Search results for: fine roots
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 1503

Search results for: fine roots

1053 Surface Sterilization Of Aquatic Plant, Cryptocoryne affinis by Using Clorox and Mercury Chloride

Authors: Sridevi Devadas

Abstract:

This study was aimed to examine the combination efficiency of Clorox (5.25% Sodium Hypochlorite) and mercury chloride (HgCl2) as a reagent for surface sterilization process of aquatic plant and cryptocoryne affinis (C. affinis). The treatment applied 10% of the Clorox and 0.1ppm of mercury chloride. The maximum exposure time for clorox and mercury chloride was 10min and 60sec respectively. After exposed to the treatments protocols (T1-T15) the explants were transferred to culture room under control temperature at 25°C ± 2°C and subjected to 16 hours fluorescence light (2000 lumens) for 30 days. The both sterilizing agents were not applied on control specimens. Upon analysis, The result indicates all of the treatments protocols produced sterile explants at range of minimum 1.5 ± 0.7 (30%) to maximum 5.0 ± 0.0 (100%). Meanwhile, maximum 1.0 ± 0.7 numbers of leaves and 1.4 ± 0.6 numbers of roots have been produced. The optimized exposure time was 0 to 15 min for Clorox and 30 sec for HgCl2 whereby 90% to 100% sterilization was archived at this condition.

Keywords: Cryptocoryne affinis, surface sterilization, tissue culture, clorox, mercury chloride

Procedia PDF Downloads 382
1052 Influence of Colonial Architecture on South Indian Vernacular Constructions: A Case of Venkatagiri in Andhra Pradesh, India

Authors: Jahnavi Priya Alluri, Sarang Barbarwar

Abstract:

With over 6000 years of sustained civilization, India has been home to diverse social customs and various communities. The country’s culture and architecture have been profoundly impacted by the extensive variation in its geography and climatic conditions. In its history, many kingdoms have ruled in the South Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The vernacular constructions of this region have progressed considerably in this period. The paper discusses the impact on vernacular architecture in Venkatagiri, Andhra Pradesh, post the arrival of the British. The town was a small settlement that finds its roots in the Vijaynagara Empire. The study tries to highlight the amalgamation of colonial influences on the local construction techniques and material usage. It discusses the new variation in the style of architecture through the case of Venkatagiri Palace and its precincts. The paper also discusses the traits of distinction in the influence through various social and economic groups of the old city of the same town.

Keywords: vernacular architecture, colonial architecture, Venkatagiri, south Indian vernacular

Procedia PDF Downloads 234
1051 Depositional Environment and Diagenetic Alterations, Influences of Facies and Fine Kaolinite Formation Migration on Sandstones’ Reservoir Quality, Sarir Formation, Sirt Basin Libya

Authors: Faraj M. Elkhatri, Hana Ali Allafi

Abstract:

The spatial and temporal distribution of diagenetic alterations related impact on the reservoir quality of the Sarir Formation. (present day burial depth of about 9000 feet) Depositional facies and diagenetic alterations are the main controls on reservoir quality of Sarir Formation Sirt Ba-sin Libya; these based on lithology and grain size as well as authigenic clay mineral types and their distributions. However, petrology investigation obtained on study area with five sandstone wells concentrated on main rock components and the parameters that may have impacts on reservoirs. the main authigenic clay minerals are kaolinite and dickite, these investigations have confirmed by X.R.D analysis and clay fraction. mainly Kaolinite and Dickite were extensively presented on all of wells with high amounts. As well as trace of detrital smectite and less amounts of illitized mud-matrix are possibly find by SEM image. Thin layers of clay presented as clay-grain coatings in local depth interpreted as remains of dissolved clay matrix is partly transformed into kaolinite adjacent and towards pore throat. This also may have impacts on most of the pore throats of this sandstone which are open and relatively clean with some of fine martial have been formed on occluded pores. This material is identified by EDS analysis to be collections of not only kaolinite booklets, but also small, disaggregated kaolinite platelets derived from the dis-aggregation of larger kaolinite booklets. These patches of kaolinite not only fill this pore, but also coat some of the sur-rounding framework grains. Quartz grains often enlarged by authigenic quartz overgrowths partially occlude and re-duce porosity. Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM) was conducted on the post-test samples to examine any mud filtrate particles that may be in the pore throats. Semi-qualitative elemental data on select-ed minerals observed during the SEM study were obtained using an Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) unit. The samples showed mostly clean open pore throats, with limited occlusion by kaolinite.

