Search results for: non-convex cost function

Authors: Sandeep Kumar, Naveen Gupta

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Terahertz (THz) generation has been investigated by beating two cosh-Gaussian laser beams of the same amplitude but different wavenumbers and frequencies through rippled collisionless plasma. The ponderomotive force is operative which is induced due to the intensity gradient of the laser beam over the cross-section area of the wavefront. The electrons evacuate towards a low-intensity regime, which modifies the dielectric function of the medium and results in cross focusing of cosh-Gaussian laser beams. The evolution of spot size of laser beams has been studied by solving nonlinear Schrodinger wave equation (NLSE) with variational technique. The laser beams impart oscillations to electrons which are enhanced with ripple density. The nonlinear oscillatory motion of electrons gives rise to a nonlinear current density driving THz radiation. It has been observed that the periodicity of the ripple density helps to enhance the THz radiation.

Keywords: rippled collisionless plasma, cosh-gaussian laser beam, ponderomotive force, variational technique, nonlinear current density

Procedia PDF Downloads 192

Authors: M. Najafi

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In the present paper, a large turbo-generator shaft train including a heavy-duty gas turbine engine, a coupling, and a generator is established. The method of analysis is based on finite element simplified model for lateral and torsional vibration calculation. The basic elements of rotor are the shafts and the disks which are represented as circular cross section flexible beams and rigid body elements, respectively. For more accurate results, the gyroscopic effect and bearing dynamics coefficients and function of rotation are taken into account, and for the influence of shear effect, rotor has been modeled in the form of Timoshenko beam. Lateral critical speeds, critical speed map, damped mode shapes, Campbell diagram, zones of instability, amplitudes, phase angles response due to synchronous forces of excitation and amplification factor are calculated. Also, in the present paper, the effect of imbalanced rotor and effects of changing in internal force and temperature are studied.

Keywords: rotor dynamic analysis, finite element method, shaft train, Campbell diagram

Procedia PDF Downloads 132

Authors: Tarek M. Alguhane, Ayman H. Khalil, Nour M. Fayed, Ayman M. Ismail

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An existing RC building in Madinah is seismically evaluated with and without infill wall. Four model systems have been considered i. e. model I (no infill), model IIA (strut infill-update from field test), model IIB (strut infill- ASCE/SEI 41) and model IIC (strut infill-Soft storey-ASCE/SEI 41). Three dimensional pushover analyses have been carried out using SAP 2000 software incorporating inelastic material behavior for concrete, steel and infill walls. Infill wall has been modeled as equivalent strut according to suggested equation matching field test measurements and to the ASCE/SEI 41 equation. The effect of building modeling on the performance point as well as capacity and demand spectra due to EQ design spectrum function in Madinah area has been investigated. The response modification factor (R) for the 5 story RC building is evaluated from capacity and demand spectra (ATC-40) for the studied models. The results are summarized and discussed.

Keywords: infill wall, pushover analysis, response modification factor, seismic assessment

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Authors: A. Mousavi, S. Sadegzadeh

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In this research, the effect of non-thermal micro plasma with non-Maxwellian distribution function on the one dimensional plasma photonic crystals containing alternate plasma-dielectric layers, has been studied. By using Kronig Penny model, the dispersion relation of electromagnetic modes for such a periodic structure is obtained. In this study we take two plasma photonic crystals with different dielectric layers: the first one with Silicon monoxide named PPCI, and the second one with Tellurium dioxide named PPCII. The effects of the plasma layer thickness and the material of the dielectric layer on the plasma photonic crystal band gaps have been illustrated in the dispersion relation and the group velocity figures. Results revealed that in such a system, the non-thermal plasma exerts stronger limit on the wave’s propagation. In another word, for the non-thermal plasma photonic crystals (NPPC), there are two distinct regions in the dispersion plot. The upper region consists of alternate band gaps in such a way that both width and length of the bands decrease gradually as the band gaps order increases. Whereas in the lower region where v_ph > 20 c (for PPCI), waves will not be allowed to propagate.

