Search results for: turn-over rate.
1566 Net Interest Margin of Cooperative Banks in Low Interest Rate Environment
Authors: Karolína Vozková, Matěj Kuc
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This paper deals with the impact of decrease in interest rates on the performance of commercial and cooperative banks in the Eurozone measured by net interest margin. The analysis was performed on balanced dataset of 268 commercial and 726 cooperative banks spanning the 2008-2015 period. We employed Fixed Effects estimation panel method. As expected, we found a negative relationship between market rates and net interest margin. Our results suggest that the impact of negative interest income differs across individual banking business models. More precisely, those cooperative banks were much more hit by the decrease of market interest rates which might be due to their ownership structure and more restrictive business regulation.
Keywords: Cooperative banks, performance, negative interest rates, risk management.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 10221565 Relationship among Leisure Satisfaction, Spiritual Wellness, and Self-Esteem of Older Adults
Authors: Cheng-Yu Tsai, Li-Wei Liu, Ming-Tsang Wu
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This study sought to determine whether there were relationships existed among leisure satisfaction, self-esteem, and spiritual wellness. Four hundred survey instruments were distributed, and 334 effective instruments were returned, for an effective rate of 83.5%. The participants were recruited from a purposive sampling that subjects were at least 60 years of age and retired in Tainan City, Taiwan. Three instruments were used in this research: Leisure Satisfaction Scale (LSS), Self-Esteem Scale (SES), and Spirituality Assessment Scale (SAS). The collected data were analyzed statistically. The findings of this research were as follows: 1. There is significantly correlated between leisure satisfaction and spiritual wellness. 2. There is significantly correlated between leisure satisfaction and self-esteem. 3. There is significantly correlated between spiritual wellness and self-esteem.
Keywords: Leisure satisfaction, spiritual wellness, self-esteem.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 23291564 Results of Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy under Spinal Anesthesia
Authors: Babak Borzouei, Seyed Habibollah Mousavi-Bahar
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Recently, there has been a considerable increase in the number of procedures carried out under regional anesthesia. However, percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) procedures are usually performed under general anesthesia. The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of PCNL under spinal anesthesia in patients with renal calculi. We describe our 9 years experience of performing PCNL under spinal anesthesia for 387 patients with large stones of the upper urinary tract, with regard to the effectiveness and side effects. All patients received spinal anesthetics (Lidocain 5%, or Bupivacaine 0.75%) and underwent PCNL in prone position. The success rate was 94.1%. The incidence of complications was 11.6%. PCNL under spinal anesthesia is feasible, safe, and well-tolerated in management of patients with renal stones.Keywords: percutaneous nephrolithotomy, spinal anesthesia, renal calculi
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 28411563 Optimization of Real Time Measured Data Transmission, Given the Amount of Data Transmitted
Authors: Michal Kopcek, Tomas Skulavik, Michal Kebisek, Gabriela Krizanova
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The operation of nuclear power plants involves continuous monitoring of the environment in their area. This monitoring is performed using a complex data acquisition system, which collects status information about the system itself and values of many important physical variables e.g. temperature, humidity, dose rate etc. This paper describes a proposal and optimization of communication that takes place in teledosimetric system between the central control server responsible for the data processing and storing and the decentralized measuring stations, which are measuring the physical variables. Analyzes of ongoing communication were performed and consequently the optimization of the system architecture and communication was done.
