Search results for: life cycle GHG

Authors: Samiksha Raviraja, Junaid Arif

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One of the most important abilities in species is the ability to communicate. This paper proposes steps to take when and if aliens came in contact with humans, and how humans would communicate with them. The situation would be a time-sensitive scenario, meaning that communication is at the utmost importance if such an event were to happen. First, humans would need to establish mutual peace by conveying that there is no threat to the alien race. Second, the aliens would need to acknowledge this understanding and reciprocate. This would be extremely difficult to do regardless of their intelligence level unless they are very human-like and have similarities to our way of communicating. The first step towards understanding their mind is to analyze their level of intelligence - Level 1-Low intelligence, Level 2-Human-like intelligence or Level 3-Advanced or High Intelligence. These three levels go hand in hand with the Kardashev scale. Further, the Barrow scale will also be used to categorize alien species in hopes of developing a common universal language to communicate in. This paper will delve into how the level of intelligence can be used toward achieving communication with aliens by predicting various possible scenarios and outcomes by proposing an intensive categorization system. This can be achieved by studying their Emotional and Intelligence Quotient (along with technological and scientific knowledge/intelligence). The limitations and capabilities of their intelligence must also be studied. By observing how they respond and react (expressions and senses) to different kinds of scenarios, items and people, the data will help enable good categorisation. It can be hypothesised that the more human-like aliens are or can relate to humans, the more likely it is that communication is possible. Depending on the situation, either human can teach aliens a human language, or humans can learn an alien language, or both races work together to develop a mutual understanding or mode of communication. There are three possible ways of contact. Aliens visit Earth, or humans discover aliens while on space exploration or through technology in the form of signals. A much rarer case would be humans and aliens running into each other during a space expedition of their own. The first two possibilities allow a more in-depth analysis of the alien life and enhanced results compared. The importance of finding a method of talking with aliens is important in order to not only protect Earth and humans but rather for the advancement of Science through the shared knowledge between the two species.

Keywords: intelligence, Kardashev scale, Barrow scale, alien civilizations, emotional and intelligence quotient

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Authors: Madan Khadka, Dhruba Uprety, Rubina Rai

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Background and objective: In 2011, around 273,465 women died worldwide during pregnancy, childbirth or within 42 days after childbirth. Near-miss is recognized as the predictor of the level of care and maternal death. The objective of the study was to evaluate the associated risk factors of near-miss obstetric cases and maternal death. Material and Methods A Prospective Observational Study was done from August 1, 2014, to June 30, 2015, in Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at BPKIHS hospital, tertiary care hospital in Eastern Nepal, Dharan. Case eligible by the 5-factor scoring system and WHO near miss criteria were evaluated. Risk factors included severe hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, and a complication of abortion, ruptured uterus, medical/surgical condition and sepsis. Results: A total of 9,727 delivery were attended during the study period from August 2014 to June 2014. There were 6307 (71.5%) vaginal delivery and 2777(28.5%) caesarean section and 181 perinatal death with a total of 9,546 live birth. A total of 162 near miss was identified, and 16 maternal death occurred during the study. Maternal near miss rate of 16.6 per 1000 live birth, Women with life-threatening conditions (WLTC) of 172, Severe maternal outcome ratio of 18.64 per 1000 live birth, Maternal near-miss mortality ratio (MNM: 1 MD) 10.1:1, Mortality index (MI) of 8.98%. Risk factors were obstetric hemorrhage 27.8%, abortion/ectopic 27.2%, eclampsia 16%, medical/surgical condition 14.8%, sepsis 13.6%, severe preeclamsia 11.1%, ruptured uterus 3.1%, and molar pregnancy 1.9%. 19.75% were prim gravidae, with mean age 25.66 yrs, and cardiovascular and coagulation dysfunction as a major life threatening condition and sepsis (25%) was the major cause of mortality. Conclusion: Hemorrhage and hypertensive disorders are the leading causes of near miss event and sepsis as a leading cause of mortality. As near miss analysis indicates the quality of health care, it is worth presenting in national indices.

Keywords: abortion, eclampsia, hemorrhage, maternal mortility, near miss

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Authors: Michael Wagner, Philipp Steinbauer, Andrea Katharina Lietz, Alexander Hoffelner, Johannes Fessler

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Background: Cardiopulmonary resuscitations are stressful situations in which vital decisions must be made within seconds. Lack of routine due to the infrequency of pediatric emergencies can lead to serious medical and communication errors. Virtual reality can fundamentally change the way simulation training is conducted in the future. It appears to be a useful learning tool for technical and non-technical skills. It is important to investigate the use of VR in providing a strong sense of presence within simulations. Methods: In this randomized study, we will enroll doctors and medical students from the Medical University of Vienna, who will receive learning material regarding the resuscitation of a one-year-old child. The study will be conducted in three phases. In the first phase, 20 physicians and 20 medical students from the Medical University of Vienna will be included. They will perform simulation-based training with a standardized scenario of a critically ill child with a hypovolemic shock. The main goal of this phase is to establish a baseline for the following two phases to generate comparative values regarding cognitive load and stress. In phase 2 and 3, the same participants will perform the same scenario in a VR setting. In both settings, on three set points of progression, one of three predefined events is triggered. For each event, three different stress levels (easy, medium, difficult) will be defined. Stress and cognitive load will be analyzed using the NASA Task Load Index, eye-tracking parameters, and heart rate. Subsequently, these values will be compared between VR training and traditional simulation-based training. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that the VR training and the traditional training groups will not differ in physiological response (cognitive load, heart rate, and heart rate variability). We further assume that virtual reality training can be used as cost-efficient additional training. Objectives: The aim of this study is to measure cognitive load and stress level during a real-life simulation training and compare it with VR training in order to show that VR training evokes the same physiological response and cognitive load as real-life simulation training.

Keywords: virtual reality, cognitive load, simulation, adaptive virtual reality training

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Authors: Bikram Jung Kunwar

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Forests have central roles in climate change. The conservation of forests sequestrates the carbon from the atmosphere and also regulates the carbon cycle. However, knowingly and unknowingly the world’s forests were deforested and degraded annually at the rate of 0.18% and emitted the carbon to the atmosphere. The IPCC reports claimed that the deforestation and forest degradation accounts 1/5th of total carbon emission, which is second position after fossil fuels. Since 1.6 billion people depend on varying degree on forests for their daily livelihood, not all deforestation are undesirable. Therefore, to conserve the forests and find the livelihood opportunities for forest surrounding people is prerequisites to address the climate change problems especially in developing countries, and also a growing concern to the forestry sector researchers, planners and policy makers. The study examines the role of community based forest management in carbon mitigation and adaptation taking the examples of Nepal’s community forestry program. In the program, the government hands over a part of national forests to the local communities with sole forest management authorities. However, the government itself retained the ownership rights of forestland. Local communities organized through a local institution called Community Forest User Group (CFUG) managed the forests. They also formed an operational plan with technical prescriptions and a constitution with forest management rules and regulations. The implementation results showed that the CFUGs are not only found effective to organize the local people and construct a local institution to forest conservation and management activities, but also they are able to collect a community fund from the sale of forest products and carried out various community development activities. These development activities have decisive roles to improve the livelihood of forest surrounding people and eventually to address the climate change problems.

Keywords: climate change, community forestry, local institution, Nepal

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Authors: Obinna Afamefuna Echi

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Background: The global increase in the elderly population is anticipated to reach significant levels by 2050, presenting extensive economic, social, and healthcare challenges. Age-related cognitive decline, alterations in brain anatomy, and systemic inflammation are profound concerns that diminish the quality of life and increase susceptibility to diseases like Alzheimer's and cardiovascular diseases. Resistance training is presently studied for its potential neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory benefits in older adults. Objectives: This study aimed to explore the effects of different resistance training modalities on neurotrophic factors, inflammatory markers, and cognitive functions in the elderly. Methods: A controlled trial was conducted with 60 male participants aged 60-75, assigned to either 12 weeks of high-intensity blood flow restriction training (BFRT), muscle damaging resistance training (MDRT), or a non-exercising control group. Cognitive function, neurotrophic factors such as BDNF, and inflammatory markers including IL-6 and TNF were measured before and after the intervention period. Setting: Participants were recruited from Kaunas, Lithuania, with sessions facilitated at the Lithuanian Sports University and health assessments conducted at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. Results: Preliminary data suggested did not show significant improvements in BDNF levels and cognitive functions in the BFRT and MDRT groups compared to controls. However, there was a notable reduction in inflammatory markers, indicating potential health benefits beyond cognitive enhancement. Conclusion: The incorporation of resistance training can be a strategic intervention to mitigate age-associated cognitive decline and systemic inflammation, thereby enhancing overall health and quality of life in older adults. The results advocate for wider adoption and further study of resistance training as a preventive measure in ageing populations. Funding: The Lithuanian Sports University, the Research Council of Lithuania and the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences.

Keywords: ageing, resistance training, BDNF, cognitive function

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Authors: Julia A. Ermakova

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As a member of a multicultural society, it is imperative that individuals demonstrate the highest level of decorum in order to exemplify the beauty of their culture. Adab, the practice of praiseworthy words and deeds, as well as possessing good manners and pursuing that which is considered good, is a fundamental concept that guards against all types of mistakes. In Islam, etiquette for every situation in life is taught, and it constitutes the way of life for a Muslim. In light of this, the personality of an elegant Muslim woman can be described as one who embodies the following qualities: Firstly, cultural speech and erudition are essential components. Improving one's intellect, learning new things, reading diverse literature, expanding one's vocabulary, working on articulation, and avoiding obscene speech and verbosity are crucial. Additionally, listening more than speaking and being willing to discuss one's culture when asked are commendable qualities. Conversely, it is important to avoid discussing foolish matters with foolish people and to be able to respond appropriately and change the subject if someone attempts to hurt or manipulate. Secondly, the style of speech is also of paramount importance. It is recommended to speak in a measured tone with a quiet voice and deep breathing. Avoiding rushing and shortness of breath is also recommended. Thirdly, awareness of how to greet others is essential. Combining Shariah and small talk etiquette, such as making a gesture of respect by putting one's hand to the chest and smiling slightly when a man offers a handshake, is recommended. Understanding the rules of small talk, taboo topics, and self-presentation is also important. Fourthly, knowing how to give and receive compliments without devaluing them is imperative. Knowledge of the rules of good manners and etiquette, both secular and Shariah, is also essential. Fifthly, avoiding arguments and responding elegantly to rudeness and tactlessness is a sign of an elegant Muslim woman. Treating everyone with respect and avoiding prejudices, taboo topics, inappropriate questions, and bad habits are all aspects of politeness. Sixthly, a neat appearance appropriate to Shariah and the local community, as well as a well-put-together outfit with a touch of elegance and style, are crucial. Posture, graceful movement, and a pleasant gaze are also important. Finally, good spirits and inner calm are key to projecting a harmonious image, which encourages people to listen attentively. Giving thanks to Allah in every situation in life is the key to maintaining good spirits. In conclusion, an elegant Muslim woman in a multicultural society is characterized by her high moral qualities and adherence to Islamic etiquette. These qualities, such as cultural speech and erudition, style of speech, awareness of how to greet, knowledge of good manners and etiquette, avoiding arguments, politeness, a neat appearance, and good spirits, all contribute to projecting an image of elegance and respectability. By exemplifying these qualities, Muslim women can serve as positive ambassadors for their culture and religion in diverse societies.

Keywords: adab, elegance, muslim woman, multicultural societies, good manners, etiquette

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Authors: Zhen Ye, Maryam Zaroudi, Elizabeth Aisenbrey, Nicolynn E. Davis, Peng Gao

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Nanoparticles have been used as drug delivery systems in the treatment of life-threatening diseases for decades, but traditional formulation development methods are time consuming and labor intensive. Millipore Sigma has developed a platform¬¬– NanoFabTxTM¬¬– for rapid and reproducible formulation development and screening to ensure consistentnanoparticle characteristics. Reproducible and precise control of the development process for a range of nanoparticle formulations accelerates the introduction of novel formulations to the clinic.

Keywords: Bio platform, Formulation development, NanoFabTxTM, Drug delivery

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Authors: Vivek Saxena, Shreshtha Saxena

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Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as impaired glucose tolerance first recognized during pregnancy. Uncontrolled or untreated GDM is associated with various adverse outcomes to the maternal and fetal health. Overt diabetes mellitus may also develop in such patients. It is universally accepted fact that first and foremost management to treat GDM is dietary control and lifestyle modification even before starting any oral hypoglycemic agent (OHA) or insulin. So, proper dietary management and little changes in the patient’s lifestyle are very effective for reducing her plasma glucose level. Objectives: Proper counselling of the patients and flexibility in their lifestyle and diet can effectively control the plasma glucose level in GDM patients. Methods: Total 60 GDM patients of age > 18 years were taken. We had three counselling sessions with the patient and other members of the family like husband, parents, and in-laws at different intervals, discussed their lifestyle and diet pattern, helped them to eliminate the factors those had an adverse effect on plasma glucose level and promoted them to acquire a healthy lifestyle. We have counselled the patient and her family member separately and then together also. They have explained how increased plasma glucose level can be effectively controlled with the little modification in their diet and routine activities. They were also taught to remain stress-free during their rest of antenatal period. We have excluded the patients from our study who were diabetic before pregnancy and patients with other comorbid illnesses like hypothyroidism and valvular heart disease. Results and conclusions: Results were very rewarding as patients could acquire a lifestyle of their choice. They were happy because extra pill burden was not there. All the 60 patients were normoglycemic in remaining antenatal period, 48 patients were delivered normally and 12 patients underwent cesarean section due to various reasons.Regular counselling of the patients regarding their disease and little alterations in diet and lifestyle controlled the plasma glucose level much effectively. The things were more easier and effective when we included other family members during our counselling session because they play a major role in patient’s day to day activity and influence her life.

Keywords: dietary management, gestational diabetes mellitus, impaired glucose tolerance, oral hypoglycemic agent, pregnancy

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Authors: Isadora Bugarin, Taygoara F. de Oliveira

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Binary fluids and emulsions, in general, are present in a vast range of industrial, medical, and scientific applications, showing complex behaviors responsible for defining the flow dynamics and the system operation. However, the literature describing those highlighted fluids in non-isothermal models is currently still limited. The present work brings a detailed investigation on droplet migration due to natural convection in square enclosure, aiming to clarify the effects of drop viscosity on the flow dynamics by showing how distinct viscosity ratios (droplet/ambient fluid) influence the drop motion and the final movement pattern kept on stationary regimes. The analysis was taken by observing distinct combinations of Rayleigh number, drop initial position, and viscosity ratios. The Navier-Stokes and Energy equations were solved considering the Boussinesq approximation in a laminar flow using the finite differences method combined with the Level Set method for binary flow solution. Previous results collected by the authors showed that the Rayleigh number and the drop initial position affect drastically the motion pattern of the droplet. For Ra ≥ 10⁴, two very marked behaviors were observed accordingly with the initial position: the drop can travel either a helical path towards the center or a cyclic circular path resulting in a closed cycle on the stationary regime. The variation of viscosity ratio showed a significant alteration of pattern, exposing a large influence on the droplet path, capable of modifying the flow’s behavior. Analyses on viscosity effects on the flow’s unsteady Nusselt number were also performed. Among the relevant contributions proposed in this work is the potential use of the flow initial conditions as a mechanism to control the droplet migration inside the enclosure.

Keywords: binary fluids, droplet motion, level set method, natural convection, viscosity

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Authors: George Leventakis, George Kokkinis, Nikos Moustakidis, George Papalexandratos, Ioanna Vasiliadou

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Enhancing the feeling of public safety and crime prevention are tasks customarily assigned to the Police. Police departments have, however, recognized that traditional ways of policing methods are becoming obsolete; Community Policing (CP) philosophy; however, when applied appropriately, leads to seamless collaboration between various stakeholders like the Police, NGOs and the general public and provides the opportunity to identify risks, assist in solving problems of crime, disorder, safety and crucially contribute to improving the quality of life for everyone in a community. Social Media, on the other hand, due to its high level of infiltration in modern life, constitutes a powerful mechanism which offers additional and direct communication channels to reach individuals or communities. These channels can be utilized to improve the citizens’ perception of the Police and to capture individual and community needs, when their feedback is taken into account by Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) in a structured and coordinated manner. This paper presents research conducted under INSPEC²T (Inspiring CitizeNS Participation for Enhanced Community PoliCing AcTions), a project funded by the European Commission’s research agenda to bridge the gap between CP as a philosophy and as an organizational strategy, capitalizing on the use of Social Media. The project aims to increase transparency, trust, police accountability, and the role of civil society. It aspires to build strong, trusting relationships between LEAs and the public, supporting two-way, contemporary communication while at the same time respecting anonymity of all affected parties. Results presented herein summarize the outcomes of four online multilingual surveys, focus group interviews, desktop research and interviews with experts in the field of CP practices. The above research activities were conducted in various EU countries aiming to capture requirements of end users from diverse backgrounds (social, cultural, legal and ethical) and determine public expectations regarding CP, community safety and crime prevention.