Keywords: band gap, dispersion relation, non-thermal plasma, plasma photonic crystal

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Authors: B. M. Vishal, Monamie Basu, Gopinath M., Rose Havilah Pulla

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Though there are several methods of synthesizing silver nano particles, Green synthesis always has its own dignity. Ranging from the cost-effectiveness to the ease of synthesis, the process is simplified in the best possible way and is one of the most explored topics. This study of extracting secondary metabolites from Perilla frutescens and using them for therapeutic additives has its own significance. Unlike the other researches that have been done so far, this study aims to synthesize Silver nano particles from Perilla frutescens using three available forms of the plant: leaves, seed, and commercial leaf extract powder. Perilla frutescens, commonly known as 'Beefsteak Plant', is a perennial plant and belongs to the mint family. The plant has two varieties classed within itself. They are frutescens crispa and frutescens frutescens. The species, frutescens crispa (commonly known as 'Shisho' in Japanese), is generally used for edible purposes. Its leaves occur in two forms, varying on the colors. It is found in two different colors of red with purple streaks and green with crinkly pattern on it. This species is aromatic due to the presence of two major compounds: polyphenols and perillaldehyde. The red (purple streak) variety of this plant is due to the presence of a pigment, Perilla anthocyanin. The species, frutescens frutescens (commonly known as 'Egoma' in Japanese), is the main source for perilla oil. This species is also aromatic, but in this case, the major compound which gives the aroma is Perilla ketone or egoma ketone. Shisho grows short as compared with Wild Sesame and both produce seeds. The seeds of Wild Sesame are large and soft whereas that of Shisho is small and hard. The seeds have a large proportion of lipids, ranging about 38-45 percent. Excluding those, the seeds have a large quantity of Omega-3 fatty acids, linoleic acid, and an Omega-6 fatty acid. Other than these, Perilla leaf extract has gold and silver nano particles in it. The yield comparison in all the cases have been done, and the process’ optimal conditions were modified, keeping in mind the efficiencies. The characterization of secondary metabolites includes GC-MS and FTIR which can be used to identify the components of purpose that actually helps in synthesizing silver nano particles. The analysis of silver was done through a series of characterization tests that include XRD, UV-Vis, EDAX, and SEM. After the synthesis, for being used as therapeutic additives, the toxin analysis was done, and the results were tabulated. The synthesis of silver nano particles was done in a series of multiple cycles of extraction from leaves, seeds and commercially purchased leaf extract. The yield and efficiency comparison were done to bring out the best and the cheapest possible way of synthesizing silver nano particles using Perilla frutescens. The synthesized nano particles can be used in therapeutic drugs, which has a wide range of application from burn treatment to cancer treatment. This will, in turn, replace the traditional processes of synthesizing nano particles, as this method will prove effective in terms of cost and the environmental implications.

Keywords: nanoparticles, green synthesis, Perilla frutescens, characterisation, toxin analysis

Procedia PDF Downloads 220

Authors: T. Godwin

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The design of a supply chain always entails the trade-off between responsiveness and efficiency. The launch of e-commerce has not only changed the way of shopping but also altered the supply chain design while trading off efficiency with responsiveness. A concept called ‘virtual responsiveness’ is introduced in the context of e-commerce supply chain. A simulation model is developed to compare actual responsiveness and virtual responsiveness to the customer in an e-commerce supply chain. The simulation is restricted to the movement of goods from the e-tailer to the customer. Customer demand follows a statistical distribution and is generated using inverse transformation technique. The two responsiveness schemes of the supply chain are compared in terms of the minimum number of inventory required at the e-tailer to fulfill the orders. Computational results show the savings achieved through virtual responsiveness. The insights gained from this study could be used to redesign e-commerce supply chain by incorporating virtual responsiveness. A part of the achieved cost savings could be passed back to the customer, thereby making the supply chain both effective and competitive.

Keywords: e-commerce, simulation modeling, supply chain, virtual responsiveness

Procedia PDF Downloads 335

Authors: Abdelaziz Fellah, Allaoua Maamir

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We propose a domain-independent merging-cluster filter approach complemented with a set of algorithms for identifying approximate duplicate entities efficiently and accurately within a single and across multiple data sources. The near-optimal merging-cluster filter (MCF) approach is based on the Monge-Elkan well-tuned algorithm and extended with an affine variant of the Smith-Waterman similarity measure. Then we present constant, variable, and function threshold algorithms that work conceptually in a divide-merge filtering fashion for detecting near duplicates as hierarchical clusters along with their corresponding representatives. The algorithms take recursive refinement approaches in the spirit of filtering, merging, and updating, cluster representatives to detect approximate duplicates at each level of the cluster tree. Experiments show a high effectiveness and accuracy of the MCF approach in detecting approximate duplicates by outperforming the seminal Monge-Elkan’s algorithm on several real-world benchmarks and generated datasets.

Keywords: data mining, data cleaning, approximate duplicates, near-duplicates detection, data mining applications and discovery

Procedia PDF Downloads 375

Authors: Aristeidis Samitas, Stathis Polyzos

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As the UK and the EU prepare to start negotiations for Brexit, it is important for both sides to comprehend the full extent of the consequences of this process. In this paper, we employ an object oriented simulation framework in order to test for the short-term and long-term effects of Brexit on both sides of the Channel. The relative strength of the UK economy and the banking sector vis-à-vis the EU is taken under consideration. Our results confirm predictions in the relevant literature regarding the output cost of Brexit, with particular emphasis on the EU. Furthermore, we show that financial stability is also an important issue on both sides, with the banking system suffering significant losses, particularly over the longer term. Our findings suggest that policymakers should be extremely careful in handling Brexit negotiations, making sure to consider dynamic effects that may be caused by UK bank assets moving to the EU after Brexit. The model results show that, as the UK banking system loses its assets, the end state of the UK economy is deteriorated while the end state of EU economy is improved.

