Search results for: time perspective

Authors: Xi Yuan, Xuebin Zhu, Bojun Li

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This work describes the experiment to produce high-intensity pulsed neutron beams on XingGuangIII laser facility. The high-intensity laser is utilized to drive protons and deuterons, which hit a thick solid target to produce neutrons. The pulse duration of the laser used in the experiment is about 0.8 ps, and the laser energy is around 100 J. Protons and deuterons are accelerated from a 10-μm-thick deuterated polyethylene (CD₂) foil and diagnosed by a Thomson parabola ion-spectrometer. The energy spectrum of neutrons generated via ⁷Li(d,n) and ⁷Li(p,n) reaction when proton and deuteron beams hit a 5-mm-thick LiF target is measured by a scintillator-based time-of-flight spectrometer. Results from the neuron measurements show that the maximum neutron energy is about 12.5 MeV and the neutron yield is up to 2×10⁹/pulse. The high-intensity pulsed neutron beams demonstrated in this work can provide a valuable neutron source for material research, fast neutron induced fission research, and so on.

Keywords: picosecond laser driven, fast neutron, time-of-flight spectrometry, XinggungIII

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Authors: Santina Sahibon, Sivasooriar Sivaneson, Martin Giddy, Nelson Nheu, Siti Sazeelah, Choo Kok Ming, Thuhairah Abdul Rahman, Fatmawati Binti Kamal

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Introduction: Establishing population-based reference intervals (RI) are essential when evaluating laboratory test results and for method verification. Our laboratory initiated an exercise to establish RI for routine coagulation profile as part of the method verification procedure and to determine any differences in RI between three analyzers planned to be used in the laboratory. Methodology: 145 blood samples were collected and analysed for activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), prothrombin time (PT), international normalized ratio (INR), and fibrinogen] using three coagulation analysers which were CA104, CA660, and CS-2500 (Sysmex, USA). RI was established at 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles. Results: The RI for aPTT between C104, C660 and CS-2500 are (RI: 20.5-30.2 sec), (RI: 21.5-29.2 sec) and (RI: 22.7-30.3 sec) respectively. The RI for PT were (RI: 7.5-10.3 sec), (RI: 9.2- 11.1 sec) and (RI: 9.8-11.9 sec) for C104, CA660 and CS-2500 respectively. INR had an RI of (RI: 0.87- 1.16), (RI: 0.89-1.10) and (0.90-1.11) respectively on CA104, C660 and CS-2500. Fibrinogen RI was (RI: 2.04-4.62 g/L) and (2.05-4.76 g/L) on the CA660 and CS-2500, respectively. Conclusion: The RI was similar across the analytical platforms for aPTT, INR, and fibrinogen. However, CA104 showed lower RI compared to the other two analysers for PT. This highlights the potential variability in results between instruments that need to be addressed when verifying RI.

Keywords: coagulation, reference interval, APTT, PT, INR, fibrinogen

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Authors: Abubakar Samaila

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Pastoralism has been an old practice in the Sahel region of west Africa. In recent years, pastoralists in Nigeria have increasingly been migrating on seasonal transhumance southward from the neighboring countries, especially Niger Republic, in search of better grazing conditions due to mainly, climate change. This has increased pressure on farm lands which instigate farmer-herder conflicts. These conflicts occur mainly between farmers and pastoralists but also between pastoralist groups themselves. However, there has been a shift in these conflicts recently to involve traditional institutions and, in some cases, the local authorities along the borderlands. The involvement of local institutions in the conflict has created an incentive to local actors, particularly pastoralcommunity-based groups, in responding to these violent threats. As pastoralists are mobile, these conflicts became difficult to contain and, thus, spill across borders. Consequently, the conflict has now transformed into an urbanized regional conflicts that involve some major cities along the Nigeria-Niger borderlands; Sokoto, Zamfara, and Katsina on the Nigerian side andDosso, Tahoa andMaradi in Niger republic. These areas are now experiencing unprecedented growing wave of violence that have become complex and escalates into a hydra-social conflict. The aim of this research is to investigate how the fluidities of Nigeria-Niger borderland intensified armed conflicts between the local pastoral organizations and sedentary populationspreading to some urban cities along the borderlands. The paper further suggests alternative approaches towards addressing the perennial crisis in African borderlands.

Keywords: pastoralism, climate change, conflict, nigeria, niger, borderlands

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Authors: Nesreddine Djafar Henni, Nassim Djedoui, Rachid Chebili

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Recent decades have witnessed significant efforts being made to optimize different types of structures and components. The concept of cost optimization in reinforced concrete structures, which aims at minimizing financial resources while ensuring maximum building safety, comprises multiple materials, and the objective function for their optimal design is derived from the construction cost of the steel as well as concrete that significantly contribute to the overall weight of reinforced concrete (RC) structures. To achieve this objective, this work has been devoted to optimizing the structural design of 3D RC frame buildings which integrates, for the first time, the Algerian regulations. Three different test examples were investigated to assess the efficiency of our work in optimizing RC frame buildings. The hybrid GWOPSO algorithm is used, and 30000 generations are made. The cost of the building is reduced by iteration each time. Concrete and reinforcement bars are used in the building cost. As a result, the cost of a reinforced concrete structure is reduced by 30% compared with the initial design. This result means that the 3D cost-design optimization of the framed structure is successfully achieved.

