Search results for: human experimentation

Authors: C. Arslan, K. Yakar

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Social media is one of the most important and effective means of social interaction among people in which they create, share and exchange their ideas via photos, videos or voice messages. Although there are lots of communication tools. Social media sites are the most prominent ones that allows the users articulate themselves in a matter of seconds all around the world with almost any expenses and thus, they became very popular and widespread after its emergence. As the usage of social media increases, it becomes an effective instrument in social matters. While it is possible to use social media to emphasize basic human rights and protest some failures of any government as in “Arab Spring”, it is also possible to spread propaganda and misinformation just to cause long lasting insurgency, upheaval, turmoil or disorder as an instrument of intervention to internal affairs and state sovereignty by some hostile groups or countries. It is certain that social media has positive effects on participation in democracies allowing people express themselves freely and limitlessly, but obviously, the misuse of it is very common and it is quite possible that even a five-minute-long video record can topple down a government or give a solid reason to a government to review its policies on some certain areas. As one of the most important and effective means of participation, social media presents some opportunities as well as risks. In this study, the place of social media for participation in democracies will be demonstrated under the light of opportunities and risks.

Keywords: social media, democracy, participation, risks, opportunities

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Authors: Shraddha B. Rai, Mahipatsinh D. Chavda, Bharat S. Trivedi

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The aim of the present research is to study the effect of education and social belonging on well-being of youth. Well-being is one of the most important aspects of human being and the state of well-being can be attained in terms of healthy body with healthy mind. Well-being has been defined as encompassing people’s cognitive and affective evaluations of their lives. Well-being has been interchangeably used with health and quality of life. According to the WHO, the main determinants of health include the social, economic, and the physical environment and the persons individual characteristics and behaviors. WHO lists other factors that can influence the well-being of a person such as the gender, education, social support networks and health services. The main objective of the present investigation is to know the effect of education and social belonging on well-being of youth. The sample of 180 students belonging to Gujarati and English (convent) culture were selected randomly from Guajarati and English (convent) schools of Ahmedabad City of Gujarat (India). General well-being Scale by Dr. Ashok Kalia and Ms. Anita Deswal was administered to measure the Physical, Emotional, and Social and school well-being. The result shows that there is significant different found between Gujarati and English (convent) culture on Well-being in school students. SES is also affect significantly to wellbeing of students.

Keywords: culture, SES, well-being, health, quality of life

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Authors: Olokode Enitan Aishat

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People can perform to the best of their abilities and produce the highest-quality work most effectively and efficiently with the aid of performance management tools. The performance, goal-setting, activation, monitoring, measurement, and evaluation aspects of hospitality operations are key. The hospitality industry, the investors, and management would become irrelevant without performance since the industry would no longer be viable. The goal of this study is to elucidate the quandary for both management and investor, which derives from an intrinsic perspective in which both parties seek to reach and exceed goals while maximizing returns on investment. The desire for achievement and a return on investment is a major conundrum for all parties concerned. It is envisaged that there would be returns on the investments and expenses made in maintaining hospitality facilities with human resources. Secondary research was used to develop the theoretical framework. A random sample of respondents from hotels employee and investors within the city of Abuja was used to collect data, which was then analyzed using SPSS. This study confirms the validity of simple and straightforward common misunderstandings and provides tried and tested strategies for understanding and working together as a team among managers and owners in a business, as this would guarantee a return for business owners and management.

Keywords: performance management, hospitality industry, conflict, alignment of key performance indicator

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Authors: Yong Geun Yun, Jong Hui kim, Sang Ho Baik

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This study was carried out to develop a fermented dandelion (Tarazacum officinale) beverage using lactic acid bacteria with cinnamoyl esterase (CE) activity isolated from human feces. Lactic acid bacteria were screened based on bacterial survival ability in dandelion extract and CE activity. Dandelion extract fermented by Lactobacillus acidophilus F-46 (LA-F46) maintained approximately 105-106 log CFU/mL over an 8 days period. After fermented dandelion beverage (FDB) with LA-46 for 8 days at 37oC the pH was decreased from pH 7.0 to 3.5. Antioxidant activity by using DPPH radical scavenging activity of the prepared FDB was significantly increased compared to that of non-fermented dandelion beverage (NFDB). Moreover, CE activity was significantly enhanced during fermentation and showed the approximately 4.3 times increased concentration of caffeic acid up to 9.91 mg/100 mL after 8 days of incubation compared to NFDB. Therefore, it concluded that dandelion can be a good source for preparing a functional beverage and fermentation by LA-F46 enhanced the food functionality with enhanced caffeic acids.

Keywords: cinnamoyl esterase, dandelion, fermented beverage, lactic acid bacteria

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Authors: D. Baranova, E. Neborak

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Polyphenols, particularly flavonoids like quercetin, fisetin, and kaempferol, have gained significant attention in nutrition due to their antioxidant, senolytic, and anti-inflammatory properties. These compounds are commonly found in various plant-based foods and are represented by diverse subclasses, each with unique health benefits. Understanding their absorption, metabolism, and bioactivity within the human body is crucial for unlocking their full potential. Quercetin, for instance, exists in multiple forms, impacting its solubility and absorption in the intestine. Its intake, often derived from sources like apples, is affected by cooking methods, with medium heat retaining its potency. Fisetin, also present in fruits and vegetables, demonstrates neuroprotective qualities and stability under varied conditions compared to quercetin. Similarly, kaempferol, found in fruits and vegetables, displays antioxidative effects but is influenced by cooking techniques, with specific methods preserving its polyphenolic content better. Overall, these polyphenols offer promising health benefits, yet their optimal dosage and specific dietary recommendations warrant further research to harness their full nutritional potential.

Keywords: polyphenols, flavonoids, absorption, quercetin, kaempferol, fisetin, senolytics, absorption, cooking method

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Authors: Syed Zameer, Mohamed Haneef

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Hip joint plays very important role in human beings as it takes up the whole body forces generated due to various activities. These loads are repetitive and fluctuating depending on the activities such as standing, sitting, jogging, stair casing, climbing, etc. which may lead to failure of Hip joint. Hip joint modification and replacement are common in old aged persons as well as younger persons. In this research study static and Fatigue analysis of Hip joint model was carried out using finite element software ANSYS. Stress distribution obtained from result of static analysis, material properties and S-N curve data of fabricated Ultra High molecular weight polyethylene / 50 wt% short E glass fibres + 40 wt% TiO2 Polymer matrix composites specimens were used to estimate fatigue life of Hip joint using stiffness Degradation model for polymer matrix composites. The stress distribution obtained from static analysis was found to be within the acceptable range.The factor of safety calculated from linear Palmgren linear damage rule is less than one, which indicates the component is safe under the design.

Keywords: hip joint, polymer matrix composite, static analysis, fatigue analysis, stress life approach

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Authors: Jesus Hernandez, Zead Elzoeiry, Md. S. Islam, Abel E. Navarro

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The adsorption of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and human hemoglobin (Hb) on naturally-occurring adsorbents was studied to evaluate the potential recovery of proteins from meat industry residues. Spent peppermint tea (PM), powdered purple corn cob (PC), natural clay (NC) and chemically-modified clay (MC) were investigated to elucidate the effects of pH, adsorbent dose, initial protein concentration, presence of salts and heavy metals. Equilibrium data were fitted according to isotherm models, reporting a maximum adsorption capacity at pH 8 of 318 and 344 mg BSA/g of PM and NC, respectively. Moreover, Hb displayed maximum adsorption capacity at pH 5 of 125 and 143 mg/g of PM and PC, respectively. Hofmeister salt effect was only observed for PM/Hb system. Salts tend to decrease protein adsorption, and the presence of Cu(II) ions had negligible impacts on the adsorption onto NC and PC. Desorption experiments confirmed that more than 85% of both proteins can be recovered with diluted acids and bases. SEM, EDX, and TGA analyses demonstrated that the adsorbents have favorable morphological and mechanical properties. The long-term goal of this study aims to recover soluble proteins from industrial wastewaters to produce animal food or any protein-based product.

Keywords: adsorption, albumin, clay, hemoglobin, spent peppermint leaf

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Authors: Yen-Ting Chiu, Chia-Ying Lin, Pei-Hsuan Ho

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New technologies can help solve the problem of labor shortage and the decline of birthrate. Technologies can improve human’s life and reduce the burden on the staff and bring convenience to people. That’s why unmanned retail store X-Store was established in Taiwan to create more valuable services and shopping experiences based on smart retailing. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of unmanned stores, X-Store, on customers’ behavioral intentions. It uses the Unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model as a basis and adds a perceived value factor to explain customer willingness to use the X-Store. In addition, the study further divided the sample into gender and age groups to compare behavioral differences between different groups. The study collected 214 valid questionnaires through online questionnaires. Using SPSS as a statistical analysis tool, the results of the study show that effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, and perceived value have a significant impact on behavioral intention to use X-Store. However, performance expectancy is not significant. This research concludes with managerial implications and suggestions for retail practitioners.

Keywords: perceived value, smart retailing, unmanned store, UTAUT, X-Store

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Authors: Ran Etgar, Sarit Freund

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Agile project management (APM) has been developed originally for software development project. Construction projects seemed to be more apt to traditional water-fall approach than to APM. However, Construction project suffers from similar problems that necessitated the invention of APM, mainly the need to break down the project structure to small increments, thus minimizing the needed managerial planning and design. Since the classical structure of APM is not applicable the way it is to construction project, a modified version of APM was devised. This method, nicknamed 'The anchor method', exploits the fundamentals of APM (i.e., iterations, or sprints of short time frames or timeboxes, cross-functional teams, risk reduction and adaptation to changes) and adjust them to the construction world. The projects had to be structured appropriately to proactively and quickly adapt to change. The method aims to encompass human behavior and lean towards adaptivity rather than predictability. To enable smooth application of the method, a special project management software was developed, so as to provide solid administrational help and accurate data. The method is tested on a bunch of construction projects and some key performance indicators (KPIs) are collected. According to preliminary results the method is indeed very advantageous and with proper assimilation can radically change the construction project management paradigm.

Keywords: agile project management, construction, information systems, project management

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Authors: Luo Jin China, Jin Fang

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Countryside has been generally recognized and regarded as a characteristic symbol which presents in human memory for a long time. As a result of the change of times, because of it’s failure to meet the growing needs of the growing life and mental decline, the vast rural area began to decline. But their history feature image which accumulated by the ancient tradition provides people with the origins of existence on the spiritual level, such as "identity" and "belonging", makes people closer to the others in the spiritual and psychological aspects of a common experience about the past, thus the sense of a lack of culture caused by the losing of memory symbols is weakened. So, in the modernization process, how to repair its vitality and transform and planning it in a sustainable way has become a hot topics in architectural and urban planning. This paper aims to break the constraints of disciplines, from the perspective of interdiscipline, using the research methods of systems science to analyze and discuss the theories and methods of rural form factors, which based on the viewpoint of memory in psychology. So, we can find a right way to transform the Rural to give full play to the role of the countryside in the actual use and the shape of history spirits.

Keywords: rural, sustainable renovation, restoration, psychology, memory

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Authors: Lotem Sarid, Meirav Trebicz-Geffen, Serge Ankri

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Queuosine (Q) is a naturally occurring modified nucleoside that occurs in the first position of transfer RNA anticodons such as Asp, Asn, His, and Tyr. As eukaryotes lack pathways to synthesize queuine, the nucleobase of queuosine, they must obtain it from their diet or gut microbiota. Our previous work investigated the effects of queuine on the physiology of the eukaryotic parasite Entamoeba histolytica and defined the enzyme EhTGT responsible for its incorporation into tRNA. To our best knowledge, it is unknown how E. histolytica salvages Q from gut bacteria. We used N-acryloyl-3-aminophenylboronic acid (APB) PAGE analysis to demonstrate that E. histolytica trophozoites can salvage queuine from Q or E. coli K12 but not from the modified E. coli QueC strain, which cannot produce queuine. Next, we examined the role of EhDUF2419, a protein with homology to DNA glycosylase, as a queuine salvage enzyme in E. histolytica. When EhDUF2419 expression is silenced, it inhibits Q's conversion to queuine, resulting in a decrease in Q-tRNA levels. We also observed that Q protects control trophozoites from oxidative stress (OS), but not siEhDUF2419 trophozoites. Overall, our data reveal that EhDUF2419 is central for the salvaging of queuine from bacteria and for the resistance of the parasite to OS.

Keywords: entamoeba histolytica, epitranscriptomics, gut microbiota, queuine, queuosine, response to oxidative stress, tRNA modification.

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Authors: Jadisha Cornejo, Helio Pedrini

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Recognition of emotions based on facial expressions has received increasing attention from the scientific community over the last years. Several fields of applications can benefit from facial emotion recognition, such as behavior prediction, interpersonal relations, human-computer interactions, recommendation systems. In this work, we develop and analyze an emotion recognition framework based on facial expressions robust to occlusions through the Weber Local Descriptor (WLD). Initially, the occluded facial expressions are reconstructed following an extension approach of Robust Principal Component Analysis (RPCA). Then, WLD features are extracted from the facial expression representation, as well as Local Binary Patterns (LBP) and Histogram of Oriented Gradients (HOG). The feature vector space is reduced using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA). Finally, K-Nearest Neighbor (K-NN) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifiers are used to recognize the expressions. Experimental results on three public datasets demonstrated that the WLD representation achieved competitive accuracy rates for occluded and non-occluded facial expressions compared to other approaches available in the literature.

Keywords: emotion recognition, facial expression, occlusion, fiducial landmarks

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Authors: Eliane Abdo

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Small and medium sized firms “SMEs” play essential role in the countries’ economic development mainly in terms of production, employment and equitable distribution of income. For innovative SMEs, the investment in the human capital and in research and development are crucial to survive in a competitive environment. In this paper we perform a literature review to underline the financing difficulties and constraints which innovative SMEs face while investing in intangible assets: not only when defining amount of the investments but also while choosing its financing methods. Literature review revealed that in order to finance their intangible assets, SMEs rely in first on their internal financing: the availability of internal cash flows can then determine their investment’s decision. Moreover SMEs face difficulties to finance their intangibles by financial debts due to the uncertainty of future cash flow and the absence of physical guarantees; they will therefore go for the issuance of new shares as a second choice, since innovative companies have high opportunity of growth that attract new shareholders.

Keywords: small and medium sized firms, capital structure, intangible investment, financial constraints

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Authors: Ajay R, Rammohan B, Sridhar K S S, Gurusharan N

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The objective of the work is to develop a numerical method to solve the inverse mode shape problem by determining the cross-sectional area of a structure for the desired mode shape via the vibration response study of the humerus bone, which is in the form of a cantilever beam with anisotropic material properties. The humerus bone is the long bone in the arm that connects the shoulder to the elbow. The mode shape is assumed to be a higher-order polynomial satisfying a prescribed set of boundary conditions to converge the numerical algorithm. The natural frequency and the mode shapes are calculated for different boundary conditions to find the cross-sectional area of humerus bone from Eigenmode shape with the aid of the inverse mode shape algorithm. The cross-sectional area of humerus bone validates the mode shapes of specific boundary conditions. The numerical method to solve the inverse mode shape problem is validated in the biomedical application by finding the cross-sectional area of a humerus bone in the human arm.

Keywords: Cross-sectional area, Humerus bone, Inverse mode shape problem, Mode shape

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Authors: Jean C. G. Silva, Kaline N. Ferreira, Rennio F. Sena, Flavio L. H. Silva

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The Prosopis juliflora (called algaroba in Northeastern Region of Brazil) is a species of medium to large size that can reach 18 meters high, being typical of arid and semi-arid regions by to requirement less water to survive; this is a fundamental attribute from its adaptation. It's considered of multiple uses, because the trunk, the fruit, and the algaroba pods are utilized for several purposes, among them, the production of wood from lumber mill, charcoal, alcohol, animal and human consumption, being hence, a culture of economic and social value. The use of waste Prosopis juliflora can be carried out for like pyrolysis and gasification processes, in order to energy production in those regions where it is grown. Thus this study aims to characterize the residue of the algaroba pods and evaluate the kinetic parameters, activation energy (Ea) and pre-exponential factor (k0), the devolatilization process through the data obtained from TG/DTG curves with different levels of heating rates. At work was used the heating rates of 5 K.min-1, 10 K.min-1, 15 K.min-1, 20 K.min-1 and 30 K.min-1, in inert nitrogen atmosphere (99.997%) under a flow of 40 ml.min-1. The kinetic parameters were obtained using the methods of Friedman and Ozawa-Flynn-Wall.

Keywords: activation energy, devolatilization, kinetic parameters, waste

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Authors: Carlos David Carrillo Trujillo, Rebelín Echeverría Echeverría, Nancy Evia Alamilla, Rocío Quintal López

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Gender as a social construct is a term now widely studied. Within the social sciences it has become very important. In this sense, psychology tries to make some contributions from your area. The intention is to promote equal opportunities for men and women. Social, employment and educational inequities perpetuate sexism, violence and other important social problems in Mexico. The gender perspective is conceptualized as a tool to promote laws, policies, plans, programs and procedures where women are made ​​visible and empowered. The aim of this is the pursuit of equality. Thus, gender mainstreaming is one of the main challenges of education in Mexico. Only a few universities have programs, research or subjects related to the topic. Human resources, and time allocated to teachers are identified as obstacles to the institutionalization of gender. The objective was to make a diagnosis on course offerings and policies on gender. A documentary study and interviews with managers of at least 20 higher education institutions (IES's) were performed. The results indicate the need for greater gender courses, research projects and intervention. The need to promote policies that seek equal opportunities between men and women is also noted.

Keywords: gender mainstreaming, institutionalization, universities, intervention

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Authors: Ruijie Fan, Hao Xu

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Due to the increasing demand for resources, solid waste disposal is becoming an increasingly important issue to be addressed. Solid waste is not only hazardous to human health but also has a negative impact on the environment. The main sources of solid waste are metals, glass, food, plastics, paper, and electrical waste. Different types of waste may require different treatments. The UK currently lags behind other countries, such as Japan and Germany, in terms of waste management. Although the UK is catching up through various incentives, waste management education in the UK still faces challenges. Education requires a lot of work before the UK can achieve a circular economy. This paper first presents the latest information on the five main types of solid waste in the UK today. It delves into the current state of waste paper management in the UK, in addition to gathering information from the literature on the current state of waste management education in the UK as a whole. Potential barriers to the disposal of each waste type in the UK are identified, along with potential barriers to education in the UK. This study was based on a pragmatic philosophy to find possible solutions for these barriers, including questionnaires to conduct an in-depth investigation. In addition, the questionnaire analysis reveals a correlation between educational attainment and individual waste management behaviour and attitudes. This research guides inspiration on the current problems of waste management in the UK.

Keywords: circular economy, education, solid waste, waste management

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Authors: Bi Wa, Su-Yeon Kwon, Ik-Joong Kang

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Surface-enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) as the principle for enhancing Raman scattering by molecules adsorbed on rough metal surfaces or by nanostructures is used to detect the concentration change of γ-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA). GABA is the mainly inhibitory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system in the human body. It plays such significant role in reducing neuronal excitability throughout the nervous system. In this case, the Mercaptopropionic Acid (MPA) is used to modified chitosan –gold nanoshell, which enhances the absorption between GABA and Chitosan-gold nanoshell. The sulfur end of the MPA is linked to gold which is the surface of the chitosan nanoparticles via the very strong S–Au bond, while a functional group (carboxyl group) attached to GABA. The controlling of particles’ size and the surface morphology are also the important factors during the whole experiment. The particle around 100nm is using to link to MPA, and the range of GABA from 1mM to 30mM was detected by the Raman Scattering to obtain the calibrate curve. In this study, DLS, SEM, FT-IR, UV, SERS were used to analyze the products to obtain the conclusion.

Keywords: chitosan-gold nanoshell, mercaptopropionic acid, γ-aminobutyric acid, surface-enhanced raman scattering

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Authors: Yi Shan Wu, Ting Hsuan Wu, Li Wei Cheng, Pei Yu Guo

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Given the fiercely competitive environment, human capital is one of the most valuable assets in a commercial enterprise. Therefore, developing strategies to acquire more talents is crucial. Talents are mainly attracted by both internal and external employer brands as well as by the messages conveyed from the employer image. This not only manifests the importance of a brand and an image of an organization but shows people might be affected by their personal values when assessing an organization as an employer. The goal of the present study is to examine the association between employer brand, employer image, and the likelihood of increasing organizational attractiveness. In addition, we draw from social identity theory to propose value congruence may affect the relationship between employer brand and employer image. Data was collected from those people who only worked less than a year in the industry via an online survey (N=209). The results show that employer image partly mediates the effect of employer brand on organizational attractiveness. In addition, the results also suggest that value congruence does not moderate the relationship between employer brand and employer image. These findings explain why building a good employer brand could enhance organization attractiveness and indicate there should be other factors that may affect employer image building, offering directions for future research.

Keywords: organizational attractiveness, employer brand, employer image, value congruence

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Authors: Yujin Jeong, Youkyung Son, Myounghwan Choi, Sanghyub Lee, Sangyeol Lee, Changho Hwang, Kyo-in Koo

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Dysphasia is difficulty in swallowing food because of oral cavity impairments induced by stroke, muscle damage, tumor. Intermittent oro-esophageal (IOE) tube feeding is one of the well-known feeding methods for the dysphasia patients. However, it is hard to insert at the proper position in esophagus. In this study, we design and fabricate the IOE tube guide using 3-dimensional (3D) printer. The printed IOE tube is tested in a mannequin (Airway Management Trainer, Co., Ltd., Copenhagen, Denmark) mimicking human’s esophagus. The gag reflex point is measured as the design point in the mannequin. To avoid the gag reflex, we design various shapes of IOE tube guide. One structure is separated into three parts; biting part, part through oral cavity, connecting part to oro-esophageal. We designed 6 types of IOE tube guide adjusting length and angle of these three parts. To evaluate the IOE tube guide, it is inserted in the mannequin, and through the inserted guide, an endoscopic camera successfully arrived at the oro-esophageal. We had planned to apply this mannequin-based design experience to patients in near future.

