Message form the Editors

A Markovian Approach for Arabic
Root Extraction

Abderrahim Boudlal1, Rachid Belahbib2, Abdelhak Lakhouaja3, Azzeddine Mazroui3,
Abdelouafi Meziane3, and Mohamed Bebah3
1Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences, University Mohamed I, Morocco
2College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Qatar
3Department of Mathematics and Computer Sciences, University Mohamed I, Morocco

Abstract: In this paper, we present an Arabic morphological analysis system that assigns, for each word of an unvoweled Arabic sentence, a unique root depending on the context. The proposed system is composed of two modules. The first one consists of an analysis out of context. In this module, we segment each word of the sentence into its elementary morphological units in order to identify its possible roots. For that, we adopt the segmentation of the word into three parts (prefix, stem,  suffix). In the second module we use the context to identify the correct root among all the possible roots of the word. For this purpose, we use a Hidden Markov Models approach, where the observations are the words and the possible roots represent the hidden states. We validate the approach using the NEMLAR Arabic writing corpus consisting of 500,000 words. The system gives the correct root in more than 98% of the training set, and in almost 94% of the words in the testing set.

Keywords: Arabic NLP, morphological analysis, root extraction, hidden Markov models, and Viterbi algorithm.

 Novel Robust Multilevel 3D Visualization Technique for Web Based GIS

Abstract: Number of recent technologies take Geographic Information Systems to new levels of power and usability. One of the most promising technologies that empower Geographic Information Systems is the 3D GIS modeling. In this paper, a novel robust multilevel data structure model called EBOT model (block octree tetrahedron mode Geographic Information Systems l) is presented on the basis of BOT visualization model. This model combines octree and Tetrahedral Network structures. In this paper a performance simulation for implementing EBOT (Enhanced block octree tetrahedron model) algorithm into the browser using X3D Visualization is presented. A Simulation results is introduced to demonstrate the robustness of the proposed algorithm.

Keywords: Geographic information systems, Geometric modeling, octrees, visualization.

Received December 13, 2008; accepted August 3, 2009

AMI: An Advanced Endurance Management Technique for Flash Memory Storage Systems

Abstract: Flash memory is small size, lightweight, shock-resistant, nonvolatile, and consumes little power. Flash memory therefore shows promise for use in storage devices for consumer electronics, mobile computers, wireless devices and embedded systems. However, flash memory cannot be overwritten unless erased in advance. Erase operations are slow that usually decrease system performance and consume power. The number of erase cycles is also limited, and a single worn-out block affects the usefulness of entire flash memory device. Therefore, for power conservation, better system performance and longer flash memory lifetime, system support for erasure management is necessary. In this paper, we propose a novel idea of system software for garbage collection and wear-leveling called Allocation of Memory Intellectually for NAND flash memories. Proposed scheme classifies data blocks intellectually according to their write access frequencies and improves the space utilization by allocating separate limited number of log blocks to both natures, hot and cold, of data blocks with proposed new system architecture. Our proposed cleaning scheme achieves a block to erase with optimal number of space utilization and minimum overhead of data migration. A hybrid wear-leveling approach is also proposed to evenly wear-down flash memory. Proposed scheme enhances the system life time by managing the blocks according to their degree of worn. We compared our proposed idea with two previous schemes. Our proposed idea improved system performance 95% for garbage collection and 36% for wear-leveling. The evaluation results prove that our proposed scheme, AMI, outperforms both previous schemes particularly with efficient flash bandwidth utilization and attempted erase operations.

Keywords: Consumer electronics, embedded systems, data organization, endurance management, memory management, and system performance.

Received May 11, 2008; accepted November 5, 2008

Social Issues in Wireless Sensor Networks
with Healthcare Perspective

Moshaddique Al Ameen and Kyung Kwak
Graduate School of IT and Telecommunications, Inha University, Korea

Abstract: The recent advances in Wireless Sensor Networks have given rise to many application areas in healthcare. It has produced new field of Wireless Body Area Networks. Using wearable and non-wearable sensor devices humans can be tracked and monitored. Monitoring from the healthcare perspective can be with or without the consent of the particular person. Even if it is with the consent of the person involved, certain social issues arise from this type of application scenario. The issues can be privacy, security, legal and other related issues. Healthcare sensor networks applications have a bright future and it is a must to take up these issues at the earliest. The issues should be carefully studied and understood or else they can pose serious problems. In this paper we try to raise and discuss these issues and find some answers to them.

Keywords: Wireless sensor networks, healthcare systems, social issues, privacy, security, and legal issues.

 e-Learning Systems in Virtual Environment

Abstract: E-learning is one of the emerging needs of the information age. Therefore a lot of potential is seen in distance learning development. Virtual environment interface to e-learning systems have recently appeared on the Internet. Using virtual reality environment, the applications appear to be promising to e-learning tasks more nature and interactive. Also using this technology, it is possible to get a sense of three dimensional environments and level of user immersion. Extensible 3D (X3D) is the most common tool for building 3D viewing and browsing of e-learning systems.  In this paper the benefits of virtual reality environment using X3D in e-learning applications are demonstrated. Those will be shown via implementing two web enabled virtual environment e-learning systems. The first one is an on-line virtual chemistry lab system. This application gives the student the ability to perform all experiments in a certain crucial. The second application is an on-line English language education system. This application gives the students the ability to learn the language audile and visual via on line interactive system.  X3D is used as the main implementation tool which gives the systems users the full visualization and interactivity of all learning steps.

Keywords: e-Learning, virtual reality, virtual lab and, distance learning, and X3D.

Received October 6, 2008; accepted May 17, 2009

Stochastic Bounds for Microprocessor
 Systems Availability

Ihab Sbeity1, Mohamed Dbouk1, and Brigitte Plateau2
 1Faculty of Sciences, Lebanese University, Lebanon
2Laboratoire Informatique de Grenoble, France

Abstract: The computing of stochastic bounds has become an efficient technique to obtain performance predictions for computer systems by the mean of Markovian models. However, the quality of these bounds may be affected by several properties related not only to how to use the technique but also to the Markovian model itself. On the other hand, multiprocessor systems have become an efficient and widely used infrastructure to run several critical-life applications. In this paper, we describe how to calculate a stochastic bound for the multiprocessor system availability. We focus on the irreducibility of the model to show how it might influence the quality of bounds.

Keywords: Stochastic bounds, multiprocessor system, availability, irreducibility, and Markov chain.

Performance Analysis of Two-Hop Cooperative MIMO Transmission with Best Relay Selection
in Rayleigh Fading Channel

Keywords: Bit error rate, amplify and forward, multiple input multiple output, decode-and-forward, and probability density function (pdf).

Received September 14, 2008; accepted May 17, 2009

Binary Phoneme Classification Using  Fixed and Adaptive Segment- Based Neural Network Approach

Keywords: Signal segmentation, binary phoneme classification, segment-based processing, and neural network.

Received November 11, 2008; accepted May 17, 2009

A Strategy to Reduce the Control Packet Load of AODV Using Weighted Rough Set Model for MANET

Keywords: Weighted roughest, AODV, and route request. 

Received May 14, 2009; accepted August 10, 2009

Network Load and Packet Loss Optimization During Handoff Using Multi-Scan Approach

A Constraint Programming Based Approach to Detect Ontology Inconsistencies

A New Grid Resource Discovery Framework

Rank-Order Weighting of Web Attributes
for Website Evaluation

Lossless Text Compression Technique Using Syllable Based Morphology

Entropy as a Measure of Quality of
XML Schema Document