Search results for: changing pattern
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 4604

Search results for: changing pattern

914 Thickness-Tunable Optical, Magnetic, and Dielectric Response of Lithium Ferrite Thin Film Synthesized by Pulsed Laser Deposition

Authors: Prajna Paramita Mohapatra, Pamu Dobbidi

Abstract:

Lithium ferrite (LiFe5O8) has potential applications as a component of microwave magnetic devices such as circulators and monolithic integrated circuits. For efficient device applications, spinel ferrites in the form of thin films are highly required. It is necessary to improve their magnetic and dielectric behavior by optimizing the processing parameters during deposition. The lithium ferrite thin films are deposited on Pt/Si substrate using the pulsed laser deposition technique (PLD). As controlling the film thickness is the easiest parameter to tailor the strain, we deposited the thin films having different film thicknesses (160 nm, 200 nm, 240 nm) at oxygen partial pressure of 0.001 mbar. The formation of single phase with spinel structure (space group - P4132) is confirmed by the XRD pattern and the Rietveld analysis. The optical bandgap is decreased with the increase in thickness. FESEM confirmed the formation of uniform grains having well separated grain boundaries. Further, the film growth and the roughness are analyzed by AFM. The root-mean-square (RMS) surface roughness is decreased from 13.52 nm (160 nm) to 9.34 nm (240 nm). The room temperature magnetization is measured with a maximum field of 10 kOe. The saturation magnetization is enhanced monotonically with an increase in thickness. The magnetic resonance linewidth is obtained in the range of 450 – 780 Oe. The dielectric response is measured in the frequency range of 104 – 106 Hz and in the temperature range of 303 – 473 K. With an increase in frequency, the dielectric constant and the loss tangent of all the samples decreased continuously, which is a typical behavior of conventional dielectric material. The real part of the dielectric constant and the dielectric loss is increased with an increase in thickness. The contribution of grain and grain boundaries is also analyzed by employing the equivalent circuit model. The highest dielectric constant is obtained for the film having a thickness of 240 nm at 104 Hz. The obtained results demonstrate that desired response can be obtained by tailoring the film thickness for the microwave magnetic devices.

Keywords: PLD, optical response, thin films, magnetic response, dielectric response

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913 Generation of ZnO-Au Nanocomposite in Water Using Pulsed Laser Irradiation

Authors: Elmira Solati, Atousa Mehrani, Davoud Dorranian

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Generation of ZnO-Au nanocomposite under laser irradiation of a mixture of the ZnO and Au colloidal suspensions are experimentally investigated. In this work, firstly ZnO and Au nanoparticles are prepared by pulsed laser ablation of the corresponding metals in water using the 1064 nm wavelength of Nd:YAG laser. In a second step, the produced ZnO and Au colloidal suspensions were mixed in different volumetric ratio and irradiated using the second harmonic of a Nd:YAG laser operating at 532 nm wavelength. The changes in the size of the nanostructure and optical properties of the ZnO-Au nanocomposite are studied as a function of the volumetric ratio of ZnO and Au colloidal suspensions. The crystalline structure of the ZnO-Au nanocomposites was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The optical properties of the samples were examined at room temperature by a UV-Vis-NIR absorption spectrophotometer. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was done by placing a drop of the concentrated suspension on a carbon-coated copper grid. To further confirm the morphology of ZnO-Au nanocomposites, we performed Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. Room temperature photoluminescence (PL) of the ZnO-Au nanocomposites was measured to characterize the luminescence properties of the ZnO-Au nanocomposites. The ZnO-Au nanocomposites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The X-ray diffraction pattern shows that the ZnO-Au nanocomposites had the polycrystalline structure of Au. The behavior observed by images of transmission electron microscope reveals that soldering of Au and ZnO nanoparticles include their adhesion. The plasmon peak in ZnO-Au nanocomposites was red-shifted and broadened in comparison with pure Au nanoparticles. By using the Tauc’s equation, the band gap energy for ZnO-Au nanocomposites is calculated to be 3.15–3.27 eV. In this work, the formation of ZnO-Au nanocomposites shifts the FTIR peak of metal oxide bands to higher wavenumbers. PL spectra of the ZnO-Au nanocomposites show that several weak peaks in the ultraviolet region and several relatively strong peaks in the visible region. SEM image indicates that the morphology of ZnO-Au nanocomposites produced in water was spherical. The TEM images of ZnO-Au nanocomposites demonstrate that with increasing the volumetric ratio of Au colloidal suspension the adhesion increased. According to the size distribution graphs of ZnO-Au nanocomposites with increasing the volumetric ratio of Au colloidal suspension the amount of ZnO-Au nanocomposites with the smaller size is further.

Keywords: Au nanoparticles, pulsed laser ablation, ZnO-Au nanocomposites, ZnO nanoparticles

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912 The Impact of Supply Chain Strategy and Integration on Supply Chain Performance: Supply Chain Vulnerability as a Moderator

Authors: Yi-Chun Kuo, Jo-Chieh Lin

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The objective of a supply chain strategy is to reduce waste and increase efficiency to attain cost benefits, and to guarantee supply chain flexibility when facing the ever-changing market environment in order to meet customer requirements. Strategy implementation aims to fulfill common goals and attain benefits by integrating upstream and downstream enterprises, sharing information, conducting common planning, and taking part in decision making, so as to enhance the overall performance of the supply chain. With the rise of outsourcing and globalization, the increasing dependence on suppliers and customers and the rapid development of information technology, the complexity and uncertainty of the supply chain have intensified, and supply chain vulnerability has surged, resulting in adverse effects on supply chain performance. Thus, this study aims to use supply chain vulnerability as a moderating variable and apply structural equation modeling (SEM) to determine the relationships among supply chain strategy, supply chain integration, and supply chain performance, as well as the moderating effect of supply chain vulnerability on supply chain performance. The data investigation of this study was questionnaires which were collected from the management level of enterprises in Taiwan and China, 149 questionnaires were received. The result of confirmatory factor analysis shows that the path coefficients of supply chain strategy on supply chain integration and supply chain performance are positive (0.497, t= 4.914; 0.748, t= 5.919), having a significantly positive effect. Supply chain integration is also significantly positively correlated to supply chain performance (0.192, t = 2.273). The moderating effects of supply chain vulnerability on supply chain strategy and supply chain integration to supply chain performance are significant (7.407; 4.687). In Taiwan, 97.73% of enterprises are small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) focusing on receiving original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and original design manufacturer (ODM) orders. In order to meet the needs of customers and to respond to market changes, these enterprises especially focus on supply chain flexibility and their integration with the upstream and downstream enterprises. According to the observation of this research, the effect of supply chain vulnerability on supply chain performance is significant, and so enterprises need to attach great importance to the management of supply chain risk and conduct risk analysis on their suppliers in order to formulate response strategies when facing emergency situations. At the same time, risk management is incorporated into the supply chain so as to reduce the effect of supply chain vulnerability on the overall supply chain performance.

