Search results for: empirical mapping
425 The Impact of Dog-Assisted Wellbeing Intervention on Student Motivation and Affective Engagement in the Primary and Secondary School Setting
Authors: Yvonne Howard
Abstract:
This project currently under development is centered around current learning processes, including a thorough literature review and ongoing practical experiences gained as a deputy head in a school. These daily experiences with students engaging in animal-assisted interventions and the school therapy dog form a strong base for this research. The primary objective of this research is to comprehensively explore the impact of dog-assisted well-being interventions on student motivation and affective engagement within primary and secondary school settings. The educational domain currently encounters a significant challenge due to the lack of substantial research in this area. Despite the perceived positive outcomes of such interventions being acknowledged and shared in various settings, the evidence supporting their effectiveness in an educational context remains limited. This study aims to bridge the gap in the research and shed light on the potential benefits of dog-assisted well-being interventions in promoting student motivation and affective engagement. The significance of this topic recognizes that education is not solely confined to academic achievement but encompasses the overall well-being and emotional development of students. Over recent years, there has been a growing interest in animal-assisted interventions, particularly in healthcare settings. This interest has extended to the educational context. While the effectiveness of these interventions in these areas has been explored in other fields, the educational sector lacks comprehensive research in this regard. Through a systematic and thorough research methodology, this study seeks to contribute valuable empirical data to the field, providing evidence to support informed decision-making regarding the implementation of dog-assisted well-being interventions in schools. This research will utilize a mixed-methods design, combining qualitative and quantitative measures to assess the research objectives. The quantitative phase will include surveys and standardized scales to measure student motivation and affective engagement, while the qualitative phase will involve interviews and observations to gain in-depth insights from students, teachers, and other stakeholders. The findings will contribute evidence-based insights, best practices, and practical guidelines for schools seeking to incorporate dog-assisted interventions, ultimately enhancing student well-being and improving educational outcomes.Keywords: therapy dog, wellbeing, engagement, motivation, AAI, intervention, school
Procedia PDF Downloads 67424 Patient Experience in a Healthcare Setting: How Patients' Encounters Make for Better Value Co-creation
Authors: Kingsley Agyapong
Abstract:
Research conducted in recent years has delved into the concept of patient-perceived value within the context of co-creation, particularly in the realm of doctor-patient interactions within healthcare settings. However, existing scholarly discourse lacks exploration regarding the emergence of patient-derived value in the co-creation process, specifically within encounters involving patients and stakeholders such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals. This study aims to fill this gap by elucidating the perspectives of patients regarding the value they derive from their interactions with multiple stakeholders in the delivery of healthcare services. The fieldwork was conducted at a university clinic located in Ghana. Data collection procedures involved conducting 20 individual interviews with key informants on distinct value accrued from co-creation practices and interactions with stakeholders. The key informants consisted of patients receiving care at the university clinic during the Malaria Treatment Process. Three themes emerged from both the existing literature and the empirical data collected. The first theme, labeled as "patient value needs in co-creation," encapsulates elements such as communication effectiveness, interpersonal interaction quality, treatment efficacy, and enhancements to the overall quality of life experienced by patients during their interactions with healthcare professionals. The second theme, designated as "services that enhance patients' experience in value co-creation," pertains to patients' perceptions of services that contribute favourably to co-creation experiences, including initiatives related to health promotion and the provision of various in-house services that patients deem pertinent for augmenting their overall experiences. The third theme, titled "Challenges in the co-creation of patients' value," delineates obstacles encountered within the co-creation process, including health professionals' challenges in effectively following up with patients scheduled for review and prolonged waiting times for healthcare delivery. This study contributes to the patients' perceptions of value within the co-creation process during their interactions with service providers, particularly healthcare professionals. By gaining a deeper insight into this process, healthcare providers can enhance the delivery of patient-centered care, thereby leading to improved healthcare outcomes. The study further offers managerial implications derived from its findings, providing actionable insights for healthcare managers and policymakers aiming to optimize patient value creation in healthcare services. Furthermore, it suggests avenues for future research endeavors within healthcare settings.Keywords: patient, healthcare, co-creation, malaria
Procedia PDF Downloads 42423 Navigating through Uncertainty: An Explorative Study of Managers’ Experiences in China-foreign Cooperative Higher Education
Abstract:
To drive practical interpretations and applications of various policies in building the transnational education joint-ventures, middle managers learn to navigate through uncertainties and ambiguities. However, the current literature views very little about those middle managers’ experiences, perceptions, and practices. This paper takes the empirical approach and aims to uncover the middle managers’ experiences by conducting interviews, campus visits, and document analysis. Following the qualitative research method approach, the researchers gathered information from a mixture of fourteen foreign and Chinese managers. Their perceptions of the China-foreign cooperation in higher education and their perceived roles have offered important, valuable insights to this group of people’s attitudes and management performances. The diverse cultural and demographic backgrounds contributed to the significance of the study. There are four key findings. One, middle managers’ immediate micro-contexts and individual attitudes are the top two influential factors in managers’ performances. Two, the foreign middle managers showed a stronger sense of self-identity in risk-taking. Three, the Chinese middle managers preferred to see difficulties as part of their assigned responsibilities. Four, middle managers in independent universities demonstrated a stronger sense of belonging and fewer frustrations than middle managers in secondary institutes. The researchers propose that training for managers in a transnational educational setting should consider these discoveries when select fitting topics and content. In particular, middle managers should be better prepared to anticipate their everyday jobs in the micro-environment; hence, information concerning sponsor organizations’ working culture is as essential as knowing the national and local regulations, and socio-culture. Different case studies can help the managers to recognize and celebrate the diversity in transnational education. Situational stories can help them to become aware of the diverse and wide range of work contexts so that they will not feel to be left alone when facing challenges without relevant previous experience or training. Though this research is a case study based in the Chinese transnational higher education setting, the implications could be relevant and comparable to other transnational higher education situations and help to continue expanding the potential applications in this field.Keywords: educational management, middle manager performance, transnational higher education
Procedia PDF Downloads 155422 Infusion of Skills for Undergraduate Scholarship into Teacher Education: Two Case Studies in New York and Florida
Authors: Tunde Szecsi, Janka Szilagyi
Abstract:
Students majoring in education are underrepresented in undergraduate scholarship. To enable and encourage teacher candidates to engage in scholarly activities, it is essential to infuse skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, oral and written communication, collaboration and the utilization of information literacy, into courses in teacher preparation programs. In this empirical study, we examined two teacher education programs – one in New York State and one in Florida – in terms of the approaches of the course-based infusion of skills for undergraduate research, and the effectiveness of this infusion. First, course-related documents such as syllabi, assignment descriptions, and course activities were reviewed and analyzed. The goal of the document analysis was to identify and describe the targeted skills, and the pedagogical approaches and strategies for promoting research skills in teacher candidates. Next, a selection of teacher candidates’ scholarly products from the institution in Florida was used as a data set to examine teacher candidates’ skill development in the context of the identified assignments. This dataset was analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively to describe the changes that occurred in teacher candidates’ critical thinking, communication, and information literacy skills, and to uncover patterns in the skill development at the two institutions. Descriptive statistics were calculated to explore the changes in these skills of teacher candidates over a period of three years. The findings based on data from the teacher education program in Florida indicated a steady gain in written communication and critical thinking and a modest increase in informational literacy. At the institution in New York, candidates’ submission and success rates on the edTPA, a New York State Teacher Certification exam, was used as a measure of scholarly skills. Overall, although different approaches were used for infusing the development of scholarly skills in the courses, the results suggest that a holistic and well-orchestrated infusion of the skills into most courses in the teacher education program might result in steadily developing scholarly skills. These results offered essential implications for teacher education programs in terms of further improvements in teacher candidates’ skills for engaging in undergraduate research and scholarship. In this presentation, our purpose is to showcase two approaches developed by two teacher education programs to demonstrate how diverse approaches toward the promotion of undergraduate scholarship activities are responsive to the context of the teacher preparation programs.Keywords: critical thinking, pedagogical strategies, teacher education, undergraduate student research
Procedia PDF Downloads 151421 An Alternative Credit Scoring System in China’s Consumer Lendingmarket: A System Based on Digital Footprint Data
Authors: Minjuan Sun
Abstract:
Ever since the late 1990s, China has experienced explosive growth in consumer lending, especially in short-term consumer loans, among which, the growth rate of non-bank lending has surpassed bank lending due to the development in financial technology. On the other hand, China does not have a universal credit scoring and registration system that can guide lenders during the processes of credit evaluation and risk control, for example, an individual’s bank credit records are not available for online lenders to see and vice versa. Given this context, the purpose of this paper is three-fold. First, we explore if and how alternative digital footprint data can be utilized to assess borrower’s creditworthiness. Then, we perform a comparative analysis of machine learning methods for the canonical problem of credit default prediction. Finally, we analyze, from an institutional point of view, the necessity of establishing a viable and nationally universal credit registration and scoring system utilizing online digital footprints, so that more people in China can have better access to the consumption loan market. Two different types of digital footprint data are utilized to match with bank’s loan default records. Each separately captures distinct dimensions of a person’s characteristics, such as his shopping patterns and certain aspects of his personality or inferred demographics revealed by social media features like profile image and nickname. We find both datasets can generate either acceptable or excellent prediction results, and different types of data tend to complement each other to get better performances. Typically, the traditional types of data banks normally use like income, occupation, and credit history, update over longer cycles, hence they can’t reflect more immediate changes, like the financial status changes caused by the business crisis; whereas digital footprints can update daily, weekly, or monthly, thus capable of providing a more comprehensive profile of the borrower’s credit capabilities and risks. From the empirical and quantitative examination, we believe digital footprints can become an alternative information source for creditworthiness assessment, because of their near-universal data coverage, and because they can by and large resolve the "thin-file" issue, due to the fact that digital footprints come in much larger volume and higher frequency.Keywords: credit score, digital footprint, Fintech, machine learning
Procedia PDF Downloads 156420 EEG and DC-Potential Level Сhanges in the Elderly
Authors: Irina Deputat, Anatoly Gribanov, Yuliya Dzhos, Alexandra Nekhoroshkova, Tatyana Yemelianova, Irina Bolshevidtseva, Irina Deryabina, Yana Kereush, Larisa Startseva, Tatyana Bagretsova, Irina Ikonnikova
Abstract:
In the modern world the number of elderly people increases. Preservation of functionality of an organism in the elderly becomes very important now. During aging the higher cortical functions such as feelings, perception, attention, memory, and ideation are gradual decrease. It is expressed in the rate of information processing reduction, volume of random access memory loss, ability to training and storing of new information decrease. Perspective directions in studying of aging neurophysiological parameters are brain imaging: computer electroencephalography, neuroenergy mapping of a brain, and also methods of studying of a neurodynamic brain processes. Research aim – to study features of a brain aging in elderly people by electroencephalogram (EEG) and the DC-potential level. We examined 130 people aged 55 - 74 years that did not have psychiatric disorders and chronic states in a decompensation stage. EEG was recorded with a 128-channel GES-300 system (USA). EEG recordings are collected while the participant sits at rest with their eyes closed for 3 minutes. For a quantitative assessment of EEG we used the spectral analysis. The range was analyzed on delta (0,5–3,5 Hz), a theta - (3,5–7,0 Hz), an alpha 1-(7,0–11,0 Hz) an alpha 2-(11–13,0 Hz), beta1-(13–16,5 Hz) and beta2-(16,5–20 Hz) ranges. In each frequency range spectral power was estimated. The 12-channel hardware-software diagnostic ‘Neuroenergometr-KM’ complex was applied for registration, processing and the analysis of a brain constant potentials level. The DC-potential level registered in monopolar leads. It is revealed that the EEG of elderly people differ in higher rates of spectral power in the range delta (р < 0,01) and a theta - (р < 0,05) rhythms, especially in frontal areas in aging. By results of the comparative analysis it is noted that elderly people 60-64 aged differ in higher values of spectral power alfa-2 range in the left frontal and central areas (р < 0,05) and also higher values beta-1 range in frontal and parieto-occipital areas (р < 0,05). Study of a brain constant potential level distribution revealed increase of total energy consumption on the main areas of a brain. In frontal leads we registered the lowest values of constant potential level. Perhaps it indicates decrease in an energy metabolism in this area and difficulties of executive functions. The comparative analysis of a potential difference on the main assignments testifies to unevenness of a lateralization of a brain functions at elderly people. The results of a potential difference between right and left hemispheres testify to prevalence of the left hemisphere activity. Thus, higher rates of functional activity of a cerebral cortex are peculiar to people of early advanced age (60-64 years) that points to higher reserve opportunities of central nervous system. By 70 years there are age changes of a cerebral power exchange and level of electrogenesis of a brain which reflect deterioration of a condition of homeostatic mechanisms of self-control and the program of processing of the perceptual data current flow.Keywords: brain, DC-potential level, EEG, elderly people
Procedia PDF Downloads 478419 Applications of Polyvagal Theory for Trauma in Clinical Practice: Auricular Acupuncture and Herbology
Authors: Aurora Sheehy, Caitlin Prince
Abstract:
Within current orthodox medical protocols, trauma and mental health issues are deemed to reside within the realm of cognitive or psychological therapists and are marginalised in these areas, in part due to limited drugs option available, mostly manipulating neurotransmitters or sedating patients to reduce symptoms. By contrast, this research presents examples from the clinical practice of how trauma can be assessed and treated physiologically. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are a tally of different types of abuse and neglect. It has been used as a measurable and reliable predictor of the likelihood of the development of autoimmune disease. It is a direct way to demonstrate reliably the health impact of traumatic life experiences. A second assessment tool is Allostatic Load, which refers to the cumulative effects that chronic stress has on mental and physical health. It records the decline of an individual’s physiological capacity to cope with their experience. It uses a specific grouping of serum testing and physical measures. It includes an assessment of neuroendocrine, cardiovascular, immune and metabolic systems. Allostatic load demonstrates the health impact that trauma has throughout the body. It forms part of an initial intake assessment in clinical practice and could also be used in research to evaluate treatment. Examining medicinal plants for their physiological, neurological and somatic effects through the lens of Polyvagal theory offers new opportunities for trauma treatments. In situations where Polyvagal theory recommends activities and exercises to enable parasympathetic activation, many herbs that affect Effector Memory T (TEM) cells also enact these responses. Traditional or Indigenous European herbs show the potential to support the polyvagal tone, through multiple mechanisms. As the ventral vagal nerve reaches almost every major organ, plants that have actions on these tissues can be understood via their polyvagal actions, such as monoterpenes as agents to improve respiratory vagal tone, cyanogenic glycosides to reset polyvagal tone, volatile oils rich in phenyl methyl esters improve both sympathetic and parasympathetic tone, bitters activate gut function and can strongly promote parasympathetic regulation. Auricular Acupuncture uses a system of somatotopic mapping of the auricular surface overlaid with an image of an inverted foetus with each body organ and system featured. Given that the concha of the auricle is the only place on the body where the Vagus Nerve neurons reach the surface of the skin, several investigators have evaluated non-invasive, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) at auricular points. Drawn from an interdisciplinary evidence base and developed through clinical practice, these assessment and treatment tools are examples of practitioners in the field innovating out of necessity for the best outcomes for patients. This paper draws on case studies to direct future research.Keywords: polyvagal, auricular acupuncture, trauma, herbs
Procedia PDF Downloads 84418 Rigorous Photogrammetric Push-Broom Sensor Modeling for Lunar and Planetary Image Processing
Authors: Ahmed Elaksher, Islam Omar
Abstract:
