Search results for: high order thinking skills

Authors: Ayman Hijazi, Witold Kwapinski, J. J. Leahy

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Finding a sustainable alternative energy to fossil fuel is an urgent need as various environmental challenges in the world arise. Therefore, formic acid (FA) decomposition has been an attractive field that lies at the center of biomass platform, comprising a potential pool of hydrogen energy that stands as a new energy vector. Liquid FA features considerable volumetric energy density of 6.4 MJ/L and a specific energy density of 5.3 MJ/Kg that qualifies it in the prime seat as an energy source for transportation infrastructure. Additionally, the increasing research interest in FA decomposition is driven by the need of in-situ H2 production, which plays a key role in the hydrogenation reactions of biomass into higher value components. It is reported elsewhere in literature that catalytic decomposition of FA is usually performed in poorly designed setup using simple glassware under magnetic stirring, thus demanding further energy investment to retain the used catalyst. it work suggests an approach that integrates designing a novel catalyst featuring magnetic property with a robust setup that minimizes experimental & measurement discrepancies. One of the most prominent active species for dehydrogenation/hydrogenation of biomass compounds is palladium. Accordingly, we investigate the potential of engrafting palladium metal onto functionalized magnetic nanoparticles as a heterogeneous catalyst to favor the production of CO-free H2 gas from FA. Using ordinary magnet to collect the spent catalyst renders core-shell magnetic nanoparticles as the backbone of the process. Catalytic experiments were performed in a jacketed batch reactor equipped with an overhead stirrer under inert medium. Through a novel approach, FA is charged into the reactor via high-pressure positive displacement pump at steady state conditions. The produced gas (H2+CO2) was measured by connecting the gas outlet to a measuring system based on the amount of the displaced water. The novelty of this work lies in designing a very responsive catalyst, pumping consistent amount of FA into a sealed reactor running at steady state mild temperatures, and continuous gas measurement, along with collecting the used catalyst without the need for centrifugation. Catalyst characterization using TEM, XRD, SEM, and CHN elemental analyzer provided us with details of catalyst preparation and facilitated new venues to alter the nanostructure of the catalyst framework. Consequently, the introduction of amine groups has led to appreciable improvements in terms of dispersion of the doped metals and eventually attaining nearly complete conversion (100%) of FA after 7 hours. The relative importance of the process parameters such as temperature (35-85°C), stirring speed (150-450rpm), catalyst loading (50-200mgr.), and Pd doping ratio (0.75-1.80wt.%) on gas yield was assessed by a Taguchi design-of-experiment based model. Experimental results showed that operating at lower temperature range (35-50°C) yielded more gas while the catalyst loading and Pd doping wt.% were found to be the most significant factors with a P-values 0.026 & 0.031, respectively.

Keywords: formic acid decomposition, green catalysis, hydrogen, mesoporous silica, process optimization, nanoparticles

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Authors: Wen Liu, Errol Haarhoff, Lee Beattie

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In 2010, New Zealand’s central government re-organise the local governments arrangements in Auckland, New Zealand by amalgamating its previous regional council and seven supporting local government units into a single unitary council, the Auckland Council. The Auckland Council is charged with providing local government services to approximately 1.5 million people (a third of New Zealand’s total population). This includes addressing Auckland’s strategic urban growth management and setting its urban planning policy directions for the next 40 years. This is expressed in the first ever spatial plan in the region – the Auckland Plan (2012). The Auckland plan supports implementing a compact city model by concentrating the larger part of future urban growth and development in, and around, existing and proposed transit centres, with the intention of Auckland to become globally competitive city and achieving ‘the most liveable city in the world’. Turning that vision into reality is operatized through the statutory land use plan, the Auckland Unitary Plan. The Unitary plan replaced the previous regional and local statutory plans when it became operative in 2016, becoming the ‘rule book’ on how to manage and develop the natural and built environment, using land use zones and zone standards. Common to the broad range of literature on urban growth management, one significant issue stands out about intensification. The ‘gap’ between strategic planning and what has been achieved is evident in the argument for the ‘compact’ urban form. Although the compact city model may have a wide range of merits, the extent to which these are actualized largely rely on how intensification actually is delivered. The transformation of the rhetoric of the residential intensification model into reality is of profound influence, yet has enjoyed limited empirical analysis. In Auckland, the establishment of the Auckland Plan set up the strategies to deliver intensification into diversified arenas. Nonetheless, planning policy itself does not necessarily achieve the envisaged objectives, delivering the planning system and high capacity to enhance and sustain plan implementation is another demanding agenda. Though the Auckland Plan provides a wide ranging strategic context, its actual delivery is beholden on the Unitary Plan. However, questions have been asked if the Unitary Plan has the necessary statutory tools to deliver the Auckland Plan’s policy outcomes. In Auckland, there is likely to be continuing tension between the strategies for intensification and their envisaged objectives, and made it doubtful whether the main principles of the intensification strategies could be realized. This raises questions over whether the Auckland Plan’s policy goals can be achieved in practice, including delivering ‘quality compact city’ and residential intensification. Taking Auckland as an example of traditionally sprawl cities, this article intends to investigate the efficacy plan making and implementation directed towards higher density development. This article explores the process of plan development, plan making and implementation frameworks of the first ever spatial plan in Auckland, so as to explicate the objectives and processes involved, and consider whether this will facilitate decision making processes to realize the anticipated intensive urban development.

Keywords: urban intensification, sustainable development, plan making, governance and implementation

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Authors: Nihad Chakri, Btissam El Amrani, Faouzi Berrada, Halima Jounaid, Fouad Amraoui

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Public baths or hammams play an essential role in the Moroccan urban and peri-urban fabric, constituting part of the cultural heritage. Urbanization in Morocco has led to a significant increase in the number of these traditional hammams: between 6,000 and 15,000 units (to be updated) operate with a traditional heating system. Numerous studies on energy consumption indicate that a hammam consumes between 60 and 120m3 of water and one to two tons of wood per day. On average, one ton of wood costs 650 Moroccan dirhams (approximately 60 Euros), resulting in a daily fuel cost of around 1300 Moroccan dirhams (about 120 Euros). These high consumptions result in significant environmental nuisances generated by: Wastewater: in the case of hammams located on the outskirts of Casablanca, such as our study area, the Municipality of Dar Bouazza, most of these waters are directly discharged into the receiving environment without prior treatment because they are not connected to the sanitation network. Emissions of black smoke and ashes produced by the often incomplete combustion of wood. Reducing the liquid and gas emissions generated by these hammams thus poses an environmental and sustainable development challenge that needs to be addressed. In this context, we initiated the Eco-hammam project with the objective of implementing innovative and locally adapted solutions to limit the negative impacts of hammams on the environment and reduce water and wood energy consumption. This involves treating and reusing wastewater through a compact system with heat recovery and using alternative energy sources to increase and enhance the energy efficiency of these traditional hammams. To achieve this, on-site surveys of hammams in the Dar Bouazza Municipality and the application of statistical approaches to the results of the physico-chemical and bacteriological characterization of incoming and outgoing water from these units were conducted. This allowed us to establish an environmental diagnosis of these entities. In conclusion, the analysis of well water used by Dar Bouazza's hammams revealed the presence of certain parameters that could be hazardous to public health, such as total germs, total coliforms, sulfite-reducing spores, chromium, nickel, and nitrates. Therefore, this work primarily focuses on prospecting upstream of our study area to verify if other sources of pollution influence the quality of well water.

Keywords: public baths, hammams, cultural heritage, urbanization, water consumption, wood consumption, environmental nuisances, wastewater, environmental challenge, sustainable development, Eco-hammam project, innovative solutions, local adaptation, negative impacts, water conservation, wastewater treatment, heat recovery, alternative energy sources, on-site surveys, Dar Bouazza Municipality, statistical approaches, physico-chemical characterization, bacteriological characterization, environmental diagnosis, well water analysis, public health, pollution sources, well water quality

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Authors: Brenagh E. Schlingermann, Clare Lodge, Paula Rankin

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Background: Gaelic football, hurling and camogie are highly popular field games in Ireland. Research into the epidemiology of injury in Gaelic games revealed that approximately three quarters of the injuries in the games occur in the lower extremity. These injuries can have player, team and institutional impacts due to multiple factors including financial burden and time loss from competition. Research has shown it is possible to record injury data consistently with the GAA through a closed online recording system known as the GAA injury surveillance database. It has been established that determining the incidence of injury is the first step of injury prevention. The goals of this study were to create a dynamic GAA15 injury prevention programme which addressed five key components/goals; avoid positions associated with a high risk of injury, enhance flexibility, enhance strength, optimize plyometrics and address sports specific agilities. These key components are internationally recognized through the Prevent Injury, Enhance performance (PEP) programme which has proven reductions in ACL injuries by 74%. In national Gaelic games the programme is known as the GAA15 which has been devised from the principles of the PEP. No such injury prevention strategies have been published on this cohort in Gaelic games to date. This study will investigate the effects of the GAA15 on injury incidence and neuromuscular function in Gaelic games. Methods: A total of 154 players (mean age 20.32 ± 2.84) were recruited from the GAA teams within the Institute of Technology Carlow (ITC). Preseason and post season testing involved two objective screening tests; Y balance test and Three Hop Test. Practical workshops, with ongoing liaison, were provided to the coaches on the implementation of the GAA15. The programme was performed before every training session and game and the existing GAA injury surveillance database was accessed to monitor player’s injuries by the college sports rehabilitation athletic therapist. Retrospective analysis of the ITC clinic records were performed in conjunction with the database analysis as a means of tracking injuries that may have been missed. The effects of the programme were analysed by comparing the intervention groups Y balance and three hop test scores to an age/gender matched control group. Results: Year 1 results revealed significant increases in neuromuscular function as a result of the GAA15. Y Balance test scores for the intervention group increased in both the posterolateral (p=.005 and p=.001) and posteromedial reach directions (p= .001 and p=.001). A decrease in performance was determined for the three hop test (p=.039). Overall twenty-five injuries were reported during the season resulting in an injury rate of 3.00 injuries/1000hrs of participation; 1.25 injuries/1000hrs training and 4.25 injuries/1000hrs match play. Non-contact injuries accounted for 40% of the injuries sustained. Year 2 results are pending and expected April 2016. Conclusion: It is envisaged that implementation of the GAA15 will continue to reduce the risk of injury and improve neuromuscular function in collegiate Gaelic games athletes.

