Determining the basic principles in managing project schedule for construction.

The application of the scheduling software has been quite popular in Malaysia recently. Planning software like Microsoft Project and Primavera had been used to develop the schedule for construction project for the purpose or project monitoring and control. Many clients organization have made the task to submit computer generated schedule as mandatory. However in real practice the schedule submitted has not been very useful for the client. In some instances the schedule has been ignored once submitted to the client. There are many problems associated to this situation. Among them is due to the absent of the standard guideline that can be used to manage the schedule itself. The contractor. Contractor has been prepared the schedule based on their own assumption and without much consideration for actual application for the project later. Therefore this short term research has been conducted with the main aim to develop such guideline. The methodology adopted for the study includes the interviews with panel of professional in construction and questionnaire survey. The development of the guideline is based on the feedback by the respondents of the questionnaires survey conducted. Prior to that, the research has also investigated the current state of arts of the scheduling practice in Malaysia and its limitation. The major finding of the research is the development of the guideline for managing the scheduling process. This guideline can be used by the major client to regulate the process of preparing, submission and updating the project progress. It is expected that this schedule can be improve further by improving its level of comprehensiveness

A text-linguistic approach to shifts in the translation of ideologically oriented texts from English to Arabic

Abstract unavailable please refer to PD

A New Digital Watermarking Algorithm Using Combination of Least Significant Bit (LSB) and Inverse Bit

In this paper, we introduce a new digital watermarking algorithm using least significant bit (LSB). LSB is used because of its little effect on the image. This new algorithm is using LSB by inversing the binary values of the watermark text and shifting the watermark according to the odd or even number of pixel coordinates of image before embedding the watermark. The proposed algorithm is flexible depending on the length of the watermark text. If the length of the watermark text is more than ((MxN)/8)-2 the proposed algorithm will also embed the extra of the watermark text in the second LSB. We compare our proposed algorithm with the 1-LSB algorithm and Lee's algorithm using Peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR). This new algorithm improved its quality of the watermarked image. We also attack the watermarked image by using cropping and adding noise and we got good results as well.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures and 4 tables; Journal of Computing, Volume 3, Issue 4, April 2011, ISSN 2151-961

Evaluating the impact of superconducting fault current limiters on distribution network protection schemes

Rising fault levels are becoming increasingly problematic in the UK distribution network, with large sections of the network operating near to its designed fault level capability. With the increase in penetration of distributed generation that is expected in the coming years, this situation is becoming more pressing. Traditional methods of dealing with the issue may not be appropriate - upgrading plant is expensive and disruptive, while network reconfiguration can compromise security of supply. Superconducting Fault Current Limiters (SFCLs) are emerging as a potential solution, with installations now taking place in several locations worldwide. The integration of an SFCL into a network involves a number of challenges, particularly concerning the coordination of protection systems. The operation of existing protection schemes may be compromised due to the increased resistance in the network during a fault (in the case of a resistive SFCL). Furthermore, the reduction in fault levels, although desirable, can have a detrimental impact on protection operating times. This paper will consider an existing medium voltage network in the UK, which incorporates distributed generation capacity. The performance of IDMT overcurrent and distance protection schemes will be examined when an SFCL is installed in this network. In particular, the increased operating time of overcurrent relays will be discussed along with grading implications. The impact on distance protection reach will also be examined. A variety of network operational scenarios including SFCL placement and fault conditions will be considered and compared. Recommendations will be made in terms of protection settings and SFCL placement in order to mitigate the aforementioned issues

Electroactive nanomaterials for environmental and pharmaceutical sensing

Sensing is an important emerging technology in the current industrial era. It covers a plethora of applications from medical personalized devices to aerospace oxygen level detectors. Of those applications, environmental and pharmaceutical sensors are significantly important. Specifically, electrochemical sensors are easy to use and develop besides being cost-effective and accurate. The work in this thesis concerns the development of two sensing platforms for the detection of Hg(II) as a water pollutant, and the detection of Lornoxicam (LOR) as a pharmaceutical compound. The materials fabricated were morphologically, structurally, and electrochemically characterized. They were also tested against their analytical targets in spiked and real sample media to ensure their utility, sensitivity and accuracy. The testing results were either in the sub-nano or the pico-molar levels, with high linear range. The materials were also examined to target the analyte species in separate and co-formulated media to assure their selectivity. Furthermore, the sensing platforms were repeatedly used to test their stability and reproducibility. Titania nanotubes/reduced graphene oxide (TNTs/RGO) showed an efficient sensibility of Hg(II) in the presence of Cu(II) and Mn(II) species with no significant interference for a wide range of concentrations. On the other hand, BaNb2O6 nanofibers showed an enhanced activity towards the electrocatalytic oxidation of Lornoxicam (LOR) and paracetamol (PAR), producing remarkably high oxidation currents. Wide linear dynamic ranges, high sensitivity, very low LOD, good reproducibility and repeatability, and high stability, together with simple procedures for surface modification and determination are the advantages of the prepared sensors

