cometadata/datacite-titles-descriptions-related-identifiers huggingface dataset:
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2008.1545
title: Changes and challenges of community forest practices in forest-dependent communites in kachin state

description: This paper examines the hanges and challenges faced by traditional community forest management systems under the changing political and socio-economic conditions in the post conflict areas along the Myanmar/China Border administered by the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO). This research investigates the development and current state of the forest management practices of Forest-Dependent Communities in the Sin Lum Mountain range of Bhamo District, Kachin State, Myanmar. The research focuses on the livelihood challenges these communities face in the political and socio-economic environment since the 194 ceasefire agreement between the Burmese Junta and the Kachin Independence Organization. This paper discusses the different approaches and projects introduced to Forest-Dependent Communities by different stakeholders under the name of development during this period, how these communities have fared under these development schemes, and the role of local Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in this proess. This research uses a Participatory Rural Appraisal methodology to investigate the variety of ways that local people have responded to the changes and challenges which have impacted their livelihood and natural environment. Extensive interviews with key informants and focus group discussions formed the core of this methodology. The study found that Challenges faced by local communities arising from aexchanging natural resources for rapid development, b) Cross-border trade under the expansion of market driven economy, c) top-down urbanization plan, d) the change to modern agriculture, e) the influence of private sector, and f) local people's limited access to the forest resources.
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2008.1546
title: Energy saving in spray drying process

description: Spray drying is the key process in the manufacturing of detergent powder. This process needs a large amount of heat for water evaporation. Saving heat while maintaining product quality is an important factor for the successful functioning of the process. The objective of this study is to minimize energy consumption and to maximize production yield while maintaining product quality. We are interested in bulk density and energy consumption in the production of detergent powder which use Sodium Tri Poly Phosphate (STPP) and Zeolite as component materials. Design of Experiment (DOE) is used in this work in order to optimize the influencing parameters. Experiments are performed with the hot air flow rate varied from 65,000.00 to 72,000.00 kg/hr, slurry feed rate ranged from 25.50 to 31.00 ton/hr and atomized pressure ranged from 50.00 to 55.00 bars. The results of both components show that the bulk density increases with a corresponding decrease in slurry feed rate and an increase in atomized pressure. An increase in hot air flow rate also increases bulk density of Zeolite based detergent powder. The ratio between energy consumption and powder output indicates energy saving. Both STPP based and Zeolite based detergent powder have similar trends. Energy consumption to powder output ratio decreases with an increasing of the slurry feed rate, hot air flow rate and atomized pressure. The optimal condition obtained is applied and can reduce cost 2 million baht a year.
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2008.1547
title: Minimum Kullback-Leibler turbo multiuser detector for CDMA system

description: The presence of both multiple-access interference (MAI) and intersymbol interference(ISI) constitutes a major impediment to reliable communications in multipath code-divisionmultiple-access (CDMA) channels. Many multiuser detectors in the past have been developedbased on novel linear and nonlinear interference suppression technique , which make useof both soft interference cancellation and instantaneous linear minimum mean-square errorfiltering. All of them are required knowledge of the spreading sequences , the initial delaysand multipath channels of the desired users. therefore, the knowledge of channel parametersare essential to achieve an efficient detection of the transmitted signal. The main purpose of this dissertation is to propose an advance novel solution to theproblem of joint multiuser detection, channel estimation and data detection for the uplinkof a multiuser DS-CDMA system exploiting. The devised algorithm from the application ofVariational Bayes Methods and Minimum Kullback-Leibler (MKL) techniques. MinimumKullback-Leibler (MKL) methods allow to efficiently numerical conditional distributionalprobability and parameter approximation of all the unknown parameters (i.e., data symbols,channel response of each users) from their conditional posterior distributions and then tocompute their estimates by condition mean estimator. In addition, they are insensitive,unlike the Expectation maximization (EM) technique, to the choice of initial conditions andconsequently perform robustly in quickly changing communication scenarios. The proposedMKL Bayesian multiuser dectector, being soft-input soft-output in its nature, can be exploitedfor iterative processing in a coded system. The simulation results have demonstrated relevant merit of the optimum MinimumKullback-Leibler (MKL) multiuser detector over multipath code-division multiple-access(CDMA) channels in the system with the unknown the initial delays and multipath channelsof the desired users. A few pilot symbols are used by any users for channel parametersat initial. The simulation results confirm performance properties of proposed MinimumKullback-Leibler (MKL) multiuser detector and show the advantages of the novel design over others.
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2008.1518
title: Adsolubilization and solubilization using conventional and extended anionic surfactants on an aluminum oxide surface

