Application of Pattern Search Method to Power System Economic Load Dispatch

Direct Search (DS) methods are evolutionary algorithms used to solve constrained optimization problems. DS methods do not require information about the gradient of the objective function while searching for an optimum solution. One of such methods is Pattern Search (PS) algorithm. This study examines the usefulness of a constrained pattern search algorithm to solve well-known power system Economic Load Dispatch problem (ELD) with a valve-point effect. For illustrative purposes, the proposed PS technique has been applied to various test systems to validate its effectiveness. Furthermore, convergence characteristics and robustness of the proposed method have been assessed and investigated through comparison with results reported in literature. The outcome is very encouraging and suggests that pattern search (PS) may be very useful in solving power system economic load dispatch problems

Robust Botnet Detection Techniques for Mobile and Network Environments

Cybercrime costs large amounts of money and resources every year. This is because it is usually carried out using different methods and at different scales. The use of botnets is one of the most common successful cybercrime methods. A botnet is a group of devices that are used together to carry out malicious attacks (they are connected via a network). With the widespread usage of handheld devices such as smartphones and tablets, networked devices are no longer limited to personal computers and laptops. Therefore, the size of networks (and therefore botnets) can be large. This means it is not surprising for malicious users to target different types of devices and platforms as cyber-attack victims or use them to launch cyber-attacks. Thus, robust automatic methods of botnet detection on different platforms are required. This thesis addresses this problem by introducing robust methods for botnet family detection on Android devices as well as by generally analysing network traffic. As for botnet detection on Android, this thesis proposes an approach to identify botnet Android botnet apps by means of source code mining. The approach analyses the source code via reverse engineering and data mining techniques for several examples of malicious and non-malicious apps. Two methods are used to build datasets. In the first, text mining is performed on the source code and several datasets are constructed, and in the second, one dataset is created by extracting source code metrics using an open-source tool. Additionally, this thesis introduces a novel transfer learning approach for the detection of botnet families by means of network traffic analysis. This approach is a key contribution to knowledge because it adds insight into how similar instances can exist in datasets that belong to different botnet families and that these instances can be leveraged to enhance model quality (especially for botnet families with small datasets). This novel approach is denoted Similarity Based Instance Transfer, or SBIT. Furthermore, the thesis presents a proposed extended version designed to overcome a weakness in the original algorithm. The extended version is called CB-SBIT (Class Balanced Similarity Based Instance Transfer)

STUDY OF CHROMOSOME 11q22.2q22.3 FOR LINKAGE TO CLASS III MALOCCLUSION IN SOUTH AMERICANS

Class III malocclusion is one of the dentofacial deformities that represents a challenge for orthodontists in terms of treatment and prognosis. Due to its complexity and aesthetic involvement, a lot of research have been undertaken to understand the mechanisms underlying the development of this growth deformity. Several studies have suggested a strong genetic contribution in the formation of class III malocclusion. Previous studies have implicated a region on chromosome 11 (11q22.2-q22.3) that is linked with class III phenotype in a Hispanic cohort (Frazier-Bowers et al., 2009). To further investigate the region and find genes that might affect the incidence of class III malocclusion, Dr. Hartsfield and Dr. Lorri Ann Morford at the University of Kentucky have selected and genotyped 4 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; rs666723, rs578169, rs1386719 and rs12416856) within the 11q22.2-22.3 region on two multi-generational family-based cohorts from Brazil and Colombia for multipoint linkage analysis. The families in each cohort had a high prevalence of class III malocclusion; and varied greatly in the size, structure, and number of affected individuals. Class III affected and unaffected individuals were diagnosed based on cephalometric measurements, models, photographs and/or oral examination. Maximum maximized LOD score (MMLS) and multipoint heterogeneity LOD scores (HLODs) maximized over different levels of heterogeneity, and two genetic models (reduced penetrance dominant and recessive), were generated using SimWalk2. To estimate the empirical significance of these multipoint HLODs, 1000 replicates of unlinked genotype data based on real data pedigree structures, affection status and pattern of missing genotypes were simulated for the Brazilian and Colombian cohort using SLINK and SIMULATE respectively. These replicates were then analyzed using SimWalk2 with the original maximizing mode of inheritance. Power was estimated similarly for each cohort by generating 1000 replicates of pedigree data linked to the SNP with the highest HLOD. The corresponding cohort-specific mode of inheritance was used for the power simulation genetic parameters. For the Brazilian cohort, the MMLS was observed for rs12416856 at 191.6 cM (HLOD=1.84), under a recessive mode of inheritance. The empirical significance for this HLOD was a p-value <0.001 and the empirical type 1 error threshold for α=0.05, was an HLOD equal to 1.6. The power for suggestive linkage (HLOD≥2) was 80%. For the Colombian cohort, the maximum MMLS was observed for rs578169 at 188.4 cM (HLOD=0.51), under a recessive mode of inheritance. The empirical significance for this HLOD was a p-value of 0.023 and the empirical type 1 error threshold for α=0.05, was an HLOD equal to 1.5. These results support potential linkage on chromosome 11

The Impacts of Cognitive Style on School-Based Saudi Education Students' Problem Solving Ability in English Language

