Archives-June 2013

The applications of audio and video compression are limitless and the ISO has done well to provide standards which are appropriate to the wide range of possible compression products. MPEG coding embraces video pictures from the tiny screen of a videophone to the high-definition images needed for electronic cinema. Audio coding stretches from speech-grade mono to multichannel surround sound. This paper presents an overview of the video compression standards related to the MPEG family. MPEG-7 and MPEG-21 are specially covered including its latest standards. MPEG-7 is mainly used for object descriptions and MPEG-21 is for DRM (Digital Rights Management).

The infrared and Raman spectra of L-cysteine molecule has been recorded in the nujol mull as well as in the aqueous solution in the range of 4000-400cm-1. The observed infrared and Raman frequencies are assigned on the basis of the theoretically calculated vibrational frequencies for the most stable structure of zwitterionic cysteine hydrated with six water molecules at B3LYP/6-311G* level. The electronic absorption spectrum of the cysteine molecule has been measured in solution at different concentrations and at different pH in the range of 400- 200 nm. It is observed that the electronic absorption band shifts with the change of pH as well as the concentrations. The TDDFT calculations for the same molecule (zwitterionic cysteine + six water molecules) has also been carried out at B3LYP/6-311G* level. The optimized bond lengths and bond angles for the most stable structure of cysteine hydrated with six water molecules were compared with those reported for X-ray data for cysteine.

This paper gives the brief out line about the worldwide production cottonseed & its oil, Cotton Seed Oil (CSO) properties, its comparison with diesel and Jatropha biodiesel. It investigates the performance of a diesel engine using diesel fuel and cottonseed oil (CSO) biodiesel in terms of brake thermal efficiency and indicated thermal efficiency for conventional diesel, cottonseed oil, as well as for Jatropha oil. For this aim, A Single Cylinder, 4-stroke vertical, water-cooled, self-governed diesel engine developing 5 HP at 1500 rpm (Rope brake dynamometer with spring balances and loading screw. Brake drum diameter = 0.400 m.) engine is selected for the testing with diesel fuel and neat bio-diesel, which is cottonseed oil methyl ester, at full load conditions. The evaluation of theoretical data showed that the brake thermal efficiency and indicated thermal efficiency of CSO biodiesel was slightly higher than that of diesel fuel and Jatropha oil. This study reveals that the use of cottonseed oil biodiesel improves the performance parameters of CI engine compared to conventional diesel fuel.

The present study intends to evaluate the haematological parameters among the rural population of Vaijapur tehsil. During a period of four months i.e. June 2011 to September 2011.During this period of four month total number of 800 samples was examined for Haemoglobin deficiency (Anaemia), out of which 381 samples of male and 419 samples of female of different age groups. The percentage being about 65.09% and 84% in both male and female population were anaemic in rural population of Vaijapur tehsil.

The estimation accuracy has been focused in various formal estimation models in recent research initiatives. The formal estimation models were developed to measure lines of code and function points in the software projects but most of them failed to improve accuracy in estimation. The concept of reusability in software development in estimating effort using artificial neural network is focused in this paper. Incorporation of reusability metrics in COCOMO II may yield better results. In COCOMO II it is very difficult to find the values of size parameters. A new model called COREAN has been proposed in this paper for better effort estimation accuracy and reliability. The proposed model has focused on two components of COCOMO II. First, instead of using RUSE cost driver, three new reuse cost drivers are introduced. Second, In order to reduce the project cost, three cost drivers such as PEXE, AEXE, LTEX are combined into single cost driver Personnel Experience (PLEX). Finally, this proposed model accuracy is more improved with the help of Enhanced RPROP algorithm and simulated annealing optimization technique.

