On Dynamic Compromise

What prevents majorities from extracting surplus from minorities in a dynamic legislative process? In this paper we study an infinitely repeated game where legislators determine the division of a surplus each period. A division proposal is made at the beginning of the period by a randomly selected legislator and is then voted on. Proposals that are accepted by a simple majority are implemented, otherwise the status quo allocation prevails. We show existence of a symmetric Markov perfect equilibrium in which more than a minimum winning majority receive a positive allocation for an intermediate range of discount factors. However, the equilibrium outcome is sensitive to initial conditions: compromise is achieved when initial allocations are well distributed, otherwise the equilibrium spirals towards a complete absence of compromise. We find that, contrary to intuition, compromise becomes easier to sustain as the number of legislators increases. Classification-JEL Codes: C73, D74

Improved Spectrum Mobility using Virtual Reservation in Collaborative Cognitive Radio Networks

Cognitive radio technology would enable a set of secondary users (SU) to opportunistically use the spectrum licensed to a primary user (PU). On the appearance of this PU on a specific frequency band, any SU occupying this band should free it for PUs. Typically, SUs may collaborate to reduce the impact of cognitive users on the primary network and to improve the performance of the SUs. In this paper, we propose and analyze the performance of virtual reservation in collaborative cognitive networks. Virtual reservation is a novel link maintenance strategy that aims to maximize the throughput of the cognitive network through full spectrum utilization. Our performance evaluation shows significant improvements not only in the SUs blocking and forced termination probabilities but also in the throughput of cognitive users.Comment: 7 pages, 10 figures, IEEE ISCC 201

ABREVIASI DALAM BAHASA ACEH

ABSTRAKZikra, Zahran. 2016. Abreviasi dalam Bahasa Aceh. Skripsi, Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa dan Sastra Indonesia, Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Syiah Kuala. Pembimbing:(1) Drs. Saifuddin Mahmud, M.Pd.,(2) Azwardi, S.Pd., M.Hum.Kata kunci: abreviasi,bahasa AcehPenelitian ini berupaya mengungkapkan abreviasi dalam bahasa Aceh. Sesuai dengan rumusan masalah, penelitian inibertujuan mengkaji bentuk abreviasi dalam bahasa Acehdan proses pembentukan abreviasi dalam bahasa Aceh.Pendekatan yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah pendekatan kualitatif dengan metode deskriptif. Data penelitian ini bersumber dari tuturan bahasa Aceh dialek Peusangan. Sumber data penelitian ini adalah penutur bahasa Aceh dialek Peusangan di Kecamatan Peudada, Kecamatan Kota Juang, dan Kecamatan Jangka Kabupaten Bireuen.Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan menggunakan metode simak, cakap, dan introspeksi. Teknik pengumpulan data yang digunakan adalah teknik simak libat cakap, simak bebas libat cakap, dan cakap bersemuka. Agar hasil penelitian terpercaya, peneliti menggunakan alat bantu rekam berupa tape recorder dan alat tulis. Adapun data yang diperoleh dari penelitian berjumlah 155 data. Hasil penelitian menujukkan bahwa terdapat empat bentuk abreviasi dalam bahasa Aceh. Adapun empat bentuk abreviasi tersebut terdiri atas (1) penggalan, (2) kontraksi, (3) akronim, dan (4) singkatan. Bentuk penggalan terdiri atas (a) penggalan suku akhir kata, (b) penggalan dua suku kata, (c) penggalan kata, dan (d) pelesapan sebagian kata. Bentuk singkatan terdiri atas singkatan satu huruf awal dan singkatan beberapa huruf. Bentuk-bentuk abreviasi tersebut mengalami beberapa proses pembentukan. Berdasarkan hasil analisis dan klasifikasi, penggalan suku akhir kata terbentuk karena adanya penghilangan suku awal katabu-, la-,geu-,seu-,si-, teu-,cu-,cut-,jeu-, ma-, tu-, suku kata yang berawal dengan konsonan /d/, dan fonem awal kata /a/ dan /i/. Pengekalan sebagian kata terbentuk karena adanya penghilangan fonem di bagian tertentu kata berdasarkan bentuk pelesapan. Pelesapan konsonan di awal kata terbentuk karena adanya penghilangan konsonan /b/, /g/, /l/, /d/, /s/, /j/, dan /w/ di awal kata. Pelepasan fonem di tengah kata terbentuk karena adanya penghilangan vokal tengah /eu/ dan /u/ serta konsonan tengah /r/, /m/, /h/, /d/, dan /t/. Pelesapan vokal /eu/ setelah konsonan pertama kata terbentuk karena adanya penghilangan vokal /eu/ setelah konsonan pertama /b/, /g/, /p/, /k/, /c/, /j/, /m/, /s/, dan /t/. Akronim terbentuk karena adanya pengekalan pengekalan suku pertama dari tiap komponen, pengekalan empat huruf pertama komponen pertama dan suku terakhir komponen kedua, dan pengekalan berbagai huruf dan suku kata yang sukar dirumuskan. Singkatan terbentuk karena adanya pengekalan huruf pertama kata dan pengekalan beberapa huruf yang takberaturan