Keywords: community partnerships, next generation community policing, social media, public safety

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Authors: William Marquis, Fang Dong

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There has been a growing concern in recent years over the economic and social effects of adult video gaming. It has been estimated that the number of people who played video games during the COVID-19 pandemic is close to three billion, and there is evidence that this form of entertainment is here to stay. Many people are concerned that this growing use of time could crowd out time that could be spent on alternative forms of entertainment with family, friends, sports, and other social activities that build community. For example, recent studies of children suggest that playing videogames crowds out time that could be spent on homework, watching TV, or in other social activities. Similar studies of adults have shown that video gaming is negatively associated with earnings, time spent at work, and socializing with others. The primary objective of this paper is to examine how time adults spend on video gaming could displace time they could spend working and on activities that enhance their health and well-being. We use data from the American Time Use Survey (ATUS), maintained by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, to analyze the effects of time-use decisions on three measures of well-being. We pool the ATUS Well-being Module for multiple years, 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2021, along with the ATUS Activity and Who files for these years. This pooled data set provides three broad measures of well-being, e.g., health, life satisfaction, and emotional well-being. Seven variants of each are used as a dependent variable in different multivariate regressions. We add to the existing literature in the following ways. First, we investigate whether the time adults spend in video gaming crowds out time spent working or in social activities that promote health and life satisfaction. Second, we investigate the relationship between adult gaming and their emotional well-being, also known as negative or positive affect, a factor that is related to depression, health, and labor market productivity. The results of this study suggest that the time adult gamers spend on video gaming has no effect on their supply of labor, a negligible effect on their time spent socializing and studying, and mixed effects on their emotional well-being, such as increasing feelings of pain and reducing feelings of happiness and stress.

Keywords: online gaming, health, social capital, emotional wellbeing

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Authors: M. Naidoo

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The concept of moral personhood extending from the moral status of an artificial intelligence system has been explored – but predominantly from a Western conception of personhood. African personhood, however, is distinctly different from Western personhood in that communitarianism is central to the underpinnings of personhood - rather than Western individualism. Personhood in the African context is not an inherent property that a human is born with; rather, it is an ontological journey that one goes on in his or her life with the hopes of attaining personhood. Given the decolonization, projects happening in Africa, and the law-making that is happening in this space within South Africa, it is of paramount importance to consider these views.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, bioethics, law, legal personality

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Authors: Masbubul Ishtiaque Ahmed

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Food chain contamination by heavy metals has become a critical issue in recent years because of their potential accumulation in bio systems through contaminated water, soil and irrigation water. Industrial discharge, fertilizers, contaminated irrigation water, fossil fuels, sewage sludge and municipality wastes are the major sources of heavy metal contamination in soils and subsequent uptake by crops. The main objectives of this project were to determine the levels of minerals, trace elements and heavy metals in major foods and beverages consumed by the poor and non-poor households of Dhaka city and assess the dietary risk exposure to heavy metal and trace metal contamination and potential health implications as well as recommendations for action. Heavy metals are naturally occurring elements that have a high atomic weight and a density of at least 5 times greater than that of water. Their multiple industrial, domestic, agricultural, medical and technological applications have led to their wide distribution in the environment; raising concerns over their potential effects on human health and the environment. Their toxicity depends on several factors including the dose, route of exposure, and chemical species, as well as the age, gender, genetics, and nutritional status of exposed individuals. Because of their high degree of toxicity, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, and mercury rank among the priority metals that are of public health significance. These metallic elements are considered systemic toxicants that are known to induce multiple organ damage, even at lower levels of exposure. This review provides an analysis of their environmental occurrence, production and use, potential for human exposure, and molecular mechanisms of toxicity, and carcinogenicity.

Keywords: food chain, determine the levels of minerals, trace elements, heavy metals, production and use, human exposure, toxicity, carcinogenicity

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Authors: Joana Pimenta, Lorena Coelho, José Silva, Vanessa Miranda, Jorge Laranjeira, Rui Soares

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In this paper, the results of R&D on an innovative food package for increased shelf-life are presented. SAP4MA aims at the development of a printed active device that enables smart packaging solutions for food preservation, targeting the extension of the shelf-life of the packed food through the controlled release of active natural antioxidant agents at the onset of the food degradation process. To do so, SAP4MA focuses on the development of active devices such as printed heaters and batteries/supercapacitors in a label format to be integrated on packaging lids during its injection molding process, promoting the passive release of natural antioxidants after the product is packed, during transportation and in the shelves, and actively when the end-user activates the package, just prior to consuming the product at home. When the active device present on the lid is activated, the release of the natural antioxidants embedded in the inner layer of the packaging lid in direct contact with the headspace atmosphere of the food package starts. This approach is based on the use of active functional coatings composed of nano encapsulated active agents (natural antioxidants species) in the prevention of the oxidation of lipid compounds in food by agents such as oxygen. Thus keeping the product quality during the shelf-life, not only when the user opens the packaging, but also during the period from food packaging up until the purchase by the consumer. The active systems that make up the printed smart label, heating circuit, and battery were developed using screen-printing technology. These systems must operate under the working conditions associated with this application. The printed heating circuit was studied using three different substrates and two different conductive inks. Inks were selected, taking into consideration that the printed circuits will be subjected to high pressures and temperatures during the injection molding process. The circuit must reach a homogeneous temperature of 40ºC in the entire area of the lid of the food tub, promoting a gradual and controlled release of the antioxidant agents. In addition, the circuit design involves a high level of study in order to guarantee maximum performance after the injection process and meet the specifications required by the control electronics component. Furthermore, to characterize the different heating circuits, the electrical resistance promoted by the conductive ink and the circuit design, as well as the thermal behavior of printed circuits on different substrates, were evaluated. In the injection molding process, the serpentine-shaped design developed for the heating circuit was able to resolve the issues connected to the injection point; in addition, the materials used in the support and printing had high mechanical resistance against the pressure and temperature inherent to the injection process. Acknowledgment: This research has been carried out within the Project “Smart and Active Packing for Margarine Product” (SAP4MA) running under the EURIPIDES Program being co-financed by COMPETE 2020 – the Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalization and under Portugal 2020 through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Keywords: smart package, printed heat circuits, printed batteries, flexible and printed electronic

