Search results for: alternative materials

Authors: Angel Champion, Sadia Kanwal, Rafat Siddiqui

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Harnessing phytochemicals from plant sources presents a novel opportunity to prevent or treat malignant diseases, including breast cancer. Chemotherapy lacks precision in targeting cancerous cells while sparing normal cells, but a phytopharmaceutical approach may offer a solution. Dandelion, a common weed plant, is rich in phytochemicals and provides a safer, more cost-effective alternative with lower toxicity than traditional pharmaceuticals for conditions such as breast cancer. In this study, an in-vitro experiment will be conducted using the ethanol extract of Dandelion on triple-negative MDA-231 breast cancer cell lines. The polyphenolic analysis revealed that the Dandelion extract, particularly from the root and leaf (both cut and sifted), had the most potent antioxidant properties and exhibited the most potent antioxidation activity from the powdered leaf extract. The extract exhibits prospective promising effects for inducing cell proliferation and apoptosis in breast cancer cells, highlighting its potential for targeted therapeutic interventions. Standardizing methods for Dandelion use is crucial for future clinical applications in cancer treatment. Combining plant-derived compounds with cancer nanotechnology holds the potential for effective strategies in battling malignant diseases. Utilizing liposomes as carriers for phytoconstituent anti-cancer agents offers improved solubility, bioavailability, immunoregulatory effects, advancing anticancer immune function, and reducing toxicity. This integrated approach of natural products and nanotechnology has significant potential to revolutionize healthcare globally, especially in underserved communities where herbal medicine is prevalent.

Keywords: apoptosis, antioxidant activity, cancer nanotechnology, phytopharmaceutical

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Authors: Annapurna Basavaraju, Arianna Mastrodonato, Franz Heitmeir

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The Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe (ACARE) is creating awareness for the overall reduction of NOx emissions by 80% in its vision 2020. Hence this promotes the researchers to work on novel technologies, one such technology is the use of alternative fuels. Among these fuels hydrogen is of interest due to its one and only significant pollutant NOx. The influence of NOx formation due to hydrogen combustion depends on various parameters such as air pressure, inlet air temperature, air to fuel jet momentum ratio etc. Appropriately, this research is motivated to investigate the impact of the air to fuel jet momentum ratio onto the NOx formation in a hydrogen combustion chamber for aircraft engines. The air to jet fuel momentum is defined as the ratio of impulse/momentum of air with respect to the momentum of fuel. The experiments were performed in an existing combustion chamber that has been previously tested for methane. Premix of the reactants has not been considered due to the high reactivity of the hydrogen and high risk of a flashback. In order to create a less rich zone of reaction at the burner and to decrease the emissions, a forced internal recirculation flow has been achieved by integrating a plate similar to honeycomb structure, suitable to the geometry of the liner. The liner has been provided with an external cooling system to avoid the increase of local temperatures and in turn the reaction rate of the NOx formation. The injected air has been preheated to aim at so called flameless combustion. The air to fuel jet momentum ratio has been inspected by changing the area of fuel inlets and keeping the number of fuel inlets constant in order to alter the fuel jet momentum, thus maintaining the homogeneity of the flow. Within this analysis, promising results for a flameless combustion have been achieved. For a constant number of fuel inlets, it was seen that the reduction of the fuel inlet diameter resulted in decrease of air to fuel jet momentum ratio in turn lowering the NOx emissions.

Keywords: combustion chamber, hydrogen, jet momentum, NOx emission

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Authors: Mary Booth

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Biophotovoltaics is a method of green energy generation derived from exposing plants to lights. Its vast potential is hampered by the public’s relative ignorance of its existence. This work aims to formalize the principles of the physical processes of biophotovoltaics into a comprehensible visual software model, thus amplifying the human thought process. The methods used involve initially crafting a scale model of a working biophotovoltaic system from household materials inspired by the work of Paolo Bombelli. The scale model is then programmed into a system-level simulation, wherein a 3D animation dissects the system and its general energy generation process. The completed 3D system-level simulation ultimately creates a simplified visual understanding of the complex principles of the biophotovoltaic system.

Keywords: 3D, biophotovoltaics, render

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Authors: Kira Gulko Morse

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Choosing one’s primary language may not be as common as choosing an additional foreign language to study or use during travel. In some instances, however, it becomes a matter of internal personal struggle, as language is tied not only to specific circumstances but also to human background and identity. This phenomenological qualitative study focuses on the factors affecting the decision of a person to undergo a language shift. Specifically, it considers how these factors relate to identity negotiation and expression. The data for the study include the analysis of published autobiographical narratives and personal interviews conducted using the Responsive Interviewing model. While research participants come from a variety of geographical locations and have used different reasons for undergoing their individual language shift, the study identifies a number of common features shared by all the participants. Specifically, while all the participants have been able to maintain their first language to varying degrees of proficiency, they have all completed the shift to establish a primary language different from their first. Additionally, the process of self-identification is found to be directly connected to the phenomenon of language choice for each of the participants. The findings of the study further tie the phenomenon of individual language shift to a more comprehensive issue of individual life choices – ethnic revival, immigration, and inter-cultural marriage among others. The study discusses varying language roles and the data indicate that language shift may occur whether it is a symbolic driving force or a secondary means in fulfilling a set life goal. The concept of language addition is suggested as an alternative to the arbitrariness of language shift. Thus, instead of focusing on subtractive bilingualism or language loss, the emphasis becomes the integration of languages within the individual. The study emphasizes the importance of the construct of personal choice in its connection to individual language shift. It places the focus from society onto an individual and the ability of an individual to make decisions in matters of linguistic identification.

