Search results for: free movement of persons

Authors: Daniela Brioschi, Rovilson Mafalda, Silvia Titotto

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In the present days, packages are considered a fundamental element in the commercialization of products and services. A good package is capable of helping to attract new customers and also increasing a product’s purchase intent. In this scenario, packaging design emerges as an important tool, since products and design of their packaging are so interconnected that they are no longer seen as separate elements. Packaging design is, in fact, capable of generating desire for a product. The packaging market for cosmetics, especially makeup market, has also been experiencing an increasing level of sophistication and requirements. Considering packaging represents an important link of communication with the final user and plays a significant role on the sales process, it is of great importance that packages accomplish not only with functional requirements but also with the visual appeal. One of the possibilities for the design of packages and, in this context, packages for make-up, is the bioinspired design – or biomimicry. The bio-inspired design presents a promising paradigm for innovation in both design and sustainable design, by using biological system analogies to develop solutions. It has gained importance as a widely diffused movement in design for environmentally conscious development and is also responsible for several useful and innovative designs. As eye mascara packages are also part of the constant evolution on the design for cosmetics area and the traditional packages present the disadvantage of product drying along time, this project aims to develop a new and innovative package for this product, by using a selected bioinspired design methodology during the development process and also suitable computational tools. In order to guide the development process of the package, it was chosen the spiral methodology, conceived by The Biomimicry Institut, which consists of a reliable tool, since it was based on traditional design methodologies. The spiral design comprises identification, translation, discovery, abstraction, emulation and evaluation steps, that can work iteratively as the process develops as a spiral. As support tool for packaging, 3D modelling is being used by the software Inventor Autodesk Inventor 2018. Although this is an ongoing research, first results showed that spiral methodology design, together with Autodesk Inventor, consist of suitable instruments for the bio-inspired design process, and also nature proved itself to be an amazing and inexhaustible source of inspiration.

Keywords: bio-inspired design, design methodology, packaging, cosmetics

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Authors: Sadeq Al Yaari, Muhammad Alkhunayn, Sajedah Al Yaari, Adham Al Yaari, Ayman Al Yaari, Montaha Al Yaari, Ayah Al Yaari, Fatehi Eissa

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Dysgraphia is a neurological disorder of written expression that impairs writing ability and fine motor skills, resulting primarily in problems relating not only to handwriting but also to writing coherence and cohesion. We investigate the properties of smart writing technology to highlight some unique features of the effects they cause on the academic performance of pupils with dysgraphia. In Amis, dysgraphics undergo writing problems to express their ideas due to ordinary writing aids, as the default strategy. The Amis data suggests a possible connection between available writing aids and pupils’ writing improvement; therefore, texts’ expression and comprehension. A group of thirteen dysgraphic pupils were placed in a regular classroom of primary school, with twenty-one pupils being recruited in the study as a control group. To ensure validity, reliability and accountability to the research, both groups studied writing courses for two semesters, of which the first was equipped with smart writing aids while the second took place in an ordinary classroom. Two pre-tests were undertaken at the beginning of the first two semesters, and two post-tests were administered at the end of both semesters. Tests examined pupils’ ability to write coherent, cohesive and expressive texts. The dysgraphic group received the treatment of a writing course in the first semester in classes with smart technology and produced significantly greater increases in writing expression than in an ordinary classroom, and their performance was better than that of the control group in the second semester. The current study concludes that using smart teaching aids is a ‘MUST’, both for teaching and learning dysgraphia. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that for young dysgraphia, expressive tasks are more challenging than coherent and cohesive tasks. The study, therefore, supports the literature suggesting a role for smart educational aids in writing and that smart writing techniques may be an efficient addition to regular educational practices, notably in special educational institutions and speech-language therapeutic facilities. However, further research is needed to prompt the adults with dysgraphia more often than is done to the older adults without dysgraphia in order to get them to finish the other productive and/or written skills tasks.

Keywords: smart technology, writing aids, pupils with dysgraphia, hands’ movement

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Authors: Moquan Gong

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In recent years, with the rapid development of deep learning, pre-training technology for natural language processing has made great progress. The early field of natural language processing has long used word vector methods such as Word2Vec to encode text. These word vector methods can also be regarded as static pre-training techniques. However, this context-free text representation brings very limited improvement to subsequent natural language processing tasks and cannot solve the problem of word polysemy. ELMo proposes a context-sensitive text representation method that can effectively handle polysemy problems. Since then, pre-training language models such as GPT and BERT have been proposed one after another. Among them, the BERT model has significantly improved its performance on many typical downstream tasks, greatly promoting the technological development in the field of natural language processing, and has since entered the field of natural language processing. The era of dynamic pre-training technology. Since then, a large number of pre-trained language models based on BERT and XLNet have continued to emerge, and pre-training technology has become an indispensable mainstream technology in the field of natural language processing. This article first gives an overview of pre-training technology and its development history, and introduces in detail the classic pre-training technology in the field of natural language processing, including early static pre-training technology and classic dynamic pre-training technology; and then briefly sorts out a series of enlightening technologies. Pre-training technology, including improved models based on BERT and XLNet; on this basis, analyze the problems faced by current pre-training technology research; finally, look forward to the future development trend of pre-training technology.

Keywords: natural language processing, pre-training, language model, word vectors

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Authors: Juan Facetti, Rocky McBride, Karina Loup

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The Chaco Region of Paraguay is a key biodiverse area for the conservation of jaguars (Panthera onca), the largest feline of the Americas. It comprises five eco-regions, which holds important but decreasing populations of this species. The last decades, the expansion of soybean over the Atlantic Forest, forced the translocation of cattle-ranches towards the Chaco. Few studies of Jaguar's population densities in the American hemisphere were done until now. In the region, the specie is listed as vulnerable or threatened and more information is needed to implement any conservation policy. Among the factors that threaten the populations are land-use change, habitat fragmentation, prey depletion and illegal hunting. Two largest eco-regions were studied: the Wet Chaco and the Dry Chaco. From 2002 more than 20 jaguars were captured and fitted with GPS-collar. Data collected from 11 GPS-collars were processed, transformed numerically and finally converted into maps for analyzing. 8.092 locations were determined for four adult females (AF) and one adult male (AM) in the Wet Chaco, and one AF, one juvenile male (JM) and four AM in the Dry Chaco, during 1,867 days. GIS and kernel methodology were used to calculate daily distance of movement, home range-HR (95% isopleth), and core area (considered as 50% isopleth). In the Wet Chaco HR were 56 Km2 and 238 km2 for females and males respectively; while in the Dry Chaco HR were 685 Km2 and 844.5 km2 for females and males respectively, and 172 Km2 for a juvenile. Core areas of individual activity for each jaguar, were on average 11.5 Km2 and 33.55 km2 for AF and AM respectively in the Wet Chaco, while in the Dry Chaco were larger: 115 km2 for five AM and 225 Km2 for an AF and 32.4 Km2 for a JM. In both ecoregions, only one relevant overlap of HR of adults was reported. During the reproduction season, the HR (95% K) of one AM overlapped 49.83% with that of one AF. At the Wet Chaco, the maximum daily distance moved by an AF was 14.5 Km and 11.6 Km for the AM, while the Maximum Mean Daily Moved (MMDM) distance was 5.6 km for an AF and 3.1 km for an AM. At the Dry Chaco, the maximum daily distance for an AF was 61.7Km., 50.9Km for the AM and 6.6 Km for the JM, while the MMDM distance was 13.2 km for an AM and 8.4 km for an AF. This study confirmed that, as the invasion to jaguar habitat increased, it resulted in fragmented landscapes that influence spacing patterns of jaguars. Males used largest HR that of the smaller females and males covers largest distances that of the females. There appeared to be important spatial segregation between not only females but also males. It is likely that the larger areas used by males are partly caused by the sexual dimorphism in body size that entails differences in prey requirements. These could explain the larger distances travelled daily by males.

Keywords: Chaco ecoregions, Jaguar, home range, Panthera onca, Paraguay

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Authors: Dukali Abujnah, Mokhtar Blgacem Halbuda

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Water is one of the world's natural resources. It is an essential source for the maintenance of human, animal, and plant life. It has a significant impact on the country's economy and all human activities. Over the past twenty years, pressure on water resources has increased due to population and industrial growth and increasing demand for agricultural and household products, which has become a major concern of the international community. The aim of this study is the physical and bacteriological analysis of drinking water in the city of Value. The study covered different locations in the city. Thirty-six groundwater samples were taken from wells and various tanks owned by the State and private wells, and the Ain Thalia spring and other samples were taken from underground water tanks. It fills up with rainwater during the rainy season. These samples were analyzed for their physical, chemical, and biological status and the results were compared to Libyan and World Health Organization drinking water specifications to assess the quality of drinking water in the city of Value. Physical and chemical analysis of water samples showed acceptable values for acidity and electrical conductivity, and turbidity was found in water samples collected from underground reservoirs compared to Libyan and World Health Organization standards. The highest levels of electrical conductivity and alkalinity, TDS, and water hardness in the samples collected were below the maximum acceptable levels for drinking water as recommended by Libyan and World Health Organization specifications. The biological test results also showed that the water samples were free of intestinal bacteria.

Keywords: quality, agriculture, region, reservoir, evaluation

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Authors: I. D. Laryushin, V. A. Kostin, A. A. Silaev, N. V. Vvedenskii

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Generation of broadband intense terahertz (THz) radiation attracts reasonable interest due to various applications, such as the THz time-domain spectroscopy, the probing and control of various ultrafast processes, the THz imaging with subwavelength resolution, and many others. One of the most promising methods for generating powerful and broadband terahertz pulses is based on focusing two-color femtosecond ionizing laser pulses in gases, including ambient air. For this method, the amplitudes of terahertz pulses are determined by the free-electron current density remaining in a formed plasma after the passage of the laser pulse. The excitation of this residual current density can be treated as multi-wave mixing: Аn effective generation of terahertz radiation is possible only when the frequency ratio of one-color components in the two-color pulse is close to irreducible rational fraction a/b with small odd sum a + b. This work focuses on the optimal parameters (polarizations and intensities) of laser components for the strongest THz generation. The optimal values of parameters are found numerically and analytically with the use of semiclassical approach for calculating the residual current density. For frequency ratios close to a/(a ± 1) with natural a, the strongest THz generation is shown to take place when the both laser components have circular polarizations and equal intensities. For this optimal case, an analytical formula for the residual current density was derived. For the frequency ratios such as 2/5, the two-color ionizing pulses with circularly polarized components practically do not excite the residual current density. However, the optimal parameters correspond generally to specific elliptical (not linear) polarizations of the components and intensity ratios close to unity.

Keywords: broadband terahertz radiation, ionization, laser plasma, ultrashort two-color pulses

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Authors: Khaled Igbaria

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Laila Al-Othman is a well-known feminist writer in Kuwait and the entire Arab world. She was born in 1943 in Kuwait to a large and wealthy family. The author has written several short stories, as well as novels, such as The Woman and the Cat (1985) and Wasumayya Comes out of the Sea (1986), which was chosen as one of the best 100 Arab novels of the 21st century. Another prominent novel of hers is Ṣamt al-Farāshāt [Silence of the Butterflies] (2007), which was highly controversial in her native Kuwait upon publication. For this study, her engagement in feminism was achieved by exploring the different ways in which her novel, Ṣamt al-Farāshāt [Silence of the Butterflies], addresses several feminist issues, mainly forced marriage, rape and sexual abuse, gender-based physical, sexual violence, and enforced silence. This paper focuses on demonstrating social obstacles and continuous trauma caused by a sequence of pain experienced by Arab females in their patriarchal society. This study argues that the novel reveals a sustained effort to raise the banner of feminism and a strong desire to liberate Arab women from patriarchal domination. Al-Othman successfully and uniquely represents women as gender-based traumatic victims of sexual and physical violence, forced silence, and general oppression in the patriarchal Arab society, as those needing help, support, protection, and liberation. They are not represented as independent or free. Methodologically, the study employs a qualitative literary analysis method in addition to trauma theory psychoanalysis, concentrating on feminist issues highlighted in the novel.

Keywords: Al-Othman, Arab women pain, trauma within narration., Silence of the Butterflies

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Authors: Mohammed T. Shabeer

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Hoary moorlands of Tibet bear bundle of religious traditions. Vajrayana tradition of Tibetan Buddhism is one of the deep rooted religious orders of the area. It demands the homage to a variety of gods and diverse worships, especially to manifestations like the Dalai Lamas. This divine diversity has been conceptualized by remoteness of the area and transcontinental intrusion of Asiatic philosophies like Indian Buddhism, Mongolian Shamanism and Hindu Tantrism. This study reveals the role of Hindu Tantrism in conceptualizing the manifestations in Vajrayana Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism in a comparative way. Nowadays, the academic explorations and researches in the field of ‘Tibetology’ are widely tolerable in east and west alike. International community concerns such studies supportive of the restless campaigns for ‘free Tibet’. Moreover, the scientific sources on the topic are rarest and precious in the field of comparative religion. This study reveals a clear account of god concept of Vajrayana tradition and insists that the god concept of the tradition is conceptualized from the amalgamation of Indian Hindu Tantrism, Mongolian Shamanism, and Indian Buddhism. Primly, it sheds the light upon the mysterious similarities between Indian and Tibetan concepts of manifestation of gods. The scientific examination of this problem lasts in the conclusion that the transcontinental transmission of Hindu Tantrism in the special occasion of Buddhist Diaspora of 12th century in consequence of the invasion of Muslim Ghorid Sultanate had paved a vital role in shaping the Vajrayana tradition especially conceptualizing the manifestation of Tibetan gods.

Keywords: Buddhist diaspora, Hindu tantrism, manifestation of god, Vajrayana tradition of Tibetan Buddhism

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Authors: Kambiz Teimour Najad

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The basic methodology of GPR involves the use of a transmitting antenna to send electromagnetic waves into the subsurface, which then bounce back to the surface and are detected by a receiving antenna. The transmitter and receiver antennas are typically placed on the ground surface and moved across the area of interest to create a profile of the subsurface. The GPR system consists of a control unit that powers the antennas and records the data, as well as a display unit that shows the results of the survey. The control unit sends a pulse of electromagnetic energy into the ground, which propagates through the soil or rock until it encounters a change in material or structure. When the electromagnetic wave encounters a buried object or structure, some of the energy is reflected back to the surface and detected by the receiving antenna. The GPR data is then processed using specialized software that analyzes the amplitude and travel time of the reflected waves. By interpreting the data, GPR can provide information on the depth, location, and nature of subsurface features and structures. GPR has several advantages over other geophysical survey methods, including its ability to provide high-resolution images of the subsurface and its non-invasive nature, which minimizes disruption to the site. However, the effectiveness of GPR depends on several factors, including the type of soil or rock, the depth of the features being investigated, and the frequency of the electromagnetic waves used. In environmental hazard assessments, GPR can be used to detect buried structures, such as underground storage tanks, pipelines, or utilities, which may pose a risk of contamination to the surrounding soil or groundwater. GPR can also be used to assess soil stability by identifying areas of subsurface voids or sinkholes, which can lead to the collapse of the surface. Additionally, GPR can be used to map the extent and movement of groundwater contamination, which is critical in designing effective remediation strategies. the methodology of GPR in environmental hazard assessments involves the use of electromagnetic waves to create high of the subsurface, which are then analyzed to provide information on the depth, location, and nature of subsurface features and structures. This information is critical in identifying and mitigating environmental hazards, and the non-invasive nature of GPR makes it a valuable tool in this field.

Keywords: GPR, hazard, landslide, rock fall, contamination

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Authors: V. Nigam, V. Nambiar

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Aegle Marmelos leaf has been used as a remedy for various gastrointestinal infections and lowering blood sugar level in traditional system of medicine in India due to the presence of various constituents such as flavonoids, tannins and alkaloids (eg. Aegelin, Marmelosin, Luvangetin).The objective of the present study was to evaluate the total antioxidant activity, total and individual phenol content of the wild and cultivated variety of Aegle marmelos leaves to assess the role of this plant in ethanomedicine in India. The methanolic extracts of the leaves were screened for total antioxidant capacity through Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Potential (FRAP) and 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay; Total Phenol content (TPC) through spectrophotometric technique based on Folin Ciocalteau assay and for qualitative estimation of phenols, High performance Liquid Chromatography was used. The TPC of wild and cultivated variety was 7.6% and 6.5% respectively whereas HPLC analysis for quantification of individual polyphenol revealed the presence of gallic acid, chlorogenic acid and Ferullic acid in wild variety whereas gallic acid, Ferullic acid and pyrocatechol in cultivated variety. FRAP values and IC 50 value (DPPH) for wild and cultivated variety was 14.65 μmol/l and 11.80μmol/l; 437 μg/ml and 620μg/ml respectively and thus it can be used as potential inhibitor of free radicals. The wild variety was having more antioxidant capacity than the cultivated one it can be exploited further for its therapeutic application. As Aegle marmelos is rich in antioxidant, it can be used as food additives to delay the oxidative deterioration of foods and as nutraceutical in medicinal formulation against degenerative diseases like diabetes.

Keywords: antioxidant activity, aegle marmelos, antidiabetic, nutraceutical

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Authors: Christopher Holroyd

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With the various terrorist organizations and drug cartels that are currently active, there is a myriad of security concerns facing countries around the world. Organizations that focus their attacks on others through terror, such as what is seen with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), have no boundaries when it comes to doing what is needed to fulfill their desired intent. For countries such as Iraq, who have been trying to rebuild their country since the fall of the Saddam Hussein Regime, organizations such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS have been impeding the country’s efforts toward peace and stability. One method utilized by terrorist organizations around the world is human trafficking. This method is one that is seen around the world; modern slavery is still exploited by those who have no concern for human decency and morality, their only concern is to achieve their goals by any means. It is understandable that some people may not have even heard of 'modern slavery', or they just might not believe that it is even an issue in today’s world. Organizations such as ISIS are not the only ones in the world that seek to benefit from the immoral trading of humans. Various drug cartels in the world, such as those seen in Mexico and Central America, have recently begun to take part in the trade – moving humans from state to state, or country to country, to better fuel their overall operations. This now makes the possibility of human trafficking more real for those in the United States because of the proximity of the cartels to the southern border of the country. An issue that, at one time, might have only seen as a distant threat, is now close to home for those in the United States. Looking at these two examples is how we begin to understand why human trafficking is utilized by various organizations around the world. This trade of human beings and the violation of basic human rights is a plague that effects the entire world and not just those that are in a country other than your own. One of the security issues that stem from the trade includes the movement and recruitment of members of the organizations. With individuals being smuggled from one location to another in secrecy, this only puts those trying to combat this trade at a disadvantage. This creates concern over the accurate number of potential recruits, combatants, and other individuals who are working against the host nation, and for the mission of the cartel or terrorist organization they are a part of. An uphill battle is created, and the goals of peace and stability are now harder to reach. Aside from security aspects, it cannot be forgotten that those being traded and forced into slavery, are being done so against their will. Families are separated, children trained to be fighters or worse. This makes the goal of eradicating human trafficking even more dire and important.

Keywords: human trafficking, reconstruction, security, terrorism

Procedia PDF Downloads 132

Authors: Majda El Moufarej

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Higher education plays a central role in socio-economic development. However, with the wave of change mainly due to the extensive use of technology in the workplace, the rate of unemployment among graduates rises because they lack the appropriate competencies and skills currently required in professional life. This situation has led higher education institutions worldwide to reconsider their missions, strategic planning, and curricula, among other elements to redress the image of the university as expected. When it comes to practice, there are many obstacles that hinder the achievement of the expected objectives, especially in public universities with free access, as in the case of Morocco. Nevertheless, huge efforts have been made by educational managers to improve the quality of education by focusing on the issue of pedagogical approaches, where university teachers assume more responsibility to save the situation. In this paper, the focus will be placed on the issue of pedagogical approaches to be adopted, depending on the nature of the subject, the size of the class, the available equipment, the students’ level and degree of motivation. Before elaborating on this idea, it may be more insightful to begin by addressing another variable, which concerns the new role of university teachers and their qualification in pedagogical competence. Then, the discussion will revolve around five pedagogical approaches currently adopted in western universities and the focus will be exclusively placed on the one which is called “the Systematic Approach to course Design”, due to its crucial relevance in the teaching of subjects in the schools of humanities, as it can guide the teacher in the development of an explicit program for purposeful teaching and learning. The study is based on a qualitative method, and the findings will be analyzed and followed by some recommendations about how to overcome difficulties in teaching large groups, while transmitting the relevant knowledge and skills on demand in the workplace.

Keywords: higher education, public universities, pedagogical approaches, pedagogical competence

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Authors: H. Aksas, H. Babaci, K. Louhab

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In this paper, a comparative study of the adsorption of Chromium and dyes, onto mixture biosorbents, olive stones and date pits at different percentage was investigated in aqueous solution. The study of various parameters: Effect of contact time, pH, temperature and initial concentration shows that these materials possess a high affinity for the adsorption of chromium for the adsorption of dye bezaktiv yellow HE-4G. To deepen the comparative study of the adsorption of chromium and dye with the use of different blends of olive stones and date pits, the following models are studied: Langmuir, Freundlich isotherms and Dubinin- Radushkvich (D-R) were used as the adsorption equilibrium data model. Langmuir isotherm model was the most suitable for the adsorption of the dye bezaktiv HE-4G and the D-R model is most suitable for adsorption Chrome. The pseudo-first-order model, pseudo-second order and intraparticle diffusion were used to describe the adsorption kinetics. The apparent activation energy was found to be less than 8KJ/mol, which is characteristic of a controlled chemical reaction for the adsorption of two materials. t was noticed that adsorption of chromium and dye BEZAKTIV HE-YELLOW 4G follows the kinetics of the pseudo second order. The study of the effect of temperature was quantified by calculating various thermodynamic parameters such as Gibbs free energy, enthalpy and entropy changes. The resulting thermodynamic parameters indicate the endothermic nature of the adsorption of Cr (VI) ions and the dye Bezaktiv HE-4G. But these materials are very good adsorbents, as they represent a low cost. in addition, it has been noticed that the greater the quantity of olive stone in the mixture increases, the adsorption ability of the dye or chromium increases.

Keywords: chromium ions, anions dye, sorption, mixed adsorbents, olive stone, date pits

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Authors: Addisu Tadesse Sahile, Tennyson Mgutshini

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Background: Periodontal disease is a common, complex, inflammatory disease characterized by the destruction of tooth-supporting soft and hard tissues of the periodontium and a major public health problem across developed and developing countries. Objectives: The study was aimed at assessing the prevalence of periodontal disease and associated factors among diabetes patients in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2018. Methods: Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted on 388 diabetes patients selected by systematic random sampling method from March to May 2018. The study was conducted at two conveniently selected public hospitals in Addis Ababa. Data were collected with pre-tested, structured and translated questionnaire then entered to SPSS version 23 software for analysis. Descriptive statistics as a summary, in line with chi-square and binary logistics regression to identify factors associated with periodontal disease, were applied. A 95% CI with a p-value less than 5% was used as a level of significance. Results: Ninety-one percent (n=353) of participants had periodontal disease while oral examination was done in six regions. While only 9% (n=35) of participants were free of periodontal disease. The number of tooth brushings per day, correct techniques of brushing, malocclusion, and fillings that are defective were associated with periodontal disease at p < 0.05. Conclusion and recommendation: A higher prevalence of periodontal disease among diabetes patient was observed. The frequency of tooth brushing, correct techniques of brushing, malocclusion and defective fillings were associated with periodontal disease. Emphasis has to be given to oral health of diabetes patients by every concerned body so as to control the current higher burden of periodontal disease in diabetes.

Keywords: periodontal disease, risk factors, diabetes mellitus, Addis Ababa

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Authors: Rahul Bishnoi

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Theatre, as Ann Ubersfld calls it, is a paradox. At once, it is both a literary work and a physical representation. Theatre as a text is eternal, reproducible, and identical while as a performance, theatre is momentary and never identical to the previous performances. In this dual existence of theatre, who is the author? Is the author the playwright who writes the dramatic text, or the director who orchestrates the performance, or the actor who embodies the text? From the poststructuralist lens of Barthes, the author is dead. Barthes’ argument of discrete temporality, i.e. the author is the before, and the text is the after, does not hold true for theatre. A published literary work is written, edited, printed, distributed and then gets consumed by the reader. On the other hand, theatrical production is immediate; an actor performs and the audience witnesses it instantaneously. Time, so to speak, does not separate the author, the text, and the reader anymore. The question of authorship gets further complicated in Augusto Boal’s “Theatre of the Oppressed” movement where the audience is a direct participant like the actors in the performance. In this research, through an experimental performance, the duality of theatre is explored with the authorship discourse. And the conventional definition of authorship is subjected to additional complexity by erasing the distinction between an actor and the audience. The design/methodology of the experimental performance is as follows: The audience will be asked to produce a text under an anonymous virtual alias. The text, as it is being produced, will be read and performed by the actor. The audience who are also collectively “authoring” the text, will watch this performance and write further until everyone has contributed with one input each. The cycle of writing, reading, performing, witnessing, and writing will continue until the end. The intention is to create a dynamic system of writing/reading with the embodiment of the text through the actor. The actor is giving up the power to the audience to write the spoken word, stage instruction and direction while still keeping the agency of interpreting that input and performing in the chosen manner. This rapid conversation between the actor and the audience also creates a conversion of authorship. The main conclusion of this study is a perspective on the nature of dynamic authorship of theatre containing a critical enquiry of the collaboratively produced text, an individually performed act, and a collectively witnessed event. Using practice as a methodology, this paper contests the poststructuralist notion of the author as merely a ‘scriptor’ and breaks it further by involving the audience in the authorship as well.

Keywords: practice based research, performance studies, post-humanism, Avant-garde art, theatre

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Authors: Famuwagun A. A., Abiona O. O., Gbadamosi S.O., Adeboye O. A., Adebooye O. C.

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The need to provide more information on the perceived bioactive status of the peel of plantain fruit informed the design of this research. Matured Plantain fruits were harvested, and fruits were allowed to ripen spontaneously. Samples of plantain fruit were taken every fortnight, and the peels were removed. The peels were dried using two different drying techniques (Oven drying and sun drying) and milled into powdery forms. Other samples were picked and processed in a similar manner on the first, third, seventh and tenth day until the peels of the fruits were fully ripped, resulting in eight different samples. The anti-oxidative properties of the samples using different assays (DPPH, FRAP, MCA, HRSA, SRSA, ABTS, ORAC), inhibitory activities against enzymes related to diabetes (alpha-amylase and glucosidase) and inhibition against angiotensin-converting enzymes (ACE) were evaluated. The result showed that peels of plantain fruits on the 7th day of ripening and sundried exhibited greater inhibitions against free radicals, which enhanced its antioxidant activities, resulting in greater inhibitions against alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase enzymes. Also, oven oven-dried sample of the peel of plantain fruit on the 7th day of ripening had greater phenolic contents than the other samples, which also resulted in higher inhibition against angiotensin converting enzymes when compared with other samples. The results showed that even though the unripe peel of plantain fruit is assumed to contain excellent bioactive activities, consumption of the peel should be allowed to ripen for seven days after maturity and harvesting so as to derive maximum benefit from the peel.

Keywords: functional ingredient, diabetics, hypertension, functional foods

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Authors: Fatemeh Deldarabdolmaleki, Mohamad Fakri Zaky Bin Ja'afar

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This paper presents fenestration analysis to study the balance between utilizing daylight and eliminating the disturbing parameters in a private office room with interior venetian blinds taking into account different slat angles. Mean luminance of the scene and window, luminance ratio of the workplane and window, work plane illumination and daylight glare probability(DGP) were calculated as a function of venetian blind design properties. Recently developed software, analyzing High Dynamic Range Images (HDRI captured by CCD camera), such as radiance based evalglare and hdrscope help to investigate luminance-based metrics. A total of Eight-day measurement experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of different venetian blind angles in an office environment under daylight condition in Serdang, Malaysia. Detailed result for the selected case study showed that artificial lighting is necessary during the morning session for Malaysian buildings with southwest windows regardless of the venetian blind’s slat angle. However, in some conditions of afternoon session the workplane illuminance level exceeds the maximum illuminance of 2000 lx such as 10° and 40° slat angles. Generally, a rising trend is discovered toward mean window luminance level during the day. All the conditions have less than 10% of the pixels exceeding 2000 cd/m² before 1:00 P.M. However, 40% of the selected hours have more than 10% of the scene pixels higher than 2000 cd/m² after 1:00 P.M. Surprisingly in no blind condition, there is no extreme case of window/task ratio, However, the extreme cases happen for 20°, 30°, 40° and 50° slat angles. As expected mean window luminance level is higher than 2000 cd/m² after 2:00 P.M for most cases except 60° slat angle condition. Studying the daylight glare probability, there is not any DGP value higher than 0.35 in this experiment, due to the window’s direction, location of the building and studied workplane. Specifically, this paper reviews different blind angle’s response to the suggested metrics by the previous standards, and finally conclusions and knowledge gaps are summarized and suggested next steps for research are provided. Addressing these gaps is critical for the continued progress of the energy efficiency movement.

Keywords: daylighting, office environment, energy simulation, venetian blind

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Authors: Shi-xia Xu, Zai-wen Zhang, Ru-xue Chen, Shan Zhou, Xiang-feng Tang

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Objective: The clinical influence of HLA-DPB1 mismatches on clinical outcome of HSCT is less clear. This is the first meta-analysis to study the HLA-DPB1 matching statues on clinical outcomes after unrelated donor HSCT. Methods: We searched the CIBMTR, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and related databases (1995.01–2017.06) for all relevant articles. Comparative studies were used to investigate the HLA-DPB1 loci mismatches on clinical outcomes after unrelated donor HSCT, such as the disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival, GVHD, relapse, and transplant-related mortality (TRM). We performed meta-analysis using Review Manager 5.2 software and funnel plot to assess the bias. Results: At first, 1246 articles were retrieved, and 18 studies totaling 26368 patients analyzed. Pooled comparisons of studies found that the HLA-DPB1 mismatched group had a lower rate of DFS than the DPB1-matched group, and lower OS in non-T cell depleted transplantation. The DPB1 mismatched group has a higher incidence of aGVHD and more severe ( ≥ III degree) aGvHD, lower rate of relapse and higher TRM. Moreover, compared with 1-antigen mismatch, 2-antigen mismatched led to a higher risk of TRM and lower relapse rate. Conclusions: This meta-analysis indicated HLA-DPB1 has important influence on survival and transplant-related complications during unrelated donor HSCT and HLA-DPB1 donor selection strategies have been proposed based on a personalized algorithm.

Keywords: human leukocyte antigen, DPB1, transplant, meta-analysis, outcome

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Authors: Denise Levy

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Nuclear technology is part of our everyday life and its beneficial applications help to improve the quality of our lives. Nevertheless, in Brazil, most often the media and social networks tend to associate radiation to nuclear weapons and major accidents, and there is still great misunderstanding about the peaceful applications of nuclear science. The Educational Portal Radioatividades (Radioactivities) is a corporate social responsibility initiative that takes advantage of the growing impact of Internet to offer high quality scientific information for teachers and students throughout Brazil. This web-based initiative focusses on the positive applications of nuclear technology, presenting the several contributions of ionizing radiation in different contexts, such as nuclear medicine, agriculture techniques, food safety and electric power generation, proving nuclear technology as part of modern life and a must to improve the quality of our lifestyle. This educational project aims to contribute for democratization of scientific education and social inclusion, approaching society to scientific knowledge, promoting critical thinking and inspiring further reflections. The website offers a wide variety of ludic activities such as curiosities, interactive exercises and short courses. Moreover, teachers are offered free web-based material with full instructions to be developed in class. Since year 2013, the project has been developed and improved according to a comprehensive study about the realistic scenario of ICTs infrastructure in Brazilian schools and in full compliance with the best e-learning national and international recommendations.

Keywords: information and communication technologies, nuclear technology, science communication, society and education

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Authors: Kinnsley Travis, Camerron M. Crowder

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Mapk8ip3 (Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 8 Interacting Protein 3) is a gene that codes for the JIP3 protein, which is a part of the JIP scaffolding protein family. This protein is involved in axonal vesicle transport, elongation and regeneration. Variants in the Mapk8ip3 gene are associated with a rare-genetic condition that results in a neurodevelopmental disorder that can cause a range of phenotypes including global developmental delay and intellectual disability. Currently, there are 18 known individuals diagnosed to have sequenced confirmed Mapk8ip3 genetic disorders. This project focuses on examining the impact of a subset of missense patient variants on the Jip3 protein function by overexpressing the mRNA of these variants in a zebrafish knockout model for Jip3. Plasmids containing cDNA with individual missense variants were reverse transcribed, purified, and injected into single-cell zebrafish embryos (Wild Type, Jip3 -/+, and Jip3 -/-). At 6-days post mRNA microinjection, morphological, behavioral, and microscopic phenotypes were examined in zebrafish larvae. Morphologically, we compared the size and shape of the zebrafish during their development over a 5-day period. Total locomotive activity was assessed using the Microtracker assay and patterns of movement over time were examined using the DanioVision assay. Lastly, we used confocal microscopy to examine sensory axons for swelling and shortened length, which are phenotypes observed in the loss-of-function knockout Jip3 zebrafish model. Using these assays during embryonic development, we determined the impact of various missense variants on Jip3 protein function, compared to knockout and wild-type zebrafish embryo models. Variants in the gene Mapk8ip3 cause rare-neurodevelopmental disorders due to an essential role in axonal vesicle transport, elongation and regeneration. A subset of missense variants was examined by overexpressing the mRNA of these variants in a Jip3 knock-out zebrafish. Morphological, behavioral, and microscopic phenotypes were examined in zebrafish larvae. Using these assays, the spectrum of disorders can be phenotypically determined and the impact of variant location can be compared to knockout and wild-type zebrafish embryo models.

Keywords: rare disease, neurodevelopmental disorders, mrna overexpression, zebrafish research

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Authors: Dian Muzdalifah, Anastasia F. Devi, Zatil A. Athaillah, Linar Z. Udin

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Tempe is a functional food prepared from soybeans through Rhizopus spp fermentation. It is well known as functional food, originated from Indonesia. Most studies on tempe functionalities refer to ripe (48 h fermentation) tempe and only limited studies discuss overripe tempe while longer fermentation time possibly increased tempe health benefit. Hence, the present study was performed to investigate the cytotoxic activity againts MCF-7 breast cancer cells and antioxidant property of tempe prepared from 0–156 h of fermentation. Tempe samples were dried and extracted with acetone and ethanol, respectively. Their extracts were used for subsequent analysis. The cytotoxic activity was assessed on MCF 7 breast cancer cells using Alamar Blue method. The antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH free radical scavenging assay. The results indicated that acetone extracts of 108 h tempe had a potent cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells (IC50 = 2.54 ± 0,30 μg/mL). Ethanol extracts of 108 h tempe also showed the potency, but at slightly higher IC50 (5.20 ± 1.01 μg/mL). Both acetone and ethanol extracts of 108 and 120 h tempe showed high antioxidant activity expressed as percent inhibition with no significant difference. However, acetone extracts of 120 h tempe (81.31 ± 3.70 %) had better ability to inhibit oxidation reaction than that of ethanol extracts (75.77 ± 6.00 %). It can be concluded that the cytotoxic activity of tempe from 0–156 h of fermentation is positively correlated to their corresponding antioxidant property. Longer fermentation time, up to 108 h, increased the ability of tempe to inhibit the growth of MCF-7 breast cancer cells and oxidative reaction. But extended fermentation time, up to 156 h, tends to decrease its ability. Further studies are encouraged to identify the active components contained in each extract.

Keywords: antioxidant property, cytotoxic activity, extracts, overripe tempeh

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Authors: Majeda Hammoud

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Background: Anemia during pregnancy increases the risk of delivery by cesarean section, low birth weight, preterm birth, perinatal mortality, stillbirth, and maternal mortality. In this study, we aimed to assess the prevalence of anemia in pregnant women and its associated factors in the Kuwait birth cohort study. Methods: The Kuwait birth cohort (N=1108) was a prospective cohort study in which pregnant women were recruited in the third trimester. Data were collected through personal interviews with mothers who attend antenatal care visits, including data on socio-economic status and lifestyle factors. Blood samples were taken after the recruitment to measure multiple laboratory indicators. Clinical data were extracted from the medical records by a clinician including data on comorbidities. Anemia was defined as having Hemoglobin (Hb) <110 g/L with further classification as mild (100-109 g/L), moderate (70-99 g/L), or severe (<70 g/L). Predictors of anemia were classified as underlying or direct factors, and logistic regression was used to investigate their association with anemia. Results: The mean Hb level in the study group was 115.21 g/L (95%CI: 114.56- 115.87 g/L), with significant differences between age groups (p=0.034). The prevalence of anemia was 28.16% (95%CI: 25.53-30.91%), with no significant difference by age group (p=0.164). Of all 1108 pregnant women, 8.75% had moderate anemia, and 19.40% had mild anemia, but no pregnant women had severe anemia. In multivariable analysis, getting pregnant while using contraception, adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.73(95%CI:1.01-2.96); p=0.046 and current use of supplements, AOR 0.50 (95%CI: 0.26-0.95); p=0.035 were significantly associated with anemia (underlying factors). From the direct factors group, only iron and ferritin levels were significantly associated with anemia (P<0.001). Conclusion: Although the severe form of anemia is low among pregnant women in Kuwait, mild and moderate anemia remains a significant health problem despite free access to antenatal care.

Keywords: anemia, pregnancy, hemoglobin, ferritin

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Authors: Ayami Umemura

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The purpose of this paper is to examine the meaning of verbalization in clinical practice using the keywords silence and singularity. A patient's experience of illness and treatment is singular, irreplaceable, and irreproducible and ultimately cannot be compared with that of others. In his book Difference and Repetition, Gilles Deleuze positioned irreplaceable singularity as the opposite concept of particularity as a generalizable and substitutable property and matched the former with universality. He also said that singularity could not be represented because of its irreplaceable nature. Representation or verbalization is a procedure that converts an irreplaceable, idiosyncratic reality into something that can be substituted. Considering the act of verbalizing medical diagnosis based on this, it can be said that diagnosis is the practice of decontextualizing and generalizing the suffering embedded in the patient's irreplaceable life history as a disease. This paper examines the above with the key concept of the practice of "non-verbalization" in traditional medical practices in Sri Lanka. In the practice of Sri Lankan traditional medicine and the inheritance of medical knowledge and care techniques, there is a tendency to avoid verbalizing specific matters or stating them aloud. Specifically, the following should be avoided. The healer informs the patient of the name of the disease, mentions the name of the herb used in front of the patient, explains the patient's condition to the healer, and referring the names of poisonous animals, such as poisonous snakes that have been damaged. And so on. Furthermore, when passing on medical knowledge and skills, it is also possible to avoid verbalizing knowledge of medicinal herbs and medical treatment methods and explaining them verbally. In addition to the local belief that the soul of language in Sri Lanka is deeply involved in this background, Sri Lankan traditional medicine has a unique view of the human body and personality that is rooted in the singularity that appears in the relationship with the movement of celestial bodies and the supernatural realm. It can be pointed out that it is premised on the view. In other words, the “silence” in Sri Lankan indigenous medicine is the reason for emphasizing specificity. Furthermore, we can say that "non-verbalization" is a practice aimed at healing. Based on these discussions, this paper will focus on the unique relationships between practitioners and patients that become invisible due to verbalization, which is overlooked by clinical medicine, where informed consent, ensuring transparency, and audit culture is dominant. We will examine the experience of treatment and aim to relativize clinical medicine, which is based on audit cultures.

Keywords: audit cultures, indigenous medicine, singularity, verbalization

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Authors: Michal Biały, Konrad Pietrykowski, Rafal Sochaczewski

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The kinematics and dynamics analysis of crank-piston system of aircraft engine. The object of the study was the high power aircraft engine ASz 62-IR. This engine is produced by a Polish company WSK "PZL-KALISZ" S.A.". All analyzes were performed numerically using CAD and CAE environment. Three-dimensional model of the crank-piston system was developed based on real engine located in the Laboratory of Centre of Innovation and Advanced Technologies of Lublin University of Technology. During the development of the model, the technique of reverse engineering - 3D scanning was used. ASz 62-IR engine is characterized by a radial type of crank-piston system. In this system the cylinders are arranged radially around the circle. This crank-piston system consists of a main connecting rod and eight additional connecting rods. In addition, three-dimensional model consists of a piston pins, pistons and piston rings. As a result of the specific engine design, characteristics of the piston individual movement are slightly different from each other. But the model assumes that they are the same during the analysis. Three-dimensional model of the engine was implemented into the MSC Adams software. The environment of MSC Adams allows for multibody simulation of the dynamic phenomena. This determines the state parameters of the moving elements, among which the load or force distribution on each kinematic node can be distinguished. Materials and characteristic materials parameters were adopted on the basis of commonly used materials for engine parts. The mass values of individual elements were adopted on the basis of real engine parts. The piston gas forces were replaced by calculation of pressure variations recorded during engine tests on the engine test bench. The research the changes of forces acting in the individual kinematic pairs of crank-piston system. The model allows to determine the load on the crankshaft main bearings. This gives the possibility for the main supports forces analysis The model allows for testing and simulation of kinematics and dynamics of a radial aircraft engine. This is the first stage of the work, which aims to numerical simulation of vibration of multi-cylinder aircraft engine. This work has been financed by the Polish National Centre for Research and Development, INNOLOT, under Grant Agreement No. INNOLOT/I/1/NCBR/2013.

Keywords: aircraft engine, CAD, CAE, dynamics, kinematics, MSC Adams, numerical simulation

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Authors: Robin Turner

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In the context of the strengthening conservative movements such as “Brexit” and the election of US President Donald Trump, the global political stage was shaken up by the election of Emmanuel Macron to the French presidency, defeating the far-right candidate Marine Le Pen. The election itself was a first for the Fifth Republic in which neither final candidate was from the traditional two major political parties: the left Parti Socialiste (PS) and the right Les Républicains (LR). Macron, who served as the Minister of Finance under his predecessor, founded the centrist liberal political party En Marche! in April 2016 before resigning from his post in August to launch his bid for the presidency. Between the time of the party’s creation to the first round of elections a year later, Emmanuel Macron and En Marche! had garnered enough support to make it to the run-off election, finishing far ahead of many seasoned national political figures. Now months into his presidency, the youngest President of the Republic shows no sign of losing fuel anytime soon. His unprecedented success raises a lot of questions with respect to international relations, economics, and the evolving relationship between the French government and its citizens. The effectiveness of Macron’s campaign, of course, relies on many factors, one of which is his manner of communicating his platform to French voters. Using data from oral discourse and primary material from Macron and En Marche! in sources such as party publications and Twitter, the study categorizes linguistic instruments – address, lexicon, tone, register, and syntax – to identify prevailing patterns of speech and communication. The linguistic analysis in this project is two-fold. In addition to these findings’ stand-alone value, these discourse patterns are contextualized by comparable discourse of other 2017 presidential candidates with high emphasis on that of Marine Le Pen. Secondly, to provide an alternative approach, the study contextualizes Macron’s discourse using those of two immediate predecessors representing the traditional stronghold political parties, François Hollande (PS) and Nicolas Sarkozy (LR). These comparative methods produce an analysis that gives insight to not only a contributing factor to Macron’s successful 2017 campaign but also provides insight into how Macron’s platform presents itself differently to previous presidential platforms. Furthermore, this study extends analysis to supply data that contributes to a wider analysis of the defeat of “traditional” French political parties by the “start-up” movement En Marche!.

Keywords: Emmanuel Macron, French, discourse analysis, political discourse

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Authors: Irma Wani Othman

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The internationalization of higher education in Malaysia mainly focuses to place the implementation of the strategic, comprehensive and integrated range of stakeholders in order to highlight the visibility of Malaysia as a hub of academic excellence. While the concept of 'global citizenship' is used as a two-pronged strategy of aggressive marketing by universities which includes; (i) the involvement of the academic expatriates in stimulating international activities of higher education and (ii) an increase in international student enrollment capacity for the enculturation of science and the development of first class mentality. In this aspect, aspirations for a transnational social movement through global citizenship status to establish the identity of the university community without borders (borderless universities) - regardless of skin colour, thus rationalize and liberalize the universal principles of life and cultural traditions of a nation. The education system earlier referred by the spirit of nationalism is now progressing due to globalization, hence forming a system of higher education that is relevant and generated by the need of all time. However, debates arose when the involvement of global citizenship is said to threaten the ultimate university autonomy in determining the direction of academic affairs and governance of their human resources. Stemming from this debate, this study aims to explore the experience of 'global citizenship' that the academic expatriates and international students in shaping the university's strategic needs and interests which are in line with the transition of contemporary higher education. The objective of this study is to examine the acculturation experience of the global citizen in the form of transnational higher education system and suggest policy and policing IHE which refers directly to the experience of the global citizen. This study offers a detailed understanding of how the university communities assess their expatriation experience, thus becoming useful information for learning and transforming education. The findings also open an advanced perspective on the international mobility of human resources and the implications on the implementation of the policy of internationalization of higher education. The contribution of this study is expected to give new input, thus shift the focus of contextual literature for the internationalization of the education system. Instead of focusing on the purpose of generating income of a university, to a greater understanding of subjective experience in utilizing international human resources hence contributing to the prominent transnational character of higher education.

Keywords: internationalization, global citizens, Malaysia higher education, academic expatriate, international students

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Authors: Catherine Joke Adeseko

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Enzymatic browning is an economically important disorder that degrades organoleptic properties and prevent the consumer from purchasing fresh fruit and vegetables. Prevention and control of enzymatic browning in fruit and its product is imperative. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the catalytic effect of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in the adverse browning of African bush mango (Irvingia gabonensis) fruit peel and pulp. PPO was isolated and purified, and its physicochemical properties, such as the effect of pH with SDS, temperature, and thermodynamic studies, which invariably led to thermal inactivation of purified PPO at 80 °C, were evaluated. The pH and temperature optima of PPO were found at 7.0 and 50, respectively. There was a gradual increase in the activity of PPO as the pH increases. However, the enzyme exhibited a higher activity at neutral pH 7.0, while enzymatic inhibition was observed at acidic region, pH 2.0. The presence of SDS at pH 5.0 downward was found to inhibit the activity of PPO from the peel and pulp of I. gabonensis. The average value of enthalpy (ΔH), entropy (ΔS), and Gibbs free energy (ΔG) obtained at 20 min of incubation and temperature 30 – 80 °C were respectively 39.93 kJ.mol-1, 431.57 J.mol-1 .K-1 and -107.99 kJ.mol-1 for peel PPO, and 37.92 kJ.mol-1, -442.51J.mol-1.K-1, and -107.22 kJ.mol-1 for pulp PPO. Thermal inactivation of PPO from I. gabonensis exhibited a reduction in catalytic activity as the temperature and duration of heat inactivation increases using catechol, reflected by an increment in k value. The half-life of PPO (t1/2) decreases as the incubation temperature increases due to the instability of the enzyme at high temperatures and was higher in pulp than peel. Both D and Z values decrease with increase in temperature. The information from this study suggests processing parameters for controlling PPO in the potential industrial application of I. gabonensis fruit in order to prolong the shelf-life of this fruit for maximum utilization.

