Search results for: Tool life
8666 Didacticization of Code Switching as a Tool for Bilingual Education in Mali
Authors: Kadidiatou Toure
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Mali has started experimentation of teaching the national languages at school through the convergent pedagogy in 1987. Then, it is in 1994 that it will become widespread with eleven of the thirteen former national languages used at primary school. The aim was to improve the Malian educational system because the use of French as the only medium of instruction was considered a contributing factor to the significant number of student dropouts and the high rate of repetition. The Convergent pedagogy highlights the knowledge acquired by children at home, their vision of the world and especially the knowledge they have of their mother tongue. That pedagogy requires the use of a specific medium only during classroom practices and teachers have been trained in this sense. The specific medium depends on the learning content, which sometimes is French, other times, it is the national language. Research has shown that bilingual learners do not only use the required medium in their learning activities, but they code switch. It is part of their learning processes. Currently, many scholars agree on the importance of CS in bilingual classes, and teachers have been told about the necessity of integrating it into their classroom practices. One of the challenges of the Malian bilingual education curriculum is the question of ‘effective languages management’. Theoretically, depending on the classrooms, an average have been established for each of the involved language. Following that, teachers make use of CS differently, sometimes, it favors the learners, other times, it contributes to the development of some linguistic weaknesses. The present research tries to fill that gap through a tentative model of didactization of CS, which simply means the practical management of the languages involved in the bilingual classrooms. It is to know how to use CS for effective learning. Moreover, the didactization of CS tends to sensitize the teachers about the functional role of CS so that they may overcome their own weaknesses. The overall goal of this research is to make code switching a real tool for bilingual education. The specific objectives are: to identify the types of CS used during classroom activities to present the functional role of CS for the teachers as well as the pupils. to develop a tentative model of code-switching, which will help the teachers in transitional classes of bilingual schools to recognize the appropriate moment for making use of code switching in their classrooms. The methodology adopted is a qualitative one. The study is based on recorded videos of teachers of 3rd year of primary school during their classroom activities and interviews with the teachers in order to confirm the functional role of CS in bilingual classes. The theoretical framework adopted is the typology of CS proposed by Poplack (1980) to identify the types of CS used. The study reveals that teachers need to be trained on the types of CS and the different functions they assume and on the consequences of inappropriate use of language alternation.Keywords: bilingual curriculum, code switching, didactization, national languages
Procedia PDF Downloads 718665 Sustainability of Photovoltaic Recycling Planning
Authors: Jun-Ki Choi
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The usage of valuable resources and the potential for waste generation at the end of the life cycle of photovoltaic (PV) technologies necessitate a proactive planning for a PV recycling infrastructure. To ensure the sustainability of PV in large scales of deployment, it is vital to develop and institute low-cost recycling technologies and infrastructure for the emerging PV industry in parallel with the rapid commercialization of these new technologies. There are various issues involved in the economics of PV recycling and this research examine those at macro and micro levels, developing a holistic interpretation of the economic viability of the PV recycling systems. This study developed mathematical models to analyze the profitability of recycling technologies and to guide tactical decisions for allocating optimal location of PV take-back centers (PVTBC), necessary for the collection of end of life products. The economic decision is usually based on the level of the marginal capital cost of each PVTBC, cost of reverse logistics, distance traveled, and the amount of PV waste collected from various locations. Results illustrated that the reverse logistics costs comprise a major portion of the cost of PVTBC; PV recycling centers can be constructed in the optimally selected locations to minimize the total reverse logistics cost for transporting the PV wastes from various collection facilities to the recycling center. In the micro- process level, automated recycling processes should be developed to handle the large amount of growing PV wastes economically. The market price of the reclaimed materials are important factors for deciding the profitability of the recycling process and this illustrates the importance of the recovering the glass and expensive metals from PV modules.Keywords: photovoltaic, recycling, mathematical models, sustainability
Procedia PDF Downloads 2558664 Survey of Hawke's Bay Tourism Based Businesses: Tsunami Understanding and Preparation
Authors: V. A. Ritchie
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The loss of life and livelihood experienced after the magnitude 9.3 Sumatra earthquake and tsunami on 26 December 2004 and magnitude 9 earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan on 11 March 2011, has raised global awareness and brought tsunami phenomenology, nomenclature, and representation into sharp focus. At the same time, travel and tourism continue to increase, contributing around 1 in 11 jobs worldwide. This increase in tourism is especially true for coastal zones, placing pressure on decision-makers to downplay tsunami risks and at the same time provide adequate tsunami warning so that holidaymakers will feel confident enough to visit places of high tsunami risk. This study investigates how well tsunami preparedness messages are getting through for tourist-based businesses in Hawke’s Bay New Zealand, a region of frequent seismic activity and a high probability of experiencing a nearshore tsunami. The aim of this study is to investigate whether tourists based businesses are well informed about tsunamis, how well they understand that information and to what extent their clients are included in awareness raising and evacuation processes. In high-risk tsunami zones, such as Hawke’s Bay, tourism based businesses face competitive tension between short term business profitability and longer term reputational issues related to preventable loss of life from natural hazards, such as tsunamis. This study will address ways to accommodate culturally and linguistically relevant tourist awareness measures without discouraging tourists or being too costly to implement.Keywords: tsunami risk and response, travel and tourism, business preparedness, cross cultural knowledge transfer
