Using CORBA's advanced services to enhance the integrity of QoS management programmable networks

The development of wideband network services and the new network infrastructures to support them have placed much more requirements on current network management systems. Issues such as scalability, integrity and interoperability have become more important. Existing management systems are not flexible enough to support the provision of Quality of Service (QoS) in these dynamic environments. The concept of Programmable Networks has been proposed to address these requirements. Within this framework, CORBA is regarded as a middleware technology that can enable interoperation among the distributed entities founds in Programmable Networks. By using the basic CORBA environment in a heterogeneous network environment, a network manager is able to control remote Network Elements (NEs) in the same way it controls its local resources. Using this approach both the flexibility and intelligence of the overall network management can be improved. This paper proposes the use of two advanced features of CORBA to enhance the QoS management in a Programmable Network environment. The Transaction Service can be used to manage a set of tasks, whenever the management of elements in a network is correlated; and the Concurrency Service can be used to coordinate multiple accesses on the same network resources. It is also shown in this paper that proper use of CORBA can largely reduce the development and administration of network management applications.

Comparison of optimised isotherm models for basic dye adsorption by kudzu

This study assesses the use of dried (5% w/w moisture) kudzu (Peuraria lobata ohwi) as an adsorbent medium for the removal of two basic dyes, Basic Yellow 21 and Basic Red 22, from aqueous solutions. The extent of adsorption was measured through equilibrium sorption isotherms for the single component systems. Equilibrium was achieved after 21 days. The experimental isotherm data were analysed using Langmuir, Freundlich, Redlich-Peterson, Temkin and Toth isotherm equations. A detailed error analysis was undertaken to investigate the effect of using different error criteria for the determination of the single component isotherm parameters. The performance of the kudzu was compared with an activated carbon (Chemviron F-400). Kudzu was found to be an effective adsorbent for basic dye colour removal, though its capacity for colour removal was not as high as an activated carbon, the potential appeared to exist to use it as an alternative to activated carbon where carbon cost was prohibitive. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

On the Sphere Decoder for Frequency-Selective MIMO channels

This paper compares the complexity of the sphere decoder (SD) and a previously proposed detection scheme, denoted here as block SD (BSD), when they are applied to the detection of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems in frequency-selective channels. The complexity of both algorithms depends on their preprocessing and tree search stages. Although the BSD was proposed as a means of greatly reducing the complexity of the preprocessing stage of the SD, no study was done on how the complexity of the tree search stage could be affected by that reduced preprocessing stage. This paper shows, both analytically and through simulation, that the reduction in preprocessing complexity provided by the BSD has the side effect of increasing the complexity of its tree search stage compared to that of the SD, independent of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). In addition, this paper shows how sorting the columns of the frequency-selective channel matrix in the SD does not reduce the complexity of the tree search stage, contrary to what occurs in frequency-flat channels.

Presence of arsenic in agricultural products from arsenic-endemic areas and strategies to reduce arsenic intake in rural villages

About 100 million rural people in Asia are exposed to arsenic (As)-polluted drinking water and agricultural products. Total and inorganic arsenic (t-As and i-As) intake mainly depend on the quality of drinking and cooking waters, and amounts of seafood and rice consumed. The main problems occur in countries with poor water quality where the population depends on rice for their diet, and their t-As and i-As intake is high as a result of growing and cooking rice in contaminated water. Workable solutions to remove As from water and breeding rice cultivars with low As accumulation are being sought. In the meantime, simple recommendations for processing and cooking foods will help to reduce As intake. For instance, cooking using high volumes of As-free water may be a cheap way of reducing As exposure in rural populations. It is necessary to consider the effects of cooking and processing on t-As and i-As to obtain a realistic view of the risks associated with intake of As in Asendemic areas.

Investigation of an electron string ion source with field emission cathode

The string mode of operation for an electron beam ion source uses axially oscillating electrons in order to reduce power consumption, also simplifying the construction by omitting the collector with cooling requirements and has been called electron string ion source (ESIS). We have started a project (supported by INTAS and GSI) to use Schottky field emitting cathode tips for generating the electron string. The emission from these specially conditioned tips is higher by orders of magnitude than the focused Brillouin current density at magnetic fields of some Tesla and electron energies of some keV. This may avoid the observed instabilities in the transition from axially oscillating electrons to the string state of the electron plasma, opening a much wider field of possible operating parameters for an ESIS. Besides the presentation of the basic features, we emphasize in this paper a method to avoid damaging of the field, emission tip by backstreaming ions. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.

