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The objective of this paper is to implement a baseband OFDM transceiver on FPGA hardware. The design uses 8-point SLT/ISLT (Slantlet/Inverse Slantlet) for the processing module with processing block of 8 inputs data wide. All modules are designed and implemented using VHDL programming language. Software tools used in this work includes Altera Quartus II 7.2 and ModelSim Altera 6.1g, to assist the design process and downloading process into FPGA board while Cyclone III board EP3C120F780C7 is used to realize the designed module.
This paper presents the design procedure and implementation results of a proposed software defined radio (SDR) using Altera Cyclone II family board. The implementation uses Matlab/SimulinkTM, Embedded MatlabTM blocks, and Cyclone II development and educational board. The design has first implemented in Matlab/SimulinkTM environment. It is then converted to VHDL level using Simulink HDL coder. The design is synthesized and fitted with Quartus II 9.0 Web Edition® software, and downloaded to Altera Cyclone II board. The results show that it is easy to develop and understand the implementation of SDR using programmable logic tools. The paper also presents an efficient design flow of the procedure followed to obtain VHDL netlists that can be downloaded to FPGA boards.
Water security is a major concern for water-scarce cities that face dynamic water challenges due to limited water supply, climate change and increasing water demand. Framing urban water security is challenging due to the complexity and uncertainties of the definitions and assessment frameworks concerning urban water security. Several studies have assessed water security by granting priority indicators equal weight without considering or adapting to the local conditions. This study develops a new urban water security assessment framework with application to the water-scarce city
of Madaba, Jordan. The study applies the new assessment framework on the study area and measures urban water security using the integrated urban water security index (IUWSI) and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) as a decision management tool to prioritise and distinguish indicators that affect the four dimensions of urban water security: drinking water, ecosystems, climate change and water-related hazards, and socioeconomic aspects (DECS). The integrated urban water security index (IUWSI) highlights the state of water security and intervention strategies in Madaba. The study reveals that urban water security in Madaba is satisfactory to meet basic needs, with shortcomings in some aspects of the DECS. However, Madaba faces poor security in terms of managing climate- and water-related risks. The IUWSI framework assists with a rational and evidence-based decision-making process, which is important for enhancing water resources management in water-scarce cities.
Achieving urban water security is a major challenge for many countries. While several studies have assessed water security at a regional level, many studies have also emphasized the lack of assessment of water security and application of measures to achieve it at the urban level.
Recent studies that have focused on measuring urban water security are not holistic, and there is still no agreed-upon understanding of how to operationalize and identify an assessment framework to measure the current state and dynamics of water security. At present, there is also no clearly defined and widely endorsed definition of urban water security. To address this challenge, this study provides a systematic approach to better understand urban water security, with a working definition and an assessment framework to be applied in peri-urban and urban areas. The proposed working definition of urban water security is based on the United Nations (UN) sustainable development goal on water and sanitation and the human rights on water and sanitation. It captures issues of urban-level technical, environmental, and socio-economic indicators that emphasize credibility, legitimacy, and salience.
The assessment framework depends on four main dimensions to achieve urban water security: Drinking water and human beings, ecosystem, climate change and water-related hazards, and socio-economic factors (DECS). The framework further enables the analysis of relationships and trade-off between urbanization and water security, as well as between DECS indicators. Applying this framework will help governments, policy-makers, and water stakeholders to target scant resources more eff ectively and sustainably. The study reveals that achieving urban water security requires a holistic and integrated approach with collaborative stakeholders to provide a meaningful way to improve understanding and managing urban water security.
