Search results for: public/private projects

Authors: Rose-Michelle Smith, Musandji Fuamba, Salomon Salumu

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Water is vital for life. Access to drinking water and sanitation for humans is one of the Sustainable Development Goals (specifically the sixth) approved by United Nations Member States in September 2015. There are various problems identified relating to water: insufficient fresh water, inequitable distribution of water resources, poor water management in certain places on the planet, detection of water-borne diseases due to poor water quality, and the negative impacts of climate change on water. One of the major challenges in the world is finding ways to ensure that people and the environment have enough water resources to sustain and support their existence. Thus, this research project aims to develop a tool to assess the availability, quality and needs of water in current and future situations with regard to climate change. This tool was tested using threshold values for three regions in three countries: the Metropolitan Community of Montreal (Canada), Normandie Region (France) and North Department (Haiti). The WEAP software was used to evaluate the available quantity of water resources. For water quality, two models were performed: the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) and the Malaysian Water Quality Index (WQI). Preliminary results showed that the ratio of the needs could be estimated at 155, 308 and 644 m3/capita in 2023 for Normandie, Cap-Haitian and CMM, respectively. Then, the Water Quality Index (WQI) varied from one country to another. Other simulations regarding the water availability and quality are still in progress. This tool will be very useful in decision-making on projects relating to water use in the future; it will make it possible to estimate whether the available resources will be able to satisfy the needs.

Keywords: climate change, water needs, balance sheet, water quality

Procedia PDF Downloads 79

Authors: Anaissia Franca, Julian Fernandez, Curran Crawford, Ned Djilali

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A methodology to estimate the state-of-charge (SOC) of battery electric buses, including degradation effects, for a given driving cycle is presented to support long-term techno-economic analysis integrating electric buses and charging infrastructure. The degradation mechanisms, characterized by both capacity and power fade with time, have been modeled using an electrochemical model for Li-ion batteries. Iterative changes in the negative electrode film resistance and decrease in available lithium as a function of utilization is simulated for every cycle. The cycles are formulated to follow typical transit bus driving patterns. The power and capacity decay resulting from the degradation model are introduced as inputs to a longitudinal chassis dynamic analysis that calculates the power consumption of the bus for a given driving cycle to find the state-of-charge of the battery as a function of time. The method is applied to an in-depot charging scenario, for which the bus is charged exclusively at the depot, overnight and to its full capacity. This scenario is run both with and without including degradation effects over time to illustrate the significant impact of degradation mechanisms on bus performance when doing feasibility studies for a fleet of electric buses. The impact of battery degradation on battery lifetime is also assessed. The modeling tool can be further used to optimize component sizing and charging locations for electric bus deployment projects.

Keywords: battery electric bus, E-bus, in-depot charging, lithium-ion battery, battery degradation, capacity fade, power fade, electric vehicle, SEI, electrochemical models

Procedia PDF Downloads 328

Authors: Guncel Ozturk

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Background: Rhinoplasty is the most commonly performed cosmetic operations in plastic surgery. Maneuvers used in rhinoplasty lead to a firm and stiff nasal tip in the early postoperative months. This unnatural stability of the nose may easily cause distortion in the reshaped nose after severe trauma. Moreover, a firm nasal tip may cause difficulties in performing activities such as touching, hugging, or kissing. Decreasing the stability and increasing the mobility of the nasal tip would help rhinoplasty patients to avoid these small but relatively important problems. Methods: We use delivery approach with closed rhinoplasty and changed positions of intranasal incisions to reach a dynamic and mobile nose. A total of 203 patients who had undergone primary closed rhinoplasty in private practice were inspected retrospectively. Posterior strut flap that was connected with connective tissues in the caudal of septum and the medial crurals were formed. Cartilage of the posterior strut graft was left 2 mm thick in the distal part of septum, it was cut vertically, and the connective tissue in the distal part was preserved. Results: The median patient age was 24 (range 17-42) years. The median follow-up period was15.2 (range12-26) months. Patient satisfaction was assessed with the 'Rhinoplasty Outcome Evaluation' (ROE) questionnaire. Twelve months after surgeries, 87.5% of patients reported excellent outcomes, according to ROE. Conclusion: The soft tissue connections between that segment and surrounding structures should be preserved to save the support of the tip while having a mobile tip at the same time with this method. These modifications would access to a mobile, non-stiff, and dynamic nasal tip in the early postoperative months. Further and prospective studies should be performed for supporting this method.

Keywords: closed rhinoplasty, dynamic, mobile, tip

Procedia PDF Downloads 137

Authors: Ho Yuan-Hong, Huang Chiung-Ju

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This study conducts simulation analyses to find the optimal debt ceiling of Taiwan, while factoring in welfare maximization under a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium framework. The simulation is based on Taiwan's 2001 to 2011 economic data and shows that welfare is maximized at a "debt"⁄"GDP" ratio of 0.2, increases in the "debt"⁄"GDP " ratio leads to increases in both tax and interest rates and decreases in the consumption ratio and working hours. The study results indicate that the optimal debt ceiling of Taiwan is 20% of GDP, where if the "debt"⁄"GDP" ratio is greater than 40%, the welfare will be negative and result in welfare loss.

