Search results for: conventional activated sludge WWTPs

Authors: Krish Jhurani

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The research paper presents an in-depth analysis of symmetry properties in linear algebraic systems under the operation of non-canonical scalar multiplication structures, specifically semirings, and near-rings. The objective is to unveil the profound alterations that occur in traditional linear algebraic structures when we replace conventional field multiplication with these non-canonical operations. In the methodology, we first establish the theoretical foundations of non-canonical scalar multiplication, followed by a meticulous investigation into the resulting symmetry properties, focusing on eigenvectors, eigenspaces, and invariant subspaces. The methodology involves a combination of rigorous mathematical proofs and derivations, supplemented by illustrative examples that exhibit these discovered symmetry properties in tangible mathematical scenarios. The core findings uncover unique symmetry attributes. For linear algebraic systems with semiring scalar multiplication, we reveal eigenvectors and eigenvalues. Systems operating under near-ring scalar multiplication disclose unique invariant subspaces. These discoveries drastically broaden the traditional landscape of symmetry properties in linear algebraic systems. With the application of these findings, potential practical implications span across various fields such as physics, coding theory, and cryptography. They could enhance error detection and correction codes, devise more secure cryptographic algorithms, and even influence theoretical physics. This expansion of applicability accentuates the significance of the presented research. The research paper thus contributes to the mathematical community by bringing forth perspectives on linear algebraic systems and their symmetry properties through the lens of non-canonical scalar multiplication, coupled with an exploration of practical applications.

Keywords: eigenspaces, eigenvectors, invariant subspaces, near-rings, non-canonical scalar multiplication, semirings, symmetry properties

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Authors: Shivani Singla, Om Prakash Pandey, Gopi Sharma

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Metallic nanoparticle doped glasses has lead to rapid development in the field of optics. Large third order non-linearity, ultrafast time response, and a wide range of resonant absorption frequencies make these metallic nanoparticles more important in comparison to their bulk material. All these properties are highly dependent upon the size, shape, and surrounding environment of the nanoparticles. In a quest to find a suitable material for optical applications, several efforts have been devoted to improve the properties of such glasses in the past. In the present study, bismuth borate glass doped with different size gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) has been prepared using the conventional melt-quench technique. Synthesized glasses are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transformation Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to observe the structural modification in the glassy matrix with the variation in the size of the AuNPs. Glasses remain purely amorphous in nature even after the addition of AuNPs, whereas FTIR proposes that the main structure contains BO₃ and BO₄ units. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) confirms the existence and variation in the size of AuNPs. Differential thermal analysis (DTA) depicts that prepared glasses are thermally stable and are highly suitable for the fabrication of optical fibers. The nonlinear optical parameters (nonlinear absorption coefficient and nonlinear refractive index) are calculated out by using the Z-scan technique with a Ti: sapphire laser at 800 nm. It has been concluded that the size of the nanoparticles highly influences the structural thermal and optical properties system.

Keywords: bismuth borate glass, different size, gold nanoparticles, nonlinearity

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Authors: Alexander Vandesompele, Joni Dambre

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The diversity in dendritic arborization, as first illustrated by Santiago Ramon y Cajal, has always suggested a role for dendrites in the functionality of neurons. In the past decades, thanks to new recording techniques and optical stimulation methods, it has become clear that dendrites are not merely passive electrical components. They are observed to integrate inputs in a non-linear fashion and actively participate in computations. Regardless, in simulations of neural networks dendritic structure and functionality are often overlooked. Especially in a machine learning context, when designing artificial neural networks, point neuron models such as the leaky-integrate-and-fire (LIF) model are dominant. These models mimic the integration of inputs at the neuron soma, and ignore the existence of dendrites. In this work, the LIF point neuron model is extended with a simple form of dendritic computation. This gives the LIF neuron increased capacity to discriminate spatiotemporal input sequences, a dendritic functionality as observed in another study. Simulations of the spiking neurons are performed using the Bindsnet framework. In the common LIF model, incoming synapses are independent. Here, we introduce a dependency between incoming synapses such that the post-synaptic impact of a spike is not only determined by the weight of the synapse, but also by the activity of other synapses. This is a form of short term plasticity where synapses are potentiated or depressed by the preceding activity of neighbouring synapses. This is a straightforward way to prevent inputs from simply summing linearly at the soma. To implement this, each pair of synapses on a neuron is assigned a variable,representing the synaptic relation. This variable determines the magnitude ofthe short term plasticity. These variables can be chosen randomly or, more interestingly, can be learned using a form of Hebbian learning. We use Spike-Time-Dependent-Plasticity (STDP), commonly used to learn synaptic strength magnitudes. If all neurons in a layer receive the same input, they tend to learn the same through STDP. Adding inhibitory connections between the neurons creates a winner-take-all (WTA) network. This causes the different neurons to learn different input sequences. To illustrate the impact of the proposed dendritic mechanism, even without learning, we attach five input neurons to two output neurons. One output neuron isa regular LIF neuron, the other output neuron is a LIF neuron with dendritic relationships. Then, the five input neurons are allowed to fire in a particular order. The membrane potentials are reset and subsequently the five input neurons are fired in the reversed order. As the regular LIF neuron linearly integrates its inputs at the soma, the membrane potential response to both sequences is similar in magnitude. In the other output neuron, due to the dendritic mechanism, the membrane potential response is different for both sequences. Hence, the dendritic mechanism improves the neuron’s capacity for discriminating spa-tiotemporal sequences. Dendritic computations improve LIF neurons even if the relationships between synapses are established randomly. Ideally however, a learning rule is used to improve the dendritic relationships based on input data. It is possible to learn synaptic strength with STDP, to make a neuron more sensitive to its input. Similarly, it is possible to learn dendritic relationships with STDP, to make the neuron more sensitive to spatiotemporal input sequences. Feeding structured data to a WTA network with dendritic computation leads to a significantly higher number of discriminated input patterns. Without the dendritic computation, output neurons are less specific and may, for instance, be activated by a sequence in reverse order.