Occurrence of field dodder (Cuscuta campestris Yuncker) on onion fields in the Gezira Scheme M.S. Zaroug, A.A. Abbasher, E.B. Zahran and E.A. Abdelaleem

لوحظ الحامول  الحقلي لأول مرة متطفلاً على البصل بالقسم الجنوبي بمشروع الجزيرة في العام 2009. لإجراء هذه الدراسة تم اختيار ثلاثة حقول عالية الإصابة في منطقتي ود النور وحمد النيل في جنوب الجزيرة. هدفت هذه الدراسة إلى التعرف على نوع الحامول، تقييم تأثيره على إنتاجية البصل وتحديد المدى العائلى. أوضحت الدراسة المورفولجية لسيقان وأزهار الطفيل أنه يشبه الحامول الحقلي (Cuscuta campestris). كما أوضحت الدراسة أن الإصابة بالحامول الحقلي أدت إلى خفض الوزن الرطب، وزن الأبصال، وقطر الأبصال بنسب 62%، 75%، و40.6% على التوالي. صاحب هذا النقص تقزم النباتات المصابة وموت تراجعي للأوراق. لوحظ أيضاً أن الحامول الحقلي بجانب البصل يصيب الملوخية، الحمص، الحميرة والموليتة. تشير نتائج الدراسة أن الحامول الحقلي خطر يهدد زراعة محصول البصل ومحاصيل أخرى. عليه يوصى بان تتركز الدراسات في المستقبل على تقييم تأثير الطفيل على المحاصيل الأخرى وتحديد المدى العائلي والطرق المثلى للتحكم في الطفيل

EMG-based eye gestures recognition for hands free interfacing

This study investigates the utilization of an Electromyography (EMG) based device to recognize five eye gestures and classify them to have a hands free interaction with different applications. The proposed eye gestures in this work includes Long Blinks, Rapid Blinks, Wink Right, Wink Left and finally Squints or frowns. The MUSE headband, which is originally a Brain Computer Interface (BCI) that measures the Electroencephalography (EEG) signals, is the device used in our study to record the EMG signals from behind the earlobes via two Smart rubber sensors and at the forehead via two other electrodes. The signals are considered as EMG once they involve the physical muscular stimulations, which are considered as artifacts for the EEG Brain signals for other studies. The experiment is conducted on 15 participants (12 Males and 3 Females) randomly as no specific groups were targeted and the session was video taped for reevaluation. The experiment starts with the calibration phase to record each gesture three times per participant through a developed Voice narration program to unify the test conditions and time intervals among all subjects. In this study, a dynamic sliding window with segmented packets is designed to faster process the data and analyze it, as well as to provide more flexibility to classify the gestures regardless their duration from one user to another. Additionally, we are using the thresholding algorithm to extract the features from all the gestures. The Rapid Blinks and the Squints were having high F1 Scores of 80.77% and 85.71% for the Trained Thresholds, as well as 87.18% and 82.12% for the Default or manually adjusted thresholds. The accuracies of the Long Blinks, Rapid Blinks and Wink Left were relatively higher with the manually adjusted thresholds, while the Squints and the Wink Right were better with the trained thresholds. However, more improvements were proposed and some were tested especially after monitoring the participants actions from the video recordings to enhance the classifier. Most of the common irregularities met are discussed within this study so as to pave the road for further similar studies to tackle them before conducting the experiments. Several applications need minimal physical or hands interactions and this study was originally a part of the project at HCI Lab, University of Stuttgart to make a hands-free switching between RGB, thermal and depth cameras integrated on or embedded in an Augmented Reality device designed for the firefighters to increase their visual capabilities in the field