Keywords: supply chain integration, supply chain performance, supply chain vulnerability, structural equation modeling

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911 A Study on Conventional and Improved Tillage Practices for Sowing Paddy in Wheat Harvested Field

Authors: R. N. Pateriya, T. K. Bhattacharya

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In India, rice-wheat cropping system occupies the major area and contributes about 40% of the country’s total food grain production. It is necessary that production of rice and wheat must keep pace with growing population. However, various factors such as degradation in natural resources, shift in cropping pattern, energy constraints etc. are causing reduction in the productivity of these crops. Seedbed for rice after wheat is difficult to prepare due to presence of straw and stubbles, and require excessive tillage operations to bring optimum tilth. In addition, delayed sowing and transplanting of rice is mainly due to poor crop residue management, multiplicity of tillage operations and non-availability of the power source. With increasing concern for fuel conservation and energy management, farmers might wish to estimate the best cultivation system for more productivity. The widest spread method of tilling land is ploughing with mould board plough. However, with the mould board plough upper layer of soil is neither always loosened at the desired extent nor proper mixing of different layers are achieved. Therefore, additional operations carried out to improve tilth. The farmers are becoming increasingly aware of the need for minimum tillage by minimizing the use of machines. Soil management can be achieved by using the combined active-passive tillage machines. A study was therefore, undertaken in wheat-harvested field to study the impact of conventional and modified tillage practices on paddy crop cultivation. Tillage treatments with tractor as a power source were selected during the experiment. The selected level of tillage treatments of tractor machinery management were (T1:- Direct Sowing of Rice), (T2:- 2 to 3 harrowing and no Puddling with manual transplanting), (T3:- 2 to 3 harrowing and Puddling with paddy harrow with manual transplanting), (T4:- 2 to 3 harrowing and Puddling with Rotavator with manual transplanting). The maximum output was obtained with treatment T1 (7.85 t/ha)) followed by T4 (6.4 t/ha), T3 (6.25 t/ha) and T2 (6.0 t/ha)) respectively.

Keywords: crop residues, cropping system, minimum tillage, yield

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910 The Right to Water in the Lancang-Mekong River Basin Disputes

Authors: Heping Dang, Raymond Yu Wang

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The Langcang-Mekong River is the most important international watercourse in mainland Southeast Asia. In recent years, the six riparian states, China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, have confronted increasing disputes over the use of the trans-boundary water. To settle these disputes and protect the fundamental right to water, quite a few inter-state mechanisms have been established, such as the Mekong River Commission, the economic cooperation program of the Greater Mekong Subregion, the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ and the ‘Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Mechanism’ and the ‘Lower Mekong Initiative’. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have also been an important and constructive institutional entrepreneur in trans-boundary water governance. Although the status and extent of the right to water are yet to be clearly defined, this paper aims to 1) unpack how the right to water is interpreted and exercised in the Lancang-Mekong River Basin Dispute; and 2) to evaluate the roles of the right to water in settling international water disputes. To achieve these objectives, Secondary data such as archival documents of international law and relevant stakeholders will be compiled for analysis. First-hand information about the organizational structure, accountability, values and strategies of the international mechanisms and NGOs in question will also be collected through fieldwork in the Mekong river basin. Semi-structural interviews, group discussions and participatory observation will be conducted to collect data. The authors have access to the fieldwork because they have abundant experience of collaborating with Mekong-based international NGOs in previous research projects. This research will display how the concepts and principles of international law and the UN guidelines are interpreted in practice. These principles include the definition and extent of the right to water, the practical use of ‘vital human need’, the indicators of ‘adequacy of water’ including ‘availability, quality and accessibility’, and how the right to water is related to the progressive realization of the right to life. This down-to earth research will enrich the theoretical discussion of international law, particularly international human rights law, within the UN framework. Moreover, the outcomes of this research will provide new insights into the roles that the right to water might play in consensus-building and dispute settlement in a rapidly changing context, where water is pivotal for poverty alleviation, biodiversity conservation and the promotion of sustainable livelihoods.

Keywords: international water dispute, Lancang-Mekong River, right to water, state and non-state actors

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909 Generative Pre-Trained Transformers (GPT-3) and Their Impact on Higher Education

Authors: Sheelagh Heugh, Michael Upton, Kriya Kalidas, Stephen Breen

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This article aims to create awareness of the opportunities and issues the artificial intelligence (AI) tool GPT-3 (Generative Pre-trained Transformer-3) brings to higher education. Technological disruptors have featured in higher education (HE) since Konrad Klaus developed the first functional programmable automatic digital computer. The flurry of technological advances, such as personal computers, smartphones, the world wide web, search engines, and artificial intelligence (AI), have regularly caused disruption and discourse across the educational landscape around harnessing the change for the good. Accepting AI influences are inevitable; we took mixed methods through participatory action research and evaluation approach. Joining HE communities, reviewing the literature, and conducting our own research around Chat GPT-3, we reviewed our institutional approach to changing our current practices and developing policy linked to assessments and the use of Chat GPT-3. We review the impact of GPT-3, a high-powered natural language processing (NLP) system first seen in 2020 on HE. Historically HE has flexed and adapted with each technological advancement, and the latest debates for educationalists are focusing on the issues around this version of AI which creates natural human language text from prompts and other forms that can generate code and images. This paper explores how Chat GPT-3 affects the current educational landscape: we debate current views around plagiarism, research misconduct, and the credibility of assessment and determine the tool's value in developing skills for the workplace and enhancing critical analysis skills. These questions led us to review our institutional policy and explore the effects on our current assessments and the development of new assessments. Conclusions: After exploring the pros and cons of Chat GTP-3, it is evident that this form of AI cannot be un-invented. Technology needs to be harnessed for positive outcomes in higher education. We have observed that materials developed through AI and potential effects on our development of future assessments and teaching methods. Materials developed through Chat GPT-3 can still aid student learning but lead to redeveloping our institutional policy around plagiarism and academic integrity.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, Chat GPT-3, intellectual property, plagiarism, research misconduct

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908 D-Epi App: Mobile Application to Control Sodium Valproat Administration in Children with Idiopatic Epilepsy in Indonesia

Authors: Nyimas Annissa Mutiara Andini

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There are 325,000 children younger than age 15 in the U.S. have epilepsy. In Indonesia, 40% of 3,5 millions cases of epilepsy happens in children. The most common type of epilepsy, which affects 6 out of 10 people with the disorder, is called idiopathic epilepsy and which has no identifiable cause. One of the most commonly used medications in the treatment of this childhood epilepsy is sodium valproate. Administration of sodium valproat in children has a problem to fail. Nearly 60% of pediatric patients known were mildly, moderately, or severely non-adherent with therapy during the first six months of treatment. Many parents or caregiver took far less medication than prescribed, and the treatment-adherence pattern for the majority of patients was established during the first month of treatment. 42% of the patients were almost always given their medications as prescribed but 13% had very poor adherence even in the early weeks and months of treatment. About 7% of patients initially gave the medication correctly 90% of the time, but adherence dropped to around 20% within six months of starting treatment. Over the six months of observation, the total missing of administration is about four out of 14 doses in any given week. This fail can cause the epilepsy to relapse. Whereas, current reported epilepsy disorder were significantly more likely than those never diagnosed to experience depression (8% vs 2%), anxiety (17% vs 3%), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (23% vs 6%), developmental delay (51% vs 3%), autism/autism spectrum disorder (16% vs 1%), and headaches (14% vs 5%) (all P< 0.05). They had a greater risk of limitation in the ability to do things (relative risk: 9.22; 95% CI: 7.56–11.24), repeating a school grade (relative risk: 2.59; CI: 1.52–4.40), and potentially having unmet medical and mental health needs. In the other side, technology can help to make our life easier. One of the technology, that we can use is a mobile application. A mobile app is a software program we can download and access directly using our phone. Indonesians are highly mobile centric. They use, on average, 6.7 applications over a 30 day period. This paper is aimed to describe an application that could help to control a sodium valproat administration in children; we call it as D-Epi app. D-Epi app is a downloadable application that can help parents or caregiver alert by a timer-related application to warn whether it is the time to administer the sodium valproat. It works not only as a standard alarm, but also inform important information about the drug and emergency stuffs to do to children with epilepsy. This application could help parents and caregiver to take care a child with epilepsy in Indonesia.

