uptrain the legacy network. This is a computationally efficient procedure that does not require large volumes of data even when covering a broad range of sign languages such as American Sign Language, British Sign Language and Chinese Sign Language (Pinyin). Implementing recent results on method concentration, namely the stochastic separation theorem, an AI system is supposed as an operate mapping an input present in the set of images u ∈ U to an output that exists in a set of predicted class labels q ∈ Q of the alphanumeric that q represents and the language it comes from. These inputs and outputs, along with the interval variables z ∈ Z represent the system’s current state which implies a mapping that assigns an element x ∈ ℝⁿ to the triple (u, z, q). As all xi are i.i.d vectors drawn from a product mean distribution, over a period of time the AI generates a large set of measurements xi called S that are grouped into two categories: the correct predictions M and the incorrect predictions Y. Once the network has made its predictions, a corrector can then be applied through centering S and Y by subtracting their means. The data is then regularized by applying the Kaiser rule to the resulting eigenmatrix and then whitened before being split into pairwise, positively correlated clusters. Each of these clusters produces a unique hyperplane and if any element x falls outside the region bounded by these lines then it is reported as an error. As a result of this methodology, a self-correcting recognition process is created that can identify fingerspelling from a variety of sign language and successfully identify the corresponding alphanumeric and what language the gesture originates from which no other neural network has been able to replicate.

Keywords: convolutional neural networks, deep learning, shallow correctors, sign language

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Authors: F. Slaven, M. Uys, Y. Erasmus

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The South African National Mental Health Education Programme (SANMHEP) was a National Department of Health (NDoH) initiative to strengthen mental health services in South Africa in collaboration with the Foundation for Professional Development (FPD), SANOFI and the various provincial departments of health. The programme was implemented against the backdrop of a number of challenges in the management of mental health in the country related to staff shortages and infrastructure, the intersection of mental health with the growing burden of non-communicable diseases and various forms of violence, and challenges around substance abuse and its relationship with mental health. The Mental Health Care Act (No. 17 of 2002) prescribes that mental health should be integrated into general health services including primary, secondary and tertiary levels to improve access to services and reduce stigma associated with mental illness. In order for the provisions of the Act to become a reality, and for the journey of mental health patients through the system to improve, sufficient and skilled health care providers are critical. SANMHEP specifically targeted Medical Doctors and Professional Nurses working within the facilities that are listed to conduct 72-hour assessments, as well as District Hospitals. The aim of the programme was to improve the clinical diagnosis and management of mental disorders/conditions and the understanding of and compliance with the Mental Health Care Act and related Regulations and Guidelines in the care, treatment and rehabilitation of mental health care users. The course used a blended-learning approach and trained 1 120 health care providers through 36 workshops between February and November 2019. Of those trained, 689 (61.52%) were Professional Nurses, 337 (30.09%) were Medical Doctors, and 91 (8.13%) indicated their occupation as ‘other’ (of these more than half were psychologists). The pre- and post-evaluation of the face-to-face training sessions indicated a marked improvement in knowledge and confidence level scores (both clinical and legislative) in the care, treatment and rehabilitation of mental health care users by participants in all the training sessions. There was a marked improvement in the knowledge and confidence of participants in performing certain mental health activities (on average the ratings increased by 2.72; or 27%) and in managing certain mental health conditions (on average the ratings increased by 2.55; or 25%). The course also required that participants obtain 70% or higher in their formal assessments as part of the online component. The 337 participants who completed and passed the course scored 90% on average. This illustrates that when participants attempted and completed the course, they did very well. To further assess the effect of the course on the knowledge and behaviour of the trained mental health care practitioners a mixed-method outcome evaluation is currently underway consisting of a survey with participants three months after completion, follow-up interviews with participants, and key informant interviews with department of health officials and course facilitators. This will enable a more detailed assessment of the impact of the training on participants' perceived ability to manage and treat mental health patients.

