A modified symmetric local binary pattern for image features extraction

The process of identifying images and patterns is one of the most important processes of digital image processing, which is used in many applications such as fingerprint recognition, face recognition and pattern recognition. Due to the large size of the image, the process of identifying the image requires a great time, which in turn leads us to extract some characteristics of the magnitude of the volume, which can be used as an identifier to retrieve the image or recognize it and thus we have devoted a lot of time to identify the image. In this research paper, a modified symmetric local binary pattern (MSLBP) method was proposed to extract texture features. The proposed algorithm was implemented on many digital fingerprint’s images and the local structure features of these images were obtained. Several image recognition experiments are conducted on these features and compared with other algorithms. The results of the proposed algorithm showed that the digital image was represented in a very small size and furthermore the speed and accuracy of image recognition based on the proposed method was increased significantly. Unlike the methods based on LBP, the proposed method gives the same features of the image even if the image was rotated with any angle

The moderating roles of national culture and the country institutional profiles on the effect of market orientation and entrepreneurial orientation on the performance of banks in Jordan: An empirical investigation

The primary purpose of the study was to extend Jaworski and Kohli\u27s (1993) market orientation (MO) model in the banking industry of Jordan. Specifically, the study (1) added entrepreneurial orientation (EO) as a second mediating variable with market orientation, (2) incorporated national culture and country institutional profile as moderators on the performance effects of MO and EO, and (3) replicated other relationships in the market orientation model of Jaworski and Kohli in the banking industry of Jordan. These moderating variables explained some of the discrepancies in the direct performance effects of MO and EO observed in international contexts. To accomplish these objectives, the study used the following instruments: Jaworski and Kohli\u27s (1993) scales of market orientation, Coven and Slevin\u27s (1989) scales of entrepreneurial orientation, Hofstede\u27s (1980) scale of national culture, and Busenitz, Gomez, and Spencer\u27s (2000) scale of country institutional profiles. The past two decades have witnessed great interest into two critical strategic organizational practices, market orientation and entrepreneurial orientation, which can enhance an organization\u27s capabilities to manage its environment and to perform well. Central to the interest in market orientation and entrepreneurship is their potential influence on organizations\u27 performance. As discrepant evidence has started to accumulate about the direct performance effects of market and entrepreneurial orientations, researchers have begun to explore the roles of various contingency variables on the influence of both market orientation and entrepreneurship on performance. Two such contingency variables that are increasingly encountered by transnational and national organizations are national culture and country institutional profile. In this regard, research suggests that, while pursuing market orientation to enhance performance, marketing managers ought to take into account the effects of national culture and country institutional profiles. Likewise, research suggests that the cross-national variations in the success of entrepreneurial activities may be accounted for by the differences in national culture and country institutional profiles. A national sample of 950 branch managers and senior management members from 475 bank branches listed in The 2003 Banks and Finance Institutions Directory in Jordan, were participated in this study. Responses were received from 507 participants, yielding a response rate of 53%. A host of statistical techniques were employed to test the hypotheses. These techniques include explanatory alpha, rotation factors analysis, and multivariate regression analysis. The findings of the study were as follows: (1) market orientation as well as entrepreneurial orientation are in their initial stages in the banking industry in Jordan; (2) top management, organizational, and structural factors are significant determinants in the degrees of market orientation and entrepreneurial orientation; (3) there is a significant relationship between the degree of market orientation and entrepreneurial orientation in performance of banks in Jordan; (4) national cultural plays a limited role in moderating the effect of market orientation on performance of banks in Jordan, while national culture has no moderating role on the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and performance of banks in Jordan; (5) likewise, country institutional profiles have a significant moderating role on the linkage between market orientation and performance of banks in Jordan. However, country constitutional profiles play no moderating role on the effect of entrepreneurial orientation on performance of banks in Jordan. Policy implications of these findings along with contributions to marketing and entrepreneurial literature are discussed. Finally, suggestions for future research are also provided for practitioners and academicians

Development of an Ontology-based Framework and Tool for Employer Information Requirements (OntEIR)