Keywords: Banking Crises, Brexit, Financial Stability, VBanking

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Authors: M. S. Ahmed, F. A. Mohammad

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The aim of this paper is to perform experimental modal analysis (EMA) of reinforced concrete (RC) square slabs. EMA is the process of determining the modal parameters (Natural Frequencies, damping factors, modal vectors) of a structure from a set of frequency response functions FRFs (curve fitting). Although experimental modal analysis (or modal testing) has grown steadily in popularity since the advent of the digital FFT spectrum analyzer in the early 1970’s, studying all members and materials using such method have not yet been well documented. Therefore, in this work, experimental tests were conducted on RC square specimens (0.6m x 0.6m with 40 mm). Experimental analysis is based on freely supported boundary condition. Moreover, impact testing as a fast and economical means of finding the modes of vibration of a structure was used during the experiments. In addition, Pico Scope 6 device and MATLAB software were used to acquire data, analyze and plot Frequency Response Function (FRF). The experimental natural frequencies which were extracted from measurements exhibit good agreement with analytical predictions. It is showed that EMA method can be usefully employed to perform the dynamic behavior of RC slabs.

Keywords: natural frequencies, mode shapes, modal analysis, RC slabs

Procedia PDF Downloads 398

Authors: Fang Lian, Zefang Chenli, Laijun Ma, Lei Mao

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Up to now, electrolytic process is a popular way to prepare Mn and MnO2 (EMD) with high purity. However, the conventional preparation process of manganese oxide such as Mn3O4 with high purity from electrolytic manganese metal is characterized by long production-cycle, high-pollution discharge and high energy consumption especially initially from low-grade rhodochrosite, the main resources for exploitation and applications in China. Moreover, Mn3O4 prepared from electrolytic manganese shows large particles, single morphology beyond the control and weak chemical activity. On the other hand, hydrometallurgical method combined with thermal decomposition, hydrothermal synthesis and sol-gel processes has been widely studied because of its high efficiency, low consumption and low cost. But the key problem in direct preparation of manganese oxide series from low-grade rhodochrosite is to remove completely the multiple impurities such as iron, silicon, calcium and magnesium. It is urgent to develop a sustainable approach to high pure manganese oxide series with character of short process, high efficiency, environmentally friendly and economical benefit. In our work, the preparation technique of high pure Mn3O4 directly from low-grade rhodochrosite ore (13.86%) was studied and improved intensively, including the effective leaching process and the short purifying process. Based on the same ion effect, the repeated leaching of rhodochrosite with sulfuric acid is proposed to improve the solubility of Mn2+ and inhibit the dissolution of the impurities Ca2+ and Mg2+. Moreover, the repeated leaching process could make full use of sulfuric acid and lower the cost of the raw material. With the aid of theoretical calculation, Ba(OH)2 was chosen to adjust the pH value of manganese sulfate solution and BaF2 to remove Ca2+ and Mg2+ completely in the process of purifying. Herein, the recovery ratio of manganese and removal ratio of the impurity were evaluated via chemical titration and ICP analysis, respectively. Comparison between conventional preparation technique from electrolytic manganese and a sustainable approach directly from low-grade rhodochrosite have also been done herein. The results demonstrate that the extraction ratio and the recovery ratio of manganese reached 94.3% and 92.7%, respectively. The heavy metal impurities has been decreased to less than 1ppm, and the content of calcium, magnesium and sodium has been decreased to less than 20ppm, which meet standards of high pure reagent for energy and electronic materials. In compare with conventional technique from electrolytic manganese, the power consumption has been reduced to ≤2000 kWh/t(product) in our short-process approach. Moreover, comprehensive recovery rate of manganese increases significantly, and the wastewater generated from our short-process approach contains low content of ammonia/ nitrogen about 500 mg/t(product) and no toxic emissions. Our study contributes to the sustainable application of low-grade manganese ore. Acknowledgements: The authors are grateful to the National Science and Technology Support Program of China (No.2015BAB01B02) for financial support to the work.