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Authors: A. Ibovi Mouondayi, S. Zaher, R. Assadi, K. Erraoui, S. Sboul, J. Daoudim, S. Bousselham, K. Nassar, S. Janani

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INTRODUCTION: Neuropathic pain (NP) caused by damage to the somatosensory nervous system has a significant impact on quality of life and is associated with a high economic burden on the individual and society. The treatment of neuropathic pain consists of the use of a wide range of therapeutic agents, including gabapentin, which is used in the treatment of neuropathic pain. OBJECTIF: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerance of gabapentin in the treatment of neuropathic pain. MATERIAL AND METHOD: This is a monocentric, cross-sectional, descriptive, retrospective study conducted in our department over a period of 19 months from October 2020 to April 2022. The missing parameters were collected during phone calls of the patients concerned. The diagnostic tool adopted was the DN4 questionnaire in the dialectal Arabic version. The impact of NP was assessed by the visual analog scale (VAS) on pain, sleep, and function. The impact of PN on mood was assessed by the "Hospital anxiety, and depression scale HAD" score in the validated Arabic version. The exclusion criteria were patients followed up for depression and other psychiatric pathologies. RESULTS: A total of 67 patients' data were collected. The average age was 64 years (+/- 15 years), with extremes ranging from 26 years to 94 years. 58 women and 9 men with an M/F sex ratio of 0.15. Cervical radiculopathy was found in 21% of this population, and lumbosacral radiculopathy in 61%. Gabapentin was introduced in doses ranging from 300 to 1800 mg per day with an average dose of 864 mg (+/- 346) per day for an average duration of 12.6 months. Before treatment, 93% of patients had a non-restorative sleep quality (VAS>3). 54% of patients had a pain VAS greater than 5. The function was normal in only 9% of patients. The mean anxiety score was 3.25 (standard deviation: 2.70), and the mean HAD depression score was 3.79 (standard deviation: 1.79). After treatment, all patients had improved the quality of their sleep (p<0.0001). A significant difference was noted in pain VAS, function, as well as anxiety and depression, and HAD score. Gabapentin was stopped for side effects (dizziness and drowsiness) and/or unsatisfactory response. CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrate a favorable effect of gabapentin on the management of neuropathic pain with a significant difference before and after treatment on the quality of life of patients associated with an acceptable tolerance profile.

Keywords: neuropathic pain, chronic pain, treatment, gabapentin

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Authors: Seyed Moslemi S. A. , Hesari J., Valizadeh H., Rezaiee-Mokaram R.

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Nanotechnology and nanoscience and related fields in this area, will impact on daily human life in the not too distant future. The basic materials of liposomes are lipids. Lipids that can be used to build liposomes can be provided from variety of sources. In this research, lecithin and cholesterol were used to prepare liposomes. Probe sonicator was used to minimize the particles of liposome and make nanoliposomes. Encapsulation efficiency were analyzed with pyrogallol red indicator and autoanalizer equipment. The smallest particle size was 220 nanometer( 100 mg lecithin, 50 mg cholestrol, 12 min and amplitude of 90%). The highest encapsulation efficiency was 13.5%( 120 mg lecithin,45 mg cholestrol, 12 min and ampilitude of 92%).

Keywords: optimizing, nanoliposome, nisin, cheese

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Authors: Juraj Londák, Radoslav Vargic, Pavol Podhradský

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In this contribution, we focus on the technical and economic aspects of using hybrid storage in microgrids for peak shaving. We perform a feasibility analysis of hybrid storage consisting of conventional supercapacitors and chemical batteries. We use multiple real-life consumption profiles from various industry-oriented microgrids. The primary purpose is to construct a digital twin model for reserved capacity simulation and prediction. The main objective is to find the equilibrium between technical innovations, acquisition costs and energy cost savings

Keywords: microgrid, peak shaving, energy storage, digital twin

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Authors: Yeraldin Galindo, Soraida Mora

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Solid urban waste represents one of the largest sources of global environmental pollution due to the large quantities of these that are produced every day; thus, the elimination of such waste is a major problem for the environmental authorities who must look for alternatives to reduce the volume of waste with the possibility of obtaining an energy recovery. At the Autónoma de Colombia University, approximately 423.27 kg/d of solid waste are generated mainly paper, cardboard, and plastic. A large amount of these solid wastes has as final disposition the sanitary landfill of the city, wasting the energy potential that these could have, this, added to the emissions generated by the collection and transport of the same, has as consequence the increase of atmospheric pollutants. One of the alternative process used in the last years to generate electrical energy from solid waste such as paper, cardboard, plastic and, mainly, organic waste or biomass to replace the use of fossil fuels is the gasification. This is a thermal conversion process of biomass. The objective of it is to generate a combustible gas as the result of a series of chemical reactions propitiated by the addition of heat and the reaction agents. This project was developed with the intention of giving an energetic use to the waste (paper, cardboard, and plastic) produced inside the university, using them to generate a synthesis gas with a gasifier prototype. The gas produced was evaluated to determine their benefits in terms of electricity generation or raw material for the chemical industry. In this process, air was used as gasifying agent. The characterization of the synthesis gas was carried out by a gas chromatography carried out by the Chemical Engineering Laboratory of the National University of Colombia. Taking into account the results obtained, it was concluded that the gas generated is of acceptable quality in terms of the concentration of its components, but it is a gas of low calorific value. For this reason, the syngas generated in this project is not viable for the production of electrical energy but for the production of methanol transformed by the Fischer-Tropsch cycle.