Keywords: dendritic computation, spiking neural networks, point neuron model

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Authors: Shafaq Rubab

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One of the biggest reasons of dropouts from schools is lack of motivation and interest among the students, particularly in mathematics. Many developing countries are facing this problem and this issue is lowering the literacy rate in these developing countries. The best solution for increasing motivation level and interest among the students is using tablet game-based learning. However, a pedagogically sound game required a well-planned instructional design model to enhance learner’s attention and confidence otherwise effectiveness of the learning games suffers badly. This research aims to evaluate the impact of the pedagogically sound instructional design model on students’ motivation by using tablet game-based learning. This research was conducted among the out-of-school-students having an age range from 7 to 12 years and the sample size of two hundred students was purposively selected without any gender discrimination. Qualitative research was conducted by using a survey tool named Instructional Material Motivational Survey (IMMS) adapted from Keller Arcs model. A comparison of results from both groups’ i.e. experimental group and control group revealed that motivation level of the students taught by the game was higher than the students instructed by using conventional methodologies. Experimental group’s students were more attentive, confident and satisfied as compared to the control group’s students. This research work not only promoted the trend of digital game-based learning in developing countries but also supported that a pedagogically sound instructional design model utilized in an educational game can increase the motivation level of the students and can make the learning process a totally immersive and interactive fun loving activity.

Keywords: digital game-based learning, student’s motivation, instructional design model, learning process

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Authors: Muhammad Siddique, Volodymyr Lugovskyy

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This paper explores how nations might mitigate the unfavorable impacts of oil price volatility on economic growth by switching to renewable energy sources. The impacts of uncertain factor prices on economic activity are examined by looking at the Realized Volatility (RV) of oil prices rather than the more traditional method of looking at oil price shocks. The United States of America (USA), China (C), India (I), United Kingdom (UK), Germany (G), Malaysia (M), and Pakistan (P) are all included to round out the traditional literature's examination of selected nations, which focuses on oil-importing and exporting economies. Granger Causality Tests (GCT), Impulse Response Functions (IRF), and Variance Decompositions (VD) demonstrate that in a Vector Auto-Regressive (VAR) scenario, the negative impacts of oil price volatility extend beyond what can be explained by oil price shocks alone for all of the nations in the sample. Different nations have different levels of vulnerability to changes in oil prices and other factors that may play a role in a sectoral composition and the energy mix. The conventional method, which only takes into account whether a country is a net oil importer or exporter, is inadequate. The potential economic advantages of initiatives to decouple the macroeconomy from volatile commodities markets are shown through simulations of volatility shocks in alternative energy mixes (with greater proportions of renewables). It is determined that in developing countries like Pakistan, increasing the use of renewable energy sources might lessen an economy's sensitivity to changes in oil prices; nonetheless, a country-specific study is required to identify particular policy actions. In sum, the research provides an innovative justification for mitigating economic growth's dependence on stable oil prices in our sample countries.

Keywords: oil price volatility, renewable energy, economic growth, developed and developing economies

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Authors: Mohammadjavad Sotoudeheian, Soroush Nematollahi

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Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic gastrointestinal segment inflammation encompassing immune dysregulation in a genetically susceptible individual in response to the environmental triggers and interaction between the microbiome and immune system. Uncontrolled inflammation leads to long-term complications, including fibrotic strictures and enteric fistulae. Increased production of Th1 and Th17-cell cytokines and defects in T-regulatory cells have been associated with CD. Th17-cells are essential for protection against extracellular pathogens, but their atypical activity can cause autoimmunity. Intrinsic defects in the control of programmed cell death in the mucosal T-cell compartment are strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of CD. The apoptosis defect in mucosal T-cells in CD has been endorsed as an imbalance of the Bcl-2 and the Bax. The immune system encounters foreign antigens through microbial colonization of mucosal surfaces or infections. In addition, FOSL downregulated IL-26 expression, a cytokine that marks inflammatory Th17-populations in patients suffering from CD. Furthermore, the expression of IL-23 is associated with the transcription factor primary leucine zipper transcription factor ATF-like (Batf). Batf-deficiency demonstrated the crucial role of Batf in colitis development. Batf and IL-23 mediate their effects by inducing IL-6 production. Strong association of IL-23R, Stat3, and Stat4 with IBD susceptibility point to a critical involvement of T-cells. IL-23R levels in transfer fistula were dependent on the AP-1 transcription factor JunB that additionally controlled levels of RORγt by facilitating DNA binding of Batf. T lymphocytes lacking JunB failed to induce IL-23- and Th17-mediated experimental colitis highlighting the relevance of JunB for the IL-23/ Th17 pathway. The absence of T-bet causes unrestrained Th17-cell differentiation. T-cells are central parts of immune-mediated colon fistula. Especially Th17-cells were highly prevalent in inflamed IBD tissues, as RORγt is effective in preventing colitis. Intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) contain unique T-cell subsets, including cells expressing RORγt. Increased activated Th17 and decreased T-regulatory cells in inflamed intestinal tissues had been seen. T-cells differentiate in response to many cytokines, including IL-1β, IL-6, IL-23, and TGF-β, into Th17-cells, a process which is critically dependent on the Batf. IL-23 promotes Th17-cell in the colon. Batf manages the generation of IL-23 induced IL-23R+ Th17-cells. Batf is necessary for TGF-β/IL-6-induced Th17-polarization. Batf-expressing T-cells are the core of T-cell-mediated colitis. The human-specific parts of three AP-1 transcription factors, FOSL1, FOSL2, and BATF, are essential during the early stages of Th17 differentiation. BATF supports the Th17 lineage. FOSL1, FOSL2, and BATF make possession of regulatory loci of genes in the Th17 lineage cascade. The AP1 transcription factor Batf is identified to control intestinal inflammation and seems to regulate pathways within lymphocytes, which could theoretically control the expression of several genes. It shows central regulatory properties over Th17-cell development and is intensely upregulated within IBD-affected tissues. Here, we demonstrated that targeting Batf in IBD appears as a therapeutic approach that reduces colitogenic T-cell activities during fistula formation while aiming to affect inflammation in the gut epithelial cells.

