Search results for: house vulnerability
1153 Development of a Delivery System for Statin Targeted Spray is a Breakthrough Therapy in Alzheimer’s Prevention
Authors: Fakhr Eddin Alnaal, Angela Dahdal, Duaa Aladib, Sabeen Ibrahim, Ibrahim Ghoraibi, Bissan Ahmed
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Dementia is one of the diseases which had several stages and Alzheimer’s term was selected in respect for the first doctor Alzheimer who defined the first symptoms of this diseases in a woman whom was well treated by him. The fact that this is a type of a silent disease on which you have a long-term process of neurological degradation and suddenly gives symptoms which are most often irreversible, on clinical level likely we can consider it as a malignancy, one in terms of that it is sudden shocking irreversible and on the level of behavior and some mortality beside the lack of early detection tools for diagnosis. Therefore, the goal of our project is to test the concept of the ability of Statin in prevention of such disease and we investigated that both on experimental level and most importantly on clinical one, the clinical part was performed in a recognized house of aged people who had accidently a high cholesterol and were for years given Statin to treat that elevation, however after the symptoms of Alzheimer’s appeared and when diagnosed, they were well treated and rapidly recovered compared to Alzheimer’s patients in the same house who did not receive Statin had a mild improvement in their symptoms after the therapy, on the other hand we confirmed such observation by a well-organized experimental work.Keywords: Alzheimer's, dementia, silent disease, statin
Procedia PDF Downloads 1251152 Re-interpreting Ruskin with Respect to the Wall
Authors: Anjali Sadanand, R. V. Nagarajan
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Architecture morphs with advances in technology and the roof, wall, and floor as basic elements of a building, follow in redefining themselves over time. Their contribution is bound by time and held by design principles that deal with function, sturdiness, and beauty. Architecture engages with people to give joy through its form, material, design structure, and spatial qualities. This paper attempts to re-interpret John Ruskin’s “Seven lamps of Architecture” in the context of the architecture of the modern and present period. The paper focuses on the “wall” as an element of study in this context. Four of Ruskin’s seven lamps will be discussed, namely beauty, truth, life, and memory, through examples of architecture ranging from modernism to contemporary architecture of today. The study will focus on the relevance of Ruskin’s principles to the “wall” in specific, in buildings of different materials and over a range of typologies from all parts of the world. Two examples will be analyzed for each lamp. It will be shown that in each case, there is relevance to the significance of Ruskin’s lamps in modern and contemporary architecture. Nature to which Ruskin alludes to for his lamp of “beauty” is found in the different expressions of interpretation used by Corbusier in his Villa Stein façade based on proportion found in nature and in the direct expression of Toyo Ito in his translation of an understanding of the structure of trees into his façade design of the showroom for a Japanese bag boutique. “Truth” is shown in Mies van der Rohe’s Crown Hall building with its clarity of material and structure and Studio Mumbai’s Palmyra House, which celebrates the use of natural materials and local craftsmanship. “Life” is reviewed with a sustainable house in Kerala by Ashrams Ravi and Alvar Aalto’s summer house, which illustrate walls as repositories of intellectual thought and craft. “Memory” is discussed with Charles Correa’s Jawahar Kala Kendra and Venturi’s Vana Venturi house and discloses facades as text in the context of its materiality and iconography. Beauty is reviewed in Villa Stein and Toyo Ito’s Branded Retail building in Tokyo. The paper thus concludes that Ruskin’s Lamps can be interpreted in today’s context and add richness to meaning to the understanding of architecture.Keywords: beauty, design, facade, modernism
Procedia PDF Downloads 1131151 Aerial Survey and 3D Scanning Technology Applied to the Survey of Cultural Heritage of Su-Paiwan, an Aboriginal Settlement, Taiwan
Authors: April Hueimin Lu, Liangj-Ju Yao, Jun-Tin Lin, Susan Siru Liu
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This paper discusses the application of aerial survey technology and 3D laser scanning technology in the surveying and mapping work of the settlements and slate houses of the old Taiwanese aborigines. The relics of old Taiwanese aborigines with thousands of history are widely distributed in the deep mountains of Taiwan, with a vast area and inconvenient transportation. When constructing the basic data of cultural assets, it is necessary to apply new technology to carry out efficient and accurate settlement mapping work. In this paper, taking the old Paiwan as an example, the aerial survey of the settlement of about 5 hectares and the 3D laser scanning of a slate house were carried out. The obtained orthophoto image was used as an important basis for drawing the settlement map. This 3D landscape data of topography and buildings derived from the aerial survey is important for subsequent preservation planning as well as building 3D scan provides a more detailed record of architectural forms and materials. The 3D settlement data from the aerial survey can be further applied to the 3D virtual model and animation of the settlement for virtual presentation. The information from the 3D scanning of the slate house can also be used for further digital archives and data queries through network resources. The results of this study show that, in large-scale settlement surveys, aerial surveying technology is used to construct the topography of settlements with buildings and spatial information of landscape, as well as the application of 3D scanning for small-scale records of individual buildings. This application of 3D technology, greatly increasing the efficiency and accuracy of survey and mapping work of aboriginal settlements, is much helpful for further preservation planning and rejuvenation of aboriginal cultural heritage.Keywords: aerial survey, 3D scanning, aboriginal settlement, settlement architecture cluster, ecological landscape area, old Paiwan settlements, slat house, photogrammetry, SfM, MVS), Point cloud, SIFT, DSM, 3D model
Procedia PDF Downloads 1541150 Quantum Cryptography: Classical Cryptography Algorithms’ Vulnerability State as Quantum Computing Advances
Authors: Tydra Preyear, Victor Clincy
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Quantum computing presents many computational advantages over classical computing methods due to the utilization of quantum mechanics. The capability of this computing infrastructure poses threats to standard cryptographic systems such as RSA and AES, which are designed for classical computing environments. This paper discusses the impact that quantum computing has on cryptography, while focusing on the evolution from classical cryptographic concepts to quantum and post-quantum cryptographic concepts. Standard Cryptography is essential for securing data by utilizing encryption and decryption methods, and these methods face vulnerability problems due to the advancement of quantum computing. In order to counter these vulnerabilities, the methods that are proposed are quantum cryptography and post-quantum cryptography. Quantum cryptography uses principles such as the uncertainty principle and photon polarization in order to provide secure data transmission. In addition, the concept of Quantum key distribution is introduced to ensure more secure communication channels by distributing cryptographic keys. There is the emergence of post-quantum cryptography which is used for improving cryptographic algorithms in order to be more secure from attacks by classical and quantum computers. Throughout this exploration, the paper mentions the critical role of the advancement of cryptographic methods to keep data integrity and privacy safe from quantum computing concepts. Future research directions that would be discussed would be more effective cryptographic methods through the advancement of technology.Keywords: quantum computing, quantum cryptography, cryptography, data integrity and privacy