Keywords: GAA15, Gaelic games, injury prevention, neuromuscular training

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Authors: Sajmina Khatun, Monika Pebam, Aravind Kumar Rengan

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Photothermal therapy, a subset of nanomedicine, takes advantage of light-absorbing agents to generate localized heat, selectively eradicating cancer cells. This innovative approach minimizes damage to healthy tissues and offers a promising avenue for targeted cancer treatment. Unlike conventional therapies, photothermal therapy harnesses the power of light to combat malignancies precisely and effectively, showcasing its potential to revolutionize cancer treatment paradigms. The combined strengths of nanomedicine and photothermal therapy signify a transformative shift toward more effective, targeted, and tolerable cancer treatments in the medical landscape. Utilizing natural products becomes instrumental in formulating diverse bioactive medications owing to their various pharmacological properties attributed to the existence of phenolic structures, triterpenoids, and similar compounds. Hyptis suaveolens, commonly known as pignut, stands as an aromatic herb within the Lamiaceae family and represents a valuable therapeutic plant. Flourishing in swamps and alongside tropical and subtropical roadsides, these noxious weeds impede the development of adjacent plants. Hyptis suaveolens ranks among the most globally distributed alien invasive species. The present investigation revealed that a versatile, biodegradable liposome nanosystem (HIL NPs), incorporating bioactive molecules from Hyptis suaveolens, exhibits effective bioavailability to cancer cells, enabling tumor ablation upon near-infrared (NIR) laser exposure. The components within the nanosystem, specifically the bioactive molecules from Hyptis, function as anticancer agents, aiding in the photothermal ablation of highly metastatic lung cancer cells. Despite being a prolific weed impeding neighboring plant growth, Hyptis suaveolens showcases therapeutic benefits through its bioactive compounds. The obtained HIL NPs, characterized as a photothermally active liposome nanosystem, demonstrate a pronounced fluorescence absorption peak in the NIR range and achieve a high photothermal conversion efficiency under NIR laser irradiation. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and particle size analysis reveal that HIL NPs possess a spherical shape with a size of 141 ± 30 nm. Moreover, in vitro assessments of HIL NPs against lung cancer cell lines (A549) indicate effective anticancer activity through a combined cytotoxic effect and hyperthermia. Tumor ablation is facilitated by apoptosis induced by the overexpression of ɣ-H2AX, arresting cancer cell proliferation. Consequently, the multifunctional and biodegradable nanosystem (HIL NPs), incorporating bioactive compounds from Hyptis, provides valuable perspectives for developing an innovative therapeutic strategy originating from a challenging weed. This approach holds promise for potential applications in both bioimaging and the combined use of phyto-photothermal therapy for cancer treatment.

Keywords: bioactive liposome, hyptis suaveolens, photothermal therapy, lung cancer

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Authors: Anna Mucha, Ewa Wojtyna, Anita Pollak

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The environment in which an individual resides and observes may play a meaningful role in well-being and related constructs. Contact with nature may have a positive influence of natural environments on individuals, impacting mood and psychophysical sensations, such as pain relief. Conversely, urban settings, dominated by concrete elements, might lead to mood decline and heightened stress levels. Similarly, the situation may appear in the case of the perception of virtual environments. However, this is a topic that requires further exploration, especially in the context of relationships with pain. The aforementioned matters served as the basis for formulating and executing the outlined experimental research within the realm of environmental psychology, leveraging new technologies, notably virtual reality (VR), which is progressively gaining prominence in the domain of mental health. The primary objective was to investigate the impact of a simulated virtual environment, mirroring a natural setting abundant in greenery, on the perception of acute pain induced by thermal stimuli (high temperature) – encompassing intensity, unpleasantness, and pain tolerance. Comparative analyses were conducted between the virtual natural environment (intentionally constructed in the likeness of a therapeutic garden), virtual urban environment, and a control group devoid of virtual projections. Secondary objectives aimed to determine the mutual relationships among variables such as positive and negative emotions, preferences regarding virtual environments, sense of presence, and restorative experience in the context of the perception of presented virtual environments and induced thermal pain. The study encompassed 126 physically healthy Polish adults, distributing 42 individuals across each of the three comparative groups. Oculus Rift VR technology and the TSA-II neurosensory analyzer facilitated the experiment. Alongside demographic data, participants' subjective feelings concerning virtual reality and pain were evaluated using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the original Restorative Experience in the Virtual World questionnaire (Doświadczenie Regeneracji w Wirtualnym Świecie), and an adapted Slater-Usoh-Steed (SUS) questionnaire. Results of statistical and psychometric analyses, such as Kruskal-Wallis tests, Wilcoxon tests, and contrast analyses, underscored the positive impact of the virtual natural environment on individual pain perception and mood. The virtual natural environment outperformed the virtual urban environment and the control group without virtual projection, particularly in subjective pain components like intensity and unpleasantness. Variables such as restorative experience, sense of presence and virtual environment preference also proved pivotal in pain perception and pain tolerance threshold alterations, contingent on specific conditions. This implies considerable application potential for virtual natural environments across diverse realms of psychology and related fields, among others as a supportive analgesic approach and a form of relaxation following psychotherapeutic sessions.

Keywords: environmental psychology, nature, acute pain, emotions, vitrual reality, virtual environments

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Authors: Natalie Hoyer

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Usually, steel structures are designed for the upper region of the steel toughness-temperature curve. To address the reduced toughness properties in the temperature transition range, additional safety assessments based on fracture mechanics are necessary. These assessments enable the appropriate selection of steel materials to prevent brittle fracture. In this context, recommendations were established in 2011 to regulate the appropriate selection of steel grades for bridge bearing components. However, these recommendations are no longer fully aligned with more recent insights: Designing bridge bearings and their components in accordance with DIN EN 1337 and the relevant sections of DIN EN 1993 has led to an increasing trend of using large plate thicknesses, especially for long-span bridges. However, these plate thicknesses surpass the application limits specified in the national appendix of DIN EN 1993-2. Furthermore, compliance with the regulations outlined in DIN EN 1993-1-10 regarding material toughness and through-thickness properties requires some further modifications. Therefore, these standards cannot be directly applied to the material selection for bearings without additional information. In addition, recent findings indicate that certain bridge bearing components are subjected to high fatigue loads, necessitating consideration in structural design, material selection, and calculations. To address this issue, the German Center for Rail Traffic Research initiated a research project aimed at developing a proposal to enhance the existing standards. This proposal seeks to establish guidelines for the selection of steel materials for bridge bearings to prevent brittle fracture, particularly for thick plates and components exposed to specific fatigue loads. The results derived from theoretical analyses, including finite element simulations and analytical calculations, are verified through component testing on a large-scale. During these large-scale tests, where a brittle failure is deliberately induced in a bearing component, an artificially generated defect is introduced into the specimen at the predetermined hotspot. Subsequently, a dynamic load is imposed until the crack initiation process transpires, replicating realistic conditions akin to a sharp notch resembling a fatigue crack. To stop the action of the dynamic load in time, it is important to precisely determine the point at which the crack size transitions from stable crack growth to unstable crack growth. To achieve this, the potential drop measurement method is employed. The proposed paper informs about the choice of measurement method (alternating current potential drop (ACPD) or direct current potential drop (DCPD)), presents results from correlations with created FE models, and may proposes a new approach to introduce beach marks into the fracture surface within the framework of potential drop measurement.

Keywords: beach marking, bridge bearing design, brittle fracture, design for fatigue, potential drop

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Authors: S. Nishat Fatima Rizvi, Tulika Chandra, Abbas Ali Mahdi, Devisha Agarwal

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Introduction: Blood components are an unexplored area prone to numerous discoveries which influence patient’s care. Experiments at different levels will further change the present concept of blood banking. Hyperlipidemia is a condition of elevated plasma level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) as well as decreased plasma level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Studies show that platelets play a vital role in the progression of atherosclerosis and thrombosis, a major cause of death worldwide. They are activated by many triggers like elevated LDL in the blood resulting in aggregation and formation of plaques. Hyperlipidemic platelets are frequently transfused to patients with various disorders. Screening the random donor platelets for hyperlipidemia and correlating the condition with other donor criteria such as lipid rich diet, oral contraceptive pills intake, weight, alcohol intake, smoking, sedentary lifestyle, family history of heart diseases will lead to further deciding the exclusion criteria for donor selection. This will help in making the patients safe as well as the donor deferral criteria more stringent to improve the quality of blood supply. Technical evaluation and assessment will enable blood bankers to supply safe blood and improve the guidelines for blood safety. Thus, we try to study the correlation between hyperlipidemic platelets with platelets parameters, weight, and specific history of the donors. Methodology: This case control study included 100 blood samples of Blood donors, out of 100 only 30 samples were found to be hyperlipidemic and were included as cases, while rest were taken as controls. Lipid Profile were measured by fully automated analyzer (TRIGL:triglycerides),(LDL-C:LDL –Cholesterol plus 2nd generation),CHOL 2: Cholesterol Gen 2), HDL C 3: HDL-Cholesterol plus 3rdgeneration)-(Cobas C311-Roche Diagnostic).And Platelets parameters were analyzed by the Sysmex KX21 automated hematology analyzer. Results: A significant correlation was found amongst hyperlipidemic level in single time donor. In which 80% donors have history of heart disease, 66.66% donors have sedentary life style, 83.3% donors were smokers, 50% donors were alcoholic, and 63.33% donors had taken lipid rich diet. Active physical activity was found amongst 40% donors. We divided donors sample in two groups based on their body weight. In group 1, hyperlipidemic samples: Platelet Parameters were 75% in normal 25% abnormal in >70Kg weight while in 50-70Kg weight 90% were normal 10% were abnormal. In-group 2, Non Hyperlipidemic samples: platelet Parameters were 95% normal and 5% abnormal in >70Kg weight, while in 50-70Kg Weight, 66.66% normal and 33.33% abnormal. Conclusion: The findings indicate that Hyperlipidemic status of donors may affect the platelet parameters and can be distinguished on history by their weight, Smoking, Alcoholic intake, Sedentary lifestyle, Active physical activity, Lipid rich diet, Oral contraceptive pills intake, and Family history of heart disease. However further studies on a large sample size will affirm this finding.

