Search results for: child friendly environment
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 11389

Search results for: child friendly environment

8089 A Machine Learning Model for Predicting Students’ Academic Performance in Higher Institutions

Authors: Emmanuel Osaze Oshoiribhor, Adetokunbo MacGregor John-Otumu

Abstract:

There has been a need in recent years to predict student academic achievement prior to graduation. This is to assist them in improving their grades, especially for those who have struggled in the past. The purpose of this research is to use supervised learning techniques to create a model that predicts student academic progress. Many scholars have developed models that predict student academic achievement based on characteristics including smoking, demography, culture, social media, parent educational background, parent finances, and family background, to mention a few. This element, as well as the model used, could have misclassified the kids in terms of their academic achievement. As a prerequisite to predicting if the student will perform well in the future on related courses, this model is built using a logistic regression classifier with basic features such as the previous semester's course score, attendance to class, class participation, and the total number of course materials or resources the student is able to cover per semester. With a 96.7 percent accuracy, the model outperformed other classifiers such as Naive bayes, Support vector machine (SVM), Decision Tree, Random forest, and Adaboost. This model is offered as a desktop application with user-friendly interfaces for forecasting student academic progress for both teachers and students. As a result, both students and professors are encouraged to use this technique to predict outcomes better.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, ML, logistic regression, performance, prediction

Procedia PDF Downloads 109
8088 Luminescence and Local Environment: Identification of Thermal History

Authors: Veronique Jubera, Guillaume Salek, Manuel Gaudon, Alain Garcia, Alain Demourgues

Abstract:

Luminescence of transition metal and rare earth elements cover ultraviolet to far infrared wavelengths. Applications of phosphors are numerous. One can cite lighting, sensing, laser, energy, medical or military applications. But regarding each domain, specific criteria are required and they can be achieved with a strong control of the chemical composition. Emission of doped materials can be tailored with modifications of the local environment of the cations. For instance, the increase of the crystal field effect shifts the divalent manganese radiative transitions from the green to the red color. External factor as heat-treatment can induce changes of the doping element location or modify the unit cell crystalline symmetry. By controlling carefully the synthesis route, it is possible to initiate emission shift and to establish the thermal history of a compound. We propose to demonstrate through the luminescence of divalent manganese and trivalent rare earth doped oxide, that it is possible to follow the thermal history of a material. After optimization of the synthesis route, structural and optical properties are discussed. Finally, thermal calibration graphs are successfully established on these doped compounds. This makes these materials promising probe for thermal sensing.

Keywords: emission, thermal sensing, transition metal, rare eath element

Procedia PDF Downloads 385
8087 Oxygenation in Turbulent Flows over Block Ramps

Authors: Thendiyath Roshni, Stefano Pagliara

Abstract:

Block ramps (BR) or rock chutes are eco-friendly natural river restoration structures. BR are made of ramp of rocks and flows over BR develop turbulence and helps in the entrainment of ambient air. These act as natural aerators in river flow and therefore leads to oxygenation of water. As many of the hydraulic structures in rivers, hinders the natural path for aquatic habitat. However, flows over BR ascertains a natural rocky flow and ensures safe and natural movement for aquatic habitat. Hence, BR is considered as a better alternative for drop structures. As water quality is concerned, turbulent and aerated flows over BR or macro-roughness conditions improves aeration and thereby oxygenation. Hence, the objective of this paper is to study the oxygenation in the turbulent flows over BR. Experimental data were taken for a slope (S) of 27.5% for three discharges (Q = 9, 15 and 21 lps) conditions. Air concentration were measured with the help of air concentration probe for three different discharges in the uniform flow region. Oxygen concentration is deduced from the air concentration as ambient air is entrained in the flows over BR. Air concentration profiles and oxygen profiles are plotted in the uniform flow region for three discharges and found that air concentration and oxygen concentration does not show any remarkable variation in properties in the longitudinal profile in uniform flow region. An empirical relation is developed for finding the average oxygen concentration (Oₘ) for S = 27.5% in the uniform flow region for 9 < Q < 21 lps. The results show that as the discharge increases over BR, there is a reduction of oxygen concentration in the uniform flow region.

Keywords: aeration, block ramps, oxygenation, turbulent flows

Procedia PDF Downloads 174
8086 Development and Implementation of Early Childhood Media Literacy Education Program

Authors: Kim Haekyoung, Au Yunkyoung

Abstract:

As digital technology continues to advance and become more widely accessible, young children are also growing up experiencing various media from infancy. In this changing environment, educating young children on media literacy has become an increasingly important task. With the diversification of media, it has become more necessary for children to understand, utilize, and critically explore the meaning of multimodal texts, which include text, images, and sounds connected to each other. Early childhood is a period when media literacy can bloom, and educational and policy support are needed to enable young children to express their opinions, communicate, and participate fully. However, most current media literacy education for young children focuses solely on teaching how to use media, with limited practical application and utilization. Therefore, this study aims to develop an inquiry-based media literacy education program for young children using topic-specific media content and explore the program's potential and impact on children's media literacy learning. Based on a theoretical and literature review on media literacy education, analysis of existing educational programs, and a survey on the current status and teacher perception of media literacy education for young children, this study developed a media literacy education program for young children considering the components of media literacy (understanding media characteristics, self-regulation, self-expression, critical understanding, ethical norms, social communication). To verify the effectiveness of the program, it was implemented with 20 five-year-old children from C City S Kindergarten, starting from March 24 to May 26, 2022, once a week for a total of 6 sessions. To explore quantitative changes before and after program implementation, repeated-measures analysis of variance was conducted, and qualitative analysis was used to analyze observed changes in the process. significant improvement in media literacy levels, such as understanding media characteristics, self-regulation, self-expression, critical understanding, ethical norms, and social communication. The developed inquiry-based media literacy education program for young children in this study can be effectively applied to enhance children's media literacy education and help improve their media literacy levels. Observed changes in the process also confirmed that children improved their ability to learn various topics, express their thoughts, and communicate with others using media content. These findings emphasize the importance of developing and implementing media literacy education programs and can help children develop the ability to safely and effectively use media in their media environment. Based on exploring the potential and impact of the inquiry-based media literacy education program for young children, this study confirmed positive changes in children's media literacy levels as a result of the program's implementation. These findings suggest that beyond education on how to use media, it can help develop children's ability to safely and effectively use media in their media environment. Furthermore, to improve children's media literacy levels and create a safe media environment, a variety of content and methodologies are needed, and continuous development and evaluation of educational programs are anticipated.