Keywords: debt sustainability, optimal debt ceiling, dynamic stochastic general equilibrium, welfare maximization

Procedia PDF Downloads 362

Authors: Ikra Khan, Reenu Singh

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Composition is essential when designing the interiors of residential spaces. The ability to adopt a unique style of using design principles and design elements is another. This research report explores how the visual aesthetic within a space is achieved through the use of design principles and design elements while maintaining a signature style. It also observes the relationship between design styles and compositions that are achieved as a result of the implementation of the principles. Information collected from books and the internet helped to understand how a composition can be achieved in residential interiors by resorting to design principles and design elements as tools for achieving an aesthetic composition. It also helped determine the results of authentic representation of design ideas and how they make one’s work exceptional. A questionnaire survey was also conducted to understand the impact of a visually aesthetic residential interior of a signature style on the lifestyle of individuals residing in them. The findings denote a pattern in the application of design principles and design elements. Individual principles and elements or a combination of the same are used to achieve an aesthetically pleasing composition. This was supported by creating CAD illustrations of two different residential projects with varying approaches and design styles. These illustrations include mood boards, 3D models, and sectional elevations as rendered views to understand the concept design and its translation via these mediums. A direct relation is observed between the application of design principles and design elements to achieve visually aesthetic residential interiors that suit an individual’s taste. These practices can be applied when designing bespoke commercial as well as industrial interiors that are suited to specific aesthetic and functional needs.

Keywords: composition, design principles, elements, interiors, residential spaces

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Authors: Yassine Mohammed Benyoucef, Razin Andery Dionisovich

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Biomimicry is an old approach, but in the scientific conceptualization is new, as an approach of innovation based on the emulation of Nature, in recent years, this approach brings many potential theories and innovations in the architecture field. Indeed, these innovations have changed our view towards other Natural organisms also to the design processes in architecture, now the use of the biomimicry approach allows the application of a great sustainable development. The Sahara area is heading towards a sustainable policy with the desire to develop this rich context in terms of architecture, because of the rapid evolution of the architectural and urban concepts and the technology acceleration in one side, and under the pressure of the architectural crisis and the accelerated urbanization in the Saharan cities on the other side, the imperatives of sustainable development, ecology, climate adaptation, energy needs, are strongly imposed. Besides that, the new architectural and urban projects in the Saharan cities are not reliable in terms of energy efficiency and design and relationship with the environment. This article discusses the using of biomimetic strategy in the sustainable development of Saharan architecture. The aim of the article is to present a synthesis of biomimicry approach and propose the biomimicry as a solution for the development of Saharan architecture which can use this approach as a sustainable and innovation strategy. The biomimicry is the solution for effective strategies of development and can have a great potential point to meet the current challenges of designing efficient for forms or structures, energy efficiency, and climate issues. Moreover, the Sahara can be a favorable soil for great changes, the use of this approach is the key for the most optimal strategies and sustainable development of the Saharan architecture.

Keywords: biomimicry, Sahara, architecture, nature, innovation, technology

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Authors: Mykola G. Boichuk

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The paper concerns predatory pricing incentives and mechanisms in the markets of services, as well as its anti-competitive effects. As cost estimation at services markets is more complex in comparison to markets of goods, predatory pricing is more difficult to detect in the provision of services. For instance, this is often the case for professional services, which is analyzed in the paper. The special attention is given to employment markets as de-facto main supply markets for professional services markets. Also, the paper concerns such instances as travel agents' services, where predatory pricing may have implications not only on competition but on a wider range of public interest as well. Thus, the paper develops on effective ways to apply competition law rules on predatory pricing to the provision of services.

Keywords: employment markets, predatory pricing, services markets, unfair competition

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Authors: Dario Rajmilovich

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The tax system represents a multidisciplinary cosmos whose main purpose is to provide financial resources to the government of a given political jurisdiction in order to apply them to the public purposes outlined by that government. Not withstanding this basic external configuration of a finalistic order, its internal structure essentially responds to a series of principles or axes whose roots can be traced in the Old Testament (written Torah) and in oral sources (especially the KaBaLáh or Cábala compiled in the second century of the Common era in the book called "the Zóhar" (Book of Splendor) attributed to Rabi Shimón bar Iojái). The purpose of this work is to outline a general theory of taxation based on the biblical principles inherent to taxation and to project its effects in the configuration of a just tax system designated as "Virtuous Taxation".

Keywords: principles of taxation, kabaláh and taxation, old testament taxation, virtuous taxation

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Authors: Konrad Rejdak

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Introduction: Neurodegenerative diseases are frequently accompanied by loss and unwanted change in functional independence, social relationships, and economic circumstances. Currently, the achievements of social robots to date is being projected to improve multidimensional quality of life among people with cognitive impairment and others. Objectives: Identification of particular human needs in the context of the changes occurring in course of neurodegenerative diseases. Methods: Based on the 110 surveys performed in the Medical University of Lublin from medical staff, patients, and caregivers we made prioritization of the users' needs as high, medium, and low. The issues included in the surveys concerned four aspects: user acceptance, functional requirements, the design of the robotic assistant and preferred types of human-robot interaction. Results: We received completed questionnaires; 50 from medical staff, 30 from caregivers and 30 from potential users. Above 90% of the respondents from each of the three groups, accepted a robotic assistant as a potential caregiver. High priority functional capability of assistive technology was to handle emergencies in a private home-like recognizing life-threatening situations and reminding about medication intake. With reference to the design of the robotic assistant, the majority of the respondent would like to have an anthropomorphic appearance with a positive emotionally expressive face. The most important type of human-robot interaction was a voice-operated system and by touchscreen. Conclusion: The results from our study might contribute to a better understanding of the system and users’ requirements for the development of a service robot intended to support patients with dementia.