Accurate geometric relation algorithms are imperative in Earth and planetary satellite and aerial image processing, particularly for high-resolution images that are used for topographic mapping. Most of these satellites carry push-broom sensors. These sensors are optical scanners equipped with linear arrays of CCDs. These sensors have been deployed on most EOSs. In addition, the LROC is equipped with two push NACs that provide 0.5 meter-scale panchromatic images over a 5 km swath of the Moon. The HiRISE carried by the MRO and the HRSC carried by MEX are examples of push-broom sensor that produces images of the surface of Mars. Sensor models developed in photogrammetry relate image space coordinates in two or more images with the 3D coordinates of ground features. Rigorous sensor models use the actual interior orientation parameters and exterior orientation parameters of the camera, unlike approximate models. In this research, we generate a generic push-broom sensor model to process imageries acquired through linear array cameras and investigate its performance, advantages, and disadvantages in generating topographic models for the Earth, Mars, and the Moon. We also compare and contrast the utilization, effectiveness, and applicability of available photogrammetric techniques and softcopies with the developed model. We start by defining an image reference coordinate system to unify image coordinates from all three arrays. The transformation from an image coordinate system to a reference coordinate system involves a translation and three rotations. For any image point within the linear array, its image reference coordinates, the coordinates of the exposure center of the array in the ground coordinate system at the imaging epoch (t), and the corresponding ground point coordinates are related through the collinearity condition that states that all these three points must be on the same line. The rotation angles for each CCD array at the epoch t are defined and included in the transformation model. The exterior orientation parameters of an image line, i.e., coordinates of exposure station and rotation angles, are computed by a polynomial interpolation function in time (t). The parameter (t) is the time at a certain epoch from a certain orbit position. Depending on the types of observations, coordinates, and parameters may be treated as knowns or unknowns differently in various situations. The unknown coefficients are determined in a bundle adjustment. The orientation process starts by extracting the sensor position and, orientation and raw images from the PDS. The parameters of each image line are then estimated and imported into the push-broom sensor model. We also define tie points between image pairs to aid the bundle adjustment model, determine the refined camera parameters, and generate highly accurate topographic maps. The model was tested on different satellite images such as IKONOS, QuickBird, and WorldView-2, HiRISE. It was found that the accuracy of our model is comparable to those of commercial and open-source software, the computational efficiency of the developed model is high, the model could be used in different environments with various sensors, and the implementation process is much more cost-and effort-consuming.Keywords: photogrammetry, push-broom sensors, IKONOS, HiRISE, collinearity condition
Procedia PDF Downloads 60417 Cyber Violence Behaviors Among Social Media Users in Ghana: An Application of Self-Control Theory and Social Learning Theory
Authors: Aisha Iddrisu
Abstract:
The proliferation of cyberviolence in the wave of increased social media consumption calls for immediate attention both at the local and global levels. With over 4.70 billion social media users worldwide and 8.8 social media users in Ghana, various forms of violence have become the order of the day in most countries and communities. Cyber violence is defined as producing, retrieving, and sharing of hurtful or dangerous online content to cause emotional, psychological, or physical harm. The urgency and severity of cyber violence have led to the enactment of laws in various countries though lots still need to be done, especially in Ghana. In Ghana, studies on cyber violence have not been extensively dealt with. Existing studies concentrate only on one form or the other form of cyber violence, thus cybercrime and cyber bullying. Also, most studies in Africa have not explored cyber violence forms using empirical theories and the few that existed were qualitatively researched, whereas others examine the effect of cyber violence rather than examining why those who involve in it behave the way they behave. It is against this backdrop that this study aims to examine various cyber violence behaviour among social media users in Ghana by applying the theory of Self-control and Social control theory. This study is important for the following reasons. The outcome of this research will help at both national and international level of policymaking by adding to the knowledge of understanding cyberviolence and why people engage in various forms of cyberviolence. It will also help expose other ways by which such behaviours are enforced thereby serving as a guide in the enactment of the rightful rules and laws to curb such behaviours. It will add to literature on consequences of new media. This study seeks to confirm or reject to the following research hypotheses. H1 Social media usage has direct significant effect of cyberviolence behaviours. H2 Ineffective parental management has direct significant positive relation to Low self-control. H3 Low self-control has direct significant positive effect on cyber violence behaviours among social, H4 Differential association has significant positive effect on cyberviolence behaviour among social media users in Ghana. H5 Definitions have a significant positive effect on cyberviolence behaviour among social media users in Ghana. H6 Imitation has a significant positive effect on cyberviolence behaviour among social media users in Ghana. H7 Differential reinforcement has a significant positive effect on cyberviolence behaviour among social media users in Ghana. H8 Differential association has a significant positive effect on definitions. H9 Differential association has a significant positive effect on imitation. H10 Differential association has a significant positive effect on differential reinforcement. H11 Differential association has significant indirect positive effects on cyberviolence through the learning process.Keywords: cyberviolence, social media users, self-control theory, social learning theory
Procedia PDF Downloads 70416 Storm-Runoff Simulation Approaches for External Natural Catchments of Urban Sewer Systems
Authors: Joachim F. Sartor
Abstract:
According to German guidelines, external natural catchments are greater sub-catchments without significant portions of impervious areas, which possess a surface drainage system and empty in a sewer network. Basically, such catchments should be disconnected from sewer networks, particularly from combined systems. If this is not possible due to local conditions, their flow hydrographs have to be considered at the design of sewer systems, because the impact may be significant. Since there is a lack of sufficient measurements of storm-runoff events for such catchments and hence verified simulation methods to analyze their design flows, German standards give only general advices and demands special considerations in such cases. Compared to urban sub-catchments, external natural catchments exhibit greatly different flow characteristics. With increasing area size their hydrological behavior approximates that of rural catchments, e.g. sub-surface flow may prevail and lag times are comparable long. There are few observed peak flow values and simple (mostly empirical) approaches that are offered by literature for Central Europe. Most of them are at least helpful to crosscheck results that are achieved by simulation lacking calibration. Using storm-runoff data from five monitored rural watersheds in the west of Germany with catchment areas between 0.33 and 1.07 km2 , the author investigated by multiple event simulation three different approaches to determine the rainfall excess. These are the modified SCS variable run-off coefficient methods by Lutz and Zaiß as well as the soil moisture model by Ostrowski. Selection criteria for storm events from continuous precipitation data were taken from recommendations of M 165 and the runoff concentration method (parallel cascades of linear reservoirs) from a DWA working report to which the author had contributed. In general, the two run-off coefficient methods showed results that are of sufficient accuracy for most practical purposes. The soil moisture model showed no significant better results, at least not to such a degree that it would justify the additional data collection that its parameter determination requires. Particularly typical convective summer events after long dry periods, that are often decisive for sewer networks (not so much for rivers), showed discrepancies between simulated and measured flow hydrographs.Keywords: external natural catchments, sewer network design, storm-runoff modelling, urban drainage
Procedia PDF Downloads 148415 Euthanasia as a Case of Judicial Entrepreneurship in India: Analyzing the Role of the Supreme Court in the Policy Process of Euthanasia
Authors: Aishwarya Pothula
Abstract:
Euthanasia in India is a politically dormant policy issue in the sense that discussions around it are sporadic in nature (usually with developments in specific cases) and it stays as a dominant issue in the public domain for a fleeting period. In other words, it is a non-political issue that has been unable to successfully get on the policy agenda. This paper studies how the Supreme Court of India (SC) plays a role in euthanasia’s policy making. In 2011, the SC independently put a law in place that legalized passive euthanasia through its judgement in the Aruna Shanbaug v. Union of India case. According to this, it is no longer illegal to withhold/withdraw a patient’s medical treatment in certain cases. This judgement, therefore, is the empirical focus of this paper. The paper essentially employs two techniques of discourse analysis to study the SC’s system of argumentation. The two methods, Text Analysis using Gasper’s Analysis Table and Frame Analysis – are complemented by two discourse techniques called metaphor analysis and lexical analysis. The framework within which the analysis is conducted lies in 1) the judicial process of India, i.e. the SC procedures and the Constitutional rules and provisions, and 2) John W. Kingdon’s theory of policy windows and policy entrepreneurs. The results of this paper are three-fold: first, the SC dismiss the petitioner’s request for passive euthanasia on inadequate and weak grounds, thereby setting no precedent for the historic law they put in place. In other words, they leave the decision open for the Parliament to act upon. Hence the judgement, as opposed to arguments by many, is by no means an instance of judicial activism/overreach. Second, they define euthanasia in a way that resonates with existing broader societal themes. They combine this with a remarkable use of authoritative and protective tones/stances to settle at an intermediate position that balances the possible opposition to their role in the process and what they (perhaps) perceive to be an optimal solution. Third, they soften up the policy community (including the public) to the idea of passive euthanasia leading it towards a Parliamentarian legislation. They achieve this by shaping prevalent principles, provisions and worldviews through an astute use of the legal instruments at their disposal. This paper refers to this unconventional role of the SC as ‘judicial entrepreneurship’ which is also the first scholarly contribution towards research on euthanasia as a policy issue in India.Keywords: argumentation analysis, Aruna Ramachandra Shanbaug, discourse analysis, euthanasia, judicial entrepreneurship, policy-making process, supreme court of India
Procedia PDF Downloads 255414 Linguistic Analysis of Argumentation Structures in Georgian Political Speeches
Authors: Mariam Matiashvili
Abstract:
