Search results for: gender friendly

Authors: Marta Kwiatkowska, Paweł Jarosiewicz, Bożena Bukowska

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Glyphosate (N-phosphonomethylglycine) is a non-selected broad spectrum ingredient in the herbicide (Roundup) used for over 35 years for the protection of agricultural and horticultural crops. Glyphosate was believed to be environmentally friendly but recently, a large body of evidence has revealed that glyphosate can negatively affect on environment and humans. It has been found that glyphosate is present in the soil and groundwater. It can also enter human body which results in its occurrence in blood in low concentrations of 73.6 ± 28.2 ng/ml. Research conducted for potential genotoxicity and cytotoxicity can be an important element in determining the toxic effect of glyphosate. Due to regulation of European Parliament 1107/2009 it is important to assess genotoxicity and cytotoxicity not only for the parent substance but also its impurities, which are formed at different stages of production of major substance – glyphosate. Moreover verifying, which of these compounds are more toxic is required. Understanding of the molecular pathways of action is extremely important in the context of the environmental risk assessment. In 2002, the European Union has decided that glyphosate is not genotoxic. Unfortunately, recently performed studies around the world achieved results which contest decision taken by the committee of the European Union. World Health Organization (WHO) in March 2015 has decided to change the classification of glyphosate to category 2A, which means that the compound is considered to "probably carcinogenic to humans". This category relates to compounds for which there is limited evidence of carcinogenicity to humans and sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity on experimental animals. That is why we have investigated genotoxicity and cytotoxicity effects of the most commonly used pesticide: glyphosate and its impurities: N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid (PMIDA) and bis-(phosphonomethyl)amine on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), mostly lymphocytes. DNA damage (analysis of DNA strand-breaks) using the single cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay) and ATP level were assessed. Cells were incubated with glyphosate and its impurities: PMIDA and bis-(phosphonomethyl)amine at concentrations from 0.01 to 10 mM for 24 hours. Evaluating genotoxicity using the comet assay showed a concentration-dependent increase in DNA damage for all compounds studied. ATP level was decreased to zero as a result of using the highest concentration of two investigated impurities, like bis-(phosphonomethyl)amine and PMIDA. Changes were observed using the highest concentration at which a person can be exposed as a result of acute intoxication. Our survey leads to a conclusion that the investigated compounds exhibited genotoxic and cytotoxic potential but only in high concentrations, to which people are not exposed environmentally. Acknowledgments: This work was supported by the Polish National Science Centre (Contract-2013/11/N/NZ7/00371), MSc Marta Kwiatkowska, project manager.

Keywords: cell viability, DNA damage, glyphosate, impurities, peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Procedia PDF Downloads 480

Authors: Munawar Malik, Muntaha Ahmad, Khalil Ullah Khan

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Linguistic abilities in students with hearing impairment yet remain a concern for educationists. The emerging technological support and provisions in recent era vows to have addressed the situation and claims significant contribution in terms of linguistic repertoire. Being a descriptive and quantitative paradigm of study, the purpose of this research set forth was to assess linguistic competencies of students with hearing impairment in English language. The goals were further broken down to identify level of reading abilities in the subject population. The population involved students with HI studying at higher secondary level in Lahore. Simple random sampling technique was used to choose a sample of fifty students. A purposive curriculum-based assessment was designed in line with accelerated learning program by Punjab Government, to assess Linguistic competence among the sample. Further to it, an Informal Reading Inventory (IRI) corresponding to reading levels was also developed by researchers duly validated and piloted before the final use. Descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized to reach to the findings. Spearman’s correlation was used to find out relationship between degree of hearing loss, grade level, gender and type of amplification device. Independent sample t-test was used to compare means among groups. Major findings of the study revealed that students with hearing impairment exhibit significant deviation from the mean scores when compared in terms of grades, severity and amplification device. The study divulged that respective students with HI have yet failed to qualify an independent level of reading according to their grades as majority falls at frustration level of word recognition and passage comprehension. The poorer performance can be attributed to lower linguistic competence as it shows in the frustration levels of reading, writing and comprehension. The correlation analysis did reflect an improved performance grade wise, however scores could only correspond to frustration level and independent levels was never achieved. Reported achievements at instructional level of subject population may further to linguistic skills if practiced purposively.

Keywords: linguistic competence, hearing impairment, reading levels, educationist

Procedia PDF Downloads 62

Authors: Syed Faizan Hassan Shah

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Introduction: Burn injuries are among the most devastating of all injuries. Burns is the fourth most common type of trauma worldwide. Ap?proximately 90 percent of burns occur in low to middle-income countries. Nearly half a million Americans each year, with approximately 40,000 hospitalizations and 3,400 deaths annually, suffer burns. The survival rate for admitted burn patients has improved consistently over the past four decades, largely attributed to national decreases in burn size, improvements in burn critical care, and advancements in burn wound care. Objectives: The present study was conducted to compare the efficacy of Honey dressing versus Silver Sulfadiazine dressing for complete wound healing in the 2nd-degree thermal burn. Study Design: A Randomized controlled trial was carried out in the Department of General Surgery/burn unit of Ayub Teaching Hospital Abbottabad from July to December 2018. The study population included thermal burn patients presenting with ASA-I, ASA-II, and body surface area less than 50% of the age group above 12 to 60 years of either gender. All the patients were randomly divided into two equal groups of patients by blocked randomization using permuted block g 6. In group ‘A,’ patients underwent dressing by honey method, and patients in group ‘B’ had silver sulfadiazine dressing. The dressing was changed every 48 hours by a senior sur?geon, and the condition of the wound was observed. Time duration till complete wound healing was noted in the Proforma. Results: A total of 100 patients were selected and divided into two groups of 50 patients in each two groups. The mean age of the patients was 27.66±13.388 ran?ging from 12 to 60 years of age, and the mean duration of complete healing of wound in days was 20.20±6.251, ranging from 2 to 30 days. Mean comparison of age with both groups, age of the patients was 21.24±3.761 (n=50) in group ‘A,’ i.e., honey dressing, and 19.16±7.911 (n=50) was in group ‘B,’ i.e., silver sulfadiazine dressing. Efficacy in the honey dressing group was found effective in 48(75.0%) and ineffect? ive in 2(5.6%) out of 50 patients. Efficacy in silver sulfadiazine dressing group 16(25.0%) was three found effective and in 34(94.4%) was inef?fective out of 50 patients. There was a statistically significant difference between both groups. (P=0.000) . Conclusion: honey dressing is more effective as compared to silver sulfadiazine dressing in terms of complete wound healing in second-degree thermal burn patients; our study also concluded the same.

Keywords: efficacy, honey dressing, silver sulfadiazine dressing, wound healing

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Authors: Anna Drabczyk, Sonia Kudlacik-Kramarczyk, Dagmara Malina, Bozena Tyliszczak, Agnieszka Sobczak-Kupiec

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Nowadays, nano-size materials are very popular group of materials among scientists. What is more, these materials find an application in a wide range of various areas. Therefore constantly increasing demand for nanomaterials including metallic nanoparticles such as silver of gold ones is observed. Therefore, new routes of their preparation are sought. Considering potential application of nanoparticles, it is important to select an adequate methodology of their preparation because it determines their size and shape. Among the most commonly applied methods of preparation of nanoparticles chemical and electrochemical techniques are leading. However, currently growing attention is directed into the biological or biochemical aspects of syntheses of metallic nanoparticles. This is associated with a trend of developing of new routes of preparation of given compounds according to the principles of green chemistry. These principles involve e.g. the reduction of the use of toxic compounds in the synthesis as well as the reduction of the energy demand or minimization of the generated waste. As a result, a growing popularity of the use of such components as natural plant extracts, infusions or essential oils is observed. Such natural substances may be used both as a reducing agent of metal ions and as a stabilizing agent of formed nanoparticles therefore they can replace synthetic compounds previously used for the reduction of metal ions or for the stabilization of obtained nanoparticles suspension. Methods that proceed in the presence of previously mentioned natural compounds are environmentally friendly and proceed without the application of any toxic reagents. Methodology: Presented research involves preparation of silver nanoparticles using selected plant extracts, e.g. artichoke extract. Extracts of natural origin were used as reducing and stabilizing agents at the same time. Furthermore, syntheses were carried out in the presence of additional polymeric stabilizing agent. Next, such features of obtained suspensions of nanoparticles as total antioxidant activity as well as content of phenolic compounds have been characterized. First of the mentioned studies involved the reaction with DPPH (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical. The content of phenolic compounds was determined using Folin-Ciocalteu technique. Furthermore, an essential issue was also the determining of the stability of formed suspensions of nanoparticles. Conclusions: In the research it was demonstrated that metallic nanoparticles may be obtained using plant extracts or infusions as stabilizing or reducing agent. The methodology applied, i.e. a type of plant extract used during the synthesis, had an impact on the content of phenolic compounds as well as on the size and polydispersity of obtained nanoparticles. What is more, it is possible to prepare nano-size particles that will be characterized by properties desirable from the viewpoint of their potential application and such an effect may be achieved with the use of non-toxic reagents of natural origin. Furthermore, proposed methodology stays in line with the principles of green chemistry.