Keywords: application, children, D-Epi, epilepsy

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907 A Normalized Non-Stationary Wavelet Based Analysis Approach for a Computer Assisted Classification of Laryngoscopic High-Speed Video Recordings

Authors: Mona K. Fehling, Jakob Unger, Dietmar J. Hecker, Bernhard Schick, Joerg Lohscheller

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Voice disorders origin from disturbances of the vibration patterns of the two vocal folds located within the human larynx. Consequently, the visual examination of vocal fold vibrations is an integral part within the clinical diagnostic process. For an objective analysis of the vocal fold vibration patterns, the two-dimensional vocal fold dynamics are captured during sustained phonation using an endoscopic high-speed camera. In this work, we present an approach allowing a fully automatic analysis of the high-speed video data including a computerized classification of healthy and pathological voices. The approach bases on a wavelet-based analysis of so-called phonovibrograms (PVG), which are extracted from the high-speed videos and comprise the entire two-dimensional vibration pattern of each vocal fold individually. Using a principal component analysis (PCA) strategy a low-dimensional feature set is computed from each phonovibrogram. From the PCA-space clinically relevant measures can be derived that quantify objectively vibration abnormalities. In the first part of the work it will be shown that, using a machine learning approach, the derived measures are suitable to distinguish automatically between healthy and pathological voices. Within the approach the formation of the PCA-space and consequently the extracted quantitative measures depend on the clinical data, which were used to compute the principle components. Therefore, in the second part of the work we proposed a strategy to achieve a normalization of the PCA-space by registering the PCA-space to a coordinate system using a set of synthetically generated vibration patterns. The results show that owing to the normalization step potential ambiguousness of the parameter space can be eliminated. The normalization further allows a direct comparison of research results, which bases on PCA-spaces obtained from different clinical subjects.

Keywords: Wavelet-based analysis, Multiscale product, normalization, computer assisted classification, high-speed laryngoscopy, vocal fold analysis, phonovibrogram

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906 War and Peace in the Hands of the Media: Review of Global Media Reports and Their Influencing Factors on the Foreign and Security Policy Opinions of the Population

Authors: Ismahane Emma Karima Bessi

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Military sociology is largely avoided. Discussing the military as a societal phenomenon and the social dimensions of war and peace is now considered a disgraceful and neglected province of social science that has a major impact on global populations. The first official press war began with William Howard Russell in the mid-19th century. The media are crucial to war and peace. Even Gaius Julius Caesar, with his "commentarii bello gallico", was a media tool to influence his warfare. Napoleon Bonaparte also knew how important the press was for his actions. This shows how important history is for crisis and war journalism. The one-sided media coverage that every country is confronted with ultimately prevents people from having a certain interest in the truth and from gross knowledge gaps in order to get an accurate picture of reality. There is a need to examine the relationship between the military, war, and the media to look at the modality in which the media is involved in military conflicts, in this case, as an adjunct, i.e., war because of the media. These are promoted or initiated by the following factors: photos intended for the visual manipulation of the population, the pressure from politicians and parties who are urging and exerting their influence on the global media to share the same pattern of opinion, and, most importantly, the media profiting from the war by listening to popular reactions and passing them on promoting with new visuals. These influence political elections. The media occupies a huge and ubiquitous part of the population. These have the ability to make a country that is in constant crisis and war mode appear in a brilliant light of peace. An article or photograph taken by one journalist has a tremendous impact as it can control the minds of millions of people. Most wars currently have state-political reasons. The parties, therefore, want to have their (potential) voters on their side, who are inflated by the media. The military is loathed or loved. Thinking must be created that a well-trained military in the instances of natural sciences, history, and sociology can save or protect the lives of many people. Theoretical methods for this are defined and evaluated in more detail in this paper.

Keywords: war, history, military, science, journalism, crisis

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905 Studies of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism of Proteosomal Gene Complex and Their Association with HBV Infection Risk in India

Authors: Jasbir Singh, Devender Kumar, Davender Redhu, Surender Kumar, Vandana Bhardwaj

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Single Nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of proteosomal gene complex is involved in the pathogenesis of hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection. Some of such proteosomal gene complex are large multifunctional proteins (LMP) and antigen associated transporters that help in antigen presentation. Both are involved in intracellular processing and presentation of viral antigens in association with Major Histocompatability Complex (MHC) Class I molecules. A total of hundred each of hepatitis B virus infected and control samples from northern India were studied. Genomic DNA was extracted from all studied samples and PCR-RFLP method was used for genotyping at different positions of LMP genes. Genotypes at a given position were inferred from the pattern of bands and genotype frequencies and haplotype frequencies were also calculated. Homozygous SNP {A>C} was observed at codon 145 of LMP7 gene and having a protective role against HBV as there was statistically significant high distribution of this SNP among controls than cases. Heterozygous SNP {A>C} was observed at codon 145 of LMP7 gene and made individuals more susceptible to HBV infection as there was statistically significant high distribution of this SNP among cases than control. SNP {T>C} was observed at codon 60 of LMP2 gene but statistically significant differences were not observed among controls and cases. For codon 145 of LMP7 and codon 60 of LMP2 genes, four haplotypes were constructed. Haplotype I (LMP2 ‘C’ and LMP7 ‘A’) made individuals carrying it more susceptible to HBV infection as there was statistically significant high distribution of this haplotype among cases than control. Haplotype II (LMP2 ‘C’ and LMP7 ‘C’) made individuals carrying it more immune to HBV infection as there was statistically significant high distribution of this haplotype among control than cases. Thus it can be concluded that homozygous SNP {A>C} at codon 145 of LMP7 and Haplotype II (LMP2 ‘C’ and LMP7 ‘C’) has a protective role against HBV infection whereas heterozygous SNP {A>C} at codon 145 of LMP7 and Haplotype I (LMP2 ‘C’ and LMP7 ‘A’) made individuals more susceptible to HBV infection.

Keywords: Hepatitis B Virus, single nucleotide polymorphism, low molecular weight proteins, transporters associated with antigen presentation

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904 An Empirical Study of Performance Management System: Implementation of Performance Management Cycle to Achieve High-Performance Culture at Pertamina Company, Indonesia

Authors: Arif Budiman

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Any organization or company that wishes to achieve vision, mission, and goals of the organization is required to implement a performance management system or known as the Performance Management System (PMS) in every part of the whole organization. PMS is a tool to help visualize the direction and work program of the organization to achieve the goal. The challenge is PMS should not stop merely as a visualization tool to achieve the vision and mission of the organization, but PMS should also be able to create a high-performance culture that is inherent in each individual of the organization. Establishment of a culture within an organization requires the support of top leaders and also requires a system or governance that encourages every individual in the organization to be involved in any work program of the organization. Keywords of creating a high-performance culture are the formation of communication pattern involving the whole individual, either vertically or horizontally, and performed consistently and persistently by all individuals in each line of the organization. PT Pertamina (Persero) as the state-owned national energy company holds a system to internalize the culture of high performance through a system called Performance Management System Cycle (PMS Cycle). This system has 7 stages of the cycle, those are: (1) defining vision, mission and strategic plan of the company, (2) defining key performance indicator of each line and the individual (‘expectation setting conversation’), (3) defining performance target and performance agreement, (4) monitoring performance on a monthly regular basis (‘pulse check’), (5) implementing performance dialogue between leaders and staffs periodically every 3 months (‘performance dialogue’), (6) defining rewards and consequences based on the achievement of the performance of each line and the individual, and (7) calculating the final performance value achieved by each line and individual from one period of the current year. Perform PMS is a continual communication running throughout the year, that is why any three performance discussion that should be performed, include expectation setting conversations, pulse check and performance dialogue. In addition, another significant point and necessary undertaken to complete the assessment of individual performance assessment is soft competencies through 360-degree assessment by leaders, staffs, and peers.