Keywords: dysphagia, feeding method, IOE tube guide, 3-D printer

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Authors: Caje F. Pinto, Jivan S. Parab, Gourish M. Naik

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This paper is about the development of non-invasive heart rate and oxygen saturation in human blood using Altera NIOS II soft-core processor system. In today's world, monitoring oxygen saturation and heart rate is very important in hospitals to keep track of low oxygen levels in blood. We have designed an Embedded System On Peripheral Chip (SOPC) reconfigurable system by interfacing two LED’s of different wavelengths (660 nm/940 nm) with a single photo-detector to measure the absorptions of hemoglobin species at different wavelengths. The implementation of the interface with Finger Probe and Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) was carried out using NIOS II soft-core system running on Altera NANO DE0 board having target as Cyclone IVE. This designed system is used to monitor oxygen saturation in blood and heart rate for different test subjects. The designed NIOS II processor based non-invasive heart rate and oxygen saturation was verified with another Operon Pulse oximeter for 50 measurements on 10 different subjects. It was found that the readings taken were very close to the Operon Pulse oximeter.

Keywords: heart rate, NIOS II, oxygen saturation, photoplethysmography, soft-core, SOPC

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Authors: Hosein I. Hosein, Ragab Azzam, Ahmed M. S. Menshawy, Sherin Rouby, Khaled Hendy, Ayman Mahrous, Hany Hussien

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Brucellosis is a highly contagious bacterial zoonotic disease of a worldwide spread and has different names; Infectious or enzootic abortion and Bang's disease in animals; and Mediterranean or Malta fever, Undulant Fever and Rock fever in humans. It is caused by the different species of genus Brucella which is a Gram-negative, aerobic, non-spore forming, facultative intracellular bacterium. Brucella affects a wide range of mammals including bovines, small ruminants, pigs, equines, rodents, marine mammals as well as human resulting in serious economic losses in animal populations. In human, Brucella causes a severe illness representing a great public health problem. The disease was reported in Egypt for the first time in 1939; since then the disease remained endemic at high levels among cattle, buffalo, sheep and goat and is still representing a public health hazard. The annual economic losses due to brucellosis were estimated to be about 60 million Egyptian pounds yearly, but actual estimates are still missing despite almost 30 years of implementation of the Egyptian control programme. Despite being the gold standard, bacterial isolation has been reported to show poor sensitivity for samples with low-level of Brucella and is impractical for regular screening of large populations. Thus, serological tests still remain the corner stone for routine diagnosis of brucellosis, especially in developing countries. In the present study, a total of 1533 cows (256 from Beni-Suef Governorate, 445 from Al-Fayoum Governorate and 832 from Damietta Governorate), were employed for estimation of relative sensitivity, relative specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of buffered acidified plate antigen test (BPAT), rose bengal test (RBT) and complement fixation test (CFT). The overall seroprevalence of brucellosis revealed (19.63%). Relative sensitivity, relative specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of BPAT,RBT and CFT were estimated as, (96.27 %, 96.76 %, 87.65 % and 99.10 %), (93.42 %, 96.27 %, 90.16 % and 98.35%) and (89.30 %, 98.60 %, 94.35 %and 97.24 %) respectively. BPAT showed the highest sensitivity among the three employed serological tests. RBT was less specific than BPAT. CFT showed the least sensitivity 89.30 % among the three employed serological tests but showed the highest specificity. Different tissues specimens of 22 seropositive cows (spleen, retropharyngeal udder, and supra-mammary lymph nodes) were subjected for bacteriological studies for isolation and identification of Brucella organisms. Brucella melitensis biovar 3 could be recovered from 12 (54.55%) cows. Bacteriological examinations failed to classify 10 cases (45.45%) and were culture negative. Bruce-ladder PCR was carried out for molecular identification of the 12 Brucella isolates at the species level. Three fragments of 587 bp, 1071 bp and 1682 bp sizes were amplified indicating Brucella melitensis. The results indicated the importance of using several procedures to overcome the problem of escaping of some infected animals from diagnosis.Bruce-ladder PCR is an important tool for diagnosis and epidemiologic studies, providing relevant information for identification of Brucella spp.