Keywords: Communication protocol, transmission optimization, data acquisition.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 18041562 IEEE 802.11 b and g WLAN Propagation Model using Power Density Measurements at ESPOL
Authors: E. E. Mantilla, C. R. Reyes, B. G. Ramos
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This paper describes the development of a WLAN propagation model, using Spectral Analyzer measurements. The signal is generated by two Access Points (APs) on the base floor at the administrative Communication School of ESPOL building. In general, users do not have a Q&S reference about a wireless network; however, this depends on the level signal as a function of frequency, distance and other path conditions between receiver and transmitter. Then, power density of the signal decrease as it propagates through space and data transfer rate is affected. This document evaluates and implements empirical mathematical formulation for the characterization of WLAN radio wave propagation on two aisles of the building base floor.Keywords: frequency, Spectral Analyzer, transmitter, WLAN.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 19961561 Face Localization Using Illumination-dependent Face Model for Visual Speech Recognition
Authors: Robert E. Hursig, Jane X. Zhang
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A robust still image face localization algorithm capable of operating in an unconstrained visual environment is proposed. First, construction of a robust skin classifier within a shifted HSV color space is described. Then various filtering operations are performed to better isolate face candidates and mitigate the effect of substantial non-skin regions. Finally, a novel Bhattacharyya-based face detection algorithm is used to compare candidate regions of interest with a unique illumination-dependent face model probability distribution function approximation. Experimental results show a 90% face detection success rate despite the demands of the visually noisy environment.Keywords: Audio-visual speech recognition, Bhattacharyyacoefficient, face detection,
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 16101560 Curvature Ductility Factor of Rectangular Sections Reinforced Concrete Beams
Authors: Y. Si Youcef, M. Chemrouk
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The present work presents a method of calculating the ductility of rectangular sections of beams considering nonlinear behavior of concrete and steel. This calculation procedure allows us to trace the curvature of the section according to the bending moment, and consequently deduce ductility. It also allowed us to study the various parameters that affect the value of the ductility. A comparison of the effect of maximum rates of tension steel, adopted by the codes, ACI [1], EC8 [2] and RPA [3] on the value of the ductility was made. It was concluded that the maximum rate of steels permitted by the ACI [1] codes and RPA [3] are almost similar in their effect on the ductility and too high. Therefore, the ductility mobilized in case of an earthquake is low, the inverse of code EC8 [2]. Recommendations have been made in this direction.Keywords: Ductility, beam, reinforced concrete, seismic code, relationship, time bending, resistance, non-linear behavior.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 61741559 Moving towards Positive Security Model for Web Application Firewall
Authors: Asrul H. Yaacob, Nazrul M. Ahmad, Nurul N. Ahmad, Mardeni Roslee
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The proliferation of web application and the pervasiveness of mobile technology make web-based attacks even more attractive and even easier to launch. Web Application Firewall (WAF) is an intermediate tool between web server and users that provides comprehensive protection for web application. WAF is a negative security model where the detection and prevention mechanisms are based on predefined or user-defined attack signatures and patterns. However, WAF alone is not adequate to offer best defensive system against web vulnerabilities that are increasing in number and complexity daily. This paper presents a methodology to automatically design a positive security based model which identifies and allows only legitimate web queries. The paper shows a true positive rate of more than 90% can be achieved.
Keywords: Intrusion Detection System, Positive Security Model, Web application Firewall
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 27191558 Kinetic Parameters for Bioethanol Production from Oil Palm Trunk Juice
Authors: A. H. Norhazimah, C. K. M. Faizal
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Abundant and cheap agricultural waste of oil palm trunk (OPT) juice was used to produce bioethanol. Two strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and a strain of Pichia stipitis were used to produce bioethanol from the OPT juice. Fermentation was conducted at previously optimized condition at 30oC and without shaking. The kinetic parameters were estimated and calculated. Monod equation and Hinshelwood model is used to relate the specific growth to the concentration of the limiting substrate and also to simulate bioethanol production rate. Among the three strains, single S. cerevisiae Kyokai no. 7 produce the highest ethanol yield of 0.477 g/l.h within the shortest time (12 h). This yeast also produces more than 20 g/l ethanol concentration within 10 h of fermentation.