Keywords: leaching, high purity, low-grade rhodochrosite, manganese oxide, purifying process, recovery ratio

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Authors: Damian Graham, Ashleigh H. Hall, Damani R. Sulph, Michael A. James, Shawn B. Vassell

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This paper assesses the design and feasibility of a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Jamaica as a possible green industry approach to the nation’s economic and solid waste management problems. Jamaica is a developing nation that is vulnerable to climate change that can affect its blue economy and tourism on which it is heavily reliant. Jamaica’s National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) collects only a fraction of all the solid waste produced annually which is then transported to dumpsites. The remainder is either burnt by the population or disposed of illegally. These practices negatively impact the environment, threaten the sustainability of economic growth from blue economy and tourism and its waste management system is predominantly a cost centre. The implementation of an MRF could boost the manufacturing sector, contribute to economic growth, and be a catalyst in creating a green industry with multiple downstream value chains with supply chain linkages. Globally, there is a trend to reuse and recycle that created an international market for recycled solid waste. MRFs enable the efficient sorting of solid waste into desired recoverable materials thus providing a gateway for entrance to the international trading of recycled waste. Research into the current state and effort to improve waste management in Jamaica in contrast with the similar and more advanced territories are outlined. The study explores the concept of green industrialization and its applicability to vulnerable small state economies like Jamaica. The study highlights the possible contributions and benefits derived from MRFs as a seeding factory that can anchor the reverse and forward logistics of other green industries as part of a logistic-cantered economy. Further, the study showcases an engineering economic analysis that assesses the viability of the implementation of an MRF in Jamaica. This research outlines the potential cost of constructing and operating an MRF and provides a realistic cash flow estimate to establish a baseline for profitability. The approach considers quantitative and qualitative data, assumptions, and modelling using industrial engineering tools and techniques that are outlined. Techniques of facility planning, system analysis and operations research with a focus on linear programming techniques are expressed. Approaches to overcome some implementation challenges including policy, technology and public education are detailed. The results of this study present a reasonable judgment of the prospects of incorporating an MRF to improve Jamaica’s solid waste management and contribute to socioeconomic and environmental benefits and an alternate pathway for economic sustainability.

Keywords: engineering-economic analysis, facility design, green industry, MRF, manufacturing, plant layout, solid-waste management, sustainability, waste disposal

Procedia PDF Downloads 218

Authors: Aisulu Tileukulova, Zhexebay Dauren

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Radar plays an important role because it is widely used in civil and military fields. Target detection is one of the most important radar applications. The accuracy of detecting inconspicuous aerial objects in radar facilities is lower against the background of noise. Convolutional neural networks can be used to improve the recognition of this type of aerial object. The purpose of this work is to develop an algorithm for recognizing aerial objects using convolutional neural networks, as well as training a neural network. In this paper, the structure of a convolutional neural network (CNN) consists of different types of layers: 8 convolutional layers and 3 layers of a fully connected perceptron. ReLU is used as an activation function in convolutional layers, while the last layer uses softmax. It is necessary to form a data set for training a neural network in order to detect a target. We built a Confusion Matrix of the CNN model to measure the effectiveness of our model. The results showed that the accuracy when testing the model was 95.7%. Classification of echo signals using CNN shows high accuracy and significantly speeds up the process of predicting the target.

Keywords: radar, neural network, convolutional neural network, echo signals

Procedia PDF Downloads 338

Authors: Birome Holo Ba, Christian Prins, Caroline Prodhon

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Optimization is an important aspect of logistics management. It can reduce significantly logistics costs and also be a good tool for decision support. In this paper, we address a planning problem specific to biomass supply chain. We propose a new mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model dealing with different feed stock production operations such as harvesting, packing, storage, pre-processing and transportation, with the objective of minimizing the total logistic cost of the system on a regional basis. It determines the optimal number of harvesting machine, the fleet size of trucks for transportation and the amount of each type of biomass harvested, stored and pre-processed in each period to satisfy demands of refineries in each period. We illustrate the effectiveness of the proposal model with a numerical example, a case study in Aube (France department), which gives preliminary and interesting, results on a small test case.

Keywords: biomass logistics, supply chain, modelling, optimization, bioenergy, biofuels

Procedia PDF Downloads 506

Authors: Seok Hong Min, Tae Kwon Ha

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With increasing demands for high performance materials, intensive interest on the Ti has been focused. Especially, low cost production process of Ti has been extremely necessitated from wide parts and various industries. Tetrachloride (TiCl₄) is produced by fluidized bed using high TiO₂ feedstock and used as an intermediate product for the production of metal titanium sponge. Reduction of TiCl₄ is usually conducted by Kroll process using magnesium as a reduction reagent, producing metallic Ti in the shape of sponge. The process is batch type and takes very long time including post processes treating sponge. As an alternative reduction reagent, hydrogen in the state of plasma has long been strongly recommended. Experimental confirmation has not been completely reported yet and more strict analysis is required. In the present study, hydrogen plasma reduction process has been thermodynamically analyzed focusing the effects of temperature, pressure and concentration. All thermodynamic calculations were performed using the FactSage® thermodynamical software.