The Role of Emotional Marketing and eWOM in Sustaining Competitive Advantage in the Digital Era: A Dynamic Capabilities-Based Strategic Framework

Emotional marketing has become a paradigm shift for businesses' survival and success in today's competitive environment, as it enables them to build customer loyalty and increase sales. In today's digital age, electronic word of mouth (eWOM) is a potent tool that customers can use to communicate their emotions to a large audience. Thus, managing customer emotions can pay off handsomely for businesses, as eWOM can rapidly spread positive emotions to a large audience. However, the business environment of the twenty-first century is uncertain and complex, necessitating the development of dynamic capabilities to respond to impending change. This research combines three contemporary streams of thought, namely emotional marketing (as sensing capability), eWOM (as seizure capability), and dynamic capabilities (as to respond capability). As a result, the study develops a dynamic capabilities-based strategic framework that demonstrates the critical role of emotional marketing and eWOM in a firm's capability to sustain its competitive advantage in the digital era. Furthermore, the research suggests that the proposed EM-WOM-DC strategic framework for sustainable competitive advantage strengthens the relationship between emotional marketing and sustainable competitiveness and the relationship between eWOM and sustainable competitiveness

Ciri-Ciri Kesesuaian Tajuk Komunikasi dalam Pembangunan Modul Pengajaran Bahasa Arab: Suatu Analisis Laras Bahasa Komunikatif

Laras bahasa merupakan salah satu daripada cabang sosiolinguistik. Pemilihan laras bahasa komunikatif yang sesuai akan menjadikan modul pengajaran bahasa lebih bermakna. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui ciri-ciri tajuk komunikatif dan kesesuaian tajuk berdasarkan pendekatan komunikatif. Pendekatan kajian adalah menggunakan temu bual pakar sebagai kaedah utama dan disokong dengan kaedah pemerhatian bagi memperoleh data kajian. Sampel temu bual terdiri daripada 8 orang pensyarah pakar. Data dikodkan, dianalisis secara tematik dan dihuraikan secara deskriptif. Tema-tema yang dihasilkan adalah berdasarkan pengulangan elemen berdasarkan data verbatim yang diperoleh. Hasil kajian menunjukkan terdapat lima tema yang menjadi ciri-ciri penting dalam pemilihan tajuk komunikasi yang bersesuaian dengan laras bahasa komunikatif. Ciri-ciri tersebut ialah aktiviti seharian pelajar yang menepati konteks mereka, nama-nama lokasi dan tempat, aspek yang berkaitan dengan geografi dan alam semula jadi, aspek sosial pelajar dan budaya yang berkisar pada kehidupan pelajar. Justeru, dapatan tema-tema dalam kajian ini diharap dapat memberi panduan yang lebih terperinci kepada penggubal kurikulum bahasa Arab tentang tajuk-tajuk yang sesuai dengan bidang laras bahasa komunikatif untuk dimuatkan dalam buku teks bahasa Arab komunikasi. Selain itu, dapatan kajian ini juga diharap dapat mengukuhkan teori terdahulu bahawa pengaruh konteks sosio-budaya tempatan dalam teks pembelajaran Arab dapat meningkatkan minat kepada pelajar untuk belajar bahasa

Analytical Study of near Mobility Edge Density of States of Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon

Experimental results for the density of states of hydrogenated amorphous silicon due to Jackson et al near the valence and conduction band edges were analyzed using Levenberg-Marquardt nonlinear fitting method. It is found that the density of states of the valence band and the conduction band can be fitted to a simple power law, with a power index 0.60 near the valence band edge, and 0.55 near the conduction band edge. These results indicate a modest but noticeable deviation from the square root law (power index=0.5) which is found in crystalline semiconductors. Analysis of Jackson et al density of states integral J(E) data over about (1.4 eV) of photon energy range, showed a significant fit to a simple power law with a power index of 2.11 close to that predicted from the density of states fitting results 2.1

On the stability of an SIS epidemic model involving treatment

The objective of this paper is to study the stability of SIS epidemic model involving treatment. Two types of such eco-epidemiological models are introduced and analyzed. Boundedness of the system is established. The local and global dynamical behaviors are performed. The conditions of persistence of the models are derived. Keywords: prey-predator model, disease, stability analysis