Keywords: Oil palm trunk, Pichia stipitis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 20111557 Immobilization of Simulated High Level Nuclear Wastes with Li2O-CeO2-Fe2O3-P2O5 Glasses
Authors: Toshinori Okura, Naoya Yoshida
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The leaching behavior and structure of Li2O-CeO2- Fe2O3-P2O5 glasses incorporated with simulated high level nuclear wastes (HLW) were studied. The leach rates of gross and each constituent element were determined from the total weight loss of the specimen and the leachate analyses by inductively coupled argon plasma spectroscopy (ICP). The gross leach rate of the 4.5Li2O- 9.7CeO2-34.7Fe2O3-51.5P2O5 glass waste form containing 45 mass% simulated HLW is of the order of 10
Keywords: FT-IR spectra, Leach rates, Li2O-CeO2-Fe2O3-P2O5 glasses, Nuclear waste immobilization, Thermal properties
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 20711556 An Erosion-based Modeling of Abrasive Waterjet Turning
Authors: I. Zohourkari, M. Zohoor
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In this paper, an erosion-based model for abrasive waterjet (AWJ) turning process is presented. By using modified Hashish erosion model, the volume of material removed by impacting of abrasive particles to surface of the rotating cylindrical specimen is estimated and radius reduction at each rotation is calculated. Different to previous works, the proposed model considers the continuous change in local impact angle due to change in workpiece diameter, axial traverse rate of the jet, the abrasive particle roundness and density. The accuracy of the proposed model is examined by experimental tests under various traverse rates. The final diameters estimated by the proposed model are in good accordance with experiments.Keywords: Abrasive, Erosion, impact, Particle, Waterjet, Turning.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 24091555 Overhead Estimation over Capacity of Mobile WiMAX
Authors: Saeed AL-Rashdy, Qing Guo
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The IEEE802.16 standard which has emerged as Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) technology, promises to deliver high data rate over large areas to a large number of subscribers in the near future. This paper analyze the effect of overheads over capacity of downlink (DL) of orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA)–based on the IEEE802.16e mobile WiMAX system with and without overheads. The analysis focuses in particular on the impact of Adaptive Modulation and Coding (AMC) as well as deriving an algorithm to determine the maximum numbers of subscribers that each specific WiMAX sector may support. An analytical study of the WiMAX propagation channel by using Cost- 231 Hata Model is presented. Numerical results and discussion estimated by using Matlab to simulate the algorithm for different multi-users parameters.Keywords: BWA, mobile WiMAX, capacity, AMC , overheads.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 20721554 All-Optical Function Based on Self-Similar Spectral Broadening for 2R Regeneration in High-Bit-Rate Optical Transmission Systems
Authors: Leila Graini
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In this paper, we demonstrate basic all-optical functions for 2R regeneration (Re-amplification and Re-shaping) based on self-similar spectral broadening in low normal dispersion and highly nonlinear fiber (ND-HNLF) to regenerate the signal through optical filtering including the transfer function characteristics, and output extinction ratio. Our approach of all-optical 2R regeneration is based on those of Mamyshev. The numerical study reveals the self-similar spectral broadening very effective for 2R all-optical regeneration; the proposed design presents high stability compared to a conventional regenerator using SPM broadening with reduction of the intensity fluctuations and improvement of the extinction ratio.
Keywords: All-optical function, 2R optical regeneration, self-similar broadening, Mamyshev regenerator.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 8071553 Plants as Alternative Covers at Contaminated Sites
Authors: M. Grifoni, G. Petruzzelli, M. Barbafieri, I. Rosellini, B. Pezzarossa, F. Pedron
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Evapotranspiration (ET) covers are an alternative cover system that utilizes water balance approach to maximize the ET process to reduce the contaminants leaching through the soil profile. Microcosm tests allow to identify in a short time the most suitable plant species to be used as alternative covers, their survival capacity, and simultaneously the transpiration and evaporation rate of the cover in a specific contaminated soil. This work shows the soil characterization and ET results of microcosm tests carried out on two contaminated soils by using Triticum durum and Helianthus annuus species. The data indicated that transpiration was higher than evaporation, supporting the use of plants as alternative cover at this contaminated site.