Keywords: immune system, Crohn’s Disease, BATF, T helper cells, Bcl, interleukin, FOSL

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Authors: Lok Bahadur Shrestha, Narayan Raj Bhattarai, Basudha Khanal

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Introduction: Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are the normal commensal of human skin and mucous membranes. The study was carried out to study the prevalence of CoNS among clinical isolates, to characterize them up to species level and to compare the three conventional methods for detection of biofilm formation. Objectives: to characterize the clinically significant coagulase-negative staphylococci up to species level, to compare the three phenotypic methods for the detection of biofilm formation and to study the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of the isolates. Methods: CoNS isolates were obtained from various clinical samples during the period of 1 year. Characterization up to species level was done using biochemical test and study of biofilm formation was done by tube adherence, congo red agar, and tissue culture plate method. Results: Among 71 CoNS isolates, seven species were identified. S. epidermidis was the most common species followed by S. saprophyticus, S. haemolyticus. Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of CoNS documented resistance of 90% to ampicillin. Resistance to cefoxitin and ceftriaxone was observed in 55% of the isolates. We detected biofilm formation in 71.8% of isolates. The sensitivity of tube adherence method was 82% while that of congo red agar method was 78%. Conclusion: Among 71 CoNS isolated, S. epidermidis was the most common isolates followed by S. saprophyticus and S. haemolyticus. Biofilm formation was detected in 71.8% of the isolates. All of the methods were effective at detecting biofilm-producing CoNS strains. Biofilm former strains are more resistant to antibiotics as compared to biofilm non-formers.

Keywords: CoNS, congo red agar, bloodstream infections, foreign body-related infections, tissue culture plate

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Authors: Mulu G. Gencha, Gebremedhin Simon, Menna Olango

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This study was conducted at Hawassa University (HwU) in the Southern Nation Nationalities Peoples Regional State (SNNPRS) of Ethiopia. The prime concern of this study was to examine the writing performances of experimental and control group students, perception of experimental group students, and subject instructors. The course was blended learning (BL). Blended learning is a hybrid of classroom and on-line learning. Participants were eighty students from the School of Computer Science. Forty students attended the BL delivery involved using Face-to-Face (FTF) and campus-based online instruction. All instructors, fifty, of School of Language and Communication Studies along with 10 FGD members participated in the study. The experimental group went to the computer lab two times a week for four months, March-June, 2012, using the local area network (LAN), and software (MOODLE) writing program. On the other hand, the control group, forty students, took the FTF writing course five times a week for four months in similar academic calendar. The three instruments, the attitude questionnaire, tests and FGD were designed to identify views of students, instructors, and FGD participants on BL. At the end of the study, students’ final course scores were evaluated. Data were analyzed using independent samples t-tests. A statistically, significant difference was found between the FTF and BL (p<0.05). The analysis showed that the BL group was more successful than the conventional group. Besides, both instructors and students had positive attitude towards BL. The final section of the thesis showed the potential benefits and challenges, considering the pedagogical implications for the BL, and recommended possible avenues for further works.

Keywords: blended learning, computer attitudes, computer usefulness, computer liking, computer confidence, computer phobia

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Authors: A. Moawad, K. C. Yao, A. Mansour, R. Gautier

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The detecting of an occupied frequency band is a major issue in cognitive radio systems. The detection process becomes difficult if the signal occupying the band of interest has faded amplitude due to multipath effects. These effects make it hard for an occupying user to be detected. This work mitigates the missed-detection problem in the context of cognitive radio in frequency-selective fading channel by proposing blind channel estimation method that is based on scattering transform. By initially applying conventional energy detection, the missed-detection probability is evaluated, and if it is greater than or equal to 50%, channel estimation is applied on the received signal followed by channel equalization to reduce the channel effects. In the proposed channel estimator, we modify the Morlet wavelet by using its first derivative for better frequency resolution. A mathematical description of the modified function and its frequency resolution is formulated in this work. The improved frequency resolution is required to follow the spectral variation of the channel. The channel estimation error is evaluated in the mean-square sense for different channel settings, and energy detection is applied to the equalized received signal. The simulation results show improvement in reducing the missed-detection probability as compared to the detection based on principal component analysis. This improvement is achieved at the expense of increased estimator complexity, which depends on the number of wavelet filters as related to the channel taps. Also, the detection performance shows an improvement in detection probability for low signal-to-noise scenarios over principal component analysis- based energy detection.

Keywords: channel estimation, cognitive radio, scattering transform, spectrum sensing

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Authors: Richard Draper

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A supercomputer can be constructed from identical building blocks which are small parallel processors connected by a network referred to as the local network. The routers have unused ports which are used to interconnect the building blocks. These connections are referred to as the global network. The address space has a global and a local component (g, l). The conventional way to connect the building blocks is to connect (g, l) to (g’,l). If there are K blocks, this requires K global ports in each router. If a block is of size M, the result is a machine with KM routers having diameter two. To increase the size of the machine to 2K blocks, each router connects to only half of the other blocks. The result is a larger machine but also one with greater diameter. This is a crude description of how the network of the CRAY XC® is designed. In this paper, a family of interconnection networks using routers with K global and M local ports is defined. Coordinates are (c,d, p) and the global connections are (c,d,p)↔(c’,p,d) which swaps p and d. The network is denoted D3(K,M) and is called a Swapped Dragonfly. D3(K,M) has KM2 routers and has diameter three, regardless of the size of K. To produce a network of size KM2 conventionally, diameter would be an increasing function of K. The family of Swapped Dragonflies has other desirable properties: 1) D3(K,M) scales linearly in K and quadratically in M. 2) If L < K, D3(K,M) contains many copies of D3(L,M). 3) If L < M, D3(K,M) contains many copies of D3(K,L). 4) D3(K,M) can perform an all-to-all exchange in KM2+KM time which is only slightly more than the time to do a one-to-all. This paper makes several contributions. It is the first time that a swap has been used to define a linearly scalable family of networks. Structural properties of this new family of networks are thoroughly examined. A synchronizing packet header is introduced. It specifies the path to be followed and it makes it possible to define highly parallel communication algorithm on the network. Among these is an all-to-all exchange in time KM2+KM. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the swap properties of the network of the CRAY XC® and D3(K,16) are compared.

