Search results for: analyzing initial efficacy

Authors: Ambachew Simreteab Gebremedhn

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Context: The paper explores the use of synchronous reference frame theory (SRFT) and instantaneous reactive power theory (IRPT) based control of Unified Power Quality Conditioner (UPQC) for improving power quality in distribution systems. Research Aim: To investigate the performance of different control configurations of UPQC using SRFT and IRPT for mitigating power quality issues in distribution systems. Methodology: The study compares three control techniques (SRFT-IRPT, SRFT-SRFT, IRPT-IRPT) implemented in series and shunt active filters of UPQC. Data is collected under various control algorithms to analyze UPQC performance. Findings: Results indicate the effectiveness of SRFT and IRPT based control techniques in addressing power quality problems such as voltage sags, swells, unbalance, harmonics, and current harmonics in distribution systems. Theoretical Importance: The study provides insights into the application of SRFT and IRPT in improving power quality, specifically in mitigating unbalanced voltage sags, where conventional methods fall short. Data Collection: Data is collected under various control algorithms using simulation in MATLAB Simulink and real-time operation executed with experimental results obtained using RT-LAB. Analysis Procedures: Performance analysis of UPQC under different control algorithms is conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of SRFT and IRPT based control techniques in mitigating power quality issues. Questions Addressed: How do SRFT and IRPT based control techniques compare in improving power quality in distribution systems? What is the impact of using different control configurations on the performance of UPQC? Conclusion: The study demonstrates the efficacy of SRFT and IRPT based control of UPQC in mitigating power quality issues in distribution systems, highlighting their potential for enhancing voltage and current quality.

Keywords: power quality, UPQC, shunt active filter, series active filter, non-linear load, RT-LAB, MATLAB

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Authors: Sumayya S.

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Making cities adaptive and inclusive is one among the inherent goal and challenge for contemporary cities. This is a serious concern when the urban transformations occur in varying magnitude due to visible and invisible factors. One type of visibly invisible factor is ecommerce and its expanding operation that is understood to cause changes to the conventional spatial structure positively and negatively. With the continued growth in e-commerce activities and its future potential, market analysts, media, and even retailers have questioned the importance of a future presence of traditional Brick-and-mortar stores in cities as a critical element, with some even referring to the repeated announcement of the closure of some store chains as the end of the online shopping era. Essentially this raises the question of how adaptive and inclusive the cities are to the dynamics of transformative changes that are often unseen. People have become more comfortable with seating inside and door delivery systems, and this increased change in usage of public spaces, especially the commercial corridors. Through this research helped in presetting a new approach for planning and designing commercial activities centers and also presents the impact of ecommerce on the urban fabric, such as division and fragmentation of space, showroom syndrome, reconceptualization of space, etc., in a critical way. The changes are understood by analyzing the e-commerce logistic process. Based on the inferences reach at the conclusion for the need of an integrated approach in the field of planning and designing of public spaces for the sustainable omnichannel retailing. This study was carried out with the following objectives Monitoring the impact of e commerce on the traditional shopping space. Explore the new challenges and opportunities faced by the urban form. Explore how adaptive and inclusive our cities are to the dynamics of transformative changes caused by ecommerce.

Keywords: E-commerce, shopping streets, online environment, offline environment, shopping factors

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Authors: Kalsoom Sumra

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The increasing concern of public sector reforms brings new challenges to public service ethics in developing countries not only at central level but also at local level. This paper aims to identify perceptions on public service ethics of public officials and examines more generally the understanding of public servants in Pakistan towards public service ethics in local public organizations. The study uses an independently administered structured questionnaire to collect data to know the extent of the recognition of public service ethics in local organizations. A total of 150 completed questionnaires are analyzed received from public servants working at the local level in Pakistan. The analysis explores how traditional, social patterns and cultural ethics can provide us with a rounded picture of the main antecedents, moderators of public service ethics in Pakistan. Moreover, the findings of this study contribute in association of public service ethics which are crucial in ongoing political and administrative culture of Pakistan, the most crucial core for public organizational ethical climate. This study also has numerous implications for local public administration and it highlights the importance of expanding research agenda on public service ethics in developing settings with challenging institutional contexts with imperfect training and operating environments. This study may well be particularly important for practice of public service ethics in developing countries in public administration. To the best of author’s knowledge, this study is the first of its kind to provide an initial step in practical implications to emphasize relevant public service ethics in public administration in developing transparent and accountable organization.

Keywords: public service ethics, accountability and transparency, public service reforms, public administration, organizational ethical climate

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Authors: S. Bouhouche, R. Drai, J. Bast

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This paper is concerned with a method for uncertainty evaluation of steel sample content using X-Ray Fluorescence method. The considered method of analysis is a comparative technique based on the X-Ray Fluorescence; the calibration step assumes the adequate chemical composition of metallic analyzed sample. It is proposed in this work a new combined approach using the Kalman Filter and Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) for uncertainty estimation of steel content analysis. The Kalman filter algorithm is extended to the model identification of the chemical analysis process using the main factors affecting the analysis results; in this case, the estimated states are reduced to the model parameters. The MCMC is a stochastic method that computes the statistical properties of the considered states such as the probability distribution function (PDF) according to the initial state and the target distribution using Monte Carlo simulation algorithm. Conventional approach is based on the linear correlation, the uncertainty budget is established for steel Mn(wt%), Cr(wt%), Ni(wt%) and Mo(wt%) content respectively. A comparative study between the conventional procedure and the proposed method is given. This kind of approaches is applied for constructing an accurate computing procedure of uncertainty measurement.