Keywords: alternative energies, gasification, gasifying agent, solid urban waste, syngas

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Authors: Aliya Idrissova

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Civil service (public administration) is an important social institution of society properties. Civil service institution had a significant impact on modernization processes in Kazakhstan through ensuring the functioning of all the subsystems of social life. This article is an attempt to analyses the reforms of public service institution in Kazakhstan and to assess its influence on modernization processes.

Keywords: civil service, Kazakhstan, modernization, a national model of civil service, civil service reforms, bureaucracy

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Authors: Veronika Sharok

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Research relevance on psychological determinants of risky behaviors is caused by high prevalence of such behaviors, particularly among youth. Risky sexual behavior, including unprotected and casual sex, frequent change of sexual partners, drug and alcohol use lead to negative social consequences and contribute to the spread of HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases. Data were obtained from 302 respondents aged 15-35 which were divided into 3 empirical groups: persons prone to risky sexual behavior, drug users and alcohol users; and 3 control groups: the individuals who are not prone to risky sexual behavior, persons who do not use drugs and the respondents who do not use alcohol. For processing, we used the following methods: Qualitative method for nominative data (Chi-squared test) and quantitative methods for metric data (student's t-test, Fisher's F-test, Pearson's r correlation test). Statistical processing was performed using Statistica 6.0 software. The study identifies two groups of factors that prevent risky behaviors. Internal factors, which include the moral and value attitudes; significance of existential values: love, life, self-actualization and search for the meaning of life; understanding independence as a responsibility for the freedom and ability to get attached to someone or something up to a point when this relationship starts restricting the freedom and becomes vital; awareness of risky behaviors as dangerous for the person and for others; self-acknowledgement. External factors (prevent risky behaviors in case of absence of the internal ones): absence of risky behaviors among friends and relatives; socio-demographic characteristics (middle class, marital status); awareness about the negative consequences of risky behaviors; inaccessibility to psychoactive substances. These factors are common for proneness to each type of risky behavior, because it usually caused by the same reasons. It should be noted that if prevention of risky behavior is based only on elimination of external factors, it is not as effective as it may be if we pay more attention to internal factors. The results obtained in the study can be used to develop training programs and activities for prevention of risky behaviors, for using values preventing such behaviors and promoting healthy lifestyle.

Keywords: existential values, prevention, psychological features, risky behavior

Procedia PDF Downloads 256

Authors: Eslam Mohammed Abdelkader, Mohamed Marzouk, Tarek Zayed

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Infrastructure systems are crucial to every aspect of life on Earth. Existing Infrastructure is subjected to degradation while the demands are growing for a better infrastructure system in response to the high standards of safety, health, population growth, and environmental protection. Bridges play a crucial role in urban transportation networks. Moreover, they are subjected to high level of deterioration because of the variable traffic loading, extreme weather conditions, cycles of freeze and thaw, etc. The development of Bridge Management Systems (BMSs) has become a fundamental imperative nowadays especially in the large transportation networks due to the huge variance between the need for maintenance actions, and the available funds to perform such actions. Deterioration models represent a very important aspect for the effective use of BMSs. This paper presents a probabilistic time-based model that is capable of predicting the condition ratings of the concrete bridge decks along its service life. The deterioration process of the concrete bridge decks is modeled using semi-Markov process. One of the main challenges of the Markov Chain Decision Process (MCDP) is the construction of the transition probability matrix. Yet, the proposed model overcomes this issue by modeling the sojourn times based on some probability density functions. The sojourn times of each condition state are fitted to probability density functions based on some goodness of fit tests such as Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Anderson Darling, and chi-squared test. The parameters of the probability density functions are obtained using maximum likelihood estimation (MLE). The condition ratings obtained from the Ministry of Transportation in Quebec (MTQ) are utilized as a database to construct the deterioration model. Finally, a comparison is conducted between the Markov Chain and semi-Markov chain to select the most feasible prediction model.

Keywords: bridge management system, bridge decks, deterioration model, Semi-Markov chain, sojourn times, maximum likelihood estimation

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Authors: Harsh Shah

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Spirituality and happiness are two very important aspects of human life. After defining happiness, an attempt has been made in this paper to review research on the relationship between happiness and spirituality, and then to experimentally study their correlation among students aged between 18-24 years. The relation was assessed in 200 students from IIT Kharagpur, who rated their own spirituality, and happiness using the Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (DSES) developed by Underwood, and the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS) developed by Lyubomirsky and Lepper, respectively. Students who were more spiritual in general, were happier as well, and the Pearson Correlation Coefficient method gave a high positive correlation between happiness and spirituality.

Keywords: happiness, spirituality, youth, correlation, depression, religion

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Authors: N. Kashif, M. K. Naseer

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This is an undeniable fact that parents are the very first role model for their children and children are the silent observers and followers of their parents. The environment they would be provided will leave either positive or negative lasting impact on their physical and mental behavior and abilities to grow, progress and conquer. This paper focuses on the observation particularly in South Asian countries where females have been facing problems in accessing education and getting financially independent or stable. This paper emphasizes on a survey conducted in rural areas of Punjab State in Pakistan. It explains how the parents’ educational background, financial status, conservative and interdependent accommodation style influence a prominent inequality of giving their female child right to study and get empowered. The forces behind this gender discrimination are not limited to parents’ life style impact but also include some major social problems like distant schools, gender-based harassment, and threat, insecurities, employment opportunities, so on. As a grass root level solution, it is proposed to develop an institution which collects data regarding child birth in their region and can contact the parent when their child is ready to start school. Building up trust based relationship with parents is the most crucial and significant factor. Secondly, celebrities and public figures can play an extraordinary role in running a campaign to advocate and encourage people living in rural areas, villages and small towns. All possible solutions can never be implemented without the support of the state government. Therefore, this paper invites more thoughtful actions, properly planned strategies, initiators to take the lead and make a platform for those who are underprivileged and deprived of their basic rights. Any country, where female constitute 49% of its entire population can never progress without promoting female empowerment and their right to compulsory education, and it is never late or impossible to admit the facts and practically start a flexible solution- oriented approach.