Keywords: green chemistry principles, metallic nanoparticles, plant extracts, stabilization of nanoparticles

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Authors: Radyah Ivan, Khanferyan Roman

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Milk and dairy products are an important component of a balanced diet. Dairy products represent a heterogeneous food group of solid, semi-solid and liquid, fermented or non-fermented foods, each differing in nutrients such as fat and micronutrient content. Deficiency of milk and dairy products contributes a impact on the main health parameters of the various age groups of the population. The goal of this study was to analyze of the frequency of the consumption of milk and various groups of dairy products by students and its association with their body mass index (BMI), body composition and other physiological parameters. 388 full-time students of the Medical Institute of RUDN University (185 male and 203 female, average age was 20.4+2.2 and 21.9+1.7 y.o., respectively) took part in the cross-sectional study. Anthropometric measurements, estimation of BMI and body composition were analyzed by bioelectrical impedance analysis. The frequency of consumption of the milk and various groups of dairy products was studied using a modified questionnaire on the frequency of consumption of products. Due to the questionnaire data on the frequency of consumption of the diary products, it have been demonstrated that only 11% of respondents consume milk daily, 5% - cottage cheese, 4% and 1% - fermented natural and with fillers milk products, respectively, hard cheese -4%. The study demonstrated that about 16% of the respondents did not consume milk at all over the past month, about one third - cottage cheese, 22% - natural sour-milk products and 18% - sour-milk products with various fillers. hard cheeses and pickled cheeses didn’t consume 9% and 26% of respondents, respectively. We demonstrated the gender differences in the characteristics of consumer preferences were revealed. Thus female students are less likely to use cream, sour cream, soft cheese, milk comparing to male students. Among female students the prevalence of persons with overweight was higher (25%) than among male students (19%). A modest inverse relationship was demonstrated between daily milk intake, BMI, body composition parameters and diary products consumption (r=-0.61 and r=-0.65). The study showed daily insufficient milk and dairy products consumption by students and due to this it have been demonstrated the relationship between the low and rare consumption of diary products and main parameters of indicators of physical activity and health indicators.

Keywords: frequency of consumption, milk, dairy products, physical development, nutrition, body mass index.

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Authors: Pangkaj Kumar Mahanta, Md. Rafizul Islam

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The rapid growth of the population causes a substantial amount of increase in household waste all over the world. Waste management is becoming one of the most challenging phenomena in the present day. The most environmentally friendly final disposal process of waste is sanitary landfilling, which is practiced in most developing countries. However, in Southeast Asia, most of the final disposal point is an open dump site. Due to the ignominy of proper management of waste and monitoring, the surrounding environment gets polluted more by the open dump site in comparison with a sanitary landfill. Khulna is 3rd largest metropolitan city in Bangladesh, having a population of around 1.5 million and producing approximately 450 tons per day of Municipal Solid Waste. The Municipal solid waste of Khulna city is disposed of in Rajbandh open dump site. The surrounding air is being polluted by the gas produced in the open dump site. Also, the open dump site produces leachate, which contains various heavy metals like Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Lead (Pb), Manganese (Mn), Mercury (Hg), Strontium (Sr), etc. Leachate pollutes the soil as well as the groundwater of the open dump site and also the surrounding area through seepage. Moreover, during the rainy season, the surface water is polluted by leachate runoff. Also, the plastic waste flowing out from the open dump site through various drivers pollutes the nearby environment. The health risk assessment associated with heavy metals was carried out by computing the chronic daily intake (CDI), hazard quotient (HQ), and hazard index (HI) via different exposure pathways following the USEPA guidelines. For ecological risk, potential contamination index (Cp), Contamination factor (CF), contamination load index (PLI), numerical integrated contamination factor (NICF), enrichment factor (EF), ecological risk index (ER), and potential ecological risk index (PERI) were computed. The health risk and ecological risk assessment results reveal that some heavy metals possess strong health and ecological risk. In addition, the child faces higher harmful health risks from several heavy metals than the adult for all the exposure pathways and media. The conversion of an open dump site into a sanitary landfill and a proper management system can reduce the problems associated with an open dump site. In the sanitary landfill, the produced gas will be managed properly to save the surrounding atmosphere from being polluted. The seepage of leachate can be minimized by installing a compacted clay layer (CCL) as a baseline and leachate collection in a sanitary landfill to save the underlying soil layer and surrounding water bodies from leachate. Another important component of a sanitary landfill is the conversion of plastic waste to energy will minimize the plastic pollution in the landfill area and also the surrounding soil and water bodies. Also, in the sanitary landfill, the bio-waste can be used to make compost to reduce the volume of bio-waste and proper utilization of the landfill area.

Keywords: ecological risk, health risk, open dump site, sanitary landfill

Procedia PDF Downloads 191

Authors: Elitza Z. Ambrus, Bjoern Hartig, Ryan McKay

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Individuals’ self-judgments might be malleable and influenced by comparison with a random value. On the one hand, self-judgments reflect our self-image, which is typically considered to be stable in adulthood. Indeed, people also strive hard to maintain a fixed, positive moral image of themselves. On the other hand, research has shown the robustness of the so-called anchoring effect on judgments and decisions. The anchoring effect refers to the influence of a previously considered comparative value (anchor) on a consecutive absolute judgment and reveals that individuals’ estimates of various quantities are flexible and can be influenced by a salient random value. The present study extends the anchoring paradigm to the domain of the self. We also investigate whether participants are more susceptible to self-serving anchors, i.e., anchors that enhance participant’s self-image, especially their moral self-image. In a pre-reregistered study via the online platform Prolific, 249 participants (156 females, 89 males, 3 other and 1 who preferred not to specify their gender; M = 35.88, SD = 13.91) ranked themselves on eight personality characteristics. However, in the anchoring conditions, respondents were asked to first indicate whether they thought they would rank higher or lower than a given anchor value before providing their estimated rank in comparison to 100 other anonymous participants. A high and a low anchor value were employed to differentiate between anchors in a desirable (self-serving) direction and anchors in an undesirable (self-diminishing) direction. In the control treatment, there was no comparison question. Subsequently, participants provided their self-rankings on the eight personality traits with two personal characteristics for each combination of the factors desirable/undesirable and moral/non-moral. We found evidence of an anchoring effect for self-judgments. Moreover, anchoring was more efficient when people were anchored in a self-serving direction: the anchoring effect was enhanced when supporting a more favorable self-view and mitigated (even reversed) when implying a deterioration of the self-image. The self-serving anchoring was more pronounced for moral than for non-moral traits. The data also provided evidence in support of a better-than-average effect in general as well as a magnified better-than-average effect for moral traits. Taken together, these results suggest that self-judgments might not be as stable in adulthood as previously thought. In addition, considerations of constructing and maintaining a positive self-image might interact with the anchoring effect on self-judgments. Potential implications of our results concern the construction and malleability of self-judgments as well as the psychological mechanism shaping anchoring.