Keywords: por throat, formation damage, porosity lose, solids plugging

Procedia PDF Downloads 61
1050 Bi-Component Particle Segregation Studies in a Spiral Concentrator Using Experimental and CFD Techniques

Authors: Prudhvinath Reddy Ankireddy, Narasimha Mangadoddy

Abstract:

Spiral concentrators are commonly used in various industries, including mineral and coal processing, to efficiently separate materials based on their density and size. In these concentrators, a mixture of solid particles and fluid (usually water) is introduced as feed at the top of a spiral channel. As the mixture flows down the spiral, centrifugal and gravitational forces act on the particles, causing them to stratify based on their density and size. Spiral flows exhibit complex fluid dynamics, and interactions involve multiple phases and components in the process. Understanding the behavior of these phases within the spiral concentrator is crucial for achieving efficient separation. An experimental bi-component particle interaction study is conducted in this work utilizing magnetite (heavier density) and silica (lighter density) with different proportions processed in the spiral concentrator. The observation separation reveals that denser particles accumulate towards the inner region of the spiral trough, while a significant concentration of lighter particles are found close to the outer edge. The 5th turn of the spiral trough is partitioned into five zones to achieve a comprehensive distribution analysis of bicomponent particle segregation. Samples are then gathered from these individual streams using an in-house sample collector, and subsequent analysis is conducted to assess component segregation. Along the trough, there was a decline in the concentration of coarser particles, accompanied by an increase in the concentration of lighter particles. The segregation pattern indicates that the heavier coarse component accumulates in the inner zone, whereas the lighter fine component collects in the outer zone. The middle zone primarily consists of heavier fine particles and lighter coarse particles. The zone-wise results reveal that there is a significant fraction of segregation occurs in inner and middle zones. Finer magnetite and silica particles predominantly accumulate in outer zones with the smallest fraction of segregation. Additionally, numerical simulations are also carried out using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model based on the volume of fluid (VOF) approach incorporating the RSM turbulence model. The discrete phase model (DPM) is employed for particle tracking, thereby understanding the particle segregation of magnetite and silica along the spiral trough.

Keywords: spiral concentrator, bi-component particle segregation, computational fluid dynamics, discrete phase model

Procedia PDF Downloads 68
1049 Health and Subjective Wellbeing: The Role of Inequalities

Authors: Francesco Colcerasa, Fabio Pisani

Abstract:

We contribute to the subjective well-being literature testing the relationship between life satisfaction and inequality of opportunity in health, measured through the Human Opportunity Index calculated at the national level using individual socio-economic data from the cross-country European Social Survey sample. We compute several indexes of opportunity inequality in health, each obtained according to a different combination of circumstances (gender, immigrant status, parents’ education). We find a robust and significant relationship where life satisfaction is higher in correspondence with low levels of health opportunity inequality. The result is twofold. On the one hand, the importance of the well-being of other types of inequality than income inequality emerges. On the other hand, the socioeconomic roots of inequality in health are investigated, suggesting that circumstances at birth have a role in future well-being. Several rationales for the nexus between life satisfaction and inequality of opportunity in health are possible, which we investigate by splitting the sample. Among others, we find a prominent role of pro-social preferences – formalized as interest towards own offspring (which can be interpreted as intergenerational justice) – as a mediating factor of the relationship.

Keywords: Inequality of opportunity, subjective wellbeing, health, health inequality, inequality of opportunity in health

Procedia PDF Downloads 87
1048 Microstructure of Hydrogen Permeation Barrier Coatings

Authors: Motonori Tamura

Abstract:

Ceramics coatings consisting of fine crystal grains, with diameters of about 100 nm or less, provided superior hydrogen-permeation barriers. Applying TiN, TiC or Al₂O₃ coatings on a stainless steel substrate reduced the hydrogen permeation by a factor of about 100 to 5,000 compared with uncoated substrates. Effect of the microstructure of coatings on hydrogen-permeation behavior is studied. The test specimens coated with coatings, with columnar crystals grown vertically on the substrate, tended to exhibit higher hydrogen permeability. The grain boundaries of the coatings became trap sites for hydrogen, and microcrystalline structures with many grain boundaries are expected to provide effective hydrogen-barrier performance.

Keywords: hydrogen permeation, tin coating, microstructure, crystal grain, stainless steel

Procedia PDF Downloads 390
1047 Metabolic Regulation of Rhizobacteria for Cool-Season Grass Tolerance to Heat Stress

Authors: Kashif Jaeel, Bingru Huang

Abstract:

Stress-induced accumulation of ethylene exacerbates drought damages in plants, and suppressing stress induction of ethylene may promote plant tolerance to heat stress. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of endophytic bacteria (Paraburkholderia aspalathi) with 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase enzymes in suppressing ethylene production on plant tolerance to heat stress and underlying physiological mechanisms of P. aspalathi-regulation in creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera). A novel strain of P. aspalathi, ‘WSF23’, with ACC deaminase activity was used to inoculate the roots of plants (cv. ‘Penncross’) subjected to heat stress in controlled-environment chambers. Inoculation with WSF23 bacteria resulted in improved shoot and root growth during heat stress. The differential changes in metabolite regulation due to the bacterial inoculation could contribute to ACC deamination bacteria-improved heat tolerance in cool-season grass species.

Keywords: rhizobacteria, grass, heat, plant metabolism, soil bacteria

Procedia PDF Downloads 67
1046 Comparison Study on Characterization of Various Fly Ashes for Heavy Metal Adsorption

Authors: E. Moroydor Derun, N. Tugrul, N. Baran Acarali, A. S. Kipcak, S. Piskin

Abstract:

Fly ash is a waste material of coal firing thermal plants that is released from thermal power plants. It was defined as very fine particles that are drifted upward which are taken up by the flue gases. The emerging amount of fly ash in the world is approximately 600 million tons per year. In our country, it is expected that will be occurred 50 million tons of waste ash per year until 2020. The fly ashes can be evaluated by using as adsorbent material. The purpose of this study is to investigate the possibility of use of various fly ashes (Tuncbilek, Catalagzi, Orhaneli) like low-cost adsorbents for heavy metal adsorption. First of all, fly ashes were characterized. For this purpose; analyses such as XRD, XRF, SEM and FT-IR were performed.

Keywords: adsorbent, fly ash, heavy metal, waste

Procedia PDF Downloads 259
1045 Scenario Based Reaction Time Analysis for Seafarers

Authors: Umut Tac, Leyla Tavacioglu, Pelin Bolat

Abstract:

Human factor has been one of the elements that cause vulnerabilities which can be resulted with accidents in maritime transportation. When the roots of human factor based accidents are analyzed, gaps in performing cognitive abilities (reaction time, attention, memory…) are faced as the main reasons for the vulnerabilities in complex environment of maritime systems. Thus cognitive processes in maritime systems have arisen important subject that should be investigated comprehensively. At this point, neurocognitive tests such as reaction time analysis tests have been used as coherent tools that enable us to make valid assessments for cognitive status. In this respect, the aim of this study is to evaluate the reaction time (response time or latency) of seafarers due to their occupational experience and age. For this study, reaction time for different maneuverers has been taken while the participants were performing a sea voyage through a simulator which was run up with a certain scenario. After collecting the data for reaction time, a statistical analyze has been done to understand the relation between occupational experience and cognitive abilities.

Keywords: cognitive abilities, human factor, neurocognitive test battery, reaction time

Procedia PDF Downloads 299
1044 Synthesis and Characterization of Zinc (II) Complex and Its Catalytic Activity on C(SP3)-H Oxidation Reactions

Authors: Yalçın Kılıç, İbrahim Kani

Abstract:

The conversion of hydrocarbons to carbonyl compounds by oxidation reaction is one of the most important reactions in the synthesis of fine chemicals. As a result of the oxidation of hydrocarbons containing aliphatic sp3-CH groups in their structures, aldehydes, ketones or carboxylic acids can be obtained. In this study, OSSO-type 2,2'-[1,4-butanedylbis(thio)]bis-benzoic acid (tsabutH2) ligand and [Zn(µ-tsabut)(phen)]n complex (where phen = 1,10-phenantroline) were synthesized and their structures were characterized by single crystal x-ray diffraction method. The catalytic efficiency of the complex in the catalytic oxidation studies of organic compounds such as cyclohexane, ethylbenzene, diphenylmethane, and p-xylene containing sp3-C-H in its structure was investigated.

Keywords: metal complex, OSSO-type ligand, catalysis, oxidation

Procedia PDF Downloads 100
1043 Phytoremediation: An Ecological Solution to Heavy-Metal-Polluted Soil

Authors: Nasreen Jeelani, Huining Shi , Di An, Lu Xia, Shuqing An

Abstract:

Heavy metals contamination in aquatic ecosystem is a major environmental problem since its accumulation along the food chain pose public health risk. The concentration of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) in soil and plants species collected from different streams of Suoxu River, China was investigated. This aim was to define the level of pollutants in Suoxu River, find which plant species exhibits the greatest accumulation and to evaluate whether these species could be useful for phytoremediation. While total soil Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn concentrations varied, respectively, from 0.09 to 0.23 , 58.6 to 98, 9.72 to 80.5, 15.3 to 41, 15.2 to 27.3 and 35 to 156 (mg-kg-1), those in plants ranged from 0.035 to 0.49, 2.91 to 75.6, 4.79 to 32.4, 1.27 to 16.1, 0.62 to10.2, 18.9 to 84.6 (mg-kg-1), respectively. Based on BCFs and TFs values, most of the studied species have potential for phytostabilization. The plants with most effective in the accumulation of metals in shoots are Phragmatis australis (TF=2.29) and Iris tectorum (TF =2.07) for Pb. While Chenopodium album, (BCF =3.55), Ranunculus sceleratus, (BCF= 3.0), Polygonum hydropiper (BCF =2.46) for Cd and Iris tectorum (BCF=2.0) for Cu was suitable for phytostabilization. Among the plant species screened for Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn, most of the species were efficient to take up more than one heavy metal in roots. Our study showed that the native plant species growing on contaminated sites may have the potential uses for phytoremediation.

Keywords: heavy metals, huaihe river catchments, sediment, plants

Procedia PDF Downloads 362
1042 Improved Throttled Load Balancing Approach for Cloud Environment

Authors: Sushant Singh, Anurag Jain, Seema Sabharwal

Abstract:

Cloud computing is advancing with a rapid speed. Already, it has been adopted by a huge set of users. Easy to use and anywhere access like potential of cloud computing has made it more attractive relative to other technologies. This has resulted in reduction of deployment cost on user side. It has also allowed the big companies to sell their infrastructure to recover the installation cost for the organization. Roots of cloud computing have extended from Grid computing. Along with the inherited characteristics of its predecessor technologies it has also adopted the loopholes present in those technologies. Some of the loopholes are identified and corrected recently, but still some are yet to be rectified. Two major areas where still scope of improvement exists are security and performance. The proposed work is devoted to performance enhancement for the user of the existing cloud system by improving the basic throttled mapping approach between task and resources. The improved procedure has been tested using the cloud analyst simulator. The results are compared with the original and it has been found that proposed work is one step ahead of existing techniques.

Keywords: cloud analyst, cloud computing, load balancing, throttled

Procedia PDF Downloads 250
1041 Teaching Academic Vocabulary: A Recent and Old Approach

Authors: Sara Fine-Meltzer

Abstract:

An obvious, but ill-addressed hindrance to reading comprehension in academic English is poor vocabulary. Unfortunately, dealing with the problem is usually delayed until university entrance. It is the contention of this paper that the chore should be confronted much earlier and by using a very old-fashioned method. This presentation is accompanied by vocabulary lists for advanced level university students with explanations concerning the content and justification for the 500-word lists: how they change over time in accordance with evolving styles of academic writing. There are also sample quizzes and methods to ensure that the words are “absorbed” over time. There is a discussion of other vocabulary acquisition methods and conclusions drawn from the drawbacks of such methods. The paper concludes with the rationale for beginning the study of “academic” vocabulary earlier than is generally acceptable.

Keywords: academic vocabulary, old-fashioned methods, quizzes, vocabulary lists

Procedia PDF Downloads 123
1040 Production Cement Mortar and Concrete by Using Nano Clay

Authors: Mohammad Ashraf, Kawther Mohamed

Abstract:

This research tackles a new kind of additions (Nano Clay) and its effect on the features of concrete and both fresh and hardened cement mortar, as well as setting an optimal percentage of adding it to achieve the desired results and obtain on a strong concrete and mortar can be used for skyscrapers. The cementations additions are mineral materials in the form of a fine powder, added to concrete or cement mortar as partly cement substitutes, which means to be added instead of an equivalent amount of cement in order to improve and enhance some features of concrete or both the newly made and hardened cementations materials.

Keywords: nano clay in structure engineering, nanotechnology in construction industry, advanced additions in concrete, special concrete for skyscrapers

Procedia PDF Downloads 334
1039 Efficacy of Nemafric-BL Phytonematicide on Suppression of Root-Knot Nematodes and Growth of Tomato Plants

Authors: Pontsho E. Tseke, Phatu W. Mashela

Abstract:

Cucurbitacin-containing phytonematicides had been consistent in suppressing root-knot (Meloidogyne species) when used in dried crude form, with limited evidence whether the efficacy could be affected when fresh fruits were used during fermentation. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of Nemafric-BL phytonematicide prepared using fermented crude extracts of fresh fruit from wild watermelon (Cucumis africanus) on the growth of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants and suppression of Meloidogyne species. Seedlings of tomato cultivar ‘Floradade’ were inoculated with 3 000 eggs and second-stage juveniles (J2) of M. incognita race 2 in pot trials, with treatments comprising 0, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 % Nemafric-BL phytonematicide. At 56 days after inoculation, the phytonematicide reduced eggs and J2 in roots by 84-97%, J2 in soil by 49-96% and total nematodes by 70-97%. Plant variables and concentrations of Nemafric-BL phytonematicide exhibited positive quadratic relations, with 74-98% associations. In conclusion, fresh fruit of C. africanus could be used for the preparation of Nemafric-BL phytonematicide, particularly in cases where the dry infrastructure is not available.

Keywords: Cucurbitacin B, density-dependent growth, effective microorganisms, quadratic relations

Procedia PDF Downloads 185
1038 'Wandering Uterus': An Analogy of Perception of Women in Hippocratic Corpus and Post-Modern Times

Authors: Ankita Sharma

Abstract:

The study proposes to review the perception of women in the Classical Age (500-336 BC) when Greek Philosophy was in bloom. It was observed that women had very few rights and were still under the control of men. One of the possible reasons for this exclusion was woman’s biology that had a huge influence on her being seen as inferior to men. The text ‘Hippocratic Corpus’ focuses on the biological construct of the female body in classical Greek science that perpetuated the idea of women as second-class citizens and were considered inherently weaker than men. The research highlights the significance of the text that was used to encourage women of that time to get married and produce children and how till today the perception remains the same. The Greek belief of need for confinement and control of 'wandering uterus' has led to superior understanding of men. The pivotal emphasis of this research is to women and their bodies that are depicted in a misogynistic way which paved the way for Hippocratic writers to influence the society’s attitude towards women in their writings. It is intended to draw attention to the prevailing cultural assumptions and preconceived notions about female anatomy that had a pervasive influence in the following centuries with its roots being in ancient science.

Keywords: classical Greek theory, women, wandering womb, modern ideology

Procedia PDF Downloads 197
1037 The Impact of Citizens’ Involvement on Their Perception of the Brand’s Image: The Case of the City of Casablanca

Authors: Abderrahmane Mousstain, Ez-Zohra Belkadi

Abstract:

Many authors support more participatory and inclusive place branding practices that empower stakeholders’ participation. According to this participatory point of view, the effectiveness of place branding strategies cannot be achieved without citizen involvement. However, the role of all residents as key participants in the city branding process has not been widely discussed. The aim of this paper was to determine how citizens’ involvement impacts their perceptions of the city's image, using a multivariate model. To test our hypotheses hypothetical-deductive reasoning by the quantitative method was chosen. Our investigation is based on data collected through a survey among 200 citizens of Casablanca. Results show that the more citizens are involved, the more they tend to evaluate the image of the brand positively. Additionally, the degree of involvement seems to impact satisfaction and a sense of belonging. As well, the more citizen develops a sense of belonging to the city, the more favorable his or her perception of the brand image is. Ultimately, the role of citizens shouldn’t be limited to reception. They are also Co-creators of the brand, who ensure the correlation of the brand with authentic place roots.

Keywords: citybranding, sense of belonging, satisfaction, impact, brand’s image

Procedia PDF Downloads 177
1036 Invasion of Scaevola sericea (Goodeniaceae) in Cuba: Invasive Dynamic and Density-Dependent Relationship with the Native Species Tournefortia gnaphalodes (Boraginaceae)

Authors: Jorge Ferro-Diaz, Lazaro Marquez-Llauger, Jose Alberto Camejo-Lamas, Lazaro Marquez-Govea

Abstract:

The invasion of Scaevola sericea Vahl (Goodeniaceae) in Cuba is a recent process, this exotic invasive species was reported for the first time, in the national territory, by 2008. S. sericea is native to the coasts around the Indian Ocean and western Pacific, common on sandy beaches; it has expanded rapidly around the planet by either natural or anthropic causes, mainly due to its use in hotel gardening. Cuba is highly vulnerable to the colonization of these species, mainly due to tropical hurricanes which have increased in the last decades; it also affects other native species such as Tournefortia gnaphalodes (L.) R. Br. (Boraginaceae) that show invasive manifestations because of the unbalanced state of demographic processes of littoral vegetation, which has been studied by authors during the last 10 years. The fast development of Cuban tourism has encouraged the use of exotic species in gardening that invade large sectors of sandy coasts. Taking into account the importance of assessing the impacts dimensions and adopting effective control measures, a monitoring program for the invasion of S. sericea in Cuba was undertaken. The program has been implemented since 2013 and the main objective was to identify invasive patterns and interactions with other native species of coastal vegetation. This experience also aimed to validate the design and propose a standardized monitoring protocol to be applied throughout the country. In the Cuban territory, 12 sites were chosen, where there were established 24 permanent plots of 100 m2; measurements were taken twice a year taking into consideration variables such as abundance, plant height, soil cover, flora and companion vegetation, density and frequency; other physical variables of the beaches were also measured. Similarly, for associated individuals of T. gnaphalodes, the same variables were measured. The results of these first four years allowed us to document patterns of S. sericea invasion, highlighting the use of adventitious roots to enhance their colonization, and to characterize demographic indicators, ecosystem affections, and interactions with native plants. A density-dependent relationship with T. gnaphalodes was documented, finding a controlling effect on S. sericea, so that a manipulation experiment was applied to evaluate possible management actions to be incorporated in the Plans of the protected areas involved. With these results, it was concluded, for the evaluated sites, that S. sericea has had an invasion dynamics ruled by effects of coastal dynamics, more intense in beaches with affectations to the native vegetation, and more controlled in beaches with more preserved vegetation. It was found that when S. sericea is established, the mechanism that most reinforces its invasion is the use of adventitious roots, used to expand the patches and colonize beach sectors. It was also found that when the density of T. gnaphalodes increases, it detains the expansion of S. sericea and reduces its colonization possibilities, behaving as a natural controller of its biological invasion. The results include a proposal of a new Monitoring Protocol for Scaevola sericea in Cuba, with the possibility of extending its implementation to other countries in the region.

Keywords: biological invasion, exotic invasive species, plant interactions, Scaevola sericea

Procedia PDF Downloads 228
1035 Characterization of Aerosol Particles in Ilorin, Nigeria: Ground-Based Measurement Approach

Authors: Razaq A. Olaitan, Ayansina Ayanlade

Abstract:

Understanding aerosol properties is the main goal of global research in order to lower the uncertainty associated with climate change in the trends and magnitude of aerosol particles. In order to identify aerosol particle types, optical properties, and the relationship between aerosol properties and particle concentration between 2019 and 2021, a study conducted in Ilorin, Nigeria, examined the aerosol robotic network's ground-based sun/sky scanning radiometer. The AERONET algorithm version 2 was utilized to retrieve monthly data on aerosol optical depth and angstrom exponent. The version 3 algorithm, which is an almucantar level 2 inversion, was employed to retrieve daily data on single scattering albedo and aerosol size distribution. Excel 2016 was used to analyze the data's monthly, seasonal, and annual mean averages. The distribution of different types of aerosols was analyzed using scatterplots, and the optical properties of the aerosol were investigated using pertinent mathematical theorems. To comprehend the relationships between particle concentration and properties, correlation statistics were employed. Based on the premise that aerosol characteristics must remain constant in both magnitude and trend across time and space, the study's findings indicate that the types of aerosols identified between 2019 and 2021 are as follows: 29.22% urban industrial (UI) aerosol type, 37.08% desert (D) aerosol type, 10.67% biomass burning (BB), and 23.03% urban mix (Um) aerosol type. Convective wind systems, which frequently carry particles as they blow over long distances in the atmosphere, have been responsible for the peak-of-the-columnar aerosol loadings, which were observed during August of the study period. The study has shown that while coarse mode particles dominate, fine particles are increasing in seasonal and annual trends. Burning biomass and human activities in the city are linked to these trends. The study found that the majority of particles are highly absorbing black carbon, with the fine mode having a volume median radius of 0.08 to 0.12 meters. The investigation also revealed that there is a positive coefficient of correlation (r = 0.57) between changes in aerosol particle concentration and changes in aerosol properties. Human activity is rapidly increasing in Ilorin, causing changes in aerosol properties, indicating potential health risks from climate change and human influence on geological and environmental systems.

Keywords: aerosol loading, aerosol types, health risks, optical properties

Procedia PDF Downloads 64
1034 Shear Strength of Unsaturated Clayey Soils Using Laboratory Vane Shear Test

Authors: Reza Ziaie Moayed, Seyed Abdolhassan Naeini, Peyman Nouri, Hamed Yekehdehghan

Abstract:

The shear strength of soils is a significant parameter in the design of clay structures, depots, clay gables, and freeways. Most research has addressed the shear strength of saturated soils. However, soils can become partially saturated with changes in weather, changes in groundwater levels, and the absorption of water by plant roots. Hence, it is necessary to study the strength behavior of partially saturated soils. The shear vane test is an experiment that determines the undrained shear strength of clay soils. This test may be performed in the laboratory or at the site. The present research investigates the effect of liquidity index (LI), plasticity index (PI), and saturation degree of the soil on its undrained shear strength obtained from the shear vane test. According to the results, an increase in the LI and a decrease in the PL of the soil decrease its undrained shear strength. Furthermore, studies show that a rise in the degree of saturation decreases the shear strength obtained from the shear vane test.

Keywords: liquidity index, plasticity index, shear strength, unsaturated soil

Procedia PDF Downloads 137
1033 Harmful Conceptual Metaphors for Women in Popular Songs

Authors: Danielle Kim

Abstract:

This paper analyzes how conceptual metaphors in the lyrics of popular songs can be potentially detrimental by influencing the public’s perception of women. Conceptual metaphors in songs often compare women to objects (objects that are fragile and breakable or primarily of monetary value) and animals. Many common conceptual metaphors in music refer to women as less than sovereign, rational humans, implying that women should be owned, controlled, and used. These comparisons are harmful because music is so influential and has the ability to create and perpetuate stereotypes. By examining the lyrics of the popular songs: Bob Dylan’s “Just like a woman,” Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” (written by Marvin Gaye), and Chris Brown’s “Fine China,” we can discern subtle ways in which misogynistic language has become so imbedded into popular culture.

Keywords: conceptual metaphors, women studies, feminism, lyrics

Procedia PDF Downloads 95
1032 A Model of a Non-expanding Universe

Authors: Yongbai Yin

Abstract:

We propose a non-expanding model of the universe based on the non-changing fine-structure constant and Einstein’s space-time relativity theory. This model consistently explains the Redshift, the ‘expanding’ and the age of the universe without introducing the singularity and inflationary issues that occurred in the ‘Big Bang’ model. It also offers an interpretation of the unexpected ‘accelerated expanding’ universe and the origin of the mystery of ‘Dark matter’. It predicts that the universe began with a ‘cold and peaceful’ rather than ‘extremely hot’ stage which is used to explain consistently the microwave background radiation. It predicts mathematically that galaxies could end in blackholes because blackholes should have the same environmental conditions as those at the beginning of the universe in this model, paving the way to offer a model of the cyclic universes without violating the first law of thermodynamics.

Keywords: big bang, accelerated expanding universe, dark matters, blackholes, microwave background radiation, universe modelling

Procedia PDF Downloads 17
1031 Nanocomposite Effect Based on Silver Nanoparticles and Anemposis Californica Extract as Skin Restorer

Authors: Maria Zulema Morquecho Vega, Fabiola CarolinaMiranda Castro, Rafael Verdugo Miranda, Ignacio Yocupicio Villegas, Ana lidia Barron Raygoza, Martin enrique MArquez Cordova, Jose Alberto Duarte Moller

Abstract:

Background: Anemopsis californica, also called (tame grass) belongs to the Saururaceae family small, green plant. The blade is long and wide. Gives a white flower. The plant population is only found in humid, swampy habitats, it grows where there is water, along the banks of streams and water holes. In the winter, it dries up. The leaves, rhizomes, or roots of this plant have been used to treat a range of diseases. Some of its healing properties are used to treat wounds, cold and flu symptoms, spasmodic cough, infection, pain and inflammation, burns, swollen feet, as well as lung ailments, asthma, circulatory problems (varicose veins), rheumatoid arthritis, purifies blood, helps in urinary and digestive tract diseases, sores and healing, for headache, sore throat, diarrhea, kidney pain. The tea made from the leaves and roots is used to treat uterine cancer, womb cancer, relieves menstrual pain and stops excessive bleeding after childbirth. It is also used as a gynecological treatment for infections, hemorrhoids, candidiasis and vaginitis. Objective: To study the cytotoxicity of gels prepared with silver nanoparticles in AC extract combined with chitosan, collagen and hyaluronic acid as an alternative therapy for skin conditions. Methods: The Ag NPs were synthesized according to the following method. A 0.3 mg/mL solution is prepared in 10 ml of deionized water, adjust to pH 12 with NaOH, stirring is maintained constant magnetic and a temperature of 80 °C. Subsequently, 100 ul of a 0.1 M AgNO3 solution and kept stirring constantly for 15 min. Once the reaction is complete, measurements are performed by UV-Vis. A gel was prepared in a 5% solution of acetic acid with the respective nanoparticles and AC extract of silver in the extract of AC. Chitosan is added until the process begins to occur gel. At that time, collagen will be added in a ratio of 3 to 5 drops, and later, hyaluronic acid in 2% of the total compound formed. Finally, after resting for 24 hours, the cytotoxic effect of the gels was studied. in the presence of highly positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and highly negative for Escherichia coli. Cultures will be incubated for 24 hours in the presence of the compound and compared with the reference. Results: Silver nanoparticles obtained had a spherical shape and sizes among 20 and 30 nm. UV-Vis spectra confirm the presence of silver nanoparticles showing a surface plasmon around 420 nm. Finally, the test in presence of bacteria yield a good antibacterial property of this nanocompound and tests in people were successful. Conclusion: Gel prepared by biogenic synthesis shown beneficious effects in severe acne, acne vulgaris and wound healing with diabetic patients.

Keywords: anemopsis californica, nanomedicina, biotechnology, biomedicine

Procedia PDF Downloads 117
1030 Artificial Intelligence-Aided Extended Kalman Filter for Magnetometer-Based Orbit Determination

Authors: Gilberto Goracci, Fabio Curti

Abstract:

This work presents a robust, light, and inexpensive algorithm to perform autonomous orbit determination using onboard magnetometer data in real-time. Magnetometers are low-cost and reliable sensors typically available on a spacecraft for attitude determination purposes, thus representing an interesting choice to perform real-time orbit determination without the need to add additional sensors to the spacecraft itself. Magnetic field measurements can be exploited by Extended/Unscented Kalman Filters (EKF/UKF) for orbit determination purposes to make up for GPS outages, yielding errors of a few kilometers and tens of meters per second in the position and velocity of a spacecraft, respectively. While this level of accuracy shows that Kalman filtering represents a solid baseline for autonomous orbit determination, it is not enough to provide a reliable state estimation in the absence of GPS signals. This work combines the solidity and reliability of the EKF with the versatility of a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) architecture to further increase the precision of the state estimation. Deep learning models, in fact, can grasp nonlinear relations between the inputs, in this case, the magnetometer data and the EKF state estimations, and the targets, namely the true position, and velocity of the spacecraft. The model has been pre-trained on Sun-Synchronous orbits (SSO) up to 2126 kilometers of altitude with different initial conditions and levels of noise to cover a wide range of possible real-case scenarios. The orbits have been propagated considering J2-level dynamics, and the geomagnetic field has been modeled using the International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF) coefficients up to the 13th order. The training of the module can be completed offline using the expected orbit of the spacecraft to heavily reduce the onboard computational burden. Once the spacecraft is launched, the model can use the GPS signal, if available, to fine-tune the parameters on the actual orbit onboard in real-time and work autonomously during GPS outages. In this way, the provided module shows versatility, as it can be applied to any mission operating in SSO, but at the same time, the training is completed and eventually fine-tuned, on the specific orbit, increasing performances and reliability. The results provided by this study show an increase of one order of magnitude in the precision of state estimate with respect to the use of the EKF alone. Tests on simulated and real data will be shown.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, extended Kalman filter, orbit determination, magnetic field

Procedia PDF Downloads 105
1029 The Word of Nīhaštan (See, Pay Attention), in Bakhtiari Dialect; Root and Morphology

Authors: Behzad Moeini Sam, Sara Mohammadi Avandi, Behrang Kiani

Abstract:

Chain-linked Iranian dialects preserve Old Iranian traits, echoing Indo-Iranian and Indo-European roots. Bakhtiari, a southwestern Neo-Iranian variant, descends from Middle Western Iranian and Old Persian, inheriting their linguistic DNA. These vernaculars, especially Bakhtiari, showcase ancestral features in grammar, vocabulary, and phonemes. Dialects, more than standard tongues, reveal their true lineage. To grasp their essence, one must delve into their linguistic structure, where authenticity and heritage intertwine. This article aims to investigate the word "nīhaštan" (present stem: niyar, niyyar) in Bakhtiari. It does not appear in Middle and Old Persian texts but has remained in the Bakhtiari dialect. Based on this, the study method is to find the word's root and the grammatical morphology, which follows an ancient grammatical structure. Tracing the word's etymology reveals a compelling path. The root har emerges as the probable source, while its form echoes the aorist stem's pattern. This analysis provides a sound foundation for understanding the word's linguistic journey.

Keywords: Nihaštan, Bakhtiari, aorist stem, root

Procedia PDF Downloads 12
1028 Standardized Testing of Filter Systems regarding Their Separation Efficiency in Terms of Allergenic Particles and Airborne Germs

Authors: Johannes Mertl

Abstract:

Our surrounding air contains various particles. Besides typical representatives of inorganic dust, such as soot and ash, also particles originating from animals, microorganisms or plants are floating through the air, so-called bioaerosols. The group of bioaerosols consists of a broad spectrum of particles of different size, including fungi, bacteria, viruses, spores, or tree, flower and grass pollen that are of high relevance for allergy sufferers. In dependence of the environmental climate and the actual season, these allergenic particles can be found in enormous numbers in the air and are inhaled by humans via the respiration tract, with a potential for inflammatory diseases of the airways, such as asthma or allergic rhinitis. As a consequence air filter systems of ventilation and air conditioning devices are required to meet very high standards to prevent, or at least lower the number of allergens and airborne germs entering the indoor air. Still, filter systems are merely classified for their separation rates using well-defined mineral test dust, while no appropriate sufficiently standardized test methods for bioaerosols exist. However, determined separation rates for mineral test particles of a certain size cannot simply be transferred to bioaerosols, as separation efficiency of particularly fine and respirable particles (< 10 microns) is dependent not only on their shape and particle diameter, but also defined by their density and physicochemical properties. For this reason, the OFI developed a test method, which directly enables a testing of filters and filter media for their separation rates on bioaerosols, as well as a classification of filters. Besides allergens from an intact or fractured tree or grass pollen, allergenic proteins bound to particulates, as well as allergenic fungal spores (e.g. Cladosporium cladosporioides), or bacteria can be used to classify filters regarding their separation rates. Allergens passing through the filter can then be detected by highly sensitive immunological assays (ELISA) or in the case of fungal spores by microbiological methods, which allow for the detection of even one single spore passing the filter. The test procedure, which is carried out in laboratory scale, was furthermore validated regarding its sufficiency to cover real life situations by upscaling using air conditioning devices showing great conformity in terms of separation rates. Additionally, a clinical study with allergy sufferers was performed to verify analytical results. Several different air conditioning filters from the car industry have been tested, showing significant differences in their separation rates.

Keywords: airborne germs, allergens, classification of filters, fine dust

Procedia PDF Downloads 256
1027 Use of Cellulosic Fibres in Double Layer Porous Asphalt

Authors: Márcia Afonso, Marisa Dinis-Almeida, Cristina Fael

Abstract:

Climate change, namely precipitation patterns alteration, has led to extreme conditions such as floods and droughts. In turn, excessive construction has led to the waterproofing of the soil, increasing the surface runoff and decreasing the groundwater recharge capacity. The permeable pavements used in areas with low traffic lead to a decrease in the probability of floods peaks occurrence and the sediments reduction and pollutants transport, ensuring rainwater quality improvement. This study aims to evaluate the porous asphalt performance, developed in the laboratory, with addition of cellulosic fibres. One of the main objectives of cellulosic fibres use is to stop binder drainage, preventing its loss during storage and transport. Comparing to the conventional porous asphalt the cellulosic fibres addition improved the porous asphalt performance. The cellulosic fibres allowed the bitumen content increase, enabling retention and better aggregates coating and, consequently, a greater mixture durability. With this solution, it is intended to develