Search results for: combined modality therapy

Authors: Natalia Moreira, Trevor Wood-Harper

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The acceptance of sustainable products by the final consumer is still one of the challenges of the industry, which constantly seeks alternative approaches to successfully be accepted in the global market. A large set of methods and approaches have been discussed and analysed throughout the literature. Considering the current need for sustainable development and the current pace of consumption, the need for a combined solution towards the development of new products became clear, forcing researchers in product development to propose alternatives to the previous standard product development models. This paper presents, through a systemic analysis of the literature on product development, eco-design and consumer involvement, a set of alternatives regarding consumer involvement towards the development of sustainable products and how these approaches could help improve the sustainable industry’s establishment in the general market. The initial findings of the research show that the understanding of the benefits of sustainable behaviour lead to a more conscious acquisition and eventually to the implementation of sustainable change in the consumer. Thus this paper is the initial approach towards the development of new sustainable products using the fashion industry as an example of practical implementation and acceptance by the consumers. By comparing the existing literature and critically analysing it this paper concluded that the consumer involvement is strategic to improve the general understanding of sustainability and its features. The use of consumers and communities has been studied since the early 90s in order to exemplify uses and to guarantee a fast comprehension. The analysis done also includes the importance of this approach for the increase of innovation and ground breaking developments, thus requiring further research and practical implementation in order to better understand the implications and limitations of this methodology.

Keywords: consumer involvement, products development, sustainability, eco-design

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Authors: Mohammad Fereidoonnezhad, Seán Leen, Stephen Nash, Patrick McGarry

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From the perspective of research innovation, the tidal energy industry is still in its early stages. While a very small number of turbines have progressed to utility-scale deployment, blade breakage is commonly reported due to the enormous hydrodynamic loading applied to devices. The aim of this study is the development of computer simulation technologies for the design of next-generation fibre-reinforced composite tidal turbines. This will require significant technical advances in the areas of tidal turbine testing and multi-scale computational modelling. The complex turbine blade profiles are designed to incorporate non-linear distributions of airfoil sections to optimize power output and self-starting capability while reducing power fluctuations. A number of candidate blade geometries are investigated, ranging from spiral geometries to parabolic geometries, with blades arranged in both cylindrical and spherical configurations on a vertical axis turbine. A combined blade element theory (BET-start-up model) is developed in MATLAB to perform computationally efficient parametric design optimisation for a range of turbine blade geometries. Finite element models are developed to identify optimal fibre-reinforced composite designs to increase blade strength and fatigue life. Advanced fluid-structure-interaction models are also carried out to compute blade deflections following design optimisation.

Keywords: tidal turbine, composite materials, fluid-structure-interaction, start-up capability

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Authors: Jameela Ali, Hamid A. Jalab, Loay E. George, Abdul Rahim Ahmad, Azizah Suliman, Karim Al-Jashamy

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Red blood cells (RBC) are the most common types of blood cells and are the most intensively studied in cell biology. The lack of RBCs is a condition in which the amount of hemoglobin level is lower than normal and is referred to as “anemia”. Abnormalities in RBCs will affect the exchange of oxygen. This paper presents a comparative study for various techniques for classifyig the red blood cells as normal, or abnormal (anemic) using WEKA. WEKA is an open source consists of different machine learning algorithms for data mining applications. The algorithm tested are Radial Basis Function neural network, Support vector machine, and K-Nearest Neighbors algorithm. Two sets of combined features were utilized for classification of blood cells images. The first set, exclusively consist of geometrical features, was used to identify whether the tested blood cell has a spherical shape or non-spherical cells. While the second set, consist mainly of textural features was used to recognize the types of the spherical cells. We have provided an evaluation based on applying these classification methods to our RBCs image dataset which were obtained from Serdang Hospital-Malaysia, and measuring the accuracy of test results. The best achieved classification rates are 97%, 98%, and 79% for Support vector machines, Radial Basis Function neural network, and K-Nearest Neighbors algorithm respectively

Keywords: red blood cells, classification, radial basis function neural networks, suport vector machine, k-nearest neighbors algorithm

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Authors: Shaolin Allen Liao, Hual-Te Chien

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Various THz phase extraction algorithms have been developed for a novel THz Modulating Interferometric Doppler Radar (THz-MIDR) developed recently by the author. The THz-MIDR differs from the well-known FTIR technique in that it introduces a continuously modulating reference branch, compared to the time-consuming discrete FTIR stepping reference branch. Such change allows real-time tracking of a moving object and capturing of its Doppler signature. The working principle of the THz-MIDR is similar to the FTIR technique: the incoming THz emission from the scene is split by a beam splitter/combiner; one of the beams is continuously modulated by a vibrating mirror or phase modulator and the other split beam is reflected by a reflection mirror; finally both the modulated reference beam and reflected beam are combined by the same beam splitter/combiner and detected by a THz intensity detector (for example, a pyroelectric detector). In order to extract THz phase from the single intensity measurement signal, we have derived rigorous mathematical formulas for 3 Frequency Banded (FB) signals: 1) DC Low-Frequency Banded (LFB) signal; 2) Fundamental Frequency Banded (FFB) signal; and 3) Harmonic Frequency Banded (HFB) signal. The THz phase extraction algorithms are then developed based combinations of 2 or all of these 3 FB signals with efficient algorithms such as Levenberg-Marquardt nonlinear fitting algorithm. Numerical simulation has also been performed in Matlab with simulated THz-MIDR interferometric signal of various Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) to verify the algorithms.

Keywords: algorithm, modulation, THz phase, THz interferometry doppler radar

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Authors: S. K. Ashiquer Rahman

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Innovation, sustainability, and higher education are vital issues of the knowledge economy and society. In fact, the concentration on these issues, educators and researchers convinced the learners to prepare productive citizens for the knowledge economy and society, and many initiatives have been launched worldwide. The concept of a knowledge economy requires simultaneous and balanced progress in three dimensions (Innovation, Education and Sustainability) which are totally interdependent and correlated. The paper discusses the importance of an integrated approach to the knowledge economy and society from the perspective of higher education institutions. It remarks on the advent of a knowledge-based economy and society and the need for the combination of Innovation, sustainability, and education. This paper introduces nine (9) important issues or challenges of higher education institutions that have emphasized, cross-linked each other, and combined in a new education system that can form a new generation for the completive world as well as able to manage the knowledge-based economy and societal system. Moreover, the education system must be the foundation for building the necessary knowledge-based economy and society, which must manage the innovation process through a more sustainable world. In this viewpoint, Innovation, sustainability and higher education are becoming more and more central in our economy and society, and it is directly associated with the possibility of global wealth distribution to the economy and society. The objective of this research is to demonstrate the knowledge-based economy and social paradigm in order to create the opportunity for higher education institutions' development. The paper uses the collective action methodologies to examine “the mechanisms and strategies” used by higher education institutions’ authority to accommodate an integrated pattern as per connecting behaviors of knowledge economy and society. The paper accomplishes that the combination of Innovation, sustainability and education is a very helpful approach to building a knowledge-based economy and society for practicing the higher education institution’s challenges.

Keywords: education, innovation, knowledge economy, sustainability

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Authors: Elena Roadhouse

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“When it take the kitchen middens from the latest canning session out to the compost before going to bed, the orchestra is in full chorus. Night vapors and scents from the earth mingle with the fragrance of honeysuckle nearby and basil grown in the compost. They merge into the rhythmic pulse of night”. William Longgood Carl Jung did not specifically recognize scent and olfactory function as a window into the psyche. He did recognize instinct and the natural history of mankind as key to understanding and reconnecting with the Psyche. The progressive path of modern humans has brought incredible scientific and industrial advancements that have changed the human relationship with Mother Earth, the primal wisdom of mankind, and led to the loss of instinct. The olfactory bulbs are an integral part of our ancient brain and has evolved in a way that is proportional to the human separation with the instinctual self. If olfaction is a gateway to our instinct, then it is also a portal to the soul. Natural aromatics are significant and powerful instruments for supporting the mind, our emotional selves, and our bodies. This paper aims to shed light on the important role of scent in the understanding of the existence of the psyche, generational trauma, and archetypal fragrance. Personalized Natural Perfume combined with mindfulness practices can be used as an effective behavioral conditioning tool to promote the healing of transgenerational and individual trauma, the fragmented self, and the physical body.

Keywords: scentscape of the soul, psyche, individuation, epigenetics, depth psychology, carl Jung, instinct, trauma, archetypal scent, personal myth, holistic wellness, natural perfumery

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Authors: Kruger Uys

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Poetry analysis plays a vital role in promoting critical thinking, literary appreciation, and language skills among learners. This paper proposes an innovative multimodal teaching approach that combines traditional textual analysis of poems with multimodal educational semiotic analysis of animated poetry films. The aim is to present a methodological framework through which poetry concepts and elements, along with the visual and auditory components in animated poetry films, can be comprehensively illuminated. Traditional textual analysis involves close reading, linguistic examination, and thematic exploration to identify, discuss, and apply poetry concepts. When combined with a multimodal edusemiotic analysis of the semiotic signs and codes present in animated poetry films, new perspectives emerge that enrich the interpretation of poetry. Furthermore, the proposed integrated approach, as prescribed by CAPS, enhances a holistic understanding of poetry terminology and elements, as well as complex linguistic and visual patterns that promote visual literacy, refined data interpretation skills, and learner engagement in the poetry classroom. To illustrate this phenomenon, the poem My mamma is bossies (My mom’s bonkers) by Jeanne Goosen (prescribed for Grade 10 Afrikaans Home Language learners in the CAPS curriculum) will be discussed. This study aims to contribute to the existing Afrikaans poetry curriculum but also equip all language educators to cultivate poetry appreciation, critical thinking, and creativity among learners in the ever-evolving landscape of education.

Keywords: edusemiotics, multimodality, poetry education, animated poetry films

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Authors: Mohammad Ali Rajaeifar, Oliver Heidrich

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Nowadays, Li-ion batteries are vastly disseminated and the battery market is expected to experience a huge growth during next decade especially in terms of traction batteries. As the automotive industry moving towards the electrification of the powertrain, more raw/critical materials and energy are extracted while on the other hand, concerns are made regarding the scarcity of the materials as well as environmental issues regarding the destiny of the spent batteries. In this regards, recycling could play a vital role in the supply chain, leading reutilization of key battery materials and also reducing environmental burden related to the use of batteries. The aim of this paper is to review the previous and state-of-the-art treatments for recycling of Li-ion batteries. All the treatments method from mechanical, mild-thermal, pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical as well as combined methods for recycling of Li-ion batteries were considered in the study. There are various treatment methods that are economical, but they are not environmentally friendly or vice versa. This is due to the fact that the benefits of the Li-ion batteries recycling could be affected by different factors such as the amount of spent batteries available, the quality of the recovered material, the energy and material consumption by the process itself and environmental burdens caused by required logistics. Finally, a preliminary work sheet of possible route for recycling of spent Li-ion batteries was presented through the course of this study. Overall, it is worth quoting that recycling processes generally consumes a great deal of energy and auxiliary materials. Moreover, the collection of spent products from waste streams represents additional environmental efforts. Therefore, developing and optimizing efficient collection and separation technologies is essential to achieve sustainability goals.

Keywords: hydrometallurgical treatment, Li-ion batteries, mild-thermal treatment, mechanical treatment, recycling, pyrometallurgical treatment

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Authors: Emery A. Coppola Jr., Suna Cinar, Ferenc Szidarovszky

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Over-pumping of groundwater resources is a serious problem world-wide. In addition to depleting this valuable resource, hydraulically connected sensitive ecological resources like wetlands and surface water bodies are often impacted and even destroyed by over-pumping. Effectively managing groundwater in a way that satisfy human demand while preserving natural resources is a daunting challenge that will only worsen with growing human populations and climate change. As presented in this paper, a numerical flow model developed for a hypothetical but realistic groundwater/surface water system was combined with formal optimization. Response coefficients were used in an optimization management model to maximize groundwater pumping in a complex, multi-layered aquifer system while protecting against groundwater over-draft, streamflow depletion, and wetland impacts. Pumping optimization was performed for different constraint sets that reflect different resource protection preferences, yielding significantly different optimal pumping solutions. A sensitivity analysis on the optimal solutions was performed on select response coefficients to identify differences between wet and dry periods. Stochastic optimization was also performed, where uncertainty associated with changing irrigation demand due to changing weather conditions are accounted for. One of the strengths of this optimization approach is that it can efficiently and accurately identify superior management strategies that minimize risk and adverse environmental impacts associated with groundwater pumping under different hydrologic conditions.

Keywords: numerical groundwater flow modeling, water management optimization, groundwater overdraft, streamflow depletion

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Authors: Samuel Fekadu A., Esayas Alemayehu B., Bultum Oljira D., Seid Tiku D., Dessalegn Dadi D., Bart Van Der Bruggen A.

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The peroxi-photoelectrocoagulation process was evaluated for the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and color from healthcare wastewater. A 2-level full factorial design with center points was created to investigate the effect of the process parameters, i.e., initial COD, H₂O₂, pH, reaction time and current density. Furthermore, the total energy consumption and average current efficiency in the system were evaluated. Predictive models for % COD, % color removal and energy consumption were obtained. The initial COD and pH were found to be the most significant variables in the reduction of COD and color in peroxi-photoelectrocoagulation process. Hydrogen peroxide only has a significant effect on the treated wastewater when combined with other input variables in the process like pH, reaction time and current density. In the peroxi-photoelectrocoagulation process, current density appears not as a single effect but rather as an interaction effect with H₂O₂ in reducing COD and color. Lower energy expenditure was observed at higher initial COD, shorter reaction time and lower current density. The average current efficiency was found as low as 13 % and as high as 777 %. Overall, the study showed that hybrid electrochemical oxidation can be applied effectively and efficiently for the removal of pollutants from healthcare wastewater.

Keywords: electrochemical oxidation, UV, healthcare pollutants removals, factorial design

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Authors: Hassan Parandvar, Mehrdad Farid

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In this paper, a finite element modeling is presented for large amplitude vibration of functionally graded material (FGM) plates subjected to combined random pressure and thermal load. The material properties of the plates are assumed to vary continuously in the thickness direction by a simple power law distribution in terms of the volume fractions of the constituents. The material properties depend on the temperature whose distribution along the thickness can be expressed explicitly. The von Karman large deflection strain displacement and extended Hamilton's principle are used to obtain the governing system of equations of motion in structural node degrees of freedom (DOF) using finite element method. Three-node triangular Mindlin plate element with shear correction factor is used. The nonlinear equations of motion in structural degrees of freedom are reduced by using modal reduction method. The reduced equations of motion are solved numerically by 4th order Runge-Kutta scheme. In this study, the random pressure is generated using Monte Carlo method. The modeling is verified and the nonlinear dynamic response of FGM plates is studied for various values of volume fraction and sound pressure level under different thermal loads. Snap-through type behavior of FGM plates is studied too.

Keywords: nonlinear vibration, finite element method, functionally graded material (FGM) plates, snap-through, random vibration, thermal effect

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Authors: Adem Öğüt, M. Tahir Demirsel

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Rapid changes and developments today, besides the opportunities and facilities they offer to the organization, may also be a source of danger and difficulties due to the uncertainty. In order to take advantage of opportunities and to take the necessary measures against possible uncertainties, organizations must always follow the changes and developments that occur in the business environment and develop flexible structures and strategies for the alternative cases. Perceived environmental uncertainty is an outcome of managers’ perceptions of the combined complexity, instability and unpredictability in the organizational environment. An environment that is perceived to be complex, changing rapidly, and difficult to predict creates high levels of uncertainty about the appropriate organizational responses to external circumstances. In an uncertain and complex environment, organizations experiencing cutthroat competition may be successful by developing their corporate entrepreneurial ability. Corporate entrepreneurship is a process that includes many elements such as innovation, creating new business, renewal, risk-taking and being predictive. Successful corporate entrepreneurship is a critical factor which has a significant contribution to gain a sustainable competitive advantage, to renew the organization and to adapt the environment. In this context, the objective of this study is to investigate the effect of perceived environmental uncertainty of managers on corporate entrepreneurship performance. The research was conducted on 222 business executives in one of the major industrial zones of Turkey, Konya Organized Industrial Zone (KOS). According to the results, it has been observed that there is a positive statistically significant relationship between perceived environmental uncertainty and corporate entrepreneurial activities.

Keywords: corporate entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship, industrial zone, perceived environmental uncertainty, uncertainty

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Authors: John E. Muñoz, Jose F. Lopez, David S. Lopez

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disorder that affects 1 out of 5 Colombian children, converting into a real public health problem in the country. Conventional treatments such as medication and neuropsychological therapy have been proved to be insufficient in order to decrease high incidence levels of ADHD in the principal Colombian cities. This work demonstrates a design and development of a videogame that uses a brain computer interface not only to serve as an input device but also as a tool to monitor neurophysiologic signal. The video game named “The Harvest Challenge” puts a cultural scene of a Colombian coffee grower in its context, where a player can use his/her avatar in three mini games created in order to reinforce four fundamental aspects: i) waiting ability, ii) planning ability, iii) ability to follow instructions and iv) ability to achieve objectives. The details of this collaborative designing process of the multimedia tool according to the exact clinic necessities and the description of interaction proposals are presented through the mental stages of attention and relaxation. The final videogame is presented as a tool for sustained attention training in children with ADHD using as an action mechanism the neuromodulation of Beta and Theta waves through an electrode located in the central part of the front lobe of the brain. The processing of an electroencephalographic signal is produced automatically inside the videogame allowing to generate a report of the theta/beta ratio evolution - a biological marker, which has been demonstrated to be a sufficient measure to discriminate of children with deficit and without.

Keywords: BCI, neuromodulation, ADHD, videogame, neurofeedback, theta/beta ratio

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Authors: Sterling C. DeVerter

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In recent decades, there has been continually growing concern amongst scholars and political leaders towards the global resurgence of nationalism, particularly in Europe, the United States, and China. However, very few studies have attempted to empirically examine the relationship between religion and nationalism at the level of the individual, and none are known to have done so quantitatively. Building on Tajfel's and Turner's (1978) Social Identity Theory (SIT), and Anderson (1991) and Marx (2003), this study will employ SIT and regression analysis to compare the sources and patterns of nationalistic sentiment among European respondents in eight countries to the average levels of self-reported religiosity, religious participation, age, education, and income levels. Survey reports from the International Social Survey Programme were the primary quantitative data sources. It was hypothesized that the increase in nationalism across Europe follows this same evolution as first identified by Anderson, and is positively correlated to the reduction in reported religiosity. However, this study failed to reject the null, there was no substantial ( < .035) correlation between nationalistic sentiment and any of the measures of religiosity, nor were there any substantial correlations between nationalistic sentiment and either of the three control variables ( < .008). Across all countries examined, it was discovered that inclusionary nationalism has slightly declined (-5.08%), while exclusionary nationalism had increased substantially (+17.25%). The combined trend reflected an overall rise in nationalism across the time period and a forecast that suggests the current levels are also elevated. The primary implications include the demand to readdress the notion of religion and nationalism, and the correlation between the two, as well as the current nationalism trends in terms of support or non-support for future political and social movements.

Keywords: European Union, secularization, nationalism, social identity theory

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Authors: Derrick Mirindi, Frederic Mirindi, Oluwakemi Oshineye

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The ongoing high rate of construction project failures worldwide is often blamed on the difficulties of managing stakeholders. This highlights the crucial role of strategic management (SM) in achieving project success. This study investigates how integrating digital tools into the SM framework can effectively address stakeholder-related challenges. This work specifically focuses on the impact of evolving digital tools, such as Project Management Software (PMS) (e.g., Basecamp and Wrike), Building Information Modeling (BIM) (e.g., Tekla BIMsight and Autodesk Navisworks), Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR) (e.g., Microsoft HoloLens), drones and remote monitoring, and social media and Web-Based platforms, in improving stakeholder engagement and project outcomes. Through existing literature with examples of failed projects, the study highlights how the evolution of digital tools will serve as facilitators within the strategic management process. These tools offer benefits such as real-time data access, enhanced visualization, and more efficient workflows to mitigate stakeholder challenges in construction projects. The findings indicate that integrating digital tools with SM principles effectively addresses stakeholder challenges, resulting in improved project outcomes and stakeholder satisfaction. The research advocates for a combined approach that embraces both strategic management and digital innovation to navigate the complex stakeholder landscape in construction projects.

Keywords: strategic management, digital tools, virtual and augmented reality, stakeholder management, building information modeling, project management software

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Authors: Nargiza Nuralieva

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The study delves into assessing the influence of mindfulness and mental resilience training on the cognitive performance and stress management of pilots. Employing a meticulous literature search across databases such as Medline and Google Scholar, the study used specific keywords to target a wide array of studies. Inclusion criteria were stringent, focusing on peer-reviewed studies in English that utilized designs like randomized controlled trials, with a specific interest in interventions related to mindfulness or mental resilience training for pilots and measured outcomes pertaining to cognitive performance and stress management. The initial literature search identified a pool of 123 articles, with subsequent screening resulting in the exclusion of 77 based on title and abstract. The remaining 54 articles underwent a more rigorous full-text screening, leading to the exclusion of 41. Additionally, five studies were selected from the World Health Organization's clinical trials database. A total of 11 articles from meta-analyses were retained for examination, underscoring the study's dedication to a meticulous and robust inclusion process. The interventions varied widely, incorporating mixed approaches, Cognitive behavioral Therapy (CBT)-based, and mindfulness-based techniques. The analysis uncovered positive effects across these interventions. Specifically, mixed interventions demonstrated a Standardized Mean Difference (SMD) of 0.54, CBT-based interventions showed an SMD of 0.29, and mindfulness-based interventions exhibited an SMD of 0.43. Long-term effects at a 6-month follow-up suggested sustained impacts for both mindfulness-based (SMD: 0.63) and CBT-based interventions (SMD: 0.73), albeit with notable heterogeneity.

Keywords: mindfulness, mental resilience, pilots, cognitive performance, stress management

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Authors: Endang Lukitaningsih, Fathul Jannah, Arief R. Hakim, Ratna D. Puspita, Zullies Ikawati

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Rifampicin is a semisynthetic antibiotic derivative of rifamycin B produced by Streptomyces mediterranei. RIF has been used worldwide as first line drug-prescribed throughout tuberculosis therapy. This study aims to develop and to validate an HPLC method couple with a UV detection for determination of rifampicin in spiked human plasma and its application for bioequivalence study. The chromatographic separation was achieved on an RP-C18 column (LachromHitachi, 250 x 4.6 mm., 5μm), utilizing a mobile phase of phosphate buffer/acetonitrile (55:45, v/v, pH 6.8 ± 0.1) at a flow of 1.5 mL/min. Detection was carried out at 337 nm by using spectrophotometer. The developed method was statistically validated for the linearity, accuracy, limit of detection, limit of quantitation, precise and specifity. The specifity of the method was ascertained by comparing chromatograms of blank plasma and plasma containing rifampicin; the matrix and rifampicin were well separated. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were 0.7 µg/mL and 2.3 µg/mL, respectively. The regression curve of standard was linear (r > 0.999) over a range concentration of 20.0 – 100.0 µg/mL. The mean recovery of the method was 96.68 ± 8.06 %. Both intraday and interday precision data showed reproducibility (R.S.D. 2.98% and 1.13 %, respectively). Therefore, the method can be used for routine analysis of rifampicin in human plasma and in bioequivalence study. The validated method was successfully applied in pharmacokinetic and bioequivalence study of rifampicin tablet in a limited number of subjects (under an Ethical Clearance No. KE/FK/6201/EC/2015). The mean values of Cmax, Tmax, AUC(0-24) and AUC(o-∞) for the test formulation of rifampicin were 5.81 ± 0.88 µg/mL, 1.25 hour, 29.16 ± 4.05 µg/mL. h. and 29.41 ± 4.07 µg/mL. h., respectively. Meanwhile for the reference formulation, the values were 5.04 ± 0.54 µg/mL, 1.31 hour, 27.20 ± 3.98 µg/mL.h. and 27.49 ± 4.01 µg/mL.h. From bioequivalence study, the 90% CIs for the test formulation/reference formulation ratio for the logarithmic transformations of Cmax and AUC(0-24) were 97.96-129.48% and 99.13-120.02%, respectively. According to the bioequivamence test guidelines of the European Commission-European Medicines Agency, it can be concluded that the test formulation of rifampicin is bioequivalence with the reference formulation.

Keywords: validation, HPLC, plasma, bioequivalence

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Authors: Ali Taheri Mirghaed, Sara Ahani, Ashkan Zargar, Seyyed Morteza Hoseini

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Diseases are the major challenges in intensive aquaculture that cause significant annual losses. Antibiotic-therapy is a common way to control bacterial disease in fish, and oxytetracycline (OTC) is the only oral antibiotic in aquaculture approved FDA. OTC has been found to have negative effects on fish, such as oxidative stress and immune-suppression, thus, it is necessary to mitigate such effects. Medicinal herbs have various benefits on fish, including antioxidant, immunostimulant, and anti-microbial effects. Therefore, we hypothesized if dietary ginger meal (GM) interacts with dietary OTC by monitoring plasma protein fractions in rainbow trout. The study was conducted as a 2 × 2 factorial design, including diets containing 0 and 1% GM and 0 and 1.66 % OTC (corresponding to 100 mg/kg fish biomass per day). After ten days treating the fish (60 g individual weight) with these feeds, blood samples were taken from al treatments (n =3). Plasma was separated by centrifugation, and protein fractions were determined by electrophoresis. The results showed that OTC and GM had interaction effects on total protein (P<0.001), albumin (P<0.001), alpha-1 fraction (P=0.010), alpha-2 fraction (P=0.001), beta-2 fraction (P=0.014), and gamma fraction (P<0.001). Beta-1 fraction was significantly (P=0.030) affected by dietary GM. GM decreased plasma total protein, albumin, and beta-2 but increased beta-1 fraction. OTC significantly decreased total protein (P<0.001), albumin (P=0.001), alpha-2 fraction (P<0.001), beta-2 fraction (P=0.004), and gamma fraction (P<0.001) but had no significant effects on alpha-1 and beta-1 fractions. Dietary GM inhibited/suppressed the effects of dietary OTC on the plasma total protein and protein fractions. In conclusion, adding 1% GM to diet can mitigate the negative effects of dietary OTC on plasma proteins. Thus, GM may boost health of rainbow trout during the period of medication with OTC.

Keywords: ginger, plasma protein electrophoresis, dietary additive, rainbow trout

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Authors: Jiazhen Liao, Xiaolan Zeng

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A series of BiOCl nanoplates with different oxygen vacancies (OVs) concentrations were successfully synthesized via a facile solvothermal method. The concentration of OVs of BiOCl can be tuned by the ratios of water/ethylene glycol. Such nanoplates containing oxygen vacancies served as an efficient visible-light-driven photocatalyst for NO oxidation. Compared with pure BiOCl, the enhanced photocatalytic performance was mainly attributed to the introduction of OVs, which greatly enhanced light absorption, promoted electron transfer, activated oxygen molecules. The present work could provide insights into the understanding of the role of OVs in photocatalysts for reference. Combined with characterization analysis, such as XRD（X-ray diffraction）, XPS（X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy), TEM（Transmission Electron Microscopy）, PL（Fluorescence Spectroscopy）, and DFT (Density Functional Theory) calculations, the effect of vacancies on photoelectrochemical properties of BiOCl photocatalysts are shown. Furthermore, the possible reaction mechanisms of photocatalytic NO oxidation were also revealed. According to the results of in situ DRIFTS （ Diffused Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy）, various intermediates were produced during different time intervals of NO photodegradation. The possible pathways are summarized below. First, visible light irradiation induces electron-hole pairs on the surface of OV-BOC (BiOCl with oxygen vacancies). Second, photogenerated electrons form superoxide radical with the contacted oxygen. Then, the NO molecules adsorbed on the surface of OV-BOC are attacked by superoxide radical and form nitrate instead of NO₂ (by-products). Oxygen vacancies greatly improve the photocatalytic oxidation activity of NO and effectively inhibit the production of harmful by-products during the oxidation of NO.

Keywords: OVs-BiOCl nanoplate, oxygen vacancies, NO oxidation, photocatalysis

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Authors: Ephrem Mebratu Dagnew, Mohammed Biset Ayalew, Gizework Alemnew Mekonnen, Alehegn Bishaw Geremew, Ousman Abubeker Abdela

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Objective: To assess the prevalence of drug-related problems and associated factors among adult psychiatric inpatients. Method: Hospital-based multicenter cross-sectional observational study was conducted from April to July 2021 at five randomly selected hospitals in North-west Ethiopia. A total of 325 consecutively sampled patients participated in the study. Clinical pharmacists assessed the DRPs based on clinical judgment supported by updated evidence-based diseases guidelines. A Medscape drug-interactions checker was used to check drug-drug interactions. The results were summarized using descriptive statistics, including frequency, mean, and standard deviation. Odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval were also computed for each variable for the corresponding P-value. The value of P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Result : From the total of 325 study participants, more than half of them (52.9%) were females and the mean age ± (standard deviation) was 30.8±11.3 years. At least one drug-related problem was recorded from 60.9%, 95% CI (55.7-65.8) of study participants with a mean of 0.6±0.49 per patient. Need additional drug therapy was the most common DRP (22.8%), followed by non-adherence to medicine (20.6%) and adverse drug reactions (11%), respectively. Factors independently associated with drug-related problems were rural residence [AOR=1.96,95%CI:1.01-2.84, P-value=0.046], self-employed [AOR=6.0 ,95% CI: 1.0-36.9, P-value=0.035] and alcohol drinkers [AOR=6.40,95%CI:1.12-37.5, p-value=0.034]. Conclusion: The prevalence of drug-related problems among adult psychiatric patients admitted to psychiatric wards was high. Healthcare providers give more attention to tackling these problems. Being a rural residence, self-employed, and Alcohol drinkers were associated with drug-related problems.

Keywords: psychiatric patients, drug-relatedproblems, multicenter, Ethiopia

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Authors: Judith Stein, Elfriede Friedmann

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The injection of a drug into the vitreous body for the treatment of retinal diseases like wet aged-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common medical intervention worldwide. We develop mathematical models for drug transport in the vitreous body of a human eye to analyse the impact of different rheological models of the vitreous on drug distribution. In addition to the convection diffusion equation characterizing the drug spreading, we use porous media modeling for the healthy vitreous with a dense collagen network and include the steady permeating flow of the aqueous humor described by Darcy's law driven by a pressure drop. Additionally, the vitreous body in a healthy human eye behaves like a viscoelastic gel through the collagen fibers suspended in the network of hyaluronic acid and acts as a drug depot for the treatment of retinal diseases. In a completely liquefied vitreous, we couple the drug diffusion with the classical Navier-Stokes flow equations. We prove the global existence and uniqueness of the weak solution of the developed initial-boundary value problem describing the drug distribution in the healthy vitreous considering the permeating aqueous humor flow in the realistic three-dimensional setting. In particular, for the drug diffusion equation, results from the literature are extended from homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions to our mixed boundary conditions that describe the eye with the Galerkin's method using Cauchy-Schwarz inequality and trace theorem. Because there is only a small effective drug concentration range and higher concentrations may be toxic, the ability to model the drug transport could improve the therapy by considering patient individual differences and give a better understanding of the physiological and pathological processes in the vitreous.

Keywords: coupled PDE systems, drug diffusion, mixed boundary conditions, vitreous body

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Authors: Liang Ning, Chung Hau Yin

Abstract:

Angiogenesis is the process of new blood vessel development. It has been recognized as a therapeutic target for blocking cancer growth four decades ago. Vascular sprouting is initiated by pro-angiogenic factors. Vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) plays a central role in angiogenic initiation, many patients with cancer or ocular neovascularization have been benefited from anti-VEGF therapy. Emerging approaches impacting in the later stages of vessel remodeling and maturation are expected to improve clinical efficacy. TIE receptor as well as the corresponding angiopoietin ligands, were identified as another endothelial cell specific receptor tyrosine kinase signaling system. Much efforts were made to reduce the activity of angiopoietin-TIE receptor axis. Two eudesmane-type sesquiterpenes from laggera alata, namely, 15-dihydrocostic acid and ilicic acid were found with strong anti-angiogenic properties in zebrafish model. Meanwhile, the mRNA expression levels of VEGFR2 and TIE2 pathway related genes were down-regulated in the sesquiterpenes treated zebrafish embryos. Besides, in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), the sesquiterpenes have the ability to inhibit VEGF-induced HUVECs proliferation and migration at non-toxic concentration. Moreover, angiopoietin-2 induced TIE2 phosphorylation was inhibited by the sesquiterpenes, the inhibitory effect was detected in angiopoietin-1 induced HUVECs proliferation as well. Thus, we hypothesized the anti-angiogenic activity of the compounds may via the inhibition of VEGF and TIE2 related pathways. How the compounds come into play as the pathways inhibitors need to be evaluated in the future.

