The Development of Color Based Visual Search Utility

During the past few years, much attention has been paid to manage the overwhelming accumulation of rich digital images. In order to improve the traditional text-based or (Structured-Query-Language) SQL-based databases, researches focused on accessing large image databases by the contents of images, such as colors, shapes, and textures. As a result, several content- based image searching systems or met hods were developed. In this thesis, the issue of color-based image search was addressed with special emphasis on color feature. An introduction to color perception, the theoretical foundations of the human image retrieving process, and the content-based image systems and their uses was presented. Several systems were developed. These systems modelled image data using features such as color, texture and shape. Such features are usually extracted from images and stored into database index. Color is one of the most recognisable features exercised by people for visual distinction. Based on observations on how humans measure the perceptual similarity of images, recent studies concluded that human beings have a limited color perception range. Expediting these conclusions, firstly, perceptual color palettes to be used as the perceptual threshold were defined. Secondly, the color algorithm was developed to interpret natural expressions of content such as 10%, 20%, etc. The database-indexing algorithm designed to be independent to the database. Finally, a binary search algorithm was used to match and display images requested. This approach is unique because it is based on hybrid approach to the color based image search. This developed system can be used for any real-world online database. The system was implemented using Microsoft Visual C++ programming language and HTML. Using 200 images as an experimental database, results of the prototype software demonstrated the achievement of the perceptual concept in image content search

Development of Technology Transfer Model with Enabling Performance Factors for the Libyan Petroleum Industry

Technology Transfer (TT) is increasingly being used on petroleum industry. The evaluation of TT significant indicators and their effect on TT performance for Libyan petroleum industry were investigated. The study main objective is to develop a TT model for the Libyan oil industry with performance factors. This study defined four categories of enabling factors that could have an effect on the TT process and its results for the petroleum industry: TT support, TT infrastructure, industry learning capability, and TT environment. The resultant TT performance and the relationship between enabling and performance factor give the level of TT performance to local petroleum industry through the TT process. Realizing the study objective would require requesting the petroleum industry input through questionnaire surveys in pilot, main studies, and validated by case studies. For the main study, 300 questionnaire surveys were distributed and 205 were collected, offering a response rate of 68 per cent. Statistical analysis techniques, including, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were used to examine the survey data. Analysis resulted in a TT model encompassing three TT enabling factors, namely, government support, host characteristics, technology learning capability, and the resultant performance factor named TT performance. The baseline formulation for standardization of TT measurement in the petroleum industry was undertaken using series of measurements. Case studies from three Libyan companies involved with foreign partners were applied to validate the standardization. The study provided evidence that the UK is the leading petroleum investor in Libyan petroleum industry. However, at TT performance perspective, German and Italian corporations have the leading edge on TT petroleum projects. TT model was created to help both researchers and practitioners to understand the TT process in petroleum industry. The model provided an evident design on main variables influenced TT issues. The structural model consisted of four factors and five paths, representing the interrelationships between the four enabling and one outcome factor. Positively, the research results empirically validated that factors referring to technology learning capability, technology characteristics, and technology support could be incorporated to evaluate the TT performance

Modeling the technology transfer process in the petroleum industry: evidence from Libya

The purpose of this study was to propose a conceptual model for technology transfer (TT) that houses several factors. These factors are believed to influence the processes’ effectiveness and guide the TT performance. In addition, this study aimed to explore TT performance and the relationship between TT government support, infrastructure, TT environment, and TT learning capability. Oil production in Libya is dependent on foreign technology transferred into the country by foreign multinational petroleum companies. During the 1980s, the Libyan government launched a program of development known as “Libyanization” in the Libyan petroleum industry in an effort to create an absorptive capacity to acquire petroleum technology dominated by foreign companies. This study evaluates the level of technical change because of TT programs and the impact on knowledge and competitiveness performance of the Libyan petroleum industry. A questionnaire survey was administered to companies in the Libyan petroleum industry. There were 201 responses from industry professionals in the Libyan petroleum industry that were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM), exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). In addition, the significance of direct and indirect interrelationships between model factors was determined through SEM. A path model was estimated and specified to include three process enablers, namely government support, host characteristics, and learning technology capability, and one outcome factor named TT performance. The results suggested that government support factor (government support, laws and regulations, petroleum industry strategy, international quality standards, and information technology) and technology learning capability factor (i.e., supervision, adoption, teamwork, absorption, training, technology complexity, and industry knowledge) were determined to be the key predictors of TT performance to the host petroleum industry

New records of rare species in the Mediterranean Sea (October 2021)

This Collective Article presents information about 27 taxa belonging to five Phyla (one Ochrophyta, one Cnidaria, three Arthropoda, two Mollusca and twenty Chordata) and extending from the Western Mediterranean Sea to the Levantine Sea and theBlack Sea (Sea of Marmara). The new records were reported from 11 countries as follows: Algeria: occurrence of the Africanstriped grunt Parapristipoma octolineatum; Spain: new records of eight uncommon fish species (Gadella maraldi, Hypleurochilusbananensis, Lobotes surinamensis, Parapristipoma octolineatum, Selene dorsalis, Sphoeroides marmoratus, Tetragonuruscuvieri, and Trachyrincus scabrus) from the Spanish Mediterranean; Italy: new record of the football octopus Ocythoe tuberculatafrom the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea; a rare sighting of a juvenile phase of a moray eel of the genus Gymnothorax, tentativelyidentified as Gymnothorax cf. unicolor in the Ligurian Sea; first record of adult Facciola’s sorcerer Facciolella oxyrhynchus inthe Adriatic Sea; occurrence of the tope shark Galeorhinus galeus in the Northern Adriatic Sea; Libya: first confirmed recordof the pen shell Pinna rudis; first documented record of the palaemonid shrimp Brachycarpus biunguiculatus; first record of thefish Sudis hyalina; Malta: new records of Grant’s rockling, Gaidropsarus granti; multiple concomitant reports of the rare hydromedusanspecies Aequorea forskalea; Croatia: a record of the skipjack tuna Katsuwonus pelamis in the Southern Adriatic Sea;Albania: new record of the bigeye thresher shark Alopias superciliosus; Greece: confirmation of the rare brown alga Sargassumflavifolium occurrence in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea; first record of the scaleless dragonfish Bathophilus nigerrimus; Turkey:first occurrence of the calanoid copepod Pteriacartia josephinae in the Aegean Sea; first documented record of the Cremona’s seaslug Placida cremoniana for the easternmost Mediterranean Sea; new record of the yellow-headed goby Gobius xanthocephalusin the Sea of Marmara; Cyprus: first record of the Liechtenstein’s goby Corcyrogobius liechtensteini; an individual of the Yellowfintuna Thunnus albacares captured with handline by an artisanal fisher; Lebanon: an individual of the Black marlin Istiompaxindica captured in a gill ne

Mediterranean sharks and rays need action

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First occurrence of the needle-spined urchin Diadema setosum (Leske, 1778) (Echinodermata, Diadematidae) in the southern Mediterranean Sea

The first occurrence of Diadema setosum in the southern Mediterranean waters is recorded from the shores of Libya and Egypt, through the input by citizens' science. The expansion of this invasive sea urchin in the Mediterranean basin is briefly discussed

The effect of technology transfer factors on performance: an empirical study of Libyan petroleum industry

Problem statement: In Libya, like most petroleum producing countries, attempts began to develop the petroleum industry through several frames of Technology Transfer (TT). The realization of TT is progressively more forecasted with a starting point of essential factors mainly government support, Knowledge base, environment, Willingness to learn and anticipated to rely more on these factors further in the future. Approach: This study evaluated the degree of significance for the government support, knowledge base, environment and the willingness to learn after years of implementing industry standards, importing technology and training employees and joint ventures with advanced companies were applied to the Libyan petroleum industry. Results: The TT performance factor measurements were derived from a questionnaire survey conducted recently on the Libyan petroleum industry, which involved in TT process. With response rate of 68.35%, the findings showed that the TT performance correlates with the level of readiness of environment, knowledge base, willingness to learn factors and the influential role of government support factor in the Libyan petroleum industry. Conclusion: Hence, results implied or even established that successful performance of TT, which able to cultivate petroleum industry employees can provide a broader spectrum of benefits to the petroleum industry

Modeling technology transfer for petroleum industry in Libya: an overview

The purpose of this study was to review and criticize the accessible literature of technology transfer (TT). To reduce the literature to convenient proportions, the focus would be on literature on modeling of technology transfer in the diverse industry sectors. The foremost purpose of the paper was to put forward an appropriate conceptual TT model in the context of Libyan oil industry. Uncertainly, foreign companies operating in Libyan petroleum industry may possibly transfer technology provided certain conditions. However, imported petroleum technology might not essentially be transferred flawlessly. The paper begins by examining the factors accommodated in each model believed to influence the TT process effectiveness. Based on our review, the conceptual model derived to include key factors of TT to evaluate TT performance, and examine interrelations between TT government support, TT infrastructure, TT environment, and TT learning capability

New alien mediterranean biodiversity records (March 2020)

The current article presents 18 new records from seven Mediterranean countries. These records include one rhodophyte, four nudibranchs, two crustaceans, one stingray and 10 bony fishes. They are grouped by country as follows: Lebanon-first record of the Striped bass Morone saxatilis, the stingray Himantura leoparda, the Areolate grouper Epinephelus areolatus and the Spot-fin porcupinefish Diodon hystrix from various parts of the country; Turkey-first record of the invasive red alga Grateloupia turuturu from the sea of Marmara (region of Bandirma), the sea slug Goniobranchus obsoletus and the crab Arcania brevifrons from the Gulf of Antalya and the cladoceran Pleopis schmackeri from several locations along the Aegean Sea; Cyprus-first record of the alien sea slug Berthellina citrina from the region of Cape Greco and an observation of a butterflyfish Heniochus sp. from the northeastern side of the island; Greece-first record of the alien sea slug Anteaeolidiella lurana from the region of Heraklion in Crete and the record of the Atlantic spadefish Chaetodipterus faber and the Black surgeonfish Acanthurus cfr gahhm from Salamina Island; Slovenia-first record of the alien sea slug Thecacera pennigera from Izola; Italy-first record of the hybrid Striped bass (Morone saxatilis x Morone chrysops) from the northern Tyrrhenian Sea and a first record of the goldfish Carassius auratus from the region of Apulia; Libya-first record of the Red Sea goatfish Parupeneus forsskali and the African surgeonfish Acanthurus monroviae, respectively from the eastern (Al-Tamimi area) and the western shore (Al-Khums area). © 2020 Hellenic Centre for Marine Research