Search results for: depression anxiety and stress scale of Lovibond

Authors: Lukasz Mierczak, Patrick Denke, Piotr Klimczyk, Stefan Siebert

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Due to the high complexity of the magnetization in electrical machines and influence of the manufacturing processes on the magnetic properties of their components, the assessment and prediction of hysteresis and eddy current losses has remained a challenge. In the design process of electric motors and generators, the power losses of stators and rotors are calculated based on the material supplier’s data from standard magnetic measurements. This type of data does not include the additional loss from non-sinusoidal multi-harmonic motor excitation nor the detrimental effects of residual stress remaining in the motor laminations after manufacturing processes, such as punching, housing shrink fitting and winding. Moreover, in production, considerable attention is given to the measurements of mechanical dimensions of stator and rotor cores, whereas verification of their magnetic properties is typically neglected, which can lead to inconsistent efficiency of assembled motors. Therefore, to enable a comprehensive characterization of motor materials and components, Brockhaus Measurements developed a range of in-line and offline measurement technologies for testing their magnetic properties under actual motor operating conditions. Multiple sets of experimental data were obtained to evaluate the influence of various factors, such as elevated temperature, applied and residual stress, and arbitrary magnetization on the magnetic properties of different grades of non-oriented steel. Measured power loss for tested samples and stator cores varied significantly, by more than 100%, comparing to standard measurement conditions. Quantitative effects of each of the applied measurement were analyzed. This research and applied Brockhaus measurement methodologies emphasized the requirement for advanced characterization of magnetic materials used in electric drives and automotive applications.

Keywords: magnetic materials, measurement technologies, permanent magnets, stator and rotor cores

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Authors: Ehsan Pegah, Huabei Liu

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Characterizing the deformation properties of fill materials in a wide stress range always has been an important issue in geotechnical engineering. The hyperbolic Duncan-Chang model is a very popular model of stress-strain relationship that captures the nonlinear deformation of granular geomaterials in a very tractable manner. It consists of a particular set of the model parameters, which are generally measured from an extensive series of laboratory triaxial tests. This practice is both time-consuming and costly, especially in large projects. In addition, undesired effects caused by soil disturbance during the sampling procedure also may yield a large degree of uncertainty in the results. Accordingly, non-invasive geophysical seismic approaches may be utilized as the appropriate alternative surveys for measuring the model parameters based on the seismic wave velocities. To this end, the conventional seismic refraction profiles were carried out in the test sites with the granular fill materials to collect the seismic waves information. The acquired shot gathers are processed, from which the P- and S-wave velocities can be derived. The P-wave velocities are extracted from the Seismic Refraction Tomography (SRT) technique while S-wave velocities are obtained by the Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) method. The velocity values were then utilized with the equations resulting from the rigorous theories of elasticity and soil mechanics to evaluate the Duncan-Chang model parameters. The derived parameters were finally compared with those from laboratory tests to validate the reliability of the results. The findings of this study may confidently serve as the useful references for determination of nonlinear deformation parameters of granular fill geomaterials. Those are environmentally friendly and quite economic, which can yield accurate results under the actual in-situ conditions using the surface seismic methods.

Keywords: Duncan-Chang deformation parameters, granular fill materials, seismic waves velocity, multichannel analysis of surface waves, seismic refraction tomography

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Authors: Lucy Patricia Onundo, Wilfred Njoroge Mwema

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The tidal power potential available for electricity generation from Mombasa and Lamu sites in Kenya will be examined. Several African countries in the Western Indian Ocean endure insufficiencies in the power sector, including both generation and distribution. One important step towards increasing energy security and availability is to intensify the use of renewable energy sources. The access to cost-efficient hydropower is low in Mombasa and Lamu hence Ocean energy will play an important role. Global-Level resource assessments and oceanographic literature and data have been compiled in an analysis between technology-specific requirements for ocean energy technologies (salinity, tide, tidal current, wave, Ocean thermal energy conversion, wind and solar) and the physical resources in Lamu and Mombasa. The potential for tide and tidal current power is more restricted but may be of interest at some locations. The theoretical maximum power produced over a tidal cycle is determined by the product of the forcing tide and the undisturbed volumetric flow-rate. The extraction of the maximum power reduces the flow-rate, but a significant portion of the maximum power can be extracted with little change to the tidal dynamics. Two-dimensional finite-element, numerical simulations designed and developed agree with the theory. Temporal variations in resource intensity, as well as the differences between small-scale and large-scale applications, are considered.

Keywords: energy assessment, marine tidal power, renewable energy, tidal dynamics

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Authors: Blair D. Macdonald

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After nearly one hundred years of its origin, foundational quantum mechanics remains one of the greatest unexplained mysteries in physicists today. Within this time, chaos theory and its geometry, the fractal, has developed. In this paper, the propagation behaviour with an iteration of a simple fractal, the Koch Snowflake, was described and analysed. From an arbitrary observation point within the fractal set, the fractal propagates forward by oscillation—the focus of this study and retrospectively behind by exponential growth from a point beginning. It propagates a potentially infinite exponential oscillating sinusoidal wave of discrete triangle bits sharing many characteristics of light and quantum entities. The model's wave speed is potentially constant, offering insights into the perception and a direction of time where, to an observer, when travelling at the frontier of propagation, time may slow to a stop. In isolation, the fractal is a superposition of component bits where position and scale present a problem of location. In reality, this problem is experienced within fractal landscapes or fields where 'position' is only 'known' by the addition of information or markers. The quantum' measurement problem', 'uncertainty principle,' 'entanglement,' and the classical-quantum interface are addressed; these are a problem of scale invariance associated with isolated fractality. Dual forward and retrospective perspectives of the fractal model offer the opportunity for unification between quantum mechanics and cosmological mathematics, observations, and conjectures. Quantum and cosmological problems may be different aspects of the one fractal geometry.