Keywords: optimization, automation, API, Malab, RC structures

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Authors: Mohammad Aminnia, Mahmood Hosseini

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Environmental and functional conditions sometimes necessitate the architectural plan of the building to be asymmetric, and this result in an asymmetric structure. In such cases, finding an optimal pattern for locating the components of the lateral load bearing system, including shear walls, in the building’s plan is desired. In case of shear walls, in addition to the location, the shape of the wall cross-section is also an effective factor. Various types of shear wall and their proper layout might come effective in better stiffness distribution and more appropriate seismic response of the building. Several studies have been conducted in the context of analysis and design of shear walls; however, few studies have been performed on making decisions for the location and form of shear walls in multi-story buildings, especially those with irregular plan. In this study, an attempt has been made to obtain the most reliable seismic behavior of multi-story reinforced concrete vertically chamfered buildings by using more appropriate shear walls form and arrangement in 7-, 10-, 12-, and 15-story buildings. The considered forms and arrangements include common rectangular walls and L-, T-, U- and Z-shaped plan, located as the core or in the outer frames of the building structure. Comparison of seismic behaviors of the buildings, including maximum roof displacement, and particularly the formation of plastic hinges and their distribution in the buildings’ structures, have been done based on the results of a series of nonlinear time history analyses by using a set of selected earthquake records. Results show that shear walls with U-shaped cross-section, placed as the building central core, and also walls with Z-shaped cross-section, placed at the corners give the building more reliable seismic behavior.

Keywords: vertically chamfered buildings, non-linear time history analyses, l-, t-, u- and z-shaped plan walls

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Authors: Mahrukh Shehzadi

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Pakistan is a democratic republic but has spent much time under military rulers; after a few years of independence, Pakistan faced three martial laws in 1958, 1969, and 1977, and the latest in 1999 by General Musharraf. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the politics, policies and overall performance of Pakistan People’s Party Government from 2008-2013. PPP won a significant victory in the elections of 2008. The co-chairman, Mr. Asif Ali Zardari, announced the end of the fourth dictatorship. It was for the first time in Pakistan’s history that an elected government completed its term (2008-2013). While the completion of its term is an achievement, the performance of the democratically-elected government – federal, provincial and local does not inspire much confidence. Poor governance, persistent confrontational relations between the executive and the judiciary, charges of corruption, and the incompetence of the political leadership to build consensus to combat terrorism continue to cast criticisms on the democratic process and the civilian regime’s capability to sustain democracy. In the present study, the researcher will try to describe and explain the public thinking pattern regarding the policies opted for by the PPP-led government and their impact on the people’s minds of Pakistan.

Keywords: democracy, performance, policies, state, manifesto

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Authors: Zhehao Zhang

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Walking has become an indispensable and sustainable way of travel for college students in their daily lives; campus street is an important carrier for students to walk and take part in a variety of activities, improving the walkability of campus streets plays an important role in optimizing the quality of campus space environment, promoting the campus walking system and inducing multiple walking behaviors. The purpose of this paper is to explore the effect of campus layout, facility distribution, and location site selection on the walkability of campus streets, and assess the street design qualities from the elements of imageability, enclosure, complexity, transparency, and human scale, and further examines the relationship between street-level urban design perceptual qualities and walkability and its effect on walking behavior in the campus. Taking Tianjin University as the research object, this paper uses the optimized walk score method based on walking frequency, variety, and distance to evaluate the walkability of streets from a macro perspective and measures the urban design qualities in terms of the calculation of street physical environment characteristics, as well as uses behavior annotation and street image data to establish temporal and spatial behavior database to analyze walking activity from the microscopic view. In addition, based on the conclusions, the improvement and design strategy will be presented from the aspects of the built walking environment, street vitality, and walking behavior.

Keywords: walkability, streetscapes, pedestrian activity, walk score

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Authors: Barbara Janari

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This paper focuses on temporality in J.M. Coetzee’s first novel, Dusklands, to argue that the novel’s fractured, disjointed temporality is intricately linked to the representations of the war in Vietnam and the colonial project in South Africa. The disrupted temporalities in the novel eschew chronological plots and linear time in favour of narratives that subvert the notion of historical progress to suggest instead the coextensive, multivalent ways in which the past and present interpenetrate one another. The disruption of temporal flow in the novel is evident in its form – the novel comprises two novellas that are juxtaposed, with the first part (‘The Vietnam War’) set centuries before the second part (‘The Narrative of Jacobus Coetzee’). The juxtaposition of the two novellas suggests history’s sometimes overlapping and lateral, rather than linear, movement. The novel’s form is extended in its montage narrative structure, which works to extend its temporal range. The temporal disjunction is reinforced, firstly, by Coetzee’s textual strategies, which include the subversion and critique of realism, parody, repetition, and the narrative technique of montage, and secondly, by the novel’s thematic concerns, which focus on the ways in which American domination can be linked to the colonial quest from earlier times. The complex structure of various strands and levels of authorship slows down the narrative’s temporal flow, requiring the reader to spend a fair amount of time unraveling the various parts of the narrative and relating them to each other. The structure epitomizes reflexive referencing, in which the reader can only make sense of the narrative by going back and forth and connecting various parts of it. The narrative structure also emphasizes the underlying similarities in the brutality that marked these two distinct historical events, epitomized by the drive towards subjection and domination by the novel’s two protagonists, Eugene Dawn and Jacobus Coetzee. The links and overlapping strands between the two novellas emphasize the ways in which the historical truth of colonial discourse becomes as much a myth as the propaganda program in Vietnam.