Keywords: assistant robot, dementia, long term care, patients

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Authors: Danielle Preziuso, Kamila Kazimierczuk, Annalise Stein, Bethel Tarekegne

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Coastal communities experience a variety of distinct socioeconomic, technical, and environmental vulnerabilities, all of which accrue heightened risk with increasingly frequent and severe climate change impacts. Marine renewable energy (MRE) offers a potential solution for mitigating coastal community vulnerabilities, especially water-energy dependencies while delivering promising co-benefits such as increased resilience and more sustainable energy outcomes. This paper explores coastal community vulnerabilities and service dependencies based on the local drivers that create them, with attention to climate change impacts and how they catalyze water-energy unmet needs in these communities. We examine the vulnerabilities through the lens of coastal Tribal communities (i.e., the Makah Tribe, the Kenaitze Tribe, Quinault Nation), as indigenous communities often face compounded impacts of technical, economic, and environmental vulnerabilities due to their underlying socio-demographic inequalities. We offer an environmental and energy justice indicators framework to understand how these vulnerabilities disproportionately manifest and impact the most vulnerable community members, and we subsequently utilize the framework to inform a weighted decision matrix tool that compares the viability of MRE-based alternative energy futures in addressing these vulnerabilities. The framework and complementary tool highlight opportunities for future MRE research and pilot demonstrations that directly respond to the vulnerabilities of coastal communities.

Keywords: coastal communities, decision matrix, energy equity, energy vulnerability, marine energy, service dependency

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Authors: Ka C. Lam, Oluwafunmibi S. Idowu

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Uncertainty in cost is a major factor affecting performance of construction projects. To our knowledge, several conceptual cost models have been developed with varying degrees of accuracy. Incorporating conceptual quantities into conceptual cost models could improve the accuracy of early predesign cost estimates. Hence, the development of quantity models for estimating conceptual quantities of framed reinforced concrete structures using supervised machine learning is the aim of the current research. Using measured quantities of structural elements and design variables such as live loads and soil bearing pressures, response and predictor variables were defined and used for constructing conceptual quantities models. Twenty-four models were developed for comparison using a combination of non-parametric support vector regression, linear regression, and bootstrap resampling techniques. R programming language was used for data analysis and model implementation. Gross soil bearing pressure and gross floor loading were discovered to have a major influence on the quantities of concrete and reinforcement used for foundations. Building footprint and gross floor loading had a similar influence on beams and slabs. Future research could explore the modelling of other conceptual quantities for walls, finishes, and services using machine learning techniques. Estimation of conceptual quantities would assist construction planners in early resource planning and enable detailed performance evaluation of early cost predictions.

Keywords: bootstrapping, conceptual quantities, modelling, reinforced concrete, support vector regression

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Authors: Dong-Ho Kim, Su-Sang Lim, Sang-Won Han, Chang-Taek Hyun

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In the construction site, the cost and schedules are the most important management elements. Despite efforts to integrated management the cost and schedule, WBS classification is struggling to differ from each other. The cost and schedule can be integrated and can be managed due to the characteristic of the detail system in the case of Korea around the axis of pressure and official fixture system. In this research, the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) integrating the cost and schedules around in government office construction, WBS which can be used in common was presented in order to analyze the detail system of the public institution construction and improve. As to this method, the efficient administration of not only the link application of the cost and schedule but also construction project is expected.

Keywords: WBS, EVMS, integrated cost and schedule, Korea case

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Authors: Zhifu Li, Lei Li, Wanting Zhou, Yuanhang He

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This paper proposed a lightweight certificate-less authentication and key exchange protocol (Light-CL-PKC) based on elliptic curve cryptography and the Chinese Remainder Theorem for smart home scenarios. Light-CL-PKC can efficiently reduce the computational cost of both sides of authentication by forgoing time-consuming bilinear pair operations and making full use of point-addition and point-multiplication operations on elliptic curves. The authentication and key exchange processes in this system are also completed in a a single round of communication between the two parties. The analysis result demonstrates that it can significantly minimize the communication overhead of more than 32.14% compared with the referenced protocols, while the runtime for both authentication and key exchange have also been significantly reduced.

