Effectiveness of Our New Right-to-Left English Transcription on Arabic Learning Using the Reversed Image -Support in Arabic E-Learning System for the Beginners

Arabic language differs from other languages in some features such as right-to-left writing, unfamiliar letters and sounds, using one of the letter2019;s forms depending on the letter2019;s position in a word, and attaching a diacritical mark to a letter to show how it is pronounced. It is important to provide a new transcription that follows Arabic direction and to help non-Arabic speakers to locate the letters corresponding to Arabic letters and their attached diacritical marks to read them. We invented a new transcription system for Arabic in which we transcribed every Arabic unit (an Arabic letter with an attached diacritical mark) by an English unit (an uppercase with a lowercase letter); we reversed the images of all English units horizontally. The new reversed transcription matches the direction of the Arabic writing. Our main aim is to apply this transcription in our new Arabic e-learning system as an on-demand support which let the learners read Arabic text itself at their own pace. This paper shows how our reversed image transcription works, especially for the beginners

Model Predictive Control Technique of Multilevel Inverter for PV Applications

Renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, hydro, and biofuels, continue to gain popularity as alternatives to the conventional generation system. The main unit in the renewable energy system is the power conditioning system (PCS). It is highly desirable to obtain higher efficiency, lower component cost, and high reliability for the PCS to decrease the levelized cost of energy. This suggests a need for new inverter configurations and controls optimization, which can achieve the aforementioned needs. To achieve these goals, this dissertation presents a modified multilevel inverter topology for grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) system to achieve a lower cost and higher efficiency comparing with the existing system. In addition, this dissertation will also focus on model predictive control (MPC) which controls the modified multilevel topology to regulate the injected power to the grid. A major requirement for the PCS is harvesting the maximum power from the PV. By incorporating MPC, the performance of the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm to accurately extract the maximum power is improved for multilevel DC-DC converter. Finally, this control technique is developed for the quasi-z-source inverter (qZSI) to accurately control the DC link voltage, input current, and produce a high quality grid injected current waveform compared with the conventional techniques. This dissertation presents a modified symmetrical and asymmetrical multilevel DC-link inverter (MLDCLI) topology with less power switches and gate drivers. In addition, the MPC technique is used to drive the modified and grid connected MLDCLI. The performance of the proposed topology with finite control set model predictive control (FCS-MPC) is verified by simulation and experimentally. Moreover, this dissertation introduces predictive control to achieve maximum power point for grid-tied PV system to quicken the response by predicting the error before the switching signal is applied to the converter. Using the modified technique ensures the iii system operates at maximum power point which is more economical. Thus, the proposed MPPT technique can extract more energy compared to the conventional MPPT techniques from the same amount of installed solar panel. In further detail, this dissertation proposes the FCS-MPC technique for the qZSI in PV system. In order to further improve the performance of the system, FCS-MPC with one step horizon prediction has been implemented and compared with the classical PI controller. The presented work shows the proposed control techniques outperform the ones of the conventional linear controllers for the same application. Finally, a new method of the parallel processing is presented to reduce the time processing for the MPC

Children's motility in an informal settlement in Cairo and parental influence: ‎implications for de-motorization

This paper investigates actual and potential mobility of children as enabled by themselves and their parents in a case study of one informal settlement in Cairo called Ezbet El-Haggana. Results aim to contribute to the discussion about possibilities for such settlements to avoid the typical trajectory of increased car-dependence observed in other parts of Cairo as with global trends. It is  based on five Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with children and four FGDs with mothers, together with field observations. A philosophical approach based onVincent Kaufmann’s notion of motility (potentiality of mobility) was employed to elucidate subjective factors influencing mobility. Based on results, the study argues that an informal settlement can contain not only physical prerequisites, but also behavioral and socio-cultural prerequisites that may facilitate a direct transition (leapfrogging) to a future of sustainable mobility and associated behavior and norms. An observed ingenuity, behavioral adaptation, and various means of compensation for resource scarcity enable both parents and children to exhibit travel behavior that is coincidentally sustainable and resilient, thereby positioning the inhabitants to better adapt to introduced sustainable transport interventions. Findings led to a conceptualization of a framework for analysis based on motility, which is expanded to account for the dynamics of  motility enhancement found in the case study, where aspects of one’s skills, access,  and appropriation are altered to mutually compensate for each other to maintain motility, or otherwise exhibit deficiencies that can be identified and  addressed