Keywords: disjunction, juxtaposition, montage, temporality

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Authors: Mirnawati, Gita Ciptaan, Ferawati

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Background and Objective: Palm kernel cake (PKC) is a waste of the palm oil industry. Indonesia, as the largest palm oil producer in the world, produced 45-46% palm kernel cake. Palm kernel cake can potentially be used as animal ration but its utilization for poultry is limited. Thus, fermentation process was done in order to increase the utilization PKC in poultry ration. An experiment was conducted to study the effect between Inoculum Doses with Bacillus subtilis and fermentation time to improve the quality and nutrient content of fermented Palm Kernel Cake. Material and Methods: 1) Palm kernel cake derived from Palm Kernel Processing Manufacture of Andalas Agro Industry in Pasaman, West Sumatra. 2) Bacillus subtilis obtained from The Research Center of Applied Chemistry LIPI, Bogor. 3) Preparations nutrient agar medium (NA) produced by Difoo - Becton Dickinson. 4) Rice bran 5) Aquades and mineral standard. The experiment used completely randomize design (CRD) with 3 x 3 factorial and 3 replications. The first factors were three doses of inoculum Bacillus subtilis: (3%), (5%), and (7%). The second factor was fermentation time: (1) 2 day, (2) 4 day, and (3) 6 day. The parameters were crude protein, crude fiber, nitrogen retention, and crude fiber digestibility of fermented palm kernel cake (FPKC). Results: The result of the study showed that there was significant interaction (P<0.01) between factor A and factor B and each factor A and B also showed significant effect (P<0.01) on crude protein, crude fiber, nitrogen retention, and crude fiber digestibility. Conclusion: From this study, it can be concluded that fermented PKC with 7% doses of Bacillus subtilis and 6 days fermentation time provides the best result as seen from 24.65% crude protein, 17.35% crude fiber, 68.47% nitrogen retention, 53.25% crude fiber digestibility of fermented palm kernel cake (FPKC).

Keywords: fermentation, Bacillus Subtilis, inoculum, palm kernel cake, quality, nutrient

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Authors: Arya Prakash Padhi, Anupam Chakrabarti, Rajib Chowdhury

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Topology or layout optimization often gives better performing economic structures and is very helpful in the conceptual design phase. But traditionally it is being done in finite element-based optimization schemes which, although gives a good result, is very time-consuming especially in 3D structures. Among other alternatives machine learning, especially deep learning-based methods, have a very good potential in resolving this computational issue. Here convolutional neural network (3D-CNN) based variational auto encoder (VAE) is trained using a dataset generated from commercially available topology optimization code ABAQUS Tosca using solid isotropic material with penalization (SIMP) method for compliance minimization. The encoded data in latent space is then fed to a 3D generative adversarial network (3D-GAN) to generate the outcome in 64x64x64 size. Here the network consists of 3D volumetric CNN with rectified linear unit (ReLU) activation in between and sigmoid activation in the end. The proposed network is seen to provide almost optimal results with significantly reduced computational time, as there is no iteration involved.

Keywords: 3D generative adversarial network, deep learning, structural topology optimization, variational auto encoder

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Authors: Abdullah Özköse, Ahmet Tamkoç

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This study aimed to determine some plant characteristics of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) genotypes collected from the natural flora of Ankara and correlations between these characteristics. In order to evaluate for breeding purposes according to Turkey's environmental conditions, perennial ryegrass plants collected from natural pasture of Ankara at 2004 were utilized. The collected seeds of plants were sown in pots and seedlings were prepared in greenhouse. Seedlings were transplanted to the experimental field at 50x50 cm intervals in Randomized Complete Blocks Design in 2005. Data were obtained from the observations and measurements of 568 perennial ryegrasses in 2007 and 2008. Perennial ryegrass plants’ in the spring re-growth time, color, density, growth habit, tendency to inflorescences, time of inflorescence, plant height, length of upper internode, spike length, leaf length, leaf width, leaf area, leaf shape, number of spikelets per spike, seed yield per spike, and 1000 grain weight were investigated and correlation analyses were made on the data. Correlation coefficients were estimated between all paired combinations of the traits. The yield components exhibited varying trends of association among themselves. Seed yield per spike showed significant and positive association with number of spikelets per spike, 1000 grain weight, plant height, length of upper internode, spike length, leaf length, leaf width, leaf area and color, but significant and negative association with growth habit and in the spring re-growth time spring.