Keywords: TiCl₄, titanium, hydrogen, plasma, reduction, thermodynamic calculation

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Authors: Shahin Zanbaghi, Saeed Samet

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The internet has transformed the way we shop. Previously, most of our purchases came in the form of shopping trips to a nearby store. Now, it’s as easy as clicking a mouse. But with great convenience comes great responsibility. We have to be constantly vigilant about our personal information. In this work, our proposed approach is to encrypt the information printed on the physical packages, which include personal information in plain text, using a symmetric encryption algorithm; then, we store that encrypted information into a Blockchain network rather than storing them in companies or corporations centralized databases. We present, implement and assess a blockchain-based system using Ethereum smart contracts. We present detailed algorithms that explain the details of our smart contract. We present the security, cost, and performance analysis of the proposed method. Our work indicates that the proposed solution is economically attainable and provides data integrity, security, transparency, and data traceability.

Keywords: blockchain, Ethereum, smart contract, commit-reveal scheme

Procedia PDF Downloads 139

Authors: Sadegh Abedi, Ali Yaghoubi, Hamidreza Mashatzadegan

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This paper proposes an approach to identify key processes required by an organization in the field of knowledge management and aligning them with organizational objectives. For this purpose, first, organization’s most important non-financial objectives which are impacted by knowledge management processes are identified and then, using a quality house, are linked with knowledge management processes which are regarded as technical elements. Using this method, processes that are in need of improvement and more attention are prioritized based on their significance. This means that if a process has more influence on organization’s objectives and is in a dire situation comparing to others, is prioritized for choice and improvement. In this research process dominance is considered to be an influential element in process ranking (in addition to communication matrix). This is the reason for utilizing DEA techniques for prioritizing processes in quality house. Results of implementing the method in Khuzestan steel company represents this method’s capability of identifying key processes that require improvements in organization’s knowledge management system.

Keywords: knowledge management, organizational performance, fuzzy data, envelopment analysis

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Authors: Maureen Kamau, Gulnaz Mohamoud, Adelaide Lusambili, Njeri Nyanja

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Life expectancy has increased over the last century amongst older individuals, and in particular, those 60 years and over. The World Health Organization estimates that the world's population of persons over 60 years will rise to 22 per cent by the year 2050. Ageing is associated with increasing disability, multiple chronic conditions, and an increase in the use of health services. These multiple chronic conditions are managed with polypharmacy. Polypharmacy has numerous adverse effects including non-adherence, poor compliance to the various medications, reduced appetite, and risk of fall. Studies on polypharmacy and ageing are few and poorly understood especially in low and middle - income countries. The aim of this study was to explore the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of older people towards polypharmacy. A qualitative study of 15 patients aged 60 years and above, taking more than five medications per day were conducted at the Aga Khan University using Semi-structured in-depth interviews. Three interviews were pilot interviews, and data analysis was performed on 12 interviews. Data were analyzed using NVIVO 12 software. A thematic qualitative analysis was carried out guided by Braun and Clarke (2006) framework. Themes identified; - knowledge of their co-morbidities and of the medication that older persons take, sources of information about medicines, and storage of the medication, experiences and attitudes of older patients towards polypharmacy both positive and negative, older peoples beliefs and their coping mechanisms with polypharmacy. The study participants had good knowledge on their multiple co-morbidities, and on the medication they took. The patients had positive attitudes towards medication as it enhanced their health and well-being, and enabled them to perform their activities of daily living. There was a strong belief among older patients that the medications were necessary for their health. All these factors enhanced compliance to the multiple medication. However, some older patients had negative attitudes due to the pill burden, side effects of the medication, and stigma associated with being ill. Cost of healthcare was a concern, with most of the patients interviewed relying on insurance to cover the cost of their medication. Older patients had accepted that the medication they were prescribed were necessary for their health, as it enabled them to complete their activities of daily living. Some concerns about the side effects of the medication arose, and brought about the need for patient education that would ensure that the patients are aware of the medications they take, and potential side effects. The effect that the COVID 19 pandemic had in the healthcare of the older patients was evident by the number of the older patients avoided coming to the hospital during the period of the pandemic. The relationship with the primary care physician and the older patients is an important one, especially in LMICs such as Kenya, as many of the older patients trusted the doctors wholeheartedly to make the best decision about their health and about their medication. Prescription review is important to avoid the use of potentially inappropriate medication.