Keywords: choice theory, identity negotiation, language shift, psycholinguistics

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Authors: Frank Aneke, Elizabeth Theron

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Demand for building materials in the last decade due to growing population, has caused scarcity of low-cost housing in South Africa. The investigation thoroughly examined dolomitic waste (DW), silica fume (SF) and River sand (RS) effects on the geotechnical behaviour of fly ash bricks. Bricks samples were prepared at different ratios as follows: I. FA1 contained FA70% + RS30%, II. FA2 contained FA60% + DW10%+RS30%, III. FA3 has a mix proportion of FA50% + DW20%+RS30%, IV. FA4 has a mix ratio FA40% + DW30%+RS30%, V. FA5 contained FA20% + DW40% + SF10%+RS30% by mass percentage of the FA material. However, utilization of this wastes in production of bricks, does not only produce a valuable commercial product that is cost effective, but also reduces a major waste disposal problem from the surrounding environment.

Keywords: bricks, dolomite, fly ash, industrial wastes

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Authors: Eren Özceylan, Cihan Çetinkaya

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Quality function deployment (QFD) is a technique to assist transform the voice of the customer into engineering characteristics for a product/service. With the difference of existing studies, QFD is applied to an educational area that is a service sector which is not a manufacturing firm. The objective of the study is to design the undergraduate program according to students’ desire and expectations. To do so, third and fourth year students of industrial engineering department of Gaziantep University are considered as customers. Some suggestions about lecturers, courses, exams and facility for how to satisfy students’ demands are presented and as a result, sharing the materials of courses is the most important requirement among others.

Keywords: higher education, quality function deployment, quality house, voice of customer

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Authors: Cleyton S. Stampa

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This paper addresses the perspectives of using low melting point metals (LMPMs) as phase change materials (PCMs) in latent thermal energy storage (LTES) units, through a numerical approach. This is a new class of PCMs that has been one of the most prospective alternatives to be considered in LTES, due to these materials present high thermal conductivity and elevated heat of fusion, per unit volume. The chosen type of LTES consists of several horizontal parallel slabs filled with PCM. The heat transfer fluid (HTF) circulates through the channel formed between each two consecutive slabs on a laminar regime through forced convection. The study deals with the LTES charging process (heat-storing) by using pure gallium as PCM, and it considers heat conduction in the solid phase during melting driven by natural convection in the melt. The transient heat transfer problem is analyzed in one arbitrary slab under the influence of the HTF. The mathematical model to simulate the isothermal phase change is based on a volume-averaged enthalpy method, which is successfully verified by comparing its predictions with experimental data from works available in the pertinent literature. Regarding the convective heat transfer problem in the HTF, it is assumed that the flow is thermally developing, whereas the velocity profile is already fully developed. The study aims to learn about the effect of the solid subcooling in the melting rate through comparisons with the melting process of the solid in which it starts to melt from its fusion temperature. In order to best understand this effect in a metallic compound, as it is the case of pure gallium, the study also evaluates under the same conditions established for the gallium, the melting process of commercial paraffin wax (organic compound) and of the calcium chloride hexahydrate (CaCl₂ 6H₂O-inorganic compound). In the present work, it is adopted the best options that have been established by several researchers in their parametric studies with respect to this type of LTES, which lead to high values of thermal efficiency. To do so, concerning with the geometric aspects, one considers a gap of the channel formed by two consecutive slabs, thickness and length of the slab. About the HTF, one considers the type of fluid, the mass flow rate, and inlet temperature.

Keywords: flat slab, heat storing, pure metal, solid subcooling

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Authors: Abiodun O. Ibude

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Several organizations have devised the strategy of engaging the services of staff not directly employed by them in their production and service delivery. Some organizations also engage on contracting another organization to carry out a part of service or production process on their behalf. Outsourcing is becoming an important alternative employment option for most organizations. This paper attempts an exposition on the rights of workers within the more specific context of outsourcing as a human resource management phenomenon. Outsourced employees and their rights are treated conceptually and analytically in a generic sense as a mere subset of the larger whole, that is, labor. Outsourced employees derive their rights, like all workers, from their job context as well as the legal environment (municipal and global) in which they operate. The dynamics of globalization and the implications of this development for labor practices receive considerable attention in this exposition. In this regard, a guarded proposition is made, to examine the practice and effect of engaging outsourcing as an economic decision designed primarily to cut down on operational costs rather than a Human Resources Management decision to improve worker welfare. The population of the study was selected from purposive and simple random sampling techniques. Data obtained were analyzed through a simple percentage, Pearson product-moment correlation, and cross-tabulation. From the research conducted, it was discovered that, although outsourcing possesses opportunities for organizations, there are drawbacks arising from its implementation of job securities. It was also discovered that some employees are being exploited through this strategy. This gives rise to lower motivation and thereby decline in performance. In conclusion, there is need for examination of Human Resource Managers’ strategies that can serve as management policy tools for the protection of the rights of outsourced employees.