The identification of proper requirements is a key factor for a successful construction project. Many attempts in the form of frameworks, models, and tools have been put forward to assist in identifying those requirements. In projects using Building Information Modelling (BIM), the Employer Information Requirements (EIR) is a fundamental ingredient in achieving a successful BIM project.As of April 2016, Building Information Modelling (BIM) was mandated for all UK government projects, as part of the Government Construction Strategy. This means that all central Government departments must only tender with suppliers that demonstrate their capability on working with the Level-2 BIM.One of the fundamental ingredients of achieving the BIM Level-2 is the provision of full and clear Employer Information Requirements (EIR). As defined by PAS 1192-2, EIR is a “pre- tender document that sets out the information to be delivered and the standards and processes to be adopted by the suppler as part of the project delivery process”. it also notes that “EIR should be incorporated into tender documentation to enable suppliers to produce an initial BIM Execution Plan (BEP)”.Effective definition of EIRs can contribute to better productivity; within the budget and time limit set and improve the quality of the built facility. Also, EIR contribute to the information clients get at the end of the project, which will enable the effective management and operation of the asset at less cost, in an industry, where typically 60% of the cost go towards maintenance and operation.The aim of this research is to develop a better approach, for producing a full and complete set of EIRs, which ensures that the clients information needs for the final model delivered by BIM be clearly defined from the very beginning of the BIM process. It also manages the collaboration between the different stakeholders of the project, which allows them to communicate and deliver to the client’s requirements. In other words, an EIR that manages the whole BIM process and the information delivered throughout its lifecycle, and the standards to be adopted by the suppliers as an essential ingredient for the success of a BIM project. For the research to be able to achieve the aims set and the formulated objectives, firstly a detailed and critical review on related work and issues was conducted. Then the initial design of the OntEIR Framework, which introduced the new categorisation system of the information requirements and the elicitation of requirements from high-level needs using ontology was presented. A research prototype of an online tool was developed as a proof-of- concept to implement and operationalise the research framework.The evaluation of the framework and prototype tool via interviews and questionnaires was conducted with both industry experts and inexperienced stakeholders. The findings indicateivthat the adoption of the framework and tool, in addition to the new categorisation system, could contribute towards effective and efficient development of EIRs that provide a better understanding of the information requirements as requested by BIM, and support the production of a complete BIM Execution Plan (BEP) and a Master Information Delivery Plan (MIDP)

A planar UWB semicircular-shaped monopole antenna with quadruple band notch for WiMAX, ARN, WLAN, and X-Band

This paper proposed quadruple notched frequency bands ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna. The antenna is a semicircular-shaped monopole type of a compact size 36x24 mm, covering frequency range of 3.02-14 GHz. Four rejected narrow bands including WiMAX (3.3-3.7GHz), ARN (4.2-4.5 GHz), WLAN (5.15-5.825GHz), X-Band (7.25-7.75) have been achieved using inserting slots techniques in the patch, feed line, and ground plane. The slots dimensions have been optimized for the required reject bands. The antenna design and analysis have been investigated by simulation study using CST-EM software package. The antenna characteristics including impedance bandwidth, surface current, gain, radiation efficiency, radiation pattern have been discussed

The Use of Expendable Local Zeolite Deposits for NH4 Removal in Municipal Wastewater

Zeolitic tuff from Al-Tafila area (southern Jordan) has been investigated and tested for its uptake of ammonium (NH4+) from treated domestic wastewater using pilot plant scale column system. The zeolitic volcanic tuff from Jabal Al-Ataita is mainly represented by vitric and vitric crystal tuff. In this zeolitic tuff deposits, a percentage of about (46-65%) of volcanic glass in the pyroclastic sequence has been replaced by zeolites. The main zeolite species identified in volcanic tuffs from Al-Ataita volcano is phillipsite. The removal experiments were carried out depending on size fraction and bed depth of the zeolitic tuff. The used wastewater was collected from the treated wastewater effluent from Al-Tafila wastewater treatment plant. Breakthrough curves were constructed to differentiate between the ammonium removal efficiency using different size cuts of zeolitic tuff. The ammonium ions were completely removed from (32 ppm NH4+) solution onto 40 g of zeolitic material in the first time of filtration. Natural zeolitic tuff of 0.55-0.710 mm size fraction showed the highest breakthrough point and exhaustion point. The results of the study suggests that the zeolitic tuff of Jabal Al-Ataita with a size fraction of (0.55-0.710 mm) can be used as a final stage (following the biological process) in wastewater treatment plants in order to assure compliance with environmental standards

Dynamic Response of Sandwich Plates Subjected to Impact Loading

Two models of three-layered sandwich plate are proposed in this paper to study the dynamic response of these types of plates when subjected to impact loading. Transverse shear and normal deformations are accounted for in the core, while the face layers are treated as thin plates. In the first model, the core is modeled as translational and rotational elastic springs connecting the face layers together and in plane displacements at the middle surface of the face layers are neglected, while in the second model the in plane displacements and shear stresses at the junctions of the face layers with the core are considered. The governing equations of motion are analytically solved to obtain a closed form solution for simply supported plates using the modal superposition method. The effects of various geometric and material parameters on the dynamic properties and response of sandwich plates are investigated. The present study results are compared with those obtained from the literature and are found to be in good agreement in most cases. It was shown in this study that the in plane displacements of the middle surface of face layers could be neglected for sandwich plates with thick or flexible core