Keywords: polypharmacy, older patients, multiple chronic conditions, Kenya, Africa, qualitative study, indepth interviews, primary care

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Authors: Amir Hajian, Sepehr Damavandinejadmonfared

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In this paper the issue of dimensionality reduction is investigated in finger vein recognition systems using kernel Principal Component Analysis (KPCA). One aspect of KPCA is to find the most appropriate kernel function on finger vein recognition as there are several kernel functions which can be used within PCA-based algorithms. In this paper, however, another side of PCA-based algorithms -particularly KPCA- is investigated. The aspect of dimension of feature vector in PCA-based algorithms is of importance especially when it comes to the real-world applications and usage of such algorithms. It means that a fixed dimension of feature vector has to be set to reduce the dimension of the input and output data and extract the features from them. Then a classifier is performed to classify the data and make the final decision. We analyze KPCA (Polynomial, Gaussian, and Laplacian) in details in this paper and investigate the optimal feature extraction dimension in finger vein recognition using KPCA.

Keywords: biometrics, finger vein recognition, principal component analysis (PCA), kernel principal component analysis (KPCA)

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Authors: Linda A. O’Higgins, Astrid Wingler, Jorge Oliveira

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The growth of Chlorella vulgaris was characterized as a function of irradiance in a laboratory turbidostat (1 L) and compared to batch growth in sunlit modules (5–25 L) of the commercial Phytobag photobioreactor. The effects of variable sunlight and culture density were deconvoluted by a mathematical model. The analysis showed that algal growth was light-limited due to shading by external construction elements and due to light attenuation within the algal bags. The model was also used to predict maximum biomass productivity. The manipulative experiments and the model predictions were confronted with data from a production season of a 10m2 pilot-scale photobioreactor, Phytobag (10,000 L). The analysis confirmed light limitation in all three photobioreactors. An additional limitation of biomass productivity was caused by the nitrogen starvation that was used to induce lipid accumulation. Reduction of shading and separation of biomass and lipid production are proposed for future optimization.

Keywords: microalgae, batch cultivation, Chlorella vulgaris, Mathematical model, photobioreactor, scale-up

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Authors: Bjørn Salskov, Nicolaj Bang, Charlotte Falko

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Future labour markets demand employees that can carry out a non-linear task which is still not possible for computers. This means that employees must have well-developed soft-skills to perform at high levels in such a work environment. One of these soft-skills is presenting a message effectively. To be able to present a message effectively, one needs to practice this. To practice effectively, the trainee needs feedback on the current performance. Here VR environments can be used as a practice tool because it gives the trainee a sense of presence and reality. VR environments are becoming a cost-effective training method since it does not demand the presence of an expert to provide this feedback. The research article analysed in this study suggests that VR environment can be used and are able to provide the necessary feedback to the trainee which in turn will help the trainee become better at the task. The research analysed in this review does, however, show that there is a need for a study with larger sample size and a study which runs over a longer period.

Keywords: training, presentation, presentation skills, VR training, VR as a training tool, VR and presentation

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Authors: Khader I. Alkhouri

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This study investigates the neurological correlates of spiritual experiences across Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Islamic, and Jewish traditions using advanced neuroimaging techniques. Our findings reveal both common neural substrates and unique signatures associated with various spiritual practices and experiences. Consistent activation patterns were observed in the prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and limbic system across traditions, while the default mode network emerged as a key player in spiritual states. Distinct neural correlates were identified for specific practices like meditation and prayer, and for mystical experiences. Long-term spiritual engagement was found to induce neuroplastic changes. The research highlights the complex interplay between brain function and spiritual phenomena, suggesting that while spiritual experiences have measurable neurobiological correlates, they are also shaped by specific practices and cultural contexts. These findings contribute to our understanding of the neural basis of spirituality and have implications for cognitive neuroscience, consciousness studies, and mental health while also bridging scientific and spiritual perspectives.

Keywords: neuroscience of religion, spiritual experiences, faith traditions, neuroimaging, meditation, prayer, mystical experiences

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Authors: Abdorreza Rabiee, Shahla Mohammad Hoseini Mirzaei

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The advantages of distributed generations (DGs) based on renewable energy sources (RESs) leads to high penetration level of DGs in distribution network. With incorporation of DGs in distribution systems, the system reliability and security, as well as voltage profile, is improved. However, the protection of such systems is still challenging. In this paper, at first, the related papers are reviewed and then a practical scheme is proposed for coordination of OCRs in distribution system with DGs. The coordination problem is formulated as a nonlinear programming (NLP) optimization problem with the object function of minimizing total operating time of OCRs. The proposed method is studied based on a simple test system. The optimization problem is solved by General Algebraic Modeling System (GAMS) to calculate the optimal time dial setting (TDS) and also pickup current setting of OCRs. The results show the effectiveness of the proposed method and its applicability.