Procedia PDF Downloads 101149 Importance of Different Spatial Parameters in Water Quality Analysis within Intensive Agricultural Area
Authors: Marina Bubalo, Davor Romić, Stjepan Husnjak, Helena Bakić
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Even though European Council Directive 91/676/EEC known as Nitrates Directive was adopted in 1991, the issue of water quality preservation in areas of intensive agricultural production still persist all over Europe. High nitrate nitrogen concentrations in surface and groundwater originating from diffuse sources are one of the most important environmental problems in modern intensive agriculture. The fate of nitrogen in soil, surface and groundwater in agricultural area is mostly affected by anthropogenic activity (i.e. agricultural practice) and hydrological and climatological conditions. The aim of this study was to identify impact of land use, soil type, soil vulnerability to pollutant percolation, and natural aquifer vulnerability to nitrate occurrence in surface and groundwater within an intensive agricultural area. The study was set in Varaždin County (northern Croatia), which is under significant influence of the large rivers Drava and Mura and due to that entire area is dominated by alluvial soil with shallow active profile mainly on gravel base. Negative agricultural impact on water quality in this area is evident therefore the half of selected county is a part of delineated nitrate vulnerable zones (NVZ). Data on water quality were collected from 7 surface and 8 groundwater monitoring stations in the County. Also, recent study of the area implied detailed inventory of agricultural production and fertilizers use with the aim to produce new agricultural land use database as one of dominant parameters. The analysis of this database done using ArcGIS 10.1 showed that 52,7% of total County area is agricultural land and 59,2% of agricultural land is used for intensive agricultural production. On the other hand, 56% of soil within the county is classified as soil vulnerable to pollutant percolation. The situation is similar with natural aquifer vulnerability; northern part of the county ranges from high to very high aquifer vulnerability. Statistical analysis of water quality data is done using SPSS 13.0. Cluster analysis group both surface and groundwater stations in two groups according to nitrate nitrogen concentrations. Mean nitrate nitrogen concentration in surface water – group 1 ranges from 4,2 to 5,5 mg/l and in surface water – group 2 from 24 to 42 mg/l. The results are similar, but evidently higher, in groundwater samples; mean nitrate nitrogen concentration in group 1 ranges from 3,9 to 17 mg/l and in group 2 from 36 to 96 mg/l. ANOVA analysis confirmed statistical significance between stations that are classified in the same group. The previously listed parameters (land use, soil type, etc.) were used in factorial correspondence analysis (FCA) to detect importance of each stated parameter in local water quality. Since stated parameters mostly cannot be altered, there is obvious necessity for more precise and more adapted land management in such conditions.Keywords: agricultural area, nitrate, factorial correspondence analysis, water quality
Procedia PDF Downloads 2541148 Reconstruction and Renewal of Traditional Houses and its Impact on Tourism Development in Rasht
Authors: Parvaneh Ziviyar, Simin Armaghan
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Traditional house in Rasht contains monuments and heritage of ancestors who once lived in these houses. These houses represent the customs, culture and lifestyle of the people of Rasht and bridge the gap between modern people and their past that is being forgotten. Maintenance of the buildings and architectural heritage together with their unique architecture and climatic related construction has an important role in tourism attraction and sustainable development. The purpose of this study was to develop a new definition of vacation shacks that is different with the definition of Cultural Heritage Organization. The place to stay and visit that is rebuilt or renovated based on traditional architectural style of Rasht and yet provides modern amenities so that it would not undermine indigenous traditional sense of the house. Data collection for this study is based on review of literature and field study. Results and the statistics of this study will prove that the research hypothesis is supported and there is a correlation between traditional houses of Rasht, as tourism–accommodation place and tourist attraction. It also indicates the capability and potential of these ancient monuments in the introduction of the culture of this land, and calling people and many tourists come to visit and stay in such places.Keywords: architecture, traditional houses, vacation shacks, tourism
Procedia PDF Downloads 2701147 Archaeology Study of Soul Houses in Ancient Egypt on Five Models in the Grand Egyptian Museum
Authors: Mahmoud Aly, Mohamed Ismail, Mohamed Badereldin, Amro Mostafa
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Introduction: The models of soul houses were appeared in the prehistory, old kingdom, and middle kingdom period. They represented the imagination of the deceased about his house in the afterlife, some of these soul houses were two floors, and the study will examine five models of soul houses which were discovered near Saqqara site by an Egyptian mission. These models had been transferred to The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) to be ready to display at the new museum. We focus upon five models of soul houses (GEM Numbers, 1276,1280,1281,1282,8711) they related to the old kingdom period. These models were all made of pottery, the five models have oval shape and were decorated with relief. Methodology: The study will focus on the development of soul houses during the different periods in ancient Egypt and the kinds of offerings which will reflect the economic situation in the Egyptian society and kinds of oils which were famous in ancient Egypt. Conclusion: This research focuses on the function of soul house and the kind of offerings which were put in it, This study will be useful for the heritage and ancient civilizations, specially when we talk about opening new museums like The Grand Egyptian Museum, which will display a new collection of soul houses.Keywords: archaeology study, grand egyptian museum, relief, soul houses
Procedia PDF Downloads 771146 Applications of Engineering Geology in Hydro Power Tunnel Projects in Himalayan Geological Regime
Authors: Rameh Chauhan
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Tunnel construction in Himalayan rock is a challenging task due to fragile nature of the strata. Tunnel excavation carried out from lower Himalayas to high Himalayas in different metamorphic rock. Therefore application of engineering geology plays a vital role during various stage of the tunneling projects. Engineering geology is defined as application of geology to construction of civil structures through engineering practice. It is applied to the design, construction and performance aspects of engineering structure on the surface or sub-surface like dam, underground and surface power house, cut slopes, tunnels and underground storage cavern for nuclear material. But this paper emphasized mostly on underground structures like big caverns of Power house, desilting chambers, and tunnels of various sizes. Construction of these structures in the fragile rock conditions of Himalayan geology from Western Himalayas to Eastern Himalayas necessitated the application of the engineering geology on the micro-scale base for the stability, performance, and longevity of the civil structures. Number of hydropower projects have been constructed, some of them are under construction and under investigation stage. These projects are located in various parts of Himalayas under various seismic-tectonic zones. Tunneling works are involved in these projects. This paper represents the various engineering geological practices adopted in investigation and construction stage of various projects based on experiences gained during past construction histories in Himalayan geology of young mountains in very fragile geological conditions. Highlighting and sharing of use of these techniques on various platforms will definitely enhance the knowledge for carrying out the construction of various projects for the development of society. Construction of the tunnels, surface, and sub-surface caverns, dams, highway, metro, highway tunnels are all based on engineering geological parameters in combinations with other engineering considerations.Keywords: cavern-power house, desilting chambers and tunnels, seismic-tectonic-zones, earthquake-prone zones based on intensities
Procedia PDF Downloads 2191145 Spatial Design Transformation of Mount Merapi's Dwellings Using Diachronic Approach
Authors: Catharina Dwi Astuti Depari, Gregorius Agung Setyonugroho
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In concern for human safety, living in disaster-prone areas is twofold: it is profoundly cataclysmic yet perceptibly contributive. This paradox could be identified in Kalitengah Lor Sub-village community who inhabit Mount Merapi’s most hazardous area, putting them to the highest exposure to eruptions’ cataclysmic impacts. After the devastating incident in 2010, through the Action Plan for Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, the National Government with immediate aid from humanitarian agencies initiated a relocation program by establishing nearly 2,613 temporary shelters throughout the mountain’s region. The problem arose as some of the most affected communities including those in Kalitengah Lor Sub-village, persistently refused to relocate. The obnoxious experience of those living in temporary shelters resulted from the program’s failure to support a long-term living was assumed to instigate the rejection. From the psychological standpoint, this phenomenon reflects the emotional bond between the affected communities with their former dwellings. Regarding this, the paper aims to reveal the factors influencing the emotional attachment of Kalitengah Lor community to their former dwellings including the dwellings’ spatial design transformation prior and post the eruption in 2010. The research adopted Likert five scale-questionnaire comprising a wide range of responses from strongly agree to strongly disagree. The responses were then statistically measured, leading to consensus that provides bases for further interpretations toward the local’s characteristics. Using purposive unit sampling technique, 50 respondents from 217 local households were randomly selected. Questions in the questionnaire were developed with concerns on the aspects of place attachment concept: affection, cognitive, behavior, and perception. Combined with quantitative method, the research adopted diachronic method which was aimed to analyze the spatial design transformation of each dwelling in relation to the inhabitant’s daily activities and personal preferences. The research found that access to natural resources like sand mining, agricultural farms and wood forests, social relationship and physical proximity from house to personal asset like cattle shed, are the dominant factors encouraging the locals to emotionally attached to their former dwellings. Consequently, each dwelling’s spatial design is suffered from changes in which the current house is typically larger in dimension and the bathroom is replaced by public toilet located outside the house’s backyard. Relatively unchanged, the cattle shed is still located in front of the house, the continuous visual relationship, particularly between the living and family room, is maintained, as well as the main orientation of the house towards the local street.Keywords: diachronic method, former dwellings, local’s characteristics, place attachment, spatial design transformation
Procedia PDF Downloads 1591144 Hydro-Meteorological Vulnerability and Planning in Urban Area: The Case of Yaoundé City in Cameroon
Authors: Ouabo Emmanuel Romaric, Amougou Armathe
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Background and aim: The study of impacts of floods and landslides at a small scale, specifically in the urban areas of developing countries is done to provide tools and actors for a better management of risks in such areas, which are now being affected by climate change. The main objective of this study is to assess the hydrometeorological vulnerabilities associated with flooding and urban landslides to propose adaptation measures. Methods: Climatic data analyses were done by calculation of indices of climate change within 50 years (1960-2012). Analyses of field data to determine causes, the level of risk and its consequences on the area of study was carried out using SPSS 18 software. The cartographic analysis and GIS were used to refine the work in space. Then, spatial and terrain analyses were carried out to determine the morphology of field in relation with floods and landslide, and the diffusion on the field. Results: The interannual changes in precipitation has highlighted the surplus years (21), the deficit years (24) and normal years (7). Barakat method bring out evolution of precipitation by jerks and jumps. Floods and landslides are correlated to high precipitation during surplus and normal years. Data field analyses show that populations are conscious (78%) of the risks with 74% of them exposed, but their capacities of adaptation is very low (51%). Floods are the main risk. The soils are classed as feralitic (80%), hydromorphic (15%) and raw mineral (5%). Slope variation (5% to 15%) of small hills and deep valley with anarchic construction favor flood and landslide during heavy precipitation. Mismanagement of waste produce blocks free circulation of river and accentuate floods. Conclusion: Vulnerability of population to hydrometeorological risks in Yaoundé VI is the combination of variation of parameters like precipitation, temperature due to climate change, and the bad planning of construction in urban areas. Because of lack of channels for water to circulate due to saturation of soils, the increase of heavy precipitation and mismanagement of waste, the result are floods and landslides which causes many damages on goods and people.Keywords: climate change, floods, hydrometeorological, vulnerability
Procedia PDF Downloads 4621143 The Prevailing Practice of Night Hunting in Central Bhutan: Traditional Practice of Courtship as a Sexual Coercion to Women
Authors: Ugyen Phuntsho
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A popular and entrenched custom as a form of courtship has been practicing in Bhutan from long time back. This custom is widely being practiced in the villages of eastern and central Bhutan. This long-practiced custom is known by different terms in Bhutan, but it is popularly known to the foreigners as ‘night hunting’. This unique form of courtship custom involves the boy visiting the girl’s house stealthily under the cover of darkness without any pre-appointment. It is still perceived as a serving norms of courtship in the villages in central Bhutan. For many years this practice of night hunting has been in the spotlight of debate as a harmless culture but as sexual violence against women. However, this study examined the changing perception on the night hunting as a form of courtship custom or sexual coercion to women by employing the in-depth interview with 42 participants (21 females and 9 males from 3 different villages, 5 females and 7 males from urban areas) in central Bhutan. Moreover, the study investigated the gender inequality linked with the practice of night hunting in the rural areas of central Bhutan. The study revealed the changing perception on night hunting as more of sexual coercion taking place during night hunting than merely tolerating it as traditional form of practice of courtship. The finding of this study revealed unlike the past; this practice serves minimal social purpose in the society as the social changes with the development of socioeconomic of the people. However, the practice of night hunting is still prevalent at the villages, and it is known that the social power, single and widow women, valuing of village endogamy practices and the popular notion of pride of promiscuous amongst the men have attributed in sexual coercion and in ultimate victimization of the women. Furthermore, the study revealed the gender inequality linked with night hunting thus significantly increasing the vulnerability of rural women to other forms of violence in the society.Keywords: courtship, custom, men, night hunting, practice, sexual coercion, women, violence
