Search results for: alternative and complementary healthcare
861 Prospects and Problems of Islamic Banking: A Case Study of Aurangabad District
Authors: Shabina Khan, Rukhsana Tabassum Syeda
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Islamic banking is a finance system based on the principles of Shariah law. Charging interest is prohibited in Islam. Instead of charging interest the lender shares some part of profit or loss with the borrower, there is a great need for Islamic banking after the collapse of leading Wall Street institutions notably Lehman Brothers and other global finance institution, economic recession, Islamic banking have emerged as an alternative to conventional banking. Islamic banking is growing at the rate of more than 15% not only in Muslim countries, but also in secular and modern industrialized countries like U.K. Japan, France, Singapore, Hongkong. India with a total population of about 184 million about $ 1.5% Muslim deposit interest is lying unclaimed in different Indian banks, as there are no banks based on shariah laws approved by the RBI. When we take the example of Kerala state in India, almost 26.2% population is Muslim. Thus thousands of crore of rupees earned in interest is suspended accounts. In Kerala alone Rs. 40,000 crore and in Jammu and Kashmir Rs. 50,000 crore as interest earned on deposit of Muslim are lying unclaimed. By 2050, Indian Muslim population would be the largest in the world. It will surpass Indonesia. The Muslim population is likely to exceed 18% i.e. 310 mn. Muslim population will increase four percentage points from 14% to 18%. This paper studies the problems and prospects of Islamic banking in India. India has 29 states and Maharashtra is one of them. In the Maharashtra state is Aurangabad district. According to census 2011, Aurangabad city population is 51.07% is Hindu .Muslim is the second most popular religion with approximately 30.79. There are branches of Islamic banking run by Anjuman e Islam in many parts of India by the name of Al- Khair Baitul Mal which is a nongovernment organization. Its branch is in Aurangabad. The main objectives of this study are: 1. To find the scope of Islamic banking. 2. To study and analyze the prospects and problems of such organizations in Aurangabad district. 3. To create awareness about Islamic banking. 4. To study the functions of the organizations based on Islamic banking rules. 5. To encourage non-Muslims to invest in Islamic banking. The methodology used will be primary as well as secondary data. This is helping the weaker section of the society to obtain sources for trade and business. This paper finds that there is sufficient scope of Islamic banking in the region.Keywords: Aurangabad, conventional banking, Islamic banking, Riba (interest)
Procedia PDF Downloads 241860 The Association Between CYP2C19 Gene Distribution and Medical Cannabis Treatment
Authors: Vichayada Laohapiboolkul
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Introduction: As the legal use of cannabis is being widely accepted throughout the world, medical cannabis has been explored in order to become an alternative cure for patients. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD) are natural cannabinoids found in the Cannabis plant which is proved to have positive treatment for various diseases and symptoms such as chronic pain, neuropathic pain, spasticity resulting from multiple sclerosis, reduce cancer-associated pain, autism spectrum disorders (ASD), dementia, cannabis and opioid dependence, psychoses/schizophrenia, general social anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, anorexia nervosa, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and Tourette's disorder. Regardless of all the medical benefits, THC, if not metabolized, can lead to mild up to severe adverse drug reactions (ADR). The enzyme CYP2C19 was found to be one of the metabolizers of THC. However, the suballele CYP2C19*2 manifests as a poor metabolizer which could lead to higher levels of THC than usual, possibly leading to various ADRs. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of CYP2C19, specifically CYP2C19*2, genes in Thai patients treated with medical cannabis along with adverse drug reactions. Materials and Methods: Clinical data and EDTA whole blood for DNA extraction and genotyping were collected from patients for this study. CYP2C19*2 (681G>A, rs4244285) genotyping was conducted using the Real-time PCR (ABI, Foster City, CA, USA). Results: There were 42 medical cannabis-induced ADRs cases and 18 medical cannabis tolerance controls who were included in this study. A total of 60 patients were observed where 38 (63.3%) patients were female and 22 (36.7%) were male, with a range of age approximately 19 - 87 years. The most apparent ADRs for medical cannabis treatment were dry mouth/dry throat (76.7%), followed by tachycardia (70%), nausea (30%) and a few arrhythmias (10%). In the total of 27 cases, we found a frequency of 18 CYP2C19*1/*1 alleles (normal metabolizers, 66.7%), 8 CYP2C19*1/*2 alleles (intermediate metabolizers, 29.6%) and 1 CYP2C19*2/*2 alleles (poor metabolizers, 3.7%). Meanwhile, 63.6% of CYP2C19*1/*1, 36.3% and 0% of CYP2C19*1/*2 and *2/*2 in the tolerance controls group, respectively. Conclusions: This is the first study to confirm the distribution of CYP2C19*2 allele and the prevalence of poor metabolizer genes in Thai patients who received medical cannabis for treatment. Thus, CYP2C19 allele might serve as a pharmacogenetics marker for screening before initiating treatment.Keywords: medical cannabis, adverse drug reactions, CYP2C19, tetrahydrocannabinol, poor metabolizer
Procedia PDF Downloads 95859 Structural Development and Multiscale Design Optimization of Additively Manufactured Unmanned Aerial Vehicle with Blended Wing Body Configuration
Authors: Malcolm Dinovitzer, Calvin Miller, Adam Hacker, Gabriel Wong, Zach Annen, Padmassun Rajakareyar, Jordan Mulvihill, Mostafa S.A. ElSayed
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The research work presented in this paper is developed by the Blended Wing Body (BWB) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) team, a fourth-year capstone project at Carleton University Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Here, a clean sheet UAV with BWB configuration is designed and optimized using Multiscale Design Optimization (MSDO) approach employing lattice materials taking into consideration design for additive manufacturing constraints. The BWB-UAV is being developed with a mission profile designed for surveillance purposes with a minimum payload of 1000 grams. To demonstrate the design methodology, a single design loop of a sample rib from the airframe is shown in details. This includes presentation of the conceptual design, materials selection, experimental characterization and residual thermal stress distribution analysis of additively manufactured materials, manufacturing constraint identification, critical loads computations, stress analysis and design optimization. A dynamic turbulent critical load case was identified composed of a 1-g static maneuver with an incremental Power Spectral Density (PSD) gust which was used as a deterministic design load case for the design optimization. 2D flat plate Doublet Lattice Method (DLM) was used to simulate aerodynamics in the aeroelastic analysis. The aerodynamic results were verified versus a 3D CFD analysis applying Spalart-Allmaras and SST k-omega turbulence to the rigid UAV and vortex lattice method applied in the OpenVSP environment. Design optimization of a single rib was conducted using topology optimization as well as MSDO. Compared to a solid rib, weight savings of 36.44% and 59.65% were obtained for the topology optimization and the MSDO, respectively. These results suggest that MSDO is an acceptable alternative to topology optimization in weight critical applications while preserving the functional requirements.Keywords: blended wing body, multiscale design optimization, additive manufacturing, unmanned aerial vehicle
Procedia PDF Downloads 361858 Maternal and Neonatal Outcome Analysis in Preterm Abdominal Delivery Underwent Umbilical Cord Milking Compared to Early Cord Clamping
Authors: Herlangga Pramaditya, Agus Sulistyono, Risa Etika, Budiono Budiono, Alvin Saputra
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Preterm birth and anemia of prematurity are the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in neonates, and anemia of the preterm neonates has become a major issue. The timing of umbilical cord clamping after a baby is born determines the amount of blood transferred from the placenta to fetus, Delayed Cord Clamping (DCC) has proven to prevent anemia in the neonates but it is constrained concern regarding the delayed in neonatal resuscitation. Umbilical Cord Milking (UCM) could be an alternative method for clamping the umbilical cord due to the active blood transfer from the placenta to the fetus. The aim of this study was to analyze the difference between maternal and neonatal outcome in preterm abdominal delivery who underwent UCM compared to ECC. This was an experimental study with randomized post-test only control design. Analyzed maternal and neonatal outcomes, significant P values (P <0.05). Statistical comparison was carried out using Paired Samples t-test (α two tailed 0,05). The result was the mean of preoperative mother’s hemoglobin in UCM group compared to ECC (10,9 + 0,9 g/dL vs 10,4 + 0,9 g/dL) and postoperative (11,1 + 1,1 g/dL vs 10,5 + 0,7 g/dL), the delta was (0,2 + 0,7 vs 0,1 + 0,6.). It showed no significant difference (P=0,395 vs 0,627). The mean of 3rd phase labor duration in UCM group vs ECC was (20,5 + 3,5 second vs 21,1 + 3,3 second), showed insignificant difference (P=0,634). The amount of bleeding after delivery in UCM group compared to ECC has the median of 190 cc (100-280cc) vs 210 cc (150-330 cc) showed insignificant difference (P=0,083) so the incidence of post-partum bleeding was not found. The mean of the neonates hemoglobin, hematocrit and erythrocytes of UCM group compared to ECC was (19,3 + 0,7 vs 15,9 + 0,8 g/dl), (57,1 + 3,6 % vs 47,2 + 2,8 %), and (5,4 + 0,4 g/dl vs 4,5 + 0,3 g/dl) showed significant difference (P<0,0001). There was no baby in UCM group received blood transfusion and one baby in the control ECC group received blood transfusion was found. Umbilical Cord Milking has shown to increase the baby’s blood component such as hemoglobin, hematocrit, and erythrocytes 6 hours after birth as well as lowering the incidence of blood transfusions. Maternal and neonatal morbidity were not found. Umbilical Cord Milking was the act of clamping the umbilical cord that was more beneficial to the baby and no adverse or negative effects on the mother.Keywords: umbilical cord milking, early cord clamping, maternal and neonatal outcome, preterm, abdominal delivery
