A Petri Nets-based Scheduling Methodology forMultipurpose Batch Plants.

This article presents an optimization methodology of batch production processes assembled by shared resources which rely on a mapping of state-events into time-events allowing in this way the straightforward use of a well consolidated scheduling policies developed for manufacturing systems. A technique to generate the timed Petri net representation from a continuous dynamic representation (Differential-Algebraic Equations systems (DAEs)) of the production system is presented together with the main characteristics of a Petri nets-based tool implemented for optimization purposes. This paper describes also how the implemented tool generates the coverability tree and how it can be pruned by a general purpose heuristic. An example of a distillation process with two shared batch resources is used to illustrate the optimization methodology proposed

The Awqaf Sector in Algeria from the Ottoman Era to Post-Independence: Obstacles and Requirements for Development

This study seeks to explain the Awqaf sector in Algeria from a historical view and to show the Algerian protection of Awqaf properties, in addition, to discussing the obstacles facing Awqaf in Algeria and the requirements that must be introduced for development and improvement. This paper adopts an analysis based on Algerian laws. It studies the steps to be followed to avoid the obstacles that prevent the development of the Awqaf sector in Algeria. The results show that taking a set of reform measures in the Awqaf sector in Algeria can activate its positive role in various aspects of life

Immunothérapie du cancer : espoirs et réalités

Au cours des deux dernières décennies, l’immunologie des tumeurs a connu un réel bouleversement et un foisonnement de découvertes fondamentales qui se sont traduites en applications cliniques. On peut notamment citer l’identification des antigènes de rejet tumoral et des fondements moléculaires et cellulaires de l’immunogénicité et de la tolérance, la connaissance fine de l’immunité innée, l’élucidation de la biologie des cellules dendritiques et une certaine compréhension des mécanismes d’échappement tumoral à l’immuno-surveillance. Ainsi, l’émergence de nouveaux concepts a fait de l’immunothérapie une quatrième modalité de traitement du cancer après les traitements conventionnels. Les acquis fondamentaux ont facilité la reconceptualisation de l’immunothérapie du cancer, qui a connu un élan majeur en devenant de plus en plus spécifique : au cours des dernières années, l’immunothérapie non spécifique, fondée sur le dopage non spécifique du système immunitaire du patient, a laissé place aux approches vaccinales antitumorales peptidiques et cellulaires. Malgré des résultats encourageants obtenus à partir des modèles expérimentaux et des résultats, certes modestes, obtenus chez les patients, plusieurs obstacles inhérents persistent, notamment celui du décryptage du conflit entre le système immunitaire et le micro-environnement tumoral.The notion that the immune system regulates cancer development is now well established. An overwhelming amount of data from animal models, together with compelling data from human patients, indicate that the immune system is instrumental in scanning and irradicating tumors. Analysis of individuals with congenital or acquired immunodeficiencies or patients undergoing immunosuppressive therapy has documented a highly elevated incidence of virally induced malignancies and cancers compared with immunocompetent individuals [1-3]. During the last decade, thanks to the breakthoughts in understanding the molecular mechanisms responsible for immune activation, the tumor antigen identification, the dendritic cell biology, the immunogenecity of tumors, the immune escape mechanisms, the host-tumor relationship, we are facing a new area of tumor immunotherapy. The basic advances were translated in therapeutical applications and have changed the view of immunotherapy from "a dream scenario" to a clinical fourth modality to cancer treatments. Multiple cancer trials using active immunization with vaccines or adoptive immunotherapy have been conducted with only very limited success. There are still a number of issues that still need to be resolved including a better understanding of immune escape mechanisms. Cancer vaccines continue to be evaluated and may lead to the emergence of clinically useful new treatments. A comprehensive approach to define the intricate molecular program initiated by tumor cells to resist to escape and the immune system of the host may help in breaking down the barriers to a more adapted cancer immunotherapy

Sizing and Optimization for Hybrid Central in South Algeria Based on Three Different Generators

In this paper, we will size an optimum hybrid central content three different generators, two on renewable energy (solar photovoltaic and wind power) and two nonrenewable (diesel generator and storage system) because the new central generator has started to consider the green power technology in order for best future to the world, this central will use all the green power resource available and distributes energy to a small isolated village in southwest of Algeria named “Timiaouine”. The consumption of this village estimated with detailed in two season; season low consumption (winter) and high consumption (summer), the hybrid central will be optimized by program Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewable (HOMER PRO), this program will simulate in two configuration, the first with storage system, the second without storage system and in the end the program HOMER PRO will choose the best configuration which is the mixture of both economic and ecologic configurations, this central warrants the energetic continuity of village.Article History: Received May 18th 2017; Received in revised form July 17th 2017; Accepted Sept 3rd 2017; Available onlineHow to Cite This Article: Ammari, C., Hamouda,M., and Makhloufi,S. (2017) Sizing and Optimization for Hybrid Central in South Algeria Based on Three Different Generators. International Journal of Renewable Energy Development, 6(3), 263-272.http://doi.org/10.14710/ijred.6.3.263-27