Keywords: Contaminated sites, ET cover, evapotranspiration, microcosm experiments.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 12351552 A Moving Human-Object Detection for Video Access Monitoring
Authors: Won-Ho Kim, Nuwan Sanjeewa Rajasooriya
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In this paper, a simple moving human detection method is proposed for video surveillance system or access monitoring system. The frame difference and noise threshold are used for initial detection of a moving human-object, and simple labeling method is applied for final human-object segmentation. The simulated results show that the applied algorithm is fast to detect the moving human-objects by performing 95% of correct detection rate. The proposed algorithm has confirmed that can be used as an intelligent video access monitoring system.
Keywords: Moving human-object detection, Video access monitoring, Image processing.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 24931551 FPGA Implementation of a Vision-Based Blind Spot Warning System
Authors: Yu Ren Lin, Yu Hong Li
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Vision-based intelligent vehicle applications often require large amounts of memory to handle video streaming and image processing, which in turn increases complexity of hardware and software. This paper presents an FPGA implement of a vision-based blind spot warning system. Using video frames, the information of the blind spot area turns into one-dimensional information. Analysis of the estimated entropy of image allows the detection of an object in time. This idea has been implemented in the XtremeDSP video starter kit. The blind spot warning system uses only 13% of its logic resources and 95k bits block memory, and its frame rate is over 30 frames per sec (fps).
Keywords: blind-spot area, image, FPGA
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 18191550 The Estimation of Semi Elliptical Surface Cracks Advancement via Fuzzy Logic
Authors: Gürol Önal, Ahmet Avcı
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This paper presented the results of an experimental investigation into the axial fatigue behavior of a 5086 aluminum alloy which have several notch-aspect ratios a0/c0 and notch thickness ratio a/t with semi-elliptical surface cracks. Tests were conducted in la b air for stress levels of 50 % of their yield strength. Experiments were carried out for various notch to thickness ratios. Crack growth rates of test specimens both in surface and depth directions were determined by using die penetration method. Fuzzy Logic method was used to predict the deep direction crack growth because the dept of the crack is considerably difficult to measure.Keywords: Axial fatigue, Crack growth rate, surface crack, Al-Mg alloy.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 16641549 Salicylhydroxamic Acid Inhibits the Growth of Candida albicans
Authors: Shu-Ying Marissa Pang, Stephen Tristram, Simon Brown
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Candida spp. are common and aggressive pathogens. Because of the growing resistance of Candida spp. to current antifungals, novel targets, found in Candida spp. but not in humans or other flora, have to be identified. The alternative oxidase (AOX) is one such possibility. This enzyme is insensitive to cyanide, but is sensitive to compounds such as salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM), disulfiram and n-alkyl gallates. The growth Candida albicans was inhibited by SHAM (Ki = 9-15 mM) and cyanide (Ki = 2-4 mM), albeit to differing extents. The rate of O2 uptake was inhibited by less than 10% by 25 mM SHAM and by about 90% by 250 μM KCN. Although SHAM substantially inhibited the growth of C. albicans, it is unlikely that the inhibition of AOX was the cause. Salicylhydroxamic acid is used therapeutically in the treatment of urinary tract infections and urolithiasis, but it also has some potential in the treatment of C. albicans infection.Keywords: alternative oxidase, Candida albicans, growth, respiration, salicylhydroxamic acid.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 25811548 Effect of Different BER Performance Comparison of MAP and ML Detection
Authors: Naveed Ur Rehman, Rehan Jamil, Irfan Jamil
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In this paper, we regard as a coded transmission over a frequency-selective channel. We plan to study analytically the convergence of the turbo-detector using a maximum a posteriori (MAP) equalizer and a MAP decoder. We demonstrate that the densities of the maximum likelihood (ML) exchanged during the iterations are e-symmetric and output-symmetric. Under the Gaussian approximation, this property allows to execute a one-dimensional scrutiny of the turbo-detector. By deriving the analytical terminology of the ML distributions under the Gaussian approximation, we confirm that the bit error rate (BER) performance of the turbo-detector converges to the BER performance of the coded additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel at high signal to noise ratio (SNR), for any frequency selective channel.