Keywords: anchoring, better-than-average effect, self-judgments, self-serving anchoring

Procedia PDF Downloads 179

Authors: Nezmin Kayedpour, Arash E. Samani, Siavash Asiaban, Jeroen M. De Kooning, Lieven Vandevelde, Guillaume Crevecoeur

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The growing adoption of renewable energy sources, such as wind power, in electricity generation is a significant step towards a sustainable and decarbonized future. However, the inherent intermittency and uncertainty of wind resources pose challenges to the reliable and stable operation of power grids. To address this, hydrogen storage systems have emerged as a promising and versatile technology to support grid balancing services in wind energy conversion systems. In this study, we propose a supplementary control design that enhances the performance of the hydrogen storage system by integrating wind turbine (WT) pitch and torque control systems. These control strategies aim to optimize the hydrogen production process, ensuring efficient utilization of wind energy while complying with grid requirements. The wind turbine pitch control system plays a crucial role in managing the turbine's aerodynamic performance. By adjusting the blade pitch angle, the turbine's rotational speed and power output can be regulated. Our proposed control design dynamically coordinates the pitch angle to match the wind turbine's power output with the optimal hydrogen production rate. This ensures that the electrolyzer receives a steady and optimal power supply, avoiding unnecessary strain on the system during high wind speeds and maximizing hydrogen production during low wind speeds. Moreover, the wind turbine torque control system is incorporated to facilitate efficient operation at varying wind speeds. The torque control system optimizes the energy capture from the wind while limiting mechanical stress on the turbine components. By harmonizing the torque control with hydrogen production requirements, the system maintains stable wind turbine operation, thereby enhancing the overall energy-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency. To enable grid-friendly operation, we introduce a cascaded controller that regulates the electrolyzer's electrical power-current in accordance with grid requirements. This controller ensures that the hydrogen production rate can be dynamically adjusted based on real-time grid demands, supporting grid balancing services effectively. By maintaining a close relationship between the wind turbine's power output and the electrolyzer's current, the hydrogen storage system can respond rapidly to grid fluctuations and contribute to enhanced grid stability. In this paper, we present a comprehensive analysis of the proposed supplementary control design's impact on the overall performance of the hydrogen storage system in wind energy conversion systems. Through detailed simulations and case studies, we assess the system's ability to provide grid balancing services, maximize wind energy utilization, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Keywords: active power control, electrolyzer, grid balancing services, wind energy conversion systems

Procedia PDF Downloads 82

Authors: Najia Zulfiqar

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Imparting moral education is the need of time, considering the obvious moral decline in society. Recent research shows the downfall of moral competence among university students. The main objective of the present study was to develop moral development intervention strategies for undergraduate students of Sports and Physical Education. Using an interpretative phenomenological approach, insight into field-specific moral issues was gained through interviews with 7 subject experts and a focus-group discussion session with 8 students. Two research assistants who were trained in qualitative interviewing collected, transcribed and analyzed data into the MAXQDA software using content and discourse analyses. The identified moral issues in Sports and Physical Education were sports gambling and betting, pay-for-play, doping, coach misconduct, tampering, cultural bias, gender equity/nepotism, bullying/discrimination, and harassment. Next, intervention modules were developed for each moral issue based on hypothetical situations, and followed by guided reflection and dilemma discussion questions. The third moral development strategy was community services that included posture screening, diet plan for different age groups, open fitness ground training, exercise camps for physical fitness, balanced diet awareness camp, gymnastic camp, shoe assessment as per health standards, and volunteering for public awareness at the playground, gymnasium, stadium, park, etc. The intervention modules were given to four subject specialists for expert validation who were from different backgrounds within Sport Sciences. Upon refinement and finalization, four students were presented with these intervention modules and questioned about accuracy, relevance, comprehension, and content organization. Iterative changes were made in the content of the intervention modules to tailor them to the moral development needs of undergraduate students. This intervention will strengthen positive moral values and foster mature decision-making about right and wrong acts. As this intervention is easy to apply as a remedial tool, academicians and policymakers can use this to promote students’ moral development.

Keywords: community service, dilemma discussion, morality, physical education, university students.

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Authors: Markou Vasiliki, Serdaris Panagiotis

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The consumer behavior and decision-making process of consumers is a process that is affected by the factor of uncertainty. The onslaught of the Covid 19 pandemic has changed the consumer decision-making process in many ways. This change can be seen both in the buying process (how and where they shop) but also in the types of goods and services they are looking for. In addition, due to the mainly economic uncertainty that came from this event, but also the effects on both society and the economy in general, new consumer behaviors were created. Traditional forms of shopping are no longer a primary choice, consumers have turned to digital channels such as e-commerce and social media to fulfill needs. The purpose of this particular article is to examine how much the consumer's decision-making process has been affected after the pandemic and if consumer behavior has changed. An online survey was conducted to examine the change in decision making. Essentially, the demographic factors that influence the decision-making process were examined, as well as the social and economic factors. The research is divided into two parts. The first part included a literature review of the research that has been carried out to identify the factors, and the second part where the empirical investigation was carried out using a questionnaire and was done electronically with the help of Google Forms. The questionnaire was divided into several sections. They included questions about consumer behavior, but mainly about how they make decisions today, whether those decisions have changed due to the pandemic, and whether those changes are permanent. Also, for decision-making, goods were divided into essential products, high-tech products, transactions with the state and others. Αbout 500 consumers aged between 18 and 75 participated in the research. The data was processed with both descriptive statistics and econometric models. The results showed that the consumer behavior and decision-making process has changed. Now consumers widely use the internet for shopping, consumer behaviors and consumer patterns have changed. Social and economic factors play an important role. Income, gender and other factors were found to be statistically significant. In addition, it is worth noting that the percentage who made purchases during the pandemic through the internet for the first time was remarkable and related to age. Essentially, the arrival of the pandemic caused uncertainty for individuals, mainly financial, and this affected the decision-making process. In addition, shopping through the internet is now the first choice, especially among young people, and it seems that it is about to become established.

Keywords: consumer behavior, decision making, COVID-19, Greece, behavior change

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Authors: Aysen Caliskan, Hanzade Haykiri-Acma, Serdar Yaman

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Co-firing of coal and biomass blends is an effective method to reduce carbon dioxide emissions released by burning coals, thanks to the carbon-neutral nature of biomass. Besides, usage of biomass that is renewable and sustainable energy resource mitigates the dependency on fossil fuels for power generation. However, most of the biomass species has negative aspects such as low calorific value, high moisture and volatile matter contents compared to coal. Torrefaction is a promising technique in order to upgrade the fuel properties of biomass through thermal treatment. That is, this technique improves the calorific value of biomass along with serious reductions in the moisture and volatile matter contents. In this context, several woody biomass materials including Rhododendron, hybrid poplar, and ash-tree were subjected to torrefaction process in a horizontal tube furnace at 200°C under nitrogen flow. In this way, the solid residue obtained from torrefaction that is also called as 'biochar' was obtained and analyzed to monitor the variations taking place in biomass properties. On the other hand, some Turkish lignites from Elbistan, Adıyaman-Gölbaşı and Çorum-Dodurga deposits were chosen as coal samples since these lignites are of great importance in lignite-fired power stations in Turkey. These lignites were blended with the obtained biochars for which the blending ratio of biochars was kept at 10 wt% and the lignites were the dominant constituents in the fuel blends. Burning tests of the lignites, biomasses, biochars, and blends were performed using a thermogravimetric analyzer up to 900°C with a heating rate of 40°C/min under dry air atmosphere. Based on these burning tests, properties relevant to burning characteristics such as the burning reactivity and burnout yields etc. could be compared to justify the effects of torrefaction and blending. Besides, some characterization techniques including X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were also conducted for the untreated biomass and torrefied biomass (biochar) samples, lignites and their blends to examine the co-combustion characteristics elaborately. Results of this study revealed the fact that blending of lignite with 10 wt% biochar created synergistic behaviors during co-combustion in comparison to the individual burning of the ingredient fuels in the blends. Burnout and ignition performances of each blend were compared by taking into account the lignite and biomass structures and characteristics. The blend that has the best co-combustion profile and ignition properties was selected. Even though final burnouts of the lignites were decreased due to the addition of biomass, co-combustion process acts as a reasonable and sustainable solution due to its environmentally friendly benefits such as reductions in net carbon dioxide (CO2), SOx and hazardous organic chemicals derived from volatiles.