Keywords: 360-degree assessment, expectation setting conversation, performance management system cycle, performance dialogue, pulse check

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903 Opto-Thermal Frequency Modulation of Phase Change Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems

Authors: Syed A. Bukhari, Ankur Goswmai, Dale Hume, Thomas Thundat

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Here we demonstrate mechanical detection of photo-induced Insulator to metal transition (MIT) in ultra-thin vanadium dioxide (VO₂) micro strings by using < 100 µW of optical power. Highly focused laser beam heated the string locally resulting in through plane and along axial heat diffusion. Localized temperature increase can cause temperature rise > 60 ºC. The heated region of VO₂ can transform from insulating (monoclinic) to conducting (rutile) phase leading to lattice compressions and stiffness increase in the resonator. The mechanical frequency of the resonator can be tuned by changing optical power and wavelength. The first mode resonance frequency was tuned in three different ways. A decrease in frequency below a critical optical power, a large increase between 50-120 µW followed by a large decrease in frequency for optical powers greater than 120 µW. The dynamic mechanical response was studied as a function of incident optical power and gas pressure. The resonance frequency and amplitude of vibration were found to be decreased with increasing laser power from 25-38 µW and increased by1-2 % when the laser power was further increased to 52 µW. The transition in films was induced and detected by a single pump and probe source and by employing external optical sources of different wavelengths. This trend in dynamic parameters of the strings can be co-related with reversible Insulator to metal transition in VO₂ films which creates change in density of the material and hence the overall stiffness of the strings leading to changes in string dynamics. The increase in frequency at a particular optical power manifests a transition to a more ordered metallic phase which tensile stress onto the string. The decrease in frequency at higher optical powers can be correlated with poor phonon thermal conductivity of VO₂ in conducting phase. Poor thermal conductivity of VO₂ can force in-plane penetration of heat causing the underneath SiN supporting VO₂ which can result as a decrease in resonance frequency. This noninvasive, non-contact laser-based excitation and detection of Insulator to metal transition using micro strings resonators at room temperature and with laser power in few µWs is important for low power electronics, and optical switching applications.

Keywords: thermal conductivity, vanadium dioxide, MEMS, frequency tuning

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902 The Role of Dialogue in Shared Leadership and Team Innovative Behavior Relationship

Authors: Ander Pomposo

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Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact that dialogue has on the relationship between shared leadership and innovative behavior and the importance of dialogue in innovation. This study wants to contribute to the literature by providing theorists and researchers a better understanding of how to move forward in the studies of moderator variables in the relationship between shared leadership and team outcomes such as innovation. Methodology: A systematic review of the literature, originally adopted from the medical sciences but also used in management and leadership studies, was conducted to synthesize research in a systematic, transparent and reproducible manner. A final sample of 48 empirical studies was scientifically synthesized. Findings: Shared leadership gives a better solution to team management challenges and goes beyond the classical, hierarchical, or vertical leadership models based on the individual leader approach. One of the outcomes that emerge from shared leadership is team innovative behavior. To intensify the relationship between shared leadership and team innovative behavior, and understand when is more effective, the moderating effects of other variables in this relationship should be examined. This synthesis of the empirical studies revealed that dialogue is a moderator variable that has an impact on the relationship between shared leadership and team innovative behavior when leadership is understood as a relational process. Dialogue is an activity between at least two speech partners trying to fulfill a collective goal and is a way of living open to people and ideas through interaction. Dialogue is productive when team members engage relationally with one another. When this happens, participants are more likely to take responsibility for the tasks they are involved and for the relationships they have with others. In this relational engagement, participants are likely to establish high-quality connections with a high degree of generativity. This study suggests that organizations should facilitate the dialogue of team members in shared leadership which has a positive impact on innovation and offers a more adaptive framework for the leadership that is needed in teams working in complex work tasks. These results uncover the necessity of more research on the role that dialogue plays in contributing to important organizational outcomes such as innovation. Case studies describing both best practices and obstacles of dialogue in team innovative behavior are necessary to gain a more detailed insight into the field. It will be interesting to see how all these fields of research evolve and are implemented in dialogue practices in the organizations that use team-based structures to deal with uncertainty, fast-changing environments, globalization and increasingly complex work.

Keywords: dialogue, innovation, leadership, shared leadership, team innovative behavior

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901 Positive Disruption: Towards a Definition of Artist-in-Residence Impact on Organisational Creativity

Authors: Denise Bianco

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Several studies on innovation and creativity in organisations emphasise the need to expand horizons and take on alternative and unexpected views to produce something new. This paper theorises the potential impact artists can have as creative catalysts, working embedded in non-artistic organisations. It begins from an understanding that in today's ever-changing scenario, organisations are increasingly seeking to open up new creative thinking through deviant behaviours to produce innovation and that art residencies need to be critically revised in this specific context in light of their disruptive potential. On the one hand, this paper builds upon recent contributions made on workplace creativity and related concepts of deviance and disruption. Research suggests that creativity is likely to be lower in work contexts where utter conformity is a cardinal value and higher in work contexts that show some tolerance for uncertainty and deviance. On the other hand, this paper draws attention to Artist-in-Residence as a vehicle for epistemic friction between divergent and convergent thinking, which allows the creation of unparalleled ways of knowing in the dailiness of situated and contextualised social processes. In order to do so, this contribution brings together insights from the most relevant theories on organisational creativity and unconventional agile methods such as Art Thinking and direct insights from ethnographic fieldwork in the context of embedded art residencies within work organisations to propose a redefinition of Artist-in-Residence and their potential impact on organisational creativity. The result is a re-definition of embedded Artist-in-Residence in organisational settings from a more comprehensive, multi-disciplinary, and relational perspective that builds on three focal points. First the notion that organisational creativity is a dynamic and synergistic process throughout which an idea is framed by recurrent activities subjected to multiple influences. Second, the definition of embedded Artist-in-Residence as an assemblage of dynamic, productive relations and unexpected possibilities for new networks of relationality that encourage the recombination of knowledge. Third, and most importantly, the acknowledgment that embedded residencies are, at the very essence, bi-cultural knowledge contexts where creativity flourishes as the result of open-to-change processes that are highly relational, constantly negotiated, and contextualised in time and space.