Keywords: correlation, morphological traits, Lolium perenne

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Authors: Li Qiaoming

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The outbreak of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in early 2020 brought new opportunities to the development of the digital creative industry in China. Based on the realistic foundation of the development of the digital creative industry in China, an analysis was conducted on the mechanism of action of the pandemic on this industry from both sides of supply and demand by sorting out its concept, connotation, and related theories. To be specific, the demand side experienced changes due to the changes in the consumption habits of residents, the sharp increase in gross domestic time (GDT), the satisfaction of the psychological needs of users, search for substitutes for offline consumption, and other factors. An analysis was carried out on the mechanism of action of the pandemic on the digital creative industry from the production link, supply subjects, product characteristics, and transmission link of the supply side. Then, a detailed discussion was held on the manifestation forms of the impact of the pandemic from the dimensions of time and space. Finally, this paper discussed the main development focuses of the digital creative industry in the post-pandemic era from the aspects of the government, industries, and enterprises.

Keywords: COVID-19, demand and supply relationship, digital creative industries, industry shocks

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Authors: Harsh Panchal, Saurabh Amrutkar

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Quality management is an essential part of any project that has directly related to the performance of a project. Quality management is depended on multiple factors at different stages in a project, right from time management to construction logistics. A project is a mixture of various components that include iternary management, health and safety, crew productivity, and many more. From the survey conducted, we came to the conclusion that advancement in technology and indigenous approach to any project will result in maximum quality standards and better project performance. In this paper, we discuss various components of the factors above that lead to compromise the quality of a project and how it can be controlled in order to achieve maximum quality assurance using quality planning and total quality management. The paper also focuses on limitations and problems faced in each factor responsible for quality management and to tackle them using techniques and processes based on activities and identifying the sequence, approaching critical path, and duration. The project management concept that deals with the sequence of scope cost time give us an overview regarding the ongoing quality management, in a nutshell, giving us hints to regulate the current procedure for maximum achievable quality. It also deals with the problems faced by engineers that make the mundane work process slow, reducing the quality outcome drastically.

Keywords: management, performance, project, quality

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Authors: Chako G. Chako

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This study reports on an ongoing research that explores pre-school mathematics. Participants in the study includes three pre-school teachers and their pre-school learners from one school in Gaborone. The school was purposefully selected based on its performance in Botswana’s 2019 national examinations. Specifically, the study is interested on teachers’ explanations of mathematics concepts embedded in pre-school mathematics tasks. The interest on explanations was informed by the view that suggests that, the mathematics learners get to learn, resides in teachers’ explanations. Recently, Botswana’s basic education has integrated pre-school education into the mainstream public primary school education. This move is part of the government’s drive to elevate Botswana to a knowledge-based-economy. It is believed that provision of pre-school education to all Batswana children will contribute immensely towards a knowledge-based-economy. Since pre-school is now a new phenomenon in our education, there is limited research at this level of education in Botswana. In particular, there is limited knowledge about what and how the teaching is conducted in Pre-Schools in Botswana. Hence, the study seeks to gain insight into what constitutes mathematics in tasks that learners are given, and how concepts are made accessible to Pre-school learners. The research question of interest for this study is stated as: What is the nature Pre-school teachers’ explanations of mathematics concepts embedded in tasks given to learners. Casting some light into what and how pre-school mathematics tasks are enacted is critical for policy and Pre-school teacher professional development. The sociocultural perspective framed the research. Adler and Rhonda’s (2014) notion of exemplification and explanatory communication are used to analyze tasks given to learners and teachers’ explanations respectively.

Keywords: classroom, explanation, mathematics, pre-school, tasks

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Authors: Ming-Ta Yang, Jyh-Cherng Gu, Chun-Wei Huang, Jin-Lung Guan

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Time base maintenance (TBM) is conventionally applied by the power utilities to maintain circuit breakers (CBs), transformers, bus bars and cables, which may result in under maintenance or over maintenance. As information and communication technology (ICT) industry develops, the maintenance policies of many power utilities have gradually changed from TBM to condition base maintenance (CBM) to improve system operating efficiency, operation cost and power supply reliability. This paper discusses the feasibility of using intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) to construct a CB CBM management platform. CBs in power substations can be monitored using IEDs with additional logic configuration and wire connections. The CB monitoring data can be sent through intranet to a control center and be analyzed and integrated by the Elipse Power Studio software. Finally, a human-machine interface (HMI) of supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system can be designed to construct a CBM management platform to provide maintenance decision information for the maintenance personnel, management personnel and CB manufacturers.