Keywords: young children, media literacy, media literacy education program, media content

Procedia PDF Downloads 71
8085 Organizational Decision to Adopt Digital Forensics: An Empirical Investigation in the Case of Malaysian Law Enforcement Agencies

Authors: Siti N. I. Mat Kamal, Othman Ibrahim, Mehrbakhsh Nilashi, Jafalizan M. Jali

Abstract:

The use of digital forensics (DF) is nowadays essential for law enforcement agencies to identify analysis and interpret the digital information derived from digital sources. In Malaysia, the engagement of Malaysian Law Enforcement Agencies (MLEA) with this new technology is not evenly distributed. To investigate the factors influencing the adoption of DF in Malaysia law enforcement agencies’ operational environment, this study proposed the initial theoretical framework based on the integration of technology organization environment (TOE), institutional theory, and human organization technology (HOT) fit model. A questionnaire survey was conducted on selected law enforcement agencies in Malaysia to verify the validity of the initial integrated framework. Relative advantage, compatibility, coercive pressure, normative pressure, vendor support and perceived technical competence of technical staff were found as the influential factors on digital forensics adoption. In addition to the only moderator of this study (agency size), any significant moderating effect on the perceived technical competence and the decision to adopt digital forensics by Malaysian law enforcement agencies was found insignificant. Thus, these results indicated that the developed integrated framework provides an effective prediction of the digital forensics adoption by Malaysian law enforcement agencies.

Keywords: digital forensics, digital forensics adoption, digital information, law enforcement agency

Procedia PDF Downloads 151
8084 Microfacies and Sedimentary Environment of Potentially Hydrocarbon-Bearing Ordovician and Silurian Deposits of Selected Boreholes in the Baltic Syneclise (NE Poland)

Authors: Katarzyna Sobczak

Abstract:

Over the last few years extensive research on the Lower Palaeozic of the Baltic region has been carried out, associated with growing interest in the unconventional hydrocarbon resources of the area. The present study contributes to this investigation by providing relevant microfacies analysis of Ordovician and Silurian carbonate and clastic deposits of the Polish part of the Baltic Syneclise, using data from the Kętrzyn IG-1, Henrykowo 1 and Babiak 1 boreholes. The analytical data, encompassing sedimentological, palaeontological, and petrographic indicators enables the interpretation of the sedimentary environments and their control factors. The main microfacies types distinguished within the studied interval are: bioclastic wackestone, bioclastic packstone, carbonate-rich mudstone, marlstone, nodular limestone and bituminous claystone. The Ordovician is represented by redeposited carbonate rocks formed in a relatively high-energy environment (middle shelf setting). The Upper Ordovician-Lower Silurian rocks of the studied basin represent sedimentary succession formed during a distinctive marine transgression. Considering the sedimentological and petrological data from the Silurian, a low-energy sedimentary environment (offshore setting) with intermittent high-energy events (tempestites) can be inferred for the sedimentary basin of NE Poland. Slow sedimentation of carbonate ooze and fine-grained siliciclastic rocks, formed under oxygen-deficient conditions of the seabed, favoured organic matter preservation. The presence of the storm beds suggests an episodic nature of seabed oxygenation. A significant part of the analysed depositional successions shows characteristics indicative of deposition from gravity flows, but lacks evidence of its turbidity origins. There is, however, evidence for storms acting as a mechanism of flow activation. The discussed Ordovician-Silurian transition of depositional environments in the Baltic area fits well to the global environmental changes encompassing the Upper Ordovician and the Lower Silurian.

Keywords: Baltic Syneclise, microfacies analysis, Ordovician, Silurian, unconventional hydrocarbons

Procedia PDF Downloads 433
8083 A Causal Model for Environmental Design of Residential Community for Elderly Well-Being in Thailand

Authors: Porntip Ruengtam

Abstract:

This article is an extension of previous research presenting the relevant factors related to environmental perceptions, residential community, and the design of a healing environment, which have effects on the well-being and requirements of Thai elderly. Research methodology began with observations and interviews in three case studies in terms of the management processes and environment design of similar existing projects in Thailand. The interview results were taken to summarize with related theories and literature. A questionnaire survey was designed for data collection to confirm the factors of requirements in a residential community intended for the Thai elderly. A structural equation model (SEM) was formulated to explain the cause-effect factors for the requirements of a residential community for Thai elderly. The research revealed that the requirements of a residential community for Thai elderly were classified into three groups when utilizing a technique for exploratory factor analysis. The factors were comprised of (1) requirements for general facilities and activities, (2) requirements for facilities related to health and security, and (3) requirements for facilities related to physical exercise in the residential community. The results from the SEM showed the background of elderly people had a direct effect on their requirements for a residential community from various aspects. The results should lead to the formulation of policies for design and management of residential communities for the elderly in order to enhance quality of life as well as both the physical and mental health of the Thai elderly.

