Research Title: The Application of Three Level NPC Converter for Wind Power Generator

Author: Firas Abdullah Obeidat, Published Year: 2012

2012 IEEE 7th International Power Electronics and Motion Control Conference - ECCE Asia, Harbin, China

Faculty: Engineering and Technology

Abstract: This paper presents the control of a three level back to back converter with Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machine (PMSM). Field Oriented Control (FOC) is used to control the speed and the current of PMSM. Space Vector Pulse Width Modulation (SVPWM) is used to control the Three Level Rectifier and the Three Level Voltage Source Inverter. The simulation tests of the system have been developed based on Simulink/Matlab.

Keywords: Wind Turbine; Three phase Three Level Convertr; PMSM; SVPWM.

Research Title: Software Evolution: A Features Variability Modeling Approach

Author: Said Ahmad Ammar Ghoul, Published Year: 2016

Journal of Software Engineering, 10 (5)

Faculty: Information Technology

Abstract: Abstract: Background: Software Product Lines (SPLs) have been used successfully for building software systems families. One of techniques that are widely used to support SPL’s variability modelling is feature modelling. These methods have been used to recognize and manage commonalities and variability among products. But like anything in this world, software systems families are rapidly changing and demanding for more dynamic capabilities. Materials and Methods: One of the challenging problems of dynamic SPLs is that feature modelling techniques are unable to support dynamic capabilities and their formalization. In fact, feature modelling techniques support well elementary features, but the composed ones are not yet supported nor formalized. This study aims to deal with this challenge. It extends the conventional elementary feature modelling concepts, with composed feature and inherent relations concepts. According to bio-inspired approach, a software configuration comes up by composing its features from elementary or any other composed features. Then this configuration may evolve through its life cycle by metamorphosing, changing from a composed feature to another. Results: This software feature-based evolution variability modelling technique has led to an introduction of a new methodology producing an extended feature model by new meta features and relations. The combination of two formalisms in the specification of this methodology is more powerful than a unique one. Conclusion: The obtained results compared to the actual approaches seem to be promising. The bio-inspired software evolution has led to identify weaknesses of currents feature-based evolution approaches. The introduction of new powerful feature modelling concepts and supporting formal approach, inspired from nature is expected to promote the software evolution.

Keywords: Feature model, Variablity modelling, Software productlines, software evolution, software configuration

Research Title: A Road Map to Bio-inspired Software Engineering

Author: Said Ahmad Ammar Ghoul, Published Year: 2016

Research Journal of Information Technology, 8 (3)

Faculty: Information Technology

Abstract: Abstract: Background: Software production study is rapidly evolving in two parallel approaches: Conventional and bio-inspired. Bio-inspired approaches are generally developed and presented as enhancements of conventional ones. However, conventional approaches benefit from their integration with their global context, through software engineering methodologies for being advantageous. Materials and Methods: The integration of bio-inspired approaches, with bio-inspired software engineering methodologies will enrich bio-inspired approaches and let them be irrefutably the best. This study identifies the motivations of the emergence of such bio-inspired software engineering, presents a first approach to it with a road map and some of its challenges. Results: The application of this first approach on different software systems categories is presented with its summary evaluation. The richness and expressiveness of the concepts introduced by bio-inspired methodologies are strong compared with the conventional ones. However, the evaluation on real industrial software scale remains an open challenge. Conclusion: The obtained results prove the power, the effectiveness and simplicity of the bio-inspired methodologies compared to the conventional ones. The conventional software engineering is not inspired from nature processes and therefore, there is a gap between his concepts and mechanisms and those of real world. This leads to complexity and poverty in its models and their applications. However, this is the strength of the bio-inspired software engineering.

Keywords: Software engineering, bi-inspired software engineering

Research Title: OFDM Systems Performance Enhancement

Author: Qadri Jamal Al-Hamarsheh, Published Year: 2015

IEEE SSD'15, 12th International Multi-Conference on Systems, Signals & Devices, Mahdia, Tunisia

Faculty: Engineering and Technology

Abstract: in this work a comparison among different proposed algorithms has been done to check the performance improvements for current wireless technologies. Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) technique is one of the main techniques that are uses to enhance the quality of service (QoS) for beyond third generation (B3G) systems. This is in order to meet the rapidly increased of multimedia users demand. This comparison includes three previous propositions that were made to enhance the OFDM performance; work based on linear coding techniques, work based on wavelet transform and work based on PWM. All these propositions have been made to combat the effect of high Peak-to-Average Power Ratio (PAPR).

Keywords: OFDM, PAPR, wavelet, linear coding, PWM.