Keywords: circuit breaker, condition base maintenance, intelligent electronic device, time base maintenance, SCADA

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Authors: Muhammad Sohail Sajid, Qurat-ul-Ain, Zafar Iqbal, Muhammad Nisar Khan, Asma Kausar, Adil Ejaz

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Rickettsiosis, caused by a Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae (SFGR), is considered as an emerging infectious disease from public and veterinary perspective. The present study reports distribution of SFGR in the host (buffalo and cattle) and vector (ticks) population determined through gene specific amplification through PCR targeting outer membrane protein (ompA). Tick and blood samples were collected using standard protocols through convenient sampling from district Faisalabad. Ticks were dissected to extract salivary glands (SG). Blood and tick SG pools were subjected to DNA extraction and amplification of ompA using PCR. Overall prevalence of SFGR was reported as 21.5% and 33.6 % from blood and ticks, respectively. Hyalomma anatolicum was more prevalent tick associated with SFGR as compared to Rhipicephalus sp. Higher prevalence of SFGR was reported in cattle (25%) population as compared to that of buffalo (17.07%). On seasonal basis, high SFGR prevalence was recorded during spring season (48.1%, 26.32%, 17.76%) as compared to winter (27.9%, 21.43%, 15.38%) in vector and host (cattle and buffalo respectively) population. Sequencing analysis indicated that rickettsial endo-symbionts were associated with ticks of the study area. These results provided baseline information about the prevalence of SFGR in vector and host population.

Keywords: Rickettsia, livestock, polymerase chain reaction, sequencing, ticks, vectors

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Authors: Nazish Iftikhar, Adil Jhangeer, Tayyaba Naz

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The universe is expanding at an accelerated rate. Symmetries are useful in understanding universe’s behavior. Emmy Noether reported the relation between symmetries and conservation laws. These symmetries are known as Noether symmetries which correspond to a conserved quantity. In differential equations, conservation laws play an important role. Noether symmetries are helpful in modified theories of gravity. Time independent plane symmetric spacetime was classified by Noether`s theorem. By using Noether`s theorem, set of linear partial differential equations was obtained having A(r), B(r) and F(r) as unknown radial functions. The Lagrangian corresponding to considered spacetime in the Noether equation was used to get Noether operators. Different possibilities of radial functions were considered. Firstly, all functions were same. All the functions were considered as non-zero constant, linear, reciprocal and exponential respectively. Secondly, two functions were proportional to each other keeping third function different. Second case has four subcases in which four different relationships between A(r), B(r) and F(r) were discussed. In all cases, we obtained nontrivial Noether operators including gauge term. Conserved quantities for each Noether operators were also presented.

Keywords: Noether gauge symmetries, radial function, Noether operator, conserved quantities

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Authors: Srinivasan Chandrasekaran, Shihas A. Khader

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Motion response of floating structures is of great concern in marine engineering. Nonlinearity is an inherent property of any floating bodies subjected to irregular waves. These floating structures are continuously subjected to environmental loadings from wave, current, wind etc. This can result in undesirable motions of the vessel which may challenge the operability. For a floating body to remain in its position, it should be able to induce a restoring force when displaced. Mooring is provided to enable this restoring force. This paper discuss the hydrodynamic performance and motion characteristics of an 8 point spread mooring system applied to a pipe laying barge operating in the West African sea. The modelling of the barge is done using a computer aided-design (CAD) software RHINOCEROS. Irregular waves are generated using a suitable wave spectrum. Both frequency domain and time domain analysis is done. Numerical simulations based on potential theory are carried out to find the responses and hydrodynamic performance of the barge in both free floating as well as moored conditions. Initially, potential flow frequency domain analysis is done to obtain the Response Amplitude Operator (RAO) which gives an idea about the structural motion in free floating state. RAOs for different wave headings are analyzed. In the following step, a time domain analysis is carried out to obtain the responses of the structure in the moored condition. In this study, wave induced motions are only taken into consideration. Wind and current loads are ruled out and shall be included in future studies. For the current study, 5000 seconds simulation is taken. The results represent wave-induced motion responses, mooring line tensions and identifies critical mooring lines.

Keywords: irregular wave, moored barge, time domain analysis, numerical simulation

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Authors: Sharmin Nasrin

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Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh. In Dhaka among other trips, significant percentages of trips comprise education trips. This paper explores significant factors for private university students’ education trip to the University. A paper pencil based survey has been conducted on Asia Pacific University student in Dhaka from May 2016 to July 2016. Participants were chosen randomly for the survey. Exploratory analysis showed that about 50% chose bus, 33% chose Rickshaw, 2% chose car and 15% chose to walk for travel to their University. Results from Multinomial Logit model revealed that travel cost, travel time and comfort are the significant factors for private university students to choose different modes. However, magnitude of coefficient of attribute comfort is significantly higher compared to travel cost and travel time. Result from this paper can be used by policymakers and Government agencies to provide more cost effective, comfortable journey to their University.