Keywords: mental health, public health facilities, South Africa, training

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Authors: Arjita Jhingran

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The pandemic was a turning point for flexible employment. In today’s market, employees prefer companies that provide the autonomy to change their work environment and are flexible. Post pandemic employees have become accustomed to modifying, re-designing, and re-aligning their work environment, task, and the way they interact with co-workers based on their preferences after working from home for a long time. In this scenario, the concept of job crafting has come to the forefront, and research on the subject has expanded, particularly during COVID-19. Managers who provide opportunities to craft the job are driving enhanced engagement and well-being. The current study will aim to examine the impact of job crafting on work engagement and psychological well-being among 385 working professionals, ranging in the age group of 21- 39 years. (M age=30 years). The study will also draw comparisons between freelancers and full-time employees, as freelancers have been considered to have more autonomy over their job. A comparison-based among MNC or startups will be studied; as for the majority of startups, autonomy is a primary motivator. Moreover, a difference based on the level of experience will also be observed, which will add to the body of knowledge. The data will be collected through Job Crafting Questionnaire, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, and Psychological Well-Being Scale. To infer the findings, correlation analysis will be used to study the relationship among variables, and a Three way ANOVA will be used to draw comparisons.

Keywords: job crafting, work engagement, well-being, freelancers, start-ups

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Authors: Zaiton Osman, Phang Ing, Azaze Azizi Abd Adis, Izyanti Awg Razli, Mohd Rizwan Abd Majid, Rosle Mohidin

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This study is conducted to investigate the level of financial literacy among students taking Financial Management and Banking in Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Malaysia. Students are asked to answer basic financial literacy questions in their first class before study commence and the similar questions were given in their final week of study (after 14 weeks of study duration). The comparison on their level of financial literacy will be examined. This study is expected to yields the following findings; firstly, comparison of the level of financial literacy 'before and after' courses in finance being introduced can be revealed. Secondly, it will provide suggestion on improving the standard of teaching and learning in financial management and banking courses and lastly it will help in identifying financial courses that are important in improving the level of financial literacy among students in Malaysia.

Keywords: financial literacy, university students, personal financial planning, business and management engineering

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Authors: Anita Vidacs, Robert Rajko, Csaba Vagvolgyi, Judit Krisch

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With the optimization of a new disinfectant the number of tests could be decreased and the cost of processing too. Good sanitizers are eco-friendly and allow no resistance evolvement of bacteria. The essential oils (EOs) are natural antimicrobials, and most of them have the Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status. In our study, the effect of the EOs cinnamon, marjoram, and thyme was investigated against mixed species bacterial biofilms of Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas putida, and Staphylococcus aureus. The optimal concentration of EOs, disinfection time and level of pH were evaluated with the aid of Response Surface Box-Behnken Design (RSD) on 1 day and 7 days old biofilms on metal, plastic, and wood surfaces. The variable factors were in the range of 1-3 times of minimum bactericide concentration (MBC); 10-110 minutes acting time and 4.5- 7.5 pH. The optimized EO disinfectant was compared to industrial used chemicals (HC-DPE, Hypo). The natural based disinfectants were applicable; the acting time was below 30 minutes. EOs were able to eliminate the biofilm from the used surfaces except from wood. The disinfection effect of the EO based natural solutions was in most cases equivalent or better compared to chemical sanitizers used in food industry.

Keywords: biofilm, Box-Behnken design, disinfectant, essential oil

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Authors: Mustarakh Gelfi, Poonam Taneja, Tiedo Vellinga, Delon Hamonangan

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The initial masterplan of New Priok in the Port of Tanjung Priok was developed in 2012 is being updated to cater to new developments and new demands. In the new masterplan (2017), Phase II of development will start from 2035-onwards, depending on the future conditions. This study is about creating a robust masterplan for Phase II, which will remain functional under future uncertainties. The methodology applied in this study is scenario-based planning in the framework of Adaptive Port Planning (APP). Scenario-based planning helps to open up the perspective of the future as a horizon of possibilities. The scenarios are built around two major uncertainties in a 2x2 matrix approach. The two major uncertainties for New Priok port are economics and sustainability awareness. The outcome is four plausible scenarios: Green Port, Business As Usual, Moderate Expansion, and No Expansion. Terminal needs in each scenario are analyzed through traffic analysis and identifying the key cargos and commodities. In conclusion, this study gives the wide perspective for Port of Tanjung Priok for the planning Phase II of the development. The port has to realize that uncertainties persevere and are very likely to influence the decision making as to the future layouts. Instead of ignoring uncertainty, the port needs to make the action plans to deal with these uncertainties.