Keywords: burnout performance, co-combustion, thermal analysis, torrefaction pretreatment

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Authors: Stojan Kravanja, Andrej Ivanič, Tomaž Žula

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This contribution focuses on structural optimization in civil engineering using mixed integer non-linear programming (MINLP). MINLP is characterized as a versatile method that can handle both continuous and discrete optimization variables simultaneously. Continuous variables are used to optimize parameters such as dimensions, stresses, masses, or costs, while discrete variables represent binary decisions to determine the presence or absence of structural elements within a structure while also calculating discrete materials and standard sections. The optimization process is divided into three main steps. First, a mechanical superstructure with a variety of different topology-, material- and dimensional alternatives. Next, a MINLP model is formulated to encapsulate the optimization problem. Finally, an optimal solution is searched in the direction of the defined objective function while respecting the structural constraints. The economic or mass objective function of the material and labor costs of a structure is subjected to the constraints known from structural analysis. These constraints include equations for the calculation of internal forces and deflections, as well as equations for the dimensioning of structural components (in accordance with the Eurocode standards). Given the complex, non-convex and highly non-linear nature of optimization problems in civil engineering, the Modified Outer-Approximation/Equality-Relaxation (OA/ER) algorithm is applied. This algorithm alternately solves subproblems of non-linear programming (NLP) and main problems of mixed-integer linear programming (MILP), in this way gradually refines the solution space up to the optimal solution. The NLP corresponds to the continuous optimization of parameters (with fixed topology, discrete materials and standard dimensions, all determined in the previous MILP), while the MILP involves a global approximation to the superstructure of alternatives, where a new topology, materials, standard dimensions are determined. The optimization of a convex problem is stopped when the MILP solution becomes better than the best NLP solution. Otherwise, it is terminated when the NLP solution can no longer be improved. While the OA/ER algorithm, like all other algorithms, does not guarantee global optimality due to the presence of non-convex functions, various modifications, including convexity tests, are implemented in OA/ER to mitigate these difficulties. The effectiveness of the proposed MINLP approach is demonstrated by its application to various structural optimization tasks, such as mass optimization of steel buildings, cost optimization of timber halls, composite floor systems, etc. Special optimization models have been developed for the optimization of these structures. The MINLP optimizations, facilitated by the user-friendly software package MIPSYN, provide insights into a mass or cost-optimal solutions, optimal structural topologies, optimal material and standard cross-section choices, confirming MINLP as a valuable method for the optimization of structures in civil engineering.

Keywords: MINLP, mixed-integer non-linear programming, optimization, structures

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Authors: Carmen Nechita

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This research explores the world of Syrian refugee women living in Dresden and their efforts to reconstruct their lives in the state of Saxony in Germany. The focus is on the initial period of adjustment and understanding how refugee women use culture, family ties, and tradition to contest and rebuild new relationships with the host country. Faced with a new status as “the refugee”, women have to re-imagine their ethno-cultural identity in order to cope with life in Diaspora. In order to understand the coping mechanism and the displacement effects on Syrian women, interviews with twelve refugee women were conducted. Traumatic experiences of loss and oppression are at the core of their confessions. While gender violence, abuse and patriarchal framework shape their narratives, this research argues that there is a need to look at this from a cultural perspective and try to distance ourselves from the western paradigm. The way Syrian women refute and rebuild their national and ethno-cultural identity in order to negotiate for themselves new space within German borders is explored. Two discourses are bridged: one of multiculturalism and one of tradition in order to explain how Syrian women experience western notions of family, womanhood and spousal dynamics. The process is painful, traumatic and marked by feelings of low self-worth, but in the end, new codes emerge and these women come out more empowered. The paper includes the migration experience and explores the ways in which Syrian refugee women tend to tell their complex stories, and how they reconstruct their identity in a new territory while faced with a different culture that discriminates against them. During the research, four distinct phases in the acculturation period were identified: “the survival”, “the honeymoon period”, “the isolation period” and “the anger period”. Each phase is analyzed in order to understand what triggers them, how women migrate from one phase to another and what can be done to make the process easier. This paper contributes to the field of refugee studies by offering a thorough understanding of the initial phases of the acculturation process in the case of Syrian refugee women. The study examines the fleeing and settlement experience in order to understand the complex ways that refugee women cope with the traumatic experience of settlement in another country and in a different culture. *Almanya: The Arabic word for Germany.

Keywords: displacement, migration, refugee women, Syria

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Authors: Alison Marshall

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“Santo Niño in Canada – Religion, Migration, and the Filipino Underside” seeks to explore the intersection of religion, migration and the Filipino underside through research participant narratives, archival research, and fieldwork on the cult of Santo Niño in Canada. Santo Niño is the single most revered saint in Filipino religiosity. According to popular lore, the original statue of Santo Niño was brought to the Philippines by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, who claimed the islands on behalf of Spain. While Santo Niño is meant to be a manifestation of Jesus as a child, in Filipino thought and culture he very much resembles pre-Hispanic spirits, as well as patron saints introduced by the Spanish. Santo Niño shrines appear in churches, restaurants, businesses, and homes throughout the diaspora suggesting that he was much more than a Catholic image. He represents a deity who often shares a business or home shrine with non-Christian statues such as lucky cats, the Buddha, Guanyin, and Guangong, and sometimes the Chinese God of the Earth. He represents how Christian culture has been refashioned through indigenous, Chinese, Malay, and Indonesian influences. He embodies the religious superstructure that defines Christian piety and habits. On the one hand, he stands for Jesus, a pious son of God, and yet, on the other hand, he can be a simple vindictive child who punishes those who ignore him. Santo Niño is a complex character linked to the past before Christianity. As Filipinos engage with Santo Niño in Canada, they connect to him as Jesus, the son of God. They are also connecting to a childlike figure who sometimes uses his spiritual power to punish. A hybrid figure who comes came into being at the beginning of the Spanish colonial moment, he is maintained throughout the American one and continues to be a powerful reminder of Filipino identity and resilience when people leave the Philippines for migrant work. As this paper argues, Santo Niño beliefs, practices, and stories unite people in the diaspora regardless of language, gender, or nation. Santo Niño enables one to think about and understand what it means to be Filipino and living migrant lives in the diaspora today. In this way, the cult of Santo Niño expresses both Catholic orthodoxy and the heterodox Filipino underside that includes the use of magical amulets, healing, visions, and spirit mediumship.

Keywords: ethnography, migration, Philippines, religion

Procedia PDF Downloads 224

Authors: Søren Birkvad

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This paper traces the development of sexual cinematic freedom in the wake of an epoch-making event in Danish cultural history. As the first in the world, the Danes abolished all censorship for adults in 1969, making the tiny nation of Denmark the world’s largest exporter of pornography for several years. Drawing on the insights of social and cultural history and the focus point of the National Cinema direction of Cinema Studies, this study focuses on Danish film pornography in the 1960s and 1970s in its own right (e.g., its peculiar mix of sex, popular comedy and certain ‘feminist’ agendas). More importantly, however, it covers a broader pattern, namely the culturally deep-rooted tradition of freedom of speech and sexual liberalism in Denmark. Thus, the key concept of frisind (“free mind”) in Danish cultural history took on an increasingly partisan application in the 1960s and 1970s. It became a designation for all-is-permitted hippie excess but was also embraced by dissenting movements on the left, such as feminism, which questioned whether a free mind necessarily meant free love. In all of this, Danish cinema from the 1960s and 1970s offers a remarkable source of historical insight, simultaneously reminding us of a number of acute issues of contemporary society. These issues include gendered ideas of sexuality and freedom then and now and the equivalent clash of cultures between a liberal commercial industry and the accelerating political demands of the “sexual revolution.” Finally, these issues include certain tensions between, on the one hand, a purely materialistic idea of sexual freedom – incarnated by anything from pornography to many of the taboo-breaking youth films and avant-garde films in the wake of the 1968-rebellion – and, on the other hand, growing opposition to this anti-spiritual perception of human sexuality (represented by for instance the ‘closet conservatism’ of Danish art film star Lars von Trier of nowadays). All in all, this presentation offers a reflection on ideas of sexuality and gender rooted in a unique historical moment in cinematic history.