Keywords: blood donors, hyperlipidemia, platelet, weight

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Authors: Muccifora S., Rinallo C., Bellani L.

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Calcium (Ca²+) is an element essential to the plant being involved in plant growth and development. At high concentrations, it is toxic and can influence every stage, process and cellular activity of plant life. Given its toxicity, cells implement mechanisms to compartmentalize calcium in a vacuole, endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, plastids and cell wall. One of the most effective mechanisms to reduce the excess of calcium, thus avoiding cellular damage, is its complexation with oxalic acid to form calcium oxalate crystals that are no longer osmotically or physiologically active. However, the sequestered calcium can be mobilized when the plant needs it. Calcium crystals can be accumulated in the vacuole of specialized sink-cells called idioblasts, with different crystalline forms (druse, raphyde and styloid) of diverse physiological meanings. Actinidia deliciosa cv. Hayward presents raphydes and styloid localized in idioblasts in cells of photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic tissues. The purpose of this work was to understand if there is a relationship between the age of Actinidia leaves and the presence, distribution, dimension and shape of oxalate crystals by means of light, fluorescent, polarized and transmission electron microscopy. Three vines from female plants were chosen at the beginning of the season and used throughout the study. The leaves with petioles were collected at various stages of development from the bottom to the shoot of the plants monthly from April to July. The samples were taken in corresponding areas of the central and lateral parts of the leaves and of the basal portion of the petiole. The results showed that in the leaves, the number of raphyde idioblasts decreased with the progress of the growing season, while the styloid idioblasts increased progressively, becoming very numerous in the upper nodes of July. In June and in July samples, in the vacuoles of the highest nodes, a portion regular in shape strongly stained with rubeanic acid was present. Moreover, the chlortetracycline (CTC) staining for localization of free calcium marked the wall of the idioblasts and the wall of the cells near vascular bundles. In April petiole samples, moving towards the youngest nodes, the raphydes idioblast decreased in number and in the length of the single raphydes. Besides, crystals stained with rubeanic acid appeared in the vacuoles of some cells. In June samples, numerous raphyde idioblasts oriented parallel to vascular bundles were evident. Under the electron microscope, numerous idioblasts presented not homogeneous electrondense aggregates of material, in which a few crystals (styloids) in the form of regular holes were scattered. In July samples, an increase in the number of styloid idioblasts in the youngest nodes and little masses stained with CTC near styloids were observed. Peculiar cells stained with rubeanic acid were detected and hypothesized to be involved in the formation of the idioblasts. In conclusion, in Actinidia leaves and petioles, it seems to confirm the hypothesis that the formation of styloid idioblasts can be correlated to increasing calcium levels in growing tissues.

Keywords: calcium oxalate crystals, actinidia deliciosa, light and electron microscopy, idioblasts

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Authors: Arushi S. Goyal, Jo Aggarwal, Ravi Jasuja

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Statement of the Problem: Vapes have always been marketed as safer alternatives to traditional cigarettes; however, research suggests that perceived safety of e-cigarettes use may be overstated. While the addictive properties of nicotine have garnered significant scientific interest, the adverse effects of ‘inert’ ingredients in vapes are being investigated only recently. Seemingly harmless components in vapes such as propylene glycol have been shown to damage astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, and certain flavorings are causatively associated with neuroinflammation. With ease of concealment and varied aromas, vape usage amongst high school students continues unabated in countries like India, which have instituted comprehensive bans on e-cigarettes. With overt government ban, there is paucity of public data on determinants of teenage vaping patterns and parental engagement in curbing this debilitating dependency. Additionally, the large body of peer reviewed studies on vaping have been primarily conducted in Western countries. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to examine the factors affecting the causes and attitudes towards vaping among adolescents in urban India, as well as the gaps in parental awareness. We posit that this study would lay out a reusable framework for extending the studies across conservative societies where adolescents support vaping behavior even with strong governmental policies. Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: Two surveys were used to collect data. Participants from eight private schools in Bangalore completed an online survey. The first survey sampled adolescents aged 14-18, while the second surveyed the parents of children in the same age group from the same schools. Informed consent was obtained from all participants, and all data collected was anonymous. Results: We find substantial discordance in self-reported vape use by the adolescents and the parents’ knowledge of their child’s exposure to vaping. Over one fifth of respondents (22.4%) reported using e-cigarettes, while only 5% of parents reported that their children used e-cigarettes. Even though over 70% of adolescents believe that vaping is addictive, only 22.8% of respondents were aware of the components, or the extent of its impact. While peer pressure is often perceived to be the enabling factor, curiosity was reported as the primary reason for the initiation. Adolescents who vape saw regulations on sales and marketing as the most effective deterrent. In contrast, parents and other students leaned on school infrastructure to intervene. There has been a significant increase in vaping and a substantial discordance between parental perceptions and adolescent vaping. Conclusion & Significance: Despite a complete ban, vapes continue to be easily accessible. The data suggests that an open discussion about the adverse health consequences of untested, “seemingly inert” ingredients in these unregulated vape liquids would galvanize the student community by demystifying vaping. While increased regulation against the sale of vapes deters open use, increased parental involvement could enable open dialog with children and assist in reducing the prevalence of vaping. A reduction in vaping could have a considerable impact on the health and educational outcomes for the youth of India.

Keywords: adolescent, e-cigarettes, health consequences, India, parental awareness, vapes

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Authors: Andreas Lind, Aitor Iriondo Pascual, Dan Hogberg, Lars Hanson

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Factory setup lifecycles are most often described and prepared in CAD environments; the preparation is based on experience and inputs from several cross-disciplinary processes. Early in the factory setup preparation, a so-called block layout is created. The intention is to describe a high-level view of the intended factory setup and to claim area reservations and allocations. Factory areas are then blocked, i.e., targeted to be used for specific intended resources and processes, later redefined with detailed factory setup layouts. Each detailed layout is based on the block layout and inputs from cross-disciplinary preparation processes, such as manufacturing sequence, productivity, workers’ workplace requirements, and resource setup preparation. However, this activity is often not carried out with all variables considered simultaneously, which might entail a risk of sub-optimizing the detailed layout based on manual decisions. Therefore, this work aims to realize a digital method for assembly manufacturing layout planning where productivity, area utilization, and ergonomics can be considered simultaneously in a cross-disciplinary manner. The purpose of the digital method is to support engineers in finding optimized designs of detailed layouts for assembly manufacturing factories, thereby facilitating better decisions regarding setups of future factories. Input datasets are company-specific descriptions of required dimensions for specific area reservations, such as defined dimensions of a worker’s workplace, material façades, aisles, and the sequence to realize the product assembly manufacturing process. To test and iteratively develop the digital method, a demonstrator has been developed with an adaptation of existing software that simulates and proposes optimized designs of detailed layouts. Since the method is to consider productivity, ergonomics, area utilization, and constraints from the automatically generated block layout, a multi-objective optimization approach is utilized. In the demonstrator, the input data are sent to the simulation software industrial path solutions (IPS). Based on the input and Lua scripts, the IPS software generates a block layout in compliance with the company’s defined dimensions of area reservations. Communication is then established between the IPS and the software EPP (Ergonomics in Productivity Platform), including intended resource descriptions, assembly manufacturing process, and manikin (digital human) resources. Using multi-objective optimization approaches, the EPP software then calculates layout proposals that are sent iteratively and simulated and rendered in IPS, following the rules and regulations defined in the block layout as well as productivity and ergonomics constraints and objectives. The software demonstrator is promising. The software can handle several parameters to optimize the detailed layout simultaneously and can put forward several proposals. It can optimize multiple parameters or weight the parameters to fine-tune the optimal result of the detailed layout. The intention of the demonstrator is to make the preparation between cross-disciplinary silos transparent and achieve a common preparation of the assembly manufacturing factory setup, thereby facilitating better decisions.

Keywords: factory setup, multi-objective, optimization, simulation

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Authors: Juliette Begin, Juliano Colapelle, Andrea Taratanu, Daniel Thirion, Amelie Marsot, Bryan A. Ross

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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a leading cause of death globally, is characterized by chronic airflow obstruction and acute exacerbations (AECOPDs) that are often triggered by respiratory infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), a potentially serious bacterial cause of AECOPDs, is treated with targeted anti-pseudomonal antibiotics. These select few antimicrobials are often used as first-line therapy in patients who are clinically unwell and/or in those suspected of P. aeruginosa-related infection prior to confirmation, potentially contributing to antimicrobial resistance. The present study evaluates prescribing practices in patients with a confirmed sputum history of P. aeruginosa admitted for AECOPD at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and treated with anti-pseudomonal antibiotics. Serum antibiotic concentrations were measured from the same-day peak, trough, and mid-dose blood sampling intervals after reaching steady-state (on or after day 3) and were quantified using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC). Demographic, clinical, and treatment outcomes were extracted from patient medical charts. Treatment failure was defined by respiratory-related death or mechanical ventilation after ≥3 days of antibiotics; antibiotic therapy extended beyond 2 weeks or a new antibiotic regimen started; or urgent care readmission within 30 days for AECOPD. To date, 9 of 30 planned participants have completed testing: seven received ciprofloxacin, one received meropenem, and one received piperacillin-tazobactam. Due to serum sample batching requirements, the serum ciprofloxacin concentration results for the first 2/8 participants are presented at the time of writing. The first participant had serum levels of 5.45mg/L (T₀), 4.74mg/L (T₅₀), and 4.49mg/L (T₁₀₀), while the second had serum levels of 5mg/L (T₀), 2.6mg/L (T₅₀), and 2.51mg/L (T₁₀₀). Pharmacokinetic parameters Cmax (5.18±0.43mg/L), T₁/₂ (23.56±18.94hours), and AUC (181.9±155.95mg*h/l) were higher than reported monograph values and met target AUC-to-MIC ratio of >125. The patients treated with meropenem and with piperacillin-tazobactam experienced treatment failure. Preliminary results suggest that standard ciprofloxacin dosing in patients experiencing an AECOPD and colonized with P. aeruginosa appears to achieve effective serum concentrations. Final cohort results will inform the pharmacokinetic appropriateness and clinical sufficiency of current AECOPD antimicrobial strategies in P. aeruginosa-colonized patients. This study will guide clinicians in determining the appropriate dosing for AECOPD treatment to achieve therapeutic levels, optimizing outcomes, and minimizing adverse effects. It could also highlight the value of routine antibiotic level monitoring in patients with treatment failure to ensure optimal serum concentrations.