Keywords: elderly, environmental design, residential community, structural equation modeling

Procedia PDF Downloads 313
8082 Constructed Wetlands: A Sustainable Approach for Waste Water Treatment

Authors: S. Sehar, S. Khan, N. Ali, S. Ahmed

Abstract:

In the last decade, the hunt for cost-effective, eco-friendly and energy sustainable technologies for waste water treatment are gaining much attention due to emerging water crisis and rapidly depleting existing water reservoirs all over the world. In this scenario, constructed wetland being a “green technology” could be a reliable mean for waste water treatment especially in small communities due to cost-effectiveness, ease in management, less energy consumption and sludge production. Therefore, a low cost, lab-scale sub-surface flow hybrid constructed wetland (SS-HCW) was established for domestic waste water treatment.It was observed that not only the presence but also choice of suitable vegetation along with hydraulic retention time (HRT) are key intervening ingredients which directly influence pollutant removals in constructed wetlands. Another important aspect of vegetation is that it may facilitate microbial attachment in rhizosphere, thus promote biofilm formation via microbial interactions. The major factors that influence initial aggregation and subsequent biofilm formation i.e. divalent cations (Ca2+) and extra cellular DNA (eDNA) were also studied in detail. The presence of Ca2+ in constructed wetland demonstrate superior performances in terms of effluent quality, i.e BOD5, COD, TDS, TSS, and PO4- than in absence of Ca2+. Finally, light and scanning electron microscopies coupled with EDS were carried out to get more insights into the mechanics of biofilm formation with or without Ca addition. Therefore, the same strategy can be implemented in other waste water treatment technologies.

Keywords: hybrid constructed wetland, biofilm formation, waste water treatment, waste water

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8081 On Exploring Search Heuristics for improving the efficiency in Web Information Extraction

Authors: Patricia Jiménez, Rafael Corchuelo

Abstract:

Nowadays the World Wide Web is the most popular source of information that relies on billions of on-line documents. Web mining is used to crawl through these documents, collect the information of interest and process it by applying data mining tools in order to use the gathered information in the best interest of a business, what enables companies to promote theirs. Unfortunately, it is not easy to extract the information a web site provides automatically when it lacks an API that allows to transform the user-friendly data provided in web documents into a structured format that is machine-readable. Rule-based information extractors are the tools intended to extract the information of interest automatically and offer it in a structured format that allow mining tools to process it. However, the performance of an information extractor strongly depends on the search heuristic employed since bad choices regarding how to learn a rule may easily result in loss of effectiveness and/or efficiency. Improving search heuristics regarding efficiency is of uttermost importance in the field of Web Information Extraction since typical datasets are very large. In this paper, we employ an information extractor based on a classical top-down algorithm that uses the so-called Information Gain heuristic introduced by Quinlan and Cameron-Jones. Unfortunately, the Information Gain relies on some well-known problems so we analyse an intuitive alternative, Termini, that is clearly more efficient; we also analyse other proposals in the literature and conclude that none of them outperforms the previous alternative.

Keywords: information extraction, search heuristics, semi-structured documents, web mining.

Procedia PDF Downloads 335
8080 A Critical Study of the Performance of Self Compacting Concrete (SCC) Using Locally Supplied Materials in Bahrain

Authors: A. Umar, A. Tamimi

Abstract:

Development of new types of concrete with improved performance is a very important issue for the whole building industry. The development is based on the optimization of the concrete mix design, with an emphasis not only on the workability and mechanical properties but also to the durability and the reliability of the concrete structure in general. Self-compacting concrete (SCC) is a high-performance material designed to flow into formwork under its own weight and without the aid of mechanical vibration. At the same time it is cohesive enough to fill spaces of almost any size and shape without segregation or bleeding. Construction time is shorter and production of SCC is environmentally friendly (no noise, no vibration). Furthermore, SCC produces a good surface finish. Despite these advantages, SCC has not gained much local acceptance though it has been promoted in the Middle East for the last ten to twelve years. The reluctance in utilizing the advantages of SCC, in Bahrain, may be due to lack of research or published data pertaining to locally produced SCC. Therefore, there is a need to conduct studies on SCC using locally available material supplies. From the literature, it has been observed that the use of viscosity modifying admixtures (VMA), micro silica and glass fibers have proved to be very effective in stabilizing the rheological properties and the strength of fresh and hardened properties of self-compacting concrete (SCC). Therefore, in the present study, it is proposed to carry out investigations of SCC with combinations of various dosages of VMAs with and without micro silica and glass fibers and to study their influence on the properties of fresh and hardened concrete.

Keywords: self-compacting concrete, viscosity modifying admixture, micro silica, glass fibers

Procedia PDF Downloads 648
8079 Introduction of Integrated Image Deep Learning Solution and How It Brought Laboratorial Level Heart Rate and Blood Oxygen Results to Everyone

Authors: Zhuang Hou, Xiaolei Cao

Abstract:

The general public and medical professionals recognized the importance of accurately measuring and storing blood oxygen levels and heart rate during the COVID-19 pandemic. The demand for accurate contactless devices was motivated by the need for cross-infection reduction and the shortage of conventional oximeters, partially due to the global supply chain issue. This paper evaluated a contactless mini program HealthyPai’s heart rate (HR) and oxygen saturation (SpO2) measurements compared with other wearable devices. In the HR study of 185 samples (81 in the laboratory environment, 104 in the real-life environment), the mean absolute error (MAE) ± standard deviation was 1.4827 ± 1.7452 in the lab, 6.9231 ± 5.6426 in the real-life setting. In the SpO2 study of 24 samples, the MAE ± standard deviation of the measurement was 1.0375 ± 0.7745. Our results validated that HealthyPai utilizing the Integrated Image Deep Learning Solution (IIDLS) framework, can accurately measure HR and SpO2, providing the test quality at least comparable to other FDA-approved wearable devices in the market and surpassing the consumer-grade and research-grade wearable standards.