Keywords: legal environment, operational cost, outsourcing, protection

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Authors: Amare Setegn Enyew, Bikila Teklu Wodajo

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The primary aim of flexible pavement design is to ensure the development of economical and safe road infrastructure. However, failures can still occur due to improper or erroneous structural design. In Ethiopia, the design of flexible pavements relies on doing calculations manually and selecting pavement structure from catalogue. The catalogue offers, in eight different charts, alternative structures for combinations of traffic and subgrade classes, as outlined in the Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) Pavement Design Manual 2001. Furthermore, design modification is allowed in accordance with the structural number principles outlined in the AASHTO 1993 Guide for Design of Pavement Structures. Nevertheless, the manual calculation and design process involves the use of nomographs, charts, tables, and formulas, which increases the likelihood of human errors and inaccuracies, and this may lead to unsafe or uneconomical road construction. To address the challenge, a software called AASHERA has been developed for AASHTO 1993 and ERA design methods, using MATLAB language. The software accurately determines the required thicknesses of flexible pavement surface, base, and subbase layers for the two methods. It also digitizes design inputs and references like nomographs, charts, default values, and tables. Moreover, the software allows easier comparison of the two design methods in terms of results and cost of construction. AASHERA's accuracy has been confirmed through comparisons with designs from handbooks and manuals. The software can aid in reducing human errors, inaccuracies, and time consumption as compared to the conventional manual design methods employed in Ethiopia. AASHERA, with its validated accuracy, proves to be an indispensable tool for flexible pavement structure designers.

Keywords: flexible pavement design, AASHTO 1993, ERA, MATLAB, AASHERA

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Authors: Evrim Genc Kumtepe, Elif Toprak, Aylin Ozturk, Gamze Tuna, Hakan Kilinc, Irem Aydin Menderis

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Support services are very significant elements for all educational institutions in general; however, for distance learners, these services are more essential than traditional (face-to-face) counterparts. One of the most important reasons for this is that learners and instructors do not share the same physical environment and that distance learning settings generally require intrapersonal interactions rather than interpersonal ones. Some learners in distance learning programs feel isolated. Furthermore, some fail to feel a sense of belonging to the institution because of lack of self-management skills, lack of motivation levels, and the need of being socialized, so that they are more likely to fail or drop out of an online class. In order to overcome all these problems, support services have emerged as a critical element for an effective and sustainable distance education system. Within the context of distance education support services, it is natural to include technology-based and web-based services and also the related materials. Moreover, institutions in education sector are expected to use information and communication technologies effectively in order to be successful in educational activities and programs. In terms of the sustainability of the system, an institution should provide distance education services through ICT enabled processes to support all stakeholders in the system, particularly distance learners. In this study, it is envisaged to develop a model based on the current support services literature in the field of open and distance learning and the applications of the distance higher education institutions. Specifically, content analysis technique is used to evaluate the existing literature in the distance education support services, the information published on websites, and applications of distance higher education institutions across the world. A total of 60 institutions met the inclusion criteria which are language option (English) and availability of materials in the websites. The six field experts contributed to brainstorming process to develop and extract codes for the coding scheme. During the coding process, these preset and emergent codes are used to conduct analyses. Two coders independently reviewed and coded each assigned website to ensure that all coders are interpreting the data the same way and to establish inter-coder reliability. Once each web page is included in descriptive and relational analysis, a model of support services is developed by examining the generated codes and themes. It is believed that such a model would serve as a quality guide for future institutions, as well as the current ones.

Keywords: support services, open education, distance learning, support model

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Authors: Sayed M. Ahmed, Sawsan S. Darwish, Nagib A. Elmarzugi, Mohammad A. Al-Dosari, Mahmoud A. Adam, Nadia A. Al-Mouallimi

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Historical stone surfaces and architectural heritage may undergo unwanted changes due to the exposure to many physical and chemical deterioration factors, the innovative properties of the nano - materials can have advantageous application in the restoration and conservation of the cultural heritage with relation to the tailoring of new products for protection and consolidation of stone. The current work evaluates the effectiveness of inorganic compatible treatments; based on nanosized particles of silica (SiO2) dispersed in silicon based product, commonly used as a water-repellent/ consolidation for the construction materials affected by different kinds of decay. The nanocomposites obtained by dispersing the silica nanoparticles in polymeric matrices SILRES® BS OH 100 (solventless mixtures of ethyl silicates), in order to obtain a new nanocomposite, with hydrophobic and consolidation properties, to improve the physical and mechanical properties of the stone material. The nanocomposites obtained and pure SILRES® BS OH 100 were applied by brush Experimental stone blocks. The efficacy of the treatments has been evaluated after consolidation and artificial Thermal aging, through capillary water absorption measurements, Ultraviolet-light exposure to evaluate photo-induced and the hydrophobic effects of the treated surface, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination is performed to evaluate penetration depth, re-aggregating effects of the deposited phase and the surface morphology before and after artificialaging. Sterio microscopy investigation is performed to evaluate the resistant to the effects of the erosion, acids and salts. Improving of stone mechanical properties were evaluated by compressive strength tests, colorimetric measurements were used to evaluate the optical appearance. All the results get together with the apparent effect that, silica/polymer nanocomposite is efficient material for the consolidation of artistic and architectural sandstone monuments, completely compatible, enhanced the durability of sandstone toward thermal and UV aging. In addition, the obtained nanocomposite improved the stone mechanical properties and the resistant to the effects of the erosion, acids and salts compared to the samples treated with pure SILRES® BS OH 100 without silica nanoparticles.