Keywords: acute exacerbation, antimicrobial resistance, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, Pseudomonas aeruginosa

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Authors: Emma J. Dale, Christina D. Buesching, Kevin R. Theis, David W. Macdonald

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This study investigates the oral and intestinal microbiomes of wild-living European badgers (Meles meles) and will relate inter-individual differences to social contact networks, somatic and reproductive fitness, varying susceptibility to bovine tuberculous (bTB) and to the olfactory advertisement. Badgers are an interesting model for this research, as they have great variation in body condition, despite living in complex social networks and having access to the same resources. This variation in somatic fitness, in turn, affects breeding success, particularly in females. We postulate that microbiota have a central role to play in determining the successfulness of an individual. Our preliminary results, characterising the microbiota of individual badgers, indicate unique compositions of microbiota communities within social groups of badgers. This basal information will inform further questions related to the extent microbiota influence fitness. Hitherto, the potential role of microbiota has not been considered in determining host condition, but also other key fitness variables, namely; communication and resistance to disease. Badgers deposit their faeces in communal latrines, which play an important role in olfactory communication. Odour profiles of anal and subcaudal gland secretions are highly individual-specific and encode information about group-membership and fitness-relevant parameters, and their chemical composition is strongly dependent on symbiotic microbiota. As badgers sniff/ lick (using their Vomeronasal organ) and over-mark faecal deposits of conspecifics, these microbial communities can be expected to vary with social contact networks. However, this is particularly important in the context of bTB, where badgers are assumed to transmit bTB to cattle as well as conspecifics. Interestingly, we have found that some individuals are more susceptible to bTB than are others. As acquired immunity and thus potential susceptibility to infectious diseases are known to depend also on symbiotic microbiota in other members of the mustelids, a role of particularly oral microbiota can currently not be ruled out as a potential explanation for inter-individual differences in infection susceptibility of bTB in badgers. Tri annually badgers are caught in the context of a long-term population study that began in 1987. As all badgers receive an individual tattoo upon first capture, age, natal as well as previous and current social group-membership and other life history parameters are known for all animals. Swabs (subcaudal ‘scent gland’, anal, genital, nose, mouth and ear) and fecal samples will be taken from all individuals, stored at -80oC until processing. Microbial samples will be processed and identified at Wayne State University’s Theis (Host-Microbe Interactions) Lab, using High Throughput Sequencing (16S rRNA-encoding gene amplification and sequencing). Acknowledgments: Gas-Chromatography/ Mass-spectrometry (in the context of olfactory communication) analyses will be performed through an established collaboration with Dr. Veronica Tinnesand at Telemark University, Norway.

Keywords: communication, energetics, fitness, free-ranging animals, immunology

Procedia PDF Downloads 186

Authors: Maksim Barsakov

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Introduction. In modern plastic surgery, there are a large number of breast lift techniques.Due to the spreading information about the "side effects" of silicone implants, interest in implant-free mastopexy is increasing year after year. However, despite the variety of techniques, patients sometimes do not get full satisfaction from the results of mastopexy because of the unexpressed filling of the upper pole, extended anchoring postoperative scars and sometimes because of obtaining an aesthetically unattractive breast shape. The stability of the result after mastopexy depends on many factors, including postoperative rehabilitation. Stability of weight and hormonal background, stretchability of tissues. The high recurrence rate of ptosis and short-term aesthetic effect of mastopexy indicate the urgency of improving surgical techniques and increasing the stabilization of breast tissue. Purpose of the study. To develop and introduce into practice a technique of mastopexy based on the use of a modified Ribeiro flap, as well as elements of tissue movement and fixation designed to increase the stability of postoperative mastopexy. In addition, to give indications for the application of this surgical technique. Materials and Methods. it operated on 103 patients aged 18 to 53 years from 2019 to 2023 according to the reported method. These were patients with primary mastopexy, secondary mastopexy, and also patient with implant removal and one-stage mastopexy. The patients were followed up for 12 months to assess the stability of the result. Results and their discussion. Observing the patients, we noted greater stability of the breast shape and upper pole filling compared to the conventional classical methods. We did not have to resort to anchoring scars. In 90 percent of cases, a inverted T-shape scar was used. In 10 percent, the J-scar was used. The quantitative distribution of complications identified among the operated patients is as follows: worsened healing of the junction of vertical and horizontal sutures at the period of 1-1.5 months after surgery - 15 patients; at treatment with ointment method healing was observed in 7-30 days; permanent loss of NAC sensitivity - 0 patients; vascular disorders in the area of NAC/areola necrosis - 0 patients; marginal necrosis of the areola-2 patients. independent healing within 3-4 weeks without aesthetic defects. Aesthetically unacceptable mature scars-3 patients; partial liponecrosis of the autoflap unilaterally - 1 patient. recurrence of ptosis - 1 patient (after weight loss of 12 kg). In the late postoperative period, 2 patients became pregnant, gave birth, and no lactation problems were observed. Conclusion. Thus, in the world of plastic surgery methods of breast lift continue to improve, which is especially relevant in modern times, due to the increased attention to this operation. The author's proposed method of mastopexy with glandular autoflap allows obtaining in most cases a stable result, a fuller breast shape, avoiding the presence of extended anchoring scars, and also preserves the possibility of lactation. The author of this article has obtained a patent for invention for this method of mastopexy.

Keywords: mastopexy, mammoplasty, autoflap, personal technique

Procedia PDF Downloads 35

Authors: Maria Cardova

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Aim and objectives: The purpose of this studywas to explore to what extent the deprivation statusinfluenced children’s physical activity, dietary behaviour, and health outcomes such as weight status. Background: The United Kingdom’s childhood obesity rates are currently ranked among the highest in Europe. North West England deals with highest rates of childhood obesity. Data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study suggested a deprivation gradient to childhood obesity in England, with obesity rates being the highest in the most deprived areas. Traditionally, it has been individual conception of health, but the contemporary stance is that health behaviours affecting obesity are influenced by a broad range of factors operating at multiple levels. According to socio-ecological model of health behaviour, differences in obesity rates and health outcomes are likely explained by differences in lifestyle behaviours including physical activity and diet behaviours. However, higher rates of obesity among deprived children are not due to physical inactivity, in fact, most socially disadvantaged children are the most physically active. Poor diet including high consumption of fast food and sugar-sweetened beverages and low consumption of fruit and vegetables was found to be the most prevalent among adolescents living in poverty. Methods: This study adopted quantitative approach. It consisted of combination of basic demographic data, anthropometry, and questionnaires. Children (N = 165, mean age = 10.04 years; 53.33% female; 46.66% male) completed survey packs during school day including KIDSCREEN, Youth Activity Profile, Beverage and Snack Questionnaire, and Child Body Image Scale questionnaires as well as had anthropometric measurements taken including Body mass index, waist circumference, weight, and height. Children’s deprivation status was based on the English Indices of Multiple Deprivation scores of the school they attended. Results: Children from more deprived areas had higher weight status, waist circumference. Deprivation status had also effect on some dimensions of the KIDSCREEN questionnaire, such as that those from more deprived areas felt less socially accepted and bullied by their peers, had worse feelings about themselves such as body image, and more difficulty with school and learning. Children from more deprived areas reported higher rates of physical activity and also differences in snack and fruit and vegetable intake than their more affluent peers. Conclusion: Results demonstrated that, children living in the most-deprived areas appear to be at greater risk of unfavourable health-related variables and behaviours and are exposed to home and neighbourhood environments that are less conducive to health-promoting behaviours compared to their peers from less deprived areas. These findings indicate that children living in highly deprived areas represent an important group for future interventions designed to promote health-behaviours that would impact on the quality of life of the child and other health variables such as weight status.

Keywords: children, dietary behaviour, health, obesity, physical Activity, weight Status

Procedia PDF Downloads 133

Authors: Sabina Huč, Staffan Svensson, Tomaž Hozjan

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Timber structures may be exposed to various environmental conditions during their service life. Often, the structures have to resist extreme changes in the relative humidity of surrounding air, with simultaneously carrying the loads. Wood material response for this load case is seen as increasing deformation of the timber structure. Relative humidity variations cause moisture changes in timber and consequently shrinkage and swelling of the material. Moisture changes and loads acting together result in mechano-sorptive creep, while sustained load gives viscoelastic creep. In some cases, magnitude of the mechano-sorptive strain can be about five times the elastic strain already at low stress levels. Therefore, analyzing mechano-sorptive creep and its influence on timber structures’ long-term behavior is of high importance. Relatively many one-dimensional rheological models for rheological behavior of wood can be found in literature, while a number of models coupling creep response in each material direction is limited. In this study, mathematical formulation of a coupled two-dimensional mechano-sorptive model and its application to the experimental results are presented. The mechano-sorptive model constitutes of a moisture transport model and a mechanical model. Variation of the moisture content in wood is modelled by multi-Fickian moisture transport model. The model accounts for processes of the bound-water and water-vapor diffusion in wood, that are coupled through sorption hysteresis. Sorption defines a nonlinear relation between moisture content and relative humidity. Multi-Fickian moisture transport model is able to accurately predict unique, non-uniform moisture content field within the timber member over time. Calculated moisture content in timber members is used as an input to the mechanical analysis. In the mechanical analysis, the total strain is assumed to be a sum of the elastic strain, viscoelastic strain, mechano-sorptive strain, and strain due to shrinkage and swelling. Mechano-sorptive response is modelled by so-called spring-dashpot type of a model, that proved to be suitable for describing creep of wood. Mechano-sorptive strain is dependent on change of moisture content. The model includes mechano-sorptive material parameters that have to be calibrated to the experimental results. The calibration is made to the experiments carried out on wooden blocks subjected to uniaxial compressive loaded in tangential direction and varying humidity conditions. The moisture and the mechanical model are implemented in a finite element software. The calibration procedure gives the required, distinctive set of mechano-sorptive material parameters. The analysis shows that mechano-sorptive strain in transverse direction is present, though its magnitude and variation are substantially lower than the mechano-sorptive strain in the direction of loading. The presented mechano-sorptive model enables observing real temporal and spatial distribution of the moisture-induced strains and stresses in timber members. Since the model’s suitability for predicting mechano-sorptive strains is shown and the required material parameters are obtained, a comprehensive advanced analysis of the stress-strain state in timber structures, including connections subjected to constant load and varying humidity is possible.