Keywords: measurement problem, observer, entanglement, unification

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Authors: Alex Fedoseyev

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This study investigates a generalized hydrodynamic equation (GHE) simplified model for the simulation of turbulent flow over a two-dimensional backward-facing step (BFS) at Reynolds number Re=132000. The GHE were derived from the generalized Boltzmann equation (GBE). GBE was obtained by first principles from the chain of Bogolubov kinetic equations and considers particles of finite dimensions. The GHE has additional terms, temporal and spatial fluctuations, compared to the Navier-Stokes equations (NSE). These terms have a timescale multiplier τ, and the GHE becomes the NSE when $\tau$ is zero. The nondimensional τ is a product of the Reynolds number and the squared length scale ratio, τ=Re*(l/L)², where l is the apparent Kolmogorov length scale, and L is a hydrodynamic length scale. The BFS flow modeling results obtained by 2D calculations cannot match the experimental data for Re>450. One or two additional equations are required for the turbulence model to be added to the NSE, which typically has two to five parameters to be tuned for specific problems. It is shown that the GHE does not require an additional turbulence model, whereas the turbulent velocity results are in good agreement with the experimental results. A review of several studies on the simulation of flow over the BFS from 1980 to 2023 is provided. Most of these studies used different turbulence models when Re>1000. In this study, the 2D turbulent flow over a BFS with height H=L/3 (where L is the channel height) at Reynolds number Re=132000 was investigated using numerical solutions of the GHE (by a finite-element method) and compared to the solutions from the Navier-Stokes equations, k–ε turbulence model, and experimental results. The comparison included the velocity profiles at X/L=5.33 (near the end of the recirculation zone, available from the experiment), recirculation zone length, and velocity flow field. The mean velocity of NSE was obtained by averaging the solution over the number of time steps. The solution with a standard k −ε model shows a velocity profile at X/L=5.33, which has no backward flow. A standard k−ε model underpredicts the experimental recirculation zone length X/L=7.0∓0.5 by a substantial amount of 20-25%, and a more sophisticated turbulence model is needed for this problem. The obtained data confirm that the GHE results are in good agreement with the experimental results for turbulent flow over two-dimensional BFS. A turbulence model was not required in this case. The computations were stable. The solution time for the GHE is the same or less than that for the NSE and significantly less than that for the NSE with the turbulence model. The proposed approach was limited to 2D and only one Reynolds number. Further work will extend this approach to 3D flow and a higher Re.

Keywords: backward-facing step, comparison with experimental data, generalized hydrodynamic equations, separation, reattachment, turbulent flow

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Authors: Nina Dzamashvili Fogelström

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This paper examines concepts of Game-Based Learning and Gamification. Conducted literature survey found an increased interest in the academia in these concepts, limited evidence of a positive effect on student motivation and academic performance, but also certain scepticism for adding games to traditional educational activities. A small-scale empirical study presented in this paper aims to evaluate student experience and usefulness of GameBased Learning and Gamification for a better understanding of the threshold concepts in software engineering project courses. The participants of the study were 22 second year students from bachelor’s program in software engineering at Blekinge Institute of Technology. As a part of the course instruction, the students were introduced to a digital game specifically designed to simulate agile software project. The game mechanics were designed as to allow manipulation of the agile concept of team velocity. After the application of the game, the students were surveyed to measure the degree of a perceived increase in understanding of the studied threshold concept. The students were also asked whether they would like to have games included in their education. The results show that majority of the students found the game helpful in increasing their understanding of the threshold concept. Most of the students have indicated that they would like to see games included in their education. These results are encouraging. Since the study was of small scale and based on convenience sampling, more studies in the area are recommended.

Keywords: agile development, gamification, game based learning, digital games, software engineering, threshold concepts

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Authors: M. S. Nandana, K. Udaya Bhat, C. M. Manjunatha

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In this study aluminum alloy 7010 was subjected to three different ageing treatments i.e., peak ageing (T6), over-ageing (T7451) and retrogression and re ageing (RRA) to study the influence of precipitate microstructure on the fatigue crack growth rate behavior. The microstructural modification was studied by using transmission electron microscope (TEM) to examine the change in the size and morphology of precipitates in the matrix and on the grain boundaries. The standard compact tension (CT) specimens were fabricated and tested under constant amplitude fatigue crack growth tests to evaluate the influence of heat treatment on the fatigue crack growth rate properties. The tests were performed in a computer-controlled servo-hydraulic test machine applying a load ratio, R = 0.1 at a loading frequency of 10 Hz as per ASTM E647. The fatigue crack growth was measured by adopting compliance technique using a CMOD gauge attached to the CT specimen. The average size of the matrix precipitates were found to be of 16-20 nm in T7451, 5-6 nm in RRA and 2-3 nm in T6 conditions respectively. The grain boundary precipitate which was continuous in T6, was disintegrated in RRA and T7451 condition. The PFZ width was lower in RRA compared to T7451 condition. The crack growth rate was higher in T7451 and lowest in RRA treated alloy. The RRA treated alloy also exhibits an increase in threshold stress intensity factor range (∆Kₜₕ). The ∆Kₜₕ measured was 11.1, 10.3 and 5.7 MPam¹/² in RRA, T6 and T7451 alloys respectively. The fatigue crack growth rate in RRA treated alloy was nearly 2-3 times lower than that in T6 and was one order lower than that observed in T7451 condition. The surface roughness of RRA treated alloy was more pronounced when compared to the other conditions. The reduction in fatigue crack growth rate in RRA alloy was majorly due to the increase in roughness and partially due to increase in spacing between the matrix precipitates. The reduction in crack growth rate and increase in threshold stress intensity range is expected to benefit the damage tolerant capability of aircraft structural components under service loads.