Procedia PDF Downloads 2391142 Study of the Relationship between the Civil Engineering Parameters and the Floating of Buoy Model Which Made from Expanded Polystyrene-Mortar
Authors: Panarat Saengpanya
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There were five objectives in this study including the study of housing type with water environment, the physical and mechanical properties of the buoy material, the mechanical properties of the buoy models, the floating of the buoy models and the relationship between the civil engineering parameters and the floating of the buoy. The buoy examples made from Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) covered by 5 mm thickness of mortar with the equal thickness on each side. Specimens are 0.05 m cubes tested at a displacement rate of 0.005 m/min. The existing test method used to assess the parameters relationship is ASTM C 109 to provide comparative results. The results found that the three type of housing with water environment were Stilt Houses, Boat House, and Floating House. EPS is a lightweight material that has been used in engineering applications since at least the 1950s. Its density is about a hundredth of that of mortar, while the mortar strength was found 72 times of EPS. One of the advantage of composite is that two or more materials could be combined to take advantage of the good characteristics of each of the material. The strength of the buoy influenced by mortar while the floating influenced by EPS. Results showed the buoy example compressed under loading. The Stress-Strain curve showed the high secant modulus before reached the peak value. The failure occurred within 10% strain then the strength reduces while the strain was continuing. It was observed that the failure strength reduced by increasing the total volume of examples. For the buoy examples with same area, an increase of the failure strength is found when the high dimension is increased. The results showed the relationship between five parameters including the floating level, the bearing capacity, the volume, the high dimension and the unit weight. The study found increases in high of buoy lead to corresponding decreases in both modulus and compressive strength. The total volume and the unit weight had relationship with the bearing capacity of the buoy.Keywords: floating house, buoy, floating structure, EPS
Procedia PDF Downloads 1401141 An Intelligent Watch-Over System Using an IoT Device, for Elderly People Living by Themselves
Authors: Hideo Suzuki, Yuya Kiyonobu, Kotaro Matsushita, Masaki Hanada, Rie Suzuki, Noriko Niijima, Noriko Uosaki, Tadao Nakamura
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People often worry about their elderly family members who are living by themselves or staying alone somewhere. An intelligent watch-over system for such elderly people, using a Raspberry Pi IoT device, has been newly developed to monitor those who live or stay separately from their families and alert them if a problem occurs. The system consists of motion sensors and temperature-humidity combined sensors that are located at seven points within an elderly person's home. The intelligent algorithms of the system detect signs and the possibility of unhealthy situations arising for the elderly relative; e.g., an unusually long bathing time, or a visit to a restroom, too high a room temperature, etc., by using data cached by the sensors above, at seven points within their house. The system gives more consideration to the elderly person's privacy, by using the sensors above, instead of using cameras and microphones placed around the house. The system invented and described here, can send a Twitter direct message to designated family members when an elderly relative is possibly in an unhealthy condition. Thus the system helps decrease family members' anxieties regarding their elderly relatives and increases their sense of security.Keywords: elderly person, IoT device, Raspberry Pi, watch-over system
Procedia PDF Downloads 2171140 Foreign Real Estate Investment and the Australian Residential Property Market: A Study on Chinese Investors
Authors: Peng Yew Wong
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House prices in the Australian capital cities were at record levels subsequent to Global Financial Crisis (GFC) 2008 and many believed that foreign investors, especially the Chinese investors, were the main reason for the Australian capital cities’ house prices escalation. This research conducted an Australian cross border semi-structured interviews in Shanghai, China to uncover historical evidence and emerging trend supporting the existence of a significant relationship between overseas investors and residential housing markets performance in Australia subsequent to the GFC 2008. Some unique investment strategies of private investors from China which emphasised on non-capitalist factors such as early education were identified, alongside with some insights on the significant China government policies that have incentivised the cross border investments from China. It is believed that this understanding will assist policy makers to effectively manage the overheated Australian residential property market without compromising the steady flow of FREI.Keywords: Australian housing market, residential property, foreign real estate investment, education, China investor
Procedia PDF Downloads 2871139 Gender, Climate Change, and Resilience in Kenyan Pastoralist Communities
Authors: Anne Waithira Dormal
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Climate change is threatening pastoral livelihoods in Kajiado County, Kenya, through water shortages, livestock deaths, and increasing poverty. This study examines how these impacts differ for men and women within these communities. Limited access to resources, limited land and livestock rights, and limited decision-making power increase women's vulnerability, which is further burdened by traditional gender roles in water procurement. The research recognizes the complexity of climate change and emphasizes that factors such as wealth, family dynamics, and socioeconomic status also influence resilience. Effective adaptation strategies must address all genders. While livestock farming provides a safety net, socioeconomic empowerment through access to credit, healthcare, and education strengthens entire communities. An intersectional perspective that takes ethnicity, social status, and other factors into account is also crucial. This research, therefore, aims to examine how gender-specific adaptation strategies interact with gender and socioeconomic factors to determine the resilience of these Kenyan pastoralist communities. Such strategies, which address the specific needs and vulnerabilities of men and women, are expected to lead to increased resilience to climate change. The aim of the study is to identify effective, gender-specific adaptation strategies that can be integrated into climate change planning and implementation. Additionally, research awaits a deeper understanding of how socioeconomic factors interact with gender to influence vulnerability and resilience within these communities. The study uses a gender-sensitive qualitative approach with focus group discussions in four different pastoral and agropastoral communities. Both qualitative and demographic data are used to capture sources of income, education level, and household size of focus group respondents to increase the power of the analysis. While the research acknowledges the limitations of specific focus sites and potential biases in self-reporting, it offers valuable insights into gender and climate change in pastoral contexts. This study contributes to understanding gender-based vulnerabilities and building resilience in these communities.Keywords: climate adaptation strategies, climate change, climate resilience, gendered vulnerability, pastoralism