description: Adsolubilization of organic solutes by media-sorbed surfactants is an important phenomenon for surfactant-based environmental technologies. Adsolubilization is strongly influenced by the amount of adsorbed surfactant, solution pH, surface type, and surfactant molecular structure. In this research, the adsorption of two anionic extended carboxylate surfactants (C16-17-4PO-5EO-COONa and C16-18-4PO-5EO-COONa), an anionic extended sulfate surfactant (C16-17-4PO-SO4Na) and an anionic conventional surfactant (SDS) on alumina oxide surface were investigated. The results showed that the adsorption of all surfactant types onto aluminum oxide surface increased with increasing surfactant concentration. Moreover, the extended sulfate surfactant exhibited the highest maximum adsorption capacity onto the aluminum oxide surface while the extended carboxylate surfactant with C16-18 reached maximum adsorption at the lowest surfactant concentration. Two organic solutes with different the degree of polarity, styrene and phenanthrene, were evaluated in adsolubilization and solubilization studies. For styrene adsolubilization study, SDS showed a greater styrene adsolubilization capacity than the extended surfactants; however, the extended surfactants required lower surfactant amounts to form admicelles. The extended sulfate surfactant showed the highest phenanthrene adsolubilization capacity due to the maximum adsorption capacity. The adsolubilization capacity of phenanthrene was significantly influenced by the amounts of adsorbed admicelles at the plateau region. For solubilization study, the extended surfactants exhibited the higher styrene and phenanthrene solubilization capacities than the conventional surfactant. The extent of solubility of organic solutes by surfactants depended on both hydrophilic and hydrophobic of surfactant and organic solutes. In consideration of surfactant loss from the solid surface, the desorption capacity was determined to evaluate the stability of the surfactants adsorbed onto the surface. The results indicated that the extended carboxylate surfactants showed the lower desorption capacity as compared to the conventional surfactant due to the stronger lateral interaction between surfactant tails. Therefore, the use of extended surfactant adsorbed onto solid surface can reduce the surfactant losses from the surface and improved the operating characteristics of the surfactant-modified adsorbent for removal of organic pollutants.
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2008.1519
title: A program for estimating lightning outage rates of overhead transmission lines

description: This thesis presents the development of two software programs, STPM and I-EMTP, for estimating the lightning outage rates of overhead transmission lines. Both programs apply the different methods for determining the critical lightning current required to cause a flashover. The STPM program uses a simplified two-point method, while the I-EMTP program gets the critical lightning current from the simulation with Electromagnetic Transients Program (EMTP). However, both software programs have the same procedure for calculating the outage rate with the obtained critical lightning current. The STPM program is easier to use and saves time, while the user of I-EMTP program must model the power system to simulate the critical lightning current which wastes time. However, it is easier to develop models in EMTP program for more accurate result. The STPM program is implemented to study the parameters that have effects on the lightning outage rates of overhead transmission lines, i.e. tower configuration, tower footing resistance, shielding angle, insulation level, ground flash density and probability distribution of lightning current.
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2008.1520
title: Some types of convergence of sequences of functions

description: Csaszar and Laczkovich defined and studied discrete convergence as well as the equal convergence for sequences of real-valued functions. Then definitions of uniformly equal convergence and uniformly discrete convergence were proposed by Papanastassiou as well. Nonetheless, the properties and relations of these convergent sequences of functions are not studied yet. In this project we will study the relations and the properties of the convergent sequences of functions. In addition, the properties of classes of functions which are uniformly equal limits and uniformly discrete limits will be then studied. The notion of - convergence for sequences of real-valued functions on a metric space will be introduced. The result is that if is a compact metric space then implies where denotes uniform convergence. Conversely, Hola and Salat showed that is true only if is a compact metric space, thus characterizing a compactness in terms of these convergences. Subsequently, we define new types of convergence called - uniform equal convergence. The relations of these convergences are then studied. The properties of these convergences are also investigated in order that we could obtain sufficient conditions for a metric space to be compact in term of it.
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2008.1521
title: Production of monoclonal antibodies against Yersinia enterocolitica