Keywords: Kalman filter, Markov chain Monte Carlo, x-ray fluorescence calibration and testing, steel content measurement, uncertainty measurement

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Authors: Shaho Ghafur Ahmed

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The right to self-determination of peoples is a fundamental human right recognized by the principles of international law. It could be embodied in the internal level in the form of federalism. Most federal constitutions prevented the secession of constituent entities, while some remained silent, as the case of Iraq, and rare instances of them recognize it. But, after the failure of federalism, these entities seek to separate whenever the opportunity arises. In several cases, they have resort to peaceful methods in some others they resort to force. The constitutional Supreme Court, which guaranty the unity and integrity of the State, often prevent these attempts. After not a commitment of federalism in Iraq, which has been founded since 2004, the Kurdistan region, as the only federated entity, has conducted a unilateral referendum on 25 September 2017 for its independence. The Iraqi government refused it. The Iraqi Federal Supreme Court, through interpreting the constitutional provisions, decided that this referendum and it’s purposes, which was the independence of the region, was unconstitutional. Subsequently, the Iraqi government used forces and blockaded the region so as to force it to turn off this process. So, in this paper, the right to self-determination of the peoples in federated entities and its obstacles will be discussed through the comparative legal basis and analyzing the decisions of the Federal Constitutional Courts. We will compare the role that the Supreme Court of Canada played regarding the referendum that operated in Quebec in 1995, in which it refused only the unilaterally attempts for the independence of this province. While, in the case of the Kurdistan region, the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court has definitively refused this right. No measures were taken by this Court to protect the region from the Iraqi government reactions. This decision led to the questioning of the neutrality of this Court. So, from the point of view of the Kurdistan region, this Court became a political instrument to prevent it to be independent in the international community, in the absence of a clear constitutional provision, through an abstract and an incomplete interpretation of federal constitutional provisions.

Keywords: right of self-determination, federal supreme court, supremacy of federal constitution

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Authors: Atif Zafar, Fan Haijun

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A sequence of different Reservoir Engineering methods and tools in reservoir characterization and field development are presented in this paper. The real data of Jin Gas Field of L-Basin of Pakistan is used. The basic concept behind this work is to enlighten the importance of well test analysis in a broader way (i.e. reservoir characterization and field development) unlike to just determine the permeability and skin parameters. Normally in the case of reservoir characterization we rely on well test analysis to some extent but for field development plan, the well test analysis has become a forgotten tool specifically for locations of new development wells. This paper describes the successful implementation of well test analysis in Jin Gas Field where the main uncertainties are identified during initial stage of field development when location of new development well was marked only on the basis of G&G (Geologic and Geophysical) data. The seismic interpretation could not encounter one of the boundary (fault, sub-seismic fault, heterogeneity) near the main and only producing well of Jin Gas Field whereas the results of the model from the well test analysis played a very crucial rule in order to propose the location of second well of the newly discovered field. The results from different methods of well test analysis of Jin Gas Field are also integrated with and supported by other tools of Reservoir Engineering i.e. Material Balance Method and Volumetric Method. In this way, a comprehensive way out and algorithm is obtained in order to integrate the well test analyses with Geological and Geophysical analyses for reservoir characterization and field development. On the strong basis of this working and algorithm, it was successfully evaluated that the proposed location of new development well was not justified and it must be somewhere else except South direction.

Keywords: field development plan, reservoir characterization, reservoir engineering, well test analysis

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Authors: Mutavhatsindi Tshinakaho

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Invasive alien plants (IAP’s) are referred to as species that are non-native to the ecosystem under consideration. Whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic, ecological, or environmental harm. The integrated management of the invasive plant, Tithonia diversifolia, will be assessed through two herbicide trials (one on the seedlings and the other on matured plants) and a competitive trial between Tithonia and invasive grass species. The initial herbicide trial will be undertaken at the University of Venda Agricultural greenhouse facilities, where Tithonia will be planted in pot plants and watered every after two days until they reach at least 30 cm and will then be subjected to four different herbicide treatments (Metsulfuron methyl, Fluroxypyr, Picloram, Triclopyr), water will be utilised as a control. The percentage damage to foliar will be recorded. The second herbicide trial will be undertaken at Levubu road site, where matured Tithonia will be cut at at least 10cm above the ground and the subjected to herbicide treatments (Picloram, Fluroxypyr, Imazapyr, and Water as a control). The site will be visited post treatment for assessment. For the competition trial, tall grass species will be chosen as competitors (Panicum maximum and Eragrostis murvula), they will be grown at six densities per pot in the greenhouse facilities at the University of Venda, were they will be kept watered for the duration of the experiment. At the end of the experiment, plants will be removed from pots, and the above and below ground biomass will be weighed. The expected results are to know the effective integrated management strategy for T. diversifolia, the effective rehabilitation of T. diversifolia invaded habitats, and the effective chemical control of T. diversifolia

Keywords: foliar, biomass, competition, invasion

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Authors: Ajeet K. Jha, Pankaj K. Jha, Pravin Mishra

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The study was conducted to evaluate the freezability of crossbred bulls’ semen at early age. Semen of three consecutive collections at 7 days interval from 12 crossbred bulls 17 was evaluated. The age at first collection was 15 to 20 months. Evaluation of semen was done soon after collection. Triladyl, Minitub, Germany was used as extender and was frozen using standard semen freezing protocol. Post-thaw sperm motility was evaluated. Morphology of paraformaldehyde fixed spermatozoa was evaluated under differential interference phase contrast microscopy and the viability of spermatozoa was evaluated by using stain SYBR-14 (1 mM/ml) and propidium iodide (2.41 mM/ml) under an epifluorescent microscopy. Scrotal circumference was correlated with all possible measures in all groups of crossbred bulls. Volume of semen, sperm concentration, total number of spermatozoa, initial sperm motility, post-thaw sperm motility, proportion of normal spermatozoa and proportion of live spermatozoa were compared among individual bull within and between two groups of crossbred bulls. A significant positive correlation was observed between scrotal circumference and volume of semen and between scrotal circumference and the total number of sperm production per ejaculate (r = 0.72, p < 0.04). Significant variation was observed in different semen parameters among individual bulls within the same group (p < 0.05) but no significant variation was found between two groups of crossbred bulls. Out of 12 bulls, semen freezability of 10 bulls was found satisfactory while semen of 2 bulls (Local × Friesian) was unsatisfactory. In conclusion, crossbred bulls aged 18 months having scrotal circumference > 30 cm produce freezable quality semen.