Keywords: mechanical analysis, mechano-sorptive creep, moisture transport model, timber

Procedia PDF Downloads 244

Authors: Marie Guittonny-LarchevêQue

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In boreal Canada, industrial activities such as forestry, peat extraction and metal mines often occur nearby. At closure, mine waste storage facilities have to be reclaimed. On tailings storage facilities, tree plantations can achieve rapid restoration of forested landscapes. However, trees poorly grow in mine tailings and organic amendments like peat are required to improve tailings’ structure and nutrients. Canada is a well-known producer of horticultural quality peat, but some lower quality peats coming from areas adjacent to the reclaimed mines could allow successful revegetation. In particular, hemic peat coming from the bottom of peat-bogs is more decomposed than fibric peat and is less valued for horticulture. Moreover, forest peat is sometimes excavated and piled by the forest industry after cuttings to stimulate tree regeneration on the exposed mineral soil. The objective of this project was to compare the ability of peats of differing quality and origin to improve tailings structure, nutrients and tree development. A greenhouse experiment was conducted along one growing season in 2016 with a complete randomized block design combining 8 repetitions (blocks) x 2 tree species (Populus tremuloides and Pinus banksiana) x 6 substrates (tailings, commercial horticultural peat, and mixtures of tailings with commercial peat, forest peat, local fibric peat, or local hemic peat) x 2 fertilization levels (with or without mineral fertilization). The used tailings came from a gold mine and were low in sulfur and trace metals. The commercial peat had a slightly acidic pH (around 6) while other peats had a clearly acidic pH (around 3). However, mixing peat with slightly alkaline tailings resulted in a pH close to 7 whatever the tested peats. The macroporosity of mixtures was intermediate between the low values of tailings (4%) and the high values of commercial peat alone (34%). Seedling survival was lower on tailings for poplar compared to all other treatments, with or without fertilization. Survival and growth were similar among all treatments for pine. Fertilization had no impact on the maximal height and diameter of poplar seedlings but changed the relative performance of the substrates. When not fertilized, poplar seedlings grown in commercial peat were the highest and largest, and the smallest and slenderest in tailings, with intermediate values in mixtures. When fertilized, poplar seedlings grown in commercial peat were smaller and slender compared to all other substrates. However for this species, foliar, shoot, and root biomass production was the greatest in commercial peat and the lowest in tailings compared to all mixtures, whether fertilized or not. The mixture with local fibric peat provided the seedlings with the lowest foliar N concentrations compared to all other substrates whatever the species or the fertilization treatment. At the short-term, the performance of all the tested peats were close when mixed to tailings, showing that peats of lower quality could be valorized instead of using horticultural peat. These results demonstrate that intersectorial synergies in accordance with the principles of circular economy may be developed in boreal Canada between local industries around the reclamation of mine waste dumps.

Keywords: boreal trees, mine spoil, mine revegetation, intersectorial synergies

Procedia PDF Downloads 249

Authors: Bar Y. Ainuz, Harry M. Salinas, Aleeza Ali, Eli B. Levitt, Austin J. Pourmoussa, Antoun Bouz, Miguel A. Medina

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Introduction: Breast conservation therapy remains the mainstay surgical treatment for early breast cancer. Oncoplastic techniques, in conjunction with lumpectomy and adjuvant radiotherapy, have been demonstrated to achieve good aesthetic results without adversely affecting cancer outcomes in the treatment of patients with macromastia or significant ptosis. In our patient population, many women present for breast conservation with pre-existing cosmetic implants or with breast volumes too small for soft tissue, only oncoplastic techniques. Our study evaluated a consecutive series of patients presenting for breast conservation undergoing concomitant oncoplastic-augmentation-mastopexy (OAM) with a contralateral augmentation-mastopexy for symmetry. Methods: OAM surgical technique involves simultaneous lumpectomy with exchange or placement of implants, oncoplastic mastopexy, and concomitant contralateral augmentation mastopexy for symmetry. Patients undergoing lumpectomy for breast conservation as outpatients were identified via retrospective chart review at a high volume private academic affiliated community-based cancer center. Patients with ptosis and either pre-existing breast implants or insufficient breast volume undergoing oncoplastic implant placement (or exchange) and mastopexy were included in the study. Operative details, aesthetic outcomes, and complications were assessed. Results: Over a continuous three-year period, with a two-surgeon cohort, 30 consecutive patients (56 breasts, 4 unilateral procedures) were identified. Patients had an average age of 52.5 years and an average BMI of 27.5, with 40% smokers or former smokers. The average operative time was 2.5 hours, the average implant size removed was 352 cc, and the average implant size placed was 300 cc. All new implants were smooth silicone, with the majority (92%) placed in a retropectoral fashion. 40% of patients received chemotherapy, and 80% of patients received whole breast adjuvant photon radiotherapy with a total radiation dose of either 42.56 or 52.56 Gy. The average and median length of follow-up were both 8.2 months. Of the 24 patients that received radiotherapy, 21% had asymmetry due to capsular contracture. A total of 7 patients (29.2%) underwent revisions for either positive margins (12.5%), capsular contracture (8.3%), implant loss (4.2%), or cosmetic concerns (4.2%). One patient developed a pulmonary embolism in the acute postoperative period and was treated with anticoagulant therapy. Conclusion: Oncoplastic augmentation mastopexy is a safe technique with good aesthetic outcomes and acceptable complication rates for ptotic patients with breast cancer and a paucity of breast volume or pre-existing implants who wish to pursue breast-conserving therapy. The revision rates compare favorably with single-stage cosmetic augmentation procedures as well as other oncoplastic techniques described in the literature. The short-term capsular contracture rates seem lower than the rates in patients undergoing radiation after mastectomy and implant-based reconstruction. Long term capsular contractures and revision rates are too early to know in this cohort.

Keywords: breast conserving therapy, oncoplastic augmentation mastopexy, capsular contracture, breast reconstruction

Procedia PDF Downloads 135

Authors: Ernest Moles, Patricia Urbán, María Belén Jiménez-Díaz, Sara Viera-Morilla, Iñigo Angulo-Barturen, Maria Antònia Busquets, Xavier Fernàndez-Busquets

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Bearing in mind the absence of an effective vaccine against malaria and its severe clinical manifestations causing nearly half a million deaths every year, this disease represents nowadays a major threat to life. Besides, the basic rationale followed by currently marketed antimalarial approaches is based on the administration of drugs on their own, promoting the emergence of drug-resistant parasites owing to the limitation in delivering drug payloads into the parasitized erythrocyte high enough to kill the intracellular pathogen while minimizing the risk of causing toxic side effects to the patient. Such dichotomy has been successfully addressed through the specific delivery of immunoliposome (iLP)-encapsulated antimalarials to Plasmodium falciparum-infected red blood cells (pRBCs). Unfortunately, this strategy has not progressed towards clinical applications, whereas in vitro assays rarely reach drug efficacy improvements above 10-fold. Here, we show that encapsulation efficiencies reaching >96% can be achieved for the weakly basic drugs chloroquine (CQ) and primaquine using the pH gradient active loading method in liposomes composed of neutrally charged, saturated phospholipids. Targeting antibodies are best conjugated through their primary amino groups, adjusting chemical crosslinker concentration to retain significant antigen recognition. Antigens from non-parasitized RBCs have also been considered as targets for the intracellular delivery of drugs not affecting the erythrocytic metabolism. Using this strategy, we have obtained unprecedented nanocarrier targeting to early intraerythrocytic stages of the malaria parasite for which there is a lack of specific extracellular molecular tags. Polyethylene glycol-coated liposomes conjugated with monoclonal antibodies specific for the erythrocyte surface protein glycophorin A (anti-GPA iLP) were capable of targeting 100% RBCs and pRBCs at the low concentration of 0.5 μM total lipid in the culture, with >95% of added iLPs retained into the cells. When exposed for only 15 min to P. falciparum in vitro cultures synchronized at early stages, free CQ had no significant effect over parasite viability up to 200 nM drug, whereas iLP-encapsulated 50 nM CQ completely arrested its growth. Furthermore, when assayed in vivo in P. falciparum-infected humanized mice, anti-GPA iLPs cleared the pathogen below detectable levels at a CQ dose of 0.5 mg/kg. In comparison, free CQ administered at 1.75 mg/kg was, at most, 40-fold less efficient. Our data suggest that this significant improvement in drug antimalarial efficacy is in part due to a prophylactic effect of CQ found by the pathogen in its host cell right at the very moment of invasion.