Argumentation is an integral part of our daily communications - formal or informal. Argumentative reasoning, techniques, and language tools are used both in personal conversations and in the business environment. Verbalization of the opinions requires the use of extraordinary syntactic-pragmatic structural quantities - arguments that add credibility to the statement. The study of argumentative structures allows us to identify the linguistic features that make the text argumentative. Knowing what elements make up an argumentative text in a particular language helps the users of that language improve their skills. Also, natural language processing (NLP) has become especially relevant recently. In this context, one of the main emphases is on the computational processing of argumentative texts, which will enable the automatic recognition and analysis of large volumes of textual data. The research deals with the linguistic analysis of the argumentative structures of Georgian political speeches - particularly the linguistic structure, characteristics, and functions of the parts of the argumentative text - claims, support, and attack statements. The research aims to describe the linguistic cues that give the sentence a judgmental/controversial character and helps to identify reasoning parts of the argumentative text. The empirical data comes from the Georgian Political Corpus, particularly TV debates. Consequently, the texts are of a dialogical nature, representing a discussion between two or more people (most often between a journalist and a politician). The research uses the following approaches to identify and analyze the argumentative structures Lexical Classification & Analysis - Identify lexical items that are relevant in argumentative texts creating process - Creating the lexicon of argumentation (presents groups of words gathered from a semantic point of view); Grammatical Analysis and Classification - means grammatical analysis of the words and phrases identified based on the arguing lexicon. Argumentation Schemas - Describe and identify the Argumentation Schemes that are most likely used in Georgian Political Speeches. As a final step, we analyzed the relations between the above mentioned components. For example, If an identified argument scheme is “Argument from Analogy”, identified lexical items semantically express analogy too, and they are most likely adverbs in Georgian. As a result, we created the lexicon with the words that play a significant role in creating Georgian argumentative structures. Linguistic analysis has shown that verbs play a crucial role in creating argumentative structures.Keywords: georgian, argumentation schemas, argumentation structures, argumentation lexicon
Procedia PDF Downloads 66413 A Review of the Agroecological Farming System as a Viable Alternative Food Production Approach in South Africa
Authors: Michael Rudolph, Evans Muchesa, Katiya Yassim, Venkatesha Prasad
Abstract:
Input-intensive production systems characterise industrial agriculture as an unsustainable means to address food and nutrition security and sustainable livelihoods. There is extensive empirical evidence that supports the diversification and reorientation of industrial agriculture and that incorporates ecological practices viewed as essential for achieving balanced and productive farming systems. An agroecological farming system is a viable alternative approach that can improve food production, especially for the most vulnerable communities and households. Furthermore, substantial proof and supporting evidence show that such a system holds the key to increasing dietary diversity at the local level and reducing the multiple health and environmental risks stemming from industrial agriculture. This paper, therefore, aims to demonstrate the benefits of the agroecology food system through an evidenced-based approach that shows how the broader agricultural network structures can play a meaningful role, particularly for impoverished households in today’s reality. The methodology is centered on a structured literature review that analyses urban agriculture, agroecology, and food insecurity. Notably, ground-truthing, practical experiences, and field observation of agroecological farming were deployed. This paper places particular emphasis on the practical application of the agroecological approach in urban and peri-urban settings. Several evaluation reports on local and provincial initiatives clearly show that very few households engage in food gardens and urban agriculture. These households do not make use of their backyards or nearby open spaces for a number of reasons, such as stringent city by-laws, restricted access to land, little or no knowledge of innovative or alternative farming practices, and a general lack of interest. Furthermore, limited resources such as water and energy and lack of capacity building and training implementation are additional constraints that are hampering small scale food gardens and farms in other settings. The Agroecology systems approach is viewed as one of the key solutions to tackling these problems.Keywords: agroecology, water-energy-food nexus, sutainable development goals, social, environmental and economc impact
Procedia PDF Downloads 102412 Changing the Biopower Hierarchy between Women’s Bodily Knowledge and the Medical Knowledge about the Body: The Case of Female Ejaculation and #Notpee
Authors: Lior B. Navon
Abstract:
The objective of this study is to investigate how technology, such as social media, can influence the biopower hierarchy between the medical knowledge about the body and women’s bodily knowledge through the case study of the hashtag 'notpee'. In January 2015, the hashtag #notpee, relating to a feminine physiological phenomenon called female ejaculation (FE) or squirting (SQ) started circulating on twitter. This hashtag, born as a reaction to a medical study claiming that SQ is essentially involuntary emission of urine during sexual activity, sparked an unusual public discourse about FE, a phenomenon that is usually not discussed or referred to in socio-legitimate public spheres. This unusual backlash got the attention of women’s magazines and blogs, as well as more mainstream large and respected outlets such as The Guardian and CNN. Both the tweets on twitter, as well as the media coverage of them, were mainly aimed at rejecting the research’s findings. While not offering an alternative and choosing to define the phenomenon by negation, women argued that the fluid extracted was not pee based on their personal experiences. Based on a critical discourse analysis of 742 tweets with the hashtag 'notpee' between January 2015 and January 2016, and of 15 articles covering the backlash, this study suggests that the #notpee backlash challenged the power balance between the medical knowledge about the feminine body and the feminine bodily knowledge through two different, yet related, forms of resistance to biopower. The first resistance is to the authority over knowledge production — who has the power to produce 'true' statements when it comes to the body? Is it the women who experience the phenomenon, or is it the medical institution? The second resistance to biopower has to do with what we regard as facts or veracity. A critical discourse analysis reveals that while both the scientific field, as well as the women arguing against its findings, use empirical information, they, nevertheless, rely on two dichotomic databases- while the scientific research relies on samples from the 'dead like body', these woman are relying on their lived subjective senses as a source for fact making. Nevertheless, while #notpee is asking to change the power relations between the feminine subjective bodily knowledge and the seemingly objective masculine medical knowledge about the body, it by no means dismisses it. These women are essentially asking the medical institution to take into consideration the subjective body as well as the objective one while acknowledging and accepting the power of the latter over knowledge production.Keywords: biopower, female ejaculation, new media, bodily knowledge
Procedia PDF Downloads 152411 Development of a Risk Disclosure Index and Examination of Its Determinants: An Empirical Study in Indian Context
Authors: M. V. Shivaani, P. K. Jain, Surendra S. Yadav
Abstract:
Worldwide regulators, practitioners and researchers view risk-disclosure as one of the most important steps that will promote corporate accountability and transparency. Recognizing this growing significance of risk disclosures, the paper first develops a risk disclosure index. Covering 69 risk items/themes, this index is developed by employing thematic content analysis and encompasses three attributes of disclosure: namely, nature (qualitative or quantitative), time horizon (backward-looking or forward-looking) and tone (no impact, positive impact or negative impact). As the focus of study is on substantive rather than symbolic disclosure, content analysis has been carried out manually. The study is based on non-financial companies of Nifty500 index and covers a ten year period from April 1, 2005 to March 31, 2015, thus yielding 3,872 annual reports for analysis. The analysis reveals that (on an average) only about 14% of risk items (i.e. about 10 out 69 risk items studied) are being disclosed by Indian companies. Risk items that are frequently disclosed are mostly macroeconomic in nature and their disclosures tend to be qualitative, forward-looking and conveying both positive and negative aspects of the concerned risk. The second objective of the paper is to gauge the factors that affect the level of disclosures in annual reports. Given the panel nature of data, and possible endogeneity amongst variables, Diff-GMM regression has been applied. The results indicate that age and size of firms have a significant positive impact on disclosure quality, whereas growth rate does not have a significant impact. Further, post-recession period (2009-2015) has witnessed significant improvement in quality of disclosures. In terms of corporate governance variables, board size, board independence, CEO duality, presence of CRO and constitution of risk management committee appear to be significant factors in determining the quality of risk disclosures. It is noteworthy that the study contributes to literature by putting forth a variant to existing disclosure indices that not only captures the quantity but also the quality of disclosures (in terms of semantic attributes). Also, the study is a first of its kind attempt in a prominent emerging market i.e. India. Therefore, this study is expected to facilitate regulators in mandating and regulating risk disclosures and companies in their endeavor to reduce information asymmetry.Keywords: risk disclosure, voluntary disclosures, corporate governance, Diff-GMM
Procedia PDF Downloads 156410 Electrochemical Activity of NiCo-GDC Cermet Anode for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Operated in Methane
Authors: Kamolvara Sirisuksakulchai, Soamwadee Chaianansutcharit, Kazunori Sato
Abstract:
Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) have been considered as one of the most efficient large unit power generators for household and industrial applications. The efficiency of an electronic cell depends mainly on the electrochemical reactions in the anode. The development of anode materials has been intensely studied to achieve higher kinetic rates of redox reactions and lower internal resistance. Recent studies have introduced an efficient cermet (ceramic-metallic) material for its ability in fuel oxidation and oxide conduction. This could expand the reactive site, also known as the triple-phase boundary (TPB), thus increasing the overall performance. In this study, a bimetallic catalyst Ni₀.₇₅Co₀.₂₅Oₓ was combined with Gd₀.₁Ce₀.₉O₁.₉₅ (GDC) to be used as a cermet anode (NiCo-GDC) for an anode-supported type SOFC. The synthesis of Ni₀.₇₅Co₀.₂₅Oₓ was carried out by ball milling NiO and Co3O4 powders in ethanol and calcined at 1000 °C. The Gd₀.₁Ce₀.₉O₁.₉₅ was prepared by a urea co-precipitation method. Precursors of Gd(NO₃)₃·6H₂O and Ce(NO₃)₃·6H₂O were dissolved in distilled water with the addition of urea and were heated subsequently. The heated mixture product was filtered and rinsed thoroughly, then dried and calcined at 800 °C and 1500 °C, respectively. The two powders were combined followed by pelletization and sintering at 1100 °C to form an anode support layer. The fabrications of an electrolyte layer and cathode layer were conducted. The electrochemical performance in H₂ was measured from 800 °C to 600 °C while for CH₄ was from 750 °C to 600 °C. The maximum power density at 750 °C in H₂ was 13% higher than in CH₄. The difference in performance was due to higher polarization resistances confirmed by the impedance spectra. According to the standard enthalpy, the dissociation energy of C-H bonds in CH₄ is slightly higher than the H-H bond H₂. The dissociation of CH₄ could be the cause of resistance within the anode material. The results from lower temperatures showed a descending trend of power density in relevance to the increased polarization resistance. This was due to lowering conductivity when the temperature decreases. The long-term stability was measured at 750 °C in CH₄ monitoring at 12-hour intervals. The maximum power density tends to increase gradually with time while the resistances were maintained. This suggests the enhanced stability from charge transfer activities in doped ceria due to the transition of Ce⁴⁺ ↔ Ce³⁺ at low oxygen partial pressure and high-temperature atmosphere. However, the power density started to drop after 60 h, and the cell potential also dropped from 0.3249 V to 0.2850 V. These phenomena was confirmed by a shifted impedance spectra indicating a higher ohmic resistance. The observation by FESEM and EDX-mapping suggests the degradation due to mass transport of ions in the electrolyte while the anode microstructure was still maintained. In summary, the electrochemical test and stability test for 60 h was achieved by NiCo-GDC cermet anode. Coke deposition was not detected after operation in CH₄, hence this confirms the superior properties of the bimetallic cermet anode over typical Ni-GDC.Keywords: bimetallic catalyst, ceria-based SOFCs, methane oxidation, solid oxide fuel cell
Procedia PDF Downloads 147409 Modeling Thermal Changes of Urban Blocks in Relation to the Landscape Structure and Configuration in Guilan Province
Authors: Roshanak Afrakhteh, Abdolrasoul Salman Mahini, Mahdi Motagh, Hamidreza Kamyab
Abstract:
Urban Heat Islands (UHIs) are distinctive urban areas characterized by densely populated central cores surrounded by less densely populated peripheral lands. These areas experience elevated temperatures, primarily due to impermeable surfaces and specific land use patterns. The consequences of these temperature variations are far-reaching, impacting the environment and society negatively, leading to increased energy consumption, air pollution, and public health concerns. This paper emphasizes the need for simplified approaches to comprehend UHI temperature dynamics and explains how urban development patterns contribute to land surface temperature variation. To illustrate this relationship, the study focuses on the Guilan Plain, utilizing techniques like principal component analysis and generalized additive models. The research centered on mapping land use and land surface temperature in the low-lying area of Guilan province. Satellite data from Landsat sensors for three different time periods (2002, 2012, and 2021) were employed. Using eCognition software, a spatial unit known as a "city block" was utilized through object-based analysis. The study also applied the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) method to estimate land surface radiance. Predictive variables for urban land surface temperature within residential city blocks were identified categorized as intrinsic (related to the block's structure) and neighboring (related to adjacent blocks) variables. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to select significant variables, and a Generalized Additive Model (GAM) approach, implemented using R's mgcv package, modeled the relationship between urban land surface temperature and predictor variables.Notable findings included variations in urban temperature across different years attributed to environmental and climatic factors. Block size, shared boundary, mother polygon area, and perimeter-to-area ratio were identified as main variables for the generalized additive regression model. This model showed non-linear relationships, with block size, shared boundary, and mother polygon area positively correlated with temperature, while the perimeter-to-area ratio displayed a negative trend. The discussion highlights the challenges of predicting urban surface temperature and the significance of block size in determining urban temperature patterns. It also underscores the importance of spatial configuration and unit structure in shaping urban temperature patterns. In conclusion, this study contributes to the growing body of research on the connection between land use patterns and urban surface temperature. Block size, along with block dispersion and aggregation, emerged as key factors influencing urban surface temperature in residential areas. The proposed methodology enhances our understanding of parameter significance in shaping urban temperature patterns across various regions, particularly in Iran.Keywords: urban heat island, land surface temperature, LST modeling, GAM, Gilan province
Procedia PDF Downloads 68408 Economic and Environmental Assessment of Heat Recovery in Beer and Spirit Production
Authors: Isabel Schestak, Jan Spriet, David Styles, Prysor Williams
Abstract:
Breweries and distilleries are well-known for their high water usage. The water consumption in a UK brewery to produce one litre of beer reportedly ranges from 3-9 L and in a distillery from 7-45 L to produce a litre of spirit. This includes product water such as mashing water, but also water for wort and distillate cooling and for cleaning of tanks, casks, and kegs. When cooling towers are used, cooling water can be the dominating water consumption in a brewery or distillery. Interlinked to the high water use is a substantial heating requirement for mashing, wort boiling, or distillation, typically met by fossil fuel combustion such as gasoil. Many water and waste water streams are leaving the processes hot, such as the returning cooling water or the pot ales. Therefore, several options exist to optimise water and energy efficiency of spirit production through heat recovery. Although these options are known in the sector, they are often not applied in practice due to planning efforts or financial obstacles. In this study, different possibilities and design options for heat recovery systems are explored in four breweries/distilleries in the UK and assessed from an economic but also environmental point of view. The eco-efficiency methodology, according to ISO 14045, is applied to combine both assessment criteria to determine the optimum solution for heat recovery application in practice. The economic evaluation is based on the total value added (TVA) while the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology is applied to account for the environmental impacts through the installations required for heat recovery. The four case study businesses differ in a) production scale with mashing volumes ranging from 2500 to 40,000 L, in b) terms of heating and cooling technology used, and in c) the extent to which heat recovery is/is not applied. This enables the evaluation of different cases for heat recovery based on empirical data. The analysis provides guidelines for practitioners in the brewing and distilling sector in and outside the UK for the realisation of heat recovery measures. Financial and environmental payback times are showcased for heat recovery systems in the four distilleries which are operating at different production scales. The results are expected to encourage the application of heat recovery where environmentally and economically beneficial and ultimately contribute to a reduction of the water and energy footprint in brewing and distilling businesses.Keywords: brewery, distillery, eco-efficiency, heat recovery from process and waste water, life cycle assessment
Procedia PDF Downloads 116407 Developing Primary Care Datasets for a National Asthma Audit
Authors: Rachael Andrews, Viktoria McMillan, Shuaib Nasser, Christopher M. Roberts
Abstract:
Background and objective: The National Review of Asthma Deaths (NRAD) found that asthma management and care was inadequate in 26% of cases reviewed. Major shortfalls identified were adherence to national guidelines and standards and, particularly, the organisation of care, including supervision and monitoring in primary care, with 70% of cases reviewed having at least one avoidable factor in this area. 5.4 million people in the UK are diagnosed with and actively treated for asthma, and approximately 60,000 are admitted to hospital with acute exacerbations each year. The majority of people with asthma receive management and treatment solely in primary care. This has therefore created concern that many people within the UK are receiving sub-optimal asthma care resulting in unnecessary morbidity and risk of adverse outcome. NRAD concluded that a national asthma audit programme should be established to measure and improve processes, organisation, and outcomes of asthma care. Objective: To develop a primary care dataset enabling extraction of information from GP practices in Wales and providing robust data by which results and lessons could be drawn and drive service development and improvement. Methods: A multidisciplinary group of experts, including general practitioners, primary care organisation representatives, and asthma patients was formed and used as a source of governance and guidance. A review of asthma literature, guidance, and standards took place and was used to identify areas of asthma care which, if improved, would lead to better patient outcomes. Modified Delphi methodology was used to gain consensus from the expert group on which of the areas identified were to be prioritised, and an asthma patient and carer focus group held to seek views and feedback on areas of asthma care that were important to them. Areas of asthma care identified by both groups were mapped to asthma guidelines and standards to inform and develop primary and secondary care datasets covering both adult and pediatric care. Dataset development consisted of expert review and a targeted consultation process in order to seek broad stakeholder views and feedback. Results: Areas of asthma care identified as requiring prioritisation by the National Asthma Audit were: (i) Prescribing, (ii) Asthma diagnosis (iii) Asthma Reviews (iv) Personalised Asthma Action Plans (PAAPs) (v) Primary care follow-up after discharge from hospital (vi) Methodologies and primary care queries were developed to cover each of the areas of poor and variable asthma care identified and the queries designed to extract information directly from electronic patients’ records. Conclusion: This paper describes the methodological approach followed to develop primary care datasets for a National Asthma Audit. It sets out the principles behind the establishment of a National Asthma Audit programme in response to a national asthma mortality review and describes the development activities undertaken. Key process elements included: (i) mapping identified areas of poor and variable asthma care to national guidelines and standards, (ii) early engagement of experts, including clinicians and patients in the process, and (iii) targeted consultation of the queries to provide further insight into measures that were collectable, reproducible and relevant.Keywords: asthma, primary care, general practice, dataset development