Procedia PDF Downloads 331138 Population Ecology of the House Rat (Rattus rattus) in Rural Human Dwelling of Pothwar Plateau, Pakistan
Authors: Surrya Khanam
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Understanding the population characteristics of pest species is crucial to develop suitable management plans. The present study was aimed to determine the population ecology of House rat (Rattus rattus) in rural human dwellings of Pothwar, Pakistan. Seasonal rodent trapping was conducted in four villages of Pothwar area from March 2012 to February 2014. A total of 217 individuals of R.rattus were captured from houses, shops, and farm houses. There was no significant difference in the abundance of species across different trapping seasons. The species sex ratio was unbiased and did not differ significantly from 1:1 at all the sites and across all the trapping seasons. The population of R. Rattus had individuals of different age groups, viz., juvenile, sub adults and adults. Overall, more adult individuals were captured in spring and summer season. Breeding activity was continuous throughout the year and reproductively active individuals relatively outnumbered inactive individuals. The results showed that village indoor habitats provided a suitable habitat for rat populations all the year round. The information obtained from this study will be helpful in the development of control strategies for R. rattus populations in commensal habitats.Keywords: ecology, indoor pests, Rattus rattus, population characteristics
Procedia PDF Downloads 1481137 A Review on the Vulnerability of Rural-Small Scale Farmers to Insect Pest Attacks in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
Authors: Nolitha L. Skenjana, Bongani P. Kubheka, Maxwell A. Poswal
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The Eastern Cape Province of South Africa is characterized by subsistence farming, which is mostly distributed in the rural areas of the province. It is estimated that cereal crops such as maize and sorghum, and vegetables such as cabbage are grown in more than 400.000 rural households, with maize being the most dominant crop. However, compared to commercial agriculture, small-scale farmers receive minimal support from research and development, limited technology transfer on the latest production practices and systems and have poor production infrastructure and equipment. Similarly, there is limited farmers' appreciation on best practices in insect pest management and control. The paper presents findings from the primary literature and personal observations on insect pest management practices of small-scale farmers in the province. Inferences from literature and personal experiences in the production areas have led to a number of deductions regarding the level of exposure and extent of vulnerability. Farmers' pest management practices, which included not controlling at all though there is a pest problem, resulted in their crop stands to be more vulnerable to pest attacks. This became more evident with the recent brown locust, African armyworm, and Fall armyworm outbreaks, and with the incidences of opportunistic phytophagous insects previously collected on wild hosts only, found causing serious damages on crops. In most of these occurrences, damage to crops resulted in low or no yield. Improvements on farmers' reaction and response to pest problems were only observed in areas where focused awareness campaigns and trainings on specific pests and their management techniques were done. This then calls for a concerted effort from all role players in the sphere of small-scale crop production, to train and equip farmers with relevant skills, and provide them with information on affordable and climate-smart strategies and technologies in order to create a state of preparedness. This is necessary for the prevention of substantial crop losses that may exacerbate food insecurity in the province.Keywords: Eastern Cape Province, small-scale farmers, insect pest management, vulnerability
Procedia PDF Downloads 1321136 Redefinition of Village Landscape with Ruins-Taking Cunwei Village in Nanping City, Fujian Province as Example
Authors: Siyu Bu, Jie Wang, Yajing Jiang
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Nowadays, villages still occupying 94.7% of the national territorial area (almost nine million square kilometers) of China. Some of them are meeting urbanization and grow as satellite; however, others are witnessing more and more citizens swarming into with nostalgia, seek enjoyment from the beautiful green countryside. In villages, new types of house come and we see billions of old houses lay unused, or even be dying at every second, which cause a lot of 'bad palaces', decadent and dangerous. In this context, there are lots of tries for gearing villages in China. This article deconstructs the traditional village house to excavate its’ landscape potential for future. By research in CunWei Village, Nanping City, Fujian Province, China, a method of reconstruction of old houses comes out: the wreckage will be a strong landscape, showing the great beauty of nature. It will be a better use of the old material as well as the space pattern. It was supposed to gain a juxtaposition of traditional village life and modern social life by offering possibilities of multiple event, replacing the bad space to attractive one by strengthen the old structures without destroy traditional patterns. Furthermore , this method acts as an exploring for building redefinition of village landscape that fit Chinese villages, using local nature resource and traditional construction logic.Keywords: juxtaposition, replace, village, ruins
Procedia PDF Downloads 2461135 Human Computer Interaction Using Computer Vision and Speech Processing
Authors: Shreyansh Jain Jeetmal, Shobith P. Chadaga, Shreyas H. Srinivas
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Internet of Things (IoT) is seen as the next major step in the ongoing revolution in the Information Age. It is predicted that in the near future billions of embedded devices will be communicating with each other to perform a plethora of tasks with or without human intervention. One of the major ongoing hotbed of research activity in IoT is Human Computer Interaction (HCI). HCI is used to facilitate communication between an intelligent system and a user. An intelligent system typically comprises of a system consisting of various sensors, actuators and embedded controllers which communicate with each other to monitor data collected from the environment. Communication by the user to the system is typically done using voice. One of the major ongoing applications of HCI is in home automation as a personal assistant. The prime objective of our project is to implement a use case of HCI for home automation. Our system is designed to detect and recognize the users and personalize the appliances in the house according to their individual preferences. Our HCI system is also capable of speaking with the user when certain commands are spoken such as searching on the web for information and controlling appliances. Our system can also monitor the environment in the house such as air quality and gas leakages for added safety.Keywords: human computer interaction, internet of things, computer vision, sensor networks, speech to text, text to speech, android
Procedia PDF Downloads 3561134 Governance of Climate Adaptation Through Artificial Glacier Technology: Lessons Learnt from Leh (Ladakh, India) In North-West Himalaya
Authors: Ishita Singh