Keywords: Bangladesh, crossbred bull, scrotal circumference, semen freezability

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Authors: Marc Polo, Núria Arbonés Arán

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Amsterdam is considered one of the great European capitals, which concentrates the headquarters of various multinational companies and which, in addition, enjoys a huge tourist attraction. Its typical residential buildings next to the canals, the museums, or its striking "Red Light District" are a great focus of attraction. In 2019 almost 9 million tourists visited it, but few of them traveled to the farthest neighborhood in the city: Amsterdam-Zuidoost (Amsterdam-Southeast). This neighborhood is geographically separated from the urban core, which makes it an exclave of Amsterdam as it does not border any of the other boroughs. Bijlmermeer neighborhood is the largest of the Amsterdam-Zuidoost, and it was born in the 1960s with the expectations of becoming the city of the future. Its main architect, Siegfried Nassuth, was inspired by the Swiss Le Corbusier to design nearly 18,000 homes, most of which were in high-rise tower blocks and built together, forming a recognizable "honeycombed" pattern. For more than 40 years, a series of infrastructure and social vicissitudes have made the neighborhood outline quite different as it was expected to be. It helped also varied elements such as ethnicity, demolitions, or unoccupied apartments. The called “city of the future” became home to immigrants, drug addicts, and vandals, and the conflicts denigrated the Amsterdam-Zuidoost. This work analyzes the evolution of the Bijlmermeer from its origins and illustrates relevant international referents able to help the area. The purpose of the work is to show how different variations along the recent history didn't help enough, but how there are positive perspectives for the future taking advantage of the food as a creative issue. The research, based on academic literature, existing material in different stadiums, plus the analysis of the city imaginaries, will help to concrete relevant elements in terms of innovation, creativity, and disruption. Despite of radical renewal that is taking place, the research will demonstrate that there are still new opportunities for the old Bijlmermeer.

Keywords: amsterdam, bijlmermeer, creativity, food

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Authors: Kang Shuo-Shuo, Li Jian-Nan, Yang Shiming

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Purpose: The three-dimensional anatomical structure of the facial nerve recess and its relationship were measured by high-resolution temporal bone CT to provide imaging reference for cochlear implant operation. Materials and Methods: By analyzing the high-resolution CT of 160 cases (320 pleural ears) of the temporal bone, the following parameters were measured at the axial window niche level: 1. The distance between the facial nerve and chordae tympani nerve d1; 2. Distance between the facial nerve and circular window niche d2; 3. The relative Angle between the facial nerve and the circular window niche a; 4. Distance between the middle point of the face recess and the circular window niche d3; 5. The relative angle between the middle point of the face recess and the circular window niche b. Factors that might influence the anatomy of the facial recess were recorded, including the patient's sex, age, and anatomical variation (e.g., vestibular duct dilation, mastoid gas type, mothoid sinus advancement, jugular bulbar elevation, etc.), and the correlation between these factors and the measured facial recess parameters was analyzed. Result: The mean value of face-drum distance d1 is (3.92 ± 0.26) mm, the mean value of face-niche distance d2 is (5.95 ± 0.62) mm, the mean value of face-niche Angle a is (94.61 ± 9.04) °, and the mean value of fossa - niche distance d3 is (6.46 ± 0.63) mm. The average fossa-niche Angle b was (113.47 ± 7.83) °. Gender, age, and anterior sigmoid sinus were the three factors affecting the width of the opposite recess d1, the Angle of the opposite nerve relative to the circular window niche a, and the Angle of the facial recess relative to the circular window niche b. Conclusion: High-resolution temporal bone CT before cochlear implantation can show the important anatomical relationship of the facial nerve recess, and the measurement results have clinical reference value for the operation of cochlear implantation.

Keywords: cochlear implantation, recess of facial nerve, temporal bone CT, three-dimensional measurement

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Authors: Sriram Kashyap Prasad, Ionut Florescu

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This study models the intraday asset prices as driven by Markov process. This work identifies the latent states of the Hidden Markov model, using limit order book data (trades and quotes) to continuously estimate the states throughout the day. This work builds a trading strategy using estimated states to generate signals. The strategy utilizes current state to recalibrate buy/ sell levels and the transition between states to trigger stop-loss when adverse price movements occur. The proposed trading strategy is tested on the Stevens High Frequency Trading (SHIFT) platform. SHIFT is a highly realistic market simulator with functionalities for creating an artificial market simulation by deploying agents, trading strategies, distributing initial wealth, etc. In the implementation several assets on the NASDAQ exchange are used for testing. In comparison to a strategy with static buy/ sell levels, this study shows that the number of limit orders that get matched and executed can be increased. Executing limit orders earns rebates on NASDAQ. The system can capture jumps in the limit order book prices, provide dynamic buy/sell levels and trigger stop loss signals to improve the PnL (Profit and Loss) performance of the strategy.

Keywords: algorithmic trading, Hidden Markov model, high frequency trading, limit order book learning

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Authors: Robyn L. Curran, Joanne R. Naidoo, Gugu Mchunu

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Along with the increasing awareness of human trafficking, is the acknowledgement that it is no longer just a social problem but also a significant public health problem that requires both increased knowledge and the specialist equipping of aftercare providers such as nurses who care for human trafficking survivors. Current discourse regarding aftercare of human trafficking survivors, is that approaches do not clearly explain the function or content of aftercare and what aftercare entails. Although psychological and medical aftercare are emphasized as important components, little practical attention is devoted to what these components actually involve and the effectiveness of current practice in aftercare. Review of the literature on the processes that take place from aftercare to empowerment, revealed the need for emphasis to be placed on the voices of survivors concerning their liberation from oppression. The aim of the study was to develop a theory for aftercare of human trafficking survivors, through analyzing the experiences of survivors and aftercare providers in shelters in three provinces in South Africa. Through using a Straussian grounded theory approach, the researcher developed a theory to inform care of human trafficking survivors in low resource settings using the voice of the survivors and those experienced in direct care of human trafficking survivors. Four human trafficking survivors and three aftercare providers from three shelters in three provinces in South Africa were individually interviewed in order for the theory to emerge. The findings of the study elicited a theoretical model of the renewed self, and the conditions that facilitate this process in care of human trafficking survivors. The process that human trafficking survivors navigate to empowerment require mutual collaboration of the aftercare provider and survivor as the survivor awakens vision, confronts reality, re-salvages autonomy and liberates self. Psychological resilience of the survivor facilitates the transition to renewed self. The recommendations of this study may improve the nursing care provided to human trafficking survivors and equip professionals with knowledge and skills to promote the process of renewing self for survivors.

Keywords: aftercare, aftercare providers, grounded theory, human trafficking survivors

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Authors: Chun-Min Lin, Yuh-Jen Wu, Ching-Ting Chung

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The formulation of tourism policies requires objective academic research and evidence as support, especially research from local academia. Taiwan is a small island, and its economic growth relies heavily on tourism revenue. Taiwanese government has been devoting to the promotion of the tourism industry over the past few decades. Scientific research outcomes by Taiwanese scholars may and will help lay the foundations for drafting future tourism policy by the government. In this study, a total of 120 full journal articles published between 2008 and 2016 from the Journal of Tourism and Leisure Studies (JTSL) were examined to explore the scientific research trend of tourism study in Taiwan. JTSL is one of the most important Taiwanese journals in the tourism discipline which focuses on tourism-related issues and uses traditional Chinese as the study language. The method of co-word analysis from bibliometrics approaches was employed for semantic analysis in this study. When analyzing Chinese words and phrases, word segmentation analysis is a crucial step. It must be carried out initially and precisely in order to obtain meaningful word or word chunks for further frequency calculation. A word segmentation system basing on N-gram algorithm was developed in this study to conduct semantic analysis, and 100 groups of meaningful phrases with the highest recurrent rates were located. Subsequently, co-word analysis was employed for semantic classification. The results showed that the themes of tourism research in Taiwan in recent years cover the scope of tourism education, environmental protection, hotel management, information technology, and senior tourism. The results can give insight on the related issues and serve as a reference for tourism-related policy making and follow-up research.

Keywords: bibliometrics, co-word analysis, word segmentation, tourism research, policy

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Authors: Feten Chihi, Gabriella Varga

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The world's most prevalent waste management strategy is landfills. However, it grew more difficult due to a lack of acceptable waste sites. In order to develop larger landfills and extend their lifespan, the purpose of this article is to expand the capacity of the construction by varying the slope's inclination and to examine its effect on the safety factor. The capacity change with tilt is mathematically determined. Using a new probabilistic calculation method that takes into account the heterogeneity of waste layers, the safety factor for various slope angles is examined. To assess the effect of slope variation on the overall safety of landfills, over a hundred computations were performed for each angle. It has been shown that capacity increases significantly with increasing inclination. Passing from 1:3 to 2:3 slope angles and from 1:3 to 1:2 slope angles, the volume of garbage that can be deposited increases by 40 percent and 25 percent, respectively, of the initial volume. The results of the safety factor indicate that slopes of 1:3 and 1:2 are safe when the standard method (homogenous waste) is used for computation. Using the new approaches, a slope with an inclination of 2:3 can be deemed safe, despite the fact that the calculation does not account for the safety-enhancing effect of daily cover layers. Based on the study reported in this paper, the malty layered nonhomogeneous calculating technique better characterizes the safety factor. As it more closely resembles the actual state of landfills, the employed technique allows for more flexibility in design parameters. This work represents a substantial advance in limiting both safe and economical landfills.

Keywords: landfill, municipal solid waste, slope inclination, capacity, safety factor

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Authors: Vivek Anand, Rainer Naegele

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Industry 4.0 is a global mega-trend revolutionizing the world of advanced manufacturing, but also bringing up challenges for SMEs. In response, many regional, as well as digital Industry 4.0 Platforms, have been set up to boost the competencies of established enterprises as well as SMEs. The concept of 'Clusters' is a policy tool that aims to be a starting point to establish sustainable and self-supporting structures in industries of a region by identifying competencies and supporting cluster actors with services that match their growth needs. This paper is motivated by the idea that Clusters have the potential to enable firms, particularly SMEs, to accelerate the innovation process and transition to digital technologies. In this research, the efficacy of Industry 4.0 platforms as Cluster ecosystems is evaluated, especially for SMEs. Focusing on the Baden Wurttemberg region in Germany, an action research method is employed to study how SMEs leverage other actors on Industry 4.0 Platforms to further their Industry 4.0 journeys. The aim is to evaluate how such Industry 4.0 platforms stimulate innovation, cooperation and competitiveness. Additionally, the barriers to these platforms fulfilling their promise to serve as capacity building cluster ecosystems for SMEs in a region will also be identified. The findings will be helpful for academicians and policymakers alike, who can leverage a ‘cluster policy’ to enable Industry 4.0 ecosystems in their regions. Furthermore, relevant management and policy implications stem from the analysis. This will also be of interest to the various players in a cluster ecosystem - like SMEs and service providers - who benefit from the cooperation and competition. The paper will improve the understanding of how a dialogue orientation, a bottom-up approach and active integration of all involved cluster actors enhance the potential of Industry 4.0 Platforms. A strong collaborative culture is a key driver of digital transformation and technology adoption across sectors, value chains and supply chains; and will position Industry 4.0 Platforms at the forefront of the industrial renaissance. Motivated by this argument and based on the results of the qualitative research, a roadmap will be proposed to position Industry 4.0 Platforms as effective clusters ecosystems to support Industry 4.0 adoption in a region.

