Vol. 27 Issue 3
Hatem Hamad, Abdessalam Elhabbash, Fuad Abuowaimer and Yousif Mansour
A mobile wireless Ad hoc network (MANET) is formed dynamically without a need
for a pre-existing infrastructure. This kind of dynamic networks has been used in commercial,
cultural, and environmental applications including emergency situations. This paper addresses the
problem of the overhead resulting from flooding the control packets in mobile ad hoc networks in
searching for routes between the source and destination. We propose a location enhanced routing
protocol for clustered MANETs based on the cluster based routing protocol (CBRP). Our protocol
employs local position information obtained by smart antennas to discover routes and make
routing decisions for the clustered MANETs. Simulation results shows enhancing the performance
of clustered MANETs. Simulations show the packet delivery ratio increased, the delay decreased
and the control packets overhead decreased.
Yazid Cherfa, Assia Cherfas, and Assia Jaillard
In this paper, we present a semi-automatic method for extracting stroke lesions from 2D
MRI brain images using edge and region cooperation. Cooperative segmentation is applied after an
appropriate image pre-processing using an improvement of the image quality and skull stripping.
This segmentation is evaluated thereafter by a comparison to a reference image. To extract and
characterize lesions, we apply our method to several MRI images from different subjects who
experienced cerebral vascular attacks (strokes). We compare our results with those obtained through
manual measurements conducted by neurologists. We apply the results to reconstruct and visualise
3D strokes in the brain.
Modi Mohammed Ahmed, Ali Mohammed Al-Dousari, and Saji Baby
Natural accumulation of wind-borne sediments within or around the canopies of plants
plays an important role in the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of many coastal and desert
ecosystems. The formation of such phytogenic mounds (nebkhas) creates patches that can strongly
influence the spatial distribution of plant and soil resources. Nabkhas are common, and are dunes
formed around plants. Individual plants must reach 10 - 15 cm in height before they can effectively
trap sand. The largest nabkhas accumulate around trees, and can reach 10 meters in height.
Nabkhas can be composed of sand, silt, or pelletized clay, the grains of which can be cemented by
organic materials. Once trapped in a nabkha, these cemented particles do not readily become wind
re-entrained. This paper examine some aspects of the development, morphological and ecological
characteristics of nabkhas formed around perennial dominant plant. Nabkha area develop mainly
under the control of Aeolian process. The study focused on eleven dominant plant species covered
desert of Kuwait. Each plant have special character. Cyperus, Haloxylon and Rhanterium lied in
highly degraded area. Haloxylon speciesis more efficient in trapping sand compared to other desert
plants. Astragalus sp have highest carbonate percentage of all nabkha. Citrullus sp have lowest hight
of nabkha. Sabkha plant such as Nitraria, Tamarix, Halocnemum and Salicornia have low pH and
carbonates and high in moisture content and electrical conductivity. Lycium sp is characterized
to have the longest distances between branches and plants in comparison to other plant specie.
W. K. Mekhemer, J. A. Hefne, N. M. Alandis, O. A. Aldayel, and A. Aldurahim
The adsorption kinetics of natural commercial bentonite (NB) with respect to Cu (II) has
been studied in order to consider its application to purify metal finishing wastewaters. The batch
method has been employed, using metal concentrations in solution ranging from 40 to 2000 mg/l.
We have investigated how solution pH, temperature, adsorbent amount, contact time, washing and
calcinations of bentonite (the calcinations of bentonite at 700 °C and washed bentonite termed
by CB and WB, respectively) affect this process. Results of kinetic experiments showed that Cu
(II) adsorption rate was fast, and more than 90% of Cu adsorption occurred within 5 min. Among
the kinetic models tested, the adsorption kinetics was best described by the pseudo-second-order
equation. The adsorption capacity of Cu (II) ions on NB has increased with increasing pH, adsorbent
amount and temperature. The Langmuir adsorption isotherm properly describes the equilibrium
adsorption and the maximum adsorption capacities of NB towards Cu (II) were determined to be
24.5, 35.5 and 39.3 mg/g at 293, 313, and 333 K, respectively. Values of Gibbs free Energy (ΔG°)
ranging from -17.2, -18.56, and -19.9 kJ/mol suggest that the adsorption process is spontaneous and
mainly governed by specific surface interaction mechanism. The values of standard enthalpy (ΔH°)
and entropy (ΔS°) were 2.494 kJ/mol and 67.29 J/ (mol K), respectively. The adsorption capacity of
washed bentonite sample (WB) was significantly higher than that of Natural bentonite sample (NB)
and calcined bentonite sample (CB). Results of this study can be useful for future up-scaling in using
this material as a low-cost adsorbent for the removal of Cu (II) from industrial wastewater.
