NeighShrink is an efficient image denoising algorithm based on the discrete wavelet
transform (DWT). Its disadvantage is to use a suboptimal universal threshold and identical
neighbouring window size in all wavelet subbands. Dengwen and Wengang proposed an
improved method, which can determine an optimal threshold and neighbouring window size
for every subband by the Stein’s unbiased risk estimate (SURE). Its denoising performance is
considerably superior to NeighShrink and also outperforms SURE-LET, which is an up-todate
denoising algorithm based on the SURE. In this paper different wavelet transform
families are used with this improved method, the results show that Haar wavelet has the
lowest performance among

A theoretical study to design a conformal microstrip antennas was introduced in this work. Conformal microstrip antennas define antennas which can be conformed to a certain shape or to any curved surface. It is used in high-speed trains, aircraft, defense and navigation systems, landing gear and various communications systems, as well as in body wearable. Conformal antennas have some advantages such as a wider-angle coverage compared to flat antennas and low radar cross-sectional (RCS) and they are suitable for using in Radome. The main disadvantage of these antennas is the narrow bandwidth. The FDTD method is extremely useful in simulating complicated structures because it allows for direct integration of Maxwell's equations depending o

Ad-Hoc Networks are a generation of networks that are truly wireless, and can be easily constructed without any operator. There are protocols for management of these networks, in which the effectiveness and the important elements in these networks are the Quality of Service (QoS). In this work the evaluation of QoS performance of MANETs is done by comparing the results of using AODV, DSR, OLSR and TORA routing protocols using the Op-Net Modeler, then conduct an extensive set of performance experiments for these protocols with a wide variety of settings. The results show that the best protocol depends on QoS using two types of applications (+ve and –ve QoS in the FIS evaluation). QoS of the protocol varies from one prot

The analysis of the root cause techniques is a reasonable option to be made to assess the root causes of the funding of construction projects. There are a variety of issues related to financing in construction industries in Iraq. The root,cause analysis is the impact of security and social conditions on financial funding. Variety tools of root cause analysis have originated from literature, as common methods for the detection of root causes. The purpose of this study was to identify and diagnose causes that lead to obstruction of financial funding in the construction projects in the republic of Iraq from the contractors' point of view and their interaction with a number of variables. The study diagnosed nine causes of fi

Reciprocal Teaching is an interactive method that is used to improve reading comprehension. Using this teaching strategy, teachers and students take turns leading discussions regarding sections of text using the four strategies: predicting, questioning, clarifying and summarizing. This study is an attempt to investigate the effect of using reciprocal teaching on improving female college students' achievement in reading comprehension. To fulfill the aim of the study, the researcher has adopted two null hypotheses: first, there is no significant difference between the achievement of students' who practice the reciprocal teaching technique and that of students who do not practice it. Second, there is no statistically significant difference

A genetic algorithm model coupled with artificial neural network model was developed to find the optimal values of upstream, downstream cutoff lengths, length of floor and length of downstream protection required for a hydraulic structure. These were obtained for a given maximum difference head, depth of impervious layer and degree of anisotropy. The objective function to be minimized was the cost function with relative cost coefficients for the different dimensions obtained. Constraints used were those that satisfy a factor of safety of 2 against uplift pressure failure and 3 against piping failure.
Different cases reaching 1200 were modeled and analyzed using geo-studio modeling, with different values of input variables. The soil wa

In the present work, the behavior of thick-walled cylinder of elasto-plastic material (polymeric material) has been studied analytically. The study is based on modified Von-Mises yield criterion (for non metallic material). The equations of stress distribution are obtained for the cylinder under general cases of elastic expansion, plastic initiation and elastic-plastic expansion.

        A computer program is developed for evaluating the stress distribution. The solution is carried out for worst boundary conditions when the cylinder is subjected to the combination of pressure load, inertia load, and temperature gradient.

        The results are presente

Transmission lines are generally subjected to faults, so it is advantageous to determine these faults as quickly as possible. This study uses an Artificial Neural Network technique to locate a fault as soon as it happens on the Doukan-Erbil of 132kv double Transmission lines network. CYME 7.1-Programming/Simulink utilized simulation to model the suggested network. A multilayer perceptron feed-forward artificial neural network with a back propagation learning algorithm is used for the intelligence locator's training, testing, assessment, and validation. Voltages and currents were applied as inputs during the neural network's training. The pre-fault and post-fault values determined the scaled values. The neural network's p

An integrated GIS-VBA (Geographical Information System – Visual Basic for Application), model is developed for selecting an optimum water harvesting dam location among an available locations in a watershed. The proposed model allows quick and precise estimation of an adopted weighted objective function for each selected location. In addition to that for each location, a different dam height is used as a nominee for optimum selection. The VBA model includes an optimization model with a weighted objective function that includes beneficiary items (positive) , such as the available storage , the dam height allowed by the site as an indicator for the potential of hydroelectric power generation , the rainfall rate as a source of water . In a

Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF) is a forming technique of sheet material based on layered manufacturing principles. The sheet part is locally deformed through horizontal slices. The moving locus of forming tool (called as toolpath) in these slices constructed to the finished part was performed by the CNC technology. The toolpath was created directly from CAD model of final product. The forming tool is a Ball-end forming tool, which was moved along the toolpath while the edges of sheet material were clamped rigidly on fixture.

This paper presented an investigation study of thinning distribution of a conical shapes carried out by incremental forming and the validation of finite element method to evaluate the limits of the p