Keywords: Danish film history, cultural history, film pornography, history of sexuality, national cinema, sexual liberalism

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Authors: Athira Sanjeev

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The portrayal of lesbianism in cinema has undergone significant transformations. This study explores the evolving portrayal of lesbianism in the films of French director Céline Sciamma, focusing on how her works have redefined the representation of queer women in contemporary cinema. Through an analysis of Water Lilies (2007), Tomboy (2011), and Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019), the study investigates the ways in which Sciamma’s films diverge from traditional depictions of lesbianism in film, which often relied on either fetishization or tragedy. Instead, Sciamma adopts a quiet, minimalist style that foregrounds emotional intimacy, offering a more nuanced and authentic portrayal of lesbian relationships. Through a comparative analysis of these films, this research explores the thematic and stylistic progression of Sciamma’s portrayal of lesbianism, highlighting her commitment to centering queer female experiences. The research highlights Sciamma's commitment to focusing on the complexities of desire, identity formation, and the female gaze, particularly through her use of visual storytelling, character development, and narrative silence. Her films emphasize the fluidity of gender and sexuality, portraying lesbianism not as a fixed identity but as part of a broader spectrum of human desire. Sciamma’s nuanced approach resists the traditional marginalization of lesbian characters, allowing them to exist as individuals rather than as plot devices or objects of spectacle. This study draws from queer theory and feminist film criticism to examine how Sciamma challenges conventional heteronormative narratives, prioritizes the female gaze, and subverts traditional cinematic representations of lesbian desire. It also explores how her work contributes to a broader conversation on the representation of queerness in contemporary French cinema, challenging heteronormative paradigms and offering new possibilities for depicting female relationships on screen. By tracing the evolution of her films, this research contributes to broader discussions on LGBTQ+ visibility in cinema and the cultural significance of lesbian representation in contemporary cinema.

Keywords: female gaze, feminist film criticism, lesbianism in cinema, queer theory

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Authors: Tanja Ecken, Laura Fricke, Anika Wehling, Maren M. Michaelsen, Tobias Esch

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Studies and applied experiences evidence severe and traumatic accidents not only require physical rehabilitation and recovery but also necessitate a psychological adaption and reorganization to the changed living conditions. Neurobiological models underpinning the experience of happiness and satisfaction postulate life shocks to potentially enhance the experience of happiness and life satisfaction, i.e., posttraumatic growth (PTG). This present study aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the underlying psychological processes of PTG and to outline its consequences on subjective happiness and life satisfaction. To explore the aforementioned, Esch’s ABC Model was used as guidance for the development of a questionnaire assessing changes in happiness and life satisfaction and for a schematic model postulating the development of PTG in the context of paraplegia. Two-stage qualitative interview procedures explored participants’ experiences of paraplegia. Specifically, narrative, semi-structured interviews (N=28) focused on the time before and after the accident, the availability of supportive resources, and potential changes in the perception of happiness and life satisfaction. Qualitative analysis (Grounded Theory) indicated an initial phase of reorganization was followed by a gradual psychological adaption to novel, albeit reduced, opportunities in life. Participants reportedly experienced a ‘compelled’ slowing down and elements of mindfulness, subsequently instilling a sense of gratitude and joy in relation to life’s presumed trivialities. Despite physical limitations and difficulties, participants reported an enhanced ability to relate to oneself and others and a reduction of perceived everyday nuisances. Concluding, PTG can be experienced in response to severe, traumatic life events and has the potential to enrich the lives of affected persons in numerous, unexpected and yet challenging ways. PTG appears to be a spectrum comprised of an interplay of internal and external resources underpinned by neurobiological processes. Participants experienced PTG irrelevant of age, gender, marital status, income or level of education.

Keywords: post traumatic growth, happiness, life satisfaction, traumatic life events, paraplegia, ABC model, trauma

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Authors: Jaishree Ellis

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The United States Centers for Disease Control tells us that many women with disabilities will not receive regular health screenings, including Pap Smears and mammograms. This article was comprised and written to recognize the barriers to care, gaps in existing healthcare implementation, and viable methodologies for the provision of comprehensive and robust gynecologic care for women with disabilities. According to the World Health Organization, 15% of the world's population, or approximately 1 billion people, have disabilities, most of whom are identified as women. Women with disabilities are described as being multi-disabled, as in some places, they suffer exclusion because of their disabilities as well as their gender. The paucity of information regarding how to create a healthcare system that is inclusive of every woman, regardless of her type of disability (physical, mental, intellectual or medical), has made it challenging to establish an environment that makes it possible for individuals to access care in an equitable, respectful and comprehensive way. A review of the current literature, institutional websites within the United States and American resource guides was implemented to determine where comprehensive models of care for women with disabilities exist, as well as the modalities that are being employed to meet their healthcare needs. The many barriers to care that women with disabilities face were also extracted from various sources within the literature to provide an exhaustive list that can be tackled, one by one. Of the 637 Hospital Systems in the United States, only 7 provide website documentation of health care services that address the unique needs of women with disabilities. The presumption is that if institutions have not marketed such interventions to the community, then it is likely that they do not have a robust suite of services with which to make gynecologic care available to patients with disabilities. Through this review, 7 main barriers to comprehensive gynecologic care were identified, with more than 20 sub-categories existing within those. As with many other areas of community life, inclusion remains lacking in the delivery of healthcare for women with disabilities. There are at least 7 barriers that must be overcome in order to provide equity in the medical office, the exam room, the hospital and the operating room. While few institutions have prioritized this, those few have provided blueprints that can easily be adopted by others. However, as the general population lives longer and ages, the incidence of disabilities increases, as do the healthcare disparities surrounding them. Further compounded by this is a lack of formal education for medical providers in the United States.

Keywords: health equity, inclusion, healthcare disparities, education

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Authors: Branka Milicic Stanic, Romana Mijovic

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In primary hyperparathyroidism, an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease may exist due to increased activity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). In adenomatous altered tissue of parathyroid gland, compared to normal tissue, there are two to fourfold increase in the expression of type 1 angiotensin II receptors. As there is a clear evidence of the independent role of aldosterone on the cardiovascular system, the aim of this study was to evaluate the existence of an association between aldosterone secretion and parathyroid hormone in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. This study included 48 patients with elevated parathyroid hormone who had come to the Departement of Nuclear Medicine, Clinical Center of Vojvodina, for Parathyroid Scintigraphy. The control group consisted of 30 healthy subjects who matched age and gender to the study group. All the results were statistically processed by statistical package STATISTICA 14 (Statsoft Inc,Tulsa, OK, USA). The survey was conducted between February 2017 and April 2018 at the Departement of Nuclear Medicine and at the Departement for Endocinology Diagnoistics, in Clinical Center of Vojvodina, Novi Sad. Compared to the control group, the study group had statistically significantly higher values of aldosterone (p=0.028), total calcium (p=0.01), ionized calcium (p=0.003) and parathyroid hormone (N-TACT PTH) (p=0.00), while statistically a significant lower levels in the study group were for phosphorus (p=0.003) and vitamin D (p=0.04). A linear correlation analysis in the study group revealed a statistically significant degree of positive correlation between renin and N-TACT PTH (r=0.688, p<0.05); renin and calcium (r=0.673, p<0.05) and renin and ionized calcium (r=0.641, p<0.05). Serum aldosterone and parathyroid hormone levels (N-TACT) were correlated positively in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (r=0.509, p<0.05). According to the linear correlation analysis in the control group, aldosterone showed no positive correlation with N-TACT PTH (r=-0.285, p>0.05), as well as total and ionized calcium (r=-0.200, p>0.05; r=-0.313, p>0.05). In multivariate regression analysis of the study group, the strongest predictive variable of aldosterone secretion was N-TACT PTH (p=0.011). Aldosterone correlated positively to PTH levels in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism, and the fact is that in these patients aldosterone might be a key mediator of cardiovascular symptoms. All this knowledge should help to find new treatments to prevent cardiovascular disease.