Keywords: remote photoplethysmography, heart rate, oxygen saturation, contactless measurement, mini program

Procedia PDF Downloads 135
8078 Land Suitability Approach as an Effort to Design a Sustainable Tourism Area in Pacet Mojokerto

Authors: Erina Wulansari, Bambang Soemardiono, Ispurwono Soemarno

Abstract:

Designing sustainable tourism area is defined as an attempt to design an area, that brings the natural environmental conditions as components are available with a wealth of social conditions and the conservation of natural and cultural heritage. To understanding tourism area in this study is not only focus on the location of the tourist object, but rather to a tourist attraction around the area, tourism objects such as the existence of residential area (settlement), a commercial area, public service area, and the natural environmental area. The principle of success in designing a sustainable tourism area is able to integrate and balance between the limited space and the variety of activities that’s always continuously to growth up. The limited space in this area of tourism needs to be managed properly to minimize the damage of environmental as a result of tourism activities hue. This research aims to identify space in this area of tourism through land suitability approach as an effort to create a sustainable design, especially in terms of ecological. This study will be used several analytical techniques to achieve the research objectives as superimposing analysis with GIS 9.3 software and Analysis Hierarchy Process. Expected outcomes are in the form of classification and criteria of usable space in designing embodiment tourism area. In addition, this study can provide input to the order of settlement patterns as part of the environment in the area of sustainable tourism.

Keywords: sustainable tourism area, land suitability, limited space, environment, criteria

Procedia PDF Downloads 503
8077 Designing Bird-Friendly Kolkata city

Authors: Madhumita Roy

Abstract:

Kolkata, the city of joy, is an organic city with 45 lakhs of people till date. The increasing population stress is creating a constant pressure on the ground surface which in turn reducing the possible area for plantation. Humans, plants, and birds have a mutualistic relationship, and all are dependent on each other for their survival. Vegetation structure is very important for a bird life because it can be used as a residence, foraging, life cycle, and shelter from predators. On the other hand, in urban areas, buildings and structures also plays a major role for birds habitat w.r.t, nesting, resting, etc. City birds are constantly upgrading their adaptative mechanism with changing urban pattern with modern architectural designs. Urbanisation and unplanned development lead to environmental degradation and bird habitat fragmentation, which have impacts on the degradation of the quality and quantity of bird habitat. Declining green cover and habitat loss affects the diversity and population structure of birds. Their reducing number is an increasing threat not only to the bird community but also to the city as birds are considered as one of the most important environmental indicator. This study aims to check the present avian status like species richness, relative abundance, and diversity of bird species in the context of changing urban pattern in Kolkata city. Nesting strategy in the urban habitat of the avian community is another avenue of interest.

Keywords: urbanisation, avian species, kolkata metropolis, planning

Procedia PDF Downloads 100
8076 Evaluating the Green Marketing Performance, an Empirical Study for Dates Factories in Al-Kharj Province, Saudi Arabia

Authors: Saleh Abdullah Dabil

Abstract:

The research aims to survey the dates factories in Al-Kharj Province, and then identify the nature of a series of different production processes and the using of raw materials, as well as their finished products, and the extent of their impact on the environment or consumers satisfaction. Twenty dates factories were selected according to their willingness to participate. The participants of dates factories consist of approximately 40 % of all dates factories in Al-Kharj province. All of the dates factories which were visited were observed. The research team also administered number of questionnaires to the public to know their satisfaction levels of the dates products as well as their suggestions. It is accounted to 237 participants who gave their opinion about the dates products and their suggestions. This study is one of rare studies about green marketing in dates factories. What is new about this study is that it depends upon both of the managers and consumers as well as the researchers to look into the factories’ production line and to observe the level of satisfaction. The study resulted in a very good ending because that the green marketing of dates is in its highest level. This indicates that the factories in general using natural materials and no bad materials or subsides used in the production, the levels of satisfaction by consumers are very good, preferring mostly lose product of dates. The preference of lose dates means the tendency to use the dates in their natural product. The recommendations of this study suggest solving marketing problems in transforming raw dates into manufacturing products. This includes biscuits and other types of sweet products.

Keywords: green marketing, dates factories, environment impact, consumer satisfaction

Procedia PDF Downloads 271
8075 talk2all: A Revolutionary Tool for International Medical Tourism

Authors: Madhukar Kasarla, Sumit Fogla, Kiran Panuganti, Gaurav Jain, Abhijit Ramanujam, Astha Jain, Shashank Kraleti, Sharat Musham, Arun Chaudhury

Abstract:

Patients have often chosen to travel for care — making pilgrimages to academic meccas and state-of-the-art hospitals for sophisticated surgery. This culture is still persistent in the landscape of US healthcare, with hundred thousand of visitors coming to the shores of United States to seek the high quality of medical care. One of the major challenges in this form of medical tourism has been the language barrier. Thus, an Iraqi patient, with immediate needs of communicating the healthcare needs to the treating team in the hospital, may face huge barrier in effective patient-doctor communication, delaying care and even at times reducing the quality. To circumvent these challenges, we are proposing the use of a state-of-the-art tool, Talk2All, which can translate nearly one hundred international languages (and even sign language) in real time. The tool is an easy to download app and highly user friendly. It builds on machine learning principles to decode different languages in real time. We suggest that the use of Talk2All will tremendously enhance communication in the hospital setting, effectively breaking the language barrier. We propose that vigorous incorporation of Talk2All shall overcome practical challenges in international medical and surgical tourism.