Keywords: cluster policy, digital transformation, industry 4.0, innovation clusters, innovation policy, SMEs and startups

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Authors: Hang T. T. Truong, Ronald S. Laura, Kylie Shaw

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Within Vietnam's system of higher education, its schools of business play a vital role in supporting the country’s economic objectives. However, the crucial contribution of soft skills for maximal success within the business sector has to date not been adequately recognized by its business schools. This being so, the development of the business school curriculum in Vietnam has not been able to 'catch up', so to say, with the burgeoning need of students for a comprehensive soft skills program designed to meet the national and global business objectives of their potential employers. The burden of the present paper is first to reveal the results of our survey in Vietnam which make explicit the extent to which major Vietnamese industrial employers’ value the potential role that soft skill competencies can play in maximizing business success. Our final task will be to determine which soft skills employers discern as best serving to maximize the economic interests of Vietnam within the global marketplace. Semi-structured telephone interviews have been conducted with the 15 representative Head Employers of Vietnam's reputedly largest and most successful of the diverse business enterprises across Vietnam. The findings of the study indicate that all respondents highly value the increasing importance of soft skills in business success. Our critical analysis of respondent data reveals that 19 essential soft skills are deemed by employers as integral to business workplace efficacy and should thus be integrated into the formal business curriculum. We are confident that our study represents the first comprehensive and specific survey yet undertaken within the business sector in Vietnam which accesses and analyses the opinions of representative employers from major companies across the country in regard to the growing importance of 19 specific soft skills essential for maximizing overall business success. Our research findings also reveal that the integration into business school curriculums nationwide of the soft skills we have identified is of paramount importance to advance the national and global economic interests of Vietnam.

Keywords: business curriculum, business graduates, employers’ perception, soft skills

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Authors: Martina Depentor

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While the cinematic medium contributes to bringing images of a culture to foreign audiences, Audiovisual Translation contributes to deciphering those cultural representations to those same audiences. Through Audiovisual Translation, in fact, elements permeate the reception system and contribute to forging a cultural image of the original/source system in the target/reception system. By analyzing a number of Italian critical reviews, blogs and forum posts, this paper examines the impact and reception in Italy of five of the most successful and influential New Zealand films of the last two decades - An Angel at my Table (1990), The Piano (1993), Heavenly Creatures (1994), Once Were Warriors (1994), Whale Rider (2002) - with the aim of exploring how the adaptation of New Zealand films might condition the representation of New Zealand in the Italian imaginary. The analysis seeks to identify whether a certain degree of cultural loss results from the 'translation' of these films. The films selected share common ground in that they all reveal cultural, social and historical characteristics of New Zealand, from aspects that are unique to this country and that on the surface may render it difficult to penetrate (unfamiliar landscapes, aspects of indigenous culture) to more universal themes (intimate family stories, dysfunctional relationship). They contributed to situating New Zealand on an international stage and to bringing images of the country to many audiences, the Italian one included, with little previous cultural knowledge of the social and political history of New Zealand. Differences in film types pose clearly different levels of interpretative challenges to non-New Zealander audiences, and examples from the films will show how these challenges are or are not overcome if the adaptations display misinterpretations or rendition gaps, and how the process of intercultural transfer further 'domesticates' or 'exoticises' the source culture.

Keywords: audiovisual translation, cultural representation, intercultural transfer, New Zealand Films

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Authors: Felib Ayman Shawky Salem

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Nowadays crypto currency has become a global phenomenon known to most people. People using this alternative digital money to do a transaction in many ways (e.g. Used for online shopping, wealth management, and fundraising). However, this digital asset also widely used in criminal activities since its use decentralized control as opposed to centralized electronic money and central banking systems and this makes a user, who used this currency invisible. The high-value exchange of these digital currencies also has been a target to criminal activities. The crypto currency crimes have become a challenge for the law enforcement to analyze and to proof the evidence as criminal devices. In this paper, our focus is more on bitcoin crypto currency and the possible artifacts that can be obtained from the different type of digital wallet, which is software and browser-based application. The process memory and physical hard disk are examined with the aims of identifying and recovering potential digital evidence. The stage of data acquisition divided by three states which are the initial creation of the wallet, transaction that consists transfer and receiving a coin and the last state is after the wallet is being deleted. Findings from this study suggest that both data from software and browser type of wallet process memory is a valuable source of evidence, and many of the artifacts found in process memory are also available from the application and wallet files on the client computer storage.

Keywords: cryptocurrency, bitcoin, payment methods, blockchain, appropriation, online retailers, TOE framework, disappropriation, non-appropriationBitCoin, financial protection, crypto currency, money laundering cryptocurrency, digital wallet, digital forensics

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Authors: Tzay-An Shiau, Kuan-Lin Ho

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This study developed sustainability and quality of life indicators for urban passenger transportation by using Social Construction of Technology (SCOT). The initial indicators were proposed by referring to literatures and were summarized by using impact-based framework. Subsequently, the stakeholders were defined according to their interest, power and then classified into scientific, operational, policy making, policy monitoring and nonprofessional frames. The scientific frame consisted of nine scholars in transportation field. Ten representatives from Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation (TRTC), Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) and bus operators were grouped into the operational frame. The policy making frame comprised of ten representatives from Department of Transportation, Taipei City Government (DOT, TCG), Department of Railways and Highways, Ministry of Transportation and Communication (DORH, MOTC), Directorate General of Highways, Ministry of Transportation and Communication (DGOH, MOTC) and Institute of Transportation, Ministry of Transportation and Communication (IOT, MOTC). The policy monitoring frame consisted of 15 representatives from Taipei City Councilor, legislator and reporter. The nonprofessional frame comprised of 72 Taipei citizens. The stakeholders were asked to evaluate the relative importance of indicators using Delphi survey method. Social construction of 14 transport sustainability indicators and 12 transport quality of life indicators were obtained.