Keywords: damage tolerance, fatigue, heat treatment, PFZ, RRA

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Authors: Ogunnaiya Racheal Taiwo

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Children's formative years are crucial to their growth; it is, therefore, necessary for all the stakeholders to ensure that the pupils have an enabling quality of life which is essential for realizing their potential. For children to live and grow, they need a secure home, nutritious food, good health care, and quality education. This paper, therefore, investigates the implications of a depressed economy on the classroom learning of Nigerian children as it is clear that Nigeria is currently experiencing the worst economic depression in several decades, which affects a substantial proportion of children. The study is qualitative research, and it adopts a phenomenological approach where the experiences of respondents are examined qualitatively. Three senatorial districts in Oyo State were considered, and 50 teachers, both male, and female were chosen from each senatorial district for an interview through conversational key informants' interviews. The interviewees were recorded, transcribed, and presented using thematic analysis. Findings showed that more children have dropped out since the beginning of the year than in previous years. It was also recorded that learning has become challenging as children now find it harder to acquire learning materials. It was recommended that the government should reimburse early childhood schools to lessen the effect of the inability to purchase materials and pay school fees. It was also recommended that an intervention be made to approach and resolve issues associated with out-of-school children.

Keywords: childhood, classroom, education, depressed economy, poverty

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Authors: Ehab El-Dabaa, Omnia Ali, Mohamed Abd El-Hady, Ahmed Osman

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Recombinant human interferon alpha 2 (rhIFN-α2) is FDA approved for treatment of some viral and malignant diseases. Approved pegylated rhIFN-α2 drugs have highly improved pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and therapeutic efficiency compared to native protein. In this work, we studied the pegylation of purified properly refolded rhIFN-α2b using linear 20kDa PEG-NHS (polyethylene glycol- N-hydroxysuccinimidyl ester) to prepare pegylated rhIFN-α2b with high stability and activity. The effect of different parameters like rhIFN-α2b final concentration, pH, rhIFN-α2b/PEG molar ratios and reaction time on the efficiency of pegylation (high percentage of monopegylated rhIFN-α2b) have been studied in small scale (100µl) pegylation reaction trials. Study of the percentages of different components of these reactions (mono, di, polypegylated rhIFN-α2b and unpegylated rhIFN-α2b) indicated that 2h is optimum time to complete the reaction. The pegylation efficiency increased at pH 8 (57.9%) by reducing the protein concentration to 1mg/ml and reducing the rhIFN-α2b/PEG ratio to 1:2. Using larger scale pegylation reaction (65% pegylation efficiency), ion exchange chromatography method has been optimized to prepare and purify the monopegylated rhIFN-α2b with high purity (96%). The prepared monopegylated rhIFN-α2b had apparent Mwt of approximately 65 kDa and high in vitro antiviral activity (2.1x10⁷ ± 0.8 x10⁷ IU/mg). Although it retained approximately 8.4 % of the antiviral activity of the unpegylated rhIFN-α2b, its activity is high compared to other pegylated rhIFN-α2 developed by using similar approach or higher molecular weight branched PEG.

Keywords: antiviral activity, rhIFN-α2b, pegylation, pegylation efficiency

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Authors: Medha Talpade, Salil Talpade

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The intent of this quantitative project was to compare the values and perceptions of students from a predominantly white college (PWI) to those from a historically black college (HBCU) about culturally relevant teaching and learning practices in the academic realm. The reason for interrelating student culture with teaching practices is to enable a pedagogical response to the low retention rates of African American students and first generation Caucasian students in high schools, colleges, and their low rates of social mobility and educational achievement. Culturally relevant pedagogy, according to related research, is deemed rewarding to students, teachers, the local and national community. Critical race theory (CRT) is the main framework used in this project to explain the ubiquity of a culturally relevant pedagogy. The purpose of this quantitative study was to test the critical race theory that relates the presence of the factors associated with culturally relevant teaching strategies with perceived relevance. The culturally relevant teaching strategies were identified based on the recommendations and findings of past research. Participants in this study included approximately 145 students from a HBCU and 55 students from the PWI. A survey consisting of 37 items related to culturally relevant pedagogy was administered. The themes used to construct the items were: Use of culturally-specific examples in class whenever possible; use of culturally-specific presentational models, use of relational reinforcers, and active engagement. All the items had a likert-type response scale. Participants reported their degree of agreement (5-point scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree) and importance (3-point scale ranging from not at all important to very important) with each survey item. A new variable, Relevance was formed based on the multiplicative function of importance and presence of a teaching and learning strategy. A set of six demographic questions were included in the survey. A consent form based on NIH and APA ethical standards was distributed prior to survey administration to the volunteers. Results of a Factor Analyses on the data from the PWI and the HBCU, and a ANOVA indicated significant differences on ‘Relevance’ related to specific themes. Results of this study are expected to inform educational practices and improve teaching and learning outcomes.

Keywords: culturally relevant pedagogy, college students, cross-cultural, applied psychology

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Authors: Wenqiu Cao

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Suicide prevention is a global problem that needs to be taken seriously. Investigating the mechanisms of suicide in major depressive disorder (MDD) separately through neuroimaging technology is essential for effective suicide prevention. And it’s particularly urgent in geriatric depressive patients since older adults are more likely to use rapidly deadly means, and suicidal behavior is more lethal for older adults. The current study reviews five studies related to suicide in geriatric MDD that uses neuroimaging methodology in order to analyze the relevant neurobiological mechanisms. The majority of the studies found significant white matter and grey matter reduction or lesion widespread in multiple brain regions, including the frontal and parietal regions, the midbrain, the external capsule, and the cerebellum. Regarding the cognitive impairment in geriatric MDD, the reward signals were found weakened in the paralimbic cortex. The functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies also found hemodynamic changes in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and right frontopolar cortex (FPC) regions in late-life MDD patients with suicidal ideation. Future studies should consider the age of depression onset, more accurate measurements of suicide, larger sample size, and longitudinal design.