Assisted Diagnosis of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN)

This paper introduces an automated computer- assisted system for the diagnosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) using ultra-large cervical histological digital slides. The system contains two parts: the segmentation of squamous epithelium and the diagnosis of CIN. For the segmentation, to reduce processing time, a multiresolution method is developed. The squamous epithelium layer is first segmented at a low (2X) resolution. The boundaries are further fine tuned at a higher (20X) resolution. The block-based segmentation method uses robust texture feature vectors in combination with support vector machines (SVMs) to perform classification. Medical rules are finally applied. In testing, segmentation using 31 digital slides achieves 94.25% accuracy. For the diagnosis of CIN, changes in nuclei structure and morphology along lines perpendicular to the main axis of the squamous epithelium are quantified and classified. Using multi-category SVM, perpendicular lines are classified into Normal, CIN I, CIN II, and CIN III. The robustness of the system in term of regional diagnosis is measured against pathologists' diagnoses and inter-observer variability between two pathologists is considered. Initial results suggest that the system has potential as a tool both to assist in pathologists' diagnoses, and in training.

Transesterification of vegetable oils on basic large mesoporous alumina supported alkaline fluorides-Evidences of the nature of the active site and catalytic performances

KF, LiF and CsF/A(2)O(3) catalysts with different loadings from 1 to 20 wt% were prepared using aqueous solutions of the alkaline fluoride compounds by wet impregnation of basic mesoporous MSU-type alumina. The catalysts were activated under At at 400 degrees C for 2 h and monitored by in situ XRD measurements. The catalysts were also characterized using several techniques: N-2 adsorption/desorption isotherms at -196 degrees C, FTIR, DR-UV-vis, CO2-TPD, XRD, Al-27 CP/MAS NMR. These characterizations led to the conclusion that the deposition of alkaline fluorides on the alumina surface generates fluoroaluminates and aluminate species. The process is definitivated at 400 degrees C. The fluorine in these structures is less basic than in the parent fluorides, but the oxygen becomes more basic. The catalysts were tested for the transesterification of fatty esters under different experimental conditions using conventional heating, microwave and Ultrasound irradiation. Recycling experiments showed that these catalysts are stable for a limited number of cycles. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adsorption of basic dyes from aqueous solution onto activated carbons

The aim of this research is to compare the adsorption capacity of different types of activated carbons produced by steam activation in small laboratory scale and large industrial scale processes. Equilibrium behaviour of the activated carbons was investigated by performing batch adsorption experiments using bottle-point method. Basic dyes (methylene blue (MB), basic red (BR) and basic yellow (BY)) were used as adsorbates and the maximum adsorptive capacity was determined. Adsorption isotherm models, Langmuir, Freundlich and Redlich-Peterson were used to simulate the equilibrium data at different experimental parameters (pH and adsorbent particle size). It was found that PAC2 (activated carbon produced from New Zealand coal using steam activation) has the highest adsorptive capacity towards MB dye (588 mg/g) followed by F400 (476 mg/g) and PAC 1 (380 mg/g). BR and BY showed higher adsorptive affinity towards PAC2 and F400 than MB. Under comparable conditions, adsorption capacity of basic dyes, MB, BR and BY onto PAC 1, PAC2 and F400 increased in the order: MB <BR <BY. Redlich-Peterson model was found to describe the experimental data over the entire range of concentration under investigation. All the systems show favourable adsorption of the basic dyes with 0 <R-L <I (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Habitat for Humanity: Calibrating Best Practice Against the MDGs

Poverty alleviation lies at the heart of contemporary international initiatives on development. The key to development is the creation of an environment in which people can develop their potential, leading productive, creative lives in accordance with their needs, interests and faith. This entails, on the one hand, protecting the vulnerable from things that threaten their survival, such as inadequate nutrition, disease, conflict, natural disasters and the impact of climate change, thereby enhancing the poor’s capabilities to develop resilience in difficult conditions. On the other hand, it also requires a means of empowering the poor to act on their own behalf, as individuals and communities, to secure access to resources and the basic necessities of life such as water, food, shelter, sanitation, health and education. ‘Development’, from this perspective, seeks to address the sources of human insecurity, working towards ‘freedom from want, freedom from fear’ in ways that empower the vulnerable as agents of development (not passive recipients of benefaction).