Life cycle assessment is a crucial tool in evaluating systems performances for sustainability and decision-making. This paper provided environmental impact of integrating renewable energy systems to the utility-grid based on a baseline optimized energy production data from “HOMER” for renewable systems modelling of a site in northern Nigeria. The ultimate goal was to ascertain the best hybrid option(s) in sustaining the environment. Different assumptions and scenarios were modelled and simulated using Ganzleitlichen Bilanz (GaBi). Uncertainty analysis was ensured to the impact data based on pedigree-matrix and Excel-program, as well as overall policy relevance. The results of the impact categories revealed first scenario (i.e., conventional path-based) with the highest impacts on global warming potential (GWP), acidification potential (AP), human toxicity potential (HTP), and abiotic depletion potential (ADP fossils). The lowest impacts arise in
the renewable-based scenarios for all the considered categories except the Ozone-layer depletion potential Category where the highest contribution falls in the third scenario (i.e., photovoltaic (PV)/biomass-biogas system) although all values being infinitesimal. In quantitative terms, the reduction in the GWP from the highest being the first scenario to the lowest being the fourth scenario (i.e., wind/biomass-biogas system) was 96.5%. Hence, with the outstanding contributions of the hybrid renewable systems, adopting them especially the lowest impact scenarios with expansions is relevant for environmental sustainability.
Keine Software kommt heute ohne eine ausgebaute IT–Infrastruktur, mit der Anbindung an Datenbanken, aus. Die konsequente Ausrichtung der Software, aufgrund von technologischen Entwicklungen, ist ein wichtiger Einflussfaktor auf die Softwareentwicklung. Die Software soll sich durch Innovation, Flexibilität und Dynamik auszeichnen. Diese Diplomarbeit entstand aus der Motivation heraus, hier Abhilfe zu schaffen. Mit dieser Diplomarbeit soll bewiesen werden, das es möglich ist, die zugrundeliegende Datenbasis von herkömmlicher Dateiorganisation auf relationale Datenbanksysteme umzustellen, ohne dabei die komplette Software neu zu schreiben.
Digitale Medien sind fester Bestandteil der Lebenswelten von Kindern und Jugendlichen. Sie wachsen in eine Medienwelt hinein, in der digitale Technologien allgegenwärtig und selbstverständlich sind. Junge Menschen gelten daher als Digital Natives („Digitale Einge-borene“). Dennoch brauchen sie pädagogische Unterstützung, um souverän mit Medien umgehen zu können. Denn die informell erworbenen Fähigkeiten sind oft nicht ausrei-chend, um als kompetentes Medienhandeln gelten zu können. Dabei lässt sich gerade für die Adressat*innen der stationären Erziehungshilfe ein deutlicher Mehrbedarf in der Ausbil-dung von Medienkompetenz ausmachen, da für sie keine angemessene Medienerziehung in der Herkunftsfamilie vorausgesetzt werden darf. Doch in der stationären Kinder- und Jugendhilfe sind digitale Medien und Medienerziehung bisher eher vernachlässigte Themen.
Mithilfe einer quantitativen Befragung von knapp 200 Fachkräften zur Praxis der Medien-ziehung in Einrichtungen der stationären Erziehungshilfe in Deutschland wird dieses bisher wenig erforschte Feld genauer beleuchtet. Im Fokus stehen dabei die eigene Medienkom-petenz, medienbezogene Einstellungen, Qualifikation und Fortbildungsengagement der Fachkräfte sowie die Rahmenbedingungen der Einrichtung und medienerzieherischen Tä-tigkeiten im Arbeitsalltag. Wie die Analyse zeigt, erkennen die meisten Fachkräfte die Be-deutung der Medienerziehung in stationären Hilfen durchaus an, es besteht jedoch ein ho-her Informations- und Fortbildungsbedarf der Fachkräfte rund um medienpädagogische Themen. Denn nur etwa die Hälfte der Befragten hat im Rahmen ihrer beruflichen Ausbil-dung medienpädagogisches Wissen erworben; ein Großteil hat zudem keine entsprechen-den Fortbildungen absolviert. Fehlende medienpädagogische Konzepte sowie die häufig mangelhafte und veraltete technische Ausstattung in den Einrichtungen erschweren die medienerzieherische Praxis der Fachkräfte zusätzlich.