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Social-dimension of Climate Change is no longer peripheral to Science, Technology and Innovation (STI). Indeed, STI is being mobilized to address small farmers’ vulnerability and adaptation to Climate Change. The experiences from the cold desert of Leh (Ladakh) in North-West Himalaya illustrate the potential of STI to address the challenges of Climate Change and the needs of small farmers through the use of Artificial Glacier Techniques. Small farmers have a unique technique of water harvesting to augment irrigation, called “Artificial Glaciers” - an intricate network of water channels and dams along the upper slope of a valley that are located closer to villages and at lower altitudes than natural glaciers. It starts to melt much earlier and supplements additional irrigation to small farmers’ improving their livelihoods. Therefore, the issue of vulnerability, adaptive capacity and adaptation strategy needs to be analyzed in a local context and the communities as well as regions where people live. Leh (Ladakh) in North-West Himalaya provides a Case Study for exploring the ways in which adaptation to Climate Change is taking place at a community scale using Artificial Glacier Technology. With the above backdrop, an attempt has been made to analyze the rural poor households' vulnerability and adaptation practices to Climate Change using this technology, thereby drawing lessons on vulnerability-livelihood interactions in the cold desert of Leh (Ladakh) in North-West Himalaya, India. The study is based on primary data and information collected from 675 households confined to 27 villages of Leh (Ladakh) in North-West Himalaya, India. It reveals that 61.18% of the population is driving livelihoods from agriculture and allied activities. With increased irrigation potential due to the use of Artificial Glaciers, food security has been assured to 77.56% of households and health vulnerability has been reduced in 31% of households. Seasonal migration as a livelihood diversification mechanism has declined in nearly two-thirds of households, thereby improving livelihood strategies. Use of tactical adaptations by small farmers in response to persistent droughts, such as selling livestock, expanding agriculture lands, and use of relief cash and foods, have declined to 20.44%, 24.74% and 63% of households. However, these measures are unsustainable on a long-term basis. The role of policymakers and societal stakeholders becomes important in this context. To address livelihood challenges, the role of technology is critical in a multidisciplinary approach involving multilateral collaboration among different stakeholders. The presence of social entrepreneurs and new actors on the adaptation scene is necessary to bring forth adaptation measures. Better linkage between Science and Technology policies, together with other policies, should be encouraged. Better health care, access to safe drinking water, better sanitary conditions, and improved standards of education and infrastructure are effective measures to enhance a community’s adaptive capacity. However, social transfers for supporting climate adaptive capacity require significant amounts of additional investment. Developing institutional mechanisms for specific adaptation interventions can be one of the most effective ways of implementing a plan to enhance adaptation and build resilience.Keywords: climate change, adaptation, livelihood, stakeholders
Procedia PDF Downloads 631133 Application of Mobile Aluminium Light Structure Housing System in Sustainable Building Process
Authors: Wang Haining, Zhang Hong
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In China, rapid urbanization needs more and more buildings constructed for the growing population in cities. With the help of the methodology which contains investigation, contrastive analysis, design based on component with BIM and experiment before real construction, this research based on mobile light structure system, trying to the sustainable problems partly in present China by systematic study. The system cannot replace the permanent heavy structure completely. So the goal is the improvement of the whole building system by the addition of light structure. This house system uses modularized envelopes and standardized connections, which are pre-fabricated and assembled in factories and transported like containers. Aluminum is used as the structural material in this system, and inorganic thermal insulation material used in the envelope, which have high fireproof properties. The relationship between manufactory and construction of the system is progressive hierarchy. They exist as First Industrial, Second Industrial, Third Industrial and Site Assembly Stage. It could maximize the land usage capacity by fully exploit the area where normal permanent architecture can't take advantage of. Not only the building system itself especially the thermal isolated materials used and active solar photovoltaic system equipped can save energy, but also the way of product development is sustainable.Keywords: aluminum house, light Structure, rapid assembly, repeat construction
Procedia PDF Downloads 4841132 Exergetic and Sustainability Evaluation of a Building Heating System in Izmir, Turkey
Authors: Nurdan Yildirim, Arif Hepbasli
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Heating, cooling and lighting appliances in buildings account for more than one third of the world’s primary energy demand. Therefore, main components of the building heating systems play an essential role in terms of energy consumption. In this context, efficient energy and exergy utilization in HVAC-R systems has been very essential, especially in developing energy policies towards increasing efficiencies. The main objective of the present study is to assess the performance of a family house with a volume of 326.7 m3 and a net floor area of 121 m2, located in the city of Izmir, Turkey in terms of energetic, exergetic and sustainability aspects. The indoor and exterior air temperatures are taken as 20°C and 1°C, respectively. In the analysis and assessment, various metrics (indices or indicators) such as exergetic efficiency, exergy flexibility ratio and sustainability index are utilized. Two heating options (Case 1: condensing boiler and Case 2: air heat pump) are considered for comparison purposes. The total heat loss rate of the family house is determined to be 3770.72 W. The overall energy efficiencies of the studied cases are calculated to be 49.4% for Case 1 and 54.7% for Case 2. The overall exergy efficiencies, the flexibility factor and the sustainability index of Cases 1 and 2 are computed to be around 3.3%, 0.17 and 1.034, respectively.Keywords: buildings, exergy, low exergy, sustainability, efficiency, heating, renewable energy
Procedia PDF Downloads 3361131 The Affordable Housing Problems of Elderly Households in the Istanbul Metropolitan Area
Authors: Elifsu Sahin
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In the world and in Turkey, approximately 1 in 10 people is 65 years of age or older. The age group of 65 and over is the fastest-growing age group since 1990. This demographic aging trend and demographic transformation have spread over a long period in Western Europe and North America, while in Turkey, they have occurred over a relatively short period. The aging of the population poses many challenges in terms of housing supply, housing satisfaction, and economic access to housing, due to factors such as a decrease in the number of people in households, low incomes, and increased time spent in housing and housing neighborhoods. On the other hand, since 2000, neoliberal economic policies and government policies have led to serious growth in the construction and housing sectors in Turkey. During this process, the housing market in Turkey generally produced housing for high-income groups and foreigners. Housing has become an investment instrument, and rising housing prices and rents have seriously reduced both the affordability of housing and households' chances of living in healthy housing. Housing has become a growing problem for vulnerable groups such as low- and middle-income households, students, refugees, and the elderly. Moreover, in recent years, international