Keywords: language translation, communication, machine learning, medical tourism

Procedia PDF Downloads 214
8074 The Potential of Tempo-Oxidized Cellulose Nanofibers to Replace EthylenE-propylene-Diene Monomer Rubber

Authors: Sibel Dikmen Kucuk, Yusuf Guner

Abstract:

In recent years, petroleum-based polymers began to be limited due to the effects on the human and environmental point of view in many countries. Thus, organic-based biodegradable materials have attracted much interest in the composite industry because of environmental concerns. As a result of this, it has been asked that inorganic and petroleum-based materials should be reduced and altered with biodegradable materials. In this point, in this study, it is aimed to investigate the potential of the use of TEMPO (2,2,6,6- tetramethylpiperidine 1-oxyl)-mediated oxidation nano-fibrillated cellulose instead of EPDM (ethylene-propylene-diene monomer) rubber, which is a petroleum-based material. Thus, the exchange of petroleum-based EPDM rubber with organic-based cellulose nanofibers, which are environmentally friendly (green) and biodegradable, will be realized. The effect of tempo-oxidized cellulose nanofibers (TCNF) instead of EPDM rubber was analyzed by rheological, mechanical, chemical, thermal, and aging analyses. The aged surfaces were visually scrutinized, and surface morphological changes were examined via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results obtained showed that TEMPO oxidation nano-fibrillated cellulose could be used at an amount of 1.0 and 2.2 phr resulting the values stay within tolerance according to customer standard and without any chemical degradation, crack, color change or staining.

Keywords: EPDM, lignin, green materials, biodegradable fillers

Procedia PDF Downloads 125
8073 Assessment of Spatial and Vertical Distribution of Heavy Metals in the Mid Sand Bars of Brahmaputra River in Assam, India

Authors: Vijay Meena, Arup Kumar Sarma, Chandan Mahanta

Abstract:

The environment has been getting contaminated by anthropogenic processes including those that discharge heavy metals to air, soil and water. The present work emphasizes the spatial distribution and vertical profile of six heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Mn, Ni, Fe, Cr) in three layers of mid sand bars (bed surface layer, 50 cm and 100 cm depth) at 42 sampling stations covering around 600 km stretch of the Brahmaputra River, India. Heavy metal analysis was conducted on the sample collected from mid-sand bars in the river stretch to examine the impact of dredging for various hydrological operations in the future. Sediment quality was assessed by calculating six different indices viz., EF, CF, CD, PLI, Igeo, and PERI. In all sediment layers, heavy metal concentrations have been observed to be the same as listed, Fe > Mn > Zn > Ni > Cr > Cu in μg/g. The average concentration of Cu, Mn, and Fe was found in the middle layer while Zn, Ni, and Cr were in the Surface layer. EF indicates higher enrichment in reach 2 which is likely to be due to anthropogenic sources of industrial and urbanized effluents. The sediment of the mid-sand bar was generally found moderately polluted possessing low risk to aquatic lives and the environment. Suggesting, Dredging can be possible in the future. An examination of correlation matrices, principal components analysis, and cluster analyses indicated that these heavy metals possess similar anthropogenic origins for their enrichment.

Keywords: heavy metal contamination, risk assessment, anthropogenic impacts, sediment

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8072 Promoting Authenticity in Employer Brands to Address the Global-Local Problem in Complex Organisations: The Case of a Developing Country

Authors: Saud Al Taj

Abstract:

Employer branding is considered as a useful tool for addressing the global-local problem facing complex organisations that have operations scattered across the globe and face challenges of dealing with the local environment alongside. Despite being an established field of study within the Western developed world, there is little empirical evidence concerning the relevance of employer branding to global companies that operate in the under-developed economies. This paper fills this gap by gaining rich insight into the implementation of employer branding programs in a foreign multinational operating in Pakistan dealing with the global-local problem. The study is qualitative in nature and employs semi-structured and focus group interviews with senior/middle managers and local frontline employees to deeply examine the phenomenon in case organisation. Findings suggest that authenticity is required in employer brands to enable them to respond to the local needs thereby leading to the resolution of the global-local problem. However, the role of signaling theory is key to the development of authentic employer brands as it stresses on the need to establish an efficient and effective signaling environment wherein signals travel in both directions (from signal designers to receivers and backwards) and facilitate firms with the global-local problem. The paper also identifies future avenues of research for the employer branding field.

Keywords: authenticity, counter-signals, employer branding, global-local problem, signaling theory

Procedia PDF Downloads 367
8071 Anthropogenic Impact on Migration Process of River Yamuna in Delhi-NCR Using Geospatial Techniques

Authors: Mohd Asim, K. Nageswara Rao

Abstract:

The present work was carried out on River Yamuna passing through Delhi- National Capital Region (Delhi-NCR) of India for a stretch of about 130 km to assess the anthropogenic impact on the channel migration process for a period of 200 years with the help of satellite data and topographical maps with integration of geographic information system environment. Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) application was used to quantify river channel migration in ArcGIS environment. The average river channel migration was calculated to be 22.8 m/year for the entire study area. River channel migration was found to be moving in westward and eastward direction. Westward migration is more than 4 km maximum in length and eastward migration is about 4.19 km. The river has migrated a total of 32.26 sq. km of area. The results reveal that the river is being impacted by various human activities. The impact indicators include engineering structures, sand mining, embankments, urbanization, land use/land cover, canal network. The DSAS application was also used to predict the position of river channel in future for 2032 and 2042 by analyzing the past and present rate and direction of movement. The length of channel in 2032 and 2042 will be 132.5 and 141.6 km respectively. The channel will migrate maximum after crossing Okhla Barrage near Faridabad for about 3.84 sq. km from 2022 to 2042 from west to east.