Keywords: private university student's education trip, mode choice mode, Dhaka, developing country

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Authors: Feng Zisu

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Community is the basic unit of the city, community pedestrian space is also an important part of the urban public space, and its quality improvement is also closely related to the residents' happiness and sense of belonging. Domestic and international research perspectives on community pedestrian space have gradually changed to inclusive design for the whole population, paying more attention to the equitable accessibility of urban space and the multiple composite enhancement of spatial connotation. In order to realize the inclusive and sustainable development of pedestrian space in old communities, this article selects Cao Yang New Village in Shanghai as a practice case, and based on the connotation of inclusiveness, the four dimensions of space, traffic, function and emotion are selected as the layers of inclusive connotation of pedestrian space in old communities. This article identifies the objective social needs, dynamic activity characteristics and subjective feelings of multiple subjects, and reconstructs the structural hierarchy of “spatial perception - behavioral characteristics - subjective feelings” of walking. It also proposes a governance strategy of “reconfiguring the pedestrian network, optimizing street quality, integrating ecological space and reshaping the community scene” from the aspects of quality of physical environment and quality of behavioral perception, aiming to provide new ideas for promoting the inclusive and sustainable development of pedestrian space in old communities.

Keywords: inclusivity, old community, pedestrian space, spatial quality, sustainable renovation

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Authors: Maatouk Mohamed, Nouira Mariem, Hamdi Kbir Gh, Mahjoubi M. F., Ben Moussa M.

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Background and aim: Preoperative biliary drainage (PBD) has been introduced to lower bilirubin levels and to control the negative effects of obstructive jaundice in patients with malignant obstructive jaundice undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). The optimal time interval between PBD and PD is still not clear. Delaying surgery by 4 to 6 weeks is the commonly accepted practice. However, delayed PD has been shown to decrease the rate of resection and adversely affect the tumor grading and prognosis. Thus, the purpose of our systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the optimal period for PBD prior to PD: short or prolonged in terms of postoperative morbidity and survival outcomes. Methods: Trials were searched in PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library until November 2022. Studies using PBD in patients with malignant obstructive jaundice that compared short duration group (SDG) (surgery performed within 3-4 weeks) with prolonged duration group (PDG) (at least 3-4 weeks after PBD) were included in this study. The risk of bias was assessed using the Rob v2 and Robins-I tools. The priori protocol was published in PROSPERO (ID: CRD42022381405). Results: Seven studies comprising 1625 patients (SDG 870, PDG 882) were included. All studies were non-randomized, and only one was prospective. No significant differences were observed between the SDG and PDG in mortality (OR= 0.59; 95% CI [0.30, 1.17], p=0.13), major morbidity (Chi² = 30.28, p <0.00001; I² = 87%), pancreatic fistula (Chi² = 6.61, p = 0.25); I² = 24%), post pancreatectomy haemorrhage (OR= 1.16; 95% CI [0.67, 2.01], p=0.59), positive drainage culture (OR= 0.36; 95% CI [0.10, 1.32], p=0.12), septic complications (OR= 0.78; 95% CI [0.23, 2.72], p=0.70), wound infection (OR= 0.08, p=0.07), operative time (MD= 0.21; p=0.21). Conclusion: Early surgery within 3 or 4 weeks after biliary drainage is both safe and effective. Thus, it is reasonable to suggest early surgery following PBD for patients having resectable periampullary cancers.

Keywords: preoperative biliary drainage, pancreatic cancer, pancreatic surgery, complication

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Authors: F. Villaret, I. Jacot, Y. Shen, Z. Kong, T. XU, Y. Wang, D. Lu

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Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) allows the rapid production of large, homogeneous parts with complex geometry. However, in the nuclear field, parts can reach dimensions of ten to a hundred tons. In this case, the usual WAAM TIG or CMT processes do not have sufficient deposition rates to consider the manufacture of parts of such dimensions within a reasonable time. The submerged arc welding process (SAW, Submerged Arc Welding) allows much higher deposition rates. Although there are very few references to this process for additive manufacturing in the literature, it has been used for a long time for the welding and coating of nuclear power plant vessels, so this process is well-known and mastered as a welding process. This study proposes to evaluate the SAW process as an additive manufacturing technique by taking as an example a low-alloy steel of type 16MND5. In the first step, a parametric study allowed the evaluation of the effect of the different parameters and the deposition rate on the geometry of the beads and their microstructure. Larger parts were also fabricated and characterized by metallography and mechanical tests (tensile, impact, toughness). The effect of different heat treatments on the microstructure is also studied.

Keywords: WAAM, low alloy steel, submerged arc, caracterization

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Authors: Okupe Temitope Oluwaseun

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Purpose: The paper determines the existing position of attitudes to disability in a Nigerian organisation. It further assessed the progress that has been made in relation to employment matters as an indication of the Nigerian employment market. Design/methodology/approach: The paper discusses an investigative study which adopted survey research-based approach involving a Nigerian Management Agency. Findings: The paper finds that, although there have been some steps forward, not much has been done with regard to disability equality in the Nigerian employment market. Lack of education, lack of implementing and enforcing the law, inadequate awareness process and international culture have contributed to the current situation. International culture, in particular, is one of the major attributes to lack of disability equality. For example, in the rural areas, the majority of people believe that disability is a form of witchcraft. This paper argues that these traditions, attitudes, and beliefs make it difficult for an organisation to recruit people with disability. Practical Implications: This paper provides a deeper understanding of how organisations can address attitudes to disability within the workplace in Nigeria. The research findings give a fresher perspective on some of the issues associated with disability in this country. This increased understanding has potential to improve the education and training of staff in this area. Originality/value: A paper which human resources managers in Nigerian organisation and the rest of the world can reflect upon in order to assess their own organisation attitudes to the employment of staff with a disability.