Robust Low-Cost Multiple Antenna Processing for V2V Communication

Cooperative V2V communication with frequent, periodic broadcast of messages between vehicles is a key enabler of applications that increase traffic safety and traffic efficiency on roads. Such broadcast V2V communication requires an antenna system with omnidirectional coverage, which is difficult to achieve using a single antenna element. For a mounted, omnidirectional antenna on a vehicle is distorted by the vehicle body, and exhibits a nonuniform directional pattern with low gain in certain directions. The thesis addresses this problem by developing schemes that employ multiple antennas (MAs) to achieve an effective radiation pattern with omnidirectional characteristics at both the transmit- and the receive-side. To ensure robust communication, the MA schemes are designed to minimize the burst error probability of several consecutive status messages in a scarce multipath environment with a dominant path between vehicles.First, at the receive-side, we develop a hybrid analog-digital antenna combiner. The analog part of the combiner is composed of low-cost analog combining networks (ACNs) of phase shifters that do not depend on channel stateinformation (CSI), while the digital part uses maximal ratio combining. We show that the optimal phase slopes of the analog part of the combiner (i.e., the phase slopes that minimize the burst error probability) are the same found under the optimization of a single ACN, which was done in earlier work. We then show how directional antennas can be employed in this context to achieve an effective omnidirectional radiation pattern of the antenna system that is robust in all directions of arrival of received signals.Secondly, at the transmit-side, we develop two low-cost analog MA schemes, an analog beamforming network (ABN) of phase shifters, and an antenna switching network (ASN), for the case when receivers employ the ACN or the hybrid combiner. Both schemes are shown to achieve an effective radiation pattern with improved omnidirectional characteristics at the transmit-side without relying on CSI.Thirdly, the schemes above were developed assuming that all vehicles broadcast their messages with the same fixed period. Therefore, we tackle the practical scenario when different vehicles use different and potentially varying broadcast periods. We show that the phase slopes of the MA schemes at the receiver and/or transmitter can be designed to support multiple broadcast periods.\ua0Lastly, the optimal phase slopes of the MA schemes were analytically derived under a worst-case propagation corresponding to a dominant path with an angle of departure, and an angle of arrival that are approximately non-varying over the time it takes to transmit and receive several packets. We relax this assumption and study the system performance under a time-varying dominant component instead. We derive a design rule that yields robust phase slopes that effectively mitigate the losses due to the time-variation of the dominant path

Understanding the cultural landscape value of traditional agrarian landscapes of African Sahara Desert: The case of Timimoun, Algeria

In 1992, the World Heritage Convention became the first international legal instrument recognize cultural landscapes as a human heritage that must be protected.  The Cultural Landscape - Past, Present and Future considers different aspects of man's intervention with natural vegetation and the landscape resulting from a long equilibrium of co-existence. These landscapes are not stable, and the recent and ever accelerating changes in technology and life-style have increasingly affected many ancient landscapes, as old land-use practices are abandoned and traditions forgotten.(Birks et al., 1988) Human communities in desert areas formed a special landscape, providing these cultural landscapes within a special ecosystem of sustainable living conditions, which helped to create many social, economic, and cultural systems in addition to preserving biodiversity.  Unfortunately, the cultural landscape in the African desert is constantly deteriorating under the influence of urban, economic, and social changes. In the southern Algerian Timimoun city of is one of the most important global desert touristic destination due to the natural cultural landscape characterizes it, but unfortunately this landscape in continuous deterioration. Agricultural landscapes of desert environment, with its remarkable knowledge culture and world of practices, must be seen as a living library where this knowledge is transferred from generation to generation. It seems certain that we will need more of the know-how stored in this living library in the near future, especially considering the effects of climate change we are experiencing today. The paper aims to identification of cultural landscapes in the oasis and analyses transformation and change in cultural landscape and traditional green infrastructure elements by relying on a historical analysis of spatial images based on quantitative analysis using ArcGIS software with the aim of identifying the real reasons of this deterioration in the urban cultural landscape in desert cites we will propose an action strategy to prevent this degradation.    &nbsp

Experimental study of temperature effects on the photovoltaic solar panels performances in Algerian desert

Photovoltaic panels are operated in the Algerian desert areas under high temperatures, especially, in the summer, when the temperature may be reached 70°C on the panel's surface. The high temperature has a significant negative impact on the photovoltaic panels performance. In this paper, an experimental study to track the effects of temperature on the photovoltaic panels performances in different situations has been realized. The obtained results approve the importance of the temperature effects on the electrical power of the photovoltaic panel. The temperature increases lead to decreases in the performance of the panel, where an output power that does not exceed 52% of the nominal power at a high temperature