Keywords: brain imaging, geriatric major depressive disorder, suicidality, suicide

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Authors: Mohammad Ali Fteiha, Ghanem Al Bustami

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The study aimed to identify the assessment of parents of children with Autism for services provided by the Center for special care in the United Arab Emirates, in terms of quality, comprehensive and the impact of some factors related to the diagnosis and place of service provision and efficient working procedures of service and the child age. In order to achieve the objective of the study, researchers used Parent’s Satisfaction Scale, and Parents Evaluation of Services Effectiveness, both the scale and the parents reports provided with accepted level of validity and reliability. Sample includes 300 families of children with Autism receiving educational and rehabilitation services, treatment and support services in both governmental and private centers in United Arab Emirates. ANOVA test was used through SPSS program to analyze the collected data. The results of the study have indicated that there are significant differences in the assessment of services provided by centers due to a place of service, the nature of the diagnosis, child's age at the time of the study, as well as statistically significance differences due to age when first diagnosed. The results also showed positive evaluation for the good level of services as international standard, and the quality of these services provided by autism centers in the United Arab Emirates, especially in governmental centers. At the same time, the results showed the presence of many needs problems faced by the parents do not have appropriate solutions. Based on the results the recommendations were stated.

Keywords: autism, evaluation, diagnosis, parents, autism programs, supportive services, government centers, private centers

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Authors: Annunziata D’Orazio, Arash Karimipour, Iman Moradi

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The size and arrangement of the obstacles in the porous media has an influential effect on the fluid flow and heat transfer, even in the same porosity. Regarding to this, in the present study, several different amounts of obstacles, in both regular and stagger arrangements, in the analogous porosity have been simulated through a channel. In order to compare the effect of stagger and regular arrangements, as well as different quantity of obstacles in the same porosity, on fluid flow and heat transfer. In the present study, the Single Relaxation Time Lattice Boltzmann Method, with Bhatnagar-Gross-Ktook (BGK) approximation and D2Q9 model, is implemented for the numerical simulation. Also, the temperature field is modeled through a Double Distribution Function (DDF) approach. Results are presented in terms of velocity and temperature fields, streamlines, percentage of pressure drop and Nusselt number of the obstacles walls. Also, the correlation between tortuosity and Nusselt number of the obstacles walls, for both regular and staggered arrangements, has been proposed. On the other hand, the results illustrated that by increasing the amount of obstacles, as well as changing their arrangement from regular to staggered, in the same porosity, the rate of tortuosity and Nusselt number of the obstacles walls increased.

Keywords: lattice boltzmann method, heat transfer, porous media, pore-scale, porosity, tortuosity

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Authors: Shila Khayambashi

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For the past few decades, Western researchers studied different youth issues, such as bullying, peer-aggression, depression, self-harm, and suicide, in a formulated and standardized manner. These researchers have grounded their studies upon a series of introduced characteristics and traits, which pragmatically defined the action of the individuals involved in these activities (Olweus, 1994). The phenomena of bullying and peer-aggression have touched the lives of many immigrant youths, as well. However, in the case of these immigrant young adults, the Police investigated, and later dismissed, the victims’ involvement in drugs and gangs’ activities, instead of questioning the possibility of the peer-aggression. This paper argues that neither government officials nor school personnel has ever investigated any cyber-documentation which would clarify these youth’s untimely deaths or search for any indication of peer-aggression at school. Through my ongoing research, I will problematize the Eurocentric definition of bullying and its limitations. I question the assumed universality of these definitions’ characteristics and their lack of minority representation. This research questions explicitly the positionality of the displaced youth within the promised multiculturality of Canada. I will ask: Does one size fit all, considering the bio-psycho-socio-economic differences between the Eastern and the Western worlds? More importantly, how does the epidemy of the communicative devices, like smartphones, and communicative apps, like Twitter and Snapchats, facilitate or hinder peer-aggression for the displaced youths?

Keywords: Bullying , Immigrant youths, Peer aggression, Minority population

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Authors: Lu-Chiu Huang, Pei-Pei Chen, Li-Chin Yu, Chiao-Wen Kuo, Tsui-Tao Liu, Rung-Chuang Feng

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Purpose: People put increasing emphasis on demands of medical quality and protecting their interests. Patients' or family's dissatisfaction with medical care may easily lead to medical dispute. Physician-family communication plays an essential role in medical care. A sound communication cannot only strengthen patients' belief in the medical team but make patient have definite insight into treatment course of the disease. A family meeting provides an effective platform for communication between clinical staff, patients and family. Decisions and consensuses formed in family meetings can promote patients' or family's satisfaction with medical care. Clinical staff's attitudes toward family meeting may determine behavioral intentions to hold family meeting. This study aims to explore clinical staff's difficulties in holding family meeting and evaluate how their attitudes and behavior influence the effect of family meetings. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. It was conducted at a regional teaching hospital in Taipei city. The research team developed its own structural questionnaires, whose expert validity was checked by the nursing experts. Participants filled in the questionnaires online. Data were collected by convenience sampling. A total of 568 participants were invited. They included doctors, nurses, social workers, and so on. Results: 1) The average score of ‘clinical staff’s attitudes to family meetings’ was 5.15 (SD=0.898). It fell between ‘somewhat agree’ and ‘mostly agree’ on the 7-point likert scale. It indicated that clinical staff had positive attitudes toward family meetings, 2) The average score of ‘clinical staff’s behavior to family meetings’ was 5.61 (SD=0.937). It fell between ‘somewhat agree’ and ‘mostly agree’ on the 7-point likert scale. It meant clinical staff tended to have positive behavior at the family meeting, and 3) The average score of ‘Difficulty in conducting family meetings’ was 5.15 (SD=0.897). It fell between ‘somewhat agree’ and ‘mostly agree’ on the 7-point likert scale. The higher the score was, the less difficulty the clinical staff felt. It demonstrated clinical staff felt less difficulty in conducting family meetings. Clinical staff's identification with family meetings brought favored effects. Persistent and active promotion for family meetings can bring patients and family more benefits. Implications for practice: Understanding clinical staff's difficulty in participating family meeting and exploring their attitudes or behavior toward physician-family communication are helpful to develop modes of interaction. Consequently, quality and satisfaction of physician-family communication can be increased.

Keywords: clinical staff, communication, family meeting, physician-family

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Authors: Amatulraheem Al-Abassi, K. Khanafer, Ibrahim Deiab

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The coronary artery stent is a promising technology that can treat various coronary diseases. Materials used for manufacturing medical stents should have high biocompatible properties. Stent alloys, in particular, are remarkably promising good clinical outcomes, however, there is threaten of restenosis (reoccurring of artery narrowing due to fatty plaque), stent recoiling, or in long-term the occurrence of stent fracture. However, stents that are made of Nickel-titanium (Nitinol) can bare extensive plastic deformation and resist restenosis. This shape memory alloy has outstanding mechanical properties. Nitinol is a unique shape memory alloy as it has unique mechanical properties such as; biocompatibility, super-elasticity, and recovery to original shape under certain loads. Stent failure may cause complications in vascular diseases and possibly blockage of blood flow. Thus, studying the behaviors of the stent under different medical conditions will help the doctors and cardiologists to predict when it is necessary to change the stent in order to prevent any severe morbidity outcomes. To the best of our knowledge, there are limited published papers that analyze the stent behavior with regards to the contact surfaces of plaque layer and blood vessel. Thus, stent material properties will be discussed in this investigation to highlight the mechanical and clinical differences between various stents. This research analyzes the performance of Nitinol stent in well-known stent design to determine its bearing with stress and its dislocation in blood vessels, in comparison to stents made of different biocompatible materials. In addition, a study of its performance will be represented in the system. Finite Element Analysis is the core of this study. Thus, a physical representative model will be discussed to show the distribution of stress and strain along the interaction surface between the stent and the artery. The reaction of vascular tissue to the stent will be evaluated to predict the possibility of restenosis within the treated area.

Keywords: shape memory alloy, stent, coronary artery, finite element analysis

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Authors: Maedeh Gharazi

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Adults with age 50 and older will include more than 70% of the diabetic populace by the year 2025. More established patients with diabetes are more inclined to have concurrent ceaseless conditions like hypertension, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular sickness that may affect their nutritious necessities. The issue of achievement and support of an ideal body weight in elderly diabetic persons may not be as direct as in other age gatherings, and the risk-benefit ratio may be diverse too. Albeit expanded predominance of overweight and weight in the elderly adds to insulin resistance and hyperglycemia, more seasoned tenants of long haul care offices who experience the ill effects of diabetes have a tendency to be underweight. Both may mean insufficient nutritional status and lead to expanded grimness and mortality. The attendant problems of appetite changes, palatability of food, dietary restrictions, loneliness, and depression may influence the sort and amount of food devoured by elderly persons. Organized screening devices may recognize nutrition related issues that warrant proof based mediations. Despite the fact that glucose control and health concerns are essential calculates diet change in the more established populace, different contemplations incorporate personal satisfaction and individual inclinations. Redoing of nutritious rules to the needs of the more seasoned diabetic patient bodes well.

Keywords: diabetes, nutritious necessities, insulin resistance, glucose control

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Authors: Yusuf E. Mustapha, Inioluwa A Akindoyeni, Oluwatoyin G. Ezekiel, Ifeoluwa O. Awogbindin, Ebenezer O. Farombi

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Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is the most prevalent motor disorder. Available therapies are palliative with no effect on disease progression. Kolaviron (KV), a natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent, has been reported to possess neuroprotective effects in Parkinsonian flies and rats. Objective: The present study investigates the neuroprotective effect of KV, focusing on the DJ1/Nrf2 signaling pathway. Methodology: All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA, 10 mg/kg, i.p.) was used to inhibit Nrf2. Murine model of PD was established with four doses of MPTP (20 mg/kg i.p.) at 2 hours interval. MPTP mice were pre-treated with either KV (200 mg/kg/day p.o), ATRA, or both conditions for seven days before PD induction. Motor behaviour was evaluated, and markers of oxidative stress/damage and its regulators were assessed with immunofluorescence and ELISA techniques. Results: MPTP-treated mice covered less distance with reduced numbers of anticlockwise rotations, heightened freezing, and prolonged immobility when compared to control. However, KV significantly attenuated these deficits. Pretreatment of MPTP mice with KV upregulated Nrf2 expression beyond MPTP level with a remarkable reduction in Keap1 expression and marked elevation of DJ-1 level, whereas co-administration with ATRA abrogated these effects. KV treatment restored MPTP-mediated depletion of endogenous antioxidant, striatal oxidative stress, oxidative damage, and inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity. However, ATRA treatment potentiated acetylcholinesterase inhibition and attenuated the protective effect of KV on the level of nitric oxide and activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase. Conclusion: Kolaviron protects Parkinsonian mice by stabilizing and activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway. Thus, kolaviron can be explored as a pharmacological lead in PD management.

Keywords: Garcinia kola, Kolaviron, Parkinson Disease, Nrf2, behavioral incompetence, neurodegeneration

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Authors: Anna Pick Kiong Ling, Jia May Chin, Rhun Yian Koh, Ying Pei Wong