Keywords: Laggera alata, eudesmane-type sesquiterpene, anti-angiogenesis, VEGF, angiopoietin, TIE2

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Authors: Christopher Giehl, Anja Allabar, Daniela Ehgartner

Abstract:

Rotational rheometry is standard practice for the viscosity measurement of molten glass, neglecting the viscoelastic properties of this material, especially at temperatures approaching the glass transition. Oscillatory rheometry serves as a powerful toolbox for glass melt characterization beyond viscosity measurements. Heating and cooling rates and the time-dependent visco-elastic behavior influence the temperature where materials undergo the glass transition. This study presents quantitative thermo-mechanical visco-elasticity measurements on three samples in the Na-K-Al-Si-O system. The measurements were performed with a Furnace Rheometer System combined with an air-bearing DSR 502 measuring head (Anton Paar) and a Pt90Rh10 measuring geometry. Temperature ramps were conducted in rotation and oscillation, and the (complex) viscosity values were compared to calculated viscosity values based on sample composition. Furthermore, temperature ramps with different frequencies were conducted, also revealing the frequency-dependence of the shear loss modulus G’’ and the shear storage modulus G’. Here, lower oscillatory frequency results in lower glass transition temperature, as defined by the G’-G’’ crossover point. This contribution demonstrates that oscillatory rheometry serves as a powerful toolbox beyond viscosity measurements, as it considers the visco-elasticity of glass melts quantifying viscous and elastic moduli. Further, it offers a strong definition of Tg beyond the 10^12 Pas concept, which cannot be utilized with rotational viscometry data.

Keywords: frequency dependent glass transition, Na-K-Al-Si-O glass melts, oscillatory rheometry, visco-elasticity

Procedia PDF Downloads 107

Authors: Bulcha Belay Etana, Benny Malengier, Janarthanan Krishnamoorthy, Timothy Kwa, Lieva Vanlangenhove

Abstract:

Electromyography measures the electrical activity of muscles using surface electrodes or needle electrodes to monitor various disease conditions. Recent developments in the signal acquisition of electromyograms using textile electrodes facilitate wearable devices, enabling patients to monitor and control their health status outside of healthcare facilities. Here, we have developed and tested wearable textile electrodes to acquire electromyography signals from patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease and incorporated a feedback-control system to relieve muscle cramping through thermal stimulus. In brief, the textile electrodes made of stainless steel was knitted into a textile fabric as a sleeve, and their electrical characteristic, such as signal-to-noise ratio, was compared with traditional electrodes. To relieve muscle cramping, a heating element made of stainless-steel conductive yarn sewn onto a cotton fabric, coupled with a vibration system, was developed. The system integrated a microcontroller and a Myoware muscle sensor to activate the heating element as well as the vibration motor when cramping occurred. At the same time, the element gets deactivated when the muscle cramping subsides. An optimum therapeutic temperature of 35.5°C is regulated and maintained continuously by a heating device. The textile electrode exhibited a signal-to-noise ratio of 6.38dB, comparable to that of the traditional electrode’s value of 7.05 dB. For a given 9 V power supply, the rise time for the developed heating element was about 6 minutes to reach an optimum temperature.

Keywords: smart textile system, wearable electronic textile, electromyography, heating textile, vibration therapy, Parkinson’s disease

Procedia PDF Downloads 77

Authors: Li-Hua Luu, Alexis Doghmane, Abbas Farhat, Mohammad Sanayei, Pierre Philippe, Pablo Cuellar

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Suction buckets are promising innovative foundations for offshore wind turbines. They generally feature the shape of an inverted bucket and rely on a suction system as a driving agent for their installation into the seabed. Water is pumped out of the buckets that are initially placed to rest on the seabed, creating a net pressure difference across the lid that generates a seepage flow, lowers the soil resistance below the foundation skirt, and drives them effectively into the seabed. The stability of the suction mechanism as well as the possibility of a piping failure (i.e., localized fluidization within the internal soil plug) during their installation are some of the key questions that remain open. The present work deals with an experimental study of localized fluidization by suction within a fixed bucket partially embedded into a submerged artificial soil made of spherical beads. The transient process, from the onset of granular motion until reaching a stationary regime for the fluidization at the embedded bucket wall, is recorded using the combined optical techniques of planar laser-induced fluorescence and refractive index matching. To conduct a systematic study of the piping threshold for the seepage flow, we vary the beads size, the suction pressure, and the initial depth for the bucket. This experimental modelling, by dealing with erosion-related phenomena from a micromechanical perspective, shall provide qualitative scenarios for the local processes at work which are missing in the offshore practice so far.

Keywords: fluidization, micromechanical approach, offshore foundations, suction bucket

Procedia PDF Downloads 182

Authors: Aya Gamal Khattab

Abstract:

Chronic infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is now the leading cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality; Currently, alanine aminotransferase ALT measurement is not only widely used in detecting the incidence, development, and prognosis of liver disease with obvious clinical symptoms, but also provides reference on screening the overall health status during health check-ups. Exercise is a low-cost, reliable and sustainable therapy for many chronic diseases. Low-volume high intensity interval training HIT is time efficient while also having wider application to different populations including people at risk for chronic inflammatory diseases. Purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of low volume high intensity interval training on ALT, AST in HCV patients. All practical work was done in outpatient physiotherapy clinic of Suez Canal Authority Hospitals. Forty patients both gender (27 male, 13 female), age ranged (40-60) years old submitted to low volume high intensity interval training on treadmill for two months three sessions per week. Each session consisting of five min warming up, two bouts for 10 min each bout consisting of 30 sec - 1 min of high intensity (75%-85%) HRmax then two to four min active recovery at intensity (40%-60%) HRmax, so the sum of high intensity intervals was one to two min for each session and four to eight min active recovery, and ends with five min cooling down. ALT and AST were measured before starting exercise session and 2 months later after finishing the total exercise sessions through blood samples. Results showed significant decrease in ALT, AST with improvement percentage (18.85%), (23.87%) in the study, so the study concluded that low volume high intensity interval training had a significant effect in lowering the level of circulating liver enzymes (ALT, AST) which means protection of hepatic cells and restoration of its function.