Keywords: colorimetric measurements, compressive strength, nanocomposites, porous stone consolidation, silica nanoparticles, sandstone

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Authors: Kaushal Kishore, Suman Mukhopadhyay, Susovan Das, Manashi Adhikary, Sandip Bhattacharyya

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In integrated steel plants, conveyor belts are widely used for transferring raw materials from one location to another. An output pin bush coupling attached with a conveyor transferring iron ore fines and fluxes failed after two years of service life. This led to an operational delay of approximately 15 hours. This study is focused on failure analysis of the coupling and recommending counter-measures to prevent any such failures in the future. Investigation consisted of careful visual observation, checking of operating parameters, stress calculation and analysis, macro and micro-fractography, material characterizations like chemical and metallurgical analysis and tensile and impact testings. The fracture occurred from an unusually sharp double step. There were multiple corrosion pits near the step that aggravated the situation. Inner contact surface of the coupling revealed differential abrasion that created a macroscopic difference in the height of the component. This pointed towards misalignment of the coupling beyond a threshold limit. In addition to these design and installation issues, material of the coupling did not meet the quality standards. These were made up of grey cast iron having graphite morphology intermediate between random distribution (Type A) and rosette pattern (Type B). This manifested as a marked reduction in impact toughness and tensile strength of the component. These findings corroborated well with the brittle mode of fracture that might have occurred during minor impact loading while loading of conveyor belt with raw materials from height. Simulated study was conducted to examine the effect of corrosion pits on tensile and impact toughness of grey cast iron. It was observed that pitting marginally reduced tensile strength and ductility. However, there was marked (up to 45%) reduction in impact toughness due to pitting. Thus, it became evident that failure of the coupling occurred due to combination of factors like inferior material, misalignment, poor step design and corrosion pitting. Recommendation for life enhancement of coupling included the use of tougher SG 500/7 grade, incorporation of proper fillet radius for the step, correction of alignment and application of corrosion resistant organic coating to prevent pitting.

Keywords: brittle fracture, cast iron, coupling, double step, pitting, simulated impact tests

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Authors: Kohji Mitsubayashi, Takahiro Arakawa, Kohji Mitsubayashi

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‘Cavitas sensors’ attached to human body cavities such as a contact lens type and a mouthguard (‘no implantable', ‘no wearable’) attracted attention as self-detachable devices for daily medicine. In this contribution, the soft contact lens glucose sensor for tear sugar monitoring will be introduced. And the mouthguard sensor with dental materials integrated with Bluetooth low energy (BLE) wireless module for real-time monitoring of saliva glucose would also be demonstrated. In the near future, those self-detachable cavitas sensors are expected to improve quality of life in view of the aging of society.

Keywords: cavitas sensor, biosensor, contact lens, mouthguard

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Authors: Rabah Younes

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The reduction of available land resources and the increased cout associated with the use of high quality materials have led to the need for local soils to be used in geotechnical construction, however; poor engineering properties of these soils pose difficulties for constructions project and need to be stabilized to improve their properties in other works unsuitable soils with low bearing capacity , high plasticity coupled with high instability are frequently encountered hence, there is a need to improve the physical and mechanical characteristics of these soils to make theme more suitable for construction this can be done by using different mechanical and chemical methods clayey soil stabilization has been practiced for sometime but mixing additives, such us cement, lime and fly ash to the soil to increase its strength.

Keywords: clay, soil stabilization, naturaln pozzolana, atterberg limits, compaction, compressive strength shear strength, curing

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Authors: Veena N. Hegde, S. R. Desai

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Motivating a heterogeneous group of students towards engagement in research related activities is a challenging task in engineering education. An effort is being made at the Department of Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering, where two courses are taken up on a pilot basis to kindle research interests in students at the undergraduate level. The courses, namely algorithm and system design (ASD) and automation in process control (APC), are selected for experimentation purposes. The task is being accomplished by providing scope for implementation of research papers and proposing solutions for the current industrial problems by the student teams. The course instructors have proposed an alternative assessment tool to evaluate the undergraduate students that involve activities beyond the curriculum. The method was tested for the aforementioned two courses in a particular academic year, and as per the observations, there is a considerable improvement in the number of student engagement towards research in the subsequent years of their undergraduate course. The student groups from the third-year engineering were made to read, implement the research papers, and they were also instructed to develop simulation modules for certain processes aiming towards automation. The target audience being students, were common for both the courses and the students' strength was 30. Around 50% of successful students were given the continued tasks in the subsequent two semesters, and out of 15 students who continued from sixth semesters were able to follow the research methodology well in the seventh and eighth semesters. Further, around 30% of the students out of 15 ended up carrying out project work with a research component involved and were successful in producing four conference papers. The methodology adopted is justified using a sample data set, and the outcomes are highlighted. The quantitative and qualitative results obtained through this study prove that such practices will enhance learning experiences substantially at the undergraduate level.

Keywords: industrial problems, learning experiences, research related activities, student engagement

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Authors: U. Arjun, K. Brinda, M. Padmanabhan, R. Nath

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Polycrystalline samples of rare-earth oxy-carbonates Ln2O2CO3 (Ln = Nd, Sm, and Dy) are synthesized, and their structural and magnetic properties are investigated. All of them crystallize in a hexagonal structure with space group P6_3/mmc. They form a double layered structure with frustrated triangular arrangement of rare-earth magnetic ions. An antiferromagnetic transition is observed at TN ≈ 1.25 K, 0.61 K, and 1.21 K for Nd2O2CO3, Sm2O2CO3, and Dy2O2CO3, respectively. From the analysis of magnetic susceptibility, the value of the Curie-Weiss temperature θ_CW is obtained to be ≈ 21.7 K, 18 K, and 10.6 K for Nd2O2CO3, Sm2O2CO3, and Dy2O2CO3, respectively. The magnetic frustration parameter f ( = |θ_CW|/T_N) is calculated to be ≈ 17.4, 31, and 8.8 for Nd2O2CO3, Sm2O2CO3, and Dy2O2CO3, respectively which indicates that Sm2O2CO3 is strongly frustrated compared to its Nd and Dy analogues.

