Research Title: Ubiquitous Robotics for Knowledge-based Auto-configuration System within Smart Home Environment

Author: Mustafa Awwad Al Khawaldeh, Published Year: 2016

Faculty: Engineering and Technology

Abstract: The present paper is anchored in the area of Embedded System and Robot and Ambient Intelligent which considered in the ICICS 2016. The wide availability of services and devices within contemporary smart home environments make their management a challenging and rewarding task. Maintaining complex smart home systems throughout their lifecycle entails considerable resources and effort. These challenges have stimulated the need for dynamic auto-configurable services amongst such distributed systems. Although significant research has been directed towards achieving auto-configuration, none of the existing solutions is sufficient to achieve auto-configuration within smart home environments. This research aims to devise methods to automate the activities associated with customised service delivery for dynamic home environments by exploiting recent advances in the field of ubiquitous robotics and Semantic Web technologies. It introduces a novel approach called the Knowledge-based Auto-configuration Ubiquitous Robotics for Smart Home Environments, which utilises the Sobot to achieve auto-configuration of the system. A proof-of-concept testbed has been designed, implemented and validated via several case studies.

Keywords: Smart home, ubiquitous robotics, and Semantic Web.

Research Title: " Individual Character Comparison Technique for Improving the Internal Memory Performance"...British Journal of Mathematics & Computer Science , 12(3): 1-13, 2016.

Author: Jasim Abdullah Ghaeb, Published Year: 2016

Faculty: Engineering and Technology

Abstract: The efficiency of the cache mapping technique depends on how the cache lines are organized and the way that is used to look for and hit the target cache line. In this paper, an efficient technique is proposed to obtain a significant improvement in average hit time of a line in the cache. The paper presents Distributive Comparison Approach (DCA) that significantly minimizes the hit time and improve cache hit ratio. The efficient of DCA is based on how the cache lines are compared and picked up the coveted one leading to a low cache hit ratio. In DCA, the cache line is assigned by multi tags where each individual tag is only one character. Then, instead of one line tag of complete characters per a comparison cycle, the comparator is flushed by multi tags of different lines in the cache. Also the cache lines that are come from the main memory classified into two groups; even and odd line's tags to reject the unwanted lines form the multi-tag comparison. These two procedures practically speed up the repelling of misfit tagged lines and consequently the hitting of the target line in the cache. Simulation results show that the DCA outperforms well-known mapping techniques including FAMT and SMT.

Keywords: Cache memory; memory hierarchy; cache hit ratio; tw o-level memory; cache mapping.

Research Title: Banking Regulations and Supervising, and the Soundness of Banks in MENA Countries

Author: Mohammad Oqlah Al-Smadi, Published Year: 2015

European Journal of Business and Management , 7

Faculty: Business

Abstract: The consequences of the last financial crisis have increased the debates about the role of banking regulations and supervision in maintaining banks' soundness. This study investigates the impact of banking regulations, supervision on bank soundness, using a sample of 177 banks operating in 10 MENA countries. Four explanatory variables were used: capital regulatory requirements, regulatory restrictions on banks' activities, independence of supervisory authorities, and official supervisory power, while controlling for other macroeconomic and banking industry characteristics. The results show that bank soundness increases when the stringency of capital requirements increase. Greater restrictions on bank activities enhance bank soundness. Moreover, banks operating in countries with greater independence of supervisory authorities have more soundness, while official supervisory power does not have an impact on bank soundness. The outcome of the study provides empirical evidence for supervising authorities and banks' management about the role of banking regulations and supervising in maintaining banks' safety and soundness in MENA countries.

Keywords: Regulations, Supervising, Soundness, MENA banks.

Research Title: An Adaptive ECO-Path Recommendation Protocol for VANETs

Author: Maram Bani Younes, Published Year: 2015

Faculty: Information Technology

Abstract: Traveling vehicles increase the harmful gases (e.g., CO, CO2, HC, NOx, etc) all over the atmosphere. This problem becomes more serious year after year by increasing the number of vehicles over roads every year. In this work, we aim at introducing an environmentally-friendly path recommendation protocol for downtown grid-layout areas. The introduced protocol recommends each driver to take the path that consumes the least amount of fuel and releases the least amount of gases to the atmosphere. We introduce our protocol details, compare it to other path recommendation protocols in this field and report on its performance using an extensive set of scenarios and experiments implemented by the NS-2 simulator. From the experiments results, we can infer that our protocol provides 30% and 20% better performance than the Shortest and Fastest paths respectively, in terms of fuel consumption and gas emission metrics.