Keywords: all-to-all exchange, CRAY XC®, Dragonfly, interconnection network, packet switching, swapped network, topology

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Authors: Maimona A. E. Elimam, Suhair Rehan, Miskelyemen A. Elmekki, Mogahid M. Elhassan

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Staphylococcus aureus (Staph. aureus), a major cause of potentially life-threatening infections acquired in healthcare and community settings, has developed resistance to most classes of antimicrobial agents as determined by the dramatic increase. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of MRSA, and VRSA in patients with different clinical manifestations in Khartoum state. The study population (n, 426) were males and females with different age categories, suffering either from wound infections (105), ear infections (121), or UTI (101), in addition to nasal carriers of medical staff (100). Cultures, Gram staining, and other biochemical tests were performed for conventional identification. Modified Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method was applied and DNA was extracted from MRSA and VRSA isolates and PCR was then performed for amplification of arc, mecA, VanA, and VanB genes. The results confirmed the existence of Staph. aureus in 49/426 (11.5%) cases among which MRSA were isolated from 34/49 (69.4%) when modified Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method was applied. Ten out of these 34 MRSA were confirmed as VRSA by cultures on BHI agar containing 6μg/ml vancomycin according to NCCLS criteria. PCR revealed that out of the 34 MRSA isolates, 26 were mecA positive (76.5%) while 8 (23.5%) were arcC positive. No vanA or VanB genes were detected. Molecular method confirmed the results for MRSA through the presence of either arcC or mecA genes while it failed to approve the occurrence of VRSA since neither VanA or VanB genes were detected. Thus, VRSA may be attributed to other factors.

Keywords: antibiotic resistance, Staphylococcus aureus, VRSA, MRSA, Khartoum, Sudan

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Authors: Yu Zhang, Ye Tian, Fang Ye Yixuan Kang

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The capacity of conventional cellular networks has reached its upper bound and it can be well handled by introducing femtocells with low-cost and easy-to-deploy. Spectrum interference issue becomes more critical in peace with the value-added multimedia services growing up increasingly in two-tier cellular networks. Spectrum allocation is one of effective methods in interference mitigation technology. This paper proposes a game-theory-based on OFDMA downlink spectrum allocation aiming at reducing co-channel interference in two-tier femtocell networks. The framework is formulated as a non-cooperative game, wherein the femto base stations are players and frequency channels available are strategies. The scheme takes full account of competitive behavior and fairness among stations. In addition, the utility function reflects the interference from the standpoint of channels essentially. This work focuses on co-channel interference and puts forward a negative logarithm interference function on distance weight ratio aiming at suppressing co-channel interference in the same layer network. This scenario is more suitable for actual network deployment and the system possesses high robustness. According to the proposed mechanism, interference exists only when players employ the same channel for data communication. This paper focuses on implementing spectrum allocation in a distributed fashion. Numerical results show that signal to interference and noise ratio can be obviously improved through the spectrum allocation scheme and the users quality of service in downlink can be satisfied. Besides, the average spectrum efficiency in cellular network can be significantly promoted as simulations results shown.

Keywords: femtocell networks, game theory, interference mitigation, spectrum allocation

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Authors: Karla Sanchez-Ortiz, Yunuen Tapia-Torres, John Larsen, Felipe Garcia-Oliva

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Due to food demand production, the use of synthetic nitrogenous fertilizer has increased in agricultural soils to replace the N losses. Nevertheless, the intensive use of synthetic nitrogenous fertilizer in conventional agriculture negatively affects the soil and therefore the environment, so alternatives such as organic agriculture have been proposed for being more environmentally friendly. However, further research in soil is needed to see how agricultural management affects the dynamics of C and N. The objective of this research was to evaluate the C and N dynamics in the soil with three different agricultural management: an agricultural plot with intensive inorganic fertilization, a plot with semi-organic management and an agricultural plot with recent abandonment (2 years). For each plot, the soil C and N dynamics and the enzymatic activity of NAG and β-Glucosidase were characterized. Total C and N concentration of the plant biomass of each site was measured as well. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) was higher in abandoned plot, as well as this plot had higher total carbon (TC) and total nitrogen (TN), besides microbial N and microbial C. While the enzymatic activity of NAG and β-Glucosidase was greater in the agricultural plot with inorganic fertilization, as well as nitrate (NO₃) was higher in fertilized plot, in comparison with the other two plots. The aboveground biomass (AB) of maize in the plot with inorganic fertilization presented higher TC and TN concentrations than the maize AB growing in the semiorganic plot, but the C:N ratio was highest in the grass AB in the abandoned plot. The C:N ration in the maize grain was greater in the semi-organic agricultural plot. These results show that the plot under intensive agricultural management favors the loss of soil organic matter and N, degrading the dynamics of soil organic compounds, promoting its fertility depletion.

Keywords: mineralization, nitrogen cycle, soil degradation, soil nutrients

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Authors: Maria Ukolova

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Social and cultural processes over the past decades have largely affected the understanding of conventional female beauty all over the world. Fine arts and design tendencies could not remain unchanged and show a dynamic interplay with female rights, gender equality, and other social processes. As of now, the area lacks comprehensive academic research on the tendencies of understanding female beauty in contemporary art. This article makes an attempt to outline and analyse the main tendencies of contemporary works of art that turn to the image of a woman, including photography, digital art, and various forms of design. The research bases itself on paintings, performing arts, photography, digital art, and various forms of design, mainly on the principle of the most broadly resonated in society, as an empirical basis, and on existing researches in the sphere. The results of the research show a general trend that the concept of female beauty in art is either challenged as such or its understanding has shifted to individuality, diversity, and the state of mental health. However, some categories of art, such as digital art in the gaming industry, remain resistant to change and retain the appearance-based understanding of beauty. Specific tendencies are, firstly, aestheticization of all types of appearances; secondly, a ubiquitous interest in mental health issues and understanding the state of mental health as a part of beauty; thirdly, a certain infantilization of the image of the woman is observed as compared to previous decades. The significance of the findings of the research is to contribute to a scientific understanding of the concept of beauty in contemporary art and to give ground for prospective further related research in sociology, phycology, etc. The findings might be perceived not only by academics but also by artists and practitioners in the spheres of art and society.

