• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
• /
• v.23 no.10
• /
• pp.135-146
• /
• 2023

An effective educational program warrants the inclusion of an innovative construction which enhances the higher education efficacy in such a way that accelerates the achievement of desired results and reduces the risk of failures. Educational Decision Support System (EDSS) has currently been a hot topic in educational systems, facilitating the pupil result monitoring and evaluation to be performed during their development. Insufficient information systems encounter trouble and hurdles in making the sufficient advantage from EDSS owing to the deficit of accuracy, incorrect analysis study of the characteristic, and inadequate database. DMTs (Data Mining Techniques) provide helpful tools in finding the models or forms of data and are extremely useful in the decision-making process. Several researchers have participated in the research involving distributed data mining with multi-agent technology. The rapid growth of network technology and IT use has led to the widespread use of distributed databases. This article explains the available data mining technology and the distributed data mining system framework. Distributed Data Mining approach is utilized for this work so that a classifier capable of predicting the success of students in the economic domain can be constructed. This research also discusses the Intelligent Knowledge Base Distributed Data Mining framework to assess the performance of the students through a mid-term exam and final-term exam employing Multi-agent system-based educational mining techniques. Using single and ensemble-based classifiers, this study intends to investigate the factors that influence student performance in higher education and construct a classification model that can predict academic achievement. We also discussed the importance of multi-agent systems and comparative machine learning approaches in EDSS development.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
• /
• v.39 no.2
• /
• pp.96-104
• /
• 2023

The successful restoration program requires a comprehensive understanding of variables influencing seedling efficiency. Below-ground is hypothesized to have a major impact on seedling performance of species when planted in agriculture, and degraded areas with different types of mulching. This study investigated on Sg. Terla Forest Reserve in Cameron Highlands Pahang, Malaysia. In this study randomized complete block design (RCBD) was used. The excavation method was applied to study the root system development, above, and below ground biomass distributions under different types of mulching: coconut mulching (CM), oil palm mulching (OM), plastic mulching (PM) and control (CK). The root diameter, main root length, lateral root length, root coiling, and root direction toward to sun were recorded. The results in this study indicate that mulching had significant effect on root diameter, main root length, and root distributions among treatments while for lateral root length, root: shoot ratio, dry biomass distributions, and above and below ground biomass did not showed significant effect among treatments. The highest values for root diameter, lateral root length, main root length, root distributions, dry biomass distributions and above and below ground biomass were showed in CM treatments. However 75% of root coiling was observed in seedlings between treatments.

• Journal of Distribution Science
• /
• v.21 no.10
• /
• pp.39-49
• /
• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore areas that have been studied extensively in previous studies related to franchising as a platform for global distribution. Furthermore, franchising is a strategic distribution method that gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to replicate an established business model. In addition, franchisees benefit from the use of established branding and receive support from the franchisor. Research design, data, and methodology: This study used the Preferred Reporting Items Systematics Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method to analyse data from 2003 to 2023 in the Web of Science and Scopus databases. Results: A total of 79 articles were identified and analysed to see trends and related themes such as product distribution, business distribution, business strategy, emerging market, and franchising relationship. Also, publication trends by year related to franchises are also presented. Conclusions: Overall, the research trend related to franchising as a global distribution is well seen, and every year, many researchers begin to explore the topic of franchising as a method of distribution that can be explored from various aspects either quantitatively or qualitatively. Lastly, limitations and recommendations are made to provide guidance for future studies related to the topic broadly and deeply in enriching the findings.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2018

The principal objective of this study is to investigate the effect of Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) crosslinking in Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) in immobilization of Fe and bimetallic Fe/Cu and Cu/Fe zero valent particles on the membrane and its efficiency on removal of nitrate in wastewater. PVDF/PEG polymer solution of three weight compositions was prepared to manipulate the viscosity of the polymer. PEG crosslinking was indirectly controlled by the viscosity of the polymer solution. In this study, PEG was used as a modifier of PVDF membrane as well as a cross-linker for the immobilization of the zero valent particles. The result demonstrates improvement in immobilization of metallic particles with the increase in crosslinking of PEG. Nitrate removal efficiency increases too.

• Industrial Engineering and Management Systems
• /
• v.10 no.3
• /
• pp.191-196
• /
• 2011

The purpose of this paper is to study user's involvement in new product development (NPD). It seeks to identify the factors involving user and design practices in the design process of new product development. A survey was conducted on 20 respondents consisting of designers involved in product development from various industries. The study focused on the early activities of the product design process which is called product specification. The analysis performed considers the importance of involving users in design decision. The outcome of this research is the significance of involving users and its effect on product development activities. The research also provides a model for an integrated user, designer and product knowledge activity in the product development process.