Keywords: aldosterone, hyperparathyroidism, parathyroid hormone, parathyroid gland

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Authors: Torsten Hermanns, You Wang, Stefan Janssen, Markus Niessen, Christoph Schoeler, Ulrich Thombansen, Wolfgang Schulz

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In long pulse laser drilling of metals, it can be demonstrated that the ablation shape approaches a so-called asymptotic shape such that it changes only slightly or not at all with further irradiation. These findings are already known from ultra short pulse (USP) ablation of dielectric and semiconducting materials. The explanation for the occurrence of an asymptotic shape in long pulse drilling of metals is identified, a model for the description of the asymptotic hole shape numerically implemented, tested and clearly confirmed by comparison with experimental data. The model assumes a robust process in that way that the characteristics of the melt flow inside the arising melt film does not change qualitatively by changing the laser or processing parameters. Only robust processes are technically controllable and thus of industrial interest. The condition for a robust process is identified by a threshold for the mass flow density of the assist gas at the hole entrance which has to be exceeded. Within a robust process regime the melt flow characteristics can be captured by only one model parameter, namely the intensity threshold. In analogy to USP ablation (where it is already known for a long time that the resulting hole shape results from a threshold for the absorbed laser fluency) it is demonstrated that in the case of robust long pulse ablation the asymptotic shape forms in that way that along the whole contour the absorbed heat flux density is equal to the intensity threshold. The intensity threshold depends on the special material and radiation properties and has to be calibrated be one reference experiment. The model is implemented in a numerical simulation which is called AsymptoticDrill and requires such a few amount of resources that it can run on common desktop PCs, laptops or even smart devices. Resulting hole shapes can be calculated within seconds what depicts a clear advantage over other simulations presented in literature in the context of industrial every day usage. Against this background the software additionally is equipped with a user-friendly GUI which allows an intuitive usage. Individual parameters can be adjusted using sliders while the simulation result appears immediately in an adjacent window. A platform independent development allow a flexible usage: the operator can use the tool to adjust the process in a very convenient manner on a tablet during the developer can execute the tool in his office in order to design new processes. Furthermore, at the best knowledge of the authors AsymptoticDrill is the first simulation which allows the import of measured real beam distributions and thus calculates the asymptotic hole shape on the basis of the real state of the specific manufacturing system. In this paper the emphasis is placed on the investigation of the effect of multiple reflections on the asymptotic hole shape which gain in importance when drilling holes with large aspect ratios.

Keywords: asymptotic hole shape, intensity threshold, long pulse laser drilling, robust process

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Authors: Audrey Ngambia, Ondrej Masek, Valentina Erastova

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Biochar is an amorphous carbon-rich material generated from the pyrolysis of biomass with multifarious properties and functionality. Biochar has shown proven applications in the treatment of flue gas and organic and inorganic pollutants in soil and water/wastewater as a result of its multiple surface functional groups and porous structures. These properties have also shown potential in energy storage and carbon capture. The availability of diverse sources of biomass to produce biochar has increased interest in it as a sustainable and environmentally friendly material. The properties and porous structures of biochar vary depending on the type of biomass and high heat treatment temperature (HHT). Biochars produced at HHT between 400°C – 800°C generally have lower H/C and O/C ratios, higher porosities, larger pore sizes and higher surface areas with temperature. While all is known experimentally, there is little knowledge on the porous role structure and functional groups play on processes occurring at the atomistic scale, which are extremely important for the optimization of biochar for application, especially in the adsorption of gases. Atomistic simulations methods have shown the potential to generate such amorphous materials; however, most of the models available are composed of only carbon atoms or graphitic sheets, which are very dense or with simple slit pores, all of which ignore the important role of heteroatoms such as O, N, S and pore morphologies. Hence, developing realistic models that integrate these parameters are important to understand their role in governing adsorption mechanisms that will aid in guiding the design and optimization of biochar materials for target applications. In this work, molecular dynamics simulations in the isobaric ensemble are used to generate realistic biochar models taking into account experimentally determined H/C, O/C, N/C, aromaticity, micropore size range, micropore volumes and true densities of biochars. A pore generation approach was developed using virtual atoms, which is a Lennard-Jones sphere of varying van der Waals radius and softness. Its interaction via a soft-core potential with the biochar matrix allows the creation of pores with rough surfaces while varying the van der Waals radius parameters gives control to the pore-size distribution. We focused on microporosity, creating average pore sizes of 0.5 - 2 nm in diameter and pore volumes in the range of 0.05 – 1 cm3/g, which corresponds to experimental gas adsorption micropore sizes of amorphous porous biochars. Realistic biochar models with surface functionalities, micropore size distribution and pore morphologies were developed, and they could aid in the study of adsorption processes in confined micropores.

Keywords: biochar, heteroatoms, micropore size, molecular dynamics simulations, surface functional groups, virtual atoms

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Authors: Sana Iqbal

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The female voice in Sufi poetry has been studied as a symbol of humility and devotion. Throughout the centuries, the Sufi shrines have also sheltered women and have served as a source of emotional strength in times of difficulty. Although women have been central to Sufi Islam, female-led rituals and performances (of veneration) are rarely studied as acts of empowerment and symbols of healing. This is especially true for rituals performed in informal spaces, which require going beyond the shrine practices. The rituals and meanings associated with Khizr Khwaja (or Sindhi Hindu god Jhelelal) among women in Punjab can serve as a useful case study to unpack some of these meanings. The paper aims to shed light on female-led rituals among women from Punjab associated with the folkloric traditions associated with Khizar Khwaja, Zinda Pir, Jhulelal or river god in the South Asian region to protect mariners from possible risks (since trade was primarily dependent on water channels) or for inducing timely rain date back to the 10th century in Sindh. However, these meanings and associations have evolved and the paper thus aims to establish a relationship between this figure and the women in Punjab by analysing the findings from an ethnographic study. It traces the historical meanings and significance attached to the divine figure and the wells (informal spaces) associated with him since the rituals performed by women is now infused solely with seeking fertility or to be blessed with a successful pregnancy, as opposed to him being celebrated for other reasons in older times. These associations beg the question of what women gain out of these rituals and making offerings to the mysterious figure of Khizr. Anecdotal evidence in the form of interviews conducted in Bhakar and Talwandi (Punjab) during the summer of 2015 helped to explore the stories related to this legend while also allowing us to witness some of the female-led ritual practices. It can be said that the symbols adopted in the ritual practices invoke liminality for women, which is a blend of opposites. The paper argues that this liminality/journey has been used as a vehicle to transcend all worldly structures of power and it symbolically emphasises the richness of feminine love/devotion and grants healing to female devotees.