The purpose of this study is to find out how cognitive style and problem complexity affected the problem-solving abilities of school-based Saudi education students taking a Saudi power and technology class. The method of this research is the analytical method, through which statistical methods used in analyzing the research data of questionnaire study achieve the objectives of the research. Study tool, the research will use the electronic questionnaire form as a tool for the field study by preparing the questionnaire and its axes and phrases by using the theoretical framework of the study, previous studies related to the subject of the study. The five-degree Likert scale was used in answering the questions of the study tool. The sample was in total, 77 students volunteered to take part in the research. Sixty-eight of them finished the entire study and successfully detected the defect in their allocated. The research used the SPSS23 to analyze the data of questionnaire. The result indicated that there is a statistically significant impact of Cognitive Style on School-Based Saudi Education Students' Problem-Solving Ability in English language and the impact is positive. Keywords: Cognitive Style, Problem Complexity, Problem-Solving Ability, School-Based Education DOI: 10.7176/JEP/13-30-08 Publication date:October 31st 202

The impact of affirmative action policy on the employment of women in the private sector: the case of Saudi Arabia

The principal goal of Affirmative Action policy around the world is to equalise opportunities and to increase the share of employment for minority groups and females. The Saudi Arabian Affirmative Action is no exception; since 1985, it has been a crucial means of ensuring ‘fair participation’ in employment for Saudi citizens. This policy, known as ‘Saudisation’, aims to tackle labour market issues by replacing the high volume of foreign workers with Saudi nationals. However, one of the major criticisms of the policy has been its failure to increase the number of females in private sector employment. Women still comprise a very low proportion of this sector, compared to men. Nevertheless, some argue that the active role of ‘Saudisation’ has brought some positive changes, as some trends show that women’s share of employment in certain sectors, i.e. banking, has been rising significantly. Nevertheless, the lack of comprehensive data required to analyse the impact of such a policy on women’s employment has made it difficult to determine the extent of its effect. The role of Affirmative Action (Saudisation) in female employment in the private sector in past decades is at the core of the investigation in this study. Unlike former studies on this subject, this research attempts to investigate the long term effect of the policy by applying an event study uniquely suited to a historical exploration of this issue. This method examines variations during the period 1990 to 2014, in order to identify and evaluate the effectiveness of the policy in promoting fair employment for women across the private sector. This will be the first study to document broadly and comprehensively the long-term effect of Saudisation policy on the employment of females in the private sector

Does Affirmative Action affect intention to leave? The effect of perception of discrimination due to Affirmative Action policies on the intention to leave in a beneficiary group

Affirmative action policies are believed to have both positive and negative impacts on business. This paper takes a novel perspective to understand the negative impact of this policy on the organizational commitment and therefore the intention to leave (IL) on the part of native employees when they perceive unfair discrimination against expatriate employees. Based on analysis conducted by Structure Equation Modelling of answers from a sample of 440 employees in Saudi Arabia, the perception of affirmative action in an organization is found to affect the perception of discrimination (national, gender and religious) in it. The perception among nationals of discrimination is found to fully mediate the relationship between the perception of an organization’s affirmative action policy and organizational commitment (OC). Indeed, this OC fully mediates the perception of national discrimination and the intention to leave. Furthermore, the perception of negative discrimination based on gender and religion partially mediates the relationship between the perception of the affirmative action policy and the intention to leave among the beneficiary group

Saudi teachers’ and university students’ attitudes toward computing

Computer technology is an important tool that enhances people’s learning, improves their education and influences the development of society. There is considerable research in Western countries studying attitudes towards computers but few studies have been performed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Therefore, it is worth measuring students’ attitudes to computer use in KSA as, if students are able to develop a positive attitude towards this during their educational years, they will increase their learning and knowledge, their future work will benefit and in turn this will benefit the national economy. The aim of this study is to investigate the associations between Saudi University students’ knowledge of English, their gender, computer experience, parents’ encouragement of use computer usage, place of residence and general attitudes towards the use of computers in their daily life. The main contribution of this study is the investigation of the attitude of both teachers and students within different regions of Saudi Arabia, using a large quantitative data set triangulated with qualitative data. The results show that Saudi undergraduate students have a positive attitude toward computers, and there are no significant gender differences between male and female students in their attitudes. This study also suggests students in the capital city have a more positive attitude towards computer than students from small cities. There is also a strong relationship between attitudes towards computers and English language skills, computer experiences, parental encouragement and undergraduate students’ computer attitudes. A majority of Saudi students in the study don’t have access to computers at university, especially females. The qualitative study conducted with school teachers shows gender differences, with male teachers having a more positive attitudes towards computers, and more computer experience and skills. The evidence presented in this work suggests that the educational use of computing in KSA requires an increased availability of computers; provision of computer workshops for students and educators starting from early education; levels to higher education and encouragement of students to use computers in learning methods in order to be successful

The Changes In The Antioxidant Capacity Of Selected Tropical Fruits Upon Treatment With Gaseous Ozone And Ultraviolet C Radiation [T1-995].

Kandungan fenol dan kapasiti antioksidan bagi tiga jenis isi buah tropika iaitu nenas madu, pisang mas dan jambu batu tanpa biji Thai telah diuji. The phenol content and antioxidant capacity of three tropical fruits pulps, honey pineapple (Ananas comosus Merr), a local type of banana (Musa paradasiaca) locally called pisang mas, and Thai seedless guava (Psidium guajava L.) was studied