A decision support system for managing results-based financed mega infrastructure programs

International Financial Institutions are exploring solutions that can ensure the effectiveness of funds with respect to the achievement of desired results/outputs. Results-Based finance (RBF) considers this goal through linking desired outputs to the disbursement of funds. This may require borrowers to pre-finance programs and then receive their allocated disbursements after results are achieved, which could form cash flow gaps. The management of this type of programs requires the integration of multiple projects management and finance-based scheduling with the financial requirements of results-based funding mechanisms. For proper management of received funds, this research introduces a framework for the simulation and optimization of RBF funded programs, that serves as a Decision Support System (DSS) for borrowers while implementing RBF. The Program-For-Results (P4R) mechanism, offered by the World Bank (WB), was used as one of the RBF mechanisms for verifying the developed framework. A model was developed for guiding borrowing governments through the full processes of P4R. The proposed model provides governments a step-by-step guide through each stage from initiation to program closing. For verification, the model was applied on a case study for presenting its capabilities. It was validated using the Sustainable Rural Sanitation Services Program (SRSSP) in Egypt, and it showed an improvement in the overall financial standing of the government. This model was developed and applied on the P4R mechanism; however, it applies to any other RBF mechanism as they share the same concepts and mechanisms

Heat Transfer of Non-Newtonian Drag Reducing Flow in Porous Media

Forced convection heat transfer for non-Newtonian drag reduction (polyethylene oxide) with heat flux is experimentally studied in a pipe filled with plastic spheres porous media. Along the pipeline, installing pumping stations is expensive; reducing the drag inside the pipe is better. The effect of PEO concentration on the heat transfer properties in the pipe is studied. The experiments are used to demonstrate the effect of changing Reynolds number and PEO concentrations on Nusselt number of the water and polymer solutions for different diameter ratios (d/D) and different concentrations. In the experiments, the test section is a circular pipe filled with plastic spheres of different diameters (3.3, 5.5, and 6.8 mm) covered by an electric heater of nickel-chromium with a mica sheet to warm the test section with uniform heat flux (UHF). Thermocouples (k-Type) are used to measure the temperatures of water and different concentrations of polyethylene oxide solution (50, 100, 150, and 200 ppm). The results show that Nusselt number increases with increasing Reynolds number in water and polymer solutions (PEO). The local Nusselt number and Nusselt number increase with increasing diameter ratios (d/D) of porous media for water and polymer solutions (PEO). The thermal entrance length is independent on PEO concentration and the diameter ratios but depends only on Reynolds number. Correlations of the thermal entrance length as a function of Reynolds number and of Nusselt number as a functions of Reynolds number and diameter ratio (d/D) are obtained

Central ADER schemes for hyperbolic conservation laws

AbstractIn this paper we first briefly review the very high order ADER methods for solving hyperbolic conservation laws. ADER methods use high order polynomial reconstruction of the solution and upwind fluxes as the building block. They use a first order upwind Godunov and the upwind second order weighted average (WAF) fluxes. As well known the upwind methods are more accurate than central schemes. However, the superior accuracy of the ADER upwind schemes comes at a cost, one must solve exactly or approximately the Riemann problems (RP). Conventional Riemann solvers are usually complex and are not available for many hyperbolic problems of practical interest. In this paper we propose to use two central fluxes, instead of upwind fluxes, as the building block in ADER scheme. These are the monotone first order Lax–Friedrich (LXF) and the third order TVD flux. The resulting schemes are called central ADER schemes. Accuracy of the new schemes is established. Numerical implementations of the new schemes are carried out on the scalar conservation laws with a linear flux, nonlinear convex flux and non-convex flux. The results demonstrate that the proposed scheme, with LXF flux, is comparable to those using first and second order upwind fluxes while the scheme, with third order TVD flux, is superior to those using upwind fluxes. When compared with the state of art ADER schemes, our central ADER schemes are faster, more accurate, Riemann solver free, very simple to implement and need less computer memory. A way to extend these schemes to general systems of nonlinear hyperbolic conservation laws in one and two dimensions is presented