Salmonellosis, a water and foodborne infection is a major cause of high morbidity and mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa. Its prevalence and mortality has been associated with antibiotic resistance related strains that calls for specific strain identification. Data on prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Salmonella in Nandi County of Rift Valley is scarce despite the scourging effect of the disease. 200 stool samples were collected from patients treated for diarrhoea at Kapsabet District hospital between (February – November, 2011). 84%(n=168) were positive for various bacteria isolates as determined by standard microbiological culture techniques. 29%(n=48) were Salmonella. The distribution was; S.typhimurium 56%(n=27),S. enteritidis 29%(n=14),S.paratyphi C 6%(n=3), S. paratyphi A 4%(n=2), S.gallinarum 2%(n=1),S. dublin 2%(n=1). Isolates were confirmed by API 20E biochemical system in addition to invA gene sequencing. All Salmonella isolates were resistant to ampicillin, (19%) were resistant to sulfamethoxazole .Resistance to tetracycline, streptomycin and chloramphenicol was (6%).All ampicillin resistant isolates possessed blaTEM gene while sulfamethoxazole resistant isolates had sul2 gene both genes are associated with class1 integrons. The findings indicated a low antimicrobial resistance in relation to other regions within the country. This situation should be encouraged. Additional safety measures should include training in personal hygiene, sanitation and ensuring water quality.

The purpose of the study is to explore the more fields of customer based brand equity in Pakistan telecom sector. Moreover, an effort has made to view the existence of relationship between the brad equity factors. The questionnaire was distributed among the respondents by following the simple random sampling technique. Questionnaires were distributed among 315 respondents. Out of which only 207 were capable for properly filled. Data was analysed through SPSS and relationships between proposed variables was checked through Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The findings of this study show a significant positive relationship among the four factors of brand equity. The relationships among perceived quality, brand awareness and brand associations are found to be quite strong while the relationship between these three variables and brand loyalty was relatively weaker. This research study highlights the area where companies should focus to gain a sustainable competitive advantage. Further research can be done to find out the root causes of the factors that weaken the relationship of brand loyalty with other variables.

The Indian Financial System, in the last two decades, has seen a phenomenal expansion in the geographical coverage and financial spread. The spread of the banking system has been a major factor in promoting financial intermediation in the economy and in the growth of financial savings. With progressive liberalization of economic policies, there has been a rapid growth of capital market, money market and financial services industry including merchant banking, leasing and venture capital. Consistent with this evolution of the financial sector, the mutual fund industry has also come to occupy an important place. The Indian mutual fund industry has grown at an impressive rate in the last few years, the recent developments of the past few months triggered by the global financial crisis have impacted the fortunes of the Industry resulting in AUM decline, adversely impacting the revenue and profitability. Our research has attempted to identify and highlight some of the key issues and challenges being faced by the industry participants that are preventing the industry from harnessing its true growth potential.

The purpose of the present research was to study the effect of therapeutic horseback riding on repetitive behaviors of children with autism spectrum disorders. It was quasi experimental with one group Pre and Post Test design. The samples were 6 children with autism spectrum disorders selected through available method in a special education center for autistic children in Shiraz, Iran. All the participants had pre-test and then therapeutic horseback riding intervention for one month (consisting of two 45 minute session of riding per week) and finally post-test was administered. Bodfish et al (2002) revised repetitive behaviors scale was used to assess children’s repetitive behaviors. Paired-samples T Test was utilized to analyze the data. The results showed that therapeutic horseback riding decreases the repetitive behaviors of children with autism spectrum disorders significantly. It can be concluded that therapeutic horseback riding has a positive effect on repetitive behaviors improvement.

Several investigations have established that the formability of sheet metal can be assessed from the stress-strain relationship(Sing,W.M and Rao,K.P[1997]). A true stress-strain curve is frequently called a flow curve because it gives the stress required to cause the metal to flow plastically to any given strain. In this paper the flow curve is used for modelling. A model based on an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is introduced to reveal the flow curve of IF steel of thickness 0.85 mm non-coated. After using experimental data to train and test it, the model is applied to new data for prediction of the flow curve. Flow curve represents the basic plastic flow characteristics of the material.