Keywords: sustainability, quality of life, Social Construction of Technology (SCOT), stakeholder

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Authors: Amin Akhnoukh, Halla Elea, Lawrence Benzmiller

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The objective of this research is to evaluate the possibility of using nano-sized materials, mainly titanium dioxide (TiO2), in producing economic self-cleaning concrete using photo-catalysis process. In photo-catalysis, the nano-particles react and dissolve smog, dust, and dirt particles in the presence of sunlight, resulting in a cleaned concrete surface. To-date, the Italian cement company (Italcementi) produces a proprietary self-cleaning cementitious material that is currently used in government buildings and major highways in Europe. The high initial cost of the proprietary product represents a major obstacle to the wide spread of the self-cleaning concrete in industrial and commercial projects. In this research project, titanium dioxide nano-sized particles are infused to the top layer of a concrete pour before the concrete surface is finished. Once hardened, a blue dye is applied to the concrete surface to simulate smog and dirt effect. The concrete surface is subjected to direct light to investigate the effectiveness of the nano-sized titanium dioxide in cleaning the concrete surface. The outcome of this research project proved that the titanium dioxide can be successfully used in reducing smog and dirt particles attached to the concrete when infused to the surface concrete layer. The majority of cleansing effect due to photocatalysis happens within 24 hours of photocatalysis process. The non-proprietary mix can be used in highway, industrial, and commercial projects due to its economy and ease of production.

Keywords: self-cleaning concrete, photocatalysis, Smog-eating concrete, titanium dioxide

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Authors: Stefano Ruggieri, Rubinia C. Bonfanti

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Research on leadership in sports organizations has proved extremely fruitful in recent decades, favoring the growing and diffusion of figures such as mental coaches, trainers, etc. Recent scholarly attention on organizations has been directed towards the phenomenon of leader self-sacrifice, wherein leaders who display such behavior are perceived by their followers as more effective, charismatic, and legitimate compared to those who prioritize self-interest. This growing interest reflects the importance of leaders who prioritize the collective welfare over personal gain, as they inspire greater loyalty, trust, and dedication among their followers, ultimately fostering a more cohesive and high-performing team environment. However, there is limited literature on the mechanisms through which self-sacrifice influences both group dynamics (such as cohesion and team identification) and individual factors (such as self-competence). The aim of the study is to analyze the impact of the leader self-sacrifice on cohesion, team identification and self-competence. Team identification is a crucial determinant of individual identity, delineated by the extent to which a team member aligns with a specific organizational team rather than broader social collectives. This association motivates members to synchronize their actions with the collective interests of the group, thereby fostering cohesion among its constituents, and cultivating a shared sense of purpose and unity within the team. In the domain of team sports, particularly soccer and water polo, two studies involving 447 participants (men = 238, women = 209) between 22 and 35 years old (M = 26.36, SD = 5.51) were conducted. The first study employed a correlational methodology to investigate the predictive capacity of self-sacrifice on cohesion, team identification, self-efficacy, and self-competence. The second study utilized an experimental design to explore the relationship between team identification and self-sacrifice. Together, these studies provided comprehensive insights into the multifaceted nature of leader self-sacrifice and its profound implications for group cohesion and individual well-being within organizational settings. The findings underscored the pivotal role of leader self-sacrifice in not only fostering stronger bonds among team members but also in enhancing critical facets of group dynamics, ultimately contributing to the overall effectiveness and success of the team.

Keywords: cohesion, leadership, self-sacrifice, sports organizations, team-identification

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Authors: Moses Mwangi, Geert Verbeke, Geert Molenberghs

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Cross-over designs are commonly used in randomized clinical trials to estimate efficacy of a new treatment with respect to a reference treatment (placebo or standard). The main advantage of using cross-over design over conventional parallel design is its flexibility, where every subject become its own control, thereby reducing confounding effect. Jones & Kenward, discuss in detail more recent developments in the analysis of cross-over trials. We revisit the simple piecewise linear mixed-effects model, proposed by Mwangi et. al, (in press) for its first application in the analysis of cross-over trials. We compared performance of the proposed piecewise linear mixed-effects model with two commonly cited statistical models namely, (1) Grizzle model; and (2) Jones & Kenward model, used in estimation of the treatment effect, in the analysis of randomized cross-over trial. We estimate two performance measurements (mean square error (MSE) and coverage probability) for the three methods, using data simulated from the proposed piecewise linear mixed-effects model. Piecewise linear mixed-effects model yielded lowest MSE estimates compared to Grizzle and Jones & Kenward models for both small (Nobs=20) and large (Nobs=600) sample sizes. It’s coverage probability were highest compared to Grizzle and Jones & Kenward models for both small and large sample sizes. A piecewise linear mixed-effects model is a better estimator of treatment effect than its two competing estimators (Grizzle and Jones & Kenward models) in the analysis of cross-over trials. The data generating mechanism used in this paper captures two time periods for a simple 2-Treatments x 2-Periods cross-over design. Its application is extendible to more complex cross-over designs with multiple treatments and periods. In addition, it is important to note that, even for single response models, adding more random effects increases the complexity of the model and thus may be difficult or impossible to fit in some cases.

Keywords: Evaluation, Grizzle model, Jones & Kenward model, Performance measures, Simulation

Procedia PDF Downloads 121

Authors: Sajjad Izadpanah, Seyed Hadi Ghaderi, Morteza Sayah Irani, Mahdi Gerdooei

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In this research work, a sophisticated yield criterion known as BBC2003, capable of describing planar anisotropic behaviors of aluminum alloy sheets, was integrated into the commercial finite element code ABAQUS/Standard via a user subroutine. The complete formulation of the implementation process using a fully implicit integration scheme, i.e., the classic backward Euler method, is presented, and relevant aspects of the yield criterion are introduced. In order to solve nonlinear differential and algebraic equations, the line-search algorithm was adopted in the user-defined material subroutine (UMAT) to expand the convergence domain of the iterative Newton-Raphson method. The developed subroutine was used to simulate a challenging computational problem with complex stress states, i.e., deep drawing of an anisotropic aluminum alloy AA3105. The accuracy and stability of the developed subroutine were confirmed by comparing the numerically predicted earing and thickness variation profiles with the experimental results, which showed an excellent agreement between numerical and experimental earing and thickness profiles. The integration of the BBC2003 yield criterion into ABAQUS/Standard represents a significant contribution to the field of computational mechanics and provides a useful tool for analyzing the mechanical behavior of anisotropic materials subjected to complex loading conditions.