Keywords: authentication, key exchange, certificateless public key cryptography, elliptic curve cryptography

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Authors: Marisol Warthon-Medina, Jenny Plumb, Ayoub Aljawaldeh, Mark Roe, Ailsa Welch, Maria Glibetic, Paul M. Finglas

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Similar to Western Countries, the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) also presents major public health issues associated with the increased consumption of sugar, fat, and salt. Therefore, one of the policies of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) EMR is to reduce the intake of salt, sugar, and fat (Saturated fatty acids, trans fatty acids) to address the risk of non-communicable diseases (i.e. diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer) and obesity. The project objective is to assess status and provide training and capacity development in the use of improved standardized methodologies for updated food composition data, dietary intake methods, use of suitable biomarkers of nutritional value and determine health outcomes in low and middle-income countries (LMIC). Training exchanges have been developed with clusters of countries created resulting from regional needs including Sudan, Egypt and Jordan; Tunisia, Morocco, and Mauritania; and other Middle Eastern countries. This capacity building will lead to the development and sustainability of up-to-date national and regional food composition databases in LMIC for use in dietary monitoring assessment in food and nutrient intakes. Workshops were organized to provide training and capacity development in the use of improved standardized methodologies for food composition and food intake. Training needs identified and short-term scientific missions organized for LMIC researchers including (1) training and knowledge exchange workshops, (2) short-term exchange of researchers, (3) development and application of protocols and (4) development of strategies to reduce sugar and fat intake. An initial training workshop, Morocco 2018 was attended by 25 participants from 10 EMR countries to review status and support development of regional food composition. 4 training exchanges are in progress. The use of improved standardized methodologies for food composition and dietary intake will produce robust measurements that will reinforce dietary monitoring and policy in LMIC. The capacity building from this project will lead to the development and sustainability of up-to-date national and regional food composition databases in EMR countries. Supported by the UK Medical Research Council, Global Challenges Research Fund, (MR/R019576/1), and the World Health Organization’s Eastern Mediterranean Region.

Keywords: dietary intake, food composition, low and middle-income countries, status.

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Authors: Santi Mutiara Asih, Sinta Kemala Asih

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Along with the development of tourism in Indonesia, which is increasingly a lot of domestic and foreign public interest in sharia tourism, the Indonesian government is currently developing the program. It was seen that this program would have a good impact, especially for Indonesian tourism. So it is necessary to develop appropriate marketing strategies. Then to develop tourism prospects sharia government could use such a marketing strategy, for instance, marketing mix and Segmenting, Targeting, and Positioning (STP). The marketing mix is a set of marketing tools used by a state or a company to continue achieving its marketing objectives in target market. STP is the most important initial step in identifying customer value. In such away, it is expected from the use of this strategy could make sharia tourism as a market leader in the field of tourism in Indonesia, it also could attract more tourists to visit and increase economic returns.

Keywords: STP, marketing mix, market leader, sharia tourism

Procedia PDF Downloads 773

Authors: Chiyoung Kim, Jaegeol Yim

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Bus service is often either main or the only public transportation available in cities. In metropolitan areas, both subways and buses are available whereas in the medium sized cities buses are usually the only type of public transportation available. Bus Information Systems (BIS) provide current locations of running buses, efficient routes to travel from one place to another, points of interests around a given bus stop, a series of bus stops consisting of a given bus route, and so on to users. Thanks to BIS, people do not have to waste time at a bus stop waiting for a bus because BIS provides exact information on bus arrival times at a given bus stop. Therefore, BIS does a lot to promote the use of buses contributing to pollution reduction and saving natural resources. BIS implementation costs a huge amount of budget as it requires a lot of special equipment such as road side equipment, automatic vehicle identification and location systems, trunked radio systems, and so on. Consequently, medium and small sized cities with a low budget cannot afford to install BIS even though people in these cities need BIS service more desperately than people in metropolitan areas. It is possible to provide BIS service at virtually no cost under the assumption that everybody carries a smartphone and there is at least one person with a smartphone in a running bus who is willing to reveal his/her location details while he/she is sitting in a bus. This assumption is usually true in the real world. The smartphone penetration rate is greater than 100% in the developed countries and there is no reason for a bus driver to refuse to reveal his/her location details while driving. We have developed a mobile app that periodically reads values of sensors including GPS and sends GPS data to the server when the bus stops or when the elapsed time from the last send attempt is greater than a threshold. This app detects the bus stop state by investigating the sensor values. The server that receives GPS data from this app has also been developed. Under the assumption that the current locations of all running buses collected by the mobile app are recorded in a database, we have also developed a web site that provides all kinds of information that most BISs provide to users through the Internet. The development environment is: OS: Windows 7 64bit, IDE: Eclipse Luna 4.4.1, Spring IDE 3.7.0, Database: MySQL 5.1.7, Web Server: Apache Tomcat 7.0, Programming Language: Java 1.7.0_79. Given a start and a destination bus stop, it finds a shortest path from the start to the destination using the Dijkstra algorithm. Then, it finds a convenient route considering number of transits. For the user interface, we use the Google map. Template classes that are used by the Controller, DAO, Service and Utils classes include BUS, BusStop, BusListInfo, BusStopOrder, RouteResult, WalkingDist, Location, and so on. We are now integrating the mobile app system and the web app system.