Procedia PDF Downloads 168406 Impact of Ethnic and Religious Identity on Coping Behavior in Young Adults: Cross-Cultural Research
Authors: Yuliya Kovalenko
Abstract:
Given the social nature of people, it is interesting to explore strategies of responding to psycho-traumatic situations in individuals of different ethnic and religious identity. This would allow to substantially expand the idea of human behavior in general, and coping behavior, in particular. This paper investigated the weighted impact of ethnic and religious identities on the patterns of coping behavior. This cross-cultural research empirically revealed intergroup differences in coping strategies and behavior in the samples of young students and teachers of different ethnic identities (Egyptians N=216 and Ukrainians N=109) and different religious identities (Egyptian Muslims N=147 and Christians, including Egyptian Christians N=68 and Ukrainian Christians N = 109). The empirical data were obtained using the questionnaires SACS and COPE. Statistical analysis and interpretation of the results were performed with IBM SPSS-23.0. It was found that, compared to the religious identity, the ethnic identity of the subjects appeared more predictive of coping behavior. It was shown that the constant exchange of information and the unity of biological and social contributed to a more homogeneous picture in the society where Christians and Muslims were integrated into a single cultural space. It was concluded that depending on their ethnic identity, individuals would form a specific hierarchy of coping strategies resulting in a specific pattern of coping with certain stressors. The Egyptian subjects revealed the following pattern of coping with various kinds of academic stress: 'seeking social support', 'problem solving', 'adapting', 'seeking information'. The coping pattern demonstrated by the Ukrainian subjects could be presented as 'seeking information', 'adapting', 'seeking social support', 'problem solving'. There was a tendency in the group of Egyptians to engage in more collectivist coping strategies (with the predominant coping strategy 'religious coping'), in contrast to the Ukrainians who displayed more individualistic coping strategies (with 'planning' and 'active coping' as the mostly used coping strategies). At the same time, it was obvious that Ukrainians should not be unambiguously attributed to the individualistic coping behavior due to their reliance on 'seeking social support' and 'social contact'. The final conclusion was also drawn from the peculiarities of developing religious identity, including religiosity, in Egyptians (formal religious education of both Muslims and Christians) and Ukrainians (more spontaneous process): Egyptians seem to learn to resort to the religious coping, which could be an indication that, in principle, it is possible and necessary to train individuals in desirable coping behavior.Keywords: coping behavior, cross-cultural research, ethnic and religious identity, hierarchical pattern of coping
Procedia PDF Downloads 156405 Strategic Risk Issues for Film Distributors of Hindi Film Industry in Mumbai: A Grounded Theory Approach
Authors: Rashmi Dyondi, Shishir K. Jha
Abstract:
The purpose of the paper is to address the strategic risk issues surrounding Hindi film distribution in Mumbai for a film distributor, who acts as an entrepreneur when launching a product (movie) in the market (film territory).The paper undertakes a fundamental review of films and risk in the Hindi film industry and applies Grounded Theory technique to understand the complex phenomena of risk taking behavior of the film distributors (both independent and studios) in Mumbai. Rich in-depth interviews with distributors are coded to develop core categories through constant comparison leading to conceptualization of the phenomena of interest. This paper is a first-of-its-kind-attempt to understand risk behavior of a distributor, which is akin to entrepreneurial risk behavior under conditions of uncertainty. Unlike extensive scholarly work on dynamics of Hollywood motion picture industry, Hindi film industry is an under-researched area till now. Especially how do film distributors perceive risk is an unexplored study for the Hindi film industry. Films are unique experience products and the film distributor acts as an entrepreneur assuming high risks given the uncertainty in the motion picture business. With the entry of mighty corporate studios and astronomical film budgets posing serious business threats to the independent distributors, there is a need for an in-depth qualitative enquiry (applying grounded theory technique) for unraveling the definition of risk for the independent distributors in Mumbai vis-à-vis the corporate studios. Need for good content was a common challenge to both the groups in the present state of the industry, however corporate studios with their distinct ideologies, focus on own productions and financial power faced different set of challenges than the independents (like achieving sustainability in business). Softer issues like market goodwill and relations with producers, honesty in business dealings and transparency came out to be clear markers for success of independents in long run. The findings from the qualitative analysis stress on different elements of risk and challenges as perceived by the two groups of distributors in the Hindi film industry and provide a future research agenda for empirical investigation of determinants of box-office success of Hindi films distributed in Mumbai.Keywords: entrepreneurial risk behavior, film distribution strategy, Hindi film industry, risk
Procedia PDF Downloads 310404 'Sit Down, Breathe, and Feel What?' Bringing a Contemplative Intervention into a Public Urban Middle School
Authors: Lunthita M. Duthely, John T. Avella, John Ganapati Coleman
Abstract:
For as many as one in three adolescents living in the United States, the adolescent years is a period of low well-being and mental health challenges—from depressive symptoms to mild to moderate psychological diagnoses. Longitudinal population health studies demonstrated that these challenges persist in young adulthood, and beyond. The positive psychology (PS) approach is a more preventative approach to well-being, which contrasts the traditional, deficits approach to curing mental illness. The research among adult populations formed the basis for PS studies among adolescents. The empirical evidence for the effectiveness of PS interventions exists for both adult and youth populations. Positive Psychology interventions target individuals’ strengths, such as hope and optimism, and positive emotions, such as gratitude. Positive psychology interventions such as increasing gratitude, proved effective in many outcomes among youth, including psychological, social, and academically-related outcomes. Although gratitude-inducing studies have been conducted for the past decade in the United States, few studies have been conducted among samples of urban youth, particularly youth of diverse cultural backgrounds. For nearly two decades, the secular practice of meditation has been tested among adults and more recently among youth, focused mostly among clinical samples. The field of Contemplative Sciences explores practices such as Hatha Yoga, Tai Chi, and Meditation, as preventative practices among children and adolescents. A more recent initiative is to explore Contemplative Practices in the school environment. Contemplative Practices yield a variety of positive outcomes, including academic, social, psychological, physiological, and neurological changes among children and adolescents. Again, few studies were conducted among adolescents of diverse cultural backgrounds. The purpose of this doctoral dissertation research study was to test a gratitude-meditation intervention among middle school students attending a public charter school, located in an urban region of Metropolitan Miami. The objective of this presentation is to summarize the challenges and success of bringing a positive psychology and meditation intervention into an urban middle school. Also, the most recent findings on positive psychology and meditation interventions conducted in school environments will be presented as well.Keywords: adolescents, contemplative intervention, gratitude, secular meditation, positive psychology, school engagement, Sri Chinmoy
Procedia PDF Downloads 390403 Nanoporous Metals Reinforced with Fullerenes
Authors: Deni̇z Ezgi̇ Gülmez, Mesut Kirca
Abstract:
Nanoporous (np) metals have attracted considerable attention owing to their cellular morphological features at atomistic scale which yield ultra-high specific surface area awarding a great potential to be employed in diverse applications such as catalytic, electrocatalytic, sensing, mechanical and optical. As one of the carbon based nanostructures, fullerenes are also another type of outstanding nanomaterials that have been extensively investigated due to their remarkable chemical, mechanical and optical properties. In this study, the idea of improving the mechanical behavior of nanoporous metals by inclusion of the fullerenes, which offers a new metal-carbon nanocomposite material, is examined and discussed. With this motivation, tensile mechanical behavior of nanoporous metals reinforced with carbon fullerenes is investigated by classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Atomistic models of the nanoporous metals with ultrathin ligaments are obtained through a stochastic process simply based on the intersection of spherical volumes which has been used previously in literature. According to this technique, the atoms within the ensemble of intersecting spherical volumes is removed from the pristine solid block of the selected metal, which results in porous structures with spherical cells. Following this, fullerene units are added into the cellular voids to obtain final atomistic configurations for the numerical tensile tests. Several numerical specimens are prepared with different number of fullerenes per cell and with varied fullerene sizes. LAMMPS code was used to perform classical MD simulations to conduct uniaxial tension experiments on np models filled by fullerenes. The interactions between the metal atoms are modeled by using embedded atomic method (EAM) while adaptive intermolecular reactive empirical bond order (AIREBO) potential is employed for the interaction of carbon atoms. Furthermore, atomic interactions between the metal and carbon atoms are represented by Lennard-Jones potential with appropriate parameters. In conclusion, the ultimate goal of the study is to present the effects of fullerenes embedded into the cellular structure of np metals on the tensile response of the porous metals. The results are believed to be informative and instructive for the experimentalists to synthesize hybrid nanoporous materials with improved properties and multifunctional characteristics.Keywords: fullerene, intersecting spheres, molecular dynamic, nanoporous metals
Procedia PDF Downloads 237402 'Sex, Work and Sex-Work': The Clandestine Tale of a Tabooed Industry in Bangladesh
Authors: Parvez Sattar
Abstract:
There are around 150,000 female sex workers in Bangladesh, and the country hosts one of the largest brothels in the world. There are 20 brothel-villages in the country, of which 14 are recognized to be ‘official’, and at least 11 are currently operational. Although the national Constitution adopts a preventive policy against prostitution, law does not, as such, prohibit commercial sex work by an adult woman working in a brothel having made an affidavit in this regard. But, at the same time, the law renders at least some forms of floating and hotel based sex work illegal, while sex between males has been termed as sodomy and made culpable offence even on its own. All forms of sex works by MSM and Hijra are thus branded as criminal acts. Observations and findings drawn in this article are based on both primary and secondary sources collecting data from a series of field-based empirical studies conducted by the author through questionnaire survey, FGDs, key informant consultations and other PRA/PLA tools. General and specific conclusions have been based on analysis guided by international standards of human and labour rights approaches. It has been noted that neither the community attitudes nor the cultural mind-sets, or the State's institutional set up is supportive of the causes of sex workers engaged in the most exploitative forms of labour. Lack of respect for fundamental rights continues to diminish any chances of sex workers' reintegration to the mainstream of the society, perpetuates poverty, and increases their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS. To aggravate the scenario, the endemic practice of a complex debt-bondage masked by the so-called 'entry-cost' and ‘legal license’ to the industry is considered to be a somewhat accepted 'open secret' and that the police and administration keep their eyes off from such practices treating these as 'their internal affairs'. Often these practices are used by the Sardarni/Khala (landlady) and other 'managing' actors as the tool for further exploitation of the sex workers as well as a 'control strategy'. The paper concludes with the observation that the tabooed truths of commercial sex and sex workers are inherently embedded in the very factors that compel them into this endemically ostracised profession itself. While denial of both recognition and enjoyment of the fundamental human rights of sex workers is widespread, it is the same cycle of social vulnerability and economic exclusion that often confines these people within a continuous process of servitude and modern day slavery.Keywords: commercial sex work and human rights, Labor protection in sex industry, Prostitution Law in Bangladesh, Sex work as modern day slavery
Procedia PDF Downloads 103401 Souk Waqif in Old Doha, Qatar: Cultural Heritage, Urban Regeneration, and Sustainability
Authors: Djamel Boussaa
Abstract:
Cultural heritage and tourism have become during the last two decades dynamic areas of development in the world. The idea of heritage is crucial to the critical decision-making process as to how irreplaceable resources are to be utilized by people of the present or conserved for future generations in a fast changing world. In view of the importance of ‘heritage’ to the development of a tourist destination the emphasis on developing appropriate adaptive reuse strategies cannot be overemphasized. In October 1999, the 12th general assembly of the ICOMOS in Mexico stated, that in the context of sustainable development, two interrelated issues need urgent attention, cultural tourism and historic towns and cities. These two issues underscore the fact that historic resources are non-renewable, belonging to all of humanity. Without adequate adaptive reuse actions to ensure a sustainable future for these historic resources, may lead to their complete vanishing. The growth of tourism and its role in dispersing cultural heritage to everyone is developing rapidly. According to the World Tourism Organization, natural and cultural heritage resources are and will remain motivating factors for travel in the foreseeable future. According to the experts, people choose travel destinations where they can learn about traditional and distinct cultures in their historic context. The Qatar rich urban heritage is now being recognized as a valuable resource for future development. This paper discusses the role of cultural heritage and tourism in regenerating Souk Waqif, and consequently the city of Doha. Therefore, in order to use cultural heritage wisely, it will be necessary to position heritage as an essential element of sustainable development, giving particular attention to cultural heritage and tourism. The research methodology is based on an empirical survey of the situation, based on several visits, meetings and interviews with the local heritage players. The rehabilitation project initiated since 2004 will be examined and assessed. Therefore, there is potential to assess the situation and propose directions for a sustainable future to this historic landmark. Conservation for the sake of conservation appears to be an outdated concept. Many irreplaceable natural and cultural sites are being compromised because local authorities are not giving economic consideration to the value of rehabilitating such sites. The question to be raised here is 'How can cultural heritage be used wisely for tourism without compromising its social sustainability within the emerging global world?'Keywords: cultural heritage, tourism, regeneration, economy, social sustainability
Procedia PDF Downloads 417400 A Study of the Relationship among the Hotel Staff's Work Stress, Perceived Organizational Support, and Work Efficacy: A Case Study of Macao
Authors: Zhang Tao, Si Tang, Zhang Yufeng, Jin Jiahua
Abstract:
Work pressure is an emerging research of organizational behavior. Many factors associated with this study also attracted the interest of scholars. Macao is surrounding by open micro-capitalist economy which has a high internationalization level and Mature operation system. And there is no doubt that tourism and hotel service industry is the pillar of the Macao economy with the developing of the mainland individual tourist visa. More and more cities are willing to inclusive culture diversity which lead to the amount of inbound tourists present high-speed up trend cause the hotel industry has a strong customer base and development space. At the same time, the hotel staff is an important role in the service. However, affected by some adverse factors, the hotel staff face a variety of pressures. This study combs the concept and theory of pressures relevant influencing factors and puts forward the purpose of this research. The focus of this study will be organizational supported by work efficiency and work pressure, using qualitative and quantitative research methods. Through questionnaires and interviews, 10 hotels in Macao were selected and 500 questionnaires were distributed to the employees. Statistical analysis software SPSS was used for descriptive statistics. By exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, effect. And the relevant practitioners on behalf of the interview content analysis. The innovation of this research lies in the empirical study of the relationship between the working pressure, organizational support and working efficiency of Macau hotel practitioners, and constructs and validates the structural model of the relationship among them. This model will be helpful for people to use more research methods to study hotel practitioners pressure in the future. At the same time, we can draw the following conclusions: 1. There is a significant negative correlation between salary level and job stress; 2. There is a significant negative correlation between job stress and performance; 3. Different organizational support can interfere the relationship between job stress and performance; 4. Put forward the strategy of relevance adjustment, which provides a reference value for the hotel industry in human resource management. It would be helpful to improve their service standard by training their practitioners more scientifically and rationally.Keywords: Macau, perceived organizational support, work stress, work efficiency
Procedia PDF Downloads 244399 Public-Private Partnership Projects in Canada: A Case Study Approach
Authors: Samuel Carpintero
Abstract:
Public-private partnerships (PPP) arrangements have emerged all around the world as a response to infrastructure deficits and the need to refurbish existing infrastructure. The motivations of governments for embarking on PPPs for the delivery of public infrastructure are manifold, and include on-time and on-budget delivery as well as access to private project management expertise. The PPP formula has been used by some State governments in United States and Canada, where the participation of private companies in financing and managing infrastructure projects has increased significantly in the last decade, particularly in the transport sector. On the one hand, this paper examines the various ways used in these two countries in the implementation of PPP arrangements, with a particular focus on risk transfer. The examination of risk transfer in this paper is carried out with reference to the following key PPP risk categories: construction risk, revenue risk, operating risk and availability risk. The main difference between both countries is that in Canada the demand risk remains usually within the public sector whereas in the United States this risk is usually transferred to the private concessionaire. The aim is to explore which lessons can be learnt from both models than might be useful for other countries. On the other hand, the paper also analyzes why the Spanish companies have been so successful in winning PPP contracts in North America during the past decade. Contrary to the Latin American PPP market, the Spanish companies do not have any cultural advantage in the case of the United States and Canada. Arguably, some relevant reasons for the success of the Spanish groups are their extensive experience in PPP projects (that dates back to the late 1960s in some cases), their high technical level (that allows them to be aggressive in their bids), and their good position and track-record in the financial markets. The article’s empirical base consists of data provided by official sources of both countries as well as information collected through face-to-face interviews with public and private representatives of the stakeholders participating in some of the PPP schemes. Interviewees include private project managers of the concessionaires, representatives of banks involved as financiers in the projects, and experts in the PPP industry with close knowledge of the North American market. Unstructured in-depth interviews have been adopted as a means of investigation for this study because of its powers to achieve honest and robust responses and to ensure realism in the collection of an overall impression of stakeholders’ perspectives.Keywords: PPP, concession, infrastructure, construction
