Verification of knowledge shared across design and manufacture using a foundation ontology

Seamless computer-based knowledge sharing between departments of a manufacturing enterprise is useful in preventing unnecessary design revisions. A lack of interoperability between independently developed knowledge bases, however, is a major impediment in the development of a seamless knowledge sharing system. Interoperability, being an ability to overcome semantic and syntactic differences during computer-based knowledge sharing can be enhanced through the use of ontologies. Ontologies in computer science terms are hierarchical structures of knowledge stored in a computer-based knowledge base. Ontologies have been accepted by all as an interoperable medium to provide a non-subjective way of storing and sharing knowledge across diverse domains. Some semantic and syntactic differences, however, still crop up when these ontological knowledge bases are developed independently. A case study in an aerospace components manufacturing company suggests that shape features of a component are perceived differently by the designing and manufacturing departments. These differences cause further misunderstanding and misinterpretation when computer-based knowledge sharing systems are used across the two domains. Foundation or core ontologies can be used to overcome these differences and to ensure a seamless sharing of knowledge. This is because these ontologies provide a common grounding for domain ontologies to be used by individual domains or department. This common grounding can be used by the mediation and knowledge verification systems to authenticate the meaning of knowledge understood across different domains. For this reason, this research proposes a knowledge verification framework for developing a system capable of verifying knowledge between those domain ontologies which are developed out of a common core or foundation ontology. This framework makes use of ontology logic to standardize the way concepts from a foundation and core-concepts ontology are used in domain ontologies and then by using the same principles the knowledge being shared is verified. The Knowledge Frame Language which is based on Common Logic is used for formalizing example ontologies. The ontology editor used for browsing and querying ontologies is the Integrated Ontology Development Environment (IODE) by Highfleet Inc. An ontological product modelling technique is also developed in this research, to test the proposed framework in the scenario of manufacturability analysis. The proposed framework is then validated through a Java API specially developed for this purpose. Real industrial examples experienced during the case study are used for validation

Bayes Estimators for the Shape Parameter of Pareto Type I Distribution under Generalized Square Error Loss Function

In this paper, we obtained Basyian estimators of the shape parameter of the Pareto type I distribution using Bayian method under Generalized square error loss function and Quadratic loss function. In order to get better understanding of our Bayesian analysis we consider non-informative prior for the shape parameter Using Jeffery prior Information as well as informative prior density represented by Exponential distribution. These Bayes estimators of the shape parameter of the Pareto type I distribution are compared with some classical estimators such as, the Maximum likelihood estimator (MLE), the Uniformly minimum variance unbiased estimator (UMVUE), and the Minimum mean squared error (MinMSE) estimator according to Monte-Carlo simulation study. The performance of these estimators is compared by employing the mean square errors (MSE’s). Key words: Pareto distribution; Maximum likelihood estimator; Uniformly minimum variance unbiased estimator; Minimum mean squared error; Bayes estimator; Generalized square error loss function; Quadratic loss function; Jeffery prior; Exponential prior

Learning from the Literature on Policy Implementation: A Synthesis Perspective

Virtually all international environmental commitments must be "domesticated" -- transformed into domestic rules before they can affect the individuals, firms and organizations that international environmental agreements ultimately aim to influence. The domestication of international commitments is a relatively new topic, but scholars will learn much from the extensive studies conducted over the last three decades on implementation of domestic policies and programs. In this paper, the author reviews the main works, trends and concepts in the policy implementation literature. He also reviews the distinct literature on policy implementation in developing countries. Finally, he synthesizes the reviewed literature into five clusters of critical variables that explain success and failure in policy implementation. That 5C protocol is an organizing framework for conducting and assessing research into policy implementation, including implementation of international environmental commitments

Long-lived alpha emitters concentrations in the spices consumed in Iraq using CR-39 detector

البهارات تستخدم كاضافات على الطعام في مختلف البلدان ، من ضمنها بلدنا، لذا من الضروري التاكد من خلوها من المواد المشعة الضارة بصحة الانسان. هدف هذا البحث كان قياس تراكيز باعثات الفا ، وقياس الجرعة السنوية الفعالة  AED الناتجة من تناول الرادون. استخدم كاشف  CR-39 في قياس تراكيز الرادون ، الراديوم واليورانيوم في 24 عينة من البهارات المختارة من الاسواق. تراكيز الرادون وجد في هذا البحث تتغير من 65.102 الى 195.30 Bq/m3 وبقيمة متوسطة 126.47 Bq/m3 وهذه القيمة هي اعلى بقليل من  100 Bq/m3 المستوى او الحدود المقبولة من منظمة الصحة العالمية (WHO) واقل من 200 Bq/m3 التي هي حدود اللوائح البريطانية للوقاية من الاشعاع (NRPB) والاوربية. الجرعة السنوية الفعالة للرادون تراوحت بين 1.642- 4.927 mSv/y التي هي ضمن المدى 0.2 - 10 mSv/y  للجنة الامم المتحدة لاثار الاشعاع الذري (UNSCEAR). تراكيز الراديوم تغيرت بين 0.446 - 1.367 Bq/Kg بمتوسط 0.943 Bq/Kg. وتراكيز فعالية اليورانيوم كانت في المدى 4.408 - 13.520 Bq/Kg وبقيمة متوسطة 9.322 Bq/Kg. هذا العمل قاس التراكيز المحددة للمواد المشعة الموجودة في البهارات وبين ان هذه البهارات امنة للتناول.Spices are mainly used as additives to diets in different countries, including our country, so it is necessary to ensure that they are free of radioactive substances harmful to human health. This research aimed to measure the concentrations of alpha emitters, and measure the annual effective dose AED resulting from the intake of radon. The CR-39 detector used to measure radon, radium, and uranium concentrations in the 24 spices samples selected from markets. In this work the radon concentrations in the samples were found to vary from  65.102 to 195.30 Bq/m3 with 126.47 Bq/m3 a mean value, this mean value is a small amount over 100 Bq/m3 the reference level limits of the World Health Organization (WHO), below 200 Bq/m3 of the UK Board of National Radiation Protection (NRPB) limits and below the level of the European Recommendation Commission. The annual radon effective dose varied between 1.642-4.927 mSv/y which is within the range of 0.2-10 mSv/y of (UNSCEAR). Radium contents vary between 0.446-1.367 Bq/Kg with 0.943 Bq/Kg as a mean value. The range of uranium activity concentrations is between 4.408-13.520 Bq/Kg with a mean value of 9.322 Bq/Kg. This work identified and measured the specified concentrations of radionuclide present in spices showed that spices are safe for consumption