Keywords: MAP, ML, SNR, Decoder, BER, Coded transmission.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 22431547 Analysis of Classifications of Unsolicited Bulk Emails
Authors: Jatinderkumar R. Saini, Apurva A. Desai
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In recent times, the problem of Unsolicited Bulk Email (UBE) or commonly known as Spam Email, has increased at a tremendous growth rate. We present an analysis of survey based on classifications of UBE in various research works. There are many research instances for classification between spam and non-spam emails but very few research instances are available for classification of spam emails, per se. This paper does not intend to assert some UBE classification to be better than the others nor does it propose any new classification but it bemoans the lack of harmony on number and definition of categories proposed by different researchers. The paper also elaborates on factors like intent of spammer, content of UBE and ambiguity in different categories as proposed in related research works of classifications of UBE.Keywords: E-mail, Scams, Spam Email, Unsolicited Bulk Email(UBE)
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 17101546 Factors Affecting Aluminum Dissolve from Acidified Water Purification Sludge
Authors: Wen Po Cheng, Chi Hua Fu, Ping Hung Chen, Ruey Fang Yu
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Recovering resources from water purification sludge (WPS) have been gradually stipulated in environmental protection laws and regulations in many nations. Hence, reusing the WPS is becoming an important topic, and recovering alum from WPS is one of the many practical alternatives. Most previous research efforts have been conducted on studying the amphoteric characteristic of aluminum hydroxide for investigating the optimum pH range to dissolve the Al(III) species from WPS, but it has been lack of reaction kinetics or mechanisms related discussion. Therefore, in this investigation, water purification sludge (WPS) solution was broken by ultrasound to make particle size of reactants smaller, specific surface area larger. According to the reaction kinetics, these phenomena let the dissolved aluminum salt quantity increased and the reaction rate go faster.Keywords: Aluminum, Acidification, Sludge, Recovery.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 17041545 Multiresolution Approach to Subpixel Registration by Linear Approximation of PSF
Authors: Erol Seke, Kemal Özkan
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Linear approximation of point spread function (PSF) is a new method for determining subpixel translations between images. The problem with the actual algorithm is the inability of determining translations larger than 1 pixel. In this paper a multiresolution technique is proposed to deal with the problem. Its performance is evaluated by comparison with two other well known registration method. In the proposed technique the images are downsampled in order to have a wider view. Progressively decreasing the downsampling rate up to the initial resolution and using linear approximation technique at each step, the algorithm is able to determine translations of several pixels in subpixel levels.
Keywords: Point Spread Function, Subpixel translation, Superresolution, Multiresolution approach.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 16491544 Contribution of Root Respiration to Soil Respiration in Sugarcane Plantation in Thailand
Authors: Wilaiwan Sornpoon, Sebastien Bonnet, Poonpipope Kasemsap, Savitri Garivait
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The understanding on the contribution of root respiration to total soil respiration is still very limited, especially for sugarcane. In this study, trenching experiments in sugarcane plantations were conducted to separate and investigate soil respiration for this crop. The measurements were performed for the whole growing period of 344 days to quantify root respiration. The obtained monitoring data showed that the respiration rate is increasing with the age of the plant, accounting for up to 29% of the total soil respiration before harvesting. The root to soil respiration ratio increased rapidly during the young seedling stage, i.e. first five months, then declined and finally got stabilized during yield formation and ripening stages, respectively. In addition, the results from the measurements confirmed that soil respiration was positively correlated with soil moisture content.