Keywords: employment opportunities, female empowerment, gender based harassment, gender discrimination, inequality, parents' life style impact

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Authors: Kulsum Maula, Md Kamrul Alam, Md Ibrahim Khalil, Md Nazmul Hasan, Mohammad Omar Faruq

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Background: Percutaneous Tube Thoracostomy (PTT) is an invasive procedure that can save a life now and then in different traumatic and non-traumatic conditions. But still, it is an enigma; how our trainee surgeons are at home in this procedure. Objectives: To evaluate the outcome of the percutaneous tube thoracostomy performed by trainees in both trauma and non-trauma patients. Study design: Prospective, Observational Study. The duration of the study was September 2018 to February 2019. Methods: All patients who need PTT in traumatic and non-traumatic conditions were selected by purposive sampling. Thereafter, they were scrutinized according to eligibility criteria and 96 patients were finalized. A pre-tested, observation-based, peer-reviewed data collection sheet was prepared before the study. Data regarding clinical and surgical outcome profiles were recorded. Data were compiled, edited, and analyzed. Results: Among 96 patients, the highest 32.29% belonged to age group 31-40 years and the lowest 9.37% belonged to the age group ≤20. The mean age of the respondents was 29.19±9.81. We found out of 96 patients, 70(72.91%) were indicated PTT for traumatic conditions and the rest 26(27.08%) were indicated PTT for non-traumatic chest conditions, where 36(37.5%) had simple penumothorax, 21(21.87%) haemothorax, 14(14.58%) massive pleural effusion, 13(13.54%) tension pneumothorax, 10(10.41%) haemopneumothorax, and 2(2.08%) had pyothorax respectively. In 53.12% of patients had right-sided intercostal chest tube (ICT) insertion, whereas 46.87% had left-sided ICT insertion. In our study, 89.55 % of the tube was placed at the normal anatomical position. Besides, 10.41% of tube thoracostomy were performed deviated from anatomical site. Among 96 patients 62.5% patients had length of incision 2-3cm, 35.41% had >3cm and 2.08% had <2cm respectively. Out of 96 patients, 75(78.13%) showed uneventful outcomes, whereas 21(21.87%) had complications, including 11.15%(11) each had wound infection, 4.46%(4) subcutaneous emphysema, 4.28%(3) drain auto expulsion, 2.85%(2) hemorrhage, 1.45%(1) had a non-functioning drain and empyema with ascending infection respectively (p=<0.05). Conclusion: PTT is a life-saving procedure that is most frequently implemented in chest trauma patients in our country. In the majority of cases, the outcome of PTT was uneventful (78.13). Besides this, more than one-third of patients had a length of incision more than 3 cm that needed extra stitches and 10.41% of cases of PTT were placed other than the normal anatomical site. Trainees of Dhaka Medical College Hospitals are doing well in their performance of PTT insertion, but still, some anatomical orientations are necessary to avoid operative and post-operative complications.

Keywords: PTT, trainee, trauma, non-chest trauma patients

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Authors: Thirupathi Thippani, Kothandaraman Ramanujam

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Current research on energy storage has been paid to metal-air batteries, because of attractive alternate energy source for the future. Metal – air batteries have the probability to significantly increase the power density, decrease the cost of energy storage and also used for a long time due to its high energy density, low-level pollution, light weight. The performance of these batteries mostly restricted by the slow kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) on cathode during battery discharge and charge. The ORR and OER are conventionally carried out with precious metals (such as Pt) and metal oxides (such as RuO₂ and IrO₂) as catalysts separately. However, these metal-based catalysts are regularly undergoing some difficulties, including high cost, low selectivity, poor stability and unfavorable to environmental effects. So, in order to develop the active, stable, corrosion resistance and inexpensive bi-functional catalyst material is mandatory for the commercialization of zinc-air rechargeable battery technology. We have attempted and synthesized non-precious metal (NPM) catalysts comprising cobalt and N-doped multiwalled carbon nanotubes (N-MWCNTs-Co) were synthesized by the solid-state pyrolysis (SSP) of melamine with Co₃O₄. N-MWCNTs-Co acts as an excellent electrocatalyst for both the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and hence can be used in secondary metal-air batteries and in unitized regenerative fuel cells. It is important to study the OER and ORR at high concentrations of KOH as most of the metal-air batteries employ KOH concentrations > 4M. In the first 16 cycles of the zinc-air battery while using N-MWCNTs-Co, 20 wt.% Pt/C or 20 wt.% IrO₂/C as air electrodes. In the ORR regime (the discharge profile of the zinc-air battery), the cell voltage exhibited by N-MWCNTs-Co was 44 and 83 mV higher (based on 5th cycle) in comparison to of 20 wt.% Pt/C and 20 wt.% IrO₂/C respectively. To demonstrate this promise, a zinc-air battery was assembled and tested at a current density of 0.5 Ag⁻¹ for charge-discharge 100 cycles.

Keywords: oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), oxygen evolution reaction(OER), non-platinum, zinc air battery

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Authors: Maryam Nzari

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Today, with the advancement of Internet technology, one of the tools used by humans is a tool that allows them to do what they need easily. Online platforms in different forms and by providing different services make it possible for users to communicate with each other and users with platforms. Audience communication with mass media is not the same as in the past. Today the conditions are different; With online platforms that provide the latest news minute by minute, he has access to all the content and can choose more quickly and easily. According to professionals Galloway, Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google companies create a wide range. They are among the products and services that are connected with the daily life of billions of people all over the planet. Over time, platforms gain high economic value and in this way gain power that will influence the social, cultural, economic and political aspects of people’s lives. As a result of the effects of the process of platformization on all areas of individual and collective life, we now live in a platform society, which communicates It is close to “platform politics”. Nowadays, with social media platforms, users can interact with many people and people can share their data on various topics with others in this space. In this research, what will be investigated is the role of these online platforms in economic growth and the introduction of local culture areas in tourist areas. Tourism in a region is linked with various factors; One of the important factors that attract tourists to a region is its culture, and on the other hand, this culture can also affect economic growth. Without a proper understanding of the culture of these tourist areas, it is not possible to plan properly for the growth of the tourism industry and the subsequent increase in economic growth. The interaction of local people and tourists will have social and cultural effects on each other and will give them the opportunity to get to know each other. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to examine issues such as the role that online platforms play in cultural interaction in tourist areas and to understand that online platforms are only seeking to show the good aspects of a region and then generate enough extra income or that platforms can They play a role beyond what we imagine and introduce the culture of a region in a proper way so that we don’t see disagreements in the tourism planning of that region. in this article It has been tried by using library and field methods Answer the questions.