Procedia PDF Downloads 1528663 Multiaxial Fatigue Analysis of a High Performance Nickel-Based Superalloy
Authors: P. Selva, B. Lorraina, J. Alexis, A. Seror, A. Longuet, C. Mary, F. Denard
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Over the past four decades, the fatigue behavior of nickel-based alloys has been widely studied. However, in recent years, significant advances in the fabrication process leading to grain size reduction have been made in order to improve fatigue properties of aircraft turbine discs. Indeed, a change in particle size affects the initiation mode of fatigue cracks as well as the fatigue life of the material. The present study aims to investigate the fatigue behavior of a newly developed nickel-based superalloy under biaxial-planar loading. Low Cycle Fatigue (LCF) tests are performed at different stress ratios so as to study the influence of the multiaxial stress state on the fatigue life of the material. Full-field displacement and strain measurements as well as crack initiation detection are obtained using Digital Image Correlation (DIC) techniques. The aim of this presentation is first to provide an in-depth description of both the experimental set-up and protocol: the multiaxial testing machine, the specific design of the cruciform specimen and performances of the DIC code are introduced. Second, results for sixteen specimens related to different load ratios are presented. Crack detection, strain amplitude and number of cycles to crack initiation vs. triaxial stress ratio for each loading case are given. Third, from fractographic investigations by scanning electron microscopy it is found that the mechanism of fatigue crack initiation does not depend on the triaxial stress ratio and that most fatigue cracks initiate from subsurface carbides.Keywords: cruciform specimen, multiaxial fatigue, nickel-based superalloy
Procedia PDF Downloads 2958662 Evaluating the Effectiveness of Mesotherapy and Topical 2% Minoxidil for Androgenic Alopecia in Females, Using Topical 2% Minoxidil as a Common Treatment
Authors: Hamed Delrobai Ghoochan Atigh
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Androgenic alopecia (AGA) is a common form of hair loss, impacting approximately 50% of females, which leads to reduced self-esteem and quality of life. It causes progressive follicular miniaturization in genetically predisposed individuals. Mesotherapy -- a minimally invasive procedure, topical 2% minoxidil, and oral finasteride have emerged as popular treatment options in the realm of cosmetics. However, the efficacy of mesotherapy compared to other options remains unclear. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of mesotherapy when it is added to topical 2% minoxidil treatment on female androgenic alopecia. Mesotherapy, also known as intradermotherapy, is a technique that entails administering multiple intradermal injections of a carefully composed mixture of compounds in low doses, applied at various points in close proximity to or directly over the affected areas. This study involves a randomized controlled trial with 100 female participants diagnosed with androgenic alopecia. The subjects were randomly assigned to two groups: Group A used topical 2% minoxidil twice daily and took Finastride oral tablet. For Group B, 10 mesotherapy sessions were added to the prior treatment. The injections were administered every week in the first month of treatment, every two weeks in the second month, and after that the injections were applied monthly for four consecutive months. The response assessment was made at baseline, the 4th session, and finally after 6 months when the treatment was complete. Clinical photographs, 7-point Likert scale patient self-evaluation, and 7-point Likert scale assessment tool were used to measure the effectiveness of the treatment. During this evaluation, a significant and visible improvement in hair density and thickness was observed. The study demonstrated a significant increase in treatment efficacy in Group B compared to Group A post-treatment, with no adverse effects. Based on the findings, it appears that mesotherapy offers a significant improvement in female AGA over minoxidil. Hair loss was stopped in Group B after one month and improvement in density and thickness of hair was observed after the third month. The findings from this study provide valuable insights into the efficacy of mesotherapy in treating female androgenic alopecia. Our evaluation offers a detailed assessment of hair growth parameters, enabling a better understanding of the treatments' effectiveness. The potential of this promising technique is significantly enhanced when carried out in a medical facility, guided by appropriate indications and skillful execution. An interesting observation in our study is that in areas where the hair had turned grey, the newly regrown hair does not retain its original grey color; instead, it becomes darker. The results contribute to evidence-based decision-making in dermatological practice and offer different insights into the treatment of female pattern hair loss.Keywords: androgenic alopecia, female hair loss, mesotherapy, topical 2% minoxidil
Procedia PDF Downloads 1028661 The Scientific Study of the Relationship Between Physicochemical and Microstructural Properties of Ultrafiltered Cheese: Protein Modification and Membrane Separation
Authors: Shahram Naghizadeh Raeisi, Ali Alghooneh
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The loss of curd cohesiveness and syneresis are two common problems in the ultrafiltered cheese industry. In this study, by using membrane technology and protein modification, a modified cheese was developed and its properties were compared with a control sample. In order to decrease the lactose content and adjust the protein, acidity, dry matter and milk minerals, a combination of ultrafiltration, nanofiltration and reverse osmosis technologies was employed. For protein modification, a two-stage chemical and enzymatic reaction was employed before and after ultrafiltration. The physicochemical and microstructural properties of the modified ultrafiltered cheese were compared with the control one. Results showed that the modified protein enhanced the functional properties of the final cheese significantly (pvalue< 0.05), even if the protein content was 50% lower than the control one. The modified cheese showed 21 ± 0.70, 18 ± 1.10 & 25±1.65% higher hardness, cohesiveness and water-holding capacity values, respectively, than the control sample. This behavior could be explained by the developed microstructure of the gel network. Furthermore, chemical-enzymatic modification of milk protein induced a significant change in the network parameter of the final cheese. In this way, the indices of network linkage strength, network linkage density, and time scale of junctions were 10.34 ± 0.52, 68.50 ± 2.10 & 82.21 ± 3.85% higher than the control sample, whereas the distance between adjacent linkages was 16.77 ± 1.10% lower than the control sample. These results were supported by the results of the textural analysis. A non-linear viscoelastic study showed a triangle waveform stress of the modified protein contained cheese, while the control sample showed rectangular waveform stress, which suggested a better sliceability of the modified cheese. Moreover, to study the shelf life of the products, the acidity, as well as molds and yeast population, were determined in 120 days. It’s worth mentioning that the lactose content of modified cheese was adjusted at 2.5% before fermentation, while the lactose of the control one was at 4.5%. The control sample showed 8 weeks shelf life, while the shelf life of the modified cheese was 18 weeks in the refrigerator. During 18 weeks, the acidity of modified and control samples increased from 82 ± 1.50 to 94 ± 2.20 °D and 88 ± 1.64 to 194 ± 5.10 °D, respectively. The mold and yeast populations, with time, followed the semicircular shape model (R2 = 0.92, R2adj = 0.89, RMSE = 1.25). Furthermore, the mold and yeast counts and their growth rate in the modified cheese were lower than those for control one; Aforementioned result could be explained by the shortage of the source of energy for the microorganism in the modified cheese. The lactose content of the modified sample was less than 0.2 ± 0.05% at the end of fermentation, while this was 3.7 ± 0.68% in the control sample.Keywords: non-linear viscoelastic, protein modification, semicircular shape model, ultrafiltered cheese
Procedia PDF Downloads 748660 Determining the Number of Single Models in a Combined Forecast
Authors: Serkan Aras, Emrah Gulay
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Combining various forecasting models is an important tool for researchers to attain more accurate forecasts. A great number of papers have shown that selecting single models as dissimilar models, or methods based on different information as possible leads to better forecasting performances. However, there is not a certain rule regarding the number of single models to be used in any combining methods. This study focuses on determining the optimal or near optimal number for single models with the help of statistical tests. An extensive experiment is carried out by utilizing some well-known time series data sets from diverse fields. Furthermore, many rival forecasting methods and some of the commonly used combining methods are employed. The obtained results indicate that some statistically significant performance differences can be found regarding the number of the single models in the combining methods under investigation.Keywords: combined forecast, forecasting, M-competition, time series
Procedia PDF Downloads 3558659 HelpMeBreathe: A Web-Based System for Asthma Management
Authors: Alia Al Rayssi, Mahra Al Marar, Alyazia Alkhaili, Reem Al Dhaheri, Shayma Alkobaisi, Hoda Amer
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We present in this paper a web-based system called “HelpMeBreathe” for managing asthma. The proposed system provides analytical tools, which allow better understanding of environmental triggers of asthma, hence better support of data-driven decision making. The developed system provides warning messages to a specific asthma patient if the weather in his/her area might cause any difficulty in breathing or could trigger an asthma attack. HelpMeBreathe collects, stores, and analyzes individuals’ moving trajectories and health conditions as well as environmental data. It then processes and displays the patients’ data through an analytical tool that leads to an effective decision making by physicians and other decision makers.Keywords: asthma, environmental triggers, map interface, web-based systems
Procedia PDF Downloads 2948658 Review: Wavelet New Tool for Path Loss Prediction
Authors: Danladi Ali, Abdullahi Mukaila
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In this work, GSM signal strength (power) was monitored in an indoor environment. Samples of the GSM signal strength was measured on mobile equipment (ME). One-dimensional multilevel wavelet is used to predict the fading phenomenon of the GSM signal measured and neural network clustering to determine the average power received in the study area. The wavelet prediction revealed that the GSM signal is attenuated due to the fast fading phenomenon which fades about 7 times faster than the radio wavelength while the neural network clustering determined that -75dBm appeared more frequently followed by -85dBm. The work revealed that significant part of the signal measured is dominated by weak signal and the signal followed more of Rayleigh than Gaussian distribution. This confirmed the wavelet prediction.Keywords: decomposition, clustering, propagation, model, wavelet, signal strength and spectral efficiency
Procedia PDF Downloads 4488657 Nonparametric Truncated Spline Regression Model on the Data of Human Development Index in Indonesia
Authors: Kornelius Ronald Demu, Dewi Retno Sari Saputro, Purnami Widyaningsih
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Human Development Index (HDI) is a standard measurement for a country's human development. Several factors may have influenced it, such as life expectancy, gross domestic product (GDP) based on the province's annual expenditure, the number of poor people, and the percentage of an illiterate people. The scatter plot between HDI and the influenced factors show that the plot does not follow a specific pattern or form. Therefore, the HDI's data in Indonesia can be applied with a nonparametric regression model. The estimation of the regression curve in the nonparametric regression model is flexible because it follows the shape of the data pattern. One of the nonparametric regression's method is a truncated spline. Truncated spline regression is one of the nonparametric approach, which is a modification of the segmented polynomial functions. The estimator of a truncated spline regression model was affected by the selection of the optimal knots point. Knot points is a focus point of spline truncated functions. The optimal knots point was determined by the minimum value of generalized cross validation (GCV). In this article were applied the data of Human Development Index with a truncated spline nonparametric regression model. The results of this research were obtained the best-truncated spline regression model to the HDI's data in Indonesia with the combination of optimal knots point 5-5-5-4. Life expectancy and the percentage of an illiterate people were the significant factors depend to the HDI in Indonesia. The coefficient of determination is 94.54%. This means the regression model is good enough to applied on the data of HDI in Indonesia.Keywords: generalized cross validation (GCV), Human Development Index (HDI), knots point, nonparametric regression, truncated spline
Procedia PDF Downloads 3398656 Incidence, Risk Factors and Impact of Major Adverse Events Following Paediatric Cardiac Surgery
Authors: Sandipika Gupta
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Objective: Due to admirably low 30-day mortality rates for paediatric cardiac surgery, it is now pertinent to turn towards more intermediate-length outcomes such as morbidities closely associated with these surgeries. One such morbidity, major adverse events (MAE) comprises a group of adverse outcomes associated with paediatric cardiac surgery (e.g. cardiac arrest, major haemorrhage). Methods: This is a retrospective study that analysed the incidence and impact of MAE which was the primary outcome in the UK population. The data was collected in 5 centres between October 2015 and June 2017, amassing 3090 surgical episodes. The incidence and risk factors for MAE, were assessed through descriptive statistical analyses and multivariate logistic regression. The secondary outcomes of life status at 6 months and the length of hospital stay were also evaluated to understand the impact of MAE on patients. Results: Out of 3090 episodes, 134 (4.3%) had a postoperative MAE. The majority of the episodes were in: neonates (47%, P<0.001), high-risk cardiac diagnosis groups (20.1%, P<0.001), episodes with longer 5mes on the bypass (72.4%, P<0.001) and urgent surgeries (57.9%, P<0.001). Episodes reporting MAE also reported longer lengths of stay in hospital (29 days vs 9 days, P<0.001). Furthermore, patients experiencing MAE were at a higher risk of mortality at the 6-month life status check (mortality rates: 29.2% vs 2%, P<0.001).Conclusions: Key risk factors were identified. An important negative impact of MAE was found for patients. The identified risk factors could be used to profile and flag at-risk patients. Monitoring of MAE rates and closer investigation into the care pathway before and after individual MAEs in children’s heart units may lead to a reduction in these terrible events. Procedia PDF Downloads 2328655 Hybrid Recovery of Copper and Silver from Photovoltaic Ribbon and Ag finger of End-Of-Life Solar Panels
Authors: T. Patcharawit, C. Kansomket, N. Wongnaree, W. Kritsrikan, T. Yingnakorn, S. Khumkoa
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Recovery of pure copper and silver from end-of-life photovoltaic panels was investigated in this paper using an effective hybrid pyro-hydrometallurgical process. In the first step of waste treatment, solar panel waste was first dismantled to obtain a PV sheet to be cut and calcined at 500°C, to separate out PV ribbon from glass cullet, ash, and volatile while the silicon wafer containing silver finger was collected for recovery. In the second step of metal recovery, copper recovery from photovoltaic ribbon was via 1-3 M HCl leaching with SnCl₂ and H₂O₂ additions in order to remove the tin-lead coating on the ribbon. The leached copper band was cleaned and subsequently melted as an anode for the next step of electrorefining. Stainless steel was set as the cathode with CuSO₄ as an electrolyte, and at a potential of 0.2 V, high purity copper of 99.93% was obtained at 96.11% recovery after 24 hours. For silver recovery, the silicon wafer containing silver finger was leached using HNO₃ at 1-4 M in an ultrasonic bath. In the next step of precipitation, silver chloride was then obtained and subsequently reduced by sucrose and NaOH to give silver powder prior to oxy-acetylene melting to finally obtain pure silver metal. The integrated recycling process is considered to be economical, providing effective recovery of high purity metals such as copper and silver while other materials such as aluminum, copper wire, glass cullet can also be recovered to be reused commercially. Compounds such as PbCl₂ and SnO₂ obtained can also be recovered to enter the market.Keywords: electrorefining, leaching, calcination, PV ribbon, silver finger, solar panel
Procedia PDF Downloads 1358654 The Usage of Artificial Intelligence in Instagram
Authors: Alanod Alqasim, Yasmine Iskandarani, Sita Algethami, Jawaher alzughaiby
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This study focuses on the usage of AI (Artificial Intelligence) systems and features on the Instagram application and how it influences user experience and satisfaction. The aim is to evaluate the techniques and current capabilities, restrictions, and potential future directions of AI in an Instagram application. Following a concise explanation of the core concepts underlying AI usage on Instagram. To answer this question, 19 randomly selected users were asked to complete a 9-question survey on their experience and satisfaction with the app's features (Filters, user preferences, translation tool) and authenticity. The results revealed that there were three prevalent allegations. These declarations include that Instagram has an extremely attractive user interface; secondly, Instagram creates a strong sense of community; and lastly, Instagram has an important influence on mental health.Keywords: AI (Artificial Intelligence), instagram, features, satisfaction, experience
Procedia PDF Downloads 828653 Reaching the Goals of Routine HIV Screening Programs: Quantifying and Implementing an Effective HIV Screening System in Northern Nigeria Facilities Based on Optimal Volume Analysis
Authors: Folajinmi Oluwasina, Towolawi Adetayo, Kate Ssamula, Penninah Iutung, Daniel Reijer
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Objective: Routine HIV screening has been promoted as an essential component of efforts to reduce incidence, morbidity, and mortality. The objectives of this study were to identify the optimal annual volume needed to realize the public health goals of HIV screening in the AIDS Healthcare Foundation supported hospitals and establish an implementation process to realize that optimal annual volume. Methods: Starting in 2011 a program was established to routinize HIV screening within communities and government hospitals. In 2016 Five-years of HIV screening data were reviewed to identify the optimal annual proportions of age-eligible patients screened to realize the public health goals of reducing new diagnoses and ending late-stage diagnosis (tracked as concurrent HIV/AIDS diagnosis). Analysis demonstrated that rates of new diagnoses level off when 42% of age-eligible patients were screened, providing a baseline for routine screening efforts; and concurrent HIV/AIDS diagnoses reached statistical zero at screening rates of 70%. Annual facility based targets were re-structured to meet these new target volumes. Restructuring efforts focused on right-sizing HIV screening programs to align and transition programs to integrated HIV screening within standard medical care and treatment. Results: Over one million patients were screened for HIV during the five years; 16, 033 new HIV diagnoses and access to care and treatment made successfully for 82 % (13,206), and concurrent diagnosis rates went from 32.26% to 25.27%. While screening rates increased by 104.7% over the 5-years, volume analysis demonstrated that rates need to further increase by 62.52% to reach desired 20% baseline and more than double to reach optimal annual screening volume. In 2011 facility targets for HIV screening were increased to reflect volume analysis, and in that third year, 12 of the 19 facilities reached or exceeded new baseline targets. Conclusions and Recommendation: Quantifying targets against routine HIV screening goals identified optimal annual screening volume and allowed facilities to scale their program size and allocate resources accordingly. The program transitioned from utilizing non-evidence based annual volume increases to establishing annual targets based on optimal volume analysis. This has allowed efforts to be evaluated on the ability to realize quantified goals related to the public health value of HIV screening. Optimal volume analysis helps to determine the size of an HIV screening program. It is a public health tool, not a tool to determine if an individual patient should receive screening.Keywords: HIV screening, optimal volume, HIV diagnosis, routine
Procedia PDF Downloads 2638652 Integration of FMEA and Human Factor in the Food Chain Risk Assessment
Authors: Mohsen Shirani, Micaela Demichela
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During the last decades, a number of food crises such as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), Mad-Cow disease, Dioxin in chicken food, Food-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), have certainly inflicted the reliability of the food industry. Consequently, the trend in applying different scientific methods of risk assessment in food safety has obtained more attentions in the academic and practice. However, lack of practical approach considering entire food supply chain is tangible in the academic literature. In this regard, this paper aims to apply risk assessment tool (FMEA) with integration of Human Factor along the entire supply chain of food production and test the method in a case study of Diary production, and analyze its results.Keywords: FMEA, food supply chain, risk assessment, human factor
Procedia PDF Downloads 4478651 Quality of Life and Self-Assessed Health of Methadone – Maintained Opiate Addicts
Authors: Brajevic-gizdic Igna, Vuletic Gorka
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Introduction: Research in opiate addiction is increasingly indicating the importance of substitution therapy in opiate addicts. Opiate addiction is a chronic relapsing disease that includes craving as a criterion. Craving has been considered a predictor of a relapse, which is defined as a strong desire with an excessive need to take a substance. The study aimed to measure the intensity of craving using the VAS (visual analog scale) in opioid addicts taking the Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST). Method: The total sample compromised of 30 participants in outpatient treatment. Two groups of opiate addicts were considered: Methadone-maintenance and buprenorphine-maintenance addicts. The participants completed the survey questionnaire during the outpatient treatment. Results: The results indicated high levels of cravings in patients during the treatment on OST, which is considered an important destabilization factor in abstinence. Thus, the use of methadone/buprenorphine dose should be considered. Conclusion: These findings provided an objective measurement of methadone /buprenorphine dosage and therapy options. The underdoes of OST can put patients at high risk of relapse, resulting in high levels of craving. Thus, when determining the therapeutic dose of OST, it is crucial to consider patients´ craving. This would achieve stabilization more quickly and avoid relapse in abstinence. Subjective physician assessment and patient’s statement are the main criteria to determine OST dosage. Future studies should use larger sample sizes and focus on the importance of intensity craving measurement on OST to objectify methadone /buprenorphine dosage.Keywords: abstinence, addicts, methadone, OST, quality of life
Procedia PDF Downloads 918650 Efficacy of Task Based Language Teaching in a Second Language Classroom Context
Authors: Wajiha Fatima
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Various approaches and methods for second language classroom teaching have been proposed since the nineteenth century. Task Based Language Teaching has been prevailing approach in a second language classroom context. It is an approach which immerses students in a naturalistic setting. Tasks are the core unit of planning and instruction. This paper aims at expounding the concept of Task Based Language Teaching and how it has been evolved. In this study, researcher will highlight the usefulness of TBLT and the role it played as a powerful tool for learning and teaching in a second language setting. The article will reflect the implementation of various tasks based activities as well as the roles played by learners and teachers and the problems faced by them. In the end, researcher will discuss how TBLT can be implemented in second language classroom pedagogy.Keywords: implementation, second language classroom, tasks, task based language teaching
Procedia PDF Downloads 3528649 Analyzing the Influence of Gender onto Advertisement
Authors: Tamara Storozhenko
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In the paper, we want to highlight the influence of the advertising field on gender and vice versa. We will show what it was like before and the way it has changed until nowadays. We will also analyze when and how advertisements are used to create gender stereotypes and at which moment gender became a shaping advertisement. In this paper, we work not only with pure advertisements (e.g., videos and printed materials) but also with films that contain ads. Special attention is placed on the separation of goods for the ‘male ones’ and ‘female ones’, specifically if they can be used independently of gender and sex (food items and some kinds of personal supplies). Also, in this paper, we represent the history of several advertising campaigns, including the following reaction of the society that demonstrated that some of the gender stereotypes were finding resonance while some of them were not heard. Moreover, advertisements could be used as a tool for creating new ones or developing stereotypes that had already existed, and it wasn’t always successful. In the final part of the paper, we would like to analyze the current situation in this area and show how the change of understanding gender made advertisement change.Keywords: advertisement, gender studies, psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics
Procedia PDF Downloads 1558648 Injury Prediction for Soccer Players Using Machine Learning
Authors: Amiel Satvedi, Richard Pyne
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Injuries in professional sports occur on a regular basis. Some may be minor, while others can cause huge impact on a player's career and earning potential. In soccer, there is a high risk of players picking up injuries during game time. This research work seeks to help soccer players reduce the risk of getting injured by predicting the likelihood of injury while playing in the near future and then providing recommendations for intervention. The injury prediction tool will use a soccer player's number of minutes played on the field, number of appearances, distance covered and performance data for the current and previous seasons as variables to conduct statistical analysis and provide injury predictive results using a machine learning linear regression model.Keywords: injury predictor, soccer injury prevention, machine learning in soccer, big data in soccer
Procedia PDF Downloads 1828647 EMI Radiation Prediction and Final Measurement Process Optimization by Neural Network
Authors: Hussam Elias, Ninovic Perez, Holger Hirsch
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The completion of the EMC regulations worldwide is growing steadily as the usage of electronics in our daily lives is increasing more than ever. In this paper, we introduce a novel method to perform the final phase of Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) measurement and to reduce the required test time according to the norm EN 55032 by using a developed tool and the conventional neural network(CNN). The neural network was trained using real EMC measurements, which were performed in the Semi Anechoic Chamber (SAC) by CETECOM GmbH in Essen, Germany. To implement our proposed method, we wrote software to perform the radiated electromagnetic interference (EMI) measurements and use the CNN to predict and determine the position of the turntable that meets the maximum radiation value.Keywords: conventional neural network, electromagnetic compatibility measurement, mean absolute error, position error
Procedia PDF Downloads 2008646 The Politics of Plantation Development and Formation of 'Tribal Settlements': Life and Livelihood of the Mannans in the Cardamom Hills of India
Authors: Anu Krishna
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Cardamom Hills geographically falls into the Western Ghat region in the state of Kerala (India). The fame of these hills dates back to antiquity as the abode of various indigenous communities and treasure house of spices like cardamom. With the colonial conquest over the region, the evergreen forests got converted into zones of mono-cropping with commercial crops such as coffee, tea, cardamom etc. on plantation basis; a process which has been further accentuated with the migration of settlers during the post-independent times. Curiously, when Cardamom Hills are better known today as the plantation belt of the country or as one of the most fostering grounds of agrarian capitalism producing the lion share of Indian cardamom, the indigenous communities of the place such as the Mannans got alienated of their ancestral lands, became inter-generational proletariats and got reduced into ‘segmented spaces’ called the settlements. While dispossession of land for plantations has dislocated the economic life of the Mannans, the migration of the settlers has resulted into a complete social, cultural, political and demographic dominion over them. This has not only relegated their existential relations, history, culture and association with the place but also condensed them as the ‘Other’ in their own territories. Therefore inquisitively, violation of rights of the communities like Mannans, encroachment of their lands, negation towards their very existence and distortion of their history gets defined as the ‘Manifest Destiny’ of the people and place whereby its inevitability gets manufactured. This paper is an attempt to elicit the ways in which the formation of Mannan settlements are interconnected to the historical reality and contemporary opulence of the plantation industry in the place. The arguments put forth by this study is based on extensive ethnographic fieldwork conducted in various Mannan settlements in the cardamom hills. The study basically dwells on to the methodological premises of multi-sited ethnography wherein information was gathered from different sites such as settlements, plantations and other interactive spaces wherein the Mannans from the settlements engages in socio-economic, cultural and political relations. Such an attempt was made to understand in depth the associations and interactions that people in the settlements have among themselves and others. The study equally uses the method of oral history to understand the alternative history, the socio-cultural and economic life of the people before the importation of plantations to the place. The paper gauges into the ways in which settlements imprisons generations of Mannans into plantation work and acts as moulds for subservient, hardworking plantation labourers.Keywords: Cardamom Hills, plantations, labourers, Mannans, segmented spaces, settlements
Procedia PDF Downloads 2438645 Urban Sexual Geographies, Queer Citizenship and the Socio-Economic Status of LGBTIQs in Vienna
Authors: Karin Schoenpflug, Christine M. Klapeer