Procedia PDF Downloads 236857 The Role of Structural Poverty in the Know-How and Moral Economy of Doctors in Africa: An Anthropological Perspective
Authors: Isabelle Gobatto
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Based on an anthropological approach, this paper explores the medical profession and the construction of medical practices by considering the multiform articulations between structural poverty and the production of care from a low-resource francophone West African country, Burkina Faso. This country is considered in its exemplary dimension of culturally differentiated countries of the African continent that share the same situation of structural poverty. The objective is to expose the effects of structural poverty on the ways of constructing professional knowledge and thinking about the sense of the medical profession. If doctors are trained to have the same capacities in South and West countries, which are to treat and save lives whatever the cultural contexts of the practice of medicine, the ways of investing their role and of dealing with this context of action fracture the homogenization of the medical profession. In the line of anthropology of biomedicine, this paper outlines the complex effects of structural poverty on health care, care relations, and the moral economy of doctors. The materials analyzed are based on an ethnography including two temporalities located thirty years apart (1990-1994 and 2020-2021), based on long-term observations of care practices conducted in healthcare institutions, interviews coupled with the life histories of physicians. The findings reveal that disabilities faced by doctors to deliver care are interpreted as policy gaps, but they are also considered by physicians as constitutive of the social and cultural characteristics of patients, making their capacities and incapacities in terms of accompanying caregivers in the production of care. These perceptions have effects on know-how, structured around the need to act even when diagnoses are not made so as not to see patients desert health structures if the costs of care are too high for them. But these interpretations of highly individualizing dimensions of these difficulties place part of the blame on patients for the difficulties in using learned knowledge and delivering effective care. These situations challenge the ethics of caregivers but also of ethnologists. Firstly because the interpretations of disabilities prevent caregivers from considering vulnerabilities of care as constituting a common condition shared with their patients in these health systems, affecting them in an identical way although in different places in the production of care. Correlatively, these results underline that these professional conceptions prevent the emergence of a figure of victim, which could be shared between patients and caregivers who, together, undergo working and care conditions at the limit of the acceptable. This dimension directly involves politics. Secondly, structural poverty and its effects on care challenge the ethics of the anthropologist who observes caregivers producing, without intent to arm, experiences of care marked by an ordinary violence, by not giving them the care they need. It is worth asking how anthropologists could get doctors to think in this light in west-African societies.Keywords: Africa, care, ethics, poverty
Procedia PDF Downloads 63856 An overview of Using Functional Communication Training to Decrease Maladaptive Behaviors for Individuals Diagnosed with Intellectual Disability and Autism Spectrum Disorders at an Extensive Support Needs Residential Program
Authors: Ali Mahamat
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This paper explores the application of Functional Communication Training (FCT) as an intervention to decrease maladaptive behaviors among individuals diagnosed with Intellectual Disability (ID) and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) within an extensive support needs residential program. Evidence suggests that FCT can be ef ective in promoting positive behavioral changes and enhancing communication skills in this population. The prevalence of maladaptive behaviors in individuals with ID and ASD is a significant concern for caregivers and professionals in residential programs. These behaviors can include aggression, self-injury, and disruptive activities, which can impede the individual's quality of life. Functional Communication Training (FCT) has been identified as a potential solution to these challenges, providing individuals with the communication skills needed to express their needs and desires effectively. Method: A quasi-experimental design was used to investigate the effectiveness of FCT in a residential setting for individuals with ID and ASD. Participants included individuals with varying degrees of ID and ASD who exhibited maladaptive behaviors. A baseline was established for each participant's behavior before introducing FCT as an intervention. The FCT intervention involved teaching the individuals alternative, functionally equivalent communication behaviors to replace maladaptive behaviors. The training was implemented in the participants' natural environment and was incorporated into their daily routines. The intervention period lasted for six months, with follow-ups conducted at three months and six months post-intervention.Results indicated a significant decrease in maladaptive behaviors for individuals who received the FCT intervention. In addition, an enhancement in communication skills was observed, with the majority of participants demonstrating an increased ability to express their needs and desires appropriately. The findings of this study provide support for the effectiveness of FCT in reducing maladaptive behaviors in individuals with ID and ASD in a residential setting. Moreover, the study highlights the importance of incorporating functional communication skills training in the daily routines of these individuals. By providing these individuals with an effective means of communication, FCT not only reduces the occurrence of maladaptive behaviors but also improves the quality of life for these individuals. However, future research should explore the long-term effects of FCT and consider the influence of individual differences on the effectiveness of the intervention.Keywords: functional communication training, intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorders, maladaptive behavior, residential program
Procedia PDF Downloads 7855 DEMs: A Multivariate Comparison Approach
Authors: Juan Francisco Reinoso Gordo, Francisco Javier Ariza-López, José Rodríguez Avi, Domingo Barrera Rosillo
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The evaluation of the quality of a data product is based on the comparison of the product with a reference of greater accuracy. In the case of MDE data products, quality assessment usually focuses on positional accuracy and few studies consider other terrain characteristics, such as slope and orientation. The proposal that is made consists of evaluating the similarity of two DEMs (a product and a reference), through the joint analysis of the distribution functions of the variables of interest, for example, elevations, slopes and orientations. This is a multivariable approach that focuses on distribution functions, not on single parameters such as mean values or dispersions (e.g. root mean squared error or variance). This is considered to be a more holistic approach. The use of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test is proposed due to its non-parametric nature, since the distributions of the variables of interest cannot always be adequately modeled by parametric models (e.g. the Normal distribution model). In addition, its application to the multivariate case is carried out jointly by means of a single test on the convolution of the distribution functions of the variables considered, which avoids the use of corrections such as Bonferroni when several statistics hypothesis tests are carried out together. In this work, two DEM products have been considered, DEM02 with a resolution of 2x2 meters and DEM05 with a resolution of 5x5 meters, both generated by the National Geographic Institute of Spain. DEM02 is considered as the reference and DEM05 as the product to be evaluated. In addition, the slope and aspect derived models have been calculated by GIS operations on the two DEM datasets. Through sample simulation processes, the adequate behavior of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistical test has been verified when the null hypothesis is true, which allows calibrating the value of the statistic for the desired significance value (e.g. 5%). Once the process has been calibrated, the same process can be applied to compare the similarity of different DEM data sets (e.g. the DEM05 versus the DEM02). In summary, an innovative alternative for the comparison of DEM data sets based on a multinomial non-parametric perspective has been proposed by means of a single Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. This new approach could be extended to other DEM features of interest (e.g. curvature, etc.) and to more than three variablesKeywords: data quality, DEM, kolmogorov-smirnov test, multivariate DEM comparison
Procedia PDF Downloads 109854 Development and Validation of an Instrument Measuring the Coping Strategies in Situations of Stress
Authors: Lucie Côté, Martin Lauzier, Guy Beauchamp, France Guertin
