The process of accurate localization of the basic components of human faces (i.e., eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth, etc.) from images is an important step in face processing techniques like face tracking, facial expression recognition or face recognition. However, it is a challenging task due to the variations in scale, orientation, pose, facial expressions, partial occlusions and lighting conditions. In the current paper, a scheme includes the method of three-hierarchal stages for facial components extraction is presented; it works regardless of illumination variance. Adaptive linear contrast enhancement methods like gamma correction and contrast stretching are used to simulate the variance in light condition among images. As testing material a subset consists of 1150 images belong to 91 different subjects was taken from Cohn-Kanade AU coded dataset (CK); the subjects images hold different facial expressions. The test results show the effectiveness of the proposed automated localization scheme in different illuminations conditions; it gave accuracy of about 95.7%.
A roundabout is a highway engineering concept meant to calm traffic, increase safety, reduce stop-and-go travel, reduce accidents and congestion, and decrease traffic delays. It is circular and facilitates one-way traffic flow around a central point. The first part of this study evaluated the principles and methods used to compare the capacity methods of roundabouts with different traffic conditions and geometric configurations. These methods include gap acceptance, empirical, and simulation software methods. Previous studies mentioned in this research used various methods and other new models developed by several researchers. However, this paper's main aim is to compare different roundabout capacity models for acceptabl
... Show MoreSolid dispersion (SD) formulation has attracted much attention due to its potential in enhancing dissolution performances of poorly soluble active pharmaceutical ingredients (API). Recently, a review on dissolution performances of SDs classifies the improvement into 3 categories, where 82 % of the studies showed improved bioavailability, 8 % showed reduced bioavailability and 10 % revealed similar bioavailability as compared to pure APIs. This indicates the inconsistent degrees of dissolution improvement of poorly soluble APIs in SD. Although a few factors related to the choice of carriers have been suggested to contribute to the dissolution improvement, however, the underlying factor determining the discrepancy in the degree of dissolution
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This research aims to develop a unit as part of a sixth-grade Arabic language textbook and measure its effectiveness in the development of twenty-first-century skills of female students. The author adopted the experimental approach with a quasi-experimental design of the pre-post single-group. A list of the major skills was derived from the framework for the 21st-century skills of the mother tongue that was developed by the Partnership for 21st-Century Skills and reviewed and adjusted by some specialists. According to their views, the unit was developed. The study targeted 15 sub-skills falling under three main skills. The results of the study showed the effectiveness of the developed unit in the develo
... Show MoreThe solidification process in a multi-tube latent heat energy system is affected by the natural convection and the arrangement of heat exchanger tubes, which changes the buoyancy effect as well. In the current work, the effect of the arrangement of the tubes in a multi-tube heat exchanger was examined during the solidification process with the focus on the natural convection effects inside the phase change material (PCM). The behavior of the system was numerically analyzed using liquid fraction and energy released, as well as temperature, velocity and streamline profiles for different studied cases. The arrangement of the tubes, considering seven pipes in the symmetrical condition, are assumed at different positions in the system, i
... Show MoreNumerical investigation has been carried out on heat transfer and friction factor characteristics of copper-water nanofluid flow in a constant heat-fluxed tube with the existence of new configuration of vortex generator using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation. Two types of swirl flow generator: Classical twisted tape (CTT) and Parabolic-cut twisted tape (PCT) with a different twist ratio (= 2.93, 3.91 and 4.89) and different cut depth (= 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 cm) with 2% and 4% volume concentration
... Show MoreGel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) have drawn a lot of interest due to their special qualities, which include high conductivity that is comparable to liquid electrolytes, excellent mechanical stability, and high flexibility. Using the solution casting approach, we have synthesized copper ion conducting gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) films made of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the polymer host. An ionic salt, copper sulphate (CuSO 4 ), and a plasticizing solvent, PANI/ [BMIM] [BF 4 ] polyionic liquid, were employed. The structural, electrical, and electrochemical properties of the GPE films were carefully examined. The significant XRD crystalline peak decreased and disappeared upon the addition of PANI/[BMIM] [BF 4 ] polyionic liquid, suggesting th
... Show MoreA simple, environmental friendly and selective sample preparation technique employing porous membrane protected micro-solid phase extraction (μ-SPE) loaded with molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) for the determination of ochratoxin A (OTA) is described. After the extraction, the analyte was desorbed using ultrasonication and was analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography. Under the optimized conditions, the detection limits of OTA for coffee, grape juice and urine were 0.06 ng g−1, 0.02 and 0.02 ng mL−1, respectively while the quantification limits were 0.19 ng g−1, 0.06 and 0.08 ng mL−1, respectively. The recoveries of OTA from coffee spiked at 1, 25 and 50 ng g−1, grape juice and urine samples at 1, 25 and 50 ng mL
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