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In a large study for the Vienna City Council’s Antidiscrimination unit (WASt) an interdisciplinary team (in the fields of economics, sociology and political science) working with urban economics, critical citizenship studies, the sociology of work & inequality and urban political/human geography conducted an online survey asking LGBTIs (lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender and intersex people) in Vienna detailed questions on their quality-of-life, happiness and well-being. 3.161 persons responded and provided us with a rich data set concerning: 1) Labor market structures, discrimination, working conditions and employment practices (economic citizenship); 2) access to health care, welfare, education and safety in public spaces (social citizenship); 3) political participation as well as access to legal institutions (political citizenship). All those fields are important dimensions in regards to “full” citizenship and the well-being of the LGBTI population, but are also constitutive for the inclusion of sexual and gender minorities into the city population(s) of Vienna. Our data also allows us to map the sexual geography of Vienna as LGBTI communities are more likely to live in certain districts; some places are considered safe(r) and “friendlier”. In this way our work helps to fill a research gap connecting (urban) spaces and sexuality, and it produces new data and insights on the quality-of-life of this subpopulation. Our findings allow for urban (policy) planning and limiting violence and discrimination and improving the collective wellbeing and social cohesion.Keywords: urban sexual geographies, LGBTI, socio-economic status, Vienna, sitizenship status
Procedia PDF Downloads 3498644 Shifting Gender Roles: Exploring Settler Communities in Guam and Bali
Authors: Rochelle Alviz, Kirk Johnson
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This study explores the changing nature of gender roles in two traditional island societies. The research focuses particularly on the settler populations within each community (the Filipinos in Guam and the Javanese in Bali). The research seeks to understand the influence of both the forces of globalization and the dynamics of competing cultures on gender roles. To achieve this, a qualitative research design is used, employing in-depth interviews with individuals from both communities and field notes from participant observation. The study finds that globalization and competing cultural norms have influenced traditional gender roles and expectations in two primary areas of social life: the family and the economy. The importance of these two areas of social life to both communities has led to changes and adaptations in gender roles. In the family context, individuals reconcile their traditional gender roles from their country of origin with the dominant or indigenous gender roles of their new place of residence. In the economic context, the study finds that gender roles influence economic participation, including the types of jobs individuals pursue based on their gender roles. The results of the study provide valuable insights into the complexities and nuances of gender roles and the different factors that influence their evolution and adaptation over time. The research also highlights the influence of globalization on traditional societies and settler populations and the ways in which individuals navigate the competing cultural norms and expectations surrounding gender roles. The research contributes to a better understanding of the interplay between culture, globalization, and gender roles and the implications of these changes for individuals and communities.Keywords: gender roles, culture, settler communities, family, economy, Guam, Bali, globalization
Procedia PDF Downloads 868643 Flow Visualization in Biological Complex Geometries for Personalized Medicine
Authors: Carlos Escobar-del Pozo, César Ahumada-Monroy, Azael García-Rebolledo, Alberto Brambila-Solórzano, Gregorio Martínez-Sánchez, Luis Ortiz-Rincón
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Numerical simulations of flow in complex biological structures have gained considerable attention in the last years. However, the major issue is the validation of the results. The present work shows a Particle Image Velocimetry PIV flow visualization technique in complex biological structures, particularly in intracranial aneurysms. A methodology to reconstruct and generate a transparent model has been developed, as well as visualization and particle tracking techniques. The generated transparent models allow visualizing the flow patterns with a regular camera using the visualization techniques. The final goal is to use visualization as a tool to provide more information on the treatment and surgery decisions in aneurysms.Keywords: aneurysms, PIV, flow visualization, particle tracking
Procedia PDF Downloads 908642 A Process Model for Online Trip Reservation System
Authors: Sh. Wafa, M. Alanoud, S. Liyakathunisa
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Online booking for a trip or hotel has become an indispensable traveling tool today, people tend to be more interested in selecting air flight travel as their first choice when going for a long trip. People's shopping behavior has greatly changed by the advent of social network. Traditional ticket booking methods are considered as outdated with the advancement in tools and technology. Web based booking framework is an 'absolute necessity to have' for any visit or movement business that is investing heaps of energy noting telephone calls, sending messages or considering employing more staff. In this paper, we propose a process model for online trip reservation for our designed web application. Our proposed system will be highly beneficial and helps in reduction in time and cost for customers.Keywords: trip, hotel, reservation, process model, time, cost, web app
Procedia PDF Downloads 2148641 Gaming Tools for Efficient Low Cost Urban Planning Using Nature Based Solutions
Authors: Ioannis Kavouras, Eftychios Protopapadakis, Emmanuel Sardis, Anastasios Doulamis
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In this paper, we investigate the appropriateness and usability of three different free and open-source rendering tools for urban planning visualizations. The process involves the selection of a map area, the 3D rendering transformation, the addition of nature-based solution placement, and the evaluation and assessment of the suggested applied interventions. The manuscript uses a case study involved at Dilaveri Coast, Piraeus region, Greece. Research outcomes indicate that a Blender-OSM implementation is an appropriate tool capable of supporting high-fidelity urban planning, with quick and accurate visibility of related results for end users and involved in NBS transformations.Keywords: urban planning, nature based solution, 3D gaming tools, game engine, free and open source