Keywords: alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), hepatitis C (HCV), low volume high intensity interval training

Procedia PDF Downloads 299

Authors: Alex Kiselyov, Suehyun Cho, Darrell Harrington; Florent Cros, Olin Palmer, John Caputo, Michael Kardosh, Eran Oren, William Loudon, Michael Shpigelmacher

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Despite the most aggressive surgical and adjuvant therapeutic strategies, treatment of both pediatric and adult brainstem tumors remains problematic. Novel strategies, including targeted biologics, immunotherapy, and specialized delivery systems such as convection-enhanced delivery (CED), have been proposed. While some of these novel treatments are entering phase I trials, the field is still in need of treatment(s) that exhibits dramatically enhanced potency with optimal therapeutic ratio. Bionaut Labs has developed a modular microrobotic platform for performing localized delivery of diverse therapeutics in vivo. Our biocompatible particles (Bionauts™) are externally propelled and visualized in real-time. Bionauts™ are specifically designed to enhance the effect of radiation therapy via anatomically precise delivery of a radiosensitizing agent, as exemplified by temozolomide (TMZ) and Avastin™ to the brainstem gliomas of diverse origin. The treatment protocol is designed to furnish a better therapeutic outcome due to the localized (vs systemic) delivery of the drug to the neoplastic lesion(s) for use as a synergistic combination of radiation and radiosensitizing agent. In addition, the procedure is minimally invasive and is expected to be appropriate for both adult and pediatric patients. Current progress, including platform optimization, selection of the lead radiosensitizer as well as in vivo safety studies of the Bionauts™ in large animals, specifically the spine and the brain of porcine and ovine models, will be discussed.

Keywords: Bionaut, brainstem, glioma, local delivery, micro-robot, radiosensitizer

Procedia PDF Downloads 195

Authors: Youssef R. Hassan, Mohamed S. Hasanin, Reda M. Abdelhameed

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Recently, innovations in packaging security features become more important to see the originality of packaging in industrial application. Luminescent 3d printing materials have been a promising property which can provides a unique opportunity for the design and application of 3D printing. Lack emission of terbium ions, as a source of green emission, in salt form prevent its uses in industrial applications, so searching about stable and highly emitter material become essential. Nowadays, metal organic frameworks (MOFs) play an important role in designing light emitter material. In this work, fluorescent high density polyethylene (FHDPE) composite filament with Tb-benzene 1,3,5-tricarboxylate (Tb-BTC) MOFs for 3D printing have been successfully developed.HDPE pellets were mixed with Tb-BTC and melting extrustion with single screw extruders. It was found that Tb-BTCuniformly dispersed in the HDPE matrix and significantly increased the crystallinity of PE, which not only maintained the good thermal property but also improved the mechanical properties of Tb-BTC@HDPE composites. Notably, the composite filaments emitted ultra-bright green light under UV lamp, and the fluorescence intensity increased as the content of Tb-BTC increased. Finally, several brightly luminescent exquisite articles could be manufactured by fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printer with these new fluorescent filaments. In this context, the development of novel fluorescent Tb-BTC@HDPE composites was combined with 3D printing technology to amplified the packaging Security Features.

Keywords: 3D printing, fluorescent, packaging, security

Procedia PDF Downloads 101

Authors: Hung-Jen Lin, Chien-Hao Wang, Chien-Peng Huang, Yu-Sheng Tseng, En-Cheng Yang, Joe-Air Jiang

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Bees’ incoming and outgoing behavior is a decisive index which can indicate the health condition of a colony. Traditional methods for monitoring the behavior of honey bees (Apis mellifera) take too much time and are highly labor-intensive, and the lack of automation and synchronization disables researchers and beekeepers from obtaining real-time information of beehives. To solve these problems, this study proposes to use an Internet of Things (IoT)-based system for counting honey bees’ incoming and outgoing activities using an infrared interruption technique, while environmental factors are recorded simultaneously. The accuracy of the established system is verified by comparing the counting results with the outcomes of manual counting. Moreover, this highly -accurate device is appropriate for providing quantitative information regarding honey bees’ incoming and outgoing behavior. Different statistical analysis methods, including one-way ANOVA and two-way ANOVA, are used to investigate the influence of environmental factors, such as temperature, humidity, illumination and ambient pressure, on bees’ incoming and outgoing behavior. With the real-time data, a standard model is established using the outcomes from analyzing the relationship between environmental factors and bees’ incoming and outgoing behavior. In the future, smart control systems, such as a temperature control system, can also be combined with the proposed system to create an appropriate colony environment. It is expected that the proposed system will make a considerable contribution to the apiculture and researchers.

Keywords: ANOVA, environmental factors, honey bee, incoming and outgoing behavior

Procedia PDF Downloads 368

Authors: Ya-Hsuan Wang

Abstract:

This project of intercultural education aimed to explore pluricultural people’s interpretation and evaluation of the transnational community in Taiwan. Based on transnationalism and transculturalism, this study concerns the human right issues for immigrants and pluricultural people. Research participants as immigrants in Taiwan were asked about their typical thinking styles in the transnational community, their cultural integration in terms of transnational behaviors, and their collective memory of the transnational community. Interview questions included what key factors were involved in their identity negotiation, what roles the transnational community and collective memory would be for their identity negotiation and what were the positive or negative aspects impacting cross-border identity. Based on the experiences of pluricultural people and transnational communities, this project expected to enhance the depth and width of developing transcultural knowledge in textbook reform on History in K-12 schools. It is to transform cross-border identity into knowledge embedded with local culture in response to globalization and localization. The purpose of this paper is to portrait the cross-cultural practice of transnational community for Taiwan’s immigrants. It is to report their external socio-cultural expectation of ethnic economics, to understand their internal life course of national identity, and to clarify transnational community in relation to their cross-border identity. In conclusion, the cross-cultural practice of transnational community combined the external contexts such as ethnic economic interaction among transnational communities, social report and ethnic industry, and the internal contexts such as ethnic identity, language use, and collective memory in ethnic history.

Keywords: cross-cultural practice, immigrants, pluricultural people, transnational community

Procedia PDF Downloads 196