Keywords: Path Recommendation, Traveling Time, Traveling Distance, Fuel Consumption, Gas Emission

Research Title: BOOK CHAPTER- ( Essential Oils in Food Preservation, Flavor and Safety.) Ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi L.) Oils

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

Faculty: Pharmacy

Abstract: Trachyspermum ammi (L.)—commonly known as ajwain or caraway—is native to Egypt and widely grown all over Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. The seeds of T. ammi (L.) are widely used in India and eastern Asia, both in diet and in traditional medicine. They contain fiber (11.9%), carbohydrates (38.6%), tannins, glycosides, moisture (8.9%), protein (15.4%), fat (18.1%), saponins, flavone, and mineral matter (7.1%). Essential oil prepared from seeds contains thymol (50–60%), γ-terpinene, and p-cymene, along with α- and β-pinenes, α-thujen, myrcene, 1,8-cineole, and carvacrol. Ajwain is an important commercial plant due to its essential oil, which is used in the flavor/food industries. Ajwain oil contributes to a wide range of medicinal applications, such as antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, cytotoxic, antilithiasis, nematicidal, anthelmintic, and antifilarial activities. Its seeds exhibit remarkable digestive and antiseptive properties and are used in traditional medicine, primarily to control bowel disorders such as indigestion, flatulence, colic, and diarrhea. They are also used as a stimulant, stomachic, carminative, aromatic, antispasmodic, antihypertensive, antiseptic, antiparasitic, antiscorbutic, antihistamine, vermicide, emmenagogue, and sialagogue. The ajwain oil components, thymol and carvacrol, have attributes for antibacterial and antifungal action against wide range of microbes. This distinctive contribution by ajwain oil components makes it a good food preservative candidate to prevent food spoilage caused by bacteria and fungi.

Keywords: Ajwain oil, flavor, preservation, anti bacterial, anti oxidant, anti fungal, anti spoilage

Research Title: Preclinical Data Supporting/Refuting the Use of Hypericum perforatum in the Treatment of Depression

Author: Yousef Abdel-Kareem Abusamra, Published Year: 2013

Faculty: Pharmacy

Abstract: Extracts of Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort) have gained popularity as an alternative to synthetic antidepressants or behavioural therapy in the treatment of mild to moderate forms of depressive disorders. The present article reviews and discusses the available preclinical data that are in favour of or against the use of Hypericum perforatum as an antidepressant. Multiple chemical entities constitute extracts from Hypericum perforatum. The effects of Hypericum perforatum extracts have been compared with those of conventional antidepressants in different in vitro and in vivo biochemical studies of antidepressant-like activity and in behavioural pharmacology studies using animal models of depression. Recent investigations have indicated that Hypericum perforatum, like conventional antidepressants, is involved in the regulation of genes that control hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function and influence, at least in part, stress-induced effects on neuroplasticity and neurogenesis. From the available evidence it can be concluded that data supporting the use of Hypericum perforatum for the treatment of depression are present in literature. However, results from experiments carried out with extracts or pure compounds do not always resemble biochemical and pharmacological profile characteristic of synthetic antidepressants. In particular, the majority of findings in preclinical studies have been obtained with high doses of pure compounds and extracts that are not comparable to the concentrations of single active constituents after oral administration in humans.

Keywords: Hypericum perforatum; St. John's wort; antidepressant activity; depression; mice; rats

Research Title: Evaluation of putative cytotoxic activity of crude extracts from Onopordum acanthium leaves and Spartium junceum flowers against the U-373 glioblastoma cell line

Author: Yousef Abdel-Kareem Abusamra, Published Year: 2015

Faculty: Pharmacy

Abstract: Crude hydromethanolic (80% methanol) extracts produced by maceration of Onopordum acanthium leaves and Spartium junceum flowers were tested for cytotoxic effects against glioblastoma U-373 tumour cells. Onopordum acanthium extract was found to be ~5 times more cytotoxic than Spartium junceum (IC50 values of 309 and 1602µg/ml, respectively). Similar to most chemotherapeutic agents killing through the intrinsic pathway, Onopordum killed the cells via apoptosis, which was confirmed by the activation of caspase-3. Spartium exerted its weak cytotoxic effect, presumably by a caspase-independent, non-apoptotic form of necrotic-like programmed cell death. Onopordum acanthium is considered a promising plant for the researchers investigating putative biological activities, particularly antitumour and immune-related activity.

Keywords: Onopordum acanthium, Spartium junceum, glioblastoma U-373, cytotoxicity, apoptosis.

Research Title: Stress Distribution at the Corners of Three Equal Spans T-Beam Continuous Skew Bridge and the Effect of Number of Spans on These Stresses

Author: Abdallah Ali Khaled Odeibat, Published Year: 2015

Faculty: Engineering and Technology

Abstract: Skewed bridges are commonly used structure;this study has investigated the effect of skew angle on the stresses affecting corners of three equal spans T-beams continues skew bridge and the effect of number of spans on these stresses.Nine three-dimensional finite element models with skew angles between (zero and 70o) with span length of (25m)were modeled using CSi Bridge software, all models were subjected to AASHTO HL-93 loading specifications. Analysis results showed that stresses on deck slab and corners increase with the increase of skew angle;transverse moments could be calculated by AASHTO approximate methods and should be multiplied by the proper fold value from tables in chapter four, where longitudinal moments reaches (72%) of transverse moments. Due consideration should be taken to torsional moments at end zones, where they reaches (82%) of transverse moments with extension of (0.34L) from supports at obtuse corners and (53%) with extension of (0.26L) at acute corners. Moreover, results show that maximum positive and negative bending moments in girders decrease with increase of skew angle, and the location of maximum positive moments moves toward obtuse corners supports in exterior and interior girders. However, shear forces increase with increase of skew angle except near acute corners in exterior and first interior girders; where shear forces decrease with increase of skew angle. Whereas; results also show that as skew angle increase, reactions increase at obtuse corners and decrease at acute corners, where maximum reaction values were concentrated interior girders supports. Comparing this study results with previous study of two-span bridge results,it shows an alternate effect of number of spans on deck slab stresses, girders moments and shear and reaction forces.

Keywords: Skew, bridge, corners , continues, angle

Research Title: ISENTROPIC SOUND PROPAGATION ANALYSIS AND OPTIMIZATION OVER FLAT PLATE OF SATURATED POROUS MEDIA WITH VARIABLE PERMEABILITY

Author: Laith Batarseh, Published Year: 2011

Faculty: Engineering and Technology

Abstract: The problem of sound propagation over flat plate of porous media was investigated at both stationary and movable flow conditions with a simple geometrical interfere where the permeability is assumed to be exponentially decaying in the normal direction and the thickness is optimized according to the maximum attenuation. It is found that the main parameters affect the propagation process are:- porosity; ε, static permeability; Ko and the steady flow Mach number; . In addition, it is found that the new interfere of the permeability can improve the attenuation of sound wave when it is combined with the porosity and steady flow parameters beside the minimum required thickness. Also, the minimum required thickness depends on static permeability, porosity and flow state

Keywords: porous media, sound waves

Research Title: Permeability Effect on Sound Wave Propagation in Saturated Porous Layer Lied Over Flat Plate

Author: Laith Batarseh, Published Year: 2011

Faculty: Engineering and Technology

Abstract: In this research, the effect of varying permeability on none – isentropic sound wave propagation in porous layer lied over flat plate was under investigation. The continuity, momentum and energy equations were derived, linerized and solved respectively by using the hydrodynamic / acoustic splitting method, the suitable variational solution and Euler – Lagrange approach. The effects of viscosity and thermal gradient were involved. The media was assumed to be formed by spherical particles with small diameter. The permeability was varied exponentially by varying the particle diameter and applying Carman – Kozeny relation to relate porosity and particle diameter to permeability. Both attenuation and phase velocity were found for both cases of stationary and movable flow situations. It was found that the effective parameters on propagation constant are: initial value of particle diameter (Dpo), initial value of porosity (εo) and the mean Mach number ( ). Both initial values of porosity and particle diameter have retarding effects on attenuation and enhancement effects on the phase velocity for all wave types. It is also found that as the flow velocity increases, attenuation for both forward and hydrodynamic waves decreases and the phase velocity increases while the opposite occurs for the backward wave where the attenuation increases and the phase velocity decreases.

Keywords: sound waves, porous media, permeability