Keywords: artist-in-residence, convergent and divergent thinking, creativity, creative friction, deviance and creativity

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900 The Silent Tuberculosis: A Case Study to Highlight Awareness of a Global Health Disease and Difficulties in Diagnosis

Authors: Susan Scott, Dina Hanna, Bassel Zebian, Gary Ruiz, Sreena Das

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Although the number of cases of TB in England has fallen over the last 4 years, it remains an important public health burden with 1 in 20 cases dying annually. The vast majority of cases present in non-UK born individuals with social risk factors. We present a case of non-pulmonary TB presenting in a healthy child born in the UK to professional parents. We present a case of a healthy 10 year old boy who developed acute back pain during school PE. Over the next 5 months, he was seen by various health and allied professionals with worsening back pain and kyphosis. He became increasing unsteady and for the 10 days prior to admission to our hospital, he developed fevers. He was admitted to his local hospital for tonsillitis where he suffered two falls on account of his leg weakness. A spinal X-ray revealed a pathological fracture and gibbus formation. He was transferred to our unit for further management. On arrival, the patient had lower motor neurone signs of his left leg. He underwent spinal fixture, laminectomy and decompression. Microbiology samples taken intra-operatively confirmed Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. He had a positive Mantoux and T-spot and treatment were commenced. There was no evidence of immune compromise. The patient was born in the UK, had a BCG scar and his only travel history had been two years prior to presentation when he travelled to the Phillipines for a short holiday. The patient continues to have issues around neuropathic pain, mobility, pill burden and mild liver side effects from treatment. Discussion: There is a paucity of case reports on spinal TB in paediatrics and diagnosis is often difficult due to the non-specific symptomatology. Although prognosis on treatment is good, a delayed diagnosis can have devastating consequences. This case highlights the continued need for higher index of suspicion and diagnosis in a world with changing patterns of migration and increase global travel. Surgical intervention is limited to the most serious cases to minimise further neurological damage and improve prognosis. There remains the need for a multi-disciplinary approach to deal with challenges of treatment and rehabilitation.

Keywords: tuberculosis, non-pulmonary TB, public health burden, diagnostic challenge

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899 Migrants and Non Migrants: Class Level Distinctions from a Village Level Analysis of Mahabubnagar District

Authors: T. P. Muhammed Jamsheer

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This paper tries to explains some of differences between migrants and non-migrants households by taking ten indicators like land ownership, land distribution, lease in land, lease out land, demand of labour, supply of labour, land operational potential, holding of agriculture implements and livestock’s, irrigation potential of households and credit holding by the households of highly dry, drought affected, poverty stricken, multi caste and pluralistic sub castes village in very backward Mahabubnagar district of Andhra Pradesh. The paper is purely field work based research and conducted census survey of field work among the 298 households in highly dry village called Keppatta from Bhoothpur mandel. One of the main objectives of the paper is that, to find out the factors which differentiate migrants and non-migrants households and what are distress elements which forced the poor peasants migrants to outside the village. It concludes that among the migrants and non-migrants households and among the differences between the categories wise of both types of households, there are differences, except two indicators like lease in and lease out, all other indicators like land holding pattern, demand and supply of labour, land operation, irrigation potential, implements and livestock and credit facilities of migrants and non-migrants households shows that non-migrants have high share than the migrants households. This paper also showing the landed households are more migrants, means among the BC and FC households landed households are migrants while SC landless are more migrants which is contradictory to general/existing literatures conclusion that, landless are more migrant than landed households, here also showing that when the number of land in acres increases the share of SC is declining while the share of FC is increasing among the both migrants and non-migrants households. In the class wise SC households are more in distress situation than any other class and that might be leading to the highest share of migrants from the respective village. In the logistic econometric model to find out the relation between migration and other ten variables, the result shows that supply of labour, lease in of the land and size of the family are statically significantly related with migration and all other variables not significant relation with migration although the theoretical explanation shows the different results.

Keywords: class, migrants, non migrants, economic indicators, distress factors

Procedia PDF Downloads 315
898 Investigating the Indoor Air Quality of the Respiratory Care Wards

Authors: Yu-Wen Lin, Chin-Sheng Tang, Wan-Yi Chen

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Various biological specimens, drugs, and chemicals exist in the hospital. The medical staffs and hypersensitive inpatients expose might expose to multiple hazards while they work or stay in the hospital. Therefore, the indoor air quality (IAQ) of the hospital should be paid more attention. Respiratory care wards (RCW) are responsible for caring the patients who cannot spontaneously breathe without the ventilators. The patients in RCW are easy to be infected. Compared to the bacteria concentrations of other hospital units, RCW came with higher values in other studies. This research monitored the IAQ of the RCW and checked the compliances of the indoor air quality standards of Taiwan Indoor Air Quality Act. Meanwhile, the influential factors of IAQ and the impacts of ventilator modules, with humidifier or with filter, were investigated. The IAQ of two five-bed wards and one nurse station of a RCW in a regional hospital were monitored. The monitoring was proceeded for 16 hours or 24 hours during the sampling days with a sampling frequency of 20 minutes per hour. The monitoring was performed for two days in a row and the AIQ of the RCW were measured for eight days in total. The concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxide (NOₓ), total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), relative humidity (RH) and temperature were measured by direct reading instruments. The bioaerosol samples were taken hourly. The hourly air change rate (ACH) was calculated by measuring the air ventilation volume. Human activities were recorded during the sampling period. The linear mixed model (LMM) was applied to illustrate the impact factors of IAQ. The concentrations of CO, CO₂, PM, bacterial and fungi exceeded the Taiwan IAQ standards. The major factors affecting the concentrations of CO, PM₁ and PM₂.₅ were location and the number of inpatients. The significant factors to alter the CO₂ and TVOC concentrations were location and the numbers of in-and-out staff and inpatients. The number of in-and-out staff and the level of activity affected the PM₁₀ concentrations statistically. The level of activity and the numbers of in-and-out staff and inpatients are the significant factors in changing the bacteria and fungi concentrations. Different models of the patients’ ventilators did not affect the IAQ significantly. The results of LMM can be utilized to predict the pollutant concentrations under various environmental conditions. The results of this study would be a valuable reference for air quality management of RCW.

Keywords: respiratory care ward, indoor air quality, linear mixed model, bioaerosol

Procedia PDF Downloads 91
897 Approaches to Integrating Entrepreneurial Education in School Curriculum

Authors: Kofi Nkonkonya Mpuangnan, Samantha Govender, Hlengiwe Romualda Mhlongo

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In recent years, a noticeable and worrisome pattern has emerged in numerous developing nations which is a steady and persistent rise in unemployment rates. This escalation of economic struggles has become a cause of great concern for parents who, having invested significant resources in their children's education, harboured hopes of achieving economic prosperity and stability for their families through secure employment. To effectively tackle this pressing unemployment issue, it is imperative to adopt a holistic approach, and a pivotal aspect of this approach involves incorporating entrepreneurial education seamlessly into the entire educational system. In this light, the authors explored approaches to integrating entrepreneurial education into school curriculum focusing on the following questions. How can an entrepreneurial mindset among learners be promoted in school? And how far have pedagogical approaches improved entrepreneurship in schools? To find answers to these questions, a systematic literature review underpinned by Human Capital Theory was adopted. This method was supported by the three stages of guidelines like planning, conducting, and reporting. The data were specifically sought from publishers with expansive coverage of scholarly literature like Sage, Taylor & Francis, Emirate, and Springer, covering publications from 1965 to 2023. The search was supported by two broad terms such as promoting entrepreneurial mindset in learners and pedagogical strategies for enhancing entrepreneurship. It was found that acquiring an entrepreneurial mindset through an innovative classroom environment, resilience, and guest speakers and industry experts. Also, teachers can promote entrepreneurial education through the adoption of pedagogical approaches such as hands-on learning and experiential activities, role-playing, business simulation games and creative and innovative teaching. It was recommended that the Ministry of Education should develop tailored training programs and workshops aimed at empowering educators with the essential competencies and insights to deliver impactful entrepreneurial education.