Keywords: BBC2003 yield function, plastic anisotropy, fully implicit integration scheme, line search algorithm, explicit and implicit integration schemes

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Authors: Anurag Niranjan, Michael Fitzpatrick, Yin Jin Janin, Jazeel Chukkan, Niall Smyth

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Fillet welds are used in joining longitudinal stiffeners in ship structures. Welding residual stresses in fillet welds are generally distributed in a non-uniform manner, as shown in previous research the residual stress redistribution occurs under the cyclic loading that is experienced by such joints during service, and the combination of the initial residual stress, local constraints, and loading can alter the stress field in ways that are extremely difficult to predict. As the residual stress influences the crack propagation originating from the toe of the fillet welds, full understanding of the residual stress field and how it evolves is very important for structural integrity calculations. Knowledge of the residual stress redistribution in the presence of a flaw is therefore required for better fatigue life prediction. Moreover, defect assessment procedures such as BS7910 offer very limited guidance for flaw acceptance and the associated residual stress redistribution in the assessment of fillet welds. Therefore the objective of this work is to study a surface-breaking flaw at the weld toe region in a fillet weld under cyclic load, in conjunction with residual stress measurement at pre-defined crack depths. This work will provide details of residual stress redistribution under cyclic load in the presence of a crack. The outcome of this project will inform integrity assessment with respect to the treatment of residual stress in fillet welds. Knowledge of the residual stress evolution for this weld geometry will be greatly beneficial for flaw tolerance assessments (BS 7910, API 591).

Keywords: fillet weld, fatigue, residual stress, structure integrity

Procedia PDF Downloads 140

Authors: Alexander Hendricks, Sean Nevin, Clayton Wikoff, Melissa Dougherty, Jacob Orlita, Rafiqul Noorani

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Knee orthotics play an important role in aiding in the recovery of those with knee injuries, especially athletes. However, structural knee orthotics is often very expensive, ranging between $300 and $800. The primary reason for this project was to answer the question: can 3D printed orthotics represent a viable and cost-effective alternative to present structural knee orthotics? The primary objective for this research project was to design a knee orthotic for athletes with knee injuries for a low-cost under $100 and evaluate its effectiveness. The initial design for the orthotic was done in SolidWorks, a computer-aided design (CAD) software available at Loyola Marymount University. After this design was completed, finite element analysis (FEA) was utilized to understand how normal stresses placed upon the knee affected the orthotic. The knee orthotic was then adjusted and redesigned to meet a specified factor-of-safety of 3.25 based on the data gathered during FEA and literature sources. Once the FEA was completed and the orthotic was redesigned based from the data gathered, the next step was to move on to 3D-printing the first design of the knee brace. Subsequently, physical therapy movement trials were used to evaluate physical performance. Using the data from these movement trials, the CAD design of the brace was refined to accommodate the design requirements. The final goal of this research means to explore the possibility of replacing high-cost, outsourced knee orthotics with a readily available low-cost alternative.

Keywords: 3D printing, knee orthotics, finite element analysis, design for additive manufacturing

Procedia PDF Downloads 178

Authors: Murtada Ahmed Oshi, Jin-Wook Yoo

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Layer-by-layer (LBL) coating has gained popularity for drug delivery of therapeutic drugs. Herein we described a novel approach for enhancing the therapeutic efficiency of the locally administered dexamethasone (Dex) for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We utilized a LBL-coating technique on Dex microcrystals (DexMCs) with multiple layers of polyelectrolytes composed of poly (allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH), poly (sodium 4-styrene sulfonate) (PSS) and Eudragit® S100 (ES). The successful deposition of the layers onto DexMCs surfaces were confirmed through zeta potential measurement and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The surface morphology was investigated through scanning electron microscopy. The drug encapsulation efficiency was 95% with a mean particle size of 2 µm and negative surface charge (-40 mV). Moreover, in vitro drug release study showed a minimum release of the drug ( 15%) at an acidic condition during initial first 5 h, followed by sustained-release at an alkaline condition. For in vivo study, LBL-DxMCs were administered orally to ICR mice suffering from dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis. LBL-DxMCs substantially enhanced anti-IBD activities as compared to DxMCs. Macroscopic, histological and biochemical (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6 and myeloperoxidase) examinations revealed marked improvements of colitis signs in the mice treated with LBL-DxMCs compared with those treated with DxMCs. Overall, LBL-DxMCs could be a suitable candidate for the treatment of IBD.

Keywords: dexamethasone, inflammatory bowel disease, LBL-coating, polyelectrolytes

Procedia PDF Downloads 194

Authors: Shubham Arora

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This paper illustrates a relationship between the Dvaitādvaita (dualistic non-dualistic) doctrine of Nimbārka school of Vedānta and philosophy of Indian classical dance, through the Rasa theory. There would be a separate focus on the philosophies of both the disciplines and then analyzing Rasa theory as a connexion between them. The paper presents ideas regarding the similarity between the Brahman and the dancer, manifestation of enacting character and the Jīva (soul), the existence of the phenomenal world and the imaginary world classification of rasa on the basis of three modes of nature, and the feelings and expressions depicting the Dvaita and Advaita. The reason behind choosing such a topic is an intention to explore the relativity of the Vedantic philosophy of this school in real manner. It is really important to study the practical implications and relevance of the doctrine with other disciplines for perceiving it cogently. In our daily lives, we use various forms of facial expressions and bodily gestures in order to communicate, along with the oral and written means of communication. What if, when gestures and expressions mingle with the music beats, in order to present an idea? Indian Classical dance is highly rich in expressing the emotions using extraordinary expressions, unconventional bodily gestures and mesmerizing music beats. Ancient scriptures like Nāṭyaśāstra of Bharata Muni and Abhinava Bhārati by Abhinavaguptā recount aesthetics in a well-defined and structured way of acting and dancing and also reveal the grammar of rasa theory. Indian Classical dance is not only for entertainment but it is deeply in contact with divinity. During the period of Bhakti movement in India, this art form was used as a means to narrate the vignettes from epics like Rāmāyana and Mahābhārata and Purānas. Even in present era, this art has a deep rooted philosophy within.

