Estimation of the Stress-Strength Reliability for Exponentiated Pareto Distribution Using Median and Ranked Set Sampling Methods

In reliability analysis, the stress-strength model is often used to describe the life of a component which has a random strength (X) and is subjected to a random stress (Y). In this paper, we considered the problem of estimating the reliability R=P [Y<X] when the distributions of both stress and strength are independent and follow exponentiated Pareto distribution. The maximum likelihood estimator of the stress strength reliability is calculated under simple random sample, ranked set sampling and median ranked set sampling methods. Four different reliability estimators under median ranked set sampling are derived. Two estimators are obtained when both strength and stress have an odd or an even set size. The two other estimators are obtained when the strength has an odd size and the stress has an even set size and vice versa. The performances of the suggested estimators are compared with their competitors under simple random sample via a simulation study. The simulation study revealed that the stress strength reliability estimates based on ranked set sampling and median ranked set sampling are more efficient than their competitors via simple random sample. In general, the stress strength reliability estimates based on median ranked set sampling are smaller than the corresponding estimates under ranked set sampling and simple random sample methods.     

Physical and chemical characteristics of butterfat fractions obtained by crystallization from molten fat

Both summer and winter butterfats were fractionated using a laboratory procedure which was designed to simulate a commercial fractionation process. The process is based on a slow, controlled cooling of the melted fat, a short stabilization time at the fractionation temperature, and separation of the crystals from the liquid oil by vacuum filtration using a stainless steel perforated disc. Fractionation temperatures of 29, 26, 23 and 19 C for winter butterfat and 29 and 19 C for summer butterfat were used to obtain solid and liquid fractions at each temperature. Three replications at each temperature showed good reproducibility of results. The fractions were characterized by their fatty acid and triglyceride compositions, melting and crystallization behavior, iodine value, peroxide value and melting point. Presented at the AOCS meeting in Philadelphia in May 1985.     

Interfacial hybridization kinetics of oligonucleotides immobilized onto fused silica surfaces

Fused silica optical fibers have been used in an intrinsic mode optical configuration as biosensors for fluorescence based detection of hybridization of nucleic acids. In this work, the kinetics of hybridization of single-stranded oligonucleotides that were covalently immobilized were studied. The probe DNA was dT₂₀, and the target was Fluorescein-labeled non-complementary (dT₂₀) or complementary (dA₂₀) oligonucleotide. Chronofluorimetric monitoring of the adsorption and hybridization processes was used to investigate oligonucleotide films of different density, in different salt concentrations, at temperatures of 25 and 40 °C, with the concentration of the target DNA being 0.005–0.1 μM. Mathematical models based on first- and second-order Langmuir adsorption have been examined to describe both the adsorption and the hybridization processes. Experimental data were processed using the models, and the hybridization kinetics were calculated. Hybridization kinetics on these optical fiber DNA sensors was found to be up to three orders faster than results presented for a number of other experiments using different immobilization chemistries.     

Stress Heterogeneity Effect on the Strength of Silicon Nitride

The experiments reported in this paper demonstrate the causes of the failure of monolithic ceramics. The specimens are made of silicon nitride and tested at room temperature. The stress field within the specimen is different for each of four series of tests that have been conducted. Fractographic observations have also been made to identify the causes of the failures. A size effect analysis is performed.     

A 90-nm Wideband Merged CMOS LNA and Mixer Exploiting Noise Cancellation

This paper describes the design and implementation of a wideband merged LNA and mixer chip covering the frequency range from 0.1 to 3.85 GHz using 90-nm CMOS technology. Its high level of integration as well as its low power consumption makes it suitable for the rapidly growing software defined radio RF receivers. The chip performance achieves S11 below -10 dB along the entire band and a minimum single side band noise figure of 8.4 dB at IF frequency of 70 MHz. Power conversion gain is measured to be 12.1 dB while the input referred 1 dB compression point is measured to be -12.8 dBm. The chip core consumes only 9.8 mW from a 1.2 V supply with a die area, including the pads, of 0.88 mm²     

Thermal induced transformations in glassy chalcogenides SixTe60−xAs30Ge10

Temperature-induced transformations are considered to be interesting characteristic properties of amorphous materials including the Si _x Te_60–x As₃₀Ge₁₀ system, withx=5, 10, 12 and 20. Density (), X-ray diffraction and differential thermal analysis (DTA) were used to characterize the compositions. DTA traces of each glass composition at different heating rates from 5 to 30° C min^–1 were obtained and interpreted. Fast and slow cooling cycles were used to determine the rate of structure formation. Cycling studies of materials show no memory effect but only ovonic switching action. The compositional dependence of the crystallization activation energy (E) and the coefficient of glass-forming tendency (K _gl) have been calculated. The thermal transition temperatures and associated changes in specific heat have been examined as a function of the Te/Si ratio by differential scanning calorimetry. It was found that andE increase linearly with increasing tellurium content, while the heat capacity (c _p) andK _gl, decrease with increasing tellurium content.E=1.54 eV andc _p=0.246 J g^–1 K^–1 forx=20 whileE=2.74eV andc _p=0.22 J g^–1 K^–1 forx=5.     