description: Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against Yersinia enterocolitica, a foodborne pathogen causing gastroenteritis and other complications known as yersiniosis, were produced and characterized. Hybridomas were produced by fusion NS-1 mouse myeloma cells with spleen cells of ICR mouse immunized with heat-killed and SDS-mercaptoethanol treated form of Y. enterocolitica ATCC 27729 or mixed with MU isolate. Screening of hybridomas producing antibody against Y. enterocolitica was performed by dot blotting. Twenty-five MAbs were obtained from five fusions and can be divided into 9 groups according to their specificities to several bacterial strains as determined by dot blotting. The first five groups of MAbs were specific only to Y. enterocolitica, but not recognized all isolates tested. MAbs in group 6 and group 7 reacted with all isolates of Y. enterocolitica tested and also showed cross-reaction with some Yersinia spp. and Edwardsiella tarda, especially for group 7. MAbs in group 8 and group 9 reacted with all isolates of Y. enterocolitica and Yersinia spp. as well as other Gram-negative bacteria which belong to Enterobacteriaceae. These MAbs recognized Y. entericolitica at molecular weight ranging from 10-43 kDa by Western blotting and could detect Y. enterocolitica within the range from approximately 106-108 CFU ml-1 by dot blotting depending on the group of MAbs. The major isotype of the MAbs was IgM and the remaining MAbs were determined as various groups of IgG isotypes. Some of MAbs produced in this study would be used as a tool in immunological-based methods for specific detection of Y. enterocolitica in food or clinical samples.
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2008.1522
title: The possibility of piRNAs sysem to control transposons in cancer cells

description: Down-regulation of Piwil2 (P-element induced wimpy testis like 2) expression induced hypomethylation, the loss of methylation levels, of long interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE-1 or L1) sequences in the testes of mutant mice. Moreover, the expression of Piwil2 can be found in various cancers. The levels of LINE-1 hypomethylation in cancers are not only generally varied, but also possess a locus-specific pattern. This study focused on the association between Piwil2 and LINE-1 methylation. Eleven WSU-HN cancer cell lines were examined for the expression of Piwil2 using semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Genome-wide and specific loci LINE-1 methylation levels were measured using Combined Bisulfite Restriction Analysis (COBRA) and COBRA for unique LINE-1 (CU-L1), respectively. Moreover, inhibit Piwil2 expression used siRNAs. The levels of Piwil2 expression and LINE-1 methylation were varied. Significant association between Piwil2 RNA and LINE-1 methylation of two loci, L1-EPHA3IVS5 and L1-SPOCK3, was observed (Pearson r = 0.7332; P  0.01 and r = 0.6124; P &lt; 0.05, respectively). There was no association with both genome wide LINE-1 methylation and the other 15 loci. We also reported transient inhibition of Piwil2 expression. Unfortunately due to cell death, we can not establish stable cell line. We found no association between short term down-regulated Piwil2 expression effect on methylation levels of LINE-1 in genome-wide and specific loci in HeLa. We suggested that Piwil2 expression may be associated with LINE-1 methylation of selective loci in type of cancer cells.
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2008.1523
title: Information system development for order receiving process of a scaffolding and accessories manufacturer

description: The business model of scaffolding and accessories manufacturer studied in this thesis, hereinafter referred as ABC’s company, is quite complicated as the majority of the products are to be rented – at approximately 80% of the time. The remaining 20% is where customers decide to purchase. This has resulted in the complexity of production process and inventory control. The production process is divided into two sectors – repairing products returned from renting customers and manufacturing of new products. In term of inventory, other than finished product inventory and work in process, there are 2 more inventories; waiting-for-repair items, and at-customer-location. This has resulted in many sets of information required for marketing department to process customers’ orders. Currently, marketing department is still lack of certain data to be analyzed and information system to support order receiving process which subsequently results in an ineffective and inefficient designated deliverable date, which eventually leads to lateness in delivery and job cancellation The purpose of this study is to develop the information system in order to improve order receiving process of ABC’s marketing department. Fist, the author studies current order receiving process and analyzes its problems. Then, the information system is designed for required data and logical model. In this thesis, the products covered in the thesis’ standard times of both production process sectors are studied to determine the process capacity which is one of the required data for the information system. Finally, the information system is developed by Visual Basic-based Excel Macro and evaluated for its validation. The information system is validated by ABC’s top managements and marketing department. As a result, it is accepted for its sufficient data and efficient logical model which are required in order receiving process in order to support marketing department in designating more accurate available-to-promise date and proactively negotiating with customers. Furthermore, the preliminary evaluation results in the improving trend of on time delivery, that is, reduction of 5% units late and reduction of 2% error available-to-promise date. In addition, top managements also accept for its validations and contributions for further improvements since standard time and production plan are provided as well.
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2008.1548
title: Virtually stable maps and their convergence sets

description: We generalize the concept of a virtually nonexpansive selfmap of a metric space by introducing the notion of a virtually stable selfmap of a Hausdorff space. We also prove that every virtually nonexpansive selfmap is virtually stable, and the fixed point set of a virtually stable selfmap is a retract of the convergence set. Some properties of the convergence set and the fixed point set of a virtually stable map are also investigated.
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2008.1549
title: Large curvature analysis of linear elastic, inextensible structures by a direct stiffness method