Research Title: Enhancing the Odd Peaks Detection in OFDM Systems Using Wavelet Transforms

Author: Qadri Jamal Al-Hamarsheh, Published Year: 2016

International Journal of Communications, Network and System Sciences, vol. 9, no. 7

Faculty: Engineering and Technology

Abstract: This work aims to study the effect of unwanted peaks and enhance the performance of wireless systems on the basis of tackling such peaks. A new proposition has been made based on wavelet transform method and its entropy. Signals with large peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) will be examined such as the ones that are considered as the major Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) systems drawbacks. Furthermore, aspatial diversity Multiple-Input Multiple- Out-put (MIMO) technology is used to overcome the complexity addition that could arise in our proposition. To draw the best performance of this work, a MATLAB simulation has been used; it is divided into three main stages, namely, MIMO-OFDM symbols’ reconstruction based on wavelet transform, a predetermined thresholding formula, and finally, moving filter. This algorithm is called Peaks’ detection based Entropy Wavelet Transform; PD-EWT. Based on the simulation, and under some constrains such as the bandwidth occupancy and the complexity structure of the transceivers, a peak detection ratio has been achieved and reaches around 0.85. Comparing with our previously published works, the PD-EWT enhances detection ratio for 0.25 more peaks.

Keywords: Wavelet Transform, Entropy, MIMO, OFDM, PAPR

Research Title: Enhancing the Performance of OFDM Systems-Based PAPR Reduction

Author: Qadri Jamal Al-Hamarsheh, Published Year: 2016

International Journal of Circuits, Systems and Signal Processing, vol. 10, pp. 333-8

Faculty: Engineering and Technology

Abstract: In this work a comparison has been made among different proposed algorithms in order to improve the performance of a power consumption wireless network. They are used to combat one of the Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) technique drawbacks, which are considered as a key technique in enhancing the new era of wireless systems’ quality of service (QoS). Therefore, three different propositions have been investigated and covered by this work and classified as; linear coding based, wavelet transformation based, PWM based. Furthermore, a MATLAB program has been run to check their performance and covers two different criteria; the curves of CCDF and the SER curves. This is in order to reduce the Peak-to-Average Power Ratio (PAPR) effect

Keywords: OFDM, PAPR, Linear Coding, Wavelet, PWM

Research Title: Efficiency Enhancement Based on Allocating Bizarre Peaks

Author: Qadri Jamal Al-Hamarsheh, Published Year: 2016

International Journal of Wireless & Mobile Networks (IJWMN), Vol. 8, No. 4

Faculty: Engineering and Technology

Abstract: A new work has been proposed in this paper in order to overcome one of the main drawbacks that found in the Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM) systems, namely Peak to Average Power Ratio (PAPR). Furthermore, this work will be compared with a previously published work that uses the neural network (NN) as a solution to remedy this deficiency. The proposed work could be considered as a special averaging technique (SAT), which consists of wavelet transformation in its first stage, a globally statistical adaptive detecting algorithm as a second stage; and in the third stage it replaces the affected peaks by making use of moving average filter process. In the NN work, the learning process makes use of a previously published work that is based on three linear coding techniques. In order to check the proposed work validity, a MATLAB simulation has been run and has two main variables to compare with; namely BER and CCDF curves. This is true under the same bandwidth occupancy and channel characteristics. Two types of tested data have been used; randomly generated data and a practical data that have been extracted from a funded project entitled by ECEM. From the achieved simulation results, the work that is based on SAT shows promising results in reducing the PAPR effect reached up to 80% over the work in the literature and our previously published work. This means that this work gives an extra reduction up to 15% of our previously published work. However, this achievement will be under the cost of complexity. This penalty could be optimized by imposing the NN to the SAT work in order to enhance the wireless systems performance.

Keywords: Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing, Neural Network, Linear Codes, Wavelet, Moving Average Filter.

Research Title: Behavioural intervention to increase physical activity among patients with coronary heart disease: protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Author: Eman Ahmed Alsaleh, Published Year: 2012

Int J Nurs Stud., 49:12

Faculty: Nursing

Abstract: Abstract BACKGROUND: Although physical activity has significant health benefits in the treatment of patients with coronary heart disease, patients often do not follow prescribed physical activity recommendations. Behavioural strategies have been shown to be efficacious in increasing physical activity among those patients with coronary heart disease who are attending structured cardiac rehabilitation programmes. Research has also shown that tailoring consultation according to patients' needs and sending motivational reminders are successful ways of motivating patients to be physically active. However, there is a lack of evidence for the efficacy of behavioural interventions based on individualised consultation in promoting physical activity among those patients with coronary heart disease who are not attending structured physical activity programmes. OBJECTIVE: This paper outlines the study protocol for a trial which is currently underway, to examine the effect of a behavioural change intervention delivered through individualised consultation calls and motivational reminder text messages on the level of physical activity among patients with coronary heart disease. SETTING: Two large hospitals in Jordan. PARTICIPANTS: Eligible patients aged between 18 and 70 years, who are clinically stable, are able to perform physical activity and who have access to a mobile telephone have been randomly allocated to control or intervention group. DESIGN AND METHODS: Two-group randomised controlled trial. Behavioural intervention will be compared with usual care in increasing physical activity levels among patients with coronary heart disease. The control group (n=85) will receive advice from their doctors about physical activity as they would in usual practice. The intervention group (n=71) will receive the same advice, but will also receive behavioural change intervention (goal-setting, feed-back, self-monitoring) that will be delivered over a period of six months. Intervention will be delivered through individually tailored face-to-face and telephone consultations, supported by motivational SMS text messages to encourage and remind patients to attain these goals. The participants and the researcher delivering the intervention are not blinded to group assignment. RESULTS: Recruitment started in February 2012 and preliminary findings are expected in November 2012. CONCLUSION: It is hypothesised that behavioural intervention delivered through tailored individualised consultation supported by motivational SMS text message reminders will help CHD patients to increase their level of PA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study is registered as a clinical trial at ISRCTN register (ISRCTN48570595).