Keywords: education, entrepreneurship, school curriculum, pedagogical approaches, integration

Procedia PDF Downloads 70
896 Heuristic Approaches for Injury Reductions by Reduced Car Use in Urban Areas

Authors: Stig H. Jørgensen, Trond Nordfjærn, Øyvind Teige Hedenstrøm, Torbjørn Rundmo

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The aim of the paper is to estimate and forecast road traffic injuries in the coming 10-15 years given new targets in urban transport policy and shifts of mode of transport, including injury cross-effects of mode changes. The paper discusses possibilities and limitations in measuring and quantifying possible injury reductions. Injury data (killed and seriously injured road users) from six urban areas in Norway from 1998-2012 (N= 4709 casualties) form the basis for estimates of changing injury patterns. For the coming period calculation of number of injuries and injury rates by type of road user (categories of motorized versus non-motorized) by sex, age and type of road are made. A prognosticated population increase (25 %) in total population within 2025 in the six urban areas will curb the proceeded fall in injury figures. However, policy strategies and measures geared towards a stronger modal shift from use of private vehicles to safer public transport (bus, train) will modify this effect. On the other side will door to door transport (pedestrians on their way to/from public transport nodes) imply a higher exposure for pedestrians (bikers) converting from private vehicle use (including fall accidents not registered as traffic accidents). The overall effect is the sum of these modal shifts in the increasing urban population and in addition diminishing return to the majority of road safety countermeasures has also to be taken into account. The paper demonstrates how uncertainties in the various estimates (prediction factors) on increasing injuries as well as decreasing injury figures may partly offset each other. The paper discusses road safety policy and welfare consequences of transport mode shift, including reduced use of private vehicles, and further environmental impacts. In this regard, safety and environmental issues will as a rule concur. However pursuing environmental goals (e.g. improved air quality, reduced co2 emissions) encouraging more biking may generate more biking injuries. The study was given financial grants from the Norwegian Research Council’s Transport Safety Program.

Keywords: road injuries, forecasting, reduced private care use, urban, Norway

Procedia PDF Downloads 223
895 TikTok as a Search Engine for Selecting Traveling Destinations and Its Relation to Nation’s Destinations Branding: Comparative Study Between Gen-Y and Gen-Z in the Egyptian Community

Authors: Ghadeer Aly, Yasmeen Hanafy

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The way we research travel options and decide where to go has substantially changed in the digital age. Atypical search engines like social networking sites like TikTok have evolved, influencing the preferences of various generations. The influence of TikTok use as a search engine for choosing travel locations and its effect on a country's destination branding are both examined in this study. The study specifically focuses on the comparative preferences and actions of Generations Y and Z within the Egyptian community, shedding light on how these generations interact with travel related TikTok content and how it influences their perceptions of various destinations. It also investigates how TikTok Accounts use tourism branding techniques to promote a country's tourist destination. The investigation of how social media platforms are changing as unconventional search engines has theoretical relevance. This study can advance our knowledge of how digital platforms alter information-seeking behaviors and affect the way people make decisions. Furthermore, investigating the relationship between TikTok video and destination branding might shed light on the intricate interplay between social media, perceptions of locations, and travel preferences, enhancing theories about consumer behavior and communication in the digital age. Regarding the methodology of the research, the study is conducted in two stages: first, both generations are polled, and from the results, the top three destinations are chosen to be subjected to content analysis. As for the research's theoretical framework, it incorporates the tourism destination branding model as well as the conceptual model of nation branding. Through the use of the survey as a quantitative approach and the qualitative content analysis, the research will rely on both quantitative and qualitative methods. When it comes to the theoretical framework, both the Nation Branding Model and the Tourism Branding Model can offer useful frameworks for analyzing and comprehending the dynamics of using TikTok as a search engine to choose travel destinations, especially in the context of Generation Y and Generation Z in the Egyptian community. Additionally, the sample will be drawn specifically from both Gen-Y and Gen-Z. 100 members of Gen Z and 100 members of Gen Y will be chosen from TikTok users and followers of travel-related accounts, and the sample for the content analysis will be chosen based on the survey's results.

Keywords: tiktok, nation image, egyptian community, tourism branding

Procedia PDF Downloads 58
894 Geological Structure Identification in Semilir Formation: An Correlated Geological and Geophysical (Very Low Frequency) Data for Zonation Disaster with Current Density Parameters and Geological Surface Information

Authors: E. M. Rifqi Wilda Pradana, Bagus Bayu Prabowo, Meida Riski Pujiyati, Efraim Maykhel Hagana Ginting, Virgiawan Arya Hangga Reksa

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The VLF (Very Low Frequency) method is an electromagnetic method that uses low frequencies between 10-30 KHz which results in a fairly deep penetration. In this study, the VLF method was used for zonation of disaster-prone areas by identifying geological structures in the form of faults. Data acquisition was carried out in Trimulyo Region, Jetis District, Bantul Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia with 8 measurement paths. This study uses wave transmitters from Japan and Australia to obtain Tilt and Elipt values that can be used to create RAE (Rapat Arus Ekuivalen or Current Density) sections that can be used to identify areas that are easily crossed by electric current. This section will indicate the existence of a geological structure in the form of faults in the study area which is characterized by a high RAE value. In data processing of VLF method, it is obtained Tilt vs Elliptical graph and Moving Average (MA) Tilt vs Moving Average (MA) Elipt graph of each path that shows a fluctuating pattern and does not show any intersection at all. Data processing uses Matlab software and obtained areas with low RAE values that are 0%-6% which shows medium with low conductivity and high resistivity and can be interpreted as sandstone, claystone, and tuff lithology which is part of the Semilir Formation. Whereas a high RAE value of 10% -16% which shows a medium with high conductivity and low resistivity can be interpreted as a fault zone filled with fluid. The existence of the fault zone is strengthened by the discovery of a normal fault on the surface with strike N550W and dip 630E at coordinates X= 433256 and Y= 9127722 so that the activities of residents in the zone such as housing, mining activities and other activities can be avoided to reduce the risk of natural disasters.

Keywords: current density, faults, very low frequency, zonation

Procedia PDF Downloads 157
893 Soft Skills: Expectations and Needs in Tourism

Authors: Susana Silva, Dora Martins

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The recent political, economic, social technological and employment changes significantly affect the tourism organizations and consequently the changing nature of the employment experience of the tourism workforce. Such scene leads several researchers and labor analysts to reflect about what kinds of jobs, knowledge and competences are need to ensure the success to teach, to learning and to work on this sector. In recent years the competency-based approach in high education level has become of significant interest. On the one hand, this approach could leads to the forming of the key students’ competences which contribute their better preparation to the professional future and on the other hand could answer better to practical demands from tourism job market. The goals of this paper are (1) to understand the expectations of university tourism students in relation to the present and future tourism competences demands, (2) to identify the importance put on the soft skills, (3) to know the importance of high qualification to their future professional activity and (4) to explore the students perception about present and future tourist sector specificities. To this proposal, a questionnaire was designed and distributed to every students who participate on classes of Hospitality Management under degree and master from one public Portuguese university. All participants were invited, during December 2014 and September 2015, to answer the questionnaire at the moment and on presence of one researcher of this study. Fulfilled the questionnaire 202 students (72, 35,6% male and 130, 64.4% female), the mean age was 21,64 (SD=5,27), 91% (n=86) were undergraduate and 18 (9%) were master students. 80% (n=162) of our participants refers as a possibility to look for a job outside the country.42% (n=85) prefers to work in a medium-sized tourism units (with 50-249 employees). According to our participants the most valued skills in tourism are the domain of foreign languages (87.6%, n=177), the ability to work as a team (85%), the personal persistence (83%, n=168), the knowledge of the product/services provided (73.8%, n=149), and assertiveness (66.3%, n=134). 65% (n=131) refers the availability to look for a job in a home distance of 1000 kilometers and 59% (n=119) do not consider the possibility to work in another area than tourism. From the results of this study we are in the position of confirming the need for universities to maintain a better link with the professional tourism companies and to rethink some competences into their learning course model. Based on our results students, universities and companies could understand more deeply the motivations, expectations and competences need to build the future career who study and work on the tourism sector.