Keywords: river migration, remote sensing, river Yamuna, anthropogenic impacts, DSAS, Delhi-NCR

Procedia PDF Downloads 124
8070 Experimental Device to Test Corrosion Behavior of Materials in the Molten Salt Reactor Environment

Authors: Jana Petru, Marie Kudrnova

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The use of technologies working with molten salts is conditioned by finding suitable construction materials that must meet several demanding criteria. In addition to temperature resistance, materials must also show corrosion resistance to salts; they must meet mechanical requirements and other requirements according to the area of use – for example, radiation resistance in Molten Salt Reactors. The present text describes an experimental device for studying the corrosion resistance of candidate materials in molten mixtures of salts and is a partial task of the international project ADAR, dealing with the evaluation of advanced nuclear reactors based on molten salts. The design of the device is based on a test exposure of Inconel 625 in the mixture of salts Hitec in a high temperature tube furnace. The result of the pre-exposure is, in addition to the metallographic evaluation of the behavior of material 625 in the mixture of nitrate salts, mainly a list of operational and construction problems that were essential for the construction of the new experimental equipment. The main output is a scheme of a newly designed gas-tight experimental apparatus capable of operating in an inert argon atmosphere, temperature up to 600 °C, pressure 3 bar, in the presence of a corrosive salt environment, with an exposure time of hundreds of hours. This device will enable the study of promising construction materials for nuclear energy.

Keywords: corrosion, experimental device, molten salt, steel

Procedia PDF Downloads 119
8069 Transitioning Towards a Circular Economy in the Textile Industry: Approaches to Address Environmental Challenges

Authors: Atefeh Salehipoor

Abstract:

Textiles play a vital role in human life, particularly in the form of clothing. However, the alarming rate at which textiles end up in landfills presents a significant environmental risk. With approximately one garbage truck per second being filled with discarded textiles, urgent measures are required to mitigate this trend. Governments and responsible organizations are calling upon various stakeholders to shift from a linear economy to a circular economy model in the textile industry. This article highlights several key approaches that can be undertaken to address this pressing issue. These approaches include the creation of renewable raw material sources, rethinking production processes, maximizing the use and reuse of textile products, implementing reproduction and recycling strategies, exploring redistribution to new markets, and finding innovative means to extend the lifespan of textiles. However, the rapid accumulation of textiles in landfills poses a significant threat to the environment. This article explores the urgent need for the textile industry to transition from a linear economy model to a circular economy model. The linear model, characterized by the creation, use, and disposal of textiles, is unsustainable in the long term. By adopting a circular economy approach, the industry can minimize waste, reduce environmental impact, and promote sustainable practices. This article outlines key approaches that can be undertaken to drive this transition. Approaches to Address Environmental Challenges: 1. Creation of Renewable Raw Materials Sources: Exploring and promoting the use of renewable and sustainable raw materials, such as organic cotton, hemp, and recycled fibers, can significantly reduce the environmental footprint of textile production. 2. Rethinking Production Processes: Implementing cleaner production techniques, optimizing resource utilization, and minimizing waste generation are crucial steps in reducing the environmental impact of textile manufacturing. 3. Maximizing Use and Reuse of Textile Products: Encouraging consumers to prolong the lifespan of textile products through proper care, maintenance, and repair services can reduce the frequency of disposal and promote a culture of sustainability. 4. Reproduction and Recycling Strategies: Investing in innovative technologies and infrastructure to enable efficient reproduction and recycling of textiles can close the loop and minimize waste generation. 5. Redistribution of Textiles to New Markets: Exploring opportunities to redistribute textiles to new and parallel markets, such as resale platforms, can extend their lifecycle and prevent premature disposal. 6. Improvising Means to Extend Textile Lifespan: Encouraging design practices that prioritize durability, versatility, and timeless aesthetics can contribute to prolonging the lifespan of textiles. Conclusion The textile industry must urgently transition from a linear economy to a circular economy model to mitigate the adverse environmental impact caused by textile waste. By implementing the outlined approaches, such as sourcing renewable raw materials, rethinking production processes, promoting reuse and recycling, exploring new markets, and extending the lifespan of textiles, stakeholders can work together to create a more sustainable and environmentally friendly textile industry. These measures require collective action and collaboration between governments, organizations, manufacturers, and consumers to drive positive change and safeguard the planet for future generations.

Keywords: textiles, circular economy, environmental challenges, renewable raw materials, production processes, reuse, recycling, redistribution, textile lifespan extension

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8068 Expression of Metallothionein Gen and Protein on Hepatopancreas, Gill and Muscle of Perna viridis Caused by Biotoxicity Hg, Pb and Cd

Authors: Yulia Irnidayanti , J. J. Josua, A. Sugianto

Abstract:

Jakarta Bay with 13 rivers that flow into, the environment has deteriorated and is the most polluted bays in Asia. The entry of waste into the waters of the Bay of Jakarta has caused pollution. Heavy metal contamination has led to pollution levels and may cause toxicity to organisms that live in the sea, down to the cellular level and may affect the ecological balance. Various ways have been conducted to measure the impact of environmental degradation, such as by measuring the levels of contaminants in the environment, including measuring the accumulation of toxic compounds in the tissues of organisms. Biological responses or biomarkers known as a sensitive indicator but need relevant predictions. In heavy metal pollution monitoring, analysis of aquatic biota is very important from the analysis of the water itself. The content of metals in aquatic biota will usually always be increased from time to time due to the nature of metal bioaccumulation, so the aquatic biota is best used as an indicator of metal pollution in aquatic environments. The results of the content analysis results of sea water in coastal estuaries Angke, Kaliadem and Panimbang detected heavy metals cadmium, mercury, lead, but did not find zinc metal. Based on the results of protein electrophoresis methallotionein found heavy metals in the tissues hepatopancreas, gills and muscles, and also the mRNA expression of has detected.

Keywords: gills, heavy metal, hepatopancreas, metallothionein, muscle

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8067 Powering Connections: Synergizing Sales and Marketing for Electronics Engineering with Web Development.