Keywords: bus information system, GPS, mobile app, web site

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Authors: A. Siham Dehmani, B. Djamal Zerrouki

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Domestic wastewater contains high concentrations of nitrogen, which can affect public health and cause harmful ecological impacts. The potential of microalgae as a source of renewable energy based on wastewater has received increasing interest worldwide in recent decades. The microalgae cultivation in wastewater has two advantages: wastewater treatment and algal biomass production. Our work aimed to remove nitrogen from municipal wastewater. Wastewater samples were taken from the wastewater treatment station located in Ouargla and used as a medium for the cultivation of chlorella microalgae strains inside a photobioreactor. Analysis of different parameters was done every 2 days along the period of the cultivation (10 days). The average removal efficiencies of nitrogen were maintained at 95%. Our results show the potential of integrating nutrient removal from wastewater by microalgae as a secondary wastewater treatment processes.

Keywords: biomass, microalgae, treatment, wastewater

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Authors: Charlie Jeffkins

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Sickle cell disease is a serious life-limiting condition which can reduce the quality of life for many patients. Public Health England (PHE), in partnership with the Sickle Cell Society (SCS), has created guidelines to prevent severe complications from sickle cell disease. Data was collected from Children’s Hospital for Wales between 15/03/21-26/03/21. Methods: A manual search of patient records for children under the care of Rocket Ward and a key term search of online records was used. Results: Penicillin prophylaxis was given at 90 days for 89%, 77% of TCDs scans were done at 2-3 years, and 72% have had a scan in the last year. 53% of patients have had discussions about hydroxycarbamide, whilst 65% have started it. PPV vaccination was documented for 19%. Conclusion: Overall, none of the four standards were reached; however, TCD uptake has improved. There is a need for better documentation of treatment and annual re-audits.

Keywords: paediatric, haematology, sickle cell, audit

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Authors: Mojtaba Fayaz, Richard Hallal

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This study examines the various types of dangers that our virtual environment is vulnerable to, including how it can be attacked and how to avoid/secure our data. The terrain of cyberspace is never completely safe, and Covid- 19 has added to the confusion, necessitating daily periodic checks and evaluations. Cybercriminals have been able to enact with greater skill and undertake more conspicuous and sophisticated attacks while keeping a higher level of finesse by operating from home. Different types of cyberattacks, such as operation-based attacks, authentication-based attacks, and software-based attacks, are constantly evolving, but research suggests that software-based threats, such as Ransomware, are becoming more popular, with attacks expected to increase by 93 percent by 2020. The effectiveness of cyber frameworks has shifted dramatically as the pandemic has forced work and private life to become intertwined, destabilising security overall and creating a new front of cyber protection for security analysis and personal. The high-rise formats in which cybercrimes are carried out, as well as the types of cybercrimes that exist, such as phishing, identity theft, malware, and DDoS attacks, have created a new front of cyber protection for security analysis and personal safety. The overall strategy for 2022 will be the introduction of frameworks that address many of the issues associated with offsite working, as well as education that provides better information about commercialised software that does not provide the highest level of security for home users, allowing businesses to plan better security around their systems.

Keywords: cyber security, authentication, software, hardware, malware, COVID-19, threat actors, awareness, home users, confidentiality, integrity, availability, attacks

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Authors: Muhammad Naveed Babur, Maria Liaqat

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Background & Objective: People with disabilities especially neurological disabilities have many unmet health and rehabilitation needs, face barriers in accessing mainstream health-care services, and consequently have poor health. There are not sufficient epidemiological studies from Pakistan which assess barriers to neurorehabilitation and ways to counter it. Objectives: The objective of the study was to determine the challenges and to evaluate the barriers for neuro-rehabilitation services in developing countries. Methods: This is Exploratory sequential qualitative study based on the Panel discussion forum in International rehabilitation sciences congress and national rehabilitation conference 2017. Panel group discussion has been conducted in February 2017 with a sample size of eight professionals including Rehabilitation medicine Physician, Physical Therapist, Speech Language therapist, Occupational Therapist, Clinical Psychologist and rehabilitation nurse working in multidisciplinary/Interdisciplinary team. A comprehensive audio-videography have been developed, recorded, transcripted and documented. Data was transcribed and thematic analysis along with characteristics was drawn manually. Data verification was done with the help of two separate coders. Results: After extraction of two separate coders following results are emerged. General category themes are disease profile, demographic profile, training and education, research, barriers, governance, global funding, informal care, resources and cultural beliefs and public awareness. Barriers identified at the level are high cost, stigma, lengthy course of recovery. Hospital related barriers are lack of social support and individually tailored goal setting processes. Organizational barriers identified are lack of basic diagnostic facilities, lack of funding and human resources. Recommendations given by panelists were investment in education, capacity building, infrastructure, governance support, strategies to promote communication and realistic goals. Conclusion: It is concluded that neurorehabilitation in developing countries need attention in following categories i.e. disease profile, demographic profile, training and education, research, barriers, governance, global funding, informal care, resources and cultural beliefs and public awareness. This study also revealed barriers at the level of patient, hospital, organization. Recommendations were also given by panelists.

