Archives-May 2014

This piece of research addresses an interdisciplinary challenging issue concerned with dynamical evaluation of e-Learning systems' performance. More precisely, it presents an interdisciplinary work integrating neuronal, psychology, cognitive, and computer sciences into educational environment. That's in order to introduce systematic analysis and dynamical evaluation of the adopted study for e-learners' time response (equivalently convergence time) phenomenon. Specifically, this work concentrates on dynamical evaluation of one measuring parameter fore-learning performance namely: time response. In other words, e-learner's response time has been adopted as an appropriate candidate learning parameter applicable for reaching optimal analysis and evaluation of e-learning systems performance. Herein, that time considered as period of time requested in order to reach correctly a pre-assigned (desired) output answer which determined by an e-learner while examined via Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ). At the macro-level, the paper proposed e-learner's response time affected mostly by two basic extrinsic and intrinsic educational factors. Firstly, that associated to effectiveness of e-learning environment such as communication signal to noise ratio, and learning rate value. Secondly, that tightly coupled with gain factor candidates' brain function and structure (synapses, axons, and dendrites).Such as the number of dynamically contributing neurons, and the gain factor of neuronal response function. Consequently, Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) simulation has been adopted for realistic evaluation of timely dependent candidate's response till reaching desired correct output solution for any arbitrary MCQ exam. After successful timely updating of dynamical state pattern (synaptic weight vector), pre-assigned (desired) correct response is accomplished in accordance with coincidence learning modeling. The presented simulation has been developed towards quantified analysis of the highly specialized neurons' role performed to select correct answers to MCQ. Furthermore, the time response parameter considers individual differences of learners' brain role (considering various number of neurons), while performing selectivity (MCQ) processes. Finally, after running of suggested realistic simulation programs, some interesting conclusive results introduced.

The main focus of this study was to probe the relationship among motivation, high school classroom stress, and academic achievement of Iranian high school learners. Students’ motivation was surveyed and analyzed using Instrumental Motivation designed by Kimura et al. (2001) and their classroom stress was measured through the Vulnerability to Stress designed by Miller L. and Smith A. D. (1985). Furthermore, in order to get the participants’ academic achievement, their Grade Point Average (GPA) will be taken into account as well as the grade of English course. The results of the Spearman rank order correlation coefficient indicate that there is moderately negative relationship between classroom stress and instrumental motivation. Regarding the relationship between instrumental motivation and academic achievement, motivation was only slightly related to scores on English course. Findings also demonstrated that classroom stress was negatively related to learning English.

This study attempted to shed some light on the effect of rubric-referenced peer assessment on EFL learners’ speaking skill and on the cultivating the learners’ awareness of having appropriate criteria for speaking, as one of the four major skills. This study explored the effect of rubrics on peer assessment of 18 Iranian EFL learners. First, learners assessed their classmates speaking performance based on their own presuppositions and assumptions. Subsequently, a spoken language rubric was introduced to them. They re-assessed their classmates’ performances through using this rubric. Quantitative data analysis revealed significant difference between the results. In-depth qualitative analyses of comments and marginal notes written down by learners revealed that peers heed not only to institutional components specified in scoring scales but also to other irrelevant criteria such as the result of the speech act performed.The study has suggested that the use of a combination of peer assessment and rubric-referenced assessment encourages students to become more rationally responsible and reflective and has shown positive formative effects on student achievement and attitudes. The article concludes with some guidelines for practitioners.The findings of this study also provide insight into the effective assessment and recommendations for future research and practice are made.

Image morphing is a very important tool in film and animation industry. There is a potential need to do the research in the field of image morphing. There are lots of applications based on morphing in the area of image processing and image data security. There has been a significant improvement in the research related to image morphing in the past few years. In this paper, state of the art methods from 1980, s of morphing is discussed. In various sections of the paper methods related to transformation of pixels, interpolation and other methods of image morphing are discussed. A sincere attempt is made to address the comparison of these methods depending upon various parameters and techniques. This will help the researcher to compare and identify the method for further research. It is also highlighted the possible direction of research till date. Moreover the paper also contains a comprehensive bibliography of many selected papers appeared in reputed journals and conference proceedings as an aid for the researchers working in the field of image morphing. It includes old research papers to new research papers till date.

Ovarian Fibroma is the commonest benign tumor of the ovarian sex-cord stromal (mesenchymal). These tumors are usually solid tumors and are usually seen in middle aged women and diagnosed by ultrasound or CT scan and confirmed by pathological findings1.According to FIGO staging of cervical carcinoma, for IA2-IB-IIA2, are usually treated by surgical methods like Primary radical hysterectomy with bilateral salphingo-oopherectomy with or without pelvic node dissection and followed by chemo or radiation depending on the histopathological findings, if nodes are positive for malignancy.

Angiomyofibroblastoma is a rare kind of soft tissue tumour; occurs usually in the vulva. It is usually confused with bartholin’s cyst because of its location. The other differentiating tumours arising in the vulval region is aggressive –angiomyxoma(AAM) and cellular angiofibroma.

Power has been an important issue for the present day microelectronic circuits of Soc designs. In the entire phase of design controlling power and dealing with power dissipation is very important. There are six leakage components in a MOS transistor. About 50 % of the total power consumption is through leakage components alone. Out of this 40 % power dissipation is through transistors. Out of them subthreshold leakage and gate leakage are of important concern for sub 100 nm devices. In this work we presented the main leakages in a 6T- SRAM cell. Later we presented an existing variable body biasing method and its performance. We proposed two novel methodologies HSVR, GSVE to reduce the subthreshold and gate leakage components. These methods are toplogy based leakage reduction methods applied for leakage reduction in the circuit level. We observed considerable reduction of both the components through the proposed methods.

This paper examined the impact of non-performing loans on the profitability of the banking industry of Pakistan. We have taken the Return on Assets (ROA), Return on Equity (ROE) as Total Assets (TA) as profitability measure for the time span of 1998-2010. We have taken the data of Non-Performing Loans from the central bank of Pakistan. By applying the regression analysis, we have concluded that Non-Performing Loans have significant negative impact on the profitability and growth of the Banking sector of Pakistan.

Noctuid moth diversity was studied in three selected places in Rajmahal hills viz., Maharo, Satia and Bathbanga from March 2011 to May 2013. Totally 58 species of Noctuids were identified and their diversity, evenness and dominance were calculated. The study revealed very good diversity and evenness of noctuid moths in Rajmahal hills. A 3.8 value of Shannon index showed very high diversity and 0.89 value of evenness showed the relative abundance of all species of moths. This study will encourage others to take up biodiversity studies in this region.

The purpose of this paper is to obtain common fixed point theorem in intuitionistic fuzzy metric spaces while proving this result we utilize the idea of occasionally weakly compatible maps due to AI Thagafi and N.Shahzad [14]. In this paper we have generalized the result of Kamel Wadhwa and Huriom Dubey [8] and occasionally weakly compatible maps by using intuitionistic fuzzy metric spaces.