Authors: Muhammad Awais Kiani, Abdul Basit Kiani, Maryam Kiani

Abstract:

Synergizing Sales and Marketing for Electronics Engineering with Web Development, explores the dynamic relationship between sales, marketing, and web development within the electronics engineering industry. This study is important for the power of digital platforms to connect with customers. Which increases brand visibility and drives sales. It highlights the need for collaboration between sales and marketing teams, as well as the integration of web development strategies to create seamless user experiences and effective lead generation. Furthermore, It also emphasizes the role of data analytics and customer insights in optimizing sales and marketing efforts in the ever-evolving landscape of electronics engineering. Sales and marketing play a crucial role in driving business growth, and in today's digital landscape, web development has become an integral part of these strategies. Web development enables businesses to create visually appealing and user-friendly websites that effectively showcase their products or services. It allows for the integration of e-commerce functionalities, enabling seamless online transactions. Furthermore, web development helps businesses optimize their online presence through search engine optimization (SEO) techniques, social media integration, and content management systems. This abstract highlights the symbiotic relationship between sales marketing in the electronics industry and web development, emphasizing the importance of a strong online presence in achieving business success.

Keywords: electronics industry, web development, sales, marketing

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8066 Performance Comparison of Situation-Aware Models for Activating Robot Vacuum Cleaner in a Smart Home

Authors: Seongcheol Kwon, Jeongmin Kim, Kwang Ryel Ryu

Abstract:

We assume an IoT-based smart-home environment where the on-off status of each of the electrical appliances including the room lights can be recognized in a real time by monitoring and analyzing the smart meter data. At any moment in such an environment, we can recognize what the household or the user is doing by referring to the status data of the appliances. In this paper, we focus on a smart-home service that is to activate a robot vacuum cleaner at right time by recognizing the user situation, which requires a situation-aware model that can distinguish the situations that allow vacuum cleaning (Yes) from those that do not (No). We learn as our candidate models a few classifiers such as naïve Bayes, decision tree, and logistic regression that can map the appliance-status data into Yes and No situations. Our training and test data are obtained from simulations of user behaviors, in which a sequence of user situations such as cooking, eating, dish washing, and so on is generated with the status of the relevant appliances changed in accordance with the situation changes. During the simulation, both the situation transition and the resulting appliance status are determined stochastically. To compare the performances of the aforementioned classifiers we obtain their learning curves for different types of users through simulations. The result of our empirical study reveals that naïve Bayes achieves a slightly better classification accuracy than the other compared classifiers.

Keywords: situation-awareness, smart home, IoT, machine learning, classifier

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8065 Application of Bacteriophage and Essential Oil to Enhance Photocatalytic Efficiency

Authors: Myriam Ben Said, Dhekra Trabelsi, Faouzi Achouri, Marwa Ben Saad, Latifa Bousselmi, Ahmed Ghrabi

Abstract:

This present study suggests the use of biological and natural bactericide, cheap, safe to handle, natural, environmentally benign agents to enhance the conventional wastewater treatment process. In the same sense, to highlight the enhancement of wastewater photocatalytic treatability, we were used virulent bacteriophage(s) and essential oils (EOs). The pre-phago-treatment of wastewater with lytic phage(s), leads to a decrease in bacterial density and, consequently, limits the establishment of intercellular communication (QS), thus preventing biofilm formation and inhibiting the expression of other virulence factors after photocatalysis. Moreover, to increase the photocatalytic efficiency, we were added to the secondary treated wastewater 1/1000 (w/v) of EO of thyme (T. vulgaris). This EO showed in vitro an anti-biofilm activity through the inhibition of plonctonic cell mobility and their attachment on an inert surface and also the deterioration of the sessile structure. The presence of photoactivatable molecules (photosensitizes) in this type of oil allows the optimization of photocatalytic efficiency without hazards relayed to dyes and chemicals reagent. The use of ‘biological and natural tools’ in combination with usual water treatment process can be considered as a safety procedure to reduce and/or to prevent the recontamination of treated water and also to prevent the re-expression of virulent factors by pathogenic bacteria such as biofilm formation with friendly processes.

Keywords: biofilm, essential oil, optimization, phage, photocatalysis, wastewater

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8064 Hopes of out of School Children with Disabilities for Educational Inclusion

Authors: Afaf Manzoor, Abdul Hameed

Abstract:

Hopes to attend school is the most effective means to overcome the burden of disability and become a self-reliant, productive citizen. The objectives of the study were to develop a valid and reliable scale to measure hopes of out of school children with disabilities and find an association between hopes and various demographic factors such as type of disability, gender, socio-economic status, and locale, etc. Child Hope theory by Snyder (2003) was used as a framework to develop a measure for the hopes of children. According to this theory, hope is defined as a set of cognition that includes self- perception which establish routes to achieve desired goals (pathways) and motivation for achieving the goals (agency). By applying this theory, inclusion hope scale was developed and validated. The data were collected from 361 out of school children with disabilities living in three districts (Lahore, Sheikupura, Kasur) of Lahore Division by using the cluster sampling technique. Findings of the study indicated that children with intellectual challenges were more hopeless as compared to other types of disabilities. Similarly, children living in urban areas have better hopes for inclusion in school. However, no gender disparity was found in terms of being hopeful to attend schools. The study also includes recommendations to improve hopes for educational inclusion among out of school children with disabilities.