• Proceedings of the SAREK Conference
• /
• 2008.06a
• /
• pp.1378-1385
• /
• 2008

This study is aimed to analyze the flow patterns and thermal characteristics by computer simulation under the variations of fire strength for Daegu-Pahang Yimgo-4th tunnel, from which flow and heat distributions are predicted in the longitudinal tunnel. Though the results of numerical computations, followings are found; one is that the volume flow rate is discontinuously increasing as closer to fire location, and the other is that a critical design to get faster flow rate is required because of existence of backlayer flow for the high fire strength in view of safety for the people in fire of the tunnel.

• Proceedings of the SAREK Conference
• /
• 2006.06a
• /
• pp.1209-1212
• /
• 2006

This study is aimed to analyze the floe patterns and thermal characteristics by computer simulation under the variations of fire strength for Daegu-Pahang Yimgo-4th tunnel, from which flow and heat distributions are predicted In the longitudinal tunnel. Though the results of numerical computations, followings are found; one is that the volume flow rate is discontinuously increasing as closer to fire location, and the other is that a critical design to get faster flow rate is required because of existence of backlayer flow for the high fire strength in view of safety for the people in fire of the tunnel.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.247-255
• /
• 2018

Soil stabilization can make the soils becoming more stable by using an admixture to the soil. Lime stabilization enhances the engineering properties of soil, which includes reducing soil plasticity, increasing optimum moisture content, decreasing maximum dry density and improving soil compaction. Silica fume is utilized as a pozzolanic material in the application of soil stabilization. Silica fume was once considered non-environmental friendly. In this paper, the materials required are kaolin grade S300, lime and silica fume. The focus of the study is on the determination of the physical properties of the soils tested and the consolidation of kaolin mixed with 6% silica fume and different percentages (3%, 5%, 7% and 9%) of lime. Consolidation test is carried out on the kaolin and the mixtures of soil-lime-silica fume to investigate the effect of lime stabilization with silica fume additives on the consolidation of the mixtures. Based on the results obtained, all soil samples are indicated as soils with medium plasticity. For mixtures with 0% to 9% of lime with 6% SF, the decrease in the maximum dry density is about 15.9% and the increase in the optimum moisture content is about 23.5%. Decreases in the coefficient of permeability of the mixtures occur if compared to the coefficient of permeability of kaolin soft clay itself reduce the compression index (Cc) more than L-SF soil mix due to pozzolanic reaction between lime and silica fume and the optimum percent of lime-silica fume was found to be (5%+6%) mix. The average coefficient of volume compressibility decreases with increasing the stabilizer content due to pozzolanic reaction happening within the soil which results in changes in the soil matrix. Lime content +6% silica fume mix can reduce the coefficient of consolidation from at 3%L+6%SF, thereafter there is an increase from 9%L+6%SF mix. The optimal percentage of lime silica fume combination is attained at 5.0% lime and 6.0% silica fume in order to improve the shear strength of kaolin soft clay. Microstructural development took place in the stabilized soil due to increase in lime content of tertiary clay stabilized with 7% lime and 4% silica fume together.

• World Technopolis Review
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.87-103
• /
• 2015

This paper aims to explore how firms develop and grow in regional clusters based in a developing country. The argument is that start-ups / small and large firms are able to grow by developing linkages or networks for resources within clusters - and this tenet is based on studies of firms that are based from such clusters as Silicon Valley in the US, Cambridge in UK and other clusters from which have evolved over long periods of time. Most of the time we hear narratives from the developed world where there are brownfield cluster development efforts. In developing countries governments are making efforts to develop clusters from scratch - which in this paper we term as greenfield cluster versus a brownfield development, which is where the cluster is developed based on existing and new organisations in a region. In this paper, we believe the context of clusters can be important in determining the way firms develop linkages for their growth - and we look at two contexts in Malaysia ie. A greenfield cluster and a brownfield cluster. The paper presents findings from case studies of firms in a greenfield cluster (Cyberjaya) and a brown field cluster (Penang) in Malaysia. The cases reveal fairly different approaches to development of linkages or networks, which we hope will provides insights to cluster development officials and policy makers and implications to researchers for developing studies of clusters and innovation systems.

• Computers and Concrete
• /
• v.18 no.5
• /
• pp.999-1018
• /
• 2016

Enhanced tensile properties of fiber reinforced concrete make it suitable for strengthening of reinforced concrete elements due to their superior corrosion resistance and high tensile strength properties. Recently, the use of fibers as strengthening material has increased motivating the development of numerical tools for the design of this type of intervention technique. This paper presents numerical analysis results carried out on a set of concrete beams reinforced with short fibers. To this purpose, a database of experimental results was collected from an available literature. A reliable and simple three-dimensional Finite Element (FE) model was defined. The linear and nonlinear behavior of all materials was adequately modeled by employing appropriate constitutive laws in the numerical simulations. To simulate the fiber reinforced concrete cracking tensile behavior an approach grounded on the solid basis of micromechanics was used. The results reveal that the developed models can accurately capture the performance and predict the load-carrying capacity of such reinforced concrete members. Furthermore, a parametric study is conducted using the validated models to investigate the effect of fiber material type, fiber volume fraction, and concrete compressive strength on the performance of concrete beams.