Keywords: chemical synthesis, exchange and superexchange, heat capacity, magnetically ordered materials

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Authors: Maria Luiza D. Ramiento, Maria Lissette D. Lucas

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Electricity is said to serve as the backbone of modern technology. Considering this, electricity consumption has dynamically grown due to the continuous demand. An alternative producer of energy concerning electricity must therefore be given focus. Microbial fuel cell wholly characterizes a new method of renewable energy recovery: the direct conversion of organic matter to electricity using bacteria. Electricity is produced as fuel or new food is given to the bacteria. The study concentrated in determining the feasibility of electricity production from local benthic zones. Microbial fuel cells were constructed to harvest the possible electricity and to test the presence of electricity producing microorganisms. Soil samples were gathered from Calumpang River, Palawan Mangrove Forest, Rosario River and Batangas Port. Eleven modules were constructed for the different trials of the soil samples. These modules were made of cathode and anode chambers connected by a salt bridge. For 85 days, the harvested voltage was measured daily. No parameter is added for the first 24 days. For the next 61 days, acetic acid was included in the first and second trials of the modules. Each of the trials of the soil samples gave a positive result in electricity production.There were electricity producing microbes in local benthic zones. It is observed that the higher the organic content of the soil sample, the higher the electricity harvested from it. It is recommended to identify the specific species of the electricity-producing microorganism present in the local benthic zone. Complement experiments are encouraged like determining the kind of soil particles to test its effect on the amount electricity that can be harvested. To pursue the development of microbial fuel cells by building a closed circuit in it is also suggested.

Keywords: microbial fuel cell, benthic zone, electricity, reduction-oxidation reaction, bacteria

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Authors: V. Singh, S. Singh, S. S. Garewal

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Metal matrix composites with aluminum as the matrix material have been heralded as the next great development in advanced engineering materials. Aluminum metal matrix composites (AMMC) refer to the class of light weight high performance material systems. Properties of AMMCs can be tailored to the demands of different industrial applications by suitable combinations of matrix, reinforcement and processing route. AMMC finds its application in automotive, aerospace, defense, sports and structural areas. This paper presents an overview of AMMC material systems on aspects relating to processing, types and applications with case studies.

Keywords: aluminum metal matrix composites, applications of aluminum metal matrix composites, lighting material processing of aluminum metal matrix composites

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Authors: Yotaro Natani

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In his recent works, Frankfurt School theorist Axel Honneth elucidates an intersubjective notion of social freedom and outlines a vision of socialism as the realization of social freedom in the family, market economy, and public sphere. These arguments are part of his broader project of defending the tradition of immanent critique and normative reconstruction. In contrast, American Marxist sociologist Erik Olin Wright spells out a vision of socialism in terms of building real utopias -democratic, egalitarian, alternative institutions- through the exercise of civil society’s social power over the economy and state. Wright identifies ‘eroding capitalism’ as the framework for thinking about the strategic logics of gradually diminishing the dominance of capitalism. Both thinkers envision the transition toward socialism in terms of democratic experimentation; Honneth is more attentive to the immanent norms of social life, whereas Wright is better aware of the power of antagonistic structures. This paper attempts to synthesize the ideas of Honneth and Wright. It will show that Honneth’s critique of capitalism suffers from certain ambiguities because he attributes normative legitimacy to existing institutions, resulting in arguments that do not problematize aspects of capitalist structures. This paper will argue that incorporating the notion of power and thematizing the erosion of capitalism as a long-term goal for socialist change will allow Honneth to think more precisely about the conditions for realizing social freedom, in a manner that is still consistent with the immanent critique tradition. Such reformulation will result in a concept of social freedom that is less static and rooted in functional teleology and more oriented toward creative agency and experimental democracy.

Keywords: Axel Honneth, immanent critique, real utopias, social freedom, socialism

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Authors: Muhammad Iqbal, Hafiz Muhammad Tauqeer, Hamza Rafaqat, Muhammad Naveed, Muhammad Awais Irshad

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Soil pollution with chromium (Cr) has become one of the most important concerns due to its toxicity for humans. To date, various remediation approaches have been employed for the remediation and management of Cr contaminated soils. Phytoextraction is an eco-friendly and emerging remediation approach which has gained attention due to several advantages over conventional remediation approach. The use of energy crops for phytoremediation is an emerging trend worldwide. These energy crops have high tolerance against various environmental stresses, the potential to grow in diverse ecosystems and high biomass production make them a suitable candidate for phytoremediation of contaminated soils. The removal efficiency of plants in phytoextraction depends upon several soil and plant factors including solubility, bioavailability and metal speciation in soils. A pot scale experiment was conducted to evaluate the phytoextraction potential of Arundo donax L. with the application of acetic acid (A.A) in Cr contaminated soils. Plants were grown in pots filled with 5 kg soils for 90 days. After 30 days plants acclimatization in pot conditions, plants were treated with various levels of Cr (2.5 mM, 5 mM, 7.5 mM, 10 mM) and A.A (Cr 2.5 mM + A.A 2.5 mM, Cr 5 mM + A.A 2.5 mM, Cr 7.5 mM + A.A 2.5 mM, Cr 10 mM + A.A 2.5 mM). The application of A.A significantly increased metal uptake and in roots and shoots of A. donax. This increase was observed at Cr 7.5 mM + A.A 2.5 mM but at high concentrations, visual symptoms of Cr toxicity were observed on leaves. Similarly, A.A applications also affect the activities of key enzymes including catalase (CAT), superoxidase dismutase (SOD), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) in leaves of A. donax. Based on results it is concluded that the applications of A.A acid for phytoextraction is an alternative approach for the management of Cr affected soils and synthetic chelators should be replaced with organic acids.