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Stress causes deleterious effects to the physical, psychological and organizational levels, which highlight the need to use effective coping strategies to deal with it. Several coping models exist, but they don’t integrate the different strategies in a coherent way nor do they take into account the new research on the emotional coping and acceptance of the stressful situation. To fill these gaps, an integrative model incorporating the main coping strategies was developed. This model arises from the review of the scientific literature on coping and from a qualitative study carried out among workers with low or high levels of stress, as well as from an analysis of clinical cases. The model allows one to understand under what circumstances the strategies are effective or ineffective and to learn how one might use them more wisely. It includes Specific Strategies in controllable situations (the Modification of the Situation and the Resignation-Disempowerment), Specific Strategies in non-controllable situations (Acceptance and Stubborn Relentlessness) as well as so-called General Strategies (Wellbeing and Avoidance). This study is intended to undertake and present the process of development and validation of an instrument to measure coping strategies based on this model. An initial pool of items has been generated from the conceptual definitions and three expert judges have validated the content. Of these, 18 items have been selected for a short form questionnaire. A sample of 300 students and employees from a Quebec university was used for the validation of the questionnaire. Concerning the reliability of the instrument, the indices observed following the inter-rater agreement (Krippendorff’s alpha) and the calculation of the coefficients for internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) are satisfactory. To evaluate the construct validity, a confirmatory factor analysis using MPlus supports the existence of a model with six factors. The results of this analysis suggest also that this configuration is superior to other alternative models. The correlations show that the factors are only loosely related to each other. Overall, the analyses carried out suggest that the instrument has good psychometric qualities and demonstrates the relevance of further work to establish predictive validity and reconfirm its structure. This instrument will help researchers and clinicians better understand and assess coping strategies to cope with stress and thus prevent mental health issues.Keywords: acceptance, coping strategies, stress, validation process
Procedia PDF Downloads 334853 The Regulation of Reputational Information in the Sharing Economy
Authors: Emre Bayamlıoğlu
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This paper aims to provide an account of the legal and the regulative aspects of the algorithmic reputation systems with a special emphasis on the sharing economy (i.e., Uber, Airbnb, Lyft) business model. The first section starts with an analysis of the legal and commercial nature of the tripartite relationship among the parties, namely, the host platform, individual sharers/service providers and the consumers/users. The section further examines to what extent an algorithmic system of reputational information could serve as an alternative to legal regulation. Shortcomings are explained and analyzed with specific examples from Airbnb Platform which is a pioneering success in the sharing economy. The following section focuses on the issue of governance and control of the reputational information. The section first analyzes the legal consequences of algorithmic filtering systems to detect undesired comments and how a delicate balance could be struck between the competing interests such as freedom of speech, privacy and the integrity of the commercial reputation. The third section deals with the problem of manipulation by users. Indeed many sharing economy businesses employ certain techniques of data mining and natural language processing to verify consistency of the feedback. Software agents referred as "bots" are employed by the users to "produce" fake reputation values. Such automated techniques are deceptive with significant negative effects for undermining the trust upon which the reputational system is built. The third section is devoted to explore the concerns with regard to data mobility, data ownership, and the privacy. Reputational information provided by the consumers in the form of textual comment may be regarded as a writing which is eligible to copyright protection. Algorithmic reputational systems also contain personal data pertaining both the individual entrepreneurs and the consumers. The final section starts with an overview of the notion of reputation as a communitarian and collective form of referential trust and further provides an evaluation of the above legal arguments from the perspective of public interest in the integrity of reputational information. The paper concludes with certain guidelines and design principles for algorithmic reputation systems, to address the above raised legal implications.Keywords: sharing economy, design principles of algorithmic regulation, reputational systems, personal data protection, privacy
Procedia PDF Downloads 463852 Enhancing Food Quality and Safety Management in Ethiopia's Food Processing Industry: Challenges, Causes, and Solutions
Authors: Tuji Jemal Ahmed
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Food quality and safety challenges are prevalent in Ethiopia's food processing industry, which can have adverse effects on consumers' health and wellbeing. The country is known for its diverse range of agricultural products, which are essential to its economy. However, poor food quality and safety policies and management systems in the food processing industry have led to several health problems, foodborne illnesses, and economic losses. This paper aims to highlight the causes and effects of food safety and quality issues in the food processing industry of Ethiopia and discuss potential solutions to address these issues. One of the main causes of poor food quality and safety in Ethiopia's food processing industry is the lack of adequate regulations and enforcement mechanisms. The absence of comprehensive food safety and quality policies and guidelines has led to substandard practices in the food manufacturing process. Moreover, the lack of monitoring and enforcement of existing regulations has created a conducive environment for unscrupulous businesses to engage in unsafe practices that endanger the public's health. The effects of poor food quality and safety are significant, ranging from the loss of human lives, increased healthcare costs, and loss of consumer confidence in the food processing industry. Foodborne illnesses, such as diarrhea, typhoid fever, and cholera, are prevalent in Ethiopia, and poor food quality and safety practices contribute significantly to their prevalence. Additionally, food recalls due to contamination or mislabeling often result in significant economic losses for businesses in the food processing industry. To address these challenges, the Ethiopian government has begun to take steps to improve food quality and safety in the food processing industry. One of the most notable initiatives is the Ethiopian Food and Drug Administration (EFDA), which was established in 2010 to regulate and monitor the quality and safety of food and drug products in the country. The EFDA has implemented several measures to enhance food safety, such as conducting routine inspections, monitoring the importation of food products, and enforcing strict labeling requirements. Another potential solution to improve food quality and safety in Ethiopia's food processing industry is the implementation of food safety management systems (FSMS). An FSMS is a set of procedures and policies designed to identify, assess, and control food safety hazards throughout the food manufacturing process. Implementing an FSMS can help businesses in the food processing industry identify and address potential hazards before they cause harm to consumers. Additionally, the implementation of an FSMS can help businesses comply with existing food safety regulations and guidelines. In conclusion, improving food quality and safety policies and management systems in Ethiopia's food processing industry is critical to protecting public health and enhancing the country's economy. Addressing the root causes of poor food quality and safety and implementing effective solutions, such as the establishment of regulatory agencies and the implementation of food safety management systems, can help to improve the overall safety and quality of the country's food supply.Keywords: food quality, food safety, policy, management system, food processing industry
Procedia PDF Downloads 79851 Impact of Land-Use and Climate Change on the Population Structure and Distribution Range of the Rare and Endangered Dracaena ombet and Dobera glabra in Northern Ethiopia
Authors: Emiru Birhane, Tesfay Gidey, Haftu Abrha, Abrha Brhan, Amanuel Zenebe, Girmay Gebresamuel, Florent Noulèkoun
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Dracaena ombet and Dobera glabra are two of the most rare and endangered tree species in dryland areas. Unfortunately, their sustainability is being compromised by different anthropogenic and natural factors. However, the impacts of ongoing land use and climate change on the population structure and distribution of the species are less explored. This study was carried out in the grazing lands and hillside areas of the Desa'a dry Afromontane forest, northern Ethiopia, to characterize the population structure of the species and predict the impact of climate change on their potential distributions. In each land-use type, abundance, diameter at breast height, and height of the trees were collected using 70 sampling plots distributed over seven transects spaced one km apart. The geographic coordinates of each individual tree were also recorded. The results showed that the species populations were characterized by low abundance and unstable population structure. The latter was evinced by a lack of seedlings and mature trees. The study also revealed that the total abundance and dendrometric traits of the trees were significantly different between the two land uses. The hillside areas had a denser abundance of bigger and taller trees than the grazing lands. Climate change predictions using the MaxEnt model highlighted that future temperature increases coupled with reduced precipitation would lead to significant reductions in the suitable habitats of the species in northern Ethiopia. The species' suitable habitats were predicted to decline by 48–83% for D. ombet and 35–87% for D. glabra. Hence, to sustain the species populations, different strategies should be adopted, namely the introduction of alternative livelihoods (e.g., gathering NTFP) to reduce the overexploitation of the species for subsistence income and the protection of the current habitats that will remain suitable in the future using community-based exclosures. Additionally, the preservation of the species' seeds in gene banks is crucial to ensure their long-term conservation.Keywords: grazing lands, hillside areas, land-use change, MaxEnt, range limitation, rare and endangered tree species