Keywords: disability, international culture, Nigeria, attitudes

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Authors: Samuel Munaf, Kevin Swingler, Franz Brülisauer, Anthony O’Hare, George Gunn, Aaron Reeves

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Background: Avian influenza, more commonly known as Bird flu, is a viral zoonotic respiratory disease stemming from various species of poultry, including pets and migratory birds. Researchers have purported that the accessibility of health information online, in addition to the low-cost data collection methods the internet provides, has revolutionized the methods in which epidemiological and disease surveillance data is utilized. This paper examines the feasibility of using internet data sources, such as Twitter and livestock forums, for the early detection of the avian flu outbreak, through the use of text mining algorithms and social network analysis. Methods: Social media mining was conducted on Twitter between the period of 01/01/2021 to 31/12/2021 via the Twitter API in Python. The results were filtered firstly by hashtags (#avianflu, #birdflu), word occurrences (avian flu, bird flu, H5N1), and then refined further by location to include only those results from within the UK. Analysis was conducted on this text in a time-series manner to determine keyword frequencies and topic modeling to uncover insights in the text prior to a confirmed outbreak. Further analysis was performed by examining clinical signs (e.g., swollen head, blue comb, dullness) within the time series prior to the confirmed avian flu outbreak by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). Results: The increased search results in Google and avian flu-related tweets showed a correlation in time with the confirmed cases. Topic modeling uncovered clusters of word occurrences relating to livestock biosecurity, disposal of dead birds, and prevention measures. Conclusions: Text mining social media data can prove to be useful in relation to analysing discussed topics for epidemiological surveillance purposes, especially given the lack of applied research in the veterinary domain. The small sample size of tweets for certain weekly time periods makes it difficult to provide statistically plausible results, in addition to a great amount of textual noise in the data.

Keywords: veterinary epidemiology, disease surveillance, infodemiology, infoveillance, avian influenza, social media

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Authors: Salisu Umar

Abstract:

Fruits are a seasonal crop and get spoiled quickly. They are dried to be preserved for a long period. The natural drying process requires more time. The investment on space requirement and infrastructure is large, and cannot be afforded by a middle class farmer. Therefore there is a need for a comparatively small unit with reduced drying times, which can be afforded by a middle class farmer. A controlled environment suitable for fruit drying is developed within a closed chamber and is a three step process. Firstly, the infrared light is used internally to preheated the fruit to speedily remove the water content inside the fruit for fast drying. Secondly, hot air of a specified temperature is blown inside the chamber to maintain the humidity below a specified level and exhaust the humid air of the chamber. Thirdly the microcontroller idles disconnecting the power to the chamber after the weight of the fruits is reduced to a known value of its original weight. This activates a buzzer for duration of ten seconds to indicate the end of the drying process. The results obtained indicate that the system is significantly reducing the drying time without affecting the quality of the fruits compared with the existing dryers.

Keywords: fruit, fuzzy controller, microcontroller, temperature, weight and humidity

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Authors: Arindam Roy, Madhushree Das, Apurba Manna, Samir Maity

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In this research paper, an algorithmic approach is developed to solve a novel multi-objective four-dimensional traveling salesman problem (MO4DTSP) where different paths with various numbers of conveyances are available to travel between two cities. NSGA-II and Decomposition algorithms are modified to solve MO4DTSP in an IoT-based transport system. This IoT-based transport system can be widely observed, analyzed, and controlled by an extensive distribution of traffic networks consisting of various types of sensors and actuators. Due to urbanization, most of the cities are connected using an intelligent traffic management system. Practically, for a traveler, multiple routes and vehicles are available to travel between any two cities. Thus, the classical TSP is reformulated as multi-route and multi-vehicle i.e., 4DTSP. The proposed MO4DTSP is designed with traveling cost, time, and customer satisfaction as objectives. In reality, customer satisfaction is an important parameter that depends on travel costs and time reflects in the present model.

Keywords: multi-objective four-dimensional traveling salesman problem (MO4DTSP), decomposition, NSGA-II, IoT-based transport system, customer satisfaction

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Authors: Katharina Fellnhofer

Abstract:

The more information and knowledge that technology provides, the more important are profoundly human skills like intuition, the skill of using nonconscious information. As our world becomes more complex, shaken by crises, and characterized by uncertainty, time pressure, ambiguity, and rapidly changing conditions, intuition is increasingly recognized as a key human asset. However, due to methodological limitations of sample size or time frame or a lack of real-world or cross-cultural scope, precisely how to measure intuition when facing risks on a nonconscious level remains unclear. In light of the measurement challenge related to intuition’s nonconscious nature, a technique is introduced to measure intuition via hidden images as nonconscious additional information to trigger intuition. This technique has been tested in a within-subject fully online design with 62,721 real-world investment decisions made by 657 subjects in Europe and the United States. Bayesian models highlight the technique’s potential to measure skill at using nonconscious information for conscious decision making. Over the long term, solving the mysteries of intuition and mastering its use could be of immense value in personal and organizational decision-making contexts.

