In-Network Distributed Solar Current Prediction

Long-term sensor network deployments demand careful power management. While managing power requires understanding the amount of energy harvestable from the local environment, current solar prediction methods rely only on recent local history, which makes them susceptible to high variability. In this paper, we present a model and algorithms for distributed solar current prediction, based on multiple linear regression to predict future solar current based on local, in-situ climatic and solar measurements. These algorithms leverage spatial information from neighbors and adapt to the changing local conditions not captured by global climatic information. We implement these algorithms on our Fleck platform and run a 7-week-long experiment validating our work. In analyzing our results from this experiment, we determined that computing our model requires an increased energy expenditure of 4.5mJ over simpler models (on the order of 10^{-7}% of the harvested energy) to gain a prediction improvement of 39.7%.Comment: 28 pages, accepted at TOSN and awaiting publicatio

Intra-Sector Firm Performance and its Determinants in the UK Construction Industry

This thesis is a detailed quantitative investigation of intra-sector firm performance in the UK construction industry. Using the value-based model and creating a conceptual tool of assessment from it comprising nine determinants, the research applies this tool to the industry. Over two decades of firm performance data in the key sectors are analysed to answer the firm’s performance question. By doing so, the thesis for the first time combines the disciplines of strategy, economics and finance to analyse the intrasector firm performance question in UK construction. A panel-based ordinary least squares (OLS) regression is the main approach. However, corrections and adjustments are made for a range of likely econometric issues including heteroscedasticity, autocorrelation, multicollinearity and cointegration. A suite of five different advanced regressions including GLS random effects and maximum likelihood estimations are implemented to validate and corroborate the OLS results. In addition, three different regressions are performed in the sample simultaneously namely in the overall industry, the three key sectors in it and in a time-based pre- and post-credit crisis splicing. Robust evidence is found for each of the nine determinants and their varied influences on profits in the UK construction industry. Among the important findings here are: evidence for a liquidity-orientated business model in large tracts of the industry; a negative leverage impact on profits only among building sector firms; and a purely positive profits function among civil engineering firms. Based on these findings, firm managers in each sector of the industry are given specific recommendations including: to avoid debt in the buildings sector; to invest systematically in technology and capital assets in the civil engineering sector; and to focus on cost leadership in the specialist trades sector. The analysis also yields important policy insights for regulators and policy think tanks. Noteworthy here are tax-based incentives for inventory management in all sectors of the industry, a technology development institute for the firms in the industry and sector-specific regulatory guidelines for the firms in the buildings sector. The thesis expands the repertoire of creative solutions for the difficult intra-sector firm performance questions of this industry

In Vitro Tuberization and Quantitative Analysis of Colchicine Using Hptlc in Gloriosa Superba . L an Endangered Medicinal Plant of Pachamalai Hills, a Part of Eastern Ghats, Tamil Nadu.

Gloriosa superba. L has been a source of medicine right from ancient times. The tubers of this plant are sold in Indian herbal market as an important source of an alkaloid colchicine. Surface sterilized seeds of Gloriosa superba were soaked overnight in 1% GA3 on the next day seeds were planted on germinating media containing MS basal salts with 0.5 mg/l GA3 and 1.0 mg/l BA, 1% sucrose and 0.8% agar. 72.5% of seed germination was observed. The germinated seeds were transplanted on MS basal medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/l BAP, 0.05 mg/l GA3, 9.5 mg/l NAA and 6% sucrose which led to 90% tuber induction within 6 weeks of culture. Since there is a great demand of colchicine in the market, we have made an attempt to estimate the colchicine content in different parts of the plant like leaf, seed, pericarp, tuber and in vitro produced tuber using High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography, using a mixture of Ethyl acetate:Methanol (10:1.3 v/v) as mobile phase and precoated silica gel F254 TLC aluminium sheets as the stationary phase. The detection of spot was carried out at 350nm. The calibration curve was found to be linear between 100 to 600 ng/spot for colchicines. The results revealed that in vitro tuber had highest amount (0.14249%) of cochicine, followed by in vivo seed (0.10900%), tuber (0.05761%), leaves (0.46470%) and pericarp (0.04574%). The proposed method can be used to determine the colchicine content in Gloriosa superba

Design and implementation of a communicating method for WSN

The sensor nodes present in the wireless sensor networks are constrained of energy as they are powered with the help of battery. Deployment of the sensor nodes in the hostile environment makes it unfavorable for the people to change the battery of the senor nodes when it is expired. Due to the energy limitations there is a great need of providing any energy efficient way of communication for the wireless sensor networks. Several techniques of offering communications in a sensor network use the classical layered method that results in great overhead of the network and high energy consumption. It will be very better when a unified technique is present for converting the functions of common protocol to the cross layer method. A cross layer protocol is been implemented in this project to provide congestion control, better routing over the cross layers. This cross layer protocol is designed based on the initiative determination present in cross layer module. This method offers congestion control forwarding based on initiatives contention based on receivers and better communication between the sensor nodes of a wireless sensor network. The implementation of this initiative determination is very easy as it just involves the comparison with the threshold values. Through this cross layer protocol the functions of each layer can be combined very easily .The performance of this cross layer protocol is also identified in this project. Through this cross layer protocol better communications can be provided between the sensor nodes of a wireless sensor networks and also is far better than the classic layered protocols with respect to the energy consumption and network performance

University degrees and the workplace: A tracer survey of a cohort of twenty-six bachelor of primary education graduates of the University of Botswana

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences School of Education 0311556x [email protected] study primarily aimed to find out how university degrees influence career paths and workplace practices of the graduates. A tracer survey was carried out using the 1997 Bachelor (primary) of education graduates of the University of Botswana. Data was collected qualitatively using unstructured interviews and analysis of documents. A bachelor (primary) of education degree programme was introduced at university level to enhance professional practice in the workplace. However the degree seemed not to have achieved this. Instead it seemed to have led the pull out of teachers from their initial work setting in the primary department to other departments. This is due to the fact that degrees do different things that do not fall into university programme design. This is also due largely to the fact that when degrees are designed they do not take into account the complexity of the challenges and experiences that teachers are faced with in the workplace. In fact, some of the challenges and experiences have nothing to do with the qualifications conferred by the degree like salaries, personal interrelations, lack of promotion prospects and professional roles devalued. All these things push teachers to leave. Though some of the teachers may be competent enough in their jobs, they still need degrees to authenticate their profession. The study concludes that the BEd (primary) degree programme is not necessarily job related. Therefore the study strongly recommends that the BEd (primary) programme be reviewed thoroughly to ensure that it leads to professional development of teachers in primary schools