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Background: Uncontrolled inflammation may cause serious inflammatory diseases if left untreated. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) is commonly used to inhibit pro-inflammatory enzymes, thus, reduce inflammation. However, long term administration of NSAIDs leads to various complications. Medicinal plants are getting more attention as it is believed to be more compatible with human body. One of them is a flavonoid-containing medicinal plants, Strobilanthes crispus which has been traditionally claimed to possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Nevertheless, its anti-inflammatory activities are yet to be scientifically documented. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the anti-inflammatory activity of S. crispus by investigating its effects on intracellular oxidative stress and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) levels. Materials and Methods: In this study, the Maximum Non-toxic Dose (MNTD) of methanol extract of both leaves and stems of S. crispus was first determined using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenytetrazolium Bromide (MTT) assay. The effects of S. crispus extracts at MNTD and half MNTD (½MNTD) on intracellular ROS as well as PGE₂ levels in 1.0 µg/mL LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages were then be measured using DCFH-DA and a competitive enzyme immunoassay kit, respectively. Results: The MNTD of leaf extract was determined as 700µg/mL while for stem was as low as 1.4µg/mL. When LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages were subjected to the MNTD of S. crispus leaf extract, both intracellular ROS and PGE₂ levels were significantly reduced. In contrast, stem extract at both MNTD and ½MNTD did not significantly reduce the PGE₂ level, but significantly increased the intracellular ROS level. Conclusion: The methanol leaf extract of S. crispus may possess anti-inflammatory properties as it is able to significantly reduce the intracellular ROS and PGE₂ levels of LPS-stimulated cells. Nevertheless, further studies such as investigating the interleukin, nitric oxide and cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) levels has to be conducted to further confirm the anti-inflammatory properties of S. crispus.

Keywords: anti-inflammatory, natural products, prostaglandin E2, reactive oxygen species

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Authors: Abdelkader Soumaya, Noureddine Ben Ayed, Ali Kadri, Said Maouche, Hayet Khayati Ammar, Ahmed Braham

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The historic sites of Bulla Regia and Chemtou are among the most important archaeological monuments in northwestern Tunisia, which flourished as large, wealthy settlements during the Roman and Byzantine periods (2nd to 7th centuries AD). An archaeoseismological study provides the first indications about the impact of a possible ancient strong earthquake in the destruction of these cities. Based on previous archaeological excavation results, including numismatic evidence, pottery, economic meltdown and urban transformation, the abrupt ruin and destruction of the cities of Bulla Regia and Chemtou can be bracketed between 613 and 647 AD. In this study, we carried out the first attempt to use the analysis of earthquake archaeological effects (EAEs) that were observed during our field investigations in these two historic cities. The damage includes different types of EAEs: folds on regular pavements, displaced and deformed vaults, folded walls, tilted walls, collapsed keystones in arches, dipping broken corners, displaced-fallen columns, block extrusions in walls, penetrative fractures in brick-made walls and open fractures on regular pavements. These deformations are spread over 10 different sectors or buildings and include 56 measured EAEs. The structural analysis of the identified EAEs can indicate an ancient destructive earthquake that probably destroyed the Bulla Regia and Chemtou archaeological sites. We then analyzed these measurements using structural geological analysis to obtain the maximum horizontal strain of the ground (e.g., S ₕₘₐₓ) on each building-oriented damage. After the collection and analysis of these strain datasets, we proceed to plot the orientation of Sₕₘₐₓ trajectories on the map of the archaeological site (Bulla Regia). We concluded that the obtained Sₕₘₐₓ trajectories within this site could then be related to the mean direction of ground motion (oscillatory movement of the ground) triggered by a seismic event, as documented for some historical earthquakes across the world. These Sₕₘₐₓ orientations closely match the current active stress field, as highlighted by some instrumental events in northern Tunisia. In terms of the seismic source, we strongly suggest that the reactivation of a neotectonic strike-slip fault trending N50E must be responsible for this probable historic earthquake and the recent instrumental seismicity in this area. This fault segment, affecting the folded quaternary deposits south of Jebel Rebia, passes through the monument of Bulla Regia. Stress inversion of the observed and measured data along this fault shows an N150 - 160 trend of Sₕₘₐₓ under a transpressional tectonic regime, which is quite consistent with the GPS data and the state of the current stress field in this region.

Keywords: NW Tunisia, archaeoseismology, earthquake archaeological effect, bulla regia - Chemtou, seismotectonic, neotectonic fault

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Authors: Monika Simkute-Bukante

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Teachers significantly influence student achievements, personal development, and academic success. Consequently, they are subject to heightened expectations and scrutiny from governments, school administrations, parents, and even students. Increasing responsibilities and pressures impact teachers’ professional well-being, contributing to a global trend of increased teacher turnover and shortages due to stress and heavy workloads. Given the critical role of teachers in educating young people, it is essential to implement strategies to retain them. School administrations are pivotal in creating an environment conducive to optimal performance. However, there remains a gap in understanding how school administration leadership impacts teachers' professional well-being and its potential for improvement. This research aims to define teacher professional well-being, identify its attributes, and explore the factors influencing it, with a particular focus on the role of school administration. Employing the concept analysis method, this study reviews scholarly publications from 2019 to 2024 to articulate the components of teacher professional well-being. The findings highlight key attributes of teacher well-being, including self-efficacy, work engagement, job satisfaction, relationships with colleagues and students, support from administration, work autonomy, school climate, time pressure, workload, resilience, stress, burnout, and turnover intentions. The analysis demonstrates that school administration leadership directly affects these aspects by providing support in challenging situations, empowering teachers, offering recognition, facilitating open communication, and ensuring autonomy at work. In conclusion, the research shows that teachers' professional well-being is heavily dependent on relationships with school administration, colleagues, and students, as well as the overall school climate. It suggests that by enhancing these elements, school leaders can significantly improve teacher professional well-being. Recommendations are made for developing strategies to support these relationships, thereby fostering an environment that enhances teacher retention and effectiveness.

Keywords: concept analysis, teacher professional well-being, school administration leadership, well-being factors

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Authors: Elyas Akbari, Jafar Hasani, Newsha Dehestani, Mohammad Khaleghi, Alireza Moradi

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The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of emotional experience induction in the mirror neurons systems (MNS) activity with regard to the spectrum of depressive symptoms. For this purpose, at first stage, 449 students of Kharazmi University of Tehran were selected randomly and completed the second version of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). Then, 36 students with standard Z-score equal or above +1.5 and equal or equal or below -1.5 were selected to construct two groups of high and low spectrum of depressive symptoms. In the next stage, the basic activity of MNS was recorded (mu wave) before presenting the positive and negative emotional video clips by Electroencephalography (EEG) technique. The findings related to emotion induction (neutral, negative and positive emotion) demonstrated that the activity of recorded mirror neuron areas had a significant difference between the depressive and non-depressive groups. These findings suggest that probably processing of negative emotions in depressive individuals is due to the idea that the mirror neurons in motor cortex matched up the activity of cognitive regions with the person’s schema. Considering the results of the present study, it could be said that the MNS provides a substrate where emotional disorders can be studied and evaluated.

Keywords: emotional experiences, mirror neurons, depressive symptoms, negative and positive emotion

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Authors: B. Adcock, H. van Rensburg

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Education is ever-changing to keep up with innovative technological development and the rapid acceleration of globalisation. This chapter introduces the historical development and transformation of teaching in distance education from correspondence to on-line learning in Queensland universities. It furthermore investigates changes to the delivery models of distance education that have impacted on teaching at tertiary level in Queensland, and reflects on the social changes that have taken place during the past 100 years. This includes an analysis of the following five different periods in time: Foundation period (1911-1919) including World War I; 1920-1939 including the Great Depression; 1940-1970s, including World War II and the post war reconstruction; and the current technological era (1980s to present). In Queensland, the concept of distance education was begun by the University of Queensland (UQ) in 1911, when it began offering extension courses. The introduction of modern technology, in the form of electronic delivery, dramatically changed tertiary distance education due to political initiatives. The inclusion of electronic delivery in education signifies change at many levels, including policy, pedagogy, curriculum and governance. Changes in delivery not only affect the way study materials are delivered, but also the way courses are be taught and adjustments made by academics to their teaching methods.

Keywords: distance education, innovative technological development, on line education, tertiary education

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Authors: Mehdi Destani, Asghar Heydari

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Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the association between pathological personality dimensions and emotion dysregulation through the mediating role of Cyberchondria behaviors among users of virtual networks. Materials and methods: A descriptive–correlational research method was used in this study, and the statistical population consisted of all people active on social network sites in 2020. The sample size was 300 people who were selected through Convenience Sampling. Data collection was carried out in a survey method using online questionnaires, including the "Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale" (DERS), Personality Inventory for DSM-5 Brief Form (PID-5-BF), and Cyberchondria Severity Scale Brief Form (CSS-12). Data analysis was conducted using Pearson's Correlation Coefficient and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Findings: Findings suggested that pathological personality dimensions and Cyberchondria behaviors have a positive and significant association with emotion dysregulation (p<0.001). The presented model had a good fit with the data. The variable “pathological personality dimensions” with an overall effect (p<0.001, β=0.658), a direct effect (p<0.001, β=0.528), and an indirect mediating effect through Cyberchondria Behaviors (p<.001), β=0.130), accounted for emotion dysregulation among virtual network users. Conclusion: The research findings showed a necessity to pay attention to the pathological personality dimensions as a determining variable and Cyberchondria behaviors as a mediator in the vulnerability of users of social network sites to emotion dysregulation.

Keywords: cyberchondria, emotion dysregulation, pathological personality dimensions, social networks

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Authors: Melissa Teo

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It is increasingly important that project managers develop greater capabilities to better manage the social, cultural, political, environmental and economic impacts on proposed construction projects. These challenges are best resolved in consultation with communities rather than in conflict with them. This is particularly important on controversial projects which are projects that have obtained government sanctioned ‘development approval’ but not ‘community approval’. While a rich body of research and intellectual frameworks exist in the fields of urban geography and planning to understand and manage community concerns during the pre-development approval stages of new projects, current theoretical frameworks guiding community engagement in project management are inadequate. A new and innovative research agenda is needed to guide thinking about the role of local communities in the construction process and is an important research gap that needs to be filled. Within this context, this research aims to assess the effectiveness of strategies adopted by project teams to engage with local communities so as to capture lessons learnt to apply to future projects. This paper reports a research methodology which uses Arnstein’s model of participation to better understand how power differentials between the project team and local communities can influence the adoption of community engagement strategies. A case study approach is utilizing interviews and documentary analysis of a large-scale controversial construction project in Queensland, Australia is presented. The findings will result in a number of recommendations to guide community engagement practices on future projects.

Keywords: community engagement, construction, case study, project management

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Authors: Mohd A. Azizan, Mohd Z. Zali

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It is well established that exposure to vibration has an adverse effect on human health, comfort, and performance. However, there is little quantitative knowledge on performance combined with drowsiness level during vibration exposure. This paper reports a study investigating the influence of vibration amplitude on seated occupant reaction time and drowsiness level. Eighteen male volunteers were recruited for this experiment. Before commencing the experiment, total transmitted acceleration measured at interfaces between the seat pan and seatback to human body was adjusted to become 0.2 ms-2 r.m.s and 0.4 ms-2 r.m.s for each volunteer. Seated volunteers were exposed to Gaussian random vibration with frequency band 1-15 Hz at two level of amplitude (low vibration amplitude and medium vibration amplitude) for 20-minutes in separate days. For the purpose of drowsiness measurement, volunteers were asked to complete 10-minutes PVT test before and after vibration exposure and rate their subjective drowsiness by giving score using Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS) before vibration, every 5-minutes interval and following 20-minutes of vibration exposure. Strong evidence of drowsiness was found as there was a significant increase in reaction time and number of lapse following exposure to vibration in both conditions. However, the effect is more apparent in medium vibration amplitude. A steady increase of drowsiness level can also be observed in KSS in all volunteers. However, no significant differences were found in KSS between low vibration amplitude and medium vibration amplitude. It is concluded that exposure to vibration has an adverse effect on human alertness level and more pronounced at higher vibration amplitude. Taken together, these findings suggest a role of vibration in promoting drowsiness, especially at higher vibration amplitude.