Keywords: acetic acid, A. donax, chromium, energy crop, phytoextraction

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Authors: Nadia Allouache, Mohamed Belmedani

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Energy source is a sustainable, totally inexhaustible and environmentally friendly alternative to the fossil fuels available. It is a renewable and economical energy that can be harnessed sustainably over the long term and thus stabilizes energy costs. Solar cooling technologies have been developed to decrease the augmentation electricity consumption for air conditioning and to displace the peak load during hot summer days. A numerical analysis of thermal and solar performances of an annular finned adsorber, which is the most important component of the adsorption solar refrigerating system, is considered in this work. Different adsorbent/adsorbate pairs, such as activated carbon AC35/methanol, activated carbon AC35/ethanol, and activated carbon BPL/Ammoniac, are undertaken in this study. The modeling of the adsorption cooling machine requires the resolution of the equation describing the energy and mass transfer in the tubular finned adsorber. The Wilson and Dubinin- Astakhov models of the solid-adsorbate equilibrium are used to calculate the adsorbed quantity. The porous medium and the fins are contained in the annular space, and the adsorber is heated by solar energy. Effects of key parameters on the adsorbed quantity and on the thermal and solar performances are analysed and discussed. The AC35/methanol pair is the best pair compared to BPL/Ammoniac and AC35/ethanol pairs in terms of system performance. The system performances are sensitive to the fin geometry. For the considered data measured for clear type days of July 2023 in Algeria and Morocco, the performances of the cooling system are very significant in Algeria.

Keywords: activated carbon AC35-methanol pair, activated carbon AC35-ethanol pair, activated carbon BPL-ammoniac pair, annular finned adsorber, performance coefficients, numerical analysis, solar cooling system

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Authors: Li Yin, Xiaoqin Wang

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Background and purpose: Cancer diagnosis is part of a complex stochastic process, in which patients' personal and social characteristics influence the choice of diagnosing methods, diagnosing methods, in turn, influence the initial assessment of cancer stage, the initial assessment, in turn, influences the choice of treating methods, and treating methods in turn influence cancer outcomes such as cancer survival. To evaluate diagnosing methods, one needs to estimate and test the causal effect of a regime of cancer diagnosis and treatments. Recently, Wang and Yin (Annals of statistics, 2020) derived a new general formula, which expresses these causal effects in terms of the point effects of treatments in single-point causal inference. As a result, it is possible to estimate and test these causal effects via point effects. The purpose of the work is to estimate and test causal effects under various regimes of cancer diagnosis and treatments via point effects. Challenges and solutions: The cancer stage has influences from earlier diagnosis as well as on subsequent treatments. As a consequence, it is highly difficult to estimate and test the causal effects via standard parameters, that is, the conditional survival given all stationary covariates, diagnosing methods, cancer stage and prognosis factors, treating methods. Instead of standard parameters, we use the point effects of cancer diagnosis and treatments to estimate and test causal effects under various regimes of cancer diagnosis and treatments. We are able to use familiar methods in the framework of single-point causal inference to accomplish the task. Achievements: we have applied this method to stomach cancer survival from a clinical study in Sweden. We have studied causal effects under various regimes, including the optimal regime of diagnosis and treatments and the effect moderation of the causal effect by age and gender.

Keywords: cancer diagnosis, causal effect, point effect, G-formula, sequential causal effect

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Authors: Eric Lai, Sarah Lorger, David Eisinger, Richard Waugh

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Introduction: Percutaneous embolization of varicoceles has shown similar outcomes to surgery. However, there are advantages of radiological intervention as patients are not exposed to general anaesthesia, experience a quicker recovery and face a lower risk of major complications. Radiological interventions are also preferable after a failed surgical approach. We evaluate clinical outcomes of percutaneous embolization at a tertiary hospital in Sydney, Australia. Methods: Retrospective case series without a control group from a single site (Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia). A data search was performed on the interventional radiology database with the word “varicocele” between February 2017 and March 2022. 62 patients were identified. Each patient file was reviewed and included in the study if they met the inclusion criteria. Results: A total of 56 patients were included. 6 patients were excluded as they did not receive intervention after the initial diagnostic venography. Technical success was 100%. Complications were seen in 3 patients (5.3%). The complications included post-procedural pain and fever, venous perforation with no clinical adverse outcome, and a mild allergic reaction to contrast. Recurrence occurred in 3 patients (5.6%), all of whom received a successful second procedure. DISCUSSION: This study demonstrates comparable rates of technical success, complication rate and recurrence to other studies in the literature. When compared to surgical outcomes, the results were also similar. The main limitation is multiple patients lack long-term follow-up beyond 1 year, resulting in potential underestimation of the recurrence rate. Conclusion: Percutaneous embolization of varicocele is a safe alternative to surgical intervention.