Keywords: transgression, gender, liminality, ritual

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Authors: Soumyadeep Bhaduri, Rahul Ghosh, Rahul Shukla, Manaswini Behera

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The textile industry consumes a substantial amount of water throughout the processing and production of textile fabrics. The water eventually turns into wastewater, where it acts as an immense damaging nuisance due to its dye content. Wastewater streams contain a percentage ranging from 2.0% to 50.0% of the total weight of dye used, depending on the dye class. The management of dye effluent in textile industries presents a formidable challenge to global sustainability. The current focus is on implementing wastewater treatment technology that enable the recycling of wastewater, reduce energy usage and offset carbon emissions. Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a device that utilizes microorganisms as a bio-catalyst to effectively treat wastewater while also producing electricity. The MFC harnesses the chemical energy present in wastewater by oxidizing organic compounds in the anodic chamber and reducing an electron acceptor in the cathodic chamber, thereby generating electricity. This research investigates the potential of MFCs to tackle this challenge of azo dye removal with simultaneously generating electricity. Although MFCs are well-established for wastewater treatment, their application in dye decolorization with concurrent electricity generation remains relatively unexplored. This study aims to address this gap by assessing the effectiveness of MFCs as a sustainable solution for treating wastewater containing azo dyes. By harnessing microorganisms as biocatalysts, MFCs offer a promising avenue for environmentally friendly dye effluent management. The performance of MFCs in treating azo dyes and generating electricity was evaluated by optimizing the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) of influent. COD and HRT values ranged from 1600 mg/L to 2400 mg/L and 5 to 9 days, respectively. Results showed that the maximum open circuit voltage (OCV) reached 648 mV at a COD of 2400 mg/L and HRT of 5 days. Additionally, maximum COD removal of 98% and maximum color removal of 98.91% were achieved at a COD of 1600 mg/L and HRT of 9 days. Furthermore, the study observed a maximum power density of 19.95 W/m3 at a COD of 2400 mg/L and HRT of 5 days. Electrochemical analysis, including linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were done to find out the response current and internal resistance of the system. To optimize pH and dye concentration, pH values were varied from 4 to 10, and dye concentrations ranged from 25 mg/L to 175 mg/L. The highest voltage output of 704 mV was recorded at pH 7, while a dye concentration of 100 mg/L yielded the maximum output of 672 mV. This study demonstrates that MFCs offer an efficient and sustainable solution for treating azo dyes in textile industry wastewater, while concurrently generating electricity. These findings suggest the potential of MFCs to contribute to environmental remediation and sustainable development efforts on a global scale.

Keywords: textile wastewater treatment, microbial fuel cell, renewable energy, sustainable wastewater treatment

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Authors: María Canal-Rodríguez, María Arnaiz, Natalia Rey-Raap, Ana Arenillas, Jon Ajuria

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The constant demand of electrical energy, as well as the increase in environmental concern, lead to the necessity of investing in clean and eco-friendly energy sources that implies the development of enhanced energy storage devices. Li-ion batteries (LIBs) and Electrical double layer capacitors (EDLCs) are the most widespread energy systems. Batteries are able to storage high energy densities contrary to capacitors, which main strength is the high-power density supply and the long cycle life. The combination of both technologies gave rise to Li-ion capacitors (LICs), which offers all these advantages in a single device. This is achieved combining a capacitive, supercapacitor-like positive electrode with a faradaic, battery-like negative electrode. Due to the abundance and affordability, dual carbon-based LICs are nowadays the common technology. Normally, an Active Carbon (AC) is used as the EDLC like electrode, while graphite is the material commonly employed as anode. LICs are potential systems to be used in applications in which high energy and power densities are required, such us kinetic energy recovery systems. Although these devices are already in the market, some drawbacks like the limited power delivered by graphite or the energy limiting nature of AC must be solved to trigger their used. Focusing on the anode, one possibility could be to replace graphite with Hard Carbon (HC). The better rate capability of the latter increases the power performance of the device. Moreover, the disordered carbonaceous structure of HCs enables storage twice the theoretical capacity of graphite. With respect to the cathode, the ACs are characterized for their high volume of micropores, in which the charge is storage. Nevertheless, they normally do not show mesoporous, which are really important mainly at high C-rates as they act as transport channels for the ions to reach the micropores. Usually, the porosity of ACs cannot be tailored, as it strongly depends on the precursor employed to get the final carbon. Moreover, they are not characterized for having a high electrical conductivity, which is an important characteristic to get a good performance in energy storage applications. A possible candidate to substitute ACs are carbon aerogels (CAs). CAs are materials that combine a high porosity with great electrical conductivity, opposite characteristics in carbon materials. Furthermore, its porous properties can be tailored quite accurately according to with the requirements of the application. In the present study, CAs with controlled porosity were obtained from polymerization of resorcinol and formaldehyde by microwave heating. Varying the synthesis conditions, mainly the amount of precursors and pH of the precursor solution, carbons with different textural properties were obtained. The way the porous characteristics affect the performance of the cathode was studied by means of a half-cell configuration. The material with the best performance was evaluated as cathode in a LIC versus a hard carbon as anode. An analogous full LIC made by a high microporous commercial cathode was also assembled for comparison purposes.

Keywords: li-ion capacitors, energy storage, tailored porosity, carbon aerogels

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Authors: Joanna Maj, Awais Hussain, Lyndsey Vu, Catherine Roxas

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Background: Bone injuries in babies are common conditions that arise during delivery. Fractures of the clavicle, humerus, femur, and skull are the most common neonatal bone injuries sustained from labor and delivery. During operative deliveries, zealous tractions, ineffective delivery techniques, improper uterine incision, and inadequate relaxation of the uterus can lead to bone fractures in the newborn. Neonatal anatomy is unique. Just as children are not mini-adults, newborns are not mini children. A newborn’s anatomy and physiology are significantly different from a pediatric patient's. In this paper, we describe common orthopedic trauma in newborn babies. We provide a comprehensive overview of the different types of bone injuries in newborns. We hypothesize that the rate of bone fractures sustained at birth is higher in cases of operative deliveries. Methods: Relevant literature was selected by using the PubMed database. Search terms included orthopedic conditions in newborns, neonatal anatomy, and bone fractures in neonates during operative deliveries. Inclusion criteria included age, gender, race, type of bone injury and progression of bone injury. Exclusion criteria were limited in the medical history of cases reviewed and comorbidities. Results: This review finds that a clavicle fracture is the most common type of neonatal orthopedic injury sustained at birth in both operative and non-operative deliveries. We confirm the hypothesis that infants born via operative deliveries have a significantly higher rate of bone fractures than non-cesarean section deliveries. Conclusion: Newborn babies born via operative deliveries have a higher rate of bone fractures of the clavicle, humerus, and femur. A clavicle bone fracture in newborns is most common during emergency operative deliveries in new mothers. We conclude that infants born via an operative delivery sustained more bone injuries than infants born via non-cesarean section deliveries.

Keywords: clavicle fracture, humerus fracture, neonates, newborn orthopedics, orthopedic surgery, pediatrics, orthopedic trauma, orthopedic trauma during delivery, cesarean section, obstetrics, neonatal anatomy, neonatal fractures, operative deliveries, labor and delivery, bone injuries in neonates

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Authors: Marianne Simons, Sinan Kurt, Marjolein Stefens, Kai Karos, Johan Lataster

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As cultural diversity within older populations in European countries increases, the role of cultural background should be taken account of in aging studies. Bonding social capital (BSC), containing someone’s socio-emotional resources, is recognised as an important ingredient for wellbeing in old age and found to be associated with someone’s cultural background. The current study examined the association between BSC, loneliness and wellbeing in a sample including older Turkish migrants with a collectivistic cultural background and native Dutch older adults, both living in the Netherlands, characterised by an individualistic culture. A sample of 119 Turkish migrants (64.7% male; age 65-87, M(SD)=71.13(5.04) and 124 native Dutch adults (32.3% male, age 65-94, M(SD)= 71.9(5.32) filled out either an online or printed questionnaire measuring BSC, psychological, social and emotional well-being, loneliness and relevant demographic covariates. Regression analysis - including confounders age, gender, level of education, physical health and relationship - showed positive associations between BSC and respectively emotional, social and psychological well-being and a negative association with loneliness in both samples. Moderation analyses showed that these associations were significantly stronger for the Turkish older migrants than for their native peers. Measurement invariance analysis indicated partial metric invariance for the measurement of BSC and loneliness and non-invariance for wellbeing, calling for caution comparing means between samples. The results stress the importance of BSC for wellbeing of older migrants from collectivistic cultures living in individualistic countries. Previous research, shows a trend of older migrants displaying lower levels of BSC as well as associated variables, such as education, physical health, and financial income. This calls for more research of the interplay between demographic and psychosocial factors restraining mental wellbeing of older migrant populations. Measurement invariance analyses further emphasize the importance of taking cultural background into account in positive aging studies.