Keywords: Indonesia Port, port's layout, port planning, scenario-based planning

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Authors: Amal Abdelhadi

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Consumer misbehavior evaluation can be markedly different based on a number of variables and different from one environment to another. Using three aberrant consumer behavior (ACB) scenarios (shoplifting, stealing from hotel rooms and software piracy) this study aimed to explore Libyan seller and consumers of ACB. Materials were collected by using a multi-method approach was employed (qualitative and quantitative approaches) in two fieldwork phases. In the phase stage, a qualitative data were collected from 26 Libyan sellers’ by face-to-face interviews. In the second stage, a consumer survey was used to collect quantitative data from 679 Libyan consumers. This study found that the consumer’s and seller’s evaluation of ACB are not always consistent. Further, ACB evaluations differed based on the form of ACB. Furthermore, the study found that not all consumer behaviors that were considered as bad behavior in other countries have the same evaluation in Libya; for example, software piracy. Therefore this study suggested a newly developed classification of ACB based on marketers’ and consumers’ views. This classification provides 9 ACB types within two dimensions (marketers’ and consumers’ views) and three degrees of behavior evaluation (good, acceptable and misbehavior).

Keywords: aberrant consumer behavior, Libya, multi-method approach, planned behavior theory

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Authors: B. Farahani, R. Fadil, A. Aboonabi, B. Hoffmann, J. Loscheider, K. Tavakolian, S. Arzanpour

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Wheelchair users spend long hours in a sitting position, and selecting the right cushion is highly critical in preventing pressure ulcers in that demographic. Pressure mapping systems (PMS) are typically used in clinical settings by therapists to identify the sitting profile and pressure points in the sitting area to select the cushion that fits the best for the users. A PMS is a flexible mat composed of arrays of distributed networks of flexible sensors. The output of the PMS systems is a color-coded image that shows the intensity of the pressure concentration. Therapists use the PMS images to compare different cushions fit for each user. This process is highly subjective and requires good visual memory for the best outcome. This paper aims to develop an image processing technique to analyze the images of PMS and provide an objective measure to assess the cushions based on their pressure distribution mappings. In this paper, we first reviewed the skeletal anatomy of the human sitting area and its relation to the PMS image. This knowledge is then used to identify the important features that must be considered in image processing. We then developed an algorithm based on those features to analyze the images and rank them according to their fit to the users' needs.

Keywords: dynamic cushion, image processing, pressure mapping system, wheelchair

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Authors: Matthew Bamidele Ojuawo

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To some parents, task avoidance implies the time when argument ensues between parents and their children in order to get certain things done correctly without being forced. However, some children avoid certain task because of the fears that it is too hard or cannot be done without parental help. Laziness plays a role in task avoidance when children do not want to do something because they do not feel like it is easy enough or if they just want their parent help them get it over with more quickly. Children with attention deficit disorder more often have difficulties with social skills, such as social interaction and forming and maintaining friendships. The focus of this study is how task avoidance and attention deficit have effect on the mathematics performance of pupils in the lower basic classroom. Mathematics performance of pupils with learning disabilities has been seriously low due to avoidance of task and attention deficit posed as carried out in the previous researches, but the research has not been carried out in the lower basic classroom in Oyo, Oyo state, Nigeria.

Keywords: task avoidance, parents, children with attention deficit, mathematics

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Authors: A. R. Nezamabadi, M. Veiskarami

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This paper studies free vibration of simply supported functionally graded beams with piezoelectric layers based on the first order shear deformation theory. The Young's modulus of beam is assumed to be graded continuously across the beam thickness. The governing equation is established. Resulting equation is solved using the Euler's equation. The effects of the constituent volume fractions, the influences of applied voltage on the vibration frequency are presented. To investigate the accuracy of the present analysis, a compression study is carried out with a known data.