Keywords: varicocele, interventional radiology, urology, radiology

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Authors: Jin-Feng Hu

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Over the past decades, the global biodiversity has continued to decline. The threats to the terrestrial plant species have increased under anthropogenic activities and other massive ecological change impacts. The situation is much more serious in China, the third richest countries regarding plant biodiversity in the world. It was not until 1992 that the first volume of the China Plant Red Data Book was published. Nowadays, a significant number of Chinese endemic plants have been threatened (The IUCN Red List). Nevertheless, plant-originated natural products (NPs) have continued to play a crucial role in the drug discovery and development process. The opportunity for identifying new chemical entities for emerging and malignant diseases depends on a diversity of drug-producing species. Several statistical surveys unveiled that the rare and endangered plants (REPs) have proven to be better sources for drug discovery than other botanic sources. The identification of bioactive NPs from REPs reveals the importance of conservation efforts in preventing species diversity loss and addressing human diseases at the same time. Thus, there is an urgent need to investigate these fragile REPs. Since 2013, our group has initially launched a special program to systematically identify bioactive/novel NPs from REPs native to China. The selected plant species were generally collected from the remote Mountain areas, and have never been chemically or pharmacologically investigated. Due to the difficult collection of the mass-limited samples of REPs, studies on the secondary metabolites of REPs-associated endophytes would provide a promising alternative potential solution. This presentation details the achievements that related to a series of “Phytochemical and biological studies on rare and endangered plants endemic to China”.

Keywords: bioactive naturally-occrring compounds, rare and endengered plants (REPs), plant endophytes, drug discovery

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Authors: W. S. Hsu, Y. Chiang, H. C. Chen, J. R. Wang, S. W. Chen, J. H. Yang, C. Shih

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Not only radiation materials, but also the normal chemical material stored in the power plant can cause a risk to the residents. In this research, the ALOHA code was used to perform the concentration analysis under the CO₂ storage burst or leakage conditions for Kuosheng nuclear power plant (NPP). The Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR) and data were used in this study. Additionally, the analysis results of ALOHA code were compared with the R.G. 1.78 failure criteria in order to confirm the control room habitability. The comparison results show that the ALOHA result for burst case was 0.923 g/m³ which was below the criteria. However, the ALOHA results for leakage case was 11.3 g/m³.

Keywords: BWR, ALOHA, habitability, Kuosheng

Procedia PDF Downloads 341

Authors: İrem Yetkin, Feray Maden, Seda Tosun, Yenal Akgün, Özgür Kilit, Koray Korkmaz, Gökhan Kiper, Mustafa Gündüzalp

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Forced migration, whether caused by conflicts or other factors, frequently places individuals in vulnerable situations, necessitating immediate access to shelter. To promptly address the immediate needs of affected individuals, temporary shelters are often established. These shelters are characterized by their adaptable and functional nature, encompassing lightweight and sustainable structural systems, rapid assembly capabilities, modularity, and transportability. The shelter design is contingent upon demand, resulting in distinct phases for different structural forms. A multi-phased shelter approach covers emergency response, temporary shelter, and permanent reconstruction. Emergency shelters play a critical role in providing immediate life-saving aid, while temporary and transitional shelters, which are also called “t-shelters,” offer longer-term living environments during the recovery and rebuilding phases. Among these, temporary shelters are more extensively covered in the literature due to their diverse inhabiting functions. The roles of emergency shelters and temporary shelters are inherently separate, addressing distinct aspects of sheltering processes. Given their prolonged usage, temporary shelters are built for greater durability compared to emergency shelters. Nonetheless, inadequacies in temporary shelters can lead to challenges in ensuring habitability. Issues like non-expandable structures unsuitable for accommodating large families, the use of short-term shelters that worsen conditions, non-waterproof materials providing insufficient protection against bad weather conditions, and complex installation systems contribute to these problems. Given the aforementioned problems, there arises a need to develop adaptive shelters featuring lightweight components for ease of transport, possess the ability for rapid assembly, and utilize durable materials to withstand adverse weather conditions. In this study, first, the state-of-the-art on temporary shelters is presented. Then, an adaptive temporary shelter composed of foldable plates is proposed, which can easily be assembled and transportable. The proposed shelter is deliberated upon its movement capacity, transportability, and flexibility. This study makes a valuable contribution to the literature since it not only offers a systematic analysis of temporary shelters utilizing kinetic systems but also presents a practical solution that meets the necessary design requirements.

Keywords: deployable structures, foldable plates, forced migration, temporary shelters

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Authors: M. Wangai

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Following the promulgation of a new Constitution of Kenya in 2010, wide-ranging proposals for reform of the criminal justice system have been made. Proposed measures include a clear and separate system of dealing with juvenile offenders with a greater focus on rehabilitation and reintegration. As part of a broader constitutional transition, this article considers the contribution of restorative justice to reforming the youth justice system. The paper analyses Kenya’s juvenile justice legal framework measured against current international trends in youth justice. It identifies the first post-independence juvenile justice system as a remnant of the colonial period and notes that the post-2001 system is a marked improvement. More recent legal and institutional efforts to incorporate restorative justice are also examined. The paper advocates further development of the juvenile justice system by mainstreaming of restorative justice principles through national level legislative amendments. International and comparative perspectives are used to inform a diversion centered model of restorative justice. In addition, a case is made for the use of existing forms of alternative dispute resolution. Conscious of a tense political climate, the paper also proposes strategies to address challenges posed by a punitive penal environment, chiefly the linking of restorative justice to wider democratic goals and community spirit. The article concludes that restorative justice led juvenile justice reform will contribute to better treatment of young offenders under the criminal justice system and has the potential to set a new precedent for fair, sustainable and effective justice. Further, as part of far-reaching criminal justice reform, the proposed efforts may strengthen democratic progress in Kenya’s ensuing phase of political transition.

Keywords: constitutional transition, criminal justice, restorative justice, young offenders

Procedia PDF Downloads 141

Authors: Marji Umil, Miane Karyle Urolaza, Ian Winston Dale Uy, John Charle Magne Valdez, Karen Elizabeth Valdez, Ervin Charles Valencia, Cheryleen Tan-Chua

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Objective: Distraction techniques can be successful in reducing the anxiety of children during medical procedures. Dental procedures, in particular, are associated with dental anxiety which has been identified as a significant and common problem in children, however, only limited studies were conducted to address such problem. Thus, this study determined the effectiveness of computer video games on the levels of anxiety of children between 5-12 years old scheduled for tooth extraction. Methods: A pre-test post-test quasi-experimental study was conducted involving 30 randomly-assigned subjects, 15 in the experimental and 15 in the control. Subjects in the experimental group played computer video games for a maximum of 15 minutes, however, no intervention was done on the control. The modified Yale Pre-operative Anxiety Scale (m-YPAS) with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.9 was used to assess anxiety at two different points: upon arrival in the clinic (pre-test anxiety) and 15 minutes after the first measurement (post-test anxiety). Paired t-test and ANCOVA were used to analyze the gathered data. Results: Results showed that there is a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test anxiety scores of the control group (p=0.0002) which indicates an increased anxiety. A significant difference was also noted between the pre-test and post-test anxiety scores of the experimental group (p=0.0002) which indicates decreased anxiety. Comparatively, the experimental group showed lower anxiety score (p=<0.0001) than the control. Conclusion: The use of computer video games is effective in reducing the pre-operative anxiety among children and can be an alternative non-pharmacological management in giving pre-operative care.

Keywords: play therapy, preoperative anxiety, tooth extraction, video games

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Authors: Salma Maher, Ahmed Elseragy, Sally Eldeeb

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Nowadays, Urbanism and climate change lead to the rapid growth in energy consumption and the increase of using air-conditioning for cooling. In a hot climate area, there is a need for a new sustainable alternative that is more convenient for an existing situation. The Building envelope controls the heat transfer between the outside and inside the building. While the building façade is the most critical part, types of façade material play a vital role in influences of the energy demand for heating and cooling due to exposure to direct solar radiation throughout the day. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, the use of curtain walls in office buildings façades started to increase rapidly, which lead to more cooling loads in energy consumption. Integrating the living wall system in urban areas as a sustainable renovation and energy-saving method for the built environment will reduce the energy demand of buildings and will also provide environmental benefits. Also, it will balance the urban ecology and enhance urban life quality. The results show that the living wall systems reduce the internal temperature up to 4.0 °C. This research carries on an analytical study by highlighting the different types of living wall systems and verifying their thermal performance, energy-saving, and life potential on the building. These assessing criteria include the reason for using the Living wall systems in the building façade as well as the effect it has upon the surrounding environment. Finally, the paper ends with concluding the effect of using living wall systems on building. And, it suggests a system as long-lasting, and energy-efficient solution to be applied in curtain wall façades in a hot climate area.

Keywords: living wall systems, energy consumption, curtain walls, energy-saving, sustainability, urban life quality

Procedia PDF Downloads 132

Authors: Tongpong Sriboon, Prapita Thanarak, Chaitawatch Khunrangabsang

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Nowadays, the usage of power generated from photovoltaic system has been promoted significantly in Thailand. The targeted result which is to increase the Solar Power Generation in 2036 to 6000 megawatts (MW) was planned by Alternative Energy Development Plan (AEDP 2015) and Power Development Plan (PDP 2015). The solar rooftop 200 MW was promoted and supported under the Feed-in Tariff scheme (FiT) in two phases; phase I in 2012 and phase II in 2015. However, the number of people interested in supporting the projects reduced due to many reasons which range from the first process to the last that is to sell electricity back to Electricity Authority. This paper will review this situation especially in total electricity generated from solar rooftop system during the day that has been sold back to the grid utility in different capacity FiT rates. With many stakeholders involved, the regulations and criteria were established to maintain the standard of the system. Besides, lots of problems have occurred during the processes including reliability and quality. These problems were shortly followed by other irrevocably issues concerning politics, social, economic etc. In order to effectively develop solar PV power system in Thailand, the problems and solutions were compared to those from six countries including Japan, Australia. America, China, German and Malaysia. This paper particularly focuses on policies and measurement implemented to encourage the rising in solar PV system interest. This review enables one to gain insight into the nature of the changes that have taken place in each and every country mentioned above as well as the underlying reasons behind them. Brief analysis is carried out on identify key challenges and opportunities for solar PV application. This could help create a development path that is suitable with situations to enhance the overall performance of solar PV power generating system in Thailand.

Keywords: solar PV rooftop, PV policy, self-consumption, solar PV power generation

Procedia PDF Downloads 303