Keywords: Advaita, Brahman, Dvaita, Jiva, Nimbarka, Rasa, Vedanta

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Authors: Iftikhar Tayubi, Tabrej Khan, Rayan Alsulmi, Abdulrahman Labban

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Spider produces a special kind of substance. This special kind of substance is called a toxin. The toxin is composed of many types of protein, which differs from species to species. Spider toxin consists of several proteins and non-proteins that include various categories of toxins like myotoxin, neurotoxin, cardiotoxin, dendrotoxin, haemorrhagins, and fibrinolytic enzyme. Protein Sequence information with references of toxins was derived from literature and public databases. From the previous findings, the Spider toxin would be the best choice to treat different types of tumors and cancer. There are many therapeutic regimes, which causes more side effects than treatment hence a different approach must be adopted for the treatment of cancer. The combinations of drugs are being encouraged, and dramatic outcomes are reported. Spider toxin is one of the natural cytotoxic compounds. Hence, it is being used to treat different types of tumors; especially its positive effect on breast cancer is being reported during the last few decades. The efficacy of this database is that it can provide a user-friendly interface for users to retrieve the information about Spiders, toxin and toxin protein of different Spiders species. SPIDTOXD provides a single source information about spider toxins, which will be useful for pharmacologists, neuroscientists, toxicologists, medicinal chemists. The well-ordered and accessible web interface allows users to explore the detail information of Spider and toxin proteins. It includes common name, scientific name, entry id, entry name, protein name and length of the protein sequence. The utility of this database is that it can provide a user-friendly interface for users to retrieve the information about Spider, toxin and toxin protein of different Spider species. The database interfaces will satisfy the demands of the scientific community by providing in-depth knowledge about Spider and its toxin. We have adopted the methodology by using A MySQL and PHP and for designing, we used the Smart Draw. The users can thus navigate from one section to another, depending on the field of interest of the user. This database contains a wealth of information on species, toxins, and clinical data, etc. This database will be useful for the scientific community, basic researchers and those interested in potential pharmaceutical Industry.

Keywords: siptoxd, php, mysql, toxin

Procedia PDF Downloads 181

Authors: Efi Koutantou

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The foundation of successful therapy is the bond between the psychotherapist and the patient, Psychoanalysis would argue. The present study explores lived experiences of a psychotherapeutic relationship in different moments, initial and final with special reference to the transference love developed through the process. The fight between moments of ‘leaving a self’ behind and following ‘lines of flight’ in the process of creating a new subjectivity and ‘becoming-other’ will be explored. Moments between de-territorialisation – surpassing given constraints such as gender, family and religion, kinship bonds - freeing the space in favor of re-territorialisation – creation of oneself creation of oneself will also be analyzed. The generation of new possibilities of being, new ways of self-actualization for this patient will be discussed. The second part of this study will explore the extent to which this ‘transference love’ results for this specific patient to become ‘the discourse of the other’; it is a desideratum whether the patient finally becomes a subject of his/her own through his/her own self-exploration of new possibilities of existence or becomes alienated within the thought of the therapist. The way in which the patient uses or is (ab)used by the transference love in order to experience and undergo alienation from an ‘authority’ which may or may not sacrifice his/her own thought in favor of satisfying the therapist will be investigated. Finally, from an observer’s perspective and from the analysis of the results of this therapeutic relationship, the counter-transference will also be analyzed, in terms of an attempt of the analyst to relive and satisfy his/her own desires through the life of the analysand. The accession and fall of an idealized self will be analyzed, the turn of the transference love into ‘hate’ will conclude this case study through a lived experience in the therapeutic procedure; a relationship which can be called to be a mixture of a real relationship and remnants from a past object relationship.

Keywords: alienation, authority, counter-transference, hate, transference love

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Authors: Rishi Kanth Saripalle

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Medical experts highly recommend to include physical activity in everyone’s daily routine irrespective of gender or age as it helps to improve various medical issues or curb potential issues. Simultaneously, experts are also diligently trying to provide various healthcare services (interventions, plans, exercise routines, etc.) for promoting healthy living and increasing physical activity in one’s ever increasing hectic schedules. With the introduction of wearables, individuals are able to keep track, analyze, and visualize their daily physical activities. However, there seems to be no common agreed standard for representing, gathering, aggregating and analyzing an individual’s physical activity data from disparate multiple sources (exercise pans, multiple wearables, etc.). This issue makes it highly impractical to develop any data-driven physical activity applications and healthcare programs. Further, the inability to integrate the physical activity data into an individual’s Electronic Health Record to provide a wholistic image of that individual’s health is still eluding the experts. This article has identified three primary reasons for this potential issue. First, there is no agreed standard, both structure and semantic, for representing and sharing physical activity data across disparate systems. Second, various organizations (e.g., LA fitness, Gold’s Gym, etc.) and research backed interventions and programs still primarily rely on paper or unstructured format (such as text or notes) to keep track of the data generated from physical activities. Finally, most of the wearable devices operate in silos. This article identifies the underlying problem, explores the idea of reusing existing standards, and identifies the essential modules required to move forward.

Keywords: electronic physical activity record, physical activity in EHR EIM, tracking physical activity data, physical activity data standards

Procedia PDF Downloads 281