Keywords: disability, neurorehabilitation, telerehabilitation, disability

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Authors: Koteswara Rao Pagolu, Raghava Rao Tamanam

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In India, genetic disease is a disregarded service element in the community health- protection system. This study aims to gauge the accessibility of services for treating genetic disorders and also to evaluate the practices on deterrence and management services in the district health system. A cross-sectional survey of selected health amenities in the government health sector was conducted from 15 primary health centers (PHC’s), 4 community health centers (CHC’s), 1 district government hospital (DGH) and 3 referral hospitals (RH’s). From these, the existing manpower like 130 medical officers (MO’s), 254 supporting staff, 409 nursing staff (NS) and 45 lab technicians (LT’s) was examined. From the side of private health institutions, 25 corporate hospitals (CH’s), 3 medical colleges (MC’s) and 25 diagnostic laboratories (DL’s) were selected for the survey and from these, 316 MO’s, 995 NS and 254 LT’s were also reviewed. The findings show that adequate staff was in place at more than 70% of health centers, but none of the staff have obtained any operative training on genetic disease management. The largest part of the DH’s had rudimentary infrastructural and diagnostic facilities. However, the greater part of the CHC’s and PHC’s had inadequate diagnostic facilities related to genetic disease management. Biochemical, molecular, and cytogenetic services were not available at PHC’s and CHC’s. DH’s, RH’s, and all selected medical colleges were found to have offered the basic Biochemical genetics units during the survey. The district health care infrastructure in India has a shortage of basic services to be provided for the genetic disorder. With some policy resolutions and facility strengthening, it is possible to provide advanced services for a genetic disorder in the district health system.

Keywords: district health system, genetic disorder, infrastructural amenities, management practices

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Authors: Linda Frazer

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A pluralistic methodology focuses on promoting an understanding that an alternative juridical framework for the regulation of transnational business negotiations (TBN) between private business parties is fundamentally required. This paper deals with the evolving assessment of the doctoral research of the author which demonstrated that due to insufficient juridical tools, negotiations are commonly misunderstood within the complexity of pluralistic and conflicting legal regimes. This inadequacy causes uncertainty in the enforcement of legal remedies, leaving business parties surprised. Consequently, parties cannot sufficiently anticipate when and how legal rights and obligations are created, often counting on oral or incomplete agreements which may lead to the misinterpretation of the extent of their legal rights and obligations. This uncertainty causes threats to business parties for fear of creating unintended legal obligations or, conversely, that law will not enforce intended agreements for failure to pass the tests of contractual validity. A need to find a manner to set default standards of communications and standards of conduct to monitor our evolving global trade would aid law to provide the security, predictability and foreseeability during alternative dispute resolution required by TBN parties. The conclusion of this study includes a proposal of new trade mechanisms, termed 'Bills of Negotiations' (BON) to enhance party autonomy and promote the ability for TBN parties to self-regulate within the boundaries of law. BON will be guided by a secure juridical institutionalized setting that caters to guiding communications during TBN and resolving disputes that arise along the negotiation processes on a fast track basis.

Keywords: alternative resolution disputes, ADR, good faith, good faith, juridical security, legal regulation, trade mechanisms, transnational business negotiations

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Authors: Nanis Setyorini

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This is an interpretive study that aims to explore English teachers’ self-identity and self-reflection on teaching of English for accounting purpose in Indonesian accounting schools. Pierre Bourdieu’s concepts of capitals, habitus, and field are applied to capture and analyze the outright feelings, dilemma, and efforts of how English teachers see their educational background and adjust their understanding of English teaching for specific purpose, how they deliver unrecognized materials about accountancy, how they build confidence in teaching accountancy experts, and how to develop their professional commitment as English teachers for accounting purpose. Therefore, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions are conducted to 16 English teachers in accounting schools within five state and private universities in East Java, Indonesia. The appropriateness of English teachers for accounting students remains a debatable topic. Previous literatures assume that the best English teachers for accounting students should be those who can demonstrate good quality use of English as well as those who have sound accounting knowledge and experience; however, such teachers are rare to find. Most English teachers in Indonesian accounting schools generally graduate from English education or English literature that provide a very limited pedagogic theories and practices of English for specific purpose (ESP). As a result, ESP teachers often had misconception and loss of face when they deliver subject contents to their accounting students who sometimes have been employed as professional accountants. The teachers also face a dilemma in locating themselves as the insiders in English knowledge, but the outsiders in accounting field. These situations are generally problems in their early-stage of teaching due to the lack of ESP knowledge, the shortage of teaching preparation, the absence of ESP in-house trainings on English for accountancy, and the unconducive relations with accounting educators as well as other ESP teachers. Then, self-learning with various resources and strategies is said as their effort to develop their teaching competence so they are able to teach English for accounting students more effectively.

Keywords: ESP teacher, English for accounting, self-identity, self-reflectivity

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Authors: Pricillia Priska Sianita

Abstract:

An aesthetic facial profile is one of the goals in Orthodontics treatment. However, this is not easily achieved, especially in patients with Class II Division 1 malocclusion who have the clinical characteristics of convex profile and significant skeletal discrepancy due to mandibular growth deficiency. Malocclusion with skeletal problems require proper treatment timing for growth stimulation, and it must be done in early age and in need of good cooperation from the patient. If this is not done and the patient has passed the growth period, the ideal treatment is orthognathic surgery which is more complicated and more painful. The growth stimulation of skeletal malocclusion requires a careful cephalometric evaluation ranging from diagnosis to determine the parts that require stimulation to post-treatment evaluation to see the success achieved through changes in the measurement of the skeletal parameters shown in the cephalometric analysis. This case report aims to describe skeletal changes cephalometrically that were achieved through orthodontic treatment in growing period. Material and method: Lateral Cephalograms, pre-treatment, and post-treatment of cases of Class II Division 1 malocclusion is selected from a collection of cephalometric radiographic in a private clinic. The Cephalogram is then traced and measured for the skeletal parameters. The result is noted as skeletal condition data of pre-treatment and post-treatment. Furthermore, superimposition is done to see the changes achieved. The results show that growth stimulation through orthodontic treatment can solve the skeletal problem of Class II Division 1 malocclusion and the skeletal changes that occur can be verified through cephalometric analysis. The skeletal changes have an impact on the improvement of patient's facial profile. To sum up, the treatment timing on a skeletal malocclusion is very important to obtain satisfactory results for the improvement of the aesthetic facial profile, and skeletal changes can be verified through cephalometric evaluation of pre- and post-treatment.

Keywords: cephalometric evaluation, class II division 1 malocclusion, growth stimulation, skeletal changes, skeletal problems

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Authors: Mohammad Safaeipour, Yousef Amer

Abstract:

This study directs its focus on developing a conceptual model to offer a systematic and integrated method to weigh the related measures and evaluate a competence of hospitals and rank of the selected hospitals that involve and consider the stakeholders’ key performance indicators (KPI’s). The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach will use to weigh the dimensions and related sub- components. The weights and performance scores will combine by using the Technique for Order Performance by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) and rank the selected hospitals. The results of this study provide interesting insight into the necessity of process improvement implementation in which hospital that received the lowest ranking score.

Keywords: performance measurement system, PMS, hospitals, AHP, TOPSIS

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Authors: Juan Manuel Brito-Diaz

Abstract:

The emergence of urban environmentalism in Spain is related to the processes of economic transformation and growing urbanization that occurred during the end of the Franco regime and the democratic transition. This paper analyzes the urban environmental mobilizations and their impacts as relevant democratizing agents in the processes of political change in cities. It’s an under-researched topic and studies on environmental movements in Spain have paid little attention to it. This research takes as its starting point the close link between democratization and environmentalism, since it considers that environmental conflicts are largely a consequence of democratic problems, and that the impacts of environmental movements are directly linked to the democratization. The study argues that the environmental movements that emerged in Spain at the end of the dictatorship and the democratic transition are an important part of the broad and complex associative fabric that promoted the democratization process. The research focuses on investigating the environmental protest in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria—the most important city in the Canary Islands—between 1970 and 1983, concurrently with the last local governments of the dictatorship and the first democratic city councils. As it is a case study, it opens up the possibility to ask multiple specific questions and assess each of the responses obtained. Although several research methodologies have been applied, such as the analysis of historical archives documentation or oral history interviews, mainly a very widespread methodology in the sociology of social movements, although very little used by social historians, has been used: the Protest Event Analysis (PEA). This methodology, which consists of generating a catalog of protest events by coding data around previously established variables, has allowed me to map, analyze and interpret the occurrence of protests over time and space, and associated factors, through content analysis. For data collection, news from local newspapers have provided a large enough sample to analyze the properties of social protest -frequency, size, demands, forms, organizers, etc.—and relate them to another type of information related to political structures and mobilization repertoires, encouraging the establishment of connections between the protest and the political impacts of urban movements. Finally, the study argues that the environmental movements of this period were essential to the construction of the new democratic city in Spain, not only because they established the issues of sustainability and urban environmental justice on the public agenda, but also because they proposed that conflicts derived from such matters should ultimately be resolved through public deliberation and citizen participation.

Keywords: democratization, environmental movements, political impacts, social movements

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Authors: Salah E. El-Metwally, Marwan Abdo, Basem Abdel Wahed

Abstract:

Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) bars have been proposed as an alternative to conventional steel bars; hence, the use of these non-corrosive and nonmetallic reinforcing bars has increased in various concrete projects. This concrete material is lightweight, has a long lifespan, and needs minor maintenance; however, its non-ductile nature and weak bond with the surrounding concrete create a significant challenge. The behavior of concrete elements reinforced with FRP bars has been the subject of several experimental investigations, even with their high cost. This study aims to numerically assess the viability of using FRP bars, as longitudinal reinforcement, in comparison with traditional steel bars, and also as prestressing tendons instead of the traditional prestressing steel. The nonlinear finite element analysis has been utilized to carry out the current study. Numerical models have been developed to examine the behavior of concrete beams reinforced with FRP bars or tendons against similar models reinforced with either conventional steel or prestressing steel. These numerical models were verified by experimental test results available in the literature. The obtained results revealed that concrete beams reinforced with FRP bars, as passive reinforcement, exhibited less ductility and less stiffness than similar beams reinforced with steel bars. On the other hand, when FRP tendons are employed in prestressing concrete beams, the results show that the performance of these beams is similar to those beams prestressed by conventional active reinforcement but with a difference caused by the two tendon materials’ moduli of elasticity.