Multispectral palmprint recognition using Pascal coefficients-based LBP and PHOG descriptors with random sampling

Local binary pattern (LBP) algorithm and its variants have been used extensively to analyse the local textural features of digital images with great success. Numerous extensions of LBP descriptors have been suggested, focusing on improving their robustness to noise and changes in image conditions. In our research, inspired by the concepts of LBP feature descriptors and a random sampling subspace, we propose an ensemble learning framework, using a variant of LBP constructed from Pascal’s coefficients of n-order and referred to as a multiscale local binary pattern. To address the inherent overfitting problem of linear discriminant analysis, PCA was applied to the training samples. Random sampling was used to generate multiple feature subsets. In addition, in this work, we propose a new feature extraction technique that combines the pyramid histogram of oriented gradients and LBP, where the features are concatenated for use in the classification. Its performance in recognition was evaluated using the Hong Kong Polytechnic University database. Extensive experiments unmistakably show the superiority of the proposed approach compared to state-of-the-art techniques

Treatment of cracking in rigid highway pavements using knowledge-based System

Highway engineers encounter numerous problems in the quality of rigid pavements; cracking types are the most critical ones. Thus, deciding on appropriate controlling measures represents an essential mission. Normally, cracking problems affect the quality of pavements as well as increase initial cost. Although experts can control and solve these problems by using their tacit knowledge, novice engineers cannot. Transfer of expertise from experts to novices is difficult pavements domain. Therefore, a system which experts could use to share their experience with other engineers both during and after a project is necessary. Without such transfer of expertise and knowledge, novices may repeat mistakes that experts have already learned to avoid. Documentation, classification, and computerization of these problems, their causes, treatments, and preventive actions can be very helpful in controlling and preventing them. This study aims to describe the development of a knowledge-based system that can be used by novice engineers to overcome cracking of rigid pavements. The system can also be used as an instructional tool for prospective highway engineers. In addition, the system can archive and organize raw knowledge from experts to be utilized by engineers who work in this field. Domain experts can use the system to share their experiences. The knowledge includes problems encountered in the domain, their causes, preventive actions, treatments, and their effects, which were presented in a classified format. The knowledge was presented in the form of rules and coded in software by using Visual Basic. The system was tested by different users involved in highway engineering, including experts and novice engineers. The mean values of the overall system evaluation by the four types of users based on the 5-point Likert scale were 4 and 4.5 respectively. These values reflect high level of satisfaction by end-users

Evaluating the Shear Strength of Subbase-subgrade Interface Using Large Scale Direct Shear Test

The inclusion of geogrid in road pavements can improve pavement performance through increasing the lateral confinement, bearing capacity, and overall rigidity of the pavement, as well as reducing the vertical and lateral pavement deformations. The materials used in the present study are: subbase granular materials Type B, two types of subgrade soil; clay and sandy soil, and two nonwoven biaxial geogrids (G1 and G2) used as reinforcing materials. Direct shear testing was adopted by manufacturing a large-scale direct shear apparatus consisted of an upper, square box of size 20 cm × 20 cm × 10 cm, and a lower, rectangular box of size 200 mm × 250 mm × 100 mm is used in the present study. The results show that, for the four normal stresses equal to 25, 50, 75 and 100 kPa, the interface shear stress curves increased and followed similar trend.  For clay-subbase interface, installation of geogrid decreases the apparent cohesion of the material from 16.5 kPa (without reinforcement) to be 8 kPa and 13.5 kPa for G1 and G2, respectively. At sand-subbase interface, using geogrid leads to increase the cohesion of the material from 3.5 kPa to be 15.5 and 16 kPa for G1 and G2, respectively. The friction angle increases slightly from 30o (without reinforcement) to be 35o for G1 and G2 when the interface is subbase over clay. While, it decreased from 35.8o to be 32.1o for G1 and G2 at sand-subbase interface. The interaction coefficient for G1 and G2 increased when the normal strength increased at the clay-subbase interface. Otherwise, the behavior of interaction coefficient of the sand-subbase interface appears deferent trend, where increasing normal stress leads to decrease the interaction

An Educational Knowledge-based System For Civil Engineering Students in Cement Concrete Construction Problems