Keywords: immunoliposomal nanoparticles, malaria, prophylactic-therapeutic polyvalent activity, targeted drug delivery

Procedia PDF Downloads 374

Authors: Ramiz M. Shubbar, Dong In Lee, Hatem A. Gzar, Arthur S. Rood

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Air pollution is one of the biggest environmental problems in Baghdad, Iraq. The Daura refinery located nearest the center of Baghdad, represents the largest industrial area, which transmits enormous amounts of pollutants, therefore study the gaseous pollutants and particulate matter are very important to the environment and the health of the workers in refinery and the people whom leaving in areas around the refinery. Actually, some studies investigated the studied area before, but it depended on the basic Gaussian equation in a simple computer programs, however, that kind of work at that time is very useful and important, but during the last two decades new largest production units were added to the Daura refinery such as, PU_3 (Power unit_3 (Boiler 11&12)), CDU_1 (Crude Distillation unit_70000 barrel_1), and CDU_2 (Crude Distillation unit_70000 barrel_2). Therefore, it is necessary to use new advanced model to study air pollution at the region for the new current years, and calculation the monthly emission rate of pollutants through actual amounts of fuel which consumed in production unit, this may be lead to accurate concentration values of pollutants and the behavior of dispersion or transport in study area. In this study to the best of author’s knowledge CALPUFF model was used and examined for first time in Iraq. CALPUFF is an advanced non-steady-state meteorological and air quality modeling system, was applied to investigate the pollutants concentration of SO2, NO2, CO, and PM1-10μm, at areas adjacent to Daura refinery which located in the center of Baghdad in Iraq. The CALPUFF modeling system includes three main components: CALMET is a diagnostic 3-dimensional meteorological model, CALPUFF (an air quality dispersion model), CALPOST is a post processing package, and an extensive set of preprocessing programs produced to interface the model to standard routinely available meteorological and geophysical datasets. The targets of this work are modeling and simulation the four pollutants (SO2, NO2, CO, and PM1-10μm) which emitted from Daura refinery within one year. Emission rates of these pollutants were calculated for twelve units includes thirty plants, and 35 stacks by using monthly average of the fuel amount consumption at this production units. Assess the performance of CALPUFF model in this study and detect if it is appropriate and get out predictions of good accuracy compared with available pollutants observation. CALPUFF model was investigated at three stability classes (stable, neutral, and unstable) to indicate the dispersion of the pollutants within deferent meteorological conditions. The simulation of the CALPUFF model showed the deferent kind of dispersion of these pollutants in this region depends on the stability conditions and the environment of the study area, monthly, and annual averages of pollutants were applied to view the dispersion of pollutants in the contour maps. High values of pollutants were noticed in this area, therefore this study recommends to more investigate and analyze of the pollutants, reducing the emission rate of pollutants by using modern techniques and natural gas, increasing the stack height of units, and increasing the exit gas velocity from stacks.

Keywords: CALPUFF, daura refinery, Iraq, pollutants

Procedia PDF Downloads 196

Authors: C.Ardil

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Open Science translates the understanding and application of various theories and practices in open science philosophy, systems, paradigms and epistemology. Open Science originates with the premise that universal scientific knowledge is a product of a collective scholarly and social collaboration involving all stakeholders and knowledge belongs to the global society. Scientific outputs generated by public research are a public good that should be available to all at no cost and without barriers or restrictions. Open Science has the potential to increase the quality, impact and benefits of science and to accelerate advancement of knowledge by making it more reliable, more efficient and accurate, better understandable by society and responsive to societal challenges, and has the potential to enable growth and innovation through reuse of scientific results by all stakeholders at all levels of society, and ultimately contribute to growth and competitiveness of global society. Open Science is a global movement to improve accessibility to and reusability of research practices and outputs. In its broadest definition, it encompasses open access to publications, open research data and methods, open source, open educational resources, open evaluation, and citizen science. The implementation of open science provides an excellent opportunity to renegotiate the social roles and responsibilities of publicly funded research and to rethink the science system as a whole. Open Science is the practice of science in such a way that others can collaborate and contribute, where research data, lab notes and other research processes are freely available, under terms that enable reuse, redistribution and reproduction of the research and its underlying data and methods. Open Science represents a novel systematic approach to the scientific process, shifting from the standard practices of publishing research results in scientific publications towards sharing and using all available knowledge at an earlier stage in the research process, based on cooperative work and diffusing scholarly knowledge with no barriers and restrictions. Open Science refers to efforts to make the primary outputs of publicly funded research results (publications and the research data) publicly accessible in digital format with no limitations. Open Science is about extending the principles of openness to the whole research cycle, fostering, sharing and collaboration as early as possible, thus entailing a systemic change to the way science and research is done. Open Science is the ongoing transition in how open research is carried out, disseminated, deployed, and transformed to make scholarly research more open, global, collaborative, creative and closer to society. Open Science involves various movements aiming to remove the barriers for sharing any kind of output, resources, methods or tools, at any stage of the research process. Open Science embraces open access to publications, research data, source software, collaboration, peer review, notebooks, educational resources, monographs, citizen science, or research crowdfunding. The recognition and adoption of open science practices, including open science policies that increase open access to scientific literature and encourage data and code sharing, is increasing in the open science philosophy. Revolutionary open science policies are motivated by ethical, moral or utilitarian arguments, such as the right to access digital research literature for open source research or science data accumulation, research indicators, transparency in the field of academic practice, and reproducibility. Open science philosophy is adopted primarily to demonstrate the benefits of open science practices. Researchers use open science applications for their own advantage in order to get more offers, increase citations, attract media attention, potential collaborators, career opportunities, donations and funding opportunities. In open science philosophy, open data findings are evidence that open science practices provide significant benefits to researchers in scientific research creation, collaboration, communication, and evaluation according to more traditional closed science practices. Open science considers concerns such as the rigor of peer review, common research facts such as financing and career development, and the sacrifice of author rights. Therefore, researchers are recommended to implement open science research within the framework of existing academic evaluation and incentives. As a result, open science research issues are addressed in the areas of publishing, financing, collaboration, resource management and sharing, career development, discussion of open science questions and conclusions.

Keywords: Open Science, Open Science Philosophy, Open Science Research, Open Science Data

Procedia PDF Downloads 129

Authors: Piyaorn Wajanatinapart, Diane R. Lauver

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The number of persons with dementia (PWD) has increased. Informal caregivers are the major providing care. They can have perceived gains and burdens. Caregivers who reported high in perceived gains may report low in burdens and better health. Gaps of caregiving literature were: no report psychometrics in a few studies and unclear definitions of gains; most studies with no theory-guided and conducting in Western countries; not fully described relationships among caregiving variables: motivations, satisfaction with psychological needs, social support, gains, burdens, and physical and psycho-emotional health. Those gaps were filled by assessing psychometric properties of selected measures, providing clearly definitions of gains, using self-determination theory (SDT) to guide the study, and developing the study in Thailand. The study purposes were to evaluate six measures for internal consistency reliability, content validity, and construct validity. This study also examined relationships of caregiving variables: motivations (controlled and autonomous motivations), satisfaction with psychological needs (autonomy, competency, and relatedness), perceived social support, perceived gains, perceived burdens, and physical and psycho-emotional health. This study was a cross-sectional and correlational descriptive design with two convenience samples. Sample 1 was five Thai experts to assess content validity of measures. Sample 2 was 146 Thai caregivers of PWD to assess construct validity, reliability, and relationships among caregiving variables. Experts rated questionnaires and sent them back via e-mail. Caregivers answered questionnaires at clinics of four Thai hospitals. Data analysis was used descriptive statistics and bivariate and multivariate analyses using the composite indicator structural equation model to control measurement errors. For study results, most caregivers were female (82%), middle age (M =51.1, SD =11.9), and daughters (57%). They provided care for 15 hours/day with 4.6 years. The content validity indices of items and scales were .80 or higher for clarity and relevance. Experts suggested item revisions. Cronbach’s alphas were .63 to .93 of ten subscales of four measures and .26 to .57 of three subscales. The gain scale was acceptable for construct validity. With controlling covariates, controlled motivations, the satisfaction with three subscales of psychological needs, and perceived social support had positive relationships with physical and psycho-emotional health. Both satisfaction with autonomy subscale and perceived social support had negative relationship with perceived burdens. The satisfaction with three subscales of psychological needs had positive relationships among them. Physical and psycho-emotional health subscales had positive relationships with each other. Furthermore, perceived burdens had negative relationships with physical and psycho-emotional health. This study was the first use SDT to describe relationships of caregiving variables in Thailand. Caregivers’ characteristics were consistent with literature. Four measures were valid and reliable except two measures. Breadth knowledge about relationships was provided. Interpretation of study results was cautious because of using same sample to evaluate psychometric properties of measures and relationships of caregiving variables. Researchers could use four measures for further caregiving studies. Using a theory would help describe concepts, propositions, and measures used. Researchers may examine the satisfaction with psychological needs as mediators. Future studies to collect data with caregivers in communities are needed.

Keywords: caregivers, caregiving, dementia, measures

Procedia PDF Downloads 307

Authors: Iman Farasat, Howard M. Salis

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Engineered genetic circuits reprogram cellular behavior to act as living computers with applications in detecting cancer, creating self-controlling artificial tissues, and dynamically regulating metabolic pathways. Phenemenological models are often used to simulate and design genetic circuit behavior towards a desired behavior. While such models assume that each circuit component’s function is modular and independent, even small changes in a circuit (e.g. a new promoter, a change in transcription factor expression level, or even a new media) can have significant effects on the circuit’s function. Here, we use statistical thermodynamics to account for the several factors that control transcriptional regulation in bacteria, and experimentally demonstrate the model’s accuracy across 825 measurements in several genetic contexts and hosts. We then employ our first principles model to design, experimentally construct, and characterize a family of signal amplifying genetic circuits (genetic OpAmps) that expand the dynamic range of cell sensors. To develop these models, we needed a new approach to measuring the in vivo binding free energies of transcription factors (TFs), a key ingredient of statistical thermodynamic models of gene regulation. We developed a new high-throughput assay to measure RNA polymerase and TF binding free energies, requiring the construction and characterization of only a few constructs and data analysis (Figure 1A). We experimentally verified the assay on 6 TetR-homolog repressors and a CRISPR/dCas9 guide RNA. We found that our binding free energy measurements quantitatively explains why changing TF expression levels alters circuit function. Altogether, by combining these measurements with our biophysical model of translation (the RBS Calculator) as well as other measurements (Figure 1B), our model can account for changes in TF binding sites, TF expression levels, circuit copy number, host genome size, and host growth rate (Figure 1C). Model predictions correctly accounted for how these 8 factors control a promoter’s transcription rate (Figure 1D). Using the model, we developed a design framework for engineering multi-promoter genetic circuits that greatly reduces the number of degrees of freedom (8 factors per promoter) to a single dimensionless unit. We propose the Ptashne (Pt) number to encapsulate the 8 co-dependent factors that control transcriptional regulation into a single number. Therefore, a single number controls a promoter’s output rather than these 8 co-dependent factors, and designing a genetic circuit with N promoters requires specification of only N Pt numbers. We demonstrate how to design genetic circuits in Pt number space by constructing and characterizing 15 2-repressor OpAmp circuits that act as signal amplifiers when within an optimal Pt region. We experimentally show that OpAmp circuits using different TFs and TF expression levels will only amplify the dynamic range of input signals when their corresponding Pt numbers are within the optimal region. Thus, the use of the Pt number greatly simplifies the genetic circuit design, particularly important as circuits employ more TFs to perform increasingly complex functions.