Procedia PDF Downloads 83850 Cluster Analysis and Benchmarking for Performance Optimization of a Pyrochlore Processing Unit
Authors: Ana C. R. P. Ferreira, Adriano H. P. Pereira
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Given the frequent variation of mineral properties throughout the Araxá pyrochlore deposit, even if a good homogenization work has been carried out before feeding the processing plants, an operation with quality and performance’s high variety standard is expected. These results could be improved and standardized if the blend composition parameters that most influence the processing route are determined, and then the types of raw materials are grouped by them, finally presenting a great reference with operational settings for each group. Associating the physical and chemical parameters of a unit operation through benchmarking or even an optimal reference of metallurgical recovery and product quality reflects in the reduction of the production costs, optimization of the mineral resource, and guarantee of greater stability in the subsequent processes of the production chain that uses the mineral of interest. Conducting a comprehensive exploratory data analysis to identify which characteristics of the ore are most relevant to the process route, associated with the use of Machine Learning algorithms for grouping the raw material (ore) and associating these with reference variables in the process’ benchmark is a reasonable alternative for the standardization and improvement of mineral processing units. Clustering methods through Decision Tree and K-Means were employed, associated with algorithms based on the theory of benchmarking, with criteria defined by the process team in order to reference the best adjustments for processing the ore piles of each cluster. A clean user interface was created to obtain the outputs of the created algorithm. The results were measured through the average time of adjustment and stabilization of the process after a new pile of homogenized ore enters the plant, as well as the average time needed to achieve the best processing result. Direct gains from the metallurgical recovery of the process were also measured. The results were promising, with a reduction in the adjustment time and stabilization when starting the processing of a new ore pile, as well as reaching the benchmark. Also noteworthy are the gains in metallurgical recovery, which reflect a significant saving in ore consumption and a consequent reduction in production costs, hence a more rational use of the tailings dams and life optimization of the mineral deposit.Keywords: mineral clustering, machine learning, process optimization, pyrochlore processing
Procedia PDF Downloads 140849 A Fourier Method for Risk Quantification and Allocation of Credit Portfolios
Authors: Xiaoyu Shen, Fang Fang, Chujun Qiu
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Herewith we present a Fourier method for credit risk quantification and allocation in the factor-copula model framework. The key insight is that, compared to directly computing the cumulative distribution function of the portfolio loss via Monte Carlo simulation, it is, in fact, more efficient to calculate the transformation of the distribution function in the Fourier domain instead and inverting back to the real domain can be done in just one step and semi-analytically, thanks to the popular COS method (with some adjustments). We also show that the Euler risk allocation problem can be solved in the same way since it can be transformed into the problem of evaluating a conditional cumulative distribution function. Once the conditional or unconditional cumulative distribution function is known, one can easily calculate various risk metrics. The proposed method not only fills the niche in literature, to the best of our knowledge, of accurate numerical methods for risk allocation but may also serve as a much faster alternative to the Monte Carlo simulation method for risk quantification in general. It can cope with various factor-copula model choices, which we demonstrate via examples of a two-factor Gaussian copula and a two-factor Gaussian-t hybrid copula. The fast error convergence is proved mathematically and then verified by numerical experiments, in which Value-at-Risk, Expected Shortfall, and conditional Expected Shortfall are taken as examples of commonly used risk metrics. The calculation speed and accuracy are tested to be significantly superior to the MC simulation for real-sized portfolios. The computational complexity is, by design, primarily driven by the number of factors instead of the number of obligors, as in the case of Monte Carlo simulation. The limitation of this method lies in the "curse of dimension" that is intrinsic to multi-dimensional numerical integration, which, however, can be relaxed with the help of dimension reduction techniques and/or parallel computing, as we will demonstrate in a separate paper. The potential application of this method has a wide range: from credit derivatives pricing to economic capital calculation of the banking book, default risk charge and incremental risk charge computation of the trading book, and even to other risk types than credit risk.Keywords: credit portfolio, risk allocation, factor copula model, the COS method, Fourier method
Procedia PDF Downloads 159848 Development of a Turbulent Boundary Layer Wall-pressure Fluctuations Power Spectrum Model Using a Stepwise Regression Algorithm
Authors: Zachary Huffman, Joana Rocha
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Wall-pressure fluctuations induced by the turbulent boundary layer (TBL) developed over aircraft are a significant source of aircraft cabin noise. Since the power spectral density (PSD) of these pressure fluctuations is directly correlated with the amount of sound radiated into the cabin, the development of accurate empirical models that predict the PSD has been an important ongoing research topic. The sound emitted can be represented from the pressure fluctuations term in the Reynoldsaveraged Navier-Stokes equations (RANS). Therefore, early TBL empirical models (including those from Lowson, Robertson, Chase, and Howe) were primarily derived by simplifying and solving the RANS for pressure fluctuation and adding appropriate scales. Most subsequent models (including Goody, Efimtsov, Laganelli, Smol’yakov, and Rackl and Weston models) were derived by making modifications to these early models or by physical principles. Overall, these models have had varying levels of accuracy, but, in general, they are most accurate under the specific Reynolds and Mach numbers they were developed for, while being less accurate under other flow conditions. Despite this, recent research into the possibility of using alternative methods for deriving the models has been rather limited. More recent studies have demonstrated that an artificial neural network model was more accurate than traditional models and could be applied more generally, but the accuracy of other machine learning techniques has not been explored. In the current study, an original model is derived using a stepwise regression algorithm in the statistical programming language R, and TBL wall-pressure fluctuations PSD data gathered at the Carleton University wind tunnel. The theoretical advantage of a stepwise regression approach is that it will automatically filter out redundant or uncorrelated input variables (through the process of feature selection), and it is computationally faster than machine learning. The main disadvantage is the potential risk of overfitting. The accuracy of the developed model is assessed by comparing it to independently sourced datasets.Keywords: aircraft noise, machine learning, power spectral density models, regression models, turbulent boundary layer wall-pressure fluctuations
Procedia PDF Downloads 132847 Transcriptomic Analysis for Differential Expression of Genes Involved in Secondary Metabolite Production in Narcissus Bulb and in vitro Callus
Authors: Aleya Ferdausi, Meriel Jones, Anthony Halls
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The Amaryllidaceae genus Narcissus contains secondary metabolites, which are important sources of bioactive compounds such as pharmaceuticals indicating that their biological activity extends from the native plant to humans. Transcriptome analysis (RNA-seq) is an effective platform for the identification and functional characterization of candidate genes as well as to identify genes encoding uncharacterized enzymes. The biotechnological production of secondary metabolites in plant cell or organ cultures has become a tempting alternative to the extraction of whole plant material. The biochemical pathways for the production of secondary metabolites require primary metabolites to undergo a series of modifications catalyzed by enzymes such as cytochrome P450s, methyltransferases, glycosyltransferases, and acyltransferases. Differential gene expression analysis of Narcissus was obtained from two conditions, i.e. field and in vitro callus. Callus was obtained from modified MS (Murashige and Skoog) media supplemented with growth regulators and twin-scale explants from Narcissus cv. Carlton bulb. A total of 2153 differentially expressed transcripts were detected in Narcissus bulb and in vitro callus, and 78.95% of those were annotated. It showed the expression of genes involved in the biosynthesis of alkaloids were present in both conditions i.e. cytochrome P450s, O-methyltransferase (OMTs), NADP/NADPH dehydrogenases or reductases, SAM-synthetases or decarboxylases, 3-ketoacyl-CoA, acyl-CoA, cinnamoyl-CoA, cinnamate 4-hydroxylase, alcohol dehydrogenase, caffeic acid, N-methyltransferase, and NADPH-cytochrome P450s. However, cytochrome P450s and OMTs involved in the later stage of Amaryllidaceae alkaloids biosynthesis were mainly up-regulated in field samples. Whereas, the enzymes involved in initial biosynthetic pathways i.e. fructose biphosphate adolase, aminotransferases, dehydrogenases, hydroxyl methyl glutarate and glutamate synthase leading to the biosynthesis of precursors; tyrosine, phenylalanine and tryptophan for secondary metabolites were up-regulated in callus. The knowledge of probable genes involved in secondary metabolism and their regulation in different tissues will provide insight into the Narcissus plant biology related to alkaloid production.Keywords: narcissus, callus, transcriptomics, secondary metabolites