Keywords: human capital, employability, students’ competencies perceptions, soft skills, tourism

Procedia PDF Downloads 255
892 Latent Heat Storage Using Phase Change Materials

Authors: Debashree Ghosh, Preethi Sridhar, Shloka Atul Dhavle

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The judicious and economic consumption of energy for sustainable growth and development is nowadays a thing of primary importance; Phase Change Materials (PCM) provide an ingenious option of storing energy in the form of Latent Heat. Energy storing mechanism incorporating phase change material increases the efficiency of the process by minimizing the difference between supply and demand; PCM heat exchangers are used to storing the heat or non-convectional energy within the PCM as the heat of fusion. The experimental study evaluates the effect of thermo-physical properties, variation in inlet temperature, and flow rate on charging period of a coiled heat exchanger. Secondly, a numerical study is performed on a PCM double pipe heat exchanger packed with two different PCMs, namely, RT50 and Fatty Acid, in the annular region. In this work, the simulation of charging of paraffin wax (RT50) using water as high-temperature fluid (HTF) is performed. Commercial software Ansys-Fluent 15 is used for simulation, and hence charging of PCM is studied. In the Enthalpy-porosity model, a single momentum equation is applicable to describe the motion of both solid and liquid phases. The details of the progress of phase change with time are presented through the contours of melt-fraction, temperature. The velocity contour is shown to describe the motion of the liquid phase. The experimental study revealed that paraffin wax melts with almost the same temperature variation at the two Intermediate positions. Fatty acid, on the other hand, melts faster owing to greater thermal conductivity and low melting temperature. It was also observed that an increase in flow rate leads to a reduction in the charging period. The numerical study also supports some of the observations found in the experimental study like the significant dependence of driving force on the process of melting. The numerical study also clarifies the melting pattern of the PCM, which cannot be observed in the experimental study.

Keywords: latent heat storage, charging period, discharging period, coiled heat exchanger

Procedia PDF Downloads 100
891 Transitional Separation Bubble over a Rounded Backward Facing Step Due to a Temporally Applied Very High Adverse Pressure Gradient Followed by a Slow Adverse Pressure Gradient Applied at Inlet of the Profile

Authors: Saikat Datta

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Incompressible laminar time-varying flow is investigated over a rounded backward-facing step for a triangular piston motion at the inlet of a straight channel with very high acceleration, followed by a slow deceleration experimentally and through numerical simulation. The backward-facing step is an important test-case as it embodies important flow characteristics such as separation point, reattachment length, and recirculation of flow. A sliding piston imparts two successive triangular velocities at the inlet, constant acceleration from rest, 0≤t≤t0, and constant deceleration to rest, t0≤tKeywords: laminar boundary layer separation, rounded backward facing step, separation bubble, unsteady separation, unsteady vortex flows

Procedia PDF Downloads 57
890 Modeling Karachi Dengue Outbreak and Exploration of Climate Structure

Authors: Syed Afrozuddin Ahmed, Junaid Saghir Siddiqi, Sabah Quaiser

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Various studies have reported that global warming causes unstable climate and many serious impact to physical environment and public health. The increasing incidence of dengue incidence is now a priority health issue and become a health burden of Pakistan. In this study it has been investigated that spatial pattern of environment causes the emergence or increasing rate of dengue fever incidence that effects the population and its health. The climatic or environmental structure data and the Dengue Fever (DF) data was processed by coding, editing, tabulating, recoding, restructuring in terms of re-tabulating was carried out, and finally applying different statistical methods, techniques, and procedures for the evaluation. Five climatic variables which we have studied are precipitation (P), Maximum temperature (Mx), Minimum temperature (Mn), Humidity (H) and Wind speed (W) collected from 1980-2012. The dengue cases in Karachi from 2010 to 2012 are reported on weekly basis. Principal component analysis is applied to explore the climatic variables and/or the climatic (structure) which may influence in the increase or decrease in the number of dengue fever cases in Karachi. PC1 for all the period is General atmospheric condition. PC2 for dengue period is contrast between precipitation and wind speed. PC3 is the weighted difference between maximum temperature and wind speed. PC4 for dengue period contrast between maximum and wind speed. Negative binomial and Poisson regression model are used to correlate the dengue fever incidence to climatic variable and principal component score. Relative humidity is estimated to positively influence on the chances of dengue occurrence by 1.71% times. Maximum temperature positively influence on the chances dengue occurrence by 19.48% times. Minimum temperature affects positively on the chances of dengue occurrence by 11.51% times. Wind speed is effecting negatively on the weekly occurrence of dengue fever by 7.41% times.

Keywords: principal component analysis, dengue fever, negative binomial regression model, poisson regression model

Procedia PDF Downloads 428
889 The Role of Social Capital in Community-Based Water Resources Management in Kenya's Polycentric Water Resource Governance System

Authors: Brenda Margaret Behan

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Kenya is a water-stressed country with highly varied socio-ecological environments in its devolved county system, and is currently implementing a polycentric water governance system; this paper examines the importance of social capital in community-based natural resource management and its role in supporting good water governance systems in the Kenya context. Through a robust literature review of theory and case studies, specific aspects of social capital are examined to determine their importance in the implementation of local community-based water management arrangements which support and complement the more formal institutions outlined in the 2002 and 2016 Water Acts of Kenya. Water is an increasingly important and scarce resource not only for Kenya, but for many communities across the globe, and lessons learned in the Kenya context can be useful for other countries and communities faced with similar challenges. Changing climates, increasing populations, and increased per capita consumption of water is contributing to a situation in which the management of water resources will be vital to community resilience. Community-based natural resource management is widely recognized as a building block and component of wider water resource management systems, and when properly conducted can provide a way to enable sustainable use of resources and empower communities. Greater attention to the social and cultural norms and traditional institutions associated with a community’s social capital can lead to better results for Kenya’s polycentric governance of water. The key findings and recommendations from this research show that in Kenya, traditional institutions need to be understood and integrated into governance systems; social values and cultural norms have a significant impact on the implementation of community-based water management efforts; and social capital is a dynamic concept which influences and is influenced by policies and practices. The community-based water management approach will continue to be a key cornerstone for Kenya’s polycentric water governance structure, especially in the more remote arid and semi-arid lands; thus, the successful integration of social capital aspects into planning and implementation will contribute to a strengthened, sustainable, and more equitable national water governance system. Specific observations and recommendations from this study will help practitioners and policymakers to better craft community-based interventions.