Procedia PDF Downloads 292398 Clinician's Perspective of Common Factors of Change in Family Therapy: A Cross-National Exploration
Authors: Hassan Karimi, Fred Piercy, Ruoxi Chen, Ana L. Jaramillo-Sierra, Wei-Ning Chang, Manjushree Palit, Catherine Martosudarmo, Angelito Antonio
Abstract:
Background: The two psychotherapy camps, the randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and the common factors model, have competitively claimed specific explanations for therapy effectiveness. Recently, scholars called for empirical evidence to show the role of common factors in therapeutic outcome in marriage and family therapy. Purpose: This cross-national study aims to explore how clinicians, across different nations and theoretical orientations, attribute the contribution of common factors to therapy outcome. Method: A brief common factors questionnaire (CFQ-with a Cronbach’s Alpha, 0.77) was developed and administered in seven nations. A series of statistical analyses (paired-samples t-test, independent sample t-test, ANOVA) were conducted: to compare clinicians perceived contribution of total common factors versus model-specific factors, to compare each pair of common factors’ categories, and to compare clinicians from collectivistic nations versus clinicians from individualistic nation. Results: Clinicians across seven nations attributed 86% to common factors versus 14% to model-specific factors. Clinicians attributed 34% of therapeutic change to client’s factors, 26% to therapist’s factors, 26% to relationship factors, and 14% to model-specific techniques. The ANOVA test indicated each of the three categories of common factors (client 34%, therapist 26%, relationship 26%) showed higher contribution in therapeutic outcome than the category of model specific factors (techniques 14%). Clinicians with psychology degree attributed more contribution to model-specific factors than clinicians with MFT and counseling degrees who attributed more contribution to client factors. Clinicians from collectivistic nations attributed larger contributions to therapist’s factors (M=28.96, SD=12.75) than the US clinicians (M=23.22, SD=7.73). The US clinicians attributed a larger contribution to client’s factors (M=39.02, SD=1504) than clinicians from the collectivistic nations (M=28.71, SD=15.74). Conclusion: The findings indicate clinicians across the globe attributed more than two thirds of therapeutic change to CFs, which emphasize the training of the common factors model in the field. CFs, like model-specific factors, vary in their contribution to therapy outcome in relation to specific client, therapist, problem, treatment model, and sociocultural context. Sociocultural expectations and norms should be considered as a context in which both CFs and model-specific factors function toward therapeutic goals. Clinicians need to foster a cultural competency specifically regarding the divergent ways that CFs can be activated due to specific sociocultural values.Keywords: common factors, model-specific factors, cross-national survey, therapist cultural competency, enhancing therapist efficacy
Procedia PDF Downloads 280397 Constitutional Courts as Positive Legislators: The Role of Indonesian Constitutional Court in Interpreting and Applying the Constitution
Authors: Masnur Marzuki
Abstract:
As in other democratic countries, the constitutional court of Indonesia has the role of interpreting and applying the Constitution in order to preserve its supremacy testing the constitutionality of statutes. With its strong power to enforce and guard the Constitution, the court is now challenged to provide people an opportunity to understand their constitutional rights close up. At the same time, the court has built up an enviable reputation among constitutional courts in new democracies for the technical quality of its legitimacy in the legal sense. Since its establishment in 2003, the Constitutional Court of Indonesia has decided more than 190 statutes in judicial review case. It has been remarkably successful to make a credible start on its work of guarding the Constitution. Unsurprisingly, many argue that the Court has elevated Indonesia’s democracy to a whole new level. In accomplishing its roles judicial review, the basic principle that can be identified is that the Constitutional Court must always be subordinated to the Constitution. It is not being allowed to invade the field of the legislator. In doing so, the court does not have any discretionary political basis in order to create legal norms or provisions that could not be deducted from the Constitution itself. When interpreting a statute “in accordance with the constitution”, the court recognizes and reasserts that it is strictly forbidden to extend the scope of a legal provision in such a way that would create a general norm not established by the law-maker. This paper aims to identify and assess the latest role of Indonesian Constitutional Court in interpreting and applying the Constitution. In particular, it questions 1) the role of the Constitutional Court in judicial review; and 2) the role of the court to assist the legislators in the accomplishment of their functions in order to preserve its supremacy testing the constitutionality of statutes. Concerning positive legislator, jurisprudential and judicial review theories will be approached. The empirical part will include qualitative and comparative research. Main questions to be addressed: Can the Constitutional Court be functionalized as positive legislator? What are the criteria for conducting role of Constitutional Courts as Positive Legislators and how can it be accepted? Concerning the subordination of Constitutional Courts to the Constitution and judicial review, both qualitative and quantitative methods will be used, and differences between Indonesia and German Constitutional Court will be observed. Other questions to be addressed: Can Constitutional Courts have any discretionary political basis in order to create legal norms or provisions that could not be deducted from the Constitution itself. Should the Constitutional Court always act as a negative legislator? However, the Constitutional Court in Indonesia has played role as positive legislators which create dynamic of Indonesian legal development. In performing the task of reviewing the constitutionality of statutes, the Constitutional Court has created legal norms or provisions that could be deducted from the Constitution itself.Keywords: constitution, court, law, rights
Procedia PDF Downloads 423396 Creating an Inclusive Classroom: Country Case Studies Analysis on Mainstream Teachers’ Teaching-Efficacy and Attitudes towards Inclusive Education in Japan and Singapore
Authors: Yei Mian Adrian Yap
Abstract:
How we idealize the regular schools to be inclusive as much as possible hinges on mainstream teachers’ attitudes and teaching-efficacy towards the inclusion of students with special needs in the regular schools. This research studies the Japanese and Singaporean mainstream teachers’ attitudes and teaching-efficacy towards the inclusion of students with special needs in the regular classrooms by investigating what key variables influence their attitudes and teaching-efficacy and how they strategize to address their challenges to include their students with special needs in their regular classrooms. In order to understand the nature of teachers’ attitudes and teaching-efficacy towards the inclusive education, a mixed-method research methodology was carried out in Japan and Singapore; it involved an explanatory sequential method of employing quantitative research first before qualitative research. In the quantitative research, 189 Japanese and 183 Singaporean teachers were invited to participate in the questionnaires and out of these participants, 38 Japanese and 15 Singaporean teachers shared their views during their semi-structured interviews. Based on the empirical findings, Japanese teachers’ attitudes and teaching-efficacy were more likely to be influenced by their experiences in teaching students with special needs, knowledge about disability legislation, presence of their disabled family members and level of confidence to teach students with special needs. On the other hand, Singaporean teachers’ attitudes and teaching-efficacy were affected by gender, educational level, received trainings in special needs education, knowledge about disability legislation and level of confidence to teach students with special needs. Both country results also demonstrated that there was a positive correlation between their teaching-efficacy and attitude. Narrative findings further expanded the reasons behind these quantitative factors that shaped teachers’ attitudes and teaching-efficacy. Also it discussed the various problems faced by Japanese and Singaporean teachers and how they identified their coping strategies to circumvent their challenges in including their students with special needs in their regular classrooms. The significance of this research manifests in necessary educational reforms in both countries especially in the context of inclusive education. These findings may not be as definitive as expected but it is believed that it could provide useful information on the current situation about teachers’ concerns towards the inclusive education. In conclusion, this research could potentially make its positive contribution to the body of literature on teachers’ attitudes and teaching-efficacy in the context of Asian developed countries and these findings could posit that regular teachers’ positive attitudes and strong sense of teaching self-efficacy could directly improve the success rate of inclusion of students with special needs in the regular classrooms.Keywords: attitudes, inclusive education, special education, teaching-efficacy
Procedia PDF Downloads 334