Keywords: enzymatic, browning, characterization, activity

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Authors: G. Magalhães-Mota, C. Magro, S. Sério, E. Mateus, P. A. Ribeiro, A. B. Ribeiro, M. Raposo

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Triclosan [5-chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy) phenol], belonging to the class of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs), is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent and bactericide. Because of its antimicrobial efficacy, it is widely used in personal health and skin care products, such as soaps, detergents, hand cleansers, cosmetics, toothpastes, etc. However, it has been considered to disrupt the endocrine system, for instance, thyroid hormone homeostasis and possibly the reproductive system. Considering the widespread use of triclosan, it is expected that environmental and food safety problems regarding triclosan will increase dramatically. Triclosan has been found in river water samples in both North America and Europe and is likely widely distributed wherever triclosan-containing products are used. Although significant amounts are removed in sewage plants, considerable quantities remain in the sewage effluent, initiating widespread environmental contamination. Triclosan undergoes bioconversion to methyl-triclosan, which has been demonstrated to bio accumulate in fish. In addition, triclosan has been found in human urine samples from persons with no known industrial exposure and in significant amounts in samples of mother's milk, demonstrating its presence in humans. The action of sunlight in river water is known to turn triclosan into dioxin derivatives and raises the possibility of pharmacological dangers not envisioned when the compound was originally utilized. The aim of this work is to detect low concentrations of triclosan in an aqueous complex matrix through the use of a sensor array system, following the electronic tongue concept based on impedance spectroscopy. To achieve this goal, we selected the appropriate molecules to the sensor so that there is a high affinity for triclosan and whose sensitivity ensures the detection of concentrations of at least nano-molar. Thin films of organic molecules and oxides have been produced by the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique and sputtered onto glass solid supports already covered by gold interdigitated electrodes. By submerging the films in complex aqueous solutions with different concentrations of triclosan, resistance and capacitance values were obtained at different frequencies. The preliminary results showed that an array of interdigitated electrodes sensor coated or uncoated with different LbL and films, can be used to detect TCS traces in aqueous solutions in a wide range concentration, from 10⁻¹² to 10⁻⁶ M. The PCA method was applied to the measured data, in order to differentiate the solutions with different concentrations of TCS. Moreover, was also possible to trace a curve, the plot of the logarithm of resistance versus the logarithm of concentration, which allowed us to fit the plotted data points with a decreasing straight line with a slope of 0.022 ± 0.006 which corresponds to the best sensitivity of our sensor. To find the sensor resolution near of the smallest concentration (Cs) used, 1pM, the minimum measured value which can be measured with resolution is 0.006, so the ∆logC =0.006/0.022=0.273, and, therefore, C-Cs~0.9 pM. This leads to a sensor resolution of 0.9 pM for the smallest concentration used, 1pM. This attained detection limit is lower than the values obtained in the literature.

Keywords: triclosan, layer-by-layer, impedance spectroscopy, electronic tongue

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Authors: Filipa Cruz, Grecia P. Matos

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An Inexhaustible Will of Infinite is ongoing practice-based research focused on a psychophysiological conception of body and on the creative will that seeks to examine the possibility of art being simultaneously a pacifier and an intensifier in a physiological artistic production. This is a study where philosophy and art converge in a commentary on the affection of the concept of will to power in the art world through Nietzsche’s commentaries, through the analysis of case studies and a reflection arising from artistic practice. Through Nietzsche, it is sought to compare concepts that communicate with the artistic practice since creation is an intensification and engenders perspectives. It is also a practice highly embedded in the body, in the non-verbal, in the physiology of art and in the coexistence between the sensorial and the thought. It is questioned if the physiology of art could be thought of as a thinking-feeling with no primacy of the thought over the sensorial. Art as a manifestation of the will to power participates in a comprehension of the world. In this article, art is taken as a privileged way of communication – implicating corporeal-sensorial-conceptual – and of connection between humans. Problematized is the dream and the drunkenness as intensifications and expressions of life’s comprehension. Therefore, art is perceived as suggestion and invention, where the artistic intoxication breaks limits in the experience of life, and the artist, dominated by creative forces, claims, orders, obeys, proclaims love for life. The intention is also to consider how one can start from pain to create and how one can generate new and endless artistic forms through nightmares, daydreams, impulses, intoxication, enhancement, intensification in a plurality of subjects and matters. It is taken into consideration the fact that artistic creation is something that is intensified corporeally, expanded, continuously generated and acting on bodies. It is inextinguishable and a constant movement intertwining Apollonian and Dionysian instincts of destruction and creation of new forms. The concept of love also appears associated with conquering, that, in a process of intensification and drunkenness, impels the artist to generate and to transform matter. Just like a love relationship, love in Nietzsche requires time, patience, effort, courage, conquest, seduction, obedience, and command, potentiating the amplification of knowledge of the other / the world. Interlacing Nietzsche's philosophy, not with Modern Art, but with Contemporary Art, it is argued that intoxication, will to power (strongly connected with the creative will) and love still have a place in the artistic production as creative agents.

Keywords: artistic creation, body, intensification, psychophysiology, will to power

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Authors: Danny Mwangi, Collins Oduor Ondiek

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Mass mobility is one of the most important characteristics of every industrialized civilization. Man must travel about in order to fulfill his commitment to putting food on his table. As a result, movement is an important part of human life. Man must travel from one place to another. This is a natural trait of humans, according to elementary science. Variables in human mobility have arisen as a result of technological advancements over time. Public transit is one of these modes of transportation. When it comes to reducing safety-related risks in the public transport system, awareness is crucial. So much so even when it comes to public transportation in Kenya. Having a system that can be able to keep users updated with real-time traffic updates on the route, they are on and also have the ability to rate drivers after a trip could go a long way in improving safety on Kenyan roads. What this proposed system is intended to accomplish is to reduce occurrences of reckless driving and give matatu drivers the feeling that they are accountable to someone and more so have the incentive to be better drivers who are motivated to follow the law and have passenger safety as a priority. The research was conducted, and the findings show that 95.2% of respondents were not satisfied with the current safety measures in the Kenyan public transport sector. This means that the chances for this system to be accepted in the market are high because it addresses a key issue. 98.8% of the respondents were of the opinion that the implementation of the proposed system would significantly increase safety measures in the public transport sector. During the research, it was clear that the main challenge 77.1% of the respondents face when using public transport is that there is no way to monitor driver safety performance, and 68.7% of the respondent believed the widespread use of unroadworthy public transit vehicles contributed to the lack of safety when using public transport. However, 77.1% of the respondents expect the benefit of creating a sense of accountability for the drivers, and 74.7% of the respondents expect the benefit of increased passenger safety. 63.9% believe that with the implementation of the system, there will be the benefit of monitoring driver performance. This shows that with the implementation of the proposed system, it will be possible to make a lot of progress in terms of making Kenyan roads safer when using public transit. According to the findings, it is recommended that this proposed public transportation safety awareness system be implemented as it will be able to address matatu passengers' safety concerns while also encouraging matatu drivers to drive more carefully. As a result, it's a project with a chance of becoming viable, marketable, and feasible.

Keywords: public safety, public transportation, accountable driving, safe transportation

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