Recognition of the magnitude of the problems confronted by the poor and failure of past interventions to tackle basic issues of human security led the United Nations (UN) in September 2000 to set out a range of ambitious, but clearly defined, development goals to be achieved by 2015. These are known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The intention of the UN was to mobilise multilateral international organisations, non-governmental organisations and the wider international community to focus attention on fulfilling earlier promises to combat global poverty. This international framework for development prioritises: the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger; achieving universal primary education; promoting gender equality and empowering women; reducing child mortality; improving maternal health; combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; ensuring environmental sustainability; and developing a global partnership for development. These goals have been mapped onto specific targets (18 in total) against which outcomes of associated development initiatives can be measured and the international community held to account. If the world achieves the MDGs, more than 500 million people will be lifted out of poverty. However, the challenges the goals represent are formidable. Interim reports on the initiative indicate a need to scale-up efforts and accelerate progress.
Only MDG 7, Target 11 explicitly identifies shelter as a priority, identifying the need to secure ‘by 2020 a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers’. This raises a question over how Habitat for Humanity’s commitment to tackling poverty housing fits within this broader international framework designed to allievate global poverty. From an analysis of HFH case studies, this report argues that the processes by which Habitat for Humanity tackles poverty housing directly engages with the agenda set by the MDGs. This should not be regarded as a beneficial by-product of the delivery of decent, affordable shelter, but rather understood in terms of the ways in which Habitat for Humanity has translated its mission and values into a participatory model that empowers individuals and communities to address the interdependencies between inadequate shelter and other sources of human insecurity. What housing can deliver is as important as what housing itself is.

Examples of the ways in which Habitat for Humanity projects engage with the MDG framework include the incorporation of sustainable livelihoods strategies, up-grading of basic infrastructure and promotion of models of good governance. This includes housing projects that have also offered training to young people in skills used in the construction industry, microfinanced loans for women to start up their own home-based businesses, and the provision of food gardens. These play an important role in lifting families out of poverty and ensuring the sustainability of HFH projects. Studies of the impact of improved shelter and security of livelihood upon family life and the welfare of children evidence higher rates of participation in education, more time dedicated to study and greater individual achievement. Habitat for Humanity projects also typically incorporate measures to up-grade the provision of basic sanitation facilities and supplies of safe, potable drinking water. These measures not only directly help reduce mortality rates (e.g. diarrheal diseases account for around 2 million deaths annually in children under 5), but also, when delivered through HFH project-related ‘community funds’, empower the poor to mobilise community resources, develop local leadership capacities and even secure de facto security of tenure from government authorities.

In the process of translating its mission and values into practical measures, HFH has developed a range of innovative practices that deliver much more than housing alone. The organisation’s participatory model enables both direct beneficiaries and the wider community to tackle the insecurities they face, unlocking latent skills and enterprise, building sustainable livelihood capabilities. HFH plays an important role as a catalyst for change, delivering through the vehicle of housing the means to address the primary causes of poverty itself. Its contribution to wider development priorities deserves better recognition. In calibrating the success of HFH projects in terms of units completed or renovated alone, the significance of the process by which HFH realises these outcomes is often not sufficiently acknowledged, both within the organisation and externally. As the case studies developed in the report illustrate, the methodologies Habitat for Humanity employs to address the issue of poverty housing within the developing world, place the organisation at the centre of a global strategic agenda to address the root causes of poverty through community empowerment and the transformation of structures of governance.

Given this, the global network of HFH affiliates constitutes a unique organisational framework to faciliate sharing resources, ideas and practical experience across a diverse range of cultural, political and institutional environments. This said, it is apparent that work needs to be done to better to faciliate the pooling of experience and lessons learnt from across its affiliates. Much is to be gained from learning from less successful projects, sharing innovative practices, identifying strategic partnerships with donors, other NGOs and CBOs, and engaging with the international development community on how housing fits within a broader agenda to alleviate poverty and promote good governance.

Filling Ability and Plastic Settlement of Self-Compacting Concrete

The use of self-compacting concrete (SCC) facilitates the placing of concrete by eliminating the need for compaction by vibration. Given the highly flowable nature of such concrete, care is required to ensure excellent filling ability and adequate stability. This is especially important in deep structural members and wall elements where concrete can block the flow, segregate and exhibit bleeding and settlement which can result in local defects that can reduce mechanical properties, durability and quality of surface finish. This paper shows results of an investigation of fresh properties of self-compacting concrete, such as filling ability measured by slump flow and flow time (measured by Orimet) and plastic fresh settlement measured in a column. The SCC mixes incorporated various combinations of fine inorganic powders and admixtures. The slump flow of all SCCs was greater than 580 mm and the time in which the slumping concrete reached 500 rnm was less than 3 s. The flow time was less than 5 s. The results on SCCs were compared to a control mix. The compressive strength and splitting tensile strength of SCCs were also measured. The effects of water/powder ratio, slump and nature of the sand on the fresh settlement were also evaluated. The volume of coarse aggregate and the dosage of superphsticizer were kept constant. It can be concluded that the settlement of fresh self-compacting concrete increased with the increase in water/powder ratio and slump. The nature of sand influenced the maximum settlement.