migration, pandemics, economic crises, inflation, and the expected Istanbul earthquake have raised housing prices and rent in Turkey as a whole, especially in Istanbul. The aim of the study is to investigate how elderly households that don't own homes deal with the economic accessibility of housing and other affordability-related housing problems in the Istanbul Metropolitan Area today, when housing becomes an investment instrument, the issue of social housing is not on the agenda, and households can be added to the market according to their ability to pay. A complex method was adopted in the research, using a combination of various statistical data and interview findings. Based on household income, in-depth interviews were conducted with 100 elderly households who don't own their own homes and were randomly selected in identified neighborhoods, analyzing the micro-area within the districts in the Istanbul Metropolitan Area, where middle- and low-income households are concentrated. The study found that more than 50% of the net income of elderly households was spent on rent and other housing expenses. Some of the households said that they restrict spending on food, health, and entertainment because of their housing expenses. Among the findings of the study is that households receive financial support from their children or move into their children’s house for economic reasons. Due to the decrease in household income, especially after the loss of a spouse, the single individual moves into their children’s house. Moreover, some of the interviewed households had to change their house and move to a smaller, lower-rent house on the urban periphery for economic reasons after retirement, especially after 2020, despite their unwillingness.Keywords: affordable housing, elderly households, housing policy, istanbul metropolitan area
Procedia PDF Downloads 241130 Developing House’s Model to Assess the Translation of Key Cultural Texts
Authors: Raja Al-Ghamdi
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This paper aims to systematically assess the translation of key cultural texts. The paper, therefore, proposes a modification of the discourse analysis model for translation quality assessment introduced by the linguist Juliane House (1977, 1997, 2015). The data for analysis has been chosen from a religious text that has never been investigated before. It is an overt translation of the biography of Prophet Mohammad. The book is written originally in Arabic and translated into English. A soft copy of the translation, entitled The Sealed Nectar, is posted on numerous websites including the Internet Archive library which offers a free access to everyone. The text abounds with linguistic and cultural phenomena relevant to Islamic and Arab lingua-cultural context which make its translation a challenge, as well as its assessment. Interesting findings show that (1) culturemes are rich points and both the translator’s subjectivity and intervention are apparent in mediating them, (2) given the nature of historical narration, the source text reflects the author’s positive shading, whereas the target text reflects the translator’s axiological orientation as neutrally shaded, and, (3) linguistic gaps, metaphorical expressions and intertextuality are major stimuli to compensation strategies.Keywords: Arabic-English discourse analysis, key cultural texts, overt translation, quality assessment
Procedia PDF Downloads 2771129 Seismic Isolation System for Irregular Structure with the Largest Isolation Building Area in the World
Authors: Houmame Benbouali
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This paper introduces the design, analysis, tests and application of a new isolation system used in irregular structure, also briefly introduces the recent research, and development on seismic isolation of civil buildings in China. A very large platform (2 stories RC frame) with plane size 1500m wide and 2000m long was built to cover the city railway communication hub area. About 50 isolation house buildings (9 stories RC frame) with 480,000 M2 were built on the top floor of platform. A new advanced isolation system named Storied-Isolation was used to ensure the seismic safety for this irregular structure with the largest isolation house building area in the world. This new isolation system has been used widely in China. There are over 400 buildings with seismic isolation have been built in China until 2003. This paper will introduce the recent research, and development on seismic isolation of civil buildings in China, including the tendency of application on seismic isolation, different isolation systems, different design level being used, design codes, application status and examples of application. Also the paper makes discussion of some problems on the future development of seismic isolation in China.Keywords: civil buildings, floor, irregular structure, seismic isolation
Procedia PDF Downloads 3211128 Climate Safe House: A Community Housing Project Tackling Catastrophic Sea Level Rise in Coastal Communities
Authors: Chris Fersterer, Col Fay, Tobias Danielmeier, Kat Achterberg, Scott Willis
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New Zealand, an island nation, has an extensive coastline peppered with small communities of iconic buildings known as Bachs. Post WWII, these modest buildings were constructed by their owners as retreats and generally were small, low cost, often using recycled material and often they fell below current acceptable building standards. In the latter part of the 20th century, real estate prices in many of these communities remained low and these areas became permanent residences for people attracted to this affordable lifestyle choice. The Blueskin Resilient Communities Trust (BRCT) is an organisation that recognises the vulnerability of communities in low lying settlements as now being prone to increased flood threat brought about by climate change and sea level rise. Some of the inhabitants of Blueskin Bay, Otago, NZ have already found their properties to be un-insurable because of increased frequency of flood events and property values have slumped accordingly. Territorial authorities also acknowledge this increased risk and have created additional compliance measures for new buildings that are less than 2 m above tidal peaks. Community resilience becomes an additional concern where inhabitants are attracted to a lifestyle associated with a specific location and its people when this lifestyle is unable to be met in a suburban or city context. Traditional models of social housing fail to provide the sense of community connectedness and identity enjoyed by the current residents of Blueskin Bay. BRCT have partnered with the Otago Polytechnic Design School to design a new form of community housing that can react to this environmental change. It is a longitudinal project incorporating participatory approaches as a means of getting people ‘on board’, to understand complex systems and co-develop solutions. In the first period, they are seeking industry support and funding to develop a transportable and fully self-contained housing model that exploits current technologies. BRCT also hope that the building will become an educational tool to highlight climate change issues facing us today. This paper uses the Climate Safe House (CSH) as a case study for education in architectural sustainability through experiential learning offered as part of the Otago Polytechnics Bachelor of Design. Students engage with the project with research methodologies, including site surveys, resident interviews, data sourced from government agencies and physical modelling. The process involves collaboration across design disciplines including product and interior design but also includes connections with industry, both within the education institution and stakeholder industries introduced through BRCT. This project offers a rich learning environment where students become engaged through project based learning within a community of practice, including architecture, construction, energy and other related fields. The design outcomes are expressed in a series of public exhibitions and forums where community input is sought in a truly participatory process.Keywords: community resilience, problem based learning, project based learning, case study