Keywords: fine arts, history of art, contemporary art, concept of beauty

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Authors: Sheng-Bo Zhang, Huan-Hao Zhang, Zhi-Hua Chen, Chun Zheng

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In this paper, the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability has been studied numerically by using the high-resolution Roe scheme based on the two-dimensional unsteady Euler equation, which was caused by the interaction between shock wave and the helium circular light gas cylinder with different component distributions. The numerical results further discuss the deformation process of the gas cylinder, the wave structure of the flow field and quantitatively analyze the characteristic dimensions (length, height, and central axial width) of the gas cylinder, the volume compression ratio of the cylinder over time. In addition, the flow mechanism of shock-driven interface gas mixing is analyzed from multiple perspectives by combining it with the flow field pressure, velocity, circulation, and gas mixing rate. Then the effects of different initial component distribution conditions on interface instability are investigated. The results show when the diffusion interface transit to the sharp interface, the reflection coefficient gradually increases on both sides of the interface. When the incident shock wave interacts with the cylinder, the transmission of the shock wave will transit from conventional transmission to unconventional transmission. At the same time, the reflected shock wave is gradually strengthened, and the transmitted shock wave is gradually weakened, which leads to an increase in the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability. Moreover, the Atwood number on both sides of the interface also increases as the diffusion interface transit to the sharp interface, which leads to an increase in the Rayleigh-Taylor instability and the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. Therefore, the increase in instability will lead to an increase the circulation, resulting in an increase in the growth rate of gas mixing rate.

Keywords: shock wave, He light cylinder, Richtmyer-Meshkov instability, Gaussian distribution

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Authors: Kunal Mankodi, Sudhir Pandey

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This study aims to assess the factors that play a role in setting up and running a social enterprise driven towards sustainability at the intersection of energy, environment, and poverty alleviation. According to the theory of sustainability-oriented innovation (SOI), conventional organisations adapt their processes to focus on sustainability-oriented innovations. On the other hand, social enterprises that are purpose-driven are also influenced by the context of innovation, which need due attention. This paper presents an account of innovation at Oorja - an Indian social enterprise operating with a farming-as-a-service business model. It aims to illustrate the contexts in which the innovative solutions were developed to work at an intersection between agriculture and clean energy, thereby allowing small farmers access to efficient solutions in the agriculture cycle. Primary data was collected through in-depth interviews, and secondary data was collected from company sources. The study finds that in the case of a social enterprise, the definition of innovation assumes a wider scope by going beyond the introduction of a new product/service. The context of innovation for social enterprise is affected by organisational factors such as organisation’s philosophical mindset, behaviour towards innovation, organisation’s capabilities, regulatory environment, and customer receptiveness. Additionally, the study also finds that the context of innovation for a social enterprise is affected by its organizational structure. A majority of these organizational factors are, in turn, affected by individual (Founder’s) factors such as the founder’s formative years, education, direct exposure to relevant issues, complementary skills of co-founders, and a common calling.

Keywords: context of innovation, social enterprise, sustainability oriented innovations, emerging markets, agriculture

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Authors: Calvin Stephen, Biswajit Basu, Aonghus McNabola

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Market liberalization in the power sector has led to the emergence of micro-hydropower schemes that are dependent on the use of pumps-as-turbines in applications that were not suitable as potential hydropower sites in earlier years. These applications include energy recovery in water supply networks, sewage systems, irrigation systems, alcohol breweries, underground mining and desalination plants. As a result, there has been an accelerated adoption of pumpsas-turbine technology due to the economic advantages it presents in comparison to the conventional turbines in the micro-hydropower space. The performance of this machines under cavitation conditions, however, is not well understood as there is a deficiency of knowledge in literature focused on their turbine mode of operation. In hydraulic machines, cavitation is a common occurrence which needs to be understood to safeguard them and prolong their operation life. The overall purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of cavitation on the performance of a pumps-as-turbine system over its entire operating range. At various operating speeds, the cavitating region is identified experimentally while monitoring the effects this has on the power produced by the machine. Initial results indicate occurrence of cavitation at higher flow rates for lower operating speeds and at lower flow rates at higher operating speeds. This implies that for cavitation free operation, low speed pumps-as-turbine must be used for low flow rate conditions whereas for sites with higher flow rate conditions high speed turbines should be adopted. Such a complete understanding of pumps-as-turbine suction performance can aid avoid cavitation induced failures hence improved reliability of the micro-hydropower plant.

Keywords: cavitation, micro-hydropower, pumps-as-turbine, system design

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Authors: Chang Qin, Daham Mustafa, Abderrahmane Khiat, Pierre Bienert, Paulo Zanini

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Nowadays, companies are facing lots of challenges in the process of digital transformation, which can be a complex and costly undertaking. Digital transformation involves the collection and analysis of large amounts of data, which can create challenges around data management and governance. Furthermore, it is also challenged to integrate data from multiple systems and technologies. Although with these pains, companies are still pursuing digitalization because by embracing advanced technologies, companies can improve efficiency, quality, decision-making, and customer experience while also creating different business models and revenue streams. In this paper, the issue that data is stored in data silos with different schema and structures is focused. The conventional approaches to addressing this issue involve utilizing data warehousing, data integration tools, data standardization, and business intelligence tools. However, these approaches primarily focus on the grammar and structure of the data and neglect the importance of semantic modeling and semantic standardization, which are essential for achieving data interoperability. In this session, the challenge of data silos in Industry 4.0 is addressed by developing a semantic modeling approach compliant with Asset Administration Shell (AAS) models as an efficient standard for communication in Industry 4.0. The paper highlights how our approach can facilitate the data mapping process and semantic lifting according to existing industry standards such as ECLASS and other industrial dictionaries. It also incorporates the Asset Administration Shell technology to model and map the company’s data and utilize a knowledge graph for data storage and exploration.