Keywords: brucellosis, relative sensitivity, relative specificity, Bruce-ladder, Egypt

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Authors: Danika Tynes

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Innovations in technology have implications for sustainable development in health and wellness. Remote monitoring is one innovation for which the evidence-base has grown to support its viability as a quality healthcare delivery adjunct. This research reviews global data on telehealth adoption, in particular, remote monitoring, and the conditions under which its success becomes more likely. System-level indicators were selected to represent four constructs of DoI theory (relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, and observability) and assessed against 5 types of Telehealth (Teleradiology, Teledermatology, Telepathology, Telepsychology, and Remote Monitoring) using ordinal logistic regression. Analyses include data from 84 countries, as extracted from the World Health Organization, World Bank, ICT (Information Communications Technology) Index, and HDI (Human Development Index) datasets. Analyses supported relative advantage and compatibility as the strongest influencers of remote monitoring adoption. Findings from this research may help focus on the allocation of resources, as a sustainability concern, through consideration of systems-level factors that may influence the success of remote monitoring adoption.

Keywords: remote monitoring, diffusion of innovation, telehealth, digital health

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Authors: Aswin V. J., Sreeja S., R. Harikumar

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Ship collision is one of the major concerns while navigating in the ocean. In congested sea routes where there are hectic offshore operations, ships are often forced to take close encounter maneuvers. Maritime rules for preventing collision at sea are defined in the International Regulations for Preventing Collision at Sea. Traffic Separation Schemes (TSS) are traffic management route systems ruled by International Maritime Organization (IMO), where the traffic lanes indicate the general direction of traffic flow. The Rule 10 of International Regulations for Preventing Collision at Sea prescribes the conduct of vessels while navigating through TSS. But no quantitative criteria regarding the procedures to detect and evaluate collision risk is specified in International Regulations for Preventing Collision at Sea. Most of the accidents that occur are due to operational errors affected by human factors such as lack of experience and loss of situational awareness. In open waters, the traffic density is less when compared to that in TSS, and hence the vessels can be operated in autopilot mode. A collision avoidance method that uses the possible obstacle trajectories in advance to predict “collision occurrence” and can generate suitable maneuvers for collision avoidance is presented in this paper. The suitable course and propulsion changes that can be used in a TSS considering International Regulations for Preventing Collision at Sea are found out for various obstacle scenarios.

Keywords: collision avoidance, maneuvers, obstacle trajectories, traffic separation scheme

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Authors: Sherry Ann Ganase, Sandra Sookram

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In this paper, the vulnerability level to climate change is analysed using a comprehensive index, consisting of five pillars: human, social, natural, physical, and financial. A structural equation model is also applied to determine the indicators and relationships that exist between the observed environmental changes and the quality of life. Using survey data to model the results, a value of 0.382 is derived as the vulnerability level for San Pedro, where values closer to zero indicates lower vulnerability and values closer to one indicates higher vulnerability. The results showed the social pillar to be most vulnerable, with the indicator ‘participation’ ranked the highest in its cohort. Although, the environmental pillar is ranked as least vulnerable, the indicators ‘hazard’ and ‘biodiversity’ obtained scores closer to 0.4, suggesting that changes in the environment are occurring from natural and anthropogenic activities. These changes can negatively influence the quality of life as illustrated in the structural equation modelling. The study concludes by reporting on the need for collective action and participation by households in lowering vulnerability to ensure sustainable development and livelihood.

Keywords: climate change, participation, San Pedro, structural equation model, vulnerability index

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Authors: Diego Adrian Cardenas Jorge, Gerardo Mirando Guisado, Alfredo Barrientos Padilla

Abstract:

A system based on Affective Computing can detect and interpret human information like voice, facial expressions and body movement to detect emotions and execute a corresponding response. This data is important due to the fact that a person can communicate more effectively with emotions than can be possible with words. This information can be processed through technological components like Facial Recognition, Gait Recognition or Gesture Recognition. As of now, solutions proposed using this technology only consider one component at a given moment. This research investigation proposes two solutions based on Affective Computing taking into account more than one component for emotion detection. The proposals reflect the levels of dependency between hardware devices and software, as well as the interaction process between the system and the user which implies the development of scenarios where both proposals will be put to the test in a live environment. Both solutions are to be developed in code by software engineers to prove the feasibility. To validate the impact on society and business interest, interviews with stakeholders are conducted with an investment mind set where each solution is labeled on a scale of 1 through 5, being one a minimum possible investment and 5 the maximum.

