First developed by Xerox in 1979, benchmarking provides measurement and comparison to improve processes and achieve higher performance. Benchmarking has proven a powerful tool for total quality management and process improvement. Successful benchmarking implementation is based on an effective benchmarking tool. To effectively implement benchmarking processes, this work proposes an integrated fr...

This research intends to develop a method based on the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) to predict permanent earthquake-induced deformation of the earth dams and embankments. For this purpose, data sets of observations from 152 published case histories on the performance of the earth dams and embankments, during the past earthquakes, was used. In order to predict earthquake-induced deformation o...

We present a benchmarking study on the companies in the Turkish food industry based on their financial data. Our aim is to develop a comprehensive benchmarking framework using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and information visualization. Besides DEA, a traditional tool for financial benchmarking based on financial ratios is also incorporated. The consistency/inconsistency between the two metho...

For seismic resistant design of critical structures, a dynamic analysis, based on either response spectrum or time history is frequently required. Due to the lack of recorded data and randomness of earthquake ground motion that might be experienced by the structure under probable future earthquakes, it is usually difficult to obtain recorded data which fit the necessary parameters (e.g. soil ty...

This paper presents a novel type of artificial neural network, called neural plasma, which is tailored for classification tasks involving few observations with a large number of variables. Neural plasma learns to adapt its classification confidence by generating artificial training data as a function of its confidence in previous decisions. In contrast to multilayer perceptrons and similar tech...

the major aim of processing satellite images is to prepare topical and effectivemaps. the selection of appropriate classification methods plays an important role. amongvarious methods existing for image classification, artificial neural network method is ofhigh accuracy. in present study, tm images of 1987, and etm+ images of 2000 and 2006were analyzed using artificial fuzzy artmap neural netwo...

in the current research the artificial neural network models were used for predicting mass transfer kinetics of osmotically dehydrated kiwifruit. osmotic dehydration operations were performed in sucrose solution with concentrations of 30, 40, 50 and 60% at temperatures of 20, 40 and 60°c for 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes. multi-layer neural network with 3 inputs (operating conditions) was develope...

in many european states such as spain and italy there has been a significant growth of organic utilizable surface as a consequence of both a change in the model of agricultural production and also in order to satisfy arising demand of organic food. the purpose of this research was to investigate the level of technical, allocative and economic efficiency in italian olive farms with two different...

  Abstract   Background : Leukemia is one of the mostcommon cancers in children, comprising more than a third of all   childhood cancers. Newly affected patients in USA are estimated as 10100cases, and if these cases are diagnosed late or proper treatment is not applied, then it can be mortal. Because rapid and proper diagnosis of leukemia based on clinical or medicinal findings (without biopsy...