Procedia PDF Downloads 140846 Home Made Rice Beer Waste (Choak): A Low Cost Feed for Sustainable Poultry Production
Authors: Vinay Singh, Chandra Deo, Asit Chakrabarti, Lopamudra Sahoo, Mahak Singh, Rakesh Kumar, Dinesh Kumar, H. Bharati, Biswajit Das, V. K. Mishra
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The most widely used feed resources in poultry feed, like maize and soybean, are expensive as well as in short supply. Hence, there is a need to utilize non-conventional feed ingredients to cut down feed costs. As an alternative, brewery by-products like brewers’ dried grains are potential non-conventional feed resources. North-East India is inhabited by many tribes, and most of these tribes prepare their indigenous local brew, mostly using rice grains as the primary substrate. Choak, a homemade rice beer waste, is an excellent and cheap source of protein and other nutrients. Fresh homemade rice beer waste (rice brewer’s grain) was collected locally. The proximate analysis indicated 28.53% crude protein, 92.76% dry matter, 5.02% ether extract, 7.83% crude fibre, 2.85% total ash, 0.67% acid insoluble ash, 0.91% calcium, and 0.55% total phosphorus. A feeding trial with 5 treatments (incorporating rice beer waste at the inclusion levels of 0,10,20,30 & 40% by replacing maize and soybean from basal diet) was conducted with 25 laying hens per treatment for 16 weeks under completely randomized design in order to study the production performance, blood-biochemical parameters, immunity, egg quality and cost economics of laying hens. The results showed substantial variations (P<0.01) in egg production, egg mass, FCR per dozen eggs, FCR per kg egg mass, and net FCR. However, there was not a substantial difference in either body weight or feed intake or in egg weight. Total serum cholesterol reduced significantly (P<0.01) at 40% inclusion of rice beer waste. Additionally, the egg haugh unit grew considerably (P<0.01) when the graded levels of rice beer waste increased. The inclusion of 20% rice brewers dried grain reduced feed cost per kg egg mass and per dozen egg production by Rs. 15.97 and 9.99, respectively. Choak (homemade rice beer waste) can thus be safely incorporated into the diet of laying hens at a 20% inclusion level for better production performance and cost-effectiveness.Keywords: choak, rice beer waste, laying hen, production performance, cost economics
Procedia PDF Downloads 51845 A Review Investigating the Potential Of Zooxanthellae to Be Genetically Engineered to Combat Coral Bleaching
Authors: Anuschka Curran, Sandra Barnard
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Coral reefs are of the most diverse and productive ecosystems on the planet, but due to the impact of climate change, these infrastructures are dying off primarily through coral bleaching. Coral bleaching can be described as the process by which zooxanthellae (algal endosymbionts) are expelled from the gastrodermal cavity of the respective coral host, causing increased coral whitening. The general consensus is that mass coral bleaching is due to the dysfunction of photosynthetic processes in the zooxanthellae as a result of the combined action of elevated temperature and light-stress. The question then is, do zooxanthellae have the potential to play a key role in the future of coral reef restoration through genetic engineering? The aim of this study is firstly to review the different zooxanthellae taxa and their traits with respect to environmental stress, and secondly, to review the information available on the protective mechanisms present in zooxanthellae cells when experiencing temperature fluctuations, specifically concentrating on heat shock proteins and the antioxidant stress response of zooxanthellae. The eight clades (A-H) previously recognized were redefined into seven genera. Different zooxanthellae taxa exhibit different traits, such as their photosynthetic stress responses to light and temperature. Zooxanthellae have the ability to determine the amount and type of heat shock proteins (hsps) present during a heat response. The zooxanthellae can regulate both the host’s respective hsps as well as their own. Hsps, generally found in genotype C3 zooxanthellae, such as Hsp70 and Hsp90, contribute to the thermal stress response of the respective coral host. Antioxidant activity found both within exposed coral tissue, and the zooxanthellae cells can prevent coral hosts from expelling their endosymbionts. The up-regulation of gene expression, which may mitigate thermal stress induction of any of the physiological aspects discussed, can ensure stable coral-zooxanthellae symbiosis in the future. It presents a viable alternative strategy to preserve reefs amidst climate change. In conclusion, despite their unusual molecular design, genetic engineering poses as a useful tool in understanding and manipulating variables and systems within zooxanthellae and therefore presents a solution that can ensure stable coral-zooxanthellae symbiosis in the future.Keywords: antioxidant enzymes, genetic engineering, heat-shock proteins, Symbiodinium
Procedia PDF Downloads 182844 Utilization of Silk Waste as Fishmeal Replacement: Growth Performance of Cyprinus carpio Juveniles Fed with Bombyx mori Pupae
Authors: Goksen Capar, Levent Dogankaya
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According to the circular economy model, resource productivity should be maximized and wastes should be reduced. Since earth’s natural resources are continuously depleted, resource recovery has gained great interest in recent years. As part of our research study on the recovery and reuse of silk wastes, this paper focuses on the utilization of silkworm pupae as fishmeal replacement, which would replace the original fishmeal raw material, namely the fish itself. This, in turn, would contribute to sustainable management of wild fish resources. Silk fibre is secreted by the silkworm Bombyx mori in order to construct a 'room' for itself during its transformation process from pupae to an adult moth. When the cocoons are boiled in hot water, silk fibre becomes loose and the silk yarn is produced by combining thin silk fibres. The remaining wastes are 1) sericin protein, which is dissolved in water, 2) remaining part of cocoon, including the dead body of B. mori pupae. In this study, an eight weeks trial was carried out to determine the growth performance of common carp juveniles fed with waste silkworm pupae meal (SWPM) as a replacement for fishmeal (FM). Four isonitrogenous diets (40% CP) were prepared replacing 0%, 33%, 50%, and 100% of the dietary FM with non-defatted silkworm pupae meal as a dietary protein source for experiments in C. carpio. Triplicate groups comprising of 20 fish (0.92±0.29 g) were fed twice/day with one of the four diets. Over a period of 8 weeks, results showed that the diet containing 50% of its protein from SWPM had significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) growth rates in all groups. The increasing levels of SWPM were resulted in a decrease in growth performance and significantly lower growth (p ≤ 0.05) was observed with diets having 100% SWPM. The study demonstrates that it is practical to replace 50% of the FM protein with SWPM with a significantly better utilization of the diet but higher SWPM levels are not recommended for juvenile carp. Further experiments are under study to have more detailed results on the possible effects of this alternative diet on the growth performance of juvenile carp.Keywords: Bombyx mori, Cyprinus carpio, fish meal, silk, waste pupae
Procedia PDF Downloads 149843 Selenuranes as Cysteine Protease Inhibitors: Theorical Investigation on Model Systems
Authors: Gabriela D. Silva, Rodrigo L. O. R. Cunha, Mauricio D. Coutinho-Neto
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In the last four decades the biological activities of selenium compounds has received great attention, particularly for hypervalent derivates from selenium (IV) used as enzyme inhibitors. The unregulated activity of cysteine proteases are related to the development of several pathologies, such as neurological disorders, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer and parasitic infections. These enzymes are therefore a valuable target for designing new small molecule inhibitors such as selenuranes. Even tough there has been advances in the synthesis and design of new selenuranes based inhibitors, little is known about their mechanism of action. It is a given that inhibition occurs through the reaction between the thiol group of the enzyme and the chalcogen atom. However, several open questions remain about the nature of the mechanism (associative vs. dissociative) and about the nature of the reactive species in solution under physiological conditions. In this work we performed a theoretical investigation on model systems to study the possible routes of substitution reactions. Nucleophiles may be present in biological systems, our interest is centered in the thiol groups from the cysteine proteases and the hydroxyls from the aqueous environment. We therefore expect this study to clarify the possibility of a route reaction in two stages, the first consisting of the substitution of chloro atoms by hydroxyl groups and then replacing these hydroxyl groups per thiol groups in selenuranes. The structures of selenuranes and nucleophiles were optimized using density function theory along the B3LYP functional and a 6-311+G(d) basis set. Solvent was treated using the IEFPCM method as implemented in the Gaussian 09 code. Our results indicate that hydrolysis from water react preferably with selenuranes, and then, they are replaced by the thiol group. It show the energy values of -106,0730423 kcal/mol for dople substituition by hydroxyl group and 96,63078511 kcal/mol for thiol group. The solvatation and pH reduction promotes this route, increasing the energy value for reaction with hydroxil group to -50,75637672 kcal/mol and decreasing the energy value for thiol to 7,917767189 kcal/mol. Alternative ways were analyzed for monosubstitution (considering the competition between Cl, OH and SH groups) and they suggest the same route. Similar results were obtained for aliphatic and aromatic selenuranes studied.Keywords: chalcogenes, computational study, cysteine proteases, enzyme inhibitors