Procedia PDF Downloads 2801127 Re-Defining Food Waste and Food Waste Management in the Food Service Sector: A Case Study in a University Food Service Unit
Authors: Boineelo P. Lefadola, Annemarie T. Viljoen, Gerrie E. Du Rand
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The food service sector wastes staggering quantities of food. More than one-third of food produced today gets wasted. This is both perplexing and daunting given that not all that is wasted is accounted for when measuring food waste. It is recognised that the present food waste definitions are ambiguous and do not really take into account all food waste generated. The contention is that food waste in the food service sector can be prevented or reduced if we have an explicit food waste definition in the context of food service. This study, therefore, explores the definition of the concept of food waste in the food service sector and its implications on sustainable food waste management strategies. An ethnographic research approach was adopted. A university food service unit was selected as a research site. Data collection techniques employed included document analyses, participant observations, focus group discussions with front-of-house and back-of-house staff, and one-on-one interviews with staff on managerial positions. A grounded theory approach was applied to analyse data. The concept of food waste was constructed differently by different levels of staff. Whereas managers raised discussion from a financial perspective, BOH and FOH staff drew upon socio-cultural implications. This study lays the foundation for a harmonised definition of the concept of food waste in food service.Keywords: food service, food waste, food waste management, sustainability
Procedia PDF Downloads 2651126 The Challenge of Characterising Drought Risk in Data Scarce Regions: The Case of the South of Angola
Authors: Natalia Limones, Javier Marzo, Marcus Wijnen, Aleix Serrat-Capdevila
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In this research we developed a structured approach for the detection of areas under the highest levels of drought risk that is suitable for data-scarce environments. The methodology is based on recent scientific outcomes and methods and can be easily adapted to different contexts in successive exercises. The research reviews the history of drought in the south of Angola and characterizes the experienced hazard in the episode from 2012, focusing on the meteorological and the hydrological drought types. Only global open data information coming from modeling or remote sensing was used for the description of the hydroclimatological variables since there is almost no ground data in this part of the country. Also, the study intends to portray the socioeconomic vulnerabilities and the exposure to the phenomenon in the region to fully understand the risk. As a result, a map of the areas under the highest risk in the south of the country is produced, which is one of the main outputs of this work. It was also possible to confirm that the set of indicators used revealed different drought vulnerability profiles in the South of Angola and, as a result, several varieties of priority areas prone to distinctive impacts were recognized. The results demonstrated that most of the region experienced a severe multi-year meteorological drought that triggered an unprecedent exhaustion of the surface water resources, and that the majority of their socioeconomic impacts started soon after the identified onset of these processes.Keywords: drought risk, exposure, hazard, vulnerability
Procedia PDF Downloads 1871125 Soil Characteristics and Liquefaction Potential of the Bengkulu Region Based on the Microtremor Method
Authors: Aditya Setyo Rahman, Dwikorita Karnawati, Muzli, Dadang Permana, Sigit Pramono, Fajri Syukur Rahmatullah, Oriza Sativa, Moehajirin, Edy Santoso, Nur Hidayati Oktavia, Ardian Yudhi Octantyo, Robby Wallansha, Juwita Sari Pradita, Nur Fani Habibah, Audia Kaluku, Amelia Chelcea, Yoga Dharma Persada, Anton Sugiharto
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Earthquake vibrations on the surface are not only affected by the magnitude of the earthquake and the distance from the hypocenter but also by the characteristics of the local soil. Variations and changes in soil characteristics from the depth of the bedrock to the surface can cause an amplification of earthquake vibrations that also affect the impact they may have on the surface. Soil characteristics vary widely even at relatively close distances, so for earthquake hazard mapping in cities with earthquake threats, it is necessary to study the characteristics of the local soil on a detailed or micro-scale (microzonation). This study proposes seismic microzonation and liquefaction potential based on microtremor observations. We carried out 143 microtremor observations, and the observation sites were spread across all populated sub-districts in Bengkulu City; the results showed that the dominance of Bengkulu City had medium soil types with a dominant period value of 0.4 < T₀ < 0.6, and there was one location with soft soil characteristics in the river, shaved with T₀ > 0.6. These results correlate with the potential for liquefaction as indicated by a seismic vulnerability index (K𝓰) greater than 5.Keywords: microtremor, dominant period, microzonation, seismic vulnerability index
Procedia PDF Downloads 1081124 Factors Determining the Vulnerability to Occupational Health Risk and Safety of Call Center Agents in the Philippines
Authors: Lito M. Amit, Venecio U. Ultra, Young-Woong Song
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The business process outsourcing (BPO) in the Philippines is expanding rapidly attracting more than 2% of total employment. Currently, the BPO industry is confronted with several issues pertaining to sustainable productivity such as meeting the staffing gap, high rate of employees’ turnover and workforce retention, and the occupational health and safety (OHS) of call center agents. We conducted a survey of OHS programs and health concerns among call center agents in the Philippines and determined the sociocultural factors that affect the vulnerability of call center agents to occupational health risks and hazards. The majority of the agents affirmed that OHS are implemented and OHS orientation and emergency procedures were conducted at employment initiations, perceived favorable and convenient working environment except for occasional noise disturbances and acoustic shock, visual, and voice fatigues. Male agents can easily adjust to the demands and changes in their work environment and flexible work schedules than female agents. Female agents have a higher tendency to be pressured and humiliated by low work performance, experience a higher incidence of emotional abuse, psychological abuse, and experience more physical stress than male agents. The majority of the call center agents had a night-shift schedule and regardless of other factors, night shift work brings higher stress to agents. While working in a call center, higher incidence of headaches and insomnia, burnout, suppressed anger, anxiety, and depressions were experienced by female, younger (21-25 years old) and those at night shift than their counterpart. Most common musculoskeletal disorders include body pain in the neck, shoulders and back; and hand and wrist disorders and these are commonly experienced by female and younger workers. About 30% experienced symptoms of cardiovascular and gastrointestinal disorders and weakened immune systems. Overall, these findings have shown the variable vulnerability by a different subpopulation of call center agents and are important in the occupational health risk prevention and management towards a sustainable human resource for BPO industry in the Philippines.Keywords: business process outsourcing industry, health risk of call center agents, socio-cultural determinants, Philippines
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