Keywords: Soil respiration, root respiration, trenching experiment, sugarcane.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 19011543 Recent Trends in Nonlinear Methods of HRV Analysis: A Review
Authors: Ramesh K. Sunkaria
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The linear methods of heart rate variability analysis such as non-parametric (e.g. fast Fourier transform analysis) and parametric methods (e.g. autoregressive modeling) has become an established non-invasive tool for marking the cardiac health, but their sensitivity and specificity were found to be lower than expected with positive predictive value <30%. This may be due to considering the RR-interval series as stationary and re-sampling them prior to their use for analysis, whereas actually it is not. This paper reviews the non-linear methods of HRV analysis such as correlation dimension, largest Lyupnov exponent, power law slope, fractal analysis, detrended fluctuation analysis, complexity measure etc. which are currently becoming popular as these uses the actual RR-interval series. These methods are expected to highly accurate cardiac health prognosis.Keywords: chaos, nonlinear dynamics, sample entropy, approximate entropy, detrended fluctuation analysis.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 23371542 FPGA Implement of a Vision Based Lane Departure Warning System
Authors: Yu Ren Lin, Yi Feng Su
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Using vision based solution in intelligent vehicle application often needs large memory to handle video stream and image process which increase complexity of hardware and software. In this paper, we present a FPGA implement of a vision based lane departure warning system. By taking frame of videos, the line gradient of line is estimated and the lane marks are found. By analysis the position of lane mark, departure of vehicle will be detected in time. This idea has been implemented in Xilinx Spartan6 FPGA. The lane departure warning system used 39% logic resources and no memory of the device. The average availability is 92.5%. The frame rate is more than 30 frames per second (fps).
Keywords: Lane departure warning system, image, FPGA.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 20631541 An Online Evaluation of Operating Reserve for System Security
Authors: Le-Ren Chang-Chien, Yin-Juin Lin, Chin-Chung Wu
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Utilities use operating reserve for frequency regulation.To ensure that the operating frequency and system security are well maintained, the operating grid codes always specify that the reserve quantity and response rate should meet some prescribed levels. This paper proposes a methodology to evaluate system's contingency reserve for an isolated power network. With the presented algorithm to estimate system's frequency response characteristic, an online allocation of contingency reserve would be feasible to meet the grid codes for contingency operation. Test results from the simulated conditions, and from the actual operating data verify the merits of the proposed methodology to system's frequency control, and security.
Keywords: Contingency, frequency control, operating reserve.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 16381540 Bioprophylaxis of Saprolegniasis in Incubated Clarias gariepinus Eggs Using Pyocyanin Extracted from Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: G. A. Oladosu, P. O. Ogbodogbo, C. I. Makinde, M. O. Tijani, O. A. Adegboyega
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Saprolegniasis is a major pathogenic infection that contributes significantly to poor hatching rates in incubated fish eggs in the African catfish hatchery in Nigeria. Malachite green, known to be very effective against this condition, has been banned because it is carcinogenic. There is therefore the need for other effective, yet safer method of controlling saprolegniasis in incubated fish eggs. A total of 50 ml crude, chloroform extract of pyocyanin from which solvent was removed to attain 30 ml, having a concentration of 12.16 ug/ml was produced from 700 ml broth culture of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from a previous study. In vitro susceptibility of the fungus was investigated by exposing fungal infected eggs to two different time-concentration ratios of pyocyanin; 0.275 ug/ml and 2.75 ug/ml for 1 and 24 h, and 5 mg/L malachite green as positive control while normal saline was the control. Efficacy of pyocyanin was evaluated using the degree of mycelial growth inhibition in the different treatments. Fertilized Clarias gariepinus eggs (between 45 to 64 eggs) were then incubated in 20 ml of medium containing the similar concentrations of pyocyanin and malachite green, with freshwater as control for 24 hours. Hatching rates of the incubated eggs were observed. Three samples of un-hatched eggs were taken from each medium and observed