Keywords: positive aging, cultural background, wellbeing, social capital, loneliness

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Authors: Dian Zhang, Brendan Heery, Maria O’Neill, Ciprian Briciu-Burghina, Noel E. O’Connor, Fiona Regan

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Recent developments in sensors, wireless data communication and the cloud computing have brought the sensor web to a whole new generation. The introduction of the concept of ‘Internet of Thing (IoT)’ has brought the sensor research into a new level, which involves the developing of long lasting, low cost, environment friendly and smart sensors; new wireless data communication technologies; big data analytics algorithms and cloud based solutions that are tailored to large scale smart sensor network. The next generation of smart sensor network consists of several layers: physical layer, where all the smart sensors resident and data pre-processes occur, either on the sensor itself or field gateway; data transmission layer, where data and instructions exchanges happen; the data process layer, where meaningful information is extracted and organized from the pre-process data stream. There are many definitions of smart sensor, however, to summarize all these definitions, a smart sensor must be Intelligent and Adaptable. In future large scale sensor network, collected data are far too large for traditional applications to send, store or process. The sensor unit must be intelligent that pre-processes collected data locally on board (this process may occur on field gateway depends on the sensor network structure). In this case study, three smart sensing methods, corresponding to simple thresholding, statistical model and machine learning based MoPBAS method, are introduced and their strength and weakness are discussed as an introduction to the smart sensing concept. Data fusion, the integration of data and knowledge from multiple sources, are key components of the next generation smart sensor network. For example, in the water level monitoring system, weather forecast can be extracted from external sources and if a heavy rainfall is expected, the server can send instructions to the sensor notes to, for instance, increase the sampling rate or switch on the sleeping mode vice versa. In this paper, we describe the deployment of 11 affordable water level sensors in the Dublin catchment. The objective of this paper is to use the deployed river level sensor network at the Dodder catchment in Dublin, Ireland as a case study to give a vision of the next generation of a smart sensor network for flood monitoring to assist agencies in making decisions about deploying resources in the case of a severe flood event. Some of the deployed sensors are located alongside traditional water level sensors for validation purposes. Using the 11 deployed river level sensors in a network as a case study, a vision of the next generation of smart sensor network is proposed. Each key component of the smart sensor network is discussed, which hopefully inspires the researchers who are working in the sensor research domain.

Keywords: smart sensing, internet of things, water level sensor, flooding

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Authors: Peter Park, Alfonso Ayala, Douglas Saeks, Jordan Miller, Carmen Flores, Karen Nelson

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Introduction Hip fractures account for more than 300,000 hospital admissions every year. Many present as fragility fractures in geriatric patients with multiple medical comorbidities. Standardized protocols for the multidisciplinary management of this patient population have been shown to improve patient outcomes. A hip fracture protocol was implemented at a Level I Trauma center with a focus on pre-operative medical optimization and early surgical care. This study evaluates the efficacy of that protocol, including the early transition period. Methods A retrospective review was performed of all patients ages 60 and older with isolated hip fractures who were managed surgically between 2020 and 2022. This included patients 1 year prior and 1 year following the implementation of a hip fracture protocol at a Level I Trauma center. Results 530 patients were identified: 249 patients were treated before, and 281 patients were treated after the protocol was instituted. There was no difference in mean age (p=0.35), gender (p=0.3), or Charlson Comorbidity Index (p=0.38) between the cohorts. Following the implementation of the protocol, there were observed increases in time to surgery (27.5h vs. 33.8h, p=0.01), hospital length of stay (6.3d vs. 9.7d, p<0.001), and ED LOS (5.1h vs. 6.2h, p<0.001). There were no differences in in-hospital mortality (2.01% pre vs. 3.20% post, p=0.39) and complication rates (25% pre vs 26% post, p=0.76). A trend towards improved outcomes was seen after the early transition period but failed to yield statistical significance. Conclusion Early medical management and surgical intervention are key determining factors affecting outcomes following fragility hip fractures. The implementation of a hip fracture protocol at this institution has not yet significantly affected these parameters. This could in part be due to the restrictions placed at this institution during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, the time to OR pre-and post-implementation was quicker than figures reported elsewhere in literature. Further longitudinal data will be collected to determine the final influence of this protocol. Significance/Clinical Relevance Given the increasing number of elderly people and the high morbidity and mortality associated with hip fractures in this population finding cost effective ways to improve outcomes in the management of these injuries has the potential to have enormous positive impact for both patients and hospital systems.

Keywords: hip fracture, geriatric, treatment algorithm, preoperative optimization

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Authors: Fusun Akdag

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Today, as business becomes increasingly global, managers/leaders of multinational companies or local companies work with employees or customers from a variety of cultural backgrounds. To do this effectively, they need to develop cultural competence. Therefore, cultural intelligence (CQ) becomes a vitally important aptitude and skill, especially for leaders. The organizational success or failure depends upon the way, the kind of leadership which has been provided to its members. The culture we are born into deeply effects our values, beliefs, and behavior. Cultural intelligence (CQ) focuses on how well individuals can relate and work across cultures. CQ helps minimize conflict and maximize performance of a diverse workforce. The term 'decision,' refers to a commitment to a course of action that is intended to serve the interests and values of particular people. One dimension of culture that has received attention is individualism-collectivism or, independence-interdependence. These dimensions are associated with different conceptualizations of the 'self.' Individualistic cultures tend to value personal goal pursuit as opposed to pursuit of others’ goals. Collectivistic cultures, by contrast, view the 'self' as part of a whole. Each person is expected to work with his or her in-group toward goals, generally pursue group harmony. These differences underlie cross-cultural variation in decision-making, such as the decision modes people use, their preferences, negotiation styles, creativity, and more. The aim of this study is determining the effect of CQ on decision making styles of male and female managers in Turkey, an emergent economy framework. The survey is distributed to gather data from managers at various companies. The questionnaire consists of three parts: demographics, The Cultural Intelligence Scale (CQS) to measure the four dimensions of cultural intelligence and General Decision Making Style (GMDS) Inventory to measure the five subscales of decision making. The results will indicate the Turkish managers’ score at metacognitive, cognitive, motivational and behavioral aspects of cultural intelligence and to what extent these scores affect their rational, avoidant, dependent, intuitive and spontaneous decision making styles since business leaders make dozens of decisions every day that influence the success of the company and also having an impact on employees, customers, shareholders and the market.

Keywords: cultural intelligence, decision making, gender differences, management styles,

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Authors: Mihretu Erjabo

Abstract:

Halaba special district is characterized by drought, soil erosion, high population pressure, poor livestock production, lack of feed for livestock, very deep water table, very low productivity of crops and food insufficiency. In order to address these problems, the woreda agricultural development office along with other management practices such as soil physical conservation measures agroforestry was introduced decades ago as a means to alleviate the problem. However, the level of agroforestry adoption remains low. Objective of this study was to identify the factors that influence adoption of agroforestry technologies by farmers in the district. Random sampling was employed to select two kebele administrations and respondents. Data collection was conducted by rural household questionnaire survey, participatory rural appraisal, questionnaires for local and woreda extension staff, secondary data resources and field observation. A sample of 12 key informants, 6 extension staffs, and 182 households, were used in the data collection. Chi square test used to determine significant relationships between adoption of agroforestry and 15 selected variables. Out of which eleven were found to be significant to affect farmers’ adoptiveness. These were frequency of visits of farmers (13.39%), participation in training (11.49%), farmers’ attitude towards agroforestry practices (10.61%), frequency of visits of extensionists (10.38%), participation in extension meeting (10.34%), participation in field day (10.28%), land holding size (9.29%), level of literacy (8.78%), awareness about the importance of agroforestry technology packages (7.06%), time taken from their residence to nearest extension (5.04%) and gender of respondents (3.34%). This study also identified various factors that result in low adoption rates of agroforestry including fear of competition, seedling, rainfall and labour shortage, free grazing, financial problem, expecting trees as soil degrader and long span of trees and lack of need ranking. To improve farmers’ adoption, the factors identified should be well addressed by launching a series and recurrent outreach extension program appropriate and suitable to farmers need.

Keywords: farmers attitude, farmers participation, soil degradation, technology packages

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