Procedia PDF Downloads 297842 Expectations of Unvaccinated Health Workers in Greece and the Question of Trust: A Qualitative Study of Vaccine Hesitancy
Authors: Sideri Katerina, Chanania Eleni
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The reasons why people remain unvaccinated, especially health workers, are complex. In Greece, 2 percent of health workers (around 7,000) remain unvaccinated, despite the fact that for this group of people vaccination against COVID-19 is mandatory. In April 2022, the Greek health minister repeated that unvaccinated health care workers will remain suspended from their jobs ‘for as long as the pandemic lasts,’ explaining that the suspension of the workers in question was ‘entirely their choice’ and that health professionals who do not believe in vaccines ‘do not believe in their own science.’ Although policy circles around the world often link vaccine hesitancy to ignorance of science or misinformation, various recently published qualitative studies show that vaccine hesitancy is the result of a combination of factors, which include distrust towards elites and the system of innovation and distrust towards government. In a similar spirit, some commentators warn that labeling hesitancy as “anti-science” is bad politics. In this paper, we worked within the tradition of STS taking the view that people draw upon personal associations to enact and express civic concern with an issue, the enactment of public concern involves the articulation of threats to actors’ way of life, personal values, relationships, lived experiences, broader societal values and institutional structures. To this effect, we have conducted 27 in depth interviews with unvaccinated Greek health workers and we are in the process of conducting 20 more interviews. We have so far found that rather than a question of believing in ‘facts’ vaccine hesitancy reflects deep distrust towards those charged with the making of decisions and pharmaceutical companies and that emotions (rather than rational thinking) play a crucial role in the formation of attitudes and the making of decisions. We need to dig deeper so as to understand the causes of distrust towards technical government and the ways in which public(s) conceive of and want to be part in the politics of innovation. We particularly address the question of the effectiveness of mandatory vaccination of health workers and whether such top-down regulatory measures further polarize society, to finally discuss alternative regulatory approaches and governance structures.Keywords: vaccine hesitancy, innovation, trust in vaccines, sociology of vaccines, attitude drivers towards scientific information, governance
Procedia PDF Downloads 68841 Exploring the Energy Saving Benefits of Solar Power and Hot Water Systems: A Case Study of a Hospital in Central Taiwan
Authors: Ming-Chan Chung, Wen-Ming Huang, Yi-Chu Liu, Li-Hui Yang, Ming-Jyh Chen
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introduction: Hospital buildings require considerable energy, including air conditioning, lighting, elevators, heating, and medical equipment. Energy consumption in hospitals is expected to increase significantly due to innovative equipment and continuous development plans. Consequently, the environment and climate will be adversely affected. Hospitals should therefore consider transforming from their traditional role of saving lives to being at the forefront of global efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. As healthcare providers, it is our responsibility to provide a high-quality environment while using as little energy as possible. Purpose / Methods: Compare the energy-saving benefits of solar photovoltaic systems and solar hot water systems. The proportion of electricity consumption effectively reduced after the installation of solar photovoltaic systems. To comprehensively assess the potential benefits of utilizing solar energy for both photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal applications in hospitals, a solar PV system was installed covering a total area of 28.95 square meters in 2021. Approval was obtained from the Taiwan Power Company to integrate the system into the hospital's electrical infrastructure for self-use. To measure the performance of the system, a dedicated meter was installed to track monthly power generation, which was then converted into area output using an electric energy conversion factor. This research aims to compare the energy efficiency of solar PV systems and solar thermal systems. Results: Using the conversion formula between electrical and thermal energy, we can compare the energy output of solar heating systems and solar photovoltaic systems. The comparative study draws upon data from February 2021 to February 2023, wherein the solar heating system generated an average of 2.54 kWh of energy per panel per day, while the solar photovoltaic system produced 1.17 kWh of energy per panel per day, resulting in a difference of approximately 2.17 times between the two systems. Conclusions: After conducting statistical analysis and comparisons, it was found that solar thermal heating systems offer higher energy and greater benefits than solar photovoltaic systems. Furthermore, an examination of literature data and simulations of the energy and economic benefits of solar thermal water systems and solar-assisted heat pump systems revealed that solar thermal water systems have higher energy density values, shorter recovery periods, and lower power consumption than solar-assisted heat pump systems. Through monitoring and empirical research in this study, it has been concluded that a heat pump-assisted solar thermal water system represents a relatively superior energy-saving and carbon-reducing solution for medical institutions. Not only can this system help reduce overall electricity consumption and the use of fossil fuels, but it can also provide more effective heating solutions.Keywords: sustainable development, energy conservation, carbon reduction, renewable energy, heat pump system
Procedia PDF Downloads 76840 Solar-Thermal-Electric Stirling Engine-Powered System for Residential Units
Authors: Florian Misoc, Cyril Okhio, Joshua Tolbert, Nick Carlin, Thomas Ramey
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This project is focused on designing a Stirling engine system for a solar-thermal-electrical system that can supply electric power to a single residential unit. Since Stirling engines are heat engines operating any available heat source, is notable for its ability to generate clean and reliable energy without emissions. Due to the need of finding alternative energy sources, the Stirling engines are making a comeback with the recent technologies, which include thermal energy conservation during the heat transfer process. Recent reviews show mounting evidence and positive test results that Stirling engines are able to produce constant energy supply that ranges from 5kW to 20kW. Solar Power source is one of the many uses for Stirling engines. Using solar energy to operate Stirling engines is an idea considered by many researchers, due to the ease of adaptability of the Stirling engine. In this project, the Stirling engine developed was designed and tested to operate from biomass source of energy, i.e., wood pellets stove, during low solar radiation, with good results. A 20% efficiency of the engine was estimated, and 18% efficiency was measured, making it suitable and appropriate for residential applications. The effort reported was aimed at exploring parameters necessary to design, build and test a ‘Solar Powered Stirling Engine (SPSE)’ using Water (H₂O) as the Heat Transfer medium, with Nitrogen as the working gas that can reach or exceed an efficiency of 20%. The main objectives of this work consisted in: converting a V-twin cylinder air compressor into an alpha-type Stirling engine, construct a Solar Water Heater, by using an automotive radiator as the high-temperature reservoir for the Stirling engine, and an array of fixed mirrors that concentrate the solar radiation on the automotive radiator/high-temperature reservoir. The low-temperature reservoir is the surrounding air at ambient temperature. This work has determined that a low-cost system is sufficiently efficient and reliable. Off-the-shelf components have been used and estimates of the ability of the Engine final design to meet the electricity needs of small residence have been determined.Keywords: stirling engine, solar-thermal, power inverter, alternator
Procedia PDF Downloads 272839 A Regression Model for Predicting Sugar Crystal Size in a Fed-Batch Vacuum Evaporative Crystallizer
Authors: Sunday B. Alabi, Edikan P. Felix, Aniediong M. Umo