Keywords: mechanical buckling, functionally graded beam, first order shear deformation theory, free vibration

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Authors: Somveer Singh, Vineet Kumar Singh

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This work contributes a numerical method based on Legendre wavelet approximation for the treatment of partial integro-differential equation (PIDE). Operational matrices of Legendre wavelets reduce the solution of PIDE into the system of algebraic equations. Some useful results concerning the computational order of convergence and error estimates associated to the suggested scheme are presented. Illustrative examples are provided to show the effectiveness and accuracy of proposed numerical method.

Keywords: legendre wavelets, operational matrices, partial integro-differential equation, viscoelasticity

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Authors: Ashraf Mohammed M. Eid, Hossam El Badry

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The bored pile friction resistance may be affected by many factors such as the method of construction, pile length and diameter, the soil properties, as well as the depth below ground level. These factors can be represented analytically to study the influence of diameter on the unit skin friction. In this research, the Egyptian Code of soil mechanics is used to assess the skin friction capacity for either the ordinary pile diameter as well as for the large pile diameter. The later is presented in the code and through the work of some researchers based on the results of investigations adopted for a sufficient number of field tests. The comparative results of these researchers with respect to the Egyptian Code are used to check the adequacy of both methods. Based on the results of this study, the traditional static formula adopted for piles of diameter less than 60 cm may be continually used for larger piles by correlating the analyzed formulae. Accordingly, the corresponding modified angle of internal friction is concluded demonstrating a reduction of shear strength due to soil disturbance along the pile shaft. Based on this research the difference between driven piles and bored piles constructed in same soil can be assessed and a better understanding can be evaluated for the effect of different factors on pile skin friction capacity.

Keywords: large piles, static formula, friction piles, sandy soils

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Authors: Yacoub Aljaffery

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Many English writing instructors try to avoid creative writing in their classrooms thinking they need to teach essay rules and organization skills. They seem to forget that creative writing has do’s and don’ts as well. While academic writing is different from fiction writing in some important ways (although perhaps the boundaries are fruitfully blurring), there is much that can be writerly selves. The differences between creative writing and academic writing are that creative writing is written mainly to entertain with the creativity of the mind and academic writing is written mainly to inform in a formal manner or to incite the reader to make an action such as purchase the writer’s product. In this research paper, we are going to find out how could Arabic speaking students, who are learning academic writing in universities, benefit from creative writing such as literature, theatrical scripts, music, and poems. Since Arabic language is known as poetic language, students from this culture tend to like writing with creativity. We will investigate the positive influence of creative writing rules on academic essays and paragraphs in universities, and We will prove the importance of using creative writing activities in any academic writing classroom.

Keywords: ESL teaching, motivation, teaching methods, academic writing , creative writing

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Authors: Rajpal Kaur, Pooja Choudhary

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Biometrics, which refers to identifying an individual based on his or her physiological or behavioral characteristics, has the capabilities to the reliably distinguish between an authorized person and an imposter. The Signature recognition systems can categorized as offline (static) and online (dynamic). This paper presents Surf Feature based recognition of offline signatures system that is trained with low-resolution scanned signature images. The signature of a person is an important biometric attribute of a human being which can be used to authenticate human identity. However the signatures of human can be handled as an image and recognized using computer vision and HMM techniques. With modern computers, there is need to develop fast algorithms for signature recognition. There are multiple techniques are defined to signature recognition with a lot of scope of research. In this paper, (static signature) off-line signature recognition & verification using surf feature with HMM is proposed, where the signature is captured and presented to the user in an image format. Signatures are verified depended on parameters extracted from the signature using various image processing techniques. The Off-line Signature Verification and Recognition is implemented using Mat lab platform. This work has been analyzed or tested and found suitable for its purpose or result. The proposed method performs better than the other recently proposed methods.

Keywords: offline signature verification, offline signature recognition, signatures, SURF features, HMM

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Authors: B. S. Al-Tulaian, M. J. Al-Shannag, A. M. Al-Hozaimy

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The development of new construction materials using recycled plastic is important to both the construction and the plastic recycling industries. Manufacturing of fibers from industrial or post-consumer plastic waste is an attractive approach with such benefits as concrete performance enhancement, and reduced needs for land filling. The main objective of this study is to investigate the effect of plastic fibers obtained locally from recycled waste on plastic shrinkage cracking of ordinary cement based mortar. Parameters investigated include: Fiber length ranging from 20 to 50 mm, and fiber volume fraction ranging from 0% to 1.5% by volume. The test results showed significant improvement in crack arresting mechanism and substantial reduction in the surface area of cracks for the mortar reinforced with recycled plastic fibers compared to plain mortar. Furthermore, test results indicated that there was a slight decrease in compressive strength of mortar reinforced with different lengths and contents of recycled fibers compared to plain mortar. This study suggests that adding more than 1% of RP fibers to mortar, can be used effectively for controlling plastic shrinkage cracking of cement based mortar, and thus results in waste reduction and resources conservation.

Keywords: mortar, plastic, shrinkage cracking, compressive strength, RF recycled fibers

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Authors: Mojtaba Fayaz, Richard Hallal

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This study examines the various types of dangers that our virtual environment is vulnerable to, including how it can be attacked and how to avoid/secure our data. The terrain of cyberspace is never completely safe, and Covid- 19 has added to the confusion, necessitating daily periodic checks and evaluations. Cybercriminals have been able to enact with greater skill and undertake more conspicuous and sophisticated attacks while keeping a higher level of finesse by operating from home. Different types of cyberattacks, such as operation-based attacks, authentication-based attacks, and software-based attacks, are constantly evolving, but research suggests that software-based threats, such as Ransomware, are becoming more popular, with attacks expected to increase by 93 percent by 2020. The effectiveness of cyber frameworks has shifted dramatically as the pandemic has forced work and private life to become intertwined, destabilising security overall and creating a new front of cyber protection for security analysis and personal. The high-rise formats in which cybercrimes are carried out, as well as the types of cybercrimes that exist, such as phishing, identity theft, malware, and DDoS attacks, have created a new front of cyber protection for security analysis and personal safety. The overall strategy for 2022 will be the introduction of frameworks that address many of the issues associated with offsite working, as well as education that provides better information about commercialised software that does not provide the highest level of security for home users, allowing businesses to plan better security around their systems.

Keywords: cyber security, authentication, software, hardware, malware, COVID-19, threat actors, awareness, home users, confidentiality, integrity, availability, attacks

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Authors: Mahrooz Abed, Amir R. Masoodi

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Many structural lateral systems are used in tall buildings such as rigid frames, braced frames, shear walls, tubular structures and core structures. Some efficient structures for drift control and base moment reduction in tall buildings is outrigger and belt truss systems. When adopting outrigger beams in building design, their location should be in an optimum position for an economical design. A range of different strategies has been employed to identify the optimum locations of these outrigger beams under wind load. However, there is an absence of scientific research or case studies dealing with optimum outrigger location using buckling analysis. In this paper, one outrigger system is considered at the middle of height of structure. The optimum location of outrigger will be found based on the buckling load limitation. The core of structure is modeled by a clamped tapered beam. The exact stiffness matrix of tapered beam is formulated based on the Euler-Bernoulli theory. Finally, based on the buckling load of structure, the optimal location of outrigger will be found.

Keywords: tall buildings, outrigger system, buckling load, second-order effects, Euler-Bernoulli beam theory

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Authors: Telesphore Tiendrebeogo, Oumarou Sié

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Cloud computing technologies have attracted considerable interest in recent years. Thus, these latters have become more important for many existing database applications. It provides a new mode of use and of offer of IT resources in general. Such resources can be used “on demand” by anybody who has access to the internet. Particularly, the Cloud platform provides an ease to use interface between providers and users, allow providers to develop and provide software and databases for users over locations. Currently, there are many Cloud platform providers support large scale database services. However, most of these only support simple keyword-based queries and can’t response complex query efficiently due to lack of efficient in multi-attribute index techniques. Existing Cloud platform providers seek to improve performance of indexing techniques for complex queries. In this paper, we define a new cloud computing architecture based on a Distributed Hash Table (DHT) and design a prototype system. Next, we perform and evaluate our cloud computing indexing structure based on a hyperbolic tree using virtual coordinates taken in the hyperbolic plane. We show through our experimental results that we compare with others clouds systems to show our solution ensures consistence and scalability for Cloud platform.