description: This study proposes a simple technique that has a capability of analysis of linearly elastic, inextensible beam and frame structure undergoing large curvature and rotation. The technique utilizes a standard direct stiffness strategy along with a standard nonlinear solver based on Newtow-Ralphson iteration. The element tangent stiffness matrix is derived directly from the governing nonlinear differential equations; in particular, a standard procedure analogous to that used to construct solutions for classical elastica problems is employed as a basis of the development. The length constraint equation arising form the beam inextensibility is additionally incorporated to the element tangent stiffness matrix in a straightforward fashion and, as a result, increasing the dimension of the matrix by one. The derived element tangent stiffness matrix is exact and essentially symmetric, and its final expression is given in a concise and explicit form in terms of elliptic integrals and other integrals of the same kind. A key advantage of exploiting exact element tangent stiffness matrices in the direct stiffness method is that an exact solution can directly be obtained without any refinement on the size of elements. In this sense, it additionally provides a means for generating results that can be used as benchmark solutions for a comparison purpose. To demonstrate the capability and robustness of the current technique, extensive analysis of beam and frame structures are preformed and results are then reported and discussed.
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2008.1550
title: Characterization of ballpoint pen inks by ATR FT-IR microspectrocopy

description: A homemade slide-on Ge µIRE for ATR FT-IR spectral acquisition with an infrared microscope is employed for ballpoint pen inks characterization. Due to the small sampling area of the IRE, a trace of written ink on a paper can be analyzed. Direct correlation between the molecular information and their infrared absorption enable the identification of inks. Since inks have their own unique formula depending on manufacturer recipe, their spectra demonstrate their unique characteristic. Although the spectra of ink written on paper have interference from paper, the wavenumber region which display unique ink characteristic can be identified and employed for the ink identification. Moreover, a line-crossing of ink which is forged with other pen inks is investigated by linear point-by-point measurement. The operations are non-destructive and can be performed without an additional sample preparation. The technique suitable for document examination in as well as other forensic evidences based on unique chemical signature of ink.
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2008.1551
title: Combined cloud point extraction and bioremediation for clean-up trichloroethylene in various soil types

description: The contamination of trichloroethylene (TCE) in soil and groundwater has become an important environmental problem because of their toxicity and persistence. In this study, a combination of cloud point extraction and bioremediation was applied to enhance TCE removal efficiency from three soil types including sandy clay loam, sandy loam and clay soil. Dehydol LS7 TH, a nonionic surfactant synthesized in Thailand, was used in cloud point extraction technique for removing high TCE concentration out of the soil. Using an initial concentration of 90 mM Dehydol LS7 TH, the surfactant partition ratio on sandy clay loam and sandy loam were 14.61 and 10.71, respectively. Meanwhile, this surfactant could not separate well in clay soil. It was indicated that soil types can affect the phase separation. However the different in TCE removal efficiency from each soil types was minor and about 3% of the initial TCE was remained in those soil samples. The addition of 0.2 M sodium chloride (NaCl) was found to enhance the phase separation and increase the surfactant partition ratio of Dehydol LS7 TH in all three types of soil. The addition of NaCl also increased TCE partition ratio, in which only small amount of TCE was remained in the surfactant dilute phase. TCE removal efficiencies of this condition in all soil types were similar to the cloud point extraction without adding NaCl. The inoculum of Rhodococcus sp. L4 was later developed for bioremediation by immobilization technique i.e. attachment of cells on cumin seeds and encapsulation of cumin seed-attached cells in gellan gum beads. The immobilization was to enhance TCE removal and protect the cells from environmental stress. The result showed that cumin seed-Rhodococcus sp. L4 encapsulated in gellan gum was capable of degrading 60% of 10 ppm TCE. This encapsulated cell had higher TCE removal efficiency than that of cumin seed-attached cells alone and was more tolerant to high TCE concentration in the presence of surfactant and NaCl. The combination of cloud point extraction process using Dehydol LS7 TH in presence of NaCl and bioaugmentation with Rhodococcus sp. L4 inoculums were later performed to clean up 1,000 ppm TCE in those soil samples. After cloud point extraction, the residual TCE in soil was degraded by free cells of Rhodococcus sp. L4 and the residual TCE in surfactant dilute-phase was degraded by cumin seed-Rhodococcus sp. L4 encapsulated in gellan gum. The amounts of TCE after the combined treatment were decreased significantly to only 18-19 mg/kg in all three soil types and to 6-10 mg/L in the dilute phase surfactant. The results suggested that the combination of these techniques could be effectively applied for TCE removal from various soil types.