Keywords: transcription factor, synthetic biology, genetic circuit, biophysical model, binding energy measurement

Procedia PDF Downloads 472

Authors: Banafsheh Nikmehr, Mohsen Bahrami, Yueqiang Song, Anuradha Koduru, Ayse K. Vuruskan, Hongkun Lu, Mallory Pitts, Tolga B. Mesen, Tamer M. Yalcinkaya

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The number of people who receive in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment has increased on a startling trajectory over the past two decades. Despite advances in this field, particularly the introduction of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and the preimplantation genetic screening (PGS), the IVF success remains low. A major factor contributing to IVF failure is embryonic aneuploidy (abnormal chromosome content), which often results in miscarriage and birth defects. Although PGS is often used as the standard diagnostic tool to identify aneuploid embryos, it is an invasive approach that could affect the embryo development, and yet inaccessible to many patients due its high costs. As such, there is a clear need for a non-invasive cost-effective approach to identify euploid embryos for single embryo transfer (SET). The reported differences between morphokinetic behaviors of aneuploid and euploid embryos has shown promise to address this need. However, current literature is inconclusive and further research is urgently needed to translate current findings into clinical diagnostics. In this ongoing study, we found significant differences between morphokinetic behaviors of euploid and aneuploid embryos that provides important insights and reaffirms the promise of such behaviors for developing non-invasive methodologies. Methodology—A total of 242 embryos (euploid: 149, aneuploid: 93) from 74 patients who underwent IVF treatment in Carolinas Fertility Clinics in Winston-Salem, NC, were analyzed. All embryos were incubated in an EmbryoScope incubator. The patients were randomly selected from January 2019 to June 2021 with most patients having both euploid and aneuploid embryos. All embryos reached the blastocyst stage and had known PGS outcomes. The ploidy assessment was done by a third-party testing laboratory on day 5-7 embryo biopsies. The morphokinetic variables of each embryo were measured by the EmbryoViewer software (Uniesense FertiliTech) on time-lapse images using 7 focal depths. We compared the time to: pronuclei fading (tPNf), division to 2,3,…,9 cells (t2, t3,…,t9), start of embryo compaction (tSC), Morula formation (tM), start of blastocyst formation (tSC), blastocyst formation (tB), and blastocyst expansion (tEB), as well as intervals between them (e.g., c23 = t3 – t2). We used a mixed regression method for our statistical analyses to account for the correlation between multiple embryos per patient. Major Findings— The average age of the patients was 35.04 yrs. The average patient age associated with euploid and aneuploid embryos was not different (P = 0.6454). We found a significant difference in c45 = t5-t4 (P = 0.0298). Our results indicated this interval on average lasts significantly longer for aneuploid embryos - c45(aneuploid) = 11.93hr vs c45(euploid) = 7.97hr. In a separate analysis limited to embryos from the same patients (patients = 47, total embryos=200, euploid=112, aneuploid=88), we obtained the same results (P = 0.0316). The statistical power for this analysis exceeded 87%. No other variable was different between the two groups. Conclusion— Our results demonstrate the importance of morphokinetic variables as potential biomarkers that could aid in non-invasively characterizing euploid and aneuploid embryos. We seek to study a larger population of embryos and incorporate the embryo quality in future studies.

Keywords: IVF, embryo, euploidy, aneuploidy, morphokinteic

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Authors: Jennifer Kehinde, Claire O'donnell, Annmarie Grealish

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Introduction: Breastfeeding has been shown to provide numerous health benefits for both infants and mothers. The decision to breastfeed is influenced by physiological, psychological, and emotional factors. However, the importance of equipping mothers with the necessary knowledge for successful breastfeeding practice cannot be ruled out. The decline in global breastfeeding rate can be linked to lack of adequate breastfeeding education during prenatal stage.This systematic review examined the effectiveness of prenatal breastfeeding education on breastfeeding uptake postpartum. Method: This review was undertaken and reported in conformity with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systemic Reviews and Meta-Analysis statement (PRISMA) and was registered on the international prospective register for systematic reviews (PROSPERO: CRD42020213853). A PICO analysis (population, intervention, comparison, outcome) was undertaken to inform the choice of keywords in the search strategy to formulate the review question which was aimed at determining the effectiveness of prenatal breastfeeding educational programs at improving breastfeeding uptake following birth. A systematic search of five databases (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Medline, Psych INFO, and Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts) were searched between January 2014 until July 2021 to identify eligible studies. Quality assessment and narrative synthesis were subsequently undertaken. Results: Fourteen studies were included. All 14 studies used different types of breastfeeding programs; eight used a combination of curriculum based breastfeeding education program, group prenatal breastfeeding counselling and one-to-one breastfeeding educational programs which were all delivered in person; four studies used web-based learning platforms to deliver breastfeeding education prenatally which were both delivered online and face to face over a period of 3 weeks to 2 months with follow-up periods ranging from 3 weeks to 6 months; one study delivered breastfeeding educational intervention using mother-to-mother breastfeeding support groups in promoting exclusive breastfeeding and one study disseminated breastfeeding education to participants based on the theory of planned behaviour. The most effective interventions were those that included both theory and hands-on demonstrations. Results showed an increase in breastfeeding uptake, breastfeeding knowledge, increase in positive attitude to breastfeeding and an increase in maternal breastfeeding self-efficacy among mothers who participated in breastfeeding educational programs during prenatal care. Conclusion: Prenatal breastfeeding education increases women’s knowledge of breastfeeding. Mothers who are knowledgeable about breastfeeding and hold a positive approach towards breastfeeding have the tendency to initiate breastfeeding and continue for a lengthened period. Findings demonstrates a general correlation between prenatal breastfeeding education and increased breastfeeding uptake postpartum. The high level of positive breastfeeding outcome inherent in all the studies can be attributed to prenatal breastfeeding education. This review provides rigorous contemporary evidence that healthcare professionals and policymakers can apply when developing effective strategies to improve breastfeeding rates and ultimately improve the health outcomes of mothers and infants.

Keywords: breastfeeding, breastfeeding programs, breastfeeding self-efficacy, prenatal breastfeedng education

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Authors: Fei Jia, Xingjian Bai, Xiaowei Zhang, Wenjie Yan, Ruitong Dai, Xingmin Li, Jozef Kokini

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Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative, aerobic, opportunistic human pathogen that is present in the soil, water, and food. This microbe has been recognized as a representative food-borne spoilage bacterium that can lead to many types of infections. Considering the casualties and property loss caused by P. aeruginosa, the development of a rapid and reliable technique for the detection of P. aeruginosa is crucial. The whole-cell aptasensor, an emerging biosensor using aptamer as a capture probe to bind to the whole cell, for food-borne pathogens detection has attracted much attention due to its convenience and high sensitivity. Here, a low-field magnetic resonance imaging (LF-MRI) aptasensor for the rapid detection of P. aeruginosa was developed. The basic detection principle of the magnetic relaxation switch (MRSw) nanosensor lies on the ‘T₂-shortening’ effect of magnetic nanoparticles in NMR measurements. Briefly speaking, the transverse relaxation time (T₂) of neighboring water protons get shortened when magnetic nanoparticles are clustered due to the cross-linking upon the recognition and binding of biological targets, or simply when the concentration of the magnetic nanoparticles increased. Such shortening is related to both the state change (aggregation or dissociation) and the concentration change of magnetic nanoparticles and can be detected using NMR relaxometry or MRI scanners. In this work, two different sizes of magnetic nanoparticles, which are 10 nm (MN₁₀) and 400 nm (MN₄₀₀) in diameter, were first immobilized with anti- P. aeruginosa aptamer through 1-Ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC)/N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) chemistry separately, to capture and enrich the P. aeruginosa cells. When incubating with the target, a ‘sandwich’ (MN₁₀-bacteria-MN₄₀₀) complex are formed driven by the bonding of MN400 with P. aeruginosa through aptamer recognition, as well as the conjugate aggregation of MN₁₀ on the surface of P. aeruginosa. Due to the different magnetic performance of the MN₁₀ and MN₄₀₀ in the magnetic field caused by their different saturation magnetization, the MN₁₀-bacteria-MN₄₀₀ complex, as well as the unreacted MN₄₀₀ in the solution, can be quickly removed by magnetic separation, and as a result, only unreacted MN₁₀ remain in the solution. The remaining MN₁₀, which are superparamagnetic and stable in low field magnetic field, work as a signal readout for T₂ measurement. Under the optimum condition, the LF-MRI platform provides both image analysis and quantitative detection of P. aeruginosa, with the detection limit as low as 100 cfu/mL. The feasibility and specificity of the aptasensor are demonstrated in detecting real food samples and validated by using plate counting methods. Only two steps and less than 2 hours needed for the detection procedure, this robust aptasensor can detect P. aeruginosa with a wide linear range from 3.1 ×10² cfu/mL to 3.1 ×10⁷ cfu/mL, which is superior to conventional plate counting method and other molecular biology testing assay. Moreover, the aptasensor has a potential to detect other bacteria or toxins by changing suitable aptamers. Considering the excellent accuracy, feasibility, and practicality, the whole-cell aptasensor provides a promising platform for a quick, direct and accurate determination of food-borne pathogens at cell-level.