Keywords: virtual coordinates, cloud, hyperbolic plane, storage, scalability, consistency

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Authors: Mansour N. Jadid

Abstract:

This paper describes the implementation of a GIS to provide decision support for successfully monitoring the movements and storage of materials, hence ensuring that finished products travel from the point of origin to the destination construction site through the supply-chain management (SCM) system. This system ensures the efficient operation of suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors by determining the shortest path from the point of origin to the final destination to reduce construction costs, minimize time, and enhance productivity. These systems are essential to the construction industry because they reduce costs and save time, thereby improve productivity and effectiveness. This study describes a typical supply-chain model and a geographical information system (GIS)-based SCM that focuses on implementing an electronic document management system, which maps the application framework to integrate geodetic support with the supply-chain system. This process provides guidance for locating the nearest suppliers to fill the information needs of project members in different locations. Moreover, this study illustrates the use of a GIS-based SCM as a collaborative tool in innovative methods for implementing Web mapping services, as well as aspects of their integration by generating an interactive GIS for the construction industry platform.

Keywords: construction, coordinate, engineering, GIS, management, map

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Authors: Julie Anne Braun, Leonardo D. da Fonseca, Gerson C. Parreira, Ricardo J. E. Andrade

Abstract:

Polyurethanes (PU) are multifunctional polymers used across various industries. In construction, thermosetting polyurethanes are applied as coatings for flooring, paints, and waterproofing. They are widely specified in Brazil for waterproofing concrete structures like roof slabs and parking decks. Applied to concrete, they form a fully adhered membrane, providing a protective barrier with low water absorption, high chemical resistance, impermeability to liquids, and low vapor permeability. Their mechanical properties, including tensile strength (1 to 35 MPa) and Shore A hardness (83 to 88), depend on resin molecular weight and functionality, often using Methylene diphenyl diisocyanate. PU production, reliant on fossil-derived isocyanates and polyols, contributes significantly to carbon emissions. Sustainable alternatives, such as biopolyurethanes from renewable sources, are needed. Castor oil is a viable option for synthesizing sustainable polyurethanes. As a bio-based feedstock, castor oil is extensively cultivated in Brazil, making it a feasible option for the national market and ranking third internationally. This study aims to develop and characterize castor oil-based biopolyurethane for high-performance waterproofing and coating applications. A comparative analysis between castor oil-based PU and polyether polyol-based PU was conducted. Mechanical tests (tensile strength, Shore A hardness, abrasion resistance) and surface properties (contact angle, water absorption) were evaluated. Thermal, chemical, and morphological properties were assessed using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results demonstrated that both polyurethanes exhibited high mechanical strength. Specifically, the tensile strength for castor oil-based PU was 19.18 MPa, compared to 12.94 MPa for polyether polyol-based PU. Similarly, the elongation values were 146.90% for castor oil-based PU and 135.50% for polyether polyol-based PU. Both materials exhibited satisfactory performance in terms of abrasion resistance, with mass loss of 0.067% for castor oil PU and 0.043% for polyether polyol PU and Shore A hardness values of 89 and 86, respectively, indicating high surface hardness. The results of the water absorption and contact angle tests confirmed the hydrophilic nature of polyether polyol PU, with a contact angle of 58.73° and water absorption of 2.53%. Conversely, the castor oil-based PU exhibited hydrophobic properties, with a contact angle of 81.05° and water absorption of 0.45%. The results of the FTIR analysis indicated the absence of a peak around 2275 cm-1, which suggests that all of the NCO groups were consumed in the stoichiometric reaction. This conclusion is supported by the high mechanical test results. The TGA results indicated that polyether polyol PU demonstrated superior thermal stability, exhibiting a mass loss of 13% at the initial transition (around 310°C), in comparison to castor oil-based PU, which experienced a higher initial mass loss of 25% at 335°C. In summary, castor oil-based PU demonstrated mechanical properties comparable to polyether polyol PU, making it suitable for applications such as trafficable coatings. However, its higher hydrophobicity makes it more promising for watertightness. Increasing environmental concerns necessitate reducing reliance on non-renewable resources and mitigating the environmental impacts of polyurethane production. Castor oil is a viable option for sustainable polyurethanes, aligning with emission reduction goals and responsible use of natural resources.