Keywords: affective computing, emotions, emotion detection, face recognition, gait recognition

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Authors: Sokratis Koskinakis, Georgia Frakolaki, Magdalini Krokida

Abstract:

Regular consumption of omega-3 fatty acid-rich lipids is said to provide a wide range of health benefits, including prevention of inflammation, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, and ulcerative colitis. Because of their potential nutritional and health benefits, the omega-3 PUFAs are increasingly being supplemented in functional food products meant to improve human health and wellbeing. However, dietary fortification with PUFAs is difficult due to their low water solubility, tendency to oxidize quickly, and inconsistent bioavailability. These issues can be solved through application of modern encapsulation technologies, which typically entail integrating omega-3 oils into well-designed matrices made from food-grade components. Electrospinning, for example, is an effective encapsulation method for producing sub-micron or nano-scale polymer fibers. For this purpose, various combinations of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin and cellulose nanocrystals/ nanofibers were assessed for the encapsulation of omega-3 fatty acids through the innovative technology of electrospinning. The encapsulation yield was evaluated through GC-analysis, and the morphology of the final products was assessed through SEM analysis.

Keywords: electrospinning, encapsulation, omega-3 fatty acids, cellulose nanocrystals / nanofibers

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Authors: Ibrahim Aliyu Isaha, Mohd Mansor Ismailb , Salim Hassanc, Norsida Bint Man

Abstract:

The Global and National income derive from a stingless beekeeping project is a new source of wealth to Malaysia. A common stingless bee species, Trigona itama, potential production through effective utilization of highly competent agents of extension services will lead to higher output that guaranteed maximum income. The study covers a sample beekeepers in ten states and it was designed to examine various impacts of extension services as variables in enhancing sustainable stingless beekeeping production. In addition, the study also determined the profitability of stingless beekeeping production through technology transfer and human resource development. Correlation and Regression analyses were used on a sample size of 87 stingless beekeepers representing 72% of filled questionnaires. The cost-benefit analysis showed participants received lucrative monthly income of more than rm3500. The results indicated positive outcome from extension services that increased production, and hence, generated better additional income to participants. In summary, it is possible for the extension services to increase output of stingless beekeeping through technology transfer

Keywords: extension services, malaysia, profitability, stingless bee, trigona itama production

Procedia PDF Downloads 46

Authors: Ana B. Carrera-Aguilar , Rodrigo T. Sepulveda-Hirose, Diego A. Bernal-Gurrusquieta, Francisco A. Ramirez Casas

Abstract:

In recent years, Mexico City has presented high levels of atmospheric pollution; the city is also an example of inequality and poverty that impact metropolitan areas around the world. This combination of social and economic exclusion, coupled with high levels of pollution evidence the loss of well-being among the population. The effect of air pollution on quality of life is an area of study that has been overlooked. The purpose of this study is to find relations between air quality and quality of life in Mexico City through statistical analysis of a regression model and principal component analysis of several atmospheric contaminants (CO, NO₂, ozone, particulate matter, SO₂) and well-being indexes (HDI, poverty, inequality, life expectancy and health care index). The data correspond to official information (INEGI, SEDEMA, and CEPAL) for 2000-2018. Preliminary results show that the Human Development Index (HDI) is affected by the impacts of pollution, and its indicators are reduced in the presence of contaminants. It is necessary to promote a strong interest in this issue in Mexico City. Otherwise, the problem will not only remain but will worsen affecting those who have less and the population well-being in a generalized way.

Keywords: air quality, Mexico City, quality of life, statistics

Procedia PDF Downloads 126

Authors: Ali Dehghan Manshadi, David H. StJohn, Matthew S. Dargusch, M. Qian

Abstract:

Biocompatible, highly porous titanium scaffolds were manufactured by metal injection moulding of spherical titanium powder (powder size: -45 µm) with potassium chloride (powder size: -250 µm) as a space holder. Property evaluation of scaffolds confirmed a high level of compatibility between their mechanical properties and those of human cortical bone. The optimum sintering temperature was found to be 1250°C producing scaffolds with more than 90% interconnected pores in the size range of 200-250 µm, yield stress of 220 MPa and Young’s modulus of 7.80 GPa, all of which are suitable for bone tissue engineering. Increasing the sintering temperature to 1300°C increased the Young’s modulus to 22.0 GPa while reducing the temperature to 1150°C reduced the yield stress to 120 MPa due to incomplete sintering. The residual potassium chloride was determined vs. sintering temperature. A comparison was also made between the porous titanium scaffolds fabricated in this study and the additively manufactured titanium lattices of similar porosity reported in the literature.

Keywords: titanium, metal injection moulding, mechanical properties, scaffolds

Procedia PDF Downloads 189