Determination and Distribution Map for Radionuclides in Soil Samples from Different Location by Gamma Spectrometry Using Software Analysis

The fundamental goal of the current study is to determine the mean activity concentrations of natural and artificial radionuclides of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, and 137Cs using gamma spectrometry for three locations, in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq, which are significant and vital countries in the Middle East. The mean absorbed dose rate equals 22.35, 28.96, and 43.34 nGy h-1 for Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq. The results are consistent with international reports. The dose contribution percentages for investigated locations are 24 %, 30 %, and 46 % for Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq, respectively. The obtained results were clarified by statistical measurements using one-way ANOVA test to determine the distribution and differences between the averages of the three groups under study, as they may be influenced by geological variations and human intervention. It was found that the Iraq samples followed a symmetrical, standard normal distribution, while samples from Egypt and Saudi Arabia did not. Statistically significant differences were found between the data from the three countries

Optic Nerve and Retinal Ganglion Cell Protection, Rejuvenation, and Regeneration as Glaucoma Treatment Strategiess

Once destroyed, neurons and their axons in the mammalian central nervous system, including retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and their axons in the eye and neurons in the thalamic and cortical brain regions involved in visual perception, cannot automatically be replaced. Intrinsic inhibitory chemicals and structural components, suppressive transcription factors, scar formation, and the sheer long distances the RGC axons have to travel to the brain prevent or reduce regenerative capacity in the visual system damaged by aging and various diseases such as glaucoma. However, non-clinical and some clinical uses of transcorneal electrical stimulation, redlight therapy, gene-therapy, and cell replacement, among other novel technologies and techniques, appear promising to help overcome some of these hurdles. Early results indicate that indeed neuronal rejuvenation; potential regeneration and ultimate replacement of the lost RGCs and their axons, such as in glaucoma; and the reestablishment of the retina-optic nerve−brain connections may be possible. Improvement and/or partial restoration of eyesight due to ocular and neurological disease-induced visual impairment in humans may thus be possible in the near future. These aspects will be discussed in this chapter

Evaluation of Radioactivity in Soil Sample from Al-Hadbaa Cement Plant in Nineveh Governorate, Iraq

The fundamental goal of this study is to measure the level of radioactivity in the soil of the area around Al-Hadbaa cement plant, also to evaluate the radiological hazard of radionuclide, gamma-spectroscopy with an HPGe detector with the crystal diameter of 70.6 mm and length of 70 mm has been used to estimate the specific activity of natural radionuclides 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, and artificial radionuclides 137Cs in the fifteen soil samples collected. The results show that the average concentration of specific activity of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, and 137Cs was 11.17 ± 1.69, 13.38 ± 0.72, 158.36 ± 5.35 Bq/kg, and 1.52 ± 0.19 Bq/kg, respectively. The average specific activity of these radionuclides is discovered to be lower than the global average which is 33 Bq/kg for 226Ra, 30 Bq/kg for 232Th, and 400 Bq/kg for 40K. Radiological hazard indices are determined according to the activity concentration of the radionuclides in the area under study. The outcome of the radiological hazard index is within the globally recognized limit proposed by UNSCEAR which is 1000 μSv/y for annual effective dose and 290 × 10-6 for cancer risk, so it is possible to conclude that there are no radiological hazards as a result of radiation exposure to the workers working in the cement plant as well as the organisms living in the region

Mediation of foundation ontology based knowledge sources

Ontologies are helpful in giving interoperable structures to sources of knowledge and information. This interoperability, however, is greatly hindered by the heterogeneity of independently developed ontologies which in turn increases the requirements for mediation systems to reconcile the differences. A core concepts ontology for a certain domain contained by a foundation ontology can be used to alleviate this problem and to facilitate the reconciliation efforts. Possible differences in the use of concepts from the core concepts to model entities in domain ontologies can be prevented by binding the domain ontology developers to some rules. These rules can be particularly useful for domain ontologies requiring some kind of traceability of their concepts in the foundation ontology. The mediation system can then use this traceability to establish similarities between two ontologies. Software applications, like the one explained in this paper, can then be developed to perform the mediation task automatically and accurately