Illegal Gold mining and water quality. A case study of River Offin in the Central Region of Ghana
(2018)
Ghana as a country in the west of Africa is naturally endowed with many rich natural resources some of which includes; Gold, diamond, bauxite, manganese, cocoa, etc. Currently, it’s the second leading producer of gold production in Africa after South Africa. Gold production has produced a lot of benefits to the nation but at the same time contributed to many negativities ranging from pollution (water and air), land degradation, ethnic conflicts and deforestation. Industrial gold mining itself was never a big issue that caused any panic in the country till illegal gold miners “Galamseyers” also commenced operating. The sole objectives of this research were to determine the level of some specific heavy metal (Mercury, Lead, Arsenic and Zinc) concentrations within the Offin River in Dunkwa-on-Offin, Buabenso, Ayanfuri and Nkotumso. Results after the research revealed that, Ayanfuri recorded the highest level of concentrations. Nkotumso followed in that order before Buabenso with Dunkwa-on-Offin recording the least concentrations. It also became clear later that, even though the degree of intensiveness of the illegal mining “Galamsey” operations could have been a main factor for the increased concentrations, another finding was that, towns or communities that recorded higher concentrations throughout the study also showed to be towns that made use of inorganic fertilizers on its farms. The Minerals and mining Act 2006 of Ghana was then analyzed and conclusion was that, though the country has very strong policies regarding illegal mining termed “Galamsey”, there seemed to be institutional loop holes that have not been strong enough to combat illegal mining in the country. In recommending policy directives to improve the river quality, six (6) institutions including the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology(MEST), Minerals Commission of Ghana, Environmental Protection Agency, Forestry Commission and the water Resources Commission were identified with detailed recommended roles clearly spelt out for each institution.
Ghana’s timber industries have traditionally focussed on certifying international demand (exports) to the detriment of domestic wood consumption. The legal wood supply to the domestic market has become insufficient to satisfy the growing needs of the local population. This research aims at gaining greater insight into the sources of wood supply to Ghana’s domestic wood markets focusing on the contribution of legal wood by the mainstream timber companies.
The study used random and purposive sampling techniques for selecting the respondents in the domestic wood market, wood producers as well as consumers. Additionally, the views of the respondents were sought through well semi-structured questionnaires. On the other hand, views from key informants, mostly experts, and regulators in Ghana’s wood industry were solicited through interviews.
The result indicates that the formal timber processors supply 73% of their processed lumber to the export market and 27% to the domestic market. The destination of the 27% is both the domestic market and other lumber demanded sectors especially large scale construction and furniture companies. The carving industry on other hand obtains wood directly from the farmers and not necessary from the domestic wood market. At the domestic timber market, dealers receive lumber supply from both formal (16. 7%) and informal (83.3%) sources.
The domestic wood sector provides livelihood support to both wood dealers, consumers as well as artisans. About 70% of respondents (wood dealers) used in the survey have no other source of livelihood for existence except wood business.
Owing to the immense contribution of the domestic wood market to the country’s economy and developmental agenda, a calls for policy review especially 20% supply of formal processed lumber to the domestic market is timely. Additionally, looking at the various interventions to curtail illegal chain saw and the continued market demand, the study believes more regulated measures will better help the nation to grasped huge revenue lost as a result of illegalities to embark on vigorous afforestation programs to sustain the domestic wood market.
Changing our unsustainable linear water management pattern is necessary to face growing global water challenges. This article proposes an integrated framework to analyse and understand the role of different contextual conditions in the possible transition towards water circularity. Our framework combines a systematic multi-level perspective to explore the water system and the institutional work theory for technology legitimation. The framework consists of the following stages: (1) describing and understanding the water context, (2) assessment of the selected technologies’ circularity level, (3) assessment of the alternative circular technologies’ legitimacy, and (4) identification of the legitimation actions to support the upscale of alternative circular technologies. The practical applicability of the integrated assessment framework and its four assessment stages was demonstrated in the exploration of circular water technologies for the horticulture sector in Westland, the Netherlands. The results revealed the conditions that hinder or enable the legitimation of the circular water technologies, such as political environmentalism, trust in water governing authorities, and technical, financial, and knowledge capabilities.
This market research paper has been prepared under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Veit of TH Köln and Prof. Dr. Carol Scovotti of University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in the course of the inter-university cross-border collaboration student research project “Export Opportunity Surveys (EOS)”. This study explores organic canned tomatoes export opportunities to the German and US markets.