Procedia PDF Downloads 1128640 Mixture statistical modeling for predecting mortality human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis(TB) infection patients
Authors: Mohd Asrul Affendi Bi Abdullah, Nyi Nyi Naing
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The purpose of this study was to identify comparable manner between negative binomial death rate (NBDR) and zero inflated negative binomial death rate (ZINBDR) with died patients with (HIV + T B+) and (HIV + T B−). HIV and TB is a serious world wide problem in the developing country. Data were analyzed with applying NBDR and ZINBDR to make comparison which a favorable model is better to used. The ZINBDR model is able to account for the disproportionately large number of zero within the data and is shown to be a consistently better fit than the NBDR model. Hence, as a results ZINBDR model is a superior fit to the data than the NBDR model and provides additional information regarding the died mechanisms HIV+TB. The ZINBDR model is shown to be a use tool for analysis death rate according age categorical.Keywords: zero inflated negative binomial death rate, HIV and TB, AIC and BIC, death rate
Procedia PDF Downloads 4328639 Weibull Cumulative Distribution Function Analysis with Life Expectancy Endurance Test Result of Power Window Switch
Authors: Miky Lee, K. Kim, D. Lim, D. Cho
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This paper presents the planning, rationale for test specification derivation, sampling requirements, test facilities, and result analysis used to conduct lifetime expectancy endurance tests on power window switches (PWS) considering thermally induced mechanical stress under diurnal cyclic temperatures during normal operation (power cycling). The detail process of analysis and test results on the selected PWS set were discussed in this paper. A statistical approach to ‘life time expectancy’ was given to the measurement standards dealing with PWS lifetime determination through endurance tests. The approach choice, within the framework of the task, was explained. The present task was dedicated to voltage drop measurement to derive lifetime expectancy while others mostly consider contact or surface resistance. The measurements to perform and the main instruments to measure were fully described accordingly. The failure data from tests were analyzed to conclude lifetime expectancy through statistical method using Weibull cumulative distribution function. The first goal of this task is to develop realistic worst case lifetime endurance test specification because existing large number of switch test standards cannot induce degradation mechanism which makes the switches less reliable. 2nd goal is to assess quantitative reliability status of PWS currently manufactured based on test specification newly developed thru this project. The last and most important goal is to satisfy customer’ requirement regarding product reliability.Keywords: power window switch, endurance test, Weibull function, reliability, degradation mechanism
Procedia PDF Downloads 2358638 Personal Characteristics and Personality Traits as Predictors of Compassion Fatigue among Counselors from Dominican Schools in the Philippines
Authors: Neil Jordan M. Uy, Fe Pelilia V. Hernandez
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A counselor is always regarded as a professional who embodies the willingness to help others through the process of counseling. He is knowledgeable and skillful of the different theories, tools, and techniques that are useful in aiding the client to cope with their dilemmas. The negative experiences of the clients that are shared during the counseling session can affect the professional counselor. Compassion fatigue, a professional impairment, is characterized by the decline of one’s productivity and the feeling of anxiety and stress brought about as the counselor empathizes, listens, and cares for others. This descriptive type of research aimed to explore variables that are predictors of compassion fatigue utilizing three research instruments; Demographic Profile Sheet, Professional Quality of Life Scale, and Neo-Pi-R. The 52 respondents of this study were counselors from the different Dominican schools in the Philippines. Generally, the counselors have low level of compassion fatigue across personal characteristics (age, gender, years of service, highest educational attainment, and professional status) and personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness, and neuroticism). ANOVA validated the findings of this that among the personal characteristics and personality traits, extraversion with f-value of 3.944 and p-value of 0.026, and conscientiousness, with f-value of 4.125 and p-value of 0.022 were found to have significant difference in the level of compassion fatigue. A very significant difference was observed with neuroticism with f-value of 6.878 and p-value 0.002. Among the personal characteristics and personal characteristics, only neuroticism was found to predict compassion fatigue. The computed r2 value of 0.204 using multiple regression analysis suggests that 20.4 percent of compassion fatigue can be predicted by neuroticism. The predicting power of neuroticism can be computed from the regression model Y=0.156x+26.464; where x is the number of neuroticism.Keywords: big five personality traits, compassion fatigue, counselors, professional quality of life scale
Procedia PDF Downloads 3788637 Prospection of Technology Production in Physiotherapy in Brazil
Authors: C. M. Priesnitz, G. Zanandrea, J. P. Fabris, S. L. Russo, M. E. Camargo
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This study aimed to the prospection the physiotherapy area technological production registered with the National Intellectual Property Institute (INPI) in Brazil, for understand the evolution of the technological production in the country over time and visualize the distribution this production request in Brazil. There was an evolution in the technology landscape, where the average annual deposits had an increase of 102%, from 3.14 before the year 2004 to 6,33 after this date. It was found differences in the distribution of the number the deposits requested to each Brazilian region, being that of the 132 request, 68,9% were from the southeast region. The international patent classification evaluated the request deposits, and the more found numbers were A61H and A63B. So even with an improved panorama of technology production, this should still have incentives since it is an important tool for the development of the country.Keywords: distribution, evolution, patent, physiotherapy, technological prospecting
Procedia PDF Downloads 329