Keywords: physical activity, hearat disease, behavioral, intervention

Research Title: Behavioural intervention to increase physical activity in adults with coronary heart disease in Jordan

Author: Eman Ahmed Alsaleh, Published Year: 2016

BMC public Health, 16:643

Faculty: Nursing

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Patients with coronary heart disease often do not follow prescribed physical activity recommendations. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of a behavioural intervention to increase physical activity in patients with coronary heart disease not attending structured cardiac rehabilitation programmes. METHODS: Parallel randomised controlled trial comparing 6-month multi-component behavioural change intervention (n = 71) with usual care (n = 85) was conducted in two hospitals in Jordan, Middle East. Intervention included one face-to-face individualised consultation, 6 telephone support calls (for goal-setting, feedback and self-monitoring) and 18 reminder text messages. Patients were randomly allocated to the two groups by opening opaque sealed sequence envelopes. The patients and the researcher who provided the intervention and assessed the outcomes were not blinded. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and 6 months. Primary outcome was physical activity level, secondary outcomes were blood pressure, body mass index, exercise self-efficacy for exercise and health-related quality of life. RESULTS: Intervention and control groups were comparable at baseline. Moderate physical activity significantly increased in the intervention group compared with control group (mean change (SD) of frequency: 0.23 (0.87) days/week versus -.06 (0.40); duration: 15.53 (90.15) minutes/week versus -3.67 (22.60) minutes/week; intensity: 31.05 (105.98) Metabolic equivalents (METs) versus 14.68 (90.40) METs). Effect size was 0.03 for moderate PA frequency, 0.02 for moderate PA duration and 0.01 for moderate PA intensity. Walking significantly increased in the intervention group compared with control group (mean change (SD) of frequency: 3.15 (2.75) days/week versus 0.37 (1.83) days/week; duration: 150.90 (124.47) minutes/week versus 24.05 (195.93) minutes/week; intensity: 495.12 (413.74) METs versus14.62 (265.06) METs). Effect size was 0.36 for walking frequency, 0.05 for walking duration, 0.32 for walking intensity and 0.29 for total PA intensity. Intervention participants had significantly lower blood pressure, lower body mass index, greater exercise self-efficacy and better health-related quality of life at 6 months compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS: Multi-component behavioural intervention increases physical activity, and improves body composition, physiological and psychological outcomes in CHD patients not attending structured rehabilitation programmes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials retrospectively registered in 21-03-2012. ISRCTN48570595 .

Keywords: Behavioural; Coronary heart disease; Intervention; Physical activity; Self-efficacy

Research Title: 6-Mer Hyaluronan Oligosaccharides Modulate Neuroinflammation and Alpha Synuclein Expression in Neuron-Like SH-SY5Y Cells

Author: Yousef Abdel-Kareem Abusamra, Published Year: 2016

Journal of Cellular Biochemsitry,

Faculty: Pharmacy

Abstract: Several studies have shown the degradation of the extracellular matrix at the site of neuroinflammation and increased release of degradation products of glycosaminoglycans. Among these, low molecular weight fragments of hyaluronan (HA) may play a key role in the events leading to neuroinflammation and/or neuronal degeneration. Small HA fragments are able to induce inflammation by stimulating both TLR-2 and TLR-4 as well as CD44 receptors. This stimulation culminates in the nuclear translocation of NF-kB that in turn induces the production of pro-inflammatory intermediates such as TNF-α and IL-1β. The potential of HA fragments, as mediators of inflammation, it has been poorly investigated in neuron-like SH-SY5Y cells so, the aim of this study was to investigate the neuroinflammatory effects of very small HA oligosaccharides, the involvement of TLR-2, TLR-4 and CD44 and the production of α-synuclein in such cells. The addition of HA fragments to cell cultures up-regulated TLR-2, TLR-4 and CD44 levels, induced NF-kB activity and increased both TNF-α and IL-β as well as α-synuclein production. On blocking the activity of TLR-2, TLR-4 and CD44 the levels of inflammatory parameters and of α-synuclein were significantly reduced. Since several data have shown as α-synuclein, produced from neurons, is able to initiates ex novo or to maintain an existing neuroinflammatory response, which has been suggested as one of the principal components involved in neurodegenerative pathologies, as PD, we suggest that HA pathways should be given careful consideration when devising future anti-neuroinflammatory strategies to defend against the onset of neurodegenerative disorders.

Keywords: Inflammation;Cytokines;Hyaluronan;TLRs;SH-SY5Y cells;α-synuclein