Keywords: magnetic resonance imaging, meat spoilage, P. aeruginosa, transverse relaxation time

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Authors: Elena Ionescu, Elena Iacob, Marie-Louise Ionescu, Carmen Elena Tebrencu, Oana Teodora Ciuperca

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Echinacea species (Asteraceae) has received a global attention because it is widely used for treatment of cold, flu and upper respiratory tract infections. Echinacea species contain a great variety of chemical components that contribute to their activity. The most important components responsible for the biological activity are those with high molecular-weight such as polysaccharides, polyacetylenes, highly unsaturated alkamides and caffeic acid derivatives. The principal factors that may influence the chemical composition of Echinacea include the species and the part of plant used (aerial parts or roots ). In recent years the market for Echinacea has grown rapidly and also the cases of adultery/replacement especially for Echinacea root. The identification of presence or absence of same biomarkers provide information for safe use of Echinacea species in food supplements industry. The aim of the study was the preliminary evaluation and fingerprinting by UV-VISIBLE spectroscopy of biomarkers in terms of content in phenolic derivatives of some Echinacea species (E. purpurea, E. angustifolia and E. pallida) for identification and authentication of the species. The steps of the study were: (1) samples (extracts) preparation from Echinacea species (non-hydrolyzed and hydrolyzed ethanol extracts); (2) samples preparation of reference substances (polyphenol acids: caftaric acid, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid; flavonoids: rutoside, hyperoside, isoquercitrin and their aglycones: quercitri, quercetol, luteolin, kaempferol and apigenin); (3) identification of specific absorption at wavelengths between 700-200 nm; (4) identify the phenolic compounds from Echinacea species based on spectral characteristics and the specific absorption; each class of compounds corresponds to a maximum absorption in the UV spectrum. The phytochemical compounds were identified at specific wavelengths between 700-200 nm. The absorption intensities were measured. The obtained results proved that ethanolic extract showed absorption peaks attributed to: phenolic compounds (free phenolic acids and phenolic acids derivatives) registrated between 220-280 nm, unsymmetrical chemical structure compounds (caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid) with maximum absorption peak and absorption "shoulder" that may be due to substitution of hydroxyl or methoxy group, flavonoid compounds (in free form or glycosides) between 330-360 nm, due to the double bond in position 2,3 and carbonyl group in position 4 flavonols. UV spectra showed two major peaks of absorption (quercetin glycoside, rutin, etc.). The results obtained by UV-VIS spectroscopy has revealed the presence of phenolic derivatives such as cicoric acid (240 nm), caftaric acid (329 nm), caffeic acid (240 nm), rutoside (205 nm), quercetin (255 nm), luteolin (235 nm) in all three species of Echinacea. The echinacoside is absent. This profile mentioned above and the absence of phenolic compound echinacoside leads to the conclusion that species harvested as Echinacea angustifolia and Echinacea pallida are Echinacea purpurea also; It can be said that preliminary fingerprinting of Echinacea species through correspondence with the phenolic derivatives profile can be achieved by UV-VIS spectroscopic investigation, which is an adequate technique for preliminary identification and authentication of Echinacea in medicinal herbs.

Keywords: Echinacea species, Fingerprinting, Phenolic compounds, UV-VIS spectroscopy

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Authors: Laila A. H. F. Dashti, Tom Jackson, Andrew West, Lisa Jackson

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Traceability systems are important in the agri-food and halal food sectors for monitoring ingredient movements, tracking sources, and ensuring food integrity. However, designing a traceability system for the halal food supply chain is challenging due to diverse stakeholder requirements and complex needs. Existing literature on stakeholder mapping and identifying requirements for halal food supply chains is limited. To address this gap, a pilot study was conducted to identify the objectives, requirements, and recommendations of stakeholders in the Kuwaiti halal food industry. The study collected data through semi-structured interviews with an international halal food manufacturer based in Kuwait. The aim was to gain a deep understanding of stakeholders' objectives, requirements, processes, and concerns related to the design of a traceability system in the country's halal food sector. Traceability systems are being developed and tested in the agri-food and halal food sectors due to their ability to monitor ingredient movements, track sources, and detect potential issues related to food integrity. Designing a traceability system for the halal food supply chain poses significant challenges due to diverse stakeholder requirements and the complexity of their needs (including varying food ingredients, different sources, destinations, supplier processes, certifications, etc.). Achieving a halal food traceability solution tailored to stakeholders' requirements within the supply chain necessitates prior knowledge of these needs. Although attempts have been made to address design-related issues in traceability systems, literature on stakeholder mapping and identification of requirements specific to halal food supply chains is scarce. Thus, this pilot study aims to identify the objectives, requirements, and recommendations of stakeholders in the halal food industry. The paper presents insights gained from the pilot study, which utilized semi-structured interviews to collect data from a Kuwait-based international halal food manufacturer. The objective was to gain an in-depth understanding of stakeholders' objectives, requirements, processes, and concerns pertaining to the design of a traceability system in Kuwait's halal food sector. The stakeholder mapping results revealed that government entities, food manufacturers, retailers, and suppliers are key stakeholders in Kuwait's halal food supply chain. Lessons learned from this pilot study regarding requirement capture for traceability systems include the need to streamline communication, focus on communication at each level of the supply chain, leverage innovative technologies to enhance process structuring and operations and reduce halal certification costs. The findings also emphasized the limitations of existing traceability solutions, such as limited cooperation and collaboration among stakeholders, high costs of implementing traceability systems without government support, lack of clarity regarding product routes, and disrupted communication channels between stakeholders. These findings contribute to a broader research program aimed at developing a stakeholder requirements framework that utilizes "business process modelling" to establish a unified model for traceable stakeholder requirements.

Keywords: supply chain, traceability system, halal food, stakeholders’ requirements

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Authors: Demet Devrimsel Dogan, Ecem Deniz Kirkpantur, Muharrem Dogan, Ahmet Aykut, Ebru Unal Akoglu, Ozge Ecmel Onur

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Introduction: Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome (MALS) is a rare cause of chronic abdominal pain due to external compression of the celiac trunk by a fibrous arch that unites diaphragmatic crura on each side of the aortic hiatus. While 10-24% of the population may suffer from compression of celiac trunk, it rarely causes patients to develop symptoms. The typical clinical triad of symptoms includes postprandial epigastric pain, weight loss and vomiting. The diagnosis can be made using thin section multi-detector computed tomography (CT) scans which delineate the ligament and the compressed vessel. The treatment of MALS is aimed at relieving the compression of the celiac artery to restore adequate blood flow through the vessel and neurolysis to address chronic pain. Case: A 68-year-old male presented to our clinic with acute postprandial epigastric pain. This was patients’ first attack, and the pain was the worst pain of his life. The patient did not have any other symptoms like nausea, vomiting, chest pain or dyspnea. In his medical history, the patient has had an ischemic cerebrovascular stroke 5 years ago which he recovered with no sequel, and he was using 75 mg clopidogrel and 100 mg acetylsalicylic acid. He was not using any other medication and did not have a story of cardiovascular disease. His vital signs were stable (BP:113/72 mmHg, Spo2:97, temperature:36.3°C, HR:90/bpm). In his electrocardiogram, there was ST depression in leads II, III and AVF. In his physical examination, there was only epigastric tenderness, other system examinations were normal. Physical examination through his upper gastrointestinal system showed no bleeding. His laboratory results were as follows: creatinine:1.26 mg/dL, AST:42 U/L, ALT:17 U/L, amylase:78 U/L, lipase:26 U/L, troponin:10.3 pg/ml, WBC:28.9 K/uL, Hgb:12.7 gr/dL, Plt:335 K/uL. His serial high-sensitive troponin levels were also within normal limits, his echocardiography showed no segmental wall motion abnormalities, an acute myocardial infarction was excluded. In his abdominal ultrasound, no pathology was founded. Contrast-enhanced abdominal CT and CT angiography reported ‘thickened diaphragmatic cruras are compressing and stenosing truncus celiacus superior, this is likely compatible with MALS’. The patient was consulted to general surgery, and they admitted the patient for laparoscopic ligament release. Results: MALS is a syndrome that causes postprandial pain, nausea and vomiting as its most common symptoms. Affected patients are normally young, slim women between the ages of 30 and 50 who have undergone extensive examinations to find the source of their symptoms. To diagnose MALS, other underlying pathologies should initially be excluded. The gold standard is aortic angiography. Although diagnosis and treatment of MALS are unclear, symptom resolution has been achieved with multiple surgical modalities, including open, laparoscopic or robotic ligament release as well as celiac ganglionectomy, which often requires celiac artery revascularisation.

Keywords: differential diagnosis, epigastric pain, median arcuate ligament syndrome, celiac trunk

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Authors: Amir E. Amirzadeh, Richard K. Strand

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Moisture-induced problems are a significant concern for building owners, architects, construction managers, and building engineers, as they can have substantial impacts on building enclosures' durability and performance. Computational analyses, such as hygrothermal and thermal analysis, can provide valuable information and demonstrate the expected relative performance of building enclosure systems but are not grounded in absolute certainty. This paper evaluates the hygrothermal performance of common enclosure systems in hospitals in cold climates. The study aims to investigate the impact of exterior wall systems on hospitals, focusing on factors such as durability, construction deficiencies, and energy performance. The study primarily examines the impact of air leakage and vapor retarding layers relative to energy consumption. While these factors have been studied in residential and commercial buildings, there is a lack of information on their impact on hospitals in a holistic context. The study integrates various research studies and professional experience in hospital building design to achieve its objective. The methodology involves surveying and observing exterior wall assemblies, reviewing common exterior wall assemblies and details used in hospital construction, performing simulations and numerical analyses of various variables, validating the model and mechanism using available data from industry and academia, visualizing the outcomes of the analysis, and developing a mechanism to demonstrate the relative performance of exterior wall systems for hospitals under specific conditions. The data sources include case studies from real-world projects and peer-reviewed articles, industry standards, and practices. This research intends to integrate and analyze the in-situ and as-designed performance and durability of building enclosure assemblies with numerical analysis. The study's primary objective is to provide a clear and precise roadmap to better visualize and comprehend the correlation between the durability and performance of common exterior wall systems used in the construction of hospitals and the energy consumption of these buildings under certain static and dynamic conditions. As the construction of new hospitals and renovation of existing ones have grown over the last few years, it is crucial to understand the effect of poor detailing or construction deficiencies on building enclosure systems' performance and durability in healthcare buildings. This study aims to assist stakeholders involved in hospital design, construction, and maintenance in selecting durable and high-performing wall systems. It highlights the importance of early design evaluation, regular quality control during the construction of hospitals, and understanding the potential impacts of improper and inconsistent maintenance and operation practices on occupants, owner, building enclosure systems, and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems, even if they are designed to meet the project requirements.

Keywords: hygrothermal analysis, building enclosure, hospitals, energy efficiency, optimization and visualization, uncertainty and decision making

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