Keywords: distributed generation, DG, distribution network, over current relay, OCR, protection coordination, pickup current, time dial setting, TDS

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Authors: Anahita Izadyar

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Using a recombinant enzyme derived from corn and a simple modification, we are fabricating a facile, fast, and cost-beneficial novel biosensor to measure glucose. We are applying Plant Produced Mn Peroxidase (PPMP), glucose oxidase (GOx), polyaniline (PANI) as conductive polymer and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on Au electrode using electrochemical response to detect glucose. We applied the entrapment method of enzyme composition, which is generally used to immobilize conductive polymer and facilitate electron transfer from the enzyme oxidation-reduction center to the sample solution. In this work, the oxidation of glucose on the modified gold electrode was quantified with Linear Sweep Voltammetry(LSV). We expect that the modified biosensor has the potential for monitoring various biofluids.

Keywords: plant-produced manganese peroxidase, enzyme-based biosensors, glucose, modified gold nanoparticles electrode, polyaniline

Procedia PDF Downloads 184

Authors: Vijayakumar Karunamoothei, Stephen Wylie, Andy Shaw, Al Shamma'A Ahmed

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The main aim of this research is to investigate, analyse and provide solutions for the reduction of food waste in the restaurant industry. The amount of food waste that is sent to landfill by UK restaurants and food chains is considerably high, and also acts as an additional cost to the restaurants, as well as being a significant environmental issue. Food waste, for the most part, is disposed in landfill, but due to rising costs associated with waste disposal, it increases public concerns about the environmental issue. This makes conversion of food waste to energy an economic solution. The relevant properties, such as water content and calorific value, will vary considerably, depending on the particular type of food. This work, therefore, includes the collection and analysis of real data from restaurants on weekly basis. It will also investigate how the waste destined for landfill can be instead reused to produce fuels such as syngas or ethanol, or alternatively as fertilizer. The potential for syngas production will be tested using a microwave plasma reactor.

Keywords: fertilizer, microwave, plasma reactor, syngas

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Authors: Lina Wu, Ye Li

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An equivalent relation between a harmonic form and a closed co-closed form is established on a complete non-compact manifold. This equivalence has been generalized for a differential k-form ω from Lq spaces to non-Lq spaces when q=2 in the context of p-balanced growth where p=2. Especially for a simple differential k-form on a complete non-compact manifold, the equivalent relation has been verified with the extended scope of q for from finite q-energy in Lq spaces to infinite q-energy in non-Lq spaces when with 2-balanced growth. Generalized Hadamard Theorem, Cauchy-Schwarz Inequality, and Calculus skills including Integration by Parts as well as Convergent Series have been applied as estimation techniques to evaluate growth rates for a differential form. In particular, energy growth rates as indicated by an appropriate power range in a selected test function lead to a balance between a harmonic differential form and a closed co-closed differential form. Research ideas and computational methods in this paper could provide an innovative way in the study of broadening Lq spaces to non-Lq spaces with a wide variety of infinite energy growth for a differential form.

Keywords: closed forms, co-closed forms, harmonic forms, L^q spaces, p-balanced growth, simple differential k-forms

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Authors: Yanpei Zhen

Abstract:

The nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation models wave dynamics in many physical problems related to fluids, plasmas, and optics. The standing periodic waves are known to be modulationally unstable, and rogue waves (localized perturbations in space and time) have been observed on their backgrounds in numerical experiments. The exact solutions for rogue waves arising on the periodic standing waves have been obtained analytically. It is natural to ask if the rogue waves persist on the standing periodic waves in the integrable discretizations of the integrable NLS equation. We study the standing periodic waves in the semidiscrete integrable system modeled by the high-order Ablowitz-Ladik (AL) equation. The standing periodic wave of the high-order AL equation is expressed by the Jacobi cnoidal elliptic function. The exact solutions are obtained by using the separation of variables and one-fold Darboux transformation. Since the cnoidal wave is modulationally unstable, the rogue waves are generated on the periodic background.

Keywords: Darboux transformation, periodic wave, Rogue wave, separating the variables

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Authors: Tatsuya Kasuga, Hidehisa Shimada, Kimio Oguchi

Abstract:

Recent rapid progress in ICT (Information and Communication Technology) has advanced the penetration of sensor networks (SNs) and their attractive applications. Agriculture is one of the fields well able to benefit from ICT. Plant factories control several parameters related to plant growth in closed areas such as air temperature, humidity, water, culture medium concentration, and artificial lighting by using computers and AI (Artificial Intelligence) is being researched in order to obtain stable and safe production of vegetables and medicinal plants all year anywhere, and attain self-sufficiency in food. By providing isolation from the natural environment, a plant factory can achieve higher productivity and safe products. However, the biggest issue with plant factories is the return on investment. Profits are tenuous because of the large initial investments and running costs, i.e. electric power, incurred. At present, LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights are being adopted because they are more energy-efficient and encourage photosynthesis better than the fluorescent lamps used in the past. However, further cost reduction is essential. This paper introduces experiments that reveal which color of LED lighting best enhances the growth of cultured radish sprouts. Radish sprouts were cultivated in the experimental environment formed by a hydroponics kit with three cultivation shelves (28 samples per shelf) each with an artificial lighting rack. Seven LED arrays of different color (white, blue, yellow green, green, yellow, orange, and red) were compared with a fluorescent lamp as the control. Lighting duration was set to 12 hours a day. Normal water with no fertilizer was circulated. Seven days after germination, the length, weight and area of leaf of each sample were measured. Electrical power consumption for all lighting arrangements was also measured. Results and discussions: As to average sample length, no clear difference was observed in terms of color. As regards weight, orange LED was less effective and the difference was significant (p < 0.05). As to leaf area, blue, yellow and orange LEDs were significantly less effective. However, all LEDs offered higher productivity per W consumed than the fluorescent lamp. Of the LEDs, the blue LED array attained the best results in terms of length, weight and area of leaf per W consumed. Conclusion and future works: An experiment on radish sprout cultivation under 7 different color LED arrays showed no clear difference in terms of sample size. However, if electrical power consumption is considered, LEDs offered about twice the growth rate of the fluorescent lamp. Among them, blue LEDs showed the best performance. Further cost reduction e.g. low power lighting remains a big issue for actual system deployment. An automatic plant monitoring system with sensors is another study target.

Keywords: electric power consumption, LED color, LED lighting, plant factory

Procedia PDF Downloads 180

Authors: Won Il Jung, Gene Lee, Luis Rabelo

Abstract:

Since many weapon systems are getting more complex and diverse, various problems occur in terms of the acquisition cost, time, and performance limitation. As a matter of fact, the experiment execution in real world is costly, dangerous, and time-consuming to obtain Required Operational Characteristics (ROC) for a new weapon acquisition although enhancing the fidelity of experiment results. Also, until presently most of the research contained a large amount of assumptions so therefore a bias is present in the experiment results. At this moment, the new methodology is proposed to solve these problems without a variety of assumptions. ROC of the new weapon system is developed through the new methodology, which is a way to analyze big data generated by simulating various scenarios based on virtual and constructive models which are involving 6 Degrees of Freedom (6DoF). The new methodology enables us to identify unbiased ROC on new weapons by reducing assumptions and provide support in terms of the optimal weapon systems acquisition.

Keywords: big data, required operational characteristics (ROC), virtual and constructive models, weapon acquisition

Procedia PDF Downloads 283

Authors: Maatouk Khoukhi

Abstract:

An accurate prediction of the heat transfer through the envelope components of building is required to achieve an accurate cooling/heating load calculation which leads to precise sizing of the hvac equipment. This also depends on the accuracy of the thermal conductivity of the building insulation material. The proper use of thermal insulation in buildings (k-value) contribute significantly to reducing the HVAC size and consequently the annual energy cost. The first part of this paper presents an overview of building thermal insulation and their applications. The second part presents some results related to the change of the polystyrene insulation thermal conductivity with the change of the operating temperature and the moisture. Best-fit linear relationship of the k-value in term of the operating temperatures and different percentage of moisture content by weight has been established. The thermal conductivity of the polystyrene insulation material increases with the increase of both operating temperature and humidity content.

Keywords: building insulation material, moisture content, operating temperature, thermal conductivity

Procedia PDF Downloads 310

Authors: Jamal Hussain Al-Smail

Abstract:

Hydrogen fuel cells (HFCs) are environmentally friendly, energy converter devices that convert the chemical energy of the reactants (oxygen and hydrogen) to electricity through electrochemical reactions. The level of the electricity production of HFCs mainly increases depending on the oxygen distribution in the HFC’s cathode gas diffusion layer (GDL). With a constant porosity of the GDL, the electrochemical reaction can have a great variation that reduces the cell’s productivity and stability. Our findings bring a methodology in finding porosity designs of the diffusion layer to improve the oxygen distribution such that it results in a stable oxygen-hydrogen reaction. We first introduce a mathematical model involving the mass and momentum transport equations, in which a porosity function of the GDL is incorporated as a control for the fluid flow. We then derive numerical methods for solving the mathematical model. In conclusion, we present our numerical results to show how to design the GDL porosity to result in a uniform oxygen distribution.

Keywords: fuel cells, material porosity design, mathematical modeling, porous media

Procedia PDF Downloads 142