Keywords: community-based natural resource management, social capital, traditional institutions, water governance

Procedia PDF Downloads 153
888 The Effect of Transactional Analysis Group Training on Self-Knowledge and Its Ego States (The Child, Parent, and Adult): A Quasi-Experimental Study Applied to Counselors of Tehran

Authors: Mehravar Javid, Sadrieh Khajavi Mazanderani, Kelly Gleischman, Zoe Andris

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The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness of transactional analysis group training on self-knowledge and Its dimensions (self, child, and adult) in counselors working in public and private high schools in Tehran. Counseling has become an important job for society, and there is a need for consultants in organizations. Providing better and more efficient counseling is one of the goals of the education system. The personal characteristics of counselors are important for the success of the therapy. In TA, humans have three ego states, which are named parent, adult, and child, and the main concept in the transactional analysis is self-state, which means a stable feeling and pattern of thinking related to behavioral patterns. Self-knowledge, considered a prerequisite to effective communication, fosters psychological growth, and recognizing it, is pivotal for emotional development, leading to profound insights. The research sample included 30 working counselors (22 women and 8 men) in the academic year 2019-2020 who achieved the lowest scores on the self-knowledge questionnaire. The research method was quasi-experimental with a control group (15 people in the experimental group and 15 people in the control group). The research tool was a self-awareness questionnaire with 29 questions and three subscales (child, parent, and adult Ego state). The experimental group was exposed to transactional analysis training for 10 once-weekly 2-hour sessions; the questionnaire was implemented in both groups (post-test). Multivariate covariance analysis was used to analyze the data. The data showed that the level of self-awareness of counselors who received transactional analysis training is higher than that of counselors who did not receive any training (p<0.01). The result obtained from this analysis shows that transactional analysis training is an effective therapy for enhancing self-knowledge and its subscales (Adult ego state, Parent ego state, and Child ego state). Teaching transactional analysis increases self-knowledge, and self-realization and helps people to achieve independence and remove irresponsibility to improve intra-personal and interpersonal relationships.

Keywords: ego state, group, transactional analysis, self-knowledge

Procedia PDF Downloads 56
887 Creating a Digital Map to Monitor the Care of People Living with HIV/Aids in Porto Alegre, Brazil: An Experience Report

Authors: Tiago Sigal Linhares, Ana Amélia Nascimento da Silva Bones, Juliana Miola, McArthur Alexander Barrow, Airton Tetelbom Stein

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Introduction: As a result of increased globalization and changing migration trends, it is expected that a significant portion of People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) will change their place of residence over time. In order to provide better health care, monitor the HIV epidemic and plan urban public health care and policies, there is a growing need to formulate a strategy for monitoring PLWHA care, location and migration patterns. The Porto Alegre District is characterized by a high prevalence of PLWHA and is considered one of the epicenters of HIV epidemic in Latin America. Objectives: The aim of this study is to create a digital and easily editable map in order to create a visual representation of the location of PLWHA and to monitor their migration within the city and the country in an effort to promote longitudinal care. Methods: This Experience Report used Google Maps Map Creator to generate an active digital map showing the location and changes in residence of 165 PLWHA who received care at two Primary Health Care (PHC) clinics, which attended an estimated population of five thousand patients, in downtown Porto Alegre over the last four years. Their current addresses were discovered in the unified Brazilian health care system digital records (e-SUS) and updated on the map. Results: A digital map with PLWHA current residence location was created. It was possible to demonstrate visually areas with a large concentration of PLWHA and the migration of the population within the city as wells as other cities, regions and states. Conclusions: An easily reproducible and free map could aid in PLWHA monitoring, urban public health planning, target interventions and situational diagnosis. Moreover, a visual representation of PLWHA location and migration could help bring more attention and investments to areas with geographic inequities or higher prevalence of PLWHA. It also enables notification of local PHC units of monitored patients inside their area, which are in clinical risk or with treatment abandonment through active case findings, improving the care of PLWHA.

Keywords: health care, medical public health, theoretical and conceptual innovations, urban public health

Procedia PDF Downloads 105
886 Matrix-Based Linear Analysis of Switched Reluctance Generator with Optimum Pole Angles Determination

Authors: Walid A. M. Ghoneim, Hamdy A. Ashour, Asmaa E. Abdo

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In this paper, linear analysis of a Switched Reluctance Generator (SRG) model is applied on the most common configurations (4/2, 6/4 and 8/6) for both conventional short-pitched and fully-pitched designs, in order to determine the optimum stator/rotor pole angles at which the maximum output voltage is generated per unit excitation current. This study is focused on SRG analysis and design as a proposed solution for renewable energy applications, such as wind energy conversion systems. The world’s potential to develop the renewable energy technologies through dedicated scientific researches was the motive behind this study due to its positive impact on economy and environment. In addition, the problem of rare earth metals (Permanent magnet) caused by mining limitations, banned export by top producers and environment restrictions leads to the unavailability of materials used for rotating machines manufacturing. This challenge gave authors the opportunity to study, analyze and determine the optimum design of the SRG that has the benefit to be free from permanent magnets, rotor windings, with flexible control system and compatible with any application that requires variable-speed operation. In addition, SRG has been proved to be very efficient and reliable in both low-speed or high-speed applications. Linear analysis was performed using MATLAB simulations based on the (Modified generalized matrix approach) of Switched Reluctance Machine (SRM). About 90 different pole angles combinations and excitation patterns were simulated through this study, and the optimum output results for each case were recorded and presented in detail. This procedure has been proved to be applicable for any SRG configuration, dimension and excitation pattern. The delivered results of this study provide evidence for using the 4-phase 8/6 fully pitched SRG as the main optimum configuration for the same machine dimensions at the same angular speed.

Keywords: generalized matrix approach, linear analysis, renewable applications, switched reluctance generator

Procedia PDF Downloads 177
885 Developing a SOA-Based E-Healthcare Systems

Authors: Hend Albassam, Nouf Alrumaih

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Nowadays we are in the age of technologies and communication and there is no doubt that technologies such as the Internet can offer many advantages for many business fields, and the health field is no execution. In fact, using the Internet provide us with a new path to improve the quality of health care throughout the world. The e-healthcare offers many advantages such as: efficiency by reducing the cost and avoiding duplicate diagnostics, empowerment of patients by enabling them to access their medical records, enhancing the quality of healthcare and enabling information exchange and communication between healthcare organizations. There are many problems that result from using papers as a way of communication, for example, paper-based prescriptions. Usually, the doctor writes a prescription and gives it to the patient who in turn carries it to the pharmacy. After that, the pharmacist takes the prescription to fill it and give it to the patient. Sometimes the pharmacist might find difficulty in reading the doctor’s handwriting; the patient could change and counterfeit the prescription. These existing problems and many others heighten the need to improve the quality of the healthcare. This project is set out to develop a distributed e-healthcare system that offers some features of e-health and addresses some of the above-mentioned problems. The developed system provides an electronic health record (EHR) and enables communication between separate health care organizations such as the clinic, pharmacy and laboratory. To develop this system, the Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) is adopted as a design approach, which helps to design several independent modules that communicate by using web services. The layering design pattern is used in designing each module as it provides reusability that allows the business logic layer to be reused by different higher layers such as the web service or the website in our system. The experimental analysis has shown that the project has successfully achieved its aims toward solving the problems related to the paper-based healthcare systems and it enables different health organization to communicate effectively. It implements four independent modules including healthcare provider, pharmacy, laboratory and medication information provider. Each module provides different functionalities and is used by a different type of user. These modules interoperate with each other using a set of web services.

Keywords: e-health, services oriented architecture (SOA), web services, interoperability

Procedia PDF Downloads 295