Effect of the Te/Si ratio on the electrical characteristics of the amorphous chalcogenide switches

The effect of composition on amorphous chalcogenide threshold switches of the system Si _x Te_60-x As₃₀Ge₁₀, wherex = 5, 10, 12 and 20, has been studied. The compositionx = 5 shows the best switching characteristics, e.g. the smallest holding voltage (V _h = 0.4V), the highest ON state current (I _h = 45A) and smallest threshold voltage (V _s = 1.5V). Applying the three mechanisms of conductance of Mottet al. (Phil. Mag. 37 (1975) 961), it is found that for a particular composition ₂ < ₁ < ₀ (the pre-exponential factors) andW ₂ < (E _a –E ₁ +W ₁) < (E _c –E _f) (whereE _a,E _c andE _e = activation energies at band edge, fermi level and conduction band;W ₁ andW ₂ = activation energy for hopping). It was found that the density of states at the fermi levelN(E _f) increases with the decrease of silicon content. The results provided further evidence against thermal interpretations and thereby support electronic models of threshold switching for these glass systems.     

Performance evaluation for DRED discrete-time queueing network analytical model

Due to the rapid development in computer networks, congestion becomes a critical issue. Congestion usually occurs when the connection demands on network resources, i.e. buffer spaces, exceed the available ones. We propose in this paper a new discrete-time queueing network analytical model based on dynamic random early drop (DRED) algorithm to control the congestion in early stages. We apply our analytical model on two-queue nodes queueing network. Furthermore, we compare between the proposed analytical model and three known active queue management (AQM) algorithms, including DRED, random early detection (RED) and adaptive RED, in order to figure out which of them offers better quality of service (QoS). We also experimentally compare the queue nodes of the proposed analytical model and the three AQM methods in terms of different performance measures, including, average queue length, average queueing delay, throughput, packet loss probability, etc., aiming to determine the queue node that offers better performance.     

Economic Benefits of Reservoirs in the Irrigated Agriculture

Abstract

In the Jordan Valley of Jordan, the demand for water and ability to control its location, timing, quality, and quantity are becoming critical. The competition for water between the urban and agricultural sectors is increasing. There is a general trend in Jordan to reduce water allocated for agricultural use. Increasing the price of irrigation water or restricting the planted areas of water consuming crops, such as bananas, has been implemented during the recent growing season. The main objective of this paper is to highlight the impact of optimal allocation of irrigation water by building storage capacity on the economy of Jordan Valley. A linear programming technique is used, and the main results show that for proper management of water storage capacity, the suggested cropping pattern would generate $88.2 million, whereas the actual cropping pattern generated $74.4 million. The optimal water demand schedule is distributed according to the needs of the planted crops, and water demand has been allocated in an efficient way. In addition, appropriate management of storage capacity has solved the problem of water scarcity during the summer months, when peak production takes place. Storage-transfer system between locations played a significant role in reallocating irrigation water through the storage system. This compensates to a high degree in keeping the agricultural production more stable in physical and monetary units.     

Uncertainties in Small-Angle Measurement Systems Used to Calibrate Angle Artifacts

We have studied a number of effects that can give rise to errors in small-angle measurement systems when they are used to calibrate artifacts such as optical polygons. Of these sources of uncertainty, the most difficult to quantify are errors associated with the measurement of imperfect, non-flat faces of the artifact, causing the instrument to misinterpret the average orientation of the surface. In an attempt to shed some light on these errors, we have compared autocollimator measurements to angle measurements made with a Fizeau phase-shifting interferometer. These two instruments have very different operating principles and implement different definitions of the orientation of a surface, but (surprisingly) we have not yet seen any clear differences between results obtained with the autocollimator and with the interferometer. The interferometer is in some respects an attractive alternative to an autocollimator for small-angle measurement; it implements an unambiguous and robust definition of surface orientation in terms of the tilt of a best-fit plane, and it is easier to quantify likely errors of the interferometer measurements than to evaluate autocollimator uncertainty.