for the presence of fungal pathogens using microscopy. Another batch of three samples of un-hatched eggs from each treatment was also inoculated on Sabourand dextrose agar (SDA) using Egg-Agar Transfer technique to observe for fungal growth. Mycelial growth was inhibited in fungal infected eggs treated with 2.75 ug/ml for 24 h and the 5 mg/L malachite green for both 1 h and 24 h. The mortality rate was 100% in fertilized C. gariepinus eggs exposed for 24 h to 0.275 and 2.75 ug/ml of pyocyanin. The mortality rate was least in the malachite green followed by the control treatment. Embryonic development was observed to be arrested in the eggs treated with the two pyocyanin concentrations as they maintain their color but showed no development beyond the gastrula stage, whereas viable eggs in the control and malachite green treatments developed fully into healthy hatchlings. Furthermore, microscopy of the un-hatched eggs revealed the presence of a protozoan ciliate; Colpidium sp. (Tetrahymenidae), as well as a pathogenic fungus; Saprolegnia sp. in the control, but not in the malachite green and pyocyanin treatments. Growth of Saprolegnia sp. was also observed in SDA culture of un-hatched eggs from the control, but not from pyocyanin and malachite green treated eggs. Pyocyanin treatment of incubated eggs of Clarias gariepinus effectively prevented fungal infection in the eggs, but also arrested the development of the embryo. Therefore, crude chloroform extract of pyocyanin from Pseudomonas aeruginosa cannot be used in the control of Saprolegniasis in incubated Clarias gariepinus eggs at the concentration and duration tested in this study.
Keywords: African catfish, bioprophylaxis, embryo, saprolegniasis.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 4041539 Automatic Generation Control of an Interconnected Power System with Capacitive Energy Storage
Authors: Rajesh Joseph Abraham, D. Das, Amit Patra
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This paper is concerned with the application of small rating Capacitive Energy Storage units for the improvement of Automatic Generation Control of a multiunit multiarea power system. Generation Rate Constraints are also considered in the investigations. Integral Squared Error technique is used to obtain the optimal integral gain settings by minimizing a quadratic performance index. Simulation studies reveal that with CES units, the deviations in area frequencies and inter-area tie-power are considerably improved in terms of peak deviations and settling time as compared to that obtained without CES units.Keywords: Automatic Generation Control, Capacitive EnergyStorage, Integral Squared Error.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 27831538 A Review of Survey Methodology Employedin IT Outsourcing
Authors: B. Terzioglu, E.S.K. Chan
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The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview on methodological aspects of the information technology outsourcing (ITO) surveys, in an attempt to improve the data quality and reporting in survey research. It is based on a review of thirty articles on ITO surveys and focuses on two commonly explored dimensions of ITO, namely what are outsourced and why should there be ITO. This study highlights weaknesses in ITO surveys including lack of a clear definition of population, lack of information regarding the sampling method used, not citing the response rate, no information pertaining to pilot testing of survey instrument and absence of information on internal validity in the use or reporting of surveys. This study represents an attempt with a limited scope to point to shortfalls in the use survey methodology in ITO, and thus raise awareness among researchers in enhancing the reliability of survey findings.
Keywords: ITO, information technology outsourcing, survey methodology
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 18401537 Simulation Modeling of Manufacturing Systems for the Serial Route and the Parallel One
Authors: Tadeusz Witkowski, Paweł Antczak, Arkadiusz Antczak
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In the paper we discuss the influence of the route flexibility degree, the open rate of operations and the production type coefficient on makespan. The flexible job-open shop scheduling problem FJOSP (an extension of the classical job shop scheduling) is analyzed. For the analysis of the production process we used a hybrid heuristic of the GRASP (greedy randomized adaptive search procedure) with simulated annealing algorithm. Experiments with different levels of factors have been considered and compared. The GRASP+SA algorithm has been tested and illustrated with results for the serial route and the parallel one.Keywords: Makespan, open shop, route flexibility, serial and parallel route, simulation modeling, type of production.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1803