Keywords: cognition, intuition, investment decisions, methodology

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Authors: Alexander Scott English, Yilin Ma, Xiaoying Liu

Abstract:

The widespread use of artificial intelligence in everyday life has triggered a fervent discussion covering a wide range of areas. However, to date, research on the influence of gender in various segments and factors from a social science perspective is still limited. This study aims to explore whether there are gender differences in human trust in AI for its application in basic everyday life and correlates with human perceived similarity, perceived emotions (including competence and warmth), and attractiveness. We conducted a study involving 321 participants using a two-subject experimental design with a two-factor (masculinized vs. feminized voice of the AI) multiplied by a two-factor (pitch level of the AI's voice) between-subject experimental design. Four contexts were created for the study and randomly assigned. The results of the study showed significant gender differences in perceived similarity, trust, and perceived emotion of the AIs, with females rating them significantly higher than males. Trust was higher in relation to AIs presenting the same gender (e.g., human female to female AI, human male to male AI). Mediation modeling tests indicated that emotion perception and similarity played a sufficiently mediating role in trust. Notably, although trust in AIs was strongly correlated with human gender, there was no significant effect on the gender of the AI. In addition, the study discusses the effects of subjects' age, job search experience, and job type on the findings.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, gender differences, human-robot trust, mediation modeling

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Authors: Muhammad Habib, Xuefan Zhou, Lin Tang, Guoliang Xue, Fazli Akram, Dou Zhang

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Defect engineering approach is a well-established approach for the customization of functional properties of perovskite ceramics. In modern technology, the high multiferroic properties for elevated temperature applications are greatly demanding. In this work, the Bi-nonstoichiometric lead-free 0.67Biy-xSmxFeO3-0.33BaTiO3 ceramics (Sm-doped BF-BT for Bi-excess; y = 1.03 and Bi-deficient; y = 0.975 with x = 0.00, 0.04 and 0.08) were design for the high-temperature multiferroic property. Enhanced piezoelectric (d33  250 pC/N and d33* 350 pm/V) and magnetic properties (Mr  0.25 emu/g) with a high Curie temperature (TC  465 ℃) were obtained in the Bi-deficient pure BF-BT ceramics. With Sm-doping (x = 0.04), the TC decrease to 350 ℃ a significant improvement occurred in the d33* to 504 pm/V and 450 pm/V for Bi-excess and Bi-deficient compositions, respectively. The structural origin of the enhanced piezoelectric strain performance is related to the soft ferroelectric effect by Sm-doping and reversible phase transition from the short-range relaxor ferroelectric state to the long-range order under the applied electric field. However, a slight change occurs in the Mr 0.28 emu/g value with Sm-doping for Bi-deficient ceramics, whereas the Bi-excess ceramics shows completely paramagnetic behavior. Hence, the origin of high magnetic properties in the Bi-deficient BF-BT ceramics is mainly attributed to the proposed double exchange mechanism. We believe that this strategy will provide a new perspective for the development of lead-free multiferroic ceramics for high-temperature applications.

Keywords: BiFeO3-BaTiO3, lead-free piezoceramics, magnetic properties, defect engineering

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Authors: Bikash Kumar Malick

Abstract:

Labour reform is a most celebrated theme for policy makers, at the same time it is also a most misunderstood and skeptical concept even for the educated masses in India. One of the widely focused and discussed topics which needs an in-depth examination is India’s labour laws. It may actually help to reach points to understand the exact requirements in labour reforms by making the labour laws more simple and concise in form and its implementation. It is also a requirement to guide states in India in terms of making laws on it as Indian Constitution itself is federal in form and unitary in spirit. Recently, Codes of Wages Bill has been introduced in Indian Parliament while other three codes are waiting to come in the same line and those codes actually highlight the simplified features of labour laws to enable labour reform in a succinct manner. However, it still brings more confusion in minds of people. To wipe out the confusion and to bring a note and to put it for correlation among the labour reforms of both centre and states which both generates employment and make growth sustainable in India providing clear public understanding. This time is also ripe minimizing the apprehension about all the coming labour laws simplified in different codes in India. This article attempts to highlight the need of labour reform and its possible impact. It also examines the higher rates of minimum wages and its links with its coverage agriculture and nonagricultural sectors (including mines) over the period time. It also takes into consideration of central sphere and in states sphere minimum wage which are linked with Consumer Price Index to bring into account the living standard of workers and to examine the cause and effect between minimum wage and output in both agriculture and non agricultural sector with regression analysis. Increase in minimum wage has actually strengthened the sustainable output.

Keywords: codes of wages, indian constitution, minimum wage, labour laws, labour reforms

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