Keywords: online platforms, economic growth, culture Indigenous, tourism

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Authors: Marie Bajnarová

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The core part of the research project is represented by taking a perspective on the role of an educator in Juvenile Institutional Centres. In accordance with the research questions, the research explores impact of the environment, situations, practices, attitudes, values and also experience of the respondents. Art activities minimize risky behaviours and contribute to a healthy lifestyle. They also help children and adolescents with conduct disorders develop positive social behaviour, psychosocial skills and cope with difficult life situations.

Keywords: Juvenile Detention Centres, drawing, conduct disorders, art therapy

Procedia PDF Downloads 284

Authors: Manutchanok Jongprasithporn, Rawiphorn Srivilai, Paweena Pongsopha

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Fall is the most serious accident leading to increased unintentional injuries and mortality. Falls are not only the cause of suffering and functional impairments to the individuals, but also the cause of increasing medical cost and days away from work. The early detection of falls could be an advantage to reduce fall-related injuries and consequences of falls. Smartphones, embedded accelerometer, have become a common device in everyday life due to decreasing technology cost. This paper explores a physical activity monitoring and fall detection application in smartphones which is a non-invasive biomedical device to determine physical activities and fall event. The combination of application and sensors could perform as a biomedical sensor to monitor physical activities and recognize a fall. We have chosen Android-based smartphone in this study since android operating system is an open-source and no cost. Moreover, android phone users become a majority of Thai’s smartphone users. We developed Thai 3 Axis (TH3AX) as a physical activities and fall detection application which included command, manual, results in Thai language. The smartphone was attached to right hip of 10 young, healthy adult subjects (5 males, 5 females; aged< 35y) to collect accelerometer and gyroscope data during performing physical activities (e.g., walking, running, sitting, and lying down) and falling to determine threshold for each activity. Dependent variables are including accelerometer data (acceleration, peak acceleration, average resultant acceleration, and time between peak acceleration). A repeated measures ANOVA was performed to test whether there are any differences between DVs’ means. Statistical analyses were considered significant at p<0.05. After finding threshold, the results were used as training data for a predictive model of activity recognition. In the future, accuracies of activity recognition will be performed to assess the overall performance of the classifier. Moreover, to help improve the quality of life, our system will be implemented with patients and elderly people who need intensive care in hospitals and nursing homes in Thailand.

Keywords: activity recognition, accelerometer, fall, gyroscope, smartphone

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Authors: J. Banski

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Regardless of residence place, the type of business and the social system, an individual or groups of people use the accumulated knowledge and continuously deepen and expand its scope. Knowledge is needed by human beings to carry out certain tasks, achieve desired goals or make decisions. Knowledge is an attribute of the people of a region and is identified with the total experience and information that its residents and institutions possess, including the ability to use it. It is subject to constant development, which is the result of both the deepening and exchange of knowledge among the residents of a particular area, as well as the influx of knowledge with newly arriving residents. A good example of the aforementioned processes is in rural areas, where we are dealing with two basic groups of people between whom knowledge transfer takes place. The first group is made up of people who have lived in the village for a long time, while the second group is made up of people who migrate temporarily or permanently to the countryside. The English-language literature uses the terms oldtimers and newcomers for these groups, respectively. Newcomers, usually possessing different life experiences, cultural patterns and competencies, can be rich sources of knowledge for villagers. At the same time, the latter, with different knowledge and experience, along with knowledge of local conditions and customs, can also be an important source of knowledge for incomers to the countryside. The countryside is a particularly interesting environment for studying social interactions and the accompanying transfer of knowledge. This is because it is characterized by a high intensity of neighborly contact and a high level of trust in the private sphere. As a result of the migratory influx of new residents, the social and cultural image of the countryside is changing due to the interpenetration of urban and rural life patterns. Research on rural-urban knowledge transfer is both an opportunity to halt negative trends in the social and economic development of rural areas and support the establishment of a basis for rural renewal. This paper discusses the results of research on urban-rural knowledge transfer based on case studies carried out in a dozen villages from different regions of Poland. Their purpose was to answer three basic research questions: 1) what types of knowledge are transferred between urban and rural residents? 2) what are the main directions and intensity in knowledge transfer? And 3) what are the consequences of knowledge transfer between urban and rural residents?

Keywords: rural areas, villages, newcomers, knowledge transfer, Poland

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Authors: Shu-Feng Chang

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During the past years, gender issues have been discussed in many fields. It causes such differences not only in physical field but also in mental field. Gender differences also appear in our daily life, especially in the communication of spoken language. This statement was proved in the descriptions of color. However, the research about describing shape was fewer. The purpose of the study was to determine the description of the shape was different or alike due to gender. If it was different, this difference was dissimilar or as the same as the conclusion of color. Data were collected on the shape descriptions by 15 female and 15male participants in describing five pictures. As a result, it was really different for the descriptions of shape due to gender factor. The findings of shape descriptions were almost as the same as color naming with gender factor.

Keywords: gender, naming, shape, sociolinguistics

Procedia PDF Downloads 555