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Crystal size distribution is of great importance in the sugar factories. It determines the market value of granulated sugar and also influences the cost of production of sugar crystals. Typically, sugar is produced using fed-batch vacuum evaporative crystallizer. The crystallization quality is examined by crystal size distribution at the end of the process which is quantified by two parameters: the average crystal size of the distribution in the mean aperture (MA) and the width of the distribution of the coefficient of variation (CV). Lack of real-time measurement of the sugar crystal size hinders its feedback control and eventual optimisation of the crystallization process. An attractive alternative is to use a soft sensor (model-based method) for online estimation of the sugar crystal size. Unfortunately, the available models for sugar crystallization process are not suitable as they do not contain variables that can be measured easily online. The main contribution of this paper is the development of a regression model for estimating the sugar crystal size as a function of input variables which are easy to measure online. This has the potential to provide real-time estimates of crystal size for its effective feedback control. Using 7 input variables namely: initial crystal size (Lo), temperature (T), vacuum pressure (P), feed flowrate (Ff), steam flowrate (Fs), initial super-saturation (S0) and crystallization time (t), preliminary studies were carried out using Minitab 14 statistical software. Based on the existing sugar crystallizer models, and the typical ranges of these 7 input variables, 128 datasets were obtained from a 2-level factorial experimental design. These datasets were used to obtain a simple but online-implementable 6-input crystal size model. It seems the initial crystal size (Lₒ) does not play a significant role. The goodness of the resulting regression model was evaluated. The coefficient of determination, R² was obtained as 0.994, and the maximum absolute relative error (MARE) was obtained as 4.6%. The high R² (~1.0) and the reasonably low MARE values are an indication that the model is able to predict sugar crystal size accurately as a function of the 6 easy-to-measure online variables. Thus, the model can be used as a soft sensor to provide real-time estimates of sugar crystal size during sugar crystallization process in a fed-batch vacuum evaporative crystallizer.Keywords: crystal size, regression model, soft sensor, sugar, vacuum evaporative crystallizer
Procedia PDF Downloads 202838 Elderly in Sub Saharan Africa
Authors: Obinna Benedict Duru
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This study focuses on the elderly and the challenges that confront them. The elderly are that particular segment of our population who by virtue of the aging process have attained the stage in most cases where they are confronted with the challenges of economic dependency and social marginality. These challenges are as a result of the physical and biological decline occasioned by social myths and realities which portray the elderly as a dependent population whose members could not and should not work and who need social assistance that the younger population is obliged to provide. From the moment of birth to the moment of death, our bodies are constantly changing. We are all enmeshed in the process of growing old, a transition from youthfulness to elderliness. In youth-oriented modern societies like ours, we tend to attach positive importance and significance to the biological changes that occur early in life and define later physical changes in negative terms. Children growing up and young adults receive more attention, greater responsibilities and more legal rights to reward them on their way. But few people are congratulated on getting old. We commiserate with people who are getting old and make jokes about their supposedly physical, mental and biological decline. Wrinkles, loss of weight and vitality are all parts of the aging process. In almost all parts of the world, earlier researches have shown that about fifty percent of the elderly who suffer from stroke, arthritis, senility and other age related diseases are the disengaged and neglected elderly. Rapid technological changes render the knowledge and skills of the elderly obsolete; education is geared toward the young and the generational competition for jobs leads to pressures on the elderly to retire. Control of initial resources are shifted to the middle-aged and older workers are pushed into positions of economic dependency. This study therefore, among other things tend to discover how some government policies have affected the elderly particularly in Africa. To discover the prospects and possibilities of the elderly for a better living. To make a comparison of the advances in healthcare giving made in the advanced western societies to the practice in Sub Saharan Africa etc. The hypotheses of this study include: that the elderly in Sub Saharan Africa are more vulnerable than their counterparts in Europe and America. The elderly are more prone to social isolation, and that the elderly are mostly affected by age-related sickness etc. With a survey method as the research design, and sample size of about 500 respondents,probability sampling technique was used. Data which were analyzed using chi-square and tables were collected through primary and secondary sources. The findings made include: that the elderly suffer pains of old age especially when disengaged from work or social activity. That loss of income condemn the elderly to a life of vegetable existence, and that those who do not have other means of re-integration usually see old age with regret and despair. It is therefore, recommended among other things that social welfare scheme and the process of re-integration at old age be introduced for the non pensionable elderly in Africa.Keywords: elderly, social isolation, dependency, re-integration
Procedia PDF Downloads 326837 Developing Social Responsibility Values in Nascent Entrepreneurs through Role-Play: An Explorative Study of University Students in the United Kingdom
Authors: David W. Taylor, Fernando Lourenço, Carolyn Branston, Paul Tucker
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There are an increasing number of students at Universities in the United Kingdom engaging in entrepreneurship role-play to explore business start-up as a career alternative to employment. These role-play activities have been shown to have a positive influence on students’ entrepreneurial intentions. Universities also play a role in developing graduates’ awareness of social responsibility. However, social responsibility is often missing from these entrepreneurship role-plays. It is important that these role-play activities include the development of values that support social responsibility, in-line with those running hybrid, humane and sustainable enterprises, and not simply focus on profit. The Young Enterprise (YE) Start-Up programme is an example of a role-play activity that is gaining in popularity amongst United Kingdom Universities seeking ways to give students insight into a business start-up. A Post-92 University in the North-West of England has adapted the traditional YE Directorship roles (e.g., Marketing Director, Sales Director) by including a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Director in all of the team-based YE Start-Up businesses. The aim for introducing this Directorship was to observe if such a role would help create a more socially responsible value-system within each company and in turn shape business decisions. This paper investigates role-play as a tool to help enterprise educators develop socially responsible attitudes and values in nascent entrepreneurs. A mixed qualitative methodology approach has been used, which includes interviews, role-play, and reflection, to help students develop positive value characteristics through the exploration of unethical and selfish behaviors. The initial findings indicate that role-play helped CSR Directors learn and gain insights into the importance of corporate social responsibility, influenced the values and actions of their YE Start-Ups, and increased the likelihood that if the participants were to launch a business post-graduation, that the intent would be for the business to be socially responsible. These findings help inform educators on how to develop socially responsible nascent entrepreneurs within a traditionally profit orientated business model.Keywords: student entrepreneurship, young enterprise, social responsibility, role-play, values
Procedia PDF Downloads 144836 Mechanical, Thermal and Biodegradable Properties of Bioplast-Spruce Green Wood Polymer Composites
Authors: A. Atli, K. Candelier, J. Alteyrac
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Environmental and sustainability concerns push the industries to manufacture alternative materials having less environmental impact. The Wood Plastic Composites (WPCs) produced by blending the biopolymers and natural fillers permit not only to tailor the desired properties of materials but also are the solution to meet the environmental and sustainability requirements. This work presents the elaboration and characterization of the fully green WPCs prepared by blending a biopolymer, BIOPLAST® GS 2189 and spruce sawdust used as filler with different amounts. Since both components are bio-based, the resulting material is entirely environmentally friendly. The mechanical, thermal, structural properties of these WPCs were characterized by different analytical methods like tensile, flexural and impact tests, Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). Their water absorption properties and resistance to the termite and fungal attacks were determined in relation with different wood filler content. The tensile and flexural moduli of WPCs increased with increasing amount of wood fillers into the biopolymer, but WPCs became more brittle compared to the neat polymer. Incorporation of spruce sawdust modified the thermal properties of polymer: The degradation, cold crystallization, and melting temperatures shifted to higher temperatures when spruce sawdust was added into polymer. The termite, fungal and water absorption resistance of WPCs decreased with increasing wood amount in WPCs, but remained in durability class 1 (durable) concerning fungal resistance and quoted 1 (attempted attack) in visual rating regarding to the termites resistance except that the WPC with the highest wood content (30 wt%) rated 2 (slight attack) indicating a long term durability. All the results showed the possibility to elaborate the easy injectable composite materials with adjustable properties by incorporation of BIOPLAST® GS 2189 and spruce sawdust. Therefore, lightweight WPCs allow both to recycle wood industry byproducts and to produce a full ecologic material.Keywords: biodegradability, color measurements, durability, mechanical properties, melt flow index, MFI, structural properties, thermal properties, wood-plastic composites, WPCs
Procedia PDF Downloads 131835 Biochar from Empty Fruit Bunches Generated in the Palm Oil Extraction and Its Nutrients Contribution in Cultivated Soils with Elaeis guineensis in Casanare, Colombia
Authors: Alvarado M. Lady G., Ortiz V. Yaylenne, Quintero B. Quelbis R.