Keywords: data interoperability in industry 4.0, digital integration, industrial dictionary, semantic modeling

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Authors: Nendouvhada Livhuwani Portia, Nicole Sibuyi, Kwazikwakhe Gabuza, Adewale Fadaka

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Metabolic dysfunction-associated liver disease (MASLD) is a chronic condition characterized by excessive fat accumulation in the liver, distinct from conditions caused by alcohol, viral hepatitis, or medications. MASLD is often linked with metabolic syndrome, including obesity, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hypertriglyceridemia. This disease can progress to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), marked by liver inflammation and scarring, potentially leading to cirrhosis. However, only 43-44% of patients with steatosis develop MASH, and 7-30% of those with MASH progress to cirrhosis. The exact mechanisms underlying MASLD and its progression remain unclear, and there are currently no specific therapeutic strategies for MASLD/MASH. While anti-obesity and anti-diabetic medications can reduce progression, they do not fully treat or reverse the disease. As an alternative, green-synthesized metal nanoparticles (MNPs) are emerging as potential treatments for liver diseases due to their anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-obesity properties with minimal side effects. MNPs like gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been shown to improve metabolic processes by lowering blood glucose, body fat, and inflammation. The study aimed to explore the effects of green-synthesized MNPs on gene expression in an in vitro model of MASH using C3A/HepG2 liver cells. The MASH model was created by exposing these cells to free fatty acids (FFAs) followed by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce inflammation. Cell viability was assessed with the Water-Soluble Tetrazolium (WST)-1 assay, and lipid accumulation was measured using the Oil Red O (ORO) assay. Additionally, mitochondrial membrane potential was assessed by the tetramethyl rhodamine, methyl ester (TMRE) assay, and inflammation was measured with an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). The study synthesized AuNPs from Carpobrotus edulis fruit (CeF) and avocado seed (AvoSE) and AgNPs from Salvia africana-lutea (SAL) using optimized conditions. The MNPs were characterized by UV-Vis spectrophotometry and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). The nanoparticles were tested at various concentrations for their impact on the C3A/HepG2-induced MASH model. Among the MNPs tested, AvoSE-AuNPs showed the most promise. They reduced cell proliferation and intracellular lipid content more effectively than CeFE-AuNPs and SAL-AgNPs. Molecular analysis using real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed that AvoSE-AuNPs could potentially reverse MASH effects by reducing the expression of key pro-inflammatory and metabolic genes, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), Fas cell surface death receptor (FAS), Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-α, PPAR-γ, and Sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBPF)-1. Further research is needed to confirm the molecular mechanisms behind the effects of these MNPs and to identify the specific phytochemicals responsible for their synthesis and bioactivities.

Keywords: gold nanoparticles, green nanotechnology, metal nanoparticles, obesity

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

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

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

Procedia PDF Downloads 371

Authors: R. N. Karthik Babu, R. Sarvesh, A. Rajendra Prasad, G. Swaminathan

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M42 is a molybdenum-series high-speed alloy steel widely used because of its better hot-hardness and wear resistance. These steels are conventionally heat treated in a salt bath furnace with up to three stages of preheating with predetermined soaking and holding periods. Such methods often involve long periods of processing with a large amount of energy consumed. In this study, the M42 steel samples were heat-treated by rapidly heating the specimens to the austenising temperature of 1260 °C and cooled conventionally by quenching in a neutral salt bath at a temperature of 550 °C with the aid of a hybrid microwave furnace. As metals reflect microwaves, they cannot directly be heated up when placed in a microwave furnace. The technology used herein requires the specimens to be placed in a crucible lined with SiC which is a good absorber of microwaves and the SiC lining heats the metal through radiation which facilitates the volumetric heating of the metal. A sample of similar dimensions was heat treated conventionally and cooled in the same manner. Conventional tempering process was then carried out on both these samples and analysed for various parameters such as micro-hardness, processing time, etc. Microstructure analysis and scanning electron microscopy was also carried out. The objective of the study being that similar or better properties, with substantial time and energy saving and cost cutting are achievable by rapid heat treatment through hybrid microwave furnaces. It is observed that the heat treatment is done with substantial time and energy savings, and also with minute improvement in mechanical properties of the tool steel heat treated.

Keywords: rapid heating, heat treatment, metal processing, microwave heating

Procedia PDF Downloads 286

Authors: K. M. Yoo, M. H. Kang

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Conventional commercial wind turbine design software is limited to large wind turbines due to not incorporating with low Reynold’s Number aerodynamic characteristics typically for small wind turbines. To extract maximum annual energy product from an intermediately designed small wind turbine associated with measured wind data, numerous simulation is highly recommended to have a best fitting planform design with proper airfoil configuration. Since depending upon wind distribution with average wind speed, an optimal wind turbine planform design changes accordingly. It is theoretically not difficult, though, it is very inconveniently time-consuming design procedure to finalize conceptual layout of a desired small wind turbine. Thus, to help simulations easier and faster, a GUI software is developed to conveniently iterate and change airfoil types, wind data, and geometric blade data as well. With magnetic generator torque curve, peak power tracking simulation is also available to better match with the magnetic generator. Small wind turbine often lacks starting torque due to blade optimization. Thus this simulation is also embedded along with yaw design. This software provides various blade cross section details at user’s design convenience such as skin thickness control with fiber direction option, spar shape, and their material properties. Since small wind turbine is under international safety regulations with fatigue damage during normal operations and safety load analyses with ultimate excessive loads, load analyses are provided with each category mandated in the safety regulations.

Keywords: GUI software, Low Reynold’s number aerodynamics, peak power tracking, safety regulations, wind turbine performance optimization

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Authors: Ercan Karadogan, Fatih Usta

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Auxetic materials have a negative Poisson’s ratio (NPR), which is not often found in nature. They are metamaterials that have potential applications in many engineering fields. Mechanical metamaterials are synthetically designed structures with unusual mechanical properties. These mechanical properties are dependent on the properties of the matrix structure. They have the following special characteristics, i.e., improved shear modulus, increased energy absorption, and intensive fracture toughness. Non-auxetic materials compress transversely when they are stretched. The system naturally is inclined to keep its density constant. The transversal compression increases the density to balance the loss in the longitudinal direction. This study proposes to improve the crushing performance of hybrid auxetic materials. The re-entrant honeycomb structure has been combined with a star honeycomb, an S-shaped unit cell, a double arrowhead, and a structurally hexagonal re-entrant honeycomb by 9 X 9 cells, i.e., the number of cells is 9 in the lateral direction and 9 in the vertical direction. The Finite Element (FE) and experimental methods have been used to determine the compression behavior of the developed hybrid auxetic structures. The FE models have been developed by using Abaqus software. The specimens made of polymer plastic materials have been 3D printed and subjected to compression loading. The results are compared in terms of specific energy absorption and strength. This paper describes the quasi-static crushing behavior of two types of hybrid lattice structures (auxetic + auxetic and auxetic + non-auxetic). The results show that the developed hybrid structures can be useful to control collapse mechanisms and present larger energy absorption compared to conventional re-entrant auxetic structures.

Keywords: auxetic materials, compressive behavior, metamaterials, negative Poisson’s ratio

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Authors: Walaa H. Salama, Azza M. Abdel-Aty, Afaf S. Fahmy

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Background: Egyptian Cobra; Naja haje (Elapidae) is one of most common snakes, widely distributed in Egypt and its envenomation causes multi-organ failure leading to rapid death. Thus, Different medicinal plants showed a protective effect against venom toxicity and may complement the conventional antivenom therapy. Aim: The present study was designed to assess both the antioxidant capacity of methanolic extract of rosemary leaves and evaluate the neutralizing ability of the extract against hepatotoxicity induced by Naja haje venom. Methods: The total phenolic and flavonoid contents and the antioxidant capacity of the methanolic rosemary extract were estimated by DPPH and ABTS Scavenging methods. In addition, the rosemary extract were assessed for anti-venom properties under in vitro and in vivo standard assays. Results: The rosemary extract had high total phenolic and flavonoid content as 12 ± 2 g of gallic acid equivalent per 100 gram of dry weight (g GAE/100g dw) and 5.5 ± 0.8 g of catechin equivalent per 100 grams of dry weight (g CE/100g dw), respectively. In addition, the rosemary extract showed high antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, The rosemary extract were inhibited in vitro the enzymatic activities of phospholipase A₂, L-amino acid oxidase, and hyaluronidase of the venom in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, indirect hemolytic activity, hepatotoxicity induced by venom were completely neutralized as shown by histological studies. Conclusion: The phenolic compounds of rosemary extract with potential antioxidant activity may be considered as a promising candidate for future therapeutics in snakebite therapy.

Keywords: antioxidant activity, neutralization, phospholipase A₂ enzyme, snake venom

Procedia PDF Downloads 182

Authors: Recep Kesli, Merih Simsek, Cengiz Demir, Onur Turkyilmaz

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Objective: Goal of this study was to determine the antibiotic resistance of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains isolated at Medical Microbiology Laboratory of ANS Application and Research Hospital, Afyon Kocatepe University, Turkey. Methods: S. aureus strains isolated between October 2012 and September 2016, from various clinical specimens were evaluated retrospectively. S. aureus strains were identified by both the conventional methods and automated identification system -VITEK 2 (bio-Mérieux, Marcy l’etoile, France), and Meticillin resistance was verified using oxacillin disk with disk-diffusion method. Antibiotic resistance testing was performed by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method according to CLSI criteria, and intermediate susceptible strains were considered as resistant. Results: Seven hundred S.aureus strains which were isolated from various clinical specimens were included in this study. These strains were mostly isolated from blood culture, tissue, wounds and bronchial aspiration. All of 306 (43,7%) were oxacillin resistant. While all the S.aureus strains were found to be susceptible to vancomycin, teicoplanin, daptomycin and linezolid, 38 (9.6 %), 77 (19.5 %), 116 (29.4 %), 152 (38.6 %) and 28 (7.1 %) were found to be resistant aganist to clindamycin, erythromycin, gentamicin, tetracycline and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, retrospectively. Conclusions: Comparing to the Methicillin sensitive staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) strains, increased resistance rates of, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, clindamycin, erythromycin, gentamicin, and tetracycline were observed among the MRSA strains. In this study, the most effective antibiotic on the total of strains was found to be trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, the least effective antibiotic on the total of strains was found to be tetracycline.

Keywords: antibiotic resistance, MRSA, Staphylococcus aureus, VITEK 2

Procedia PDF Downloads 253

Authors: Sadhana Sharma, P. K. Nema, Siddhartha Singha

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Paneer or Indian cottage cheese is an acid and heat coagulated milk product, highly perishable because of high moisture (58-60 %). Typically paneer is marble to light creamy white in appearance. A good paneer should have cohesive body with slight sponginess or springiness. The texture must be smooth and velvety with close-knit compactness. It should have pleasing mild acidic, slightly sweet and nutty flavour. Consumers today demand simple to prepare, convenient, healthy and natural foods. Dehydrated paneer finds numerous ways to be used. It can be used in curry preparation similar to paneer-in-curry, a delicacy in Indian cuisine. It may be added to granola/ trail mix yielding a high energy snack. If grounded to a powder, it may be used as a cheesy spice mix or used as popcorn seasoning. Dried paneer powder may be added to pizza dough or to a white sauce to turn it into a paneer sauce. Drying of such food hydrogels by conventional methods is associated with several undesirable characteristics including case hardening, longer drying time, poor rehydration ability and fat loss during drying. The present study focuses on developing cost-effective protocol for freeze-drying of paneer. The dehydrated product would be shelf-stable and can be rehydrated to its original state having flavor and texture comparable to the fresh form. Moreover, the final product after rehydration would be more fresh and softer than its frozen counterparts. The developed product would be shelf-stable at room temperature without any addition of preservatives.