Keywords: reinforced concrete, prestressed concrete, nonlinear finite element analysis, fiber-reinforced polymer, ductility

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Authors: Nivedhitha Venkatakrishnan

Abstract:

Walking down busy temple streets in India is an experience in lifetime. Especially the temple streets are one of the most energetic places not only because of the divinity but also because of the streets itself which provides place for people to relax, meet, shop, linger, just walk around these activities create a set of experience which results in memories that lasts longer. Thinking of any temple street in India the image that comes to anyone’s mind are the elegantly sculpted Gopurams (Gateway) that depicts the craftsmanship and the history of the place, people taking a holy dip in the water, the aroma of the agarbathi’s, flowers with the divine Vedic chants and the sound of the temple bell flock of pigeons flying from the niches of the Gopuram with the sun in the backdrop. It gives a feeling of impulse energy that brings in life to these streets. Any temple street with even any one factor missing would look dead. This will be amiss in the essence in the scene of one’s experiences. These Temple Streets traditionally cater not only for religious purpose but to a wide range of activities. A vibrant street that facilitates such activities are preferred by the public any day. The research seeks to understand and find out the definition of Vibrancy in Indian Context. What is Vibrancy? What brings in the feeling of Vibrancy/Liveliness/Energy? Is it the Built structure and the city? Or is it the people? Or is it the Activity? Or is it Built structure – city – People – Activity put together brings the sense of Vibrancy to a place? How to define Vibrancy? Is it measurable? For which a case of Car Street Udupi, Karnataka is taken. The research is carried out in two stages. ‘Stage One’ makes use of ethnographic fieldwork as a basic method, complimented by structured field observations using a behavioral mapping procedure of the streets. Stage Two’ utilizes surveys that collected. This stage seeks to understand what design characteristics and furniture arrangements are associated with stationary, social and gathering activities of people by each cultural group and all groups collectively. The main conclusion from this research is that retail activities remain the main concern of people in cultural streets. Management and higher-level planning of retail activities on the streets could encourage and motivate possible Shops to enrich the trade variety of the street that provides a means for social and cultural diversity. In addition to business activities, spatial design characteristics are found to have an influence on people’s behavior and activity. The findings of this research suggest that retail and business activities, together with the design and skillful management of the public areas, could support a wider range of static and social activities among people of various ethnic backgrounds.

Keywords: activity, liveliness, temple street, vibrancy

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Authors: Babatunde Joel Todowede

Abstract:

The challenges of nation building and sustainable development have continued to feature prominently in the general reckoning of problems of underdevelopment in the developing countries of the world. Thus, since the attainment of political independence from the British colonial administration in 1960, one of the critical thrusts of central governance in Nigeria has been the particular policy attention of the educational sector. Of course, education is perceived as the logical bridge between the two contrasting worlds of underdevelopment and development, hence, its fundamental importance. The various public policies and practices associated with the Nigerian educational sector are specifically elaborated and critically assessed in this paper. In the final analysis, it is concluded that the educational sector should be better configured and managed in ways that the wider challenges of nation-building and sustainable development are effectively tractable.

Keywords: Nigeria education, educational need, educational plans and policies, educational challenges, corrective measures, emerging economy

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Authors: Nicolas Georges, Akiki Simon, Bassil Naim, Nawfal Georges, Abi Fares Georges

Abstract:

Introduction: Dyslipidemia has been recognized as a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. While the development of atherosclerotic lesions begins in childhood and progresses throughout life, data on the prevalence of dyslipidemic children in Lebanon is lacking. Objectives: This study was conducted to assess the benefit of a protocol for universal screening for lipid disorder in Lebanese children aged between two and ten years old. Materials and Methods: A total of four hundred children aged 2 to 10 years old (51.5% boys) were included in the study. The subjects were recruited from private pediatric clinics after parental consent. Fasting total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels were measured and non-HDL cholesterol was calculated. The values were categorized according to 2011 Expert on Integrated Guidelines for Cardiovascular Health and Risk Reduction in Children and Adolescents. Results: The overall prevalence of high TC ( ≥ 200 mg/dL), high non-HDL-C ( ≥ 145 mg/dL), high LDL ( ≥ 130 mg/dL), high TG ( ≥ 100 mg/dL) and low HDL ( < 40 mg/dL) was respectively 19.5%, 23%, 19%, 31.8% and 20%. The overall frequency of dyslipidemia was 51.7%. In a bivariate analysis, dyslipidemia in children was associated with a BMI ≥ 95ᵗʰ percentile and parents having TC > 240 mg/dL with a P value respectively of 0.006 and 0.0001. Furthermore, high TG was independently associated with a BMI ≥ 95ᵗʰ percentile (P=0.0001). Children with parents having TC > 240 mg/dL was significantly correlated with high TC, high non-HDL-C and high LDL (P=0.0001 for all variables). Finally, according to the Pediatric dyslipidemia screening guidelines from the 2011 Expert Panel, 62.3% of dyslipidemic children had at least 1 risk factor that qualified them for screening while 37.7% of them didn’t have any risk factor. Conclusions: It is preferable to review the latest pediatric dyslipidemia screening guidelines by performing a universal screening program since a third of our dyslipidemic Lebanese children have been missed.

Keywords: cardiovascular risk factors, dyslipidemia, Lebanese children, screening

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