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The oil palm sector has seen significant growth in Colombia after the insertion of policies to stimulate the use of biofuels, which eventually contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG) that deteriorate not only the environment but the health of people. However, the policy of using biofuels has been strongly questioned by the impacts that can generate; an example is the increase of other more harmful GHGs like the CH₄ that underlies the amount of solid waste generated. Casanare's department is estimated be one of the major producers of palm oil of the country given that has recently expanded its sowed area, which implies an increase in waste generated primarily in the industrial stage. For this reason, the following study evaluated the agronomic potential of the biochar obtained from empty fruit bunches and its nutritional contribution in cultivated soils with Elaeis guineensis in Casanare, Colombia. The biochar was obtained by slow pyrolysis of the clusters in a retort oven at an average temperature of 190 °C and a residence time of 8 hours. The final product was taken to the laboratory for its physical and chemical analysis as well as a soil sample from a cultivation of Elaeis guineensis located in Tauramena-Casanare. With the results obtained plus the bibliographical reports of the nutrient demand in this cultivation, the possible nutritional contribution of the biochar was determined. It is estimated that the cultivation requirements of nitrogen is 12.1 kg.ha⁻¹, potassium is 59.3 kg.ha⁻¹, magnesium is -31.5 kg.ha⁻¹ and phosphorus is 5.6 kg.ha⁻¹ obtaining a biochar contribution of 143.1 kg.ha⁻¹, 1204.5 kg.ha⁻¹, 39.2 kg.ha⁻¹ and 71.6 kg.ha⁻¹ respectively. The incorporation of biochar into the soil would significantly improve the concentrations of N, P, K and Mg, nutrients considered important in the yield of palm oil, coupled with the importance of nutrient recycling in agricultural production systems sustainable. The biochar application improves the physical properties of soils, mainly in the humidity retention. On the other hand, it regulates the availability of nutrients for plants absorption, with economic savings in the application of synthetic fertilizers and water by irrigation. It also becomes an alternative to manage agricultural waste, reducing the involuntary emissions of greenhouse gases to the environment by decomposition in the field, reducing the CO₂ content in the atmosphere.Keywords: biochar, nutrient recycling, oil palm, pyrolysis
Procedia PDF Downloads 151834 Time Travel Testing: A Mechanism for Improving Renewal Experience
Authors: Aritra Majumdar
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While organizations strive to expand their new customer base, retaining existing relationships is a key aspect of improving overall profitability and also showcasing how successful an organization is in holding on to its customers. It is an experimentally proven fact that the lion’s share of profit always comes from existing customers. Hence seamless management of renewal journeys across different channels goes a long way in improving trust in the brand. From a quality assurance standpoint, time travel testing provides an approach to both business and technology teams to enhance the customer experience when they look to extend their partnership with the organization for a defined phase of time. This whitepaper will focus on key pillars of time travel testing: time travel planning, time travel data preparation, and enterprise automation. Along with that, it will call out some of the best practices and common accelerator implementation ideas which are generic across verticals like healthcare, insurance, etc. In this abstract document, a high-level snapshot of these pillars will be provided. Time Travel Planning: The first step of setting up a time travel testing roadmap is appropriate planning. Planning will include identifying the impacted systems that need to be time traveled backward or forward depending on the business requirement, aligning time travel with other releases, frequency of time travel testing, preparedness for handling renewal issues in production after time travel testing is done and most importantly planning for test automation testing during time travel testing. Time Travel Data Preparation: One of the most complex areas in time travel testing is test data coverage. Aligning test data to cover required customer segments and narrowing it down to multiple offer sequencing based on defined parameters are keys for successful time travel testing. Another aspect is the availability of sufficient data for similar combinations to support activities like defect retesting, regression testing, post-production testing (if required), etc. This section will talk about the necessary steps for suitable data coverage and sufficient data availability from a time travel testing perspective. Enterprise Automation: Time travel testing is never restricted to a single application. The workflow needs to be validated in the downstream applications to ensure consistency across the board. Along with that, the correctness of offers across different digital channels needs to be checked in order to ensure a smooth customer experience. This section will talk about the focus areas of enterprise automation and how automation testing can be leveraged to improve the overall quality without compromising on the project schedule. Along with the above-mentioned items, the white paper will elaborate on the best practices that need to be followed during time travel testing and some ideas pertaining to accelerator implementation. To sum it up, this paper will be written based on the real-time experience author had on time travel testing. While actual customer names and program-related details will not be disclosed, the paper will highlight the key learnings which will help other teams to implement time travel testing successfully.Keywords: time travel planning, time travel data preparation, enterprise automation, best practices, accelerator implementation ideas
Procedia PDF Downloads 152833 Factors Associated with Commencement of Non-Invasive Ventilation
Authors: Manoj Kumar Reddy Pulim, Lakshmi Muthukrishnan, Geetha Jayapathy, Radhika Raman
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Introduction: In the past two decades, noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) emerged as one of the most important advances in the management of both acute and chronic respiratory failure in children. In the acute setting, it is an alternative to intubation with a goal to preserve normal physiologic functions, decrease airway injury, and prevent respiratory tract infections. There is a need to determine the clinical profile and parameters which point towards the need for NIV in the pediatric emergency setting. Objectives: i) To study the clinical profile of children who required non invasive ventilation and invasive ventilation, ii) To study the clinical parameters common to children who required non invasive ventilation. Methods: All children between one month to 18 years, who were intubated in the pediatric emergency department and those for whom decision to commence Non Invasive Ventilation was made in Emergency Room were included in the study. Children were transferred to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit and started on Non Invasive Ventilation as per our hospital policy and followed up in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit. Clinical profile of all children which included age, gender, diagnosis and indication for intubation were documented. Clinical parameters such as respiratory rate, heart rate, saturation, grunting were documented. Parameters obtained were subject to statistical analysis. Observations: Airway disease (Bronchiolitis 25%, Viral induced wheeze 22%) was a common diagnosis in 32 children who required Non Invasive Ventilation. Neuromuscular disorder was the common diagnosis in 27 children (78%) who were Intubated. 17 children commenced on Non Invasive Ventilation who later needed invasive ventilation had Neuromuscular disease. High frequency nasal cannula was used in 32, and mask ventilation in 17 children. Clinical parameters common to the Non Invasive Ventilation group were age < 1 year (17), tachycardia n = 7 (22%), tachypnea n = 23 (72%) and severe respiratory distress n = 9 (28%), grunt n = 7 (22%), SPO2 (80% to 90%) n = 16. Children in the Non Invasive Ventilation + INTUBATION group were > 3 years (9), had tachycardia 7 (41%), tachypnea 9(53%) with a male predominance n = 9. In statistical comparison among 3 groups,'p' value was significant for pH, saturation, and use of Ionotrope. Conclusion: Invasive ventilation can be avoided in the paediatric Emergency Department in children with airway disease, by commencing Non Invasive Ventilation early. Intubation in the pediatric emergency department has a higher association with neuromuscular disorders.Keywords: clinical parameters, indications, non invasive ventilation, paediatric emergency room
Procedia PDF Downloads 329832 Direct Integration of 3D Ultrasound Scans with Patient Educational Mobile Application
Authors: Zafar Iqbal, Eugene Chan, Fareed Ahmed, Mohamed Jama, Avez Rizvi
Abstract:
Advancements in Ultrasound Technology have enabled machines to capture 3D and 4D images with intricate features of the growing fetus. Sonographers can now capture clear 3D images and 4D videos of the fetus, especially of the face. Fetal faces are often seen on the ultrasound scan of the third trimester where anatomical features become more defined. Parents often want 3D/4D images and videos of their ultrasounds, and particularly image that capture the child’s face. Sidra Medicine developed a patient education mobile app called 10 Moons to improve care and provide useful information during the length of their pregnancy. In addition to general information, we built the ability to send ultrasound images directly from the modality to the mobile application, allowing expectant mothers to easily store and share images of their baby. 10 Moons represent the length of the pregnancy on a lunar calendar, which has both cultural and religious significance in the Middle East. During the third trimester scan, sonographers can capture 3D pictures of the fetus. Ultrasound machines are connected with a local 10 Moons Server with a Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) application running on it. Sonographers are able to send images directly to the DICOM server by a preprogrammed button on the ultrasound modality. Mothers can also request which pictures they would like to be available on the app. An internally built DICOM application receives the image and saves the patient information from DICOM header (for verification purpose). The application also anonymizes the image by removing all the DICOM header information and subsequently converts it into a lossless JPEG. Finally, and the application passes the image to the mobile application server. On the 10 Moons mobile app – patients enter their Medical Record Number (MRN) and Date of Birth (DOB) to receive a One Time Password (OTP) for security reasons to view the images. Patients can also share the images anonymized images with friends and family. Furthermore, patients can also request 3D printed mementos of their child through 10 Moons. 10 Moons is unique patient education and information application where expected mothers can also see 3D ultrasound images of their children. Sidra Medicine staff has the added benefit of a full content management administrative backend where updates to content can be made. The app is available on secure infrastructure with both local and public interfaces. The application is also available in both English and Arabic languages to facilitate most of the patients in the region. Innovation is at the heart of modern healthcare management. With Innovation being one of Sidra Medicine’s core values, our 10 Moons application provides expectant mothers with unique educational content as well as the ability to store and share images of their child and purchase 3D printed mementos.Keywords: patient educational mobile application, ultrasound images, digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM), imaging informatics
Procedia PDF Downloads 123