Factors Affecting Variation In Levels Of Participation In Watershed Management Programs In Iran

This study was designed to determine the factors that affect variation of level of participation in Watershed Management Programs (WMP) in Iran. In this regard, a conceptual model was developed to: 1) identify characteristics that lead to the participation in WMP, and 2) determine the factors that affect variation of level of participation in WMP. In this study the relationship of five factors with level of participation were examined to provide the role of each factor in explaining the variation of level of participation in WMP. These factors were; 1) socio demographic characteristics of the respondents, 2) respondents knowledge of WMP, 3) respondents attitude toward WMP, 4) respondents expectations of WMP, and 5) respondents satisfaction of prior programs as independent variables and the level of participation as dependent variable.In order to achieve to this goal, a cross sectional survey was design and utilized. The data were gathered through personal interview by using a set of questionnaire. data were collected from two hundred respondents which were randomly selected from three villages in Hable-Rud basin in Iran. Descriptive analysis, factor analysis, Pearson product moment correlation, one way analysis of variance and multiple regressions were employed for analyzing data in this study

Development of a Ceramic Foam Filter for Filtering Molten Aluminum Alloy in Casting Processes

Metal casting component are found in 90 percent of manufactured goods and equipment, from critical components for aircraft and automotive industry to home applications. However, molten metal used to produce metal casting in practice generally contains impurities and inclusions which are deleterious to final cast metal product. Currently, filtration technique by using ceramic foam filter has been accepted as a successful method of reducing inclusions from molten metal during the casting of metal parts. The present research has been done to fabricate and improve a ceramic foam filter for using in filtration of molten metal, especially aluminium based alloys. It is an objective of the present innovation to provide a ceramic foam filter characterized by cost of raw materials. Ceramic foam filters are produced by impregnating polyurethane foam with ceramic slurry, drying, baking and finally firing the foam in the oven. Experimental tests were carried out to the filters to measure dimensions, weight, cold compression strength, and permeability properties before pouring process. After pouring process, the filter was cut into several sections to measure the macro and microstructure of the filter and ensure that impurity particles captured by a filter. Thermal shock properties, obtained from pouring liquid aluminium when filter was placed in the gating system to ensure that the filters could withstand temperatures of aluminium alloys. Further experiments were carried out to investigate and determine the efficiency of produced ceramic foam filter on quality of cast products. The result obtained in this investigation, the mechanical properties for aluminum LM6 alloy sand casting increased when ceramic foam filter was inserted into the gating system. A produced filter by using new materials is economical to be produced. Further more, the analysis data shows present innovation filter which can be made in any shape and size, has excellent thermal shock resistance, adequate compressive strength, acceptable density and permeability properties

A New Prototype for Intelligent Visual Fraud Detection in Agent-Based Auditing Framework

While US. Sarbanes Oxley act has been viewed by most as an onerous and expensive requirement; it is having a positive impact on driving appropriate levels of investment in IT security, controls, and transactional systems. This paper introduces a new secure solution for auditing and accounting based on artificial intelligence technology. These days, security is a big issue among regulatory firms. Big companies are concerned about their data to be disseminated to their competitors; this high risk prevents them to provide full information to the regulatory firms. This solution not only significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access to the company’s information but also facilitate a framework for controlling the flow of disseminating information in a risk free method. Managing security is performed by a network of mobile agents in a pyramid structure among regulatory organization like securities and exchanges commissions, stock exchanges in top of this pyramid to the companies in the button. Because of security considerations, our strategy is to delegate all fraud detection algorithms to Intelligent Mobile Auditing Agent and web service undertake all inter communicational activity. Web services can follow auditing actives in predefined framework and they can act based on permitted security allowance to auditors. The current solution is designed based on Java-based mobile agents. Such design reaps strong mobility and security benefits. This new prototyped solution could be a framework for strengthening security for future development in this area. An insider trading case study is used to demonstrate and evaluate the approach