AbstractCivil engineering students study only few courses in highway engineering that involves only little information about pavement construction. After their graduation, they face many problems in construction site that they cannot control as they do not have sufficient information. Therefore, developing of an educational system in this domain that contains a knowledge base including descriptions, causes and solutions to these problems is an effective way to help civil engineering students learn about the problems that they may encounter. This paper describes the development and evaluation stages of unprecedented system including knowledge acquisition, knowledge representation, system building, and system testing

MICROALBUMINURIA BESIDES TO URINARY ENZYMATIC PROTEIN LEVELS INCREASE IN DIABETIC KIDNEY DISEASE WITH TYPE II DIABETICS

Background: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a time progressive problem, give rise in uncontrolled Diabetics increasing risks for chronic kidney disease (CKD) and /or end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The vulnerability to renal dysfunction manifested with sudden glomerular hypofiltration associated with micro-to macroalbuminuria passing to renal failure. So that, screening of specific enzymes shifts, or urinary albumin may predict onset diabetic nephropathy. Objective:The assessment of urinary alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminopeptidase (AAP), acid phosphatase (ACP) and microalbuminuria (MAU) for type II diabetic patients. Patients and Methods: In this study,120 type II diabetic patients were compared to 90 healthy volunteers of matched age and sex in Al-Leith General Hospital, Al-Leith Kidney Unit (AKU), Al-Leith, Makkah area, KSA in which random urine samples were collected for testing of MAU, ALP, AAP, ACP and Cr. Results: Mean values of measured biomarkers in patient group for MAU, ALP, AAP, ACP and Cr were 51.92 mg/I, 41.55 U/L, 20.17 U/L, 570.10 U/L and 2.92 mg/dl VS in control group were 12.59 mg/I, 8.84 U/L, 6.94 U/L, 385.87U/L and 1.07 mg/dl respectively. Additionally, there were statistically positive correlation between AAP with MAU and ALP; ACP with MAU, ALP and AAP; Cr level with MAU, ALP, AAP and ACP; on the other hand, there were positive significant correlation between duration of diabetes with all studied markers. Conclusion: Using of MAU in addition to other urinary enzymes could be beneficial non-invasive indicators for renal deterioration in type II diabetics

Effect of Intravenous Dexmedetomidine Infusion on Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Plasma Cortisol in Open Heart Surgery

Aim of the work: to evaluate the effect of intravenous dexmedetomidine infusion on patients undergoing open heart surgery regarding stress response markers as plasma interleukin-6 and plasma cortisol. Patents and Methods: Fifty consecutive patients aged 18-70years, scheduled for elective open heart surgery using CPB technique were enrolled in this study at the Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit, Luxor international hospital, from July 2018 to May 2019. Patients randomly assigned using closed envelope technique into two equal groups according to the drug infused intraoperatively: 1st group (25 patients):- Dexmedetomidine group (Group D); received loading dose of intravenous dexmedetomidine infusion of 1 μg/kg IV dissolved in 20ml normal saline over 10 minutes followed by maintenance dose of 0.5 μg/kg/hr. till the end of surgery where 0.5 μg /kg/h was calculated for each patient and dissolved in 12.5 ml normal saline 2nd group ( 25 patients):- placebo group (Group P); receive 20ml intravenous infusion of normal saline 0.9 % over 10 minutes followed by continuous infusion of 12.5 ml of normal saline till the end of surgery. Results: Our study revealed that HR and MAP wasn’t significantly different between the two groups at the baseline, but significantly lowered in Dex. group after induction, during CPB, post CPB, and postoperative.Dexometomedine suppress the intraoperative and postoperative rise of IL-6 which was significantly higher in placebo group relative to Dex. group. Also dexometomedine has effect on stress hormone as serum cortisol and serum glucose decease in Dex. group relative to placebo group. None of studied cases revealed bradycardia or hypotention and there are no significant difference between groups regarding side effect drowsiness, nausea and vomiting Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the continuous administration of dexmedetomidine during open heart surgery with CPB suppressed intraoperative and post-operative cytokine secretion, and improved post-operative inflammatory response indices in the present study. Also it stabilize blood pressure and heart rate and blunt cardiovascular response to CPB. These results could be attributed to the anti-inflammatory effects of dexmedetomidine