Keywords: out of school children, disability, hopes, inclusion

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8063 Cloud Shield: Model to Secure User Data While Using Content Delivery Network Services

Authors: Rachna Jain, Sushila Madan, Bindu Garg

Abstract:

Cloud computing is the key powerhouse in numerous organizations due to shifting of their data to the cloud environment. In recent years it has been observed that cloud-based-services are being used on large scale for content storage, distribution and processing. Various issues have been observed in cloud computing environment that need to be addressed. Security and privacy are found topmost concern area. In this paper, a novel security model is proposed to secure data by utilizing CDN services like image to icon conversion. CDN Service is a content delivery service which converts an image to icon, word to pdf & Latex to pdf etc. Presented model is used to convert an image into icon by keeping image secret. Here security of image is imparted so that image should be encrypted and decrypted by data owners only. It is also discussed in the paper that how server performs multiplication and selection on encrypted data without decryption. The data can be image file, word file, audio or video file. Moreover, the proposed model is capable enough to multiply images, encrypt them and send to a server application for conversion. Eventually, the prime objective is to encrypt an image and convert the encrypted image to image Icon by utilizing homomorphic encryption.

Keywords: cloud computing, user data security, homomorphic encryption, image multiplication, CDN service

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8062 Using Genetic Algorithms to Outline Crop Rotations and a Cropping-System Model

Authors: Nicolae Bold, Daniel Nijloveanu

Abstract:

The idea of cropping-system is a method used by farmers. It is an environmentally-friendly method, protecting the natural resources (soil, water, air, nutritive substances) and increase the production at the same time, taking into account some crop particularities. The combination of this powerful method with the concepts of genetic algorithms results into a possibility of generating sequences of crops in order to form a rotation. The usage of this type of algorithms has been efficient in solving problems related to optimization and their polynomial complexity allows them to be used at solving more difficult and various problems. In our case, the optimization consists in finding the most profitable rotation of cultures. One of the expected results is to optimize the usage of the resources, in order to minimize the costs and maximize the profit. In order to achieve these goals, a genetic algorithm was designed. This algorithm ensures the finding of several optimized solutions of cropping-systems possibilities which have the highest profit and, thus, which minimize the costs. The algorithm uses genetic-based methods (mutation, crossover) and structures (genes, chromosomes). A cropping-system possibility will be considered a chromosome and a crop within the rotation is a gene within a chromosome. Results about the efficiency of this method will be presented in a special section. The implementation of this method would bring benefits into the activity of the farmers by giving them hints and helping them to use the resources efficiently.

Keywords: chromosomes, cropping, genetic algorithm, genes

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8061 Antagonistic Effect of Indigenous Plant Extracts toward Dusky Cotton Bug, Oxycarenus laetus

Authors: Muhammad Rafiq Shahid, Ali Hassan, Umm-e- Rubab, Muhammad Nadeem

Abstract:

Insecticidal property of plant extracts was assessed toward dusky bug of cotton. Plant extracts consisted of bari pata (Ziziphus jajuba), Ak (Calotropis gigantean), Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), Bakine (Melia azedarach),Kanar (Nerium oleander),Kurtuma (Mitragyna speciosa) and one Control was also included with distilled water treatment. Forced feeding experiment was used to determine the antibiotic effect of bug plant extracts on dusky bug whereas Multi-choice experiment to determine the antixenosis/ repellent property of botanicals. It is evident from the results that mortality and antibiosis percentage of dusky bug due to the use of botanicals ranged from 15-95% and 20-87.3% respectively that was maximum in tobacoo extract followed by bakain and kurtama, minimum was on Ak, kanair and bakain extract. Non preference ranged from 14.28 to 85.7 where maximum non preference of dusky bug was found on bakain and kurtama followed by ak and kanair however minimum was on Bari pata extract. It was further found that local plant extract possessed insecticidal property toward dusky bug as well as also possesses repellency effect toward dusky bug, thus should be included in integrated pest management program of cotton in order to minimize the ill effects of pesticides it is compulsory to adopt eco-friendly methods of insect pest management.

Keywords: botanical extract, insecticidal and repellency activity, Gossypium hirsutum, oxycarenus laetus

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8060 Balance Control Mechanisms in Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis in Virtual Reality Environment

Authors: Badriah Alayidi, Emad Alyahya

Abstract:

Background: Most people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) report worsening balance as the condition progresses. Poor balance control is also well known to be a significant risk factor for both falling and fear of falling. The increased risk of falls with disease progression thus makes balance control an essential target of gait rehabilitation amongst people with MS. Intervention programs have developed various methods to improve balance control, and accumulating evidence suggests that exercise programs may help people with MS improve their balance. Among these methods, virtual reality (VR) is growing in popularity as a balance-training technique owing to its potential benefits, including better compliance and greater user happiness. However, it is not clear if a VR environment will induce different balance control mechanisms in MS as compared to healthy individuals or traditional environments. Therefore, this study aims to examine how individuals with MS control their balance in a VR setting. Methodology: The proposed study takes an empirical approach to estimate and determine the role of balance response in persons with MS using a VR environment. It will use primary data collected through patient observations, physiological and biomechanical evaluation of balance, and data analysis. Results: The preliminary systematic review and meta-analysis indicated that there was variability in terms of the outcome assessing balance response in people with MS. The preliminary results of these assessments have the potential to provide essential indicators of the progression of MS and contribute to the individualization of treatment and evaluation of the interventions’ effectiveness. The literature describes patients who have had the opportunity to experiment in VR settings and then used what they have learned in the real world, suggesting that this VR setting could be more appealing than conditional settings. The findings of the proposed study will be beneficial in estimating and determining the effect of VR on balance control in persons with MS. In previous studies, VR was shown to be an interesting approach to neurological rehabilitation, but more data are needed to support this approach in MS. Conclusions: The proposed study enables an assessment of balance and evaluations of a variety of physiological implications related to neural activity as well as biomechanical implications related to movement analysis.

Keywords: multiple sclerosis, virtual reality, postural control, balance

Procedia PDF Downloads 74