Keywords: drowsiness, human vibration, karolinska sleepiness scale, psychomotor vigilance test

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Authors: Kofi Kyei, Kenchi Matsui

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Loss of vegetable products has been a major constraint in the post-harvest chain. Sources of post-harvest loss in the vegetable industry start from the time of harvesting to its handling and at the various market centers. Identifying vegetable farmers’ perceptions about post-harvest loss sources is one way of addressing this issue. In this paper, we assessed farmers’ perceptions about sources of post-harvest losses in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. We also identified the factors that influence their perceptions. To clearly understand farmers’ perceptions, we selected Sekyere-Kumawu District in the Ashanti Region. Sekyere-Kumawu District is one of the major producers of vegetables in the Region. Based on a questionnaire survey, 100 vegetable farmers growing tomato, pepper, okra, cabbage, and garden egg were purposely selected from five communities in Sekyere-Kumawu District. For farmers’ perceptions, the five points Likert scale was employed. On a scale from 1 (no loss) to 5 (extremely high loss), we processed the scores for each vegetable harvest. To clarify factors influencing farmers’ perceptions, the Pearson Correlation analysis was used. Our findings revealed that farmers perceive post-harvest loss by pest infestation as the most extreme loss. However, vegetable farmers did not perceive loss during transportation as a serious source of post-harvest loss. The Pearson Correlation analysis results further revealed that farmers’ age, gender, level of education, and years of experience had an influence on their perceptions. This paper then discusses some recommendations to minimize the post-harvest loss in the region.

Keywords: Ashanti Region, pest infestation, post-harvest loss, vegetable farmers

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Authors: Sathapath Kilaso

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Nowadays people who live in the city tend to have a pet in order to relief the loneliness more than usual. It can be observed by the growth of the local pet industry. But the essentials of lifestyle of the urban people which is restricted by time and work might not allow the owner to take care of the pet properly. So this article will be about how to develop the prototype of pet care monitoring with Arduino Microcontroller. This prototype can be used to monitor the pet and its environment around the pet such as temperature (both pet’s temperature and outside temperature), humidity, food’s quantity, air’s quality and also be able to reduce the stress of the pet. This prototype can report the result back to the owner via online-channel such as website etc.

Keywords: pet care, Arduino Microcontroller, monitoring, prototype

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Authors: Peter Mc Coll, Alberto Caro, Chiara Gandolfo, Montserrat Labbe, Francisca Schnaidt, Michela Palazzi

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Self-esteem and emotional intelligence are variables that are related to people's nutritional status. Self-esteem may be at low levels in people living with obesity, while emotional intelligence can play an important role in the way people living with obesity cope. The objective of the study was to measure the association between self-esteem and emotional intelligence to nutritional status in adolescent population. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried out with 179 adolescent schoolchildren between 13 and 19 years old from a public school. The objective was to evaluate nutritional status; weight and height were measured by calculating the body mass index and Z score. Self-esteem was evaluated using the Coopersmith Self-esteem Inventory adapted by Brinkmann and Segure. Emotional intelligence was measured using the Emotional Quotient Inventory: short, by Bar On, adapted questionnaire, translated into Spanish by López Zafra. For statistical analysis: Pearson's Chi-square test, Pearson's correlation, and odd ratio calculation were used, with a p value at a significance level < 5%. Results: The study group was composed of 71% female and 29% male. The nutritional status was distributed as eutrophic 41.9%, overweight 20.1%, and obesity 21.1%. In relation to self-esteem, 44.1% presented low and very low levels, without differences by gender. Emotional intelligence was distributed: low 3.4%, medium 81%, and high 13.4% -no differences according to gender. The association between nutritional status (overweight and obesity) with low and very low self-esteem, an odds ratio of 2.5 (95% CI 1.12 – 5.59) was obtained with a p-value = 0.02. The correlation analysis between the intrapersonal sub-dimension emotional intelligence scores and the Z score of nutritional status presented a negative correlation of r = - 0.209 with a p-value < 0.005. The correlation between emotional intelligence subdimension stress management with Z score presented a positive correlation of r = 0.0161 with a p-value < 0.05. In conclusion, the group of adolescents studied had a high prevalence of overweight and obesity, a high prevalence of low self-esteem, and a high prevalence of average emotional intelligence. Overweight and obese adolescents were 2.5 times more likely to have low self-esteem. As overweight and obesity increase, self-esteem decreases, and the ability to manage stress increases.

Keywords: self-esteem, emotional intelligence, obesity, adolescent, nutritional status

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Authors: Kausar Alam, Mohammad Yazdi, Peiman Zogh, Ramin Motamed

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An earthquake is an unpredictable natural disaster. It induces liquefaction, which causes considerable damage to the structure, life support, and piping systems because of ground settlement. As a result, people are incredibly concerned about how to resolve the situation. Previous researchers adopted different ground improvement techniques to reduce the settlement of the structure during earthquakes. This study evaluates the effectiveness of lowering the water table as a technique to mitigate foundation settlement in liquefiable soil. The performance will be evaluated based on foundation settlement and the reduction of excessive pore water pressure. In this study, a scaled model was prepared based on a full-scale shale table experiment conducted at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). The model ground consists of three soil layers having a relative density of 55%, 45%, and 90%, respectively. A shallow foundation is seated over an unsaturated crust layer. After preparation of the model ground, the water table was measured to be at 45, 40, and 35 cm (from the bottom). Then, the input motions were applied for 10 seconds, with a peak acceleration of 0.25g and a constant frequency of 2.73 Hz. Based on the experimental results, the effectiveness of the lowering water table in reducing the foundation settlement and excess pore water pressure was evident. The foundation settlement was reduced from 50 mm to 5 mm. In addition, lowering the water table as a mitigation measure is a cost-effective way to decrease liquefaction-induced building settlement.

Keywords: foundation settlement, ground water table, liquefaction, hake table test

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