Keywords: polyurethane, castor oil, sustainable, waterproofing, construction industry

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Authors: Imam Wierawansyah Eltara, Iftitah, Agus Ismail

Abstract:

In the present work, cellulose nanowhiskers (CNW) extracted from coconut husk fibers, were incorporated in polylactide (PLA)-based composites. Prior to the blending, PLA chains were chemically grafted on the surface of CNW to enhance the compatibilization between CNW and the hydrophobic polyester matrix. Ring-opening polymerization of L-lactide was initiated from the hydroxyl groups available at the CNW surface to yield CNW-g-PLA nanohybrids. PLA-based nanocomposites were prepared by melt blending to ensure a green concept of the study thereby limiting the use of organic solvents. The influence of PLA-grafted cellulose nanoparticles on the mechanical and thermal properties of the ensuing nanocomposites was deeply investigated. The thermal behavior and mechanical properties of the nanocomposites were determined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamical mechanical and thermal analysis (DMTA), respectively. In theory, evidenced that the chemical grafting of CNW enhances their compatibility with the polymeric matrix and thus improves the final properties of the nanocomposites. Large modification of the crystalline properties such as the crystallization half-time was evidenced according to the nature of the PLA matrix and the content of nanofillers.

Keywords: cellulose nanowhiskers, nanocomposites, coconut husk fiber, ring opening polymerization

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Authors: Shahriar Farzam, Maryam Rastgarpour

Abstract:

Image denoising plays extremely important role in digital image processing. Enhancement of clinical image research based on Curvelet has been developed rapidly in recent years. In this paper, we present a method for image contrast enhancement for cone beam CT (CBCT) images based on fast discrete curvelet transforms (FDCT) that work through Unequally Spaced Fast Fourier Transform (USFFT). These transforms return a table of Curvelet transform coefficients indexed by a scale parameter, an orientation and a spatial location. Accordingly, the coefficients obtained from FDCT-USFFT can be modified in order to enhance contrast in an image. Our proposed method first uses a two-dimensional mathematical transform, namely the FDCT through unequal-space fast Fourier transform on input image and then applies thresholding on coefficients of Curvelet to enhance the CBCT images. Consequently, applying unequal-space fast Fourier Transform leads to an accurate reconstruction of the image with high resolution. The experimental results indicate the performance of the proposed method is superior to the existing ones in terms of Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR) and Effective Measure of Enhancement (EME).

Keywords: curvelet transform, CBCT, image enhancement, image denoising

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Authors: Abobakr Khidir Ziyada, Cecilia Devi Wilfred

Abstract:

In the present work, a new series of 3-propanenitrile imidazolium-based Room Temperature Ionic Liquids (RTILs), incorporating dioctyl sulfosuccinate (DOSS) were prepared by reacting imidazole with acrylonitrile and then reacting the product with allyl chloride, 2-chloroethanol, and benzyl chloride. After the reaction had been completed, metathesis reaction was carried out using sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate. The densities and viscosities of the present RTILs were measured at atmospheric pressure at T=293.15 to 353.15 K, the refractive index was measured at T=293.15 to 333.15 K, whereas, the start and decomposition temperatures were determined at heating rate 10°C. min^-1. The thermal expansion coefficient, densities at a range of temperatures and pressures, molecular volume, molar refraction, standard entropy and the lattice energy of these RTILs were also estimated. The present RTILs showed higher densities, similar refractive indices, and higher viscosities compared to the other 1-alkyl-3-propanenitrile imidazolium-based RTILs. The densities of the present synthesized RTILs are lower compared to the other nitrile-functionalized ILs. These present RTILs showed a weak temperature dependence on the thermal expansion coefficients, αp=5.0 × 10^−4 to 7.50 × 10−4 K^-1. Empirical correlations were proposed to represent the present data on the physical properties. The lattice energy for the present RTILs was similar to other nitrile–based imidazolium RTILs. The present RTILs showed very high molar refraction when compared similar RTILs incorporating other anions.

Keywords: dioctyl sulfosuccinate, nitrile ILs, 3-propanenitrile, anion, room temperature ionic liquids, RTIL

Procedia PDF Downloads 319