Keywords: color, freeze-drying, paneer, texture

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Authors: Osama Zayed

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Aim of the work: The aim of this study is to assess the predictors of pelvic vascular injuries in patients with pelvic fractures from major blunt trauma. Methods: This study was conducted as a tool-assessment study. Forty six patients with pelvic fractures from major blunt trauma will be recruited to the study arriving to department of emergency, Suez Canal University Hospital. Data were collected from questionnaire including; personal data of the studied patients and full medical history, clinical examinations, outcome measures (The Physiological and Operative Severity Score for enumeration of Mortality and morbidity (POSSUM), laboratory and imaging studies. Patients underwent surgical interventions or further investigations based on the conventional standards for interventions. All patients were followed up during conservative, operative and post-operative periods in the hospital for interpretation the predictive scores of vascular injuries. Results: Significant predictors of vascular injuries according to computed tomography (CT) scan include age, male gender, lower Glasgow coma (GCS) scores, occurrence of hypotension, mortality rate, higher physical POSSUM scores, presence of ultrasound collection, type of management, higher systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) POSSUM scores, presence of abdominal injuries, and poor outcome. Conclusions: There was higher frequency of males than females in the studied patients. There were high probability of morbidity and low probability of mortality among patients. Our study demonstrates that POSSUM score can be used as a predictor of vascular injury in pelvis fracture patients.

Keywords: predictors, pelvic vascular injuries, pelvic fractures, major blunt trauma, POSSUM

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Authors: Rahul Paul, Kedar Nath Das

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The paradigm of Reinforcement Learning (RL) has become prominent in training intelligent agents to make decisions in environments that are both dynamic and uncertain. The primary objective of RL is to optimize the policy of an agent in order to maximize the cumulative reward it receives throughout a given period. Nevertheless, the process of optimization presents notable difficulties as a result of the inherent trade-off between exploration and exploitation, the presence of extensive state-action spaces, and the intricate nature of the dynamics involved. Evolutionary Optimization Methods (EOMs) have garnered considerable attention as a supplementary approach to tackle these challenges, providing distinct capabilities for optimizing RL policies and value functions. The ongoing advancement of research in both RL and EOMs presents an opportunity for significant advancements in autonomous decision-making systems. The convergence of these two fields has the potential to have a transformative impact on various domains of artificial intelligence (AI) applications. This article highlights the considerable influence of EOMs in enhancing the capabilities of RL. Taking advantage of evolutionary principles enables RL algorithms to effectively traverse extensive action spaces and discover optimal solutions within intricate environments. Moreover, this paper emphasizes the practical implementations of EOMs in the field of RL, specifically in areas such as robotic control, autonomous systems, inventory problems, and multi-agent scenarios. The article highlights the utilization of EOMs in facilitating RL agents to effectively adapt, evolve, and uncover proficient strategies for complex tasks that may pose challenges for conventional RL approaches.

Keywords: machine learning, reinforcement learning, loss function, optimization techniques, evolutionary optimization methods

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Authors: Md Rabiul Islam, Ben Wadham

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This paper describes how indigenous students face challenges with various school activities due to inadequate equity and diversity principles in mainstream primary schools in Bangladesh. This study focuses on indigenous students’ interactions with mainstream class teachers and students through teaching-learning activities at public primary schools. Ethnographic research methods guided data collection under a case study methodology in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) region where maximum indigenous peoples’ inhabitants. The participants (class teachers) shared information through in-depth interviews about their experiences in the four selecting schools. The authors also observed the effects of school activities by use of equity and diversity lens for indigenous students’ situations in those schools. The authors argue that the socio-economic situations of indigenous families are not supportive of the educational development of their children. Similarly, the Bangladesh government does not have enough initiative programs based on equity and diversity principles for fundamental education of indigenous children at rural schools level. Besides this, the conventional teaching system cannot improve the diversification among the students in classrooms. The principles of equity and diversity are not well embedded in professional development of teachers, and using teaching materials in classrooms. The findings suggest that implementing equitable education; there are needed to arrange teachers’ education with equitable knowledge and introducing diversified teaching materials, and implementing teaching through students centered activities that promote the diversification among the multicultural students.

Keywords: case study research, chittagong hill tracts, equity and diversity, Indigenous children

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Authors: Ya-Li Tsai

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Nitrogen is a vital element crucial for crop growth, significantly influencing crop yield. In rice cultivation, farmers often apply substantial nitrogen fertilizer to maximize yields. However, excessive nitrogen application increases the risk of lodging and pest infestation, leading to yield losses. Additionally, conventional flooded irrigation methods consume significant water resources, necessitating precise agricultural and intelligent water management systems. In this study, it leveraged physiological data and field images captured by unmanned aerial vehicles, considering fertilizer treatment and irrigation as key factors. Statistical models incorporating rice physiological data, yield, and vegetation indices from image data were developed. Missing physiological data were addressed using multiple imputation and regression methods, and regression models were established using principal component analysis and stepwise regression. Target nitrogen accumulation at key growth stages was identified to optimize fertilizer application, with the difference between actual and target nitrogen accumulation guiding recommendations for ear dressing dosage. Field experiments conducted in 2022 validated the recommended ear dressing dosage, demonstrating no significant difference in final yield compared to traditional fertilizer levels under alternate wetting and drying irrigation. These findings highlight the efficacy of applying recommended dosages based on fertilizer decision models, offering the potential for reduced fertilizer use while maintaining yield in rice cultivation.

Keywords: intelligent fertilizer management, nitrogen top and ear dressing fertilizer, rice, yield optimization

Procedia PDF Downloads 82