Mn+2 and Cd+2 Removal from Industrial Wastewater Using Phillipsitic Tuff from Jabal Uniza, Southern Jordan

Southern Jordanian natural zeolitic tuffs outcropped in Uniza volcano have been investigated and tested for their heavy metals' removal capacity. The main species identified in Uniza natural zeolitic tuffs are: phillipsite and, subordinately, chabazite. The effects of particle size and stirring time were examined in the removal experiments. Two types of Uniza phillipsitic tuff were used in the removal of Mn+2 and Cd+2 from treated industrial wastewater. The first type is the reddish bulk sample (UZ1), while the second type is the separated size (UZ2) fraction between 1 and 0.3 mm. Batch and column tests were performed to determine the removal capacity of Mn+2 and Cd+2 from treated industrial wastewater. In batch experiments (static regime), the use of UZ2 type shows a higher removal percentage of Mn+2 and Cd+2 compared to UZ1 type for the same time. The results of column experiments indicate that toxic metal ions such as Mn+2 and Cd+2 can be removed with approximately 100% efficiency from industrial wastewater containing similar ions using Jordanian zeolitic tuff. In dynamic regime, by using UZ1 the manganese ions (Mn+2) were completely removed up to 57 BV (1.71 L) and the zeolite exhaustion took place after more than 112 BV (3.36 L), while by using UZ2 the manganese ions were completely removed up to 67 BV (2.01 L) and the zeolite exhaustion took place just around 114 BV (3.42 L). For an efficient cadmium ions removal, the use of UZ1 sample showed a complete removal up to 85 BV (2.55 L) and the zeolite exhaustion took place after more than 129 BV (3.87 L), while the use of UZ2 showed that the Cd+2 ions were completely removed after 151 BV (4.53 L) and the zeolite exhaustion took place after more than 205 BV (6.15 L)

Assessment of the Buckling Behavior of Square Composite Plates with Circular Cutout Subjected to In-Plane Shear

This paper aims at evaluating the effect of various parameters on the buckling load of square cross-ply laminated plates with circular cutouts. The parameters considered in this study are: (1) cutout size (2) cutout location (3) fiber orientation angle and (4) type of loading. Three types of in-plane loading were considered; namely, uniaxial compression, biaxial compression and shear loading. The reduction in the buckling load due to the increase of cutout size was significant in the case for shear loading as compared to uniaxial and biaxial compression. For relatively small size cutouts, a better performance was achieved if the cutout is kept close to the edge of the plate, however, for relatively large size cutouts, a higher buckling load is achieved if the cutout is kept in the middle of the plate. Several other imperative findings based upon the various parameters are also presented in this study

Mineralogy, Geochemistry and Volcanology of Volcanic Tuff Rocks from Jabal Huliat Al-Gran, South of Jordan (New Occurrence)

Jabal Huliat Al-Gran (HG) volcano is one of several volcanic eruptions belonging to south Jordanian basaltic eruptions. Thick pyroclastic deposits of volcanic tuff layers alter slowly to complex mineralogical zonations in closed hydrological alkaline environments, and relatively pure deposits can be formed. Hydrological system and temperature are the principal controls over the zeolitization process. This process involves reactions between the vitric silicic volcanic glass and the percolating water in a closed hydrological system to form distinctive zeolite assemblages. Judging from field and experimental data, formation of phillipsite, chabazite and other secondary rock forming minerals probably took place by reaction of percolating water with vitric tuff units. The petrographical, mineralogical and geochemical investigations include thin section, XRD and SEM-EDX to determine the nature, geneses, along with mineralogical and geochemical properties of this new zeolitic occurrence. This work reveals the presence of zeolites in Huliat Al-Gran taffacious materials. Also, the results indicated that the volcanic tuff is highly altered to zeolites and other minerals. The main zeolites are phillipsite Ca-heulandite (mean Si/Al: 3.30) and chabazite Ca-clinoptilolite (mean Si/Al: 4.35). Zeolite minerals compose 10–60% of the whole volcanic tuff rocks. Thermal analysis indicates high stability for temperature difference. The deposit might be of great importance for Jordan, considering its enormous zeolitized outcrop area. However, the quantitative estimation still needs further investigation

Development of OntEIR framework to support BIM clients in construction

This paper discusses an ongoing research that is conducted to develop a framework that will support employers in making informed and sound decision in defining their requirements. The aim of this research is to develop an ontology-based, BIM enabled framework for EIR (OntEIR), it will examine the ability of this framework in capturing, analysing, and translating these requirements based on an ontology model. This framework will enable the project team to capture requirements and convert them to constructional terms understood by all stakeholders. It is the contention of this research that this process will save time, effort and cost, and will provide an informed basis for delivering a successful project that satisfies both the employer and the supply chain