Adnan Ali Enshassi, Rafiq Mohammed Choudhry, and Moheeb Abd- Abu Alqumboz
Safety in construction industry of Palestine still suffers from ignorance and lack of
supervision. This low consideration of safety importance caused escalation of accident rate in
construction projects. Also, construction productivity is not encouraging when low productivity is
causing delays in construction projects. The objective of this paper is to identify the productivity
factors that are most related to safety, and determine their relative importance as perceived by
contractors. A questionnaire survey, based on 28 identified productivity factors, grouped into 7 major
factor categories, was conducted. Responses from 61 personnel from contractors organizations
suggest that the following are the most important factors related to safety: ‘skillfulness of worker
improves safety’, ‘demonstrating daily activities to workers before start contributes to improving
safety’, ‘anticipated risks included in safety program in order to avoid accidents increases
productivity’, ‘accidents frustrate workers and create absenteeism which decrease productivity’, and
‘when foremen allocate tasks to workers, they consider safety measures’. The results also indicated
that ‘worker problems’ is the most important among productivity groups of factors followed by
‘safety program, ‘subcontractors, ‘inspection’, ‘personal protective equipment’, ‘factors improving
productivity’ and ‘local conditions’. Contractors are recommended to act strategically to protect
workers by continuously identifying, evaluating, and mitigating hazardous conditions, risky
activities, work locations and work condition on job site.
Sarah B. Aziz and Maytham A. Shahed
The results of the noise removal have a strong influence on the quality of the other
image processing techniques. And since the main goal for any noise removal method is the
preservation of the edges and image information, this influence is the principal drawback of
the smoothing filters. In this paper, a modified Mamdani neurofuzzy network scheme has been
proposed and presented to improve effects of smoothing filters in removing impulsive noise. The
number of connections is reduced to be equal to the number of membership functions plus one.
A training strategy for the presented neurofuzzy is based on artificial image which reduces the
time of computation. The Analysis shows that the proposed neurofuzzy works well in suppressing
impulsive at different noise ratios for grayscale and truecolor images.
Basel Al-Yousfi
Despite having brought many advantages into the advancement of our productive and
increasingly mobile life, motor vehicles do emit large quantities of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons,
nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxides, and a full spectrum of toxic substances, such as fine particles and lead.
Each of these, along with their polluting daughter-products (e.g., ozone), can cause serious effects on
public health and the environment. The intrinsic linkage between the environment and development
necessitates the needs for coordinated initiatives, efforts and policies in order to tackle the issue in
a comprehensive approach. Reducing pollutions emanating from transport requires an integrated
strategy, which may entail sensitive traffic management, transport demand management, optimal
roads systems, cleaner fuels and energy-efficient technologies, environmental emission standards for
new vehicles, and sound maintenance programmes for old vehicles to curtail their emissions. This
paper addresses the key issues involved in the sustainable development, prevention, improvement
and mitigation of transport emissions and resultant atmospheric pollution. Also, it considers the
obstacles encountering urban air quality management programmes and reviews experience to
harmonize policies in different sectors with air quality management efforts. Furthermore, it offers
recommendations for priorities in developing countries by integrating strategies and policies relevant
to the environment, transportation, and energy sectors.
Salah Al-Chaabi, Osama Koutifani, Mohammed Husam Safeih, Amal Sedawi, and Jourge Asmar
Using Beaufort rootstock (86.7 - 95.0%), and the lowest PSGs was by using Eldorado
rootstock (68.3 - 80.0%), while it fluctuated between 79.2 and 82.1% when using the Snooker
rootstock. The combinations efficacies of cultivars grafted onto Snooker rootstock to manage rootknot
nematodes ranged from 95.8 to 100% under natural infection conditions under plastic house,
meanwhile the same combinations were exhibited high level of resistance against corky root disease
caused by the fungus Pyrenochaeta lycopersici. The increasing percentage of one plant yield from
cultivars combinations grafted onto Snooker pepper rootstock fluctuated between 4.3 and 50.8%,
whereas the length and vegetative part weight of cultivars grafted onto the same rootstock were
negatively influenced in comparison with the same non-grafted cultivars. The pepper cultivars grafted
onto tomato rootstocks were unable to grow under plastic houses conditions due to incompatibility
phenomenon.