Information ist in den vergangenen Jahren zu einem immer wichtigeren Element unseres Wirtschaftens geworden. Sei es eher sekundär, als Information über Güter, oder als eigenständig vermarktbares (Primär-)Gut. Trotz seiner steigenden Bedeutung hinkt die wissenschaftliche Auseinandersetzung mit diesem wichtigen Wirtschaftsfaktor deutlich hinterher. Es ist noch lange kein Allgemeinplatz, dass sich Informationsgüter nicht auf die gleiche Art und Weise erstellen und anbieten lassen wie es für die uns schon lange vertrauten physischen Güter der Fall ist. Es ist eben nicht das gleiche, ob man einen Bleistift oder eine Information, z. B. über die Marktstellung eines Unternehmens, kauft. Vier verschiedene Aspekte lassen sich aus einer ökonomischen Perspektive identifizieren, die für diese Unterschiede ursächlich sind und dazu führen, dass Anbieter von Informationsgütern anders am Markt agieren müssen.
Forschungsfrage: Wie wirken sich autoritäre, kooperative und laissez-faire Führungsstile auf die Pro-duktivität und Arbeitseinstellung der Mitarbeitenden im digitalen Arbeitskontext aus?
Methodik: Gestaffelte quantitative Inhaltsanalyse zur Führungsstilermittlung und zur Auswirkung in digital basierten Arbeitsbeziehungen Praktische Implikationen: Im digitalen Arbeitskontext wirkt sich der kooperative Führungsstil sowohl auf die Produktivität als auch auf die Arbeitseinstellung am stärksten positiv aus.
Die nachfolgende Masterarbeit untersucht die Nutzung von DeepFake-Anwendungen bei Personen mit einer Fazialisparese. Dabei handelt es sich um eine Lähmung des Gesichtnervs, wodurch die betroffenden Menschen keine bzw. keine vollständige Mimik im Gesicht haben. Es wird hierbei getestet, ob mithilfe von DeepFake eine möglichst realistische Mimik generiert werden kann. Für die Untersuchung werden zunächst sowohl die theoretischen Grundlagen als auch verschiedene potenzielle Anwendungen vorgestellt. Mithilfe der vorgestellten Anwendungen wird anschließend ein Versuch durchgeführt, in dem die künstliche Intelligenz mit Bildmaterial von Proband:innen trainiert und anschließend manipuliert wird. Die aus dem Versuch resultierenden Ergebnisse werden danach durch eine Umfrage mit Bildern, welche eine originale Mimik zeigen, verglichen. Dadurch soll überprüft werden, wie realistisch die manipulierten Bild- und Videomaterialien sind oder ob die künstliche Intelligenz an eine mögliche Grenze stößt. Abschließend werden weitere Forschungsansätze und Anwendungsmöglichkeiten vorgestellt, in welchem die betrachtete künstliche Intelligenz genutzt werden kann.
This market research paper has been prepared under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Agnieszka Gehringer of TH Köln and Prof. Dr. Carol Scovotti of University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in the course of the inter-university cross-border collaboration student research project “Export Opportunity Surveys (EOS)”. This study explores organic oranges export opportunities to the German and US markets.
Decisions on irrigation water management are usually made at different levels, including farms, water user associations (WUAs), and regional water planning agencies. The latter generally have good access to information and decision tools regarding water resources management. However, these remain out of reach to the final water users, namely the farmers. The study, conducted in the irrigated district of Cherfech, north Tunisia, had the main objective of investigating farmer’s perceptions of, and acceptance for, the use of an irrigation advisory service (IAS) to be implemented by their WUA. The suggested IAS provides the following information: (1) reference evapotranspiration (ETo) and rainfall; (2) crop water requirement (CWR) of the most cultivated crops; (3) irrigation water requirement (IWR) of the farmer’s crop; and (4) crop monitoring and real-time estimation of IWR of crops settled, using soil moisture sensors. Such services and information would be available at the WUA level and provided in a timely manner to farmers for more effective decision making at the plot level. Prior to the acceptance study, we launched a technical study to determine the required tools and equipment required for the implementation of the IAS, followed by a farmer survey to assess their respective perceptions and acceptance towards this IAS. Results showed that only 54% of the farmers are satisfied by WUAs work, but that 77% of them accepted using the suggested IAS. Farmers are also willing to pay for most of the IAS packages suggested. The financial profitability of investing in the IAS at the WUA level shows the venture is financially viable, with a benefit cost ratio (BCR) of 1.018. The project will be even more profitable if we add the social benefits, which may result in water savings at the WUA level.
Water scarcity drives governments in arid and semi-arid regions to promote strategies for improving water use efficiency. Water-related research generally also plays an important role in the same countries and for the same reason. However, it remains unclear how to link the implementation of new government strategies and water-related research. This article’s principal objective is to present a novel approach that defines water-related research gaps from the point of view of a government strategy. The proposed methodology is based on an extensive literature review, followed by a systematic evaluation of the topics covered both in grey and peer-reviewed literature. Finally, we assess if and how the different literature sources contribute to the goals of the water strategy. The methodology was tested by investigating the impact of the water strategy of Jordan’s government (2008–2022) on the research conducted in the Azraq Basin, considering 99 grey and peer-reviewed documents. The results showed an increase in the number of water-related research documents from 37 published between 1985 and 2007 to 62 published between 2008 and 2018. This increase should not, however, be seen as a positive impact of increased research activity from the development of Jordan’s water strategy. In fact, the increase in water-related research activity matches the increasing trend in research production in Jordan generally. Moreover, the results showed that only about 80% of the documents align with the goals identified in the water strategy. In addition, the distribution of the documents among the different goals of the strategy is heterogeneous; hence, research gaps can be identified, i.e., goals of the water-strategy that are not addressed by any of the documents sourced. To foster innovative and demand-based research in the future, a matrix was developed that linked basin-specific research focus areas (RFAs) with the MWI strategy topics. In doing so, the goals that are not covered by a particular RFA are highlighted. This analysis can inspire researchers to develop and apply new topics in the Azraq Basin to address the research gaps and strengthen the connection between the RFAs and the strategy topics and goals. Moreover, the application of the proposed methodology can motivate future research to become demand-driven, innovative, and contribute to solving societal challenges.
Im Rahmen dieser Bachelorarbeit wurde der von Debevec und Malik verwendete Algorithmus zur Erstellung von HDR-Bildern als Plugin für die Bildverarbeitungssoftware ImageJ implementiert. Darüber hinaus wurde die Implementierung durch Tests auf ihre Funktionalität überprüft und Schwachstellen des Algorithmus erläutert. Durch Modifizierungen des erstellten Plugins wurden einige Schwächen des Algorithmus verbessert.
Das Vorlesebuch bietet Kindern bereits vor der eigenen Lesefähigkeit komplexe
Charaktere an, die als Rollenvorbilder verstanden werden können. Sofern Erzählungen in
pädagogischen Institutionen angeboten werden, wird ihnen schon durch die
professionelle Auswahl aus der Masse möglicher Geschichten ein besonderes Gewicht
verliehen. Dies gilt auch für Narrationen zu Geschlechterrollen. In Medien- und anderen
Produkten werden Mädchen und Jungen mit unterschiedlichen Stereotypen und somit
impliziten Rollenerwartungen konfrontiert. Um herauszufinden welches Bild vom Mädchen
in erzählenden kinderliterarischen Texten durch Protagonistinnen vermittelt werden,
werden jüngste Entwicklungen des Kinderbuchs festgehalten werden. Anschließend wird
das distributive System, in welchem sich das Vorlesebuch befindet genauer betrachtet.
Eine Analyse von vier Vorlesebüchern der umsatzstärksten Kinderbuchverlage soll zeigen, wie sich präadoleszente Protagonistinnen verhalten und ob sich ein
dominierender Mädchentypus abzeichnet. Dabei wird zu zeigen sein, dass die
untersuchten handlungsleitenden Mädchen wissbegierig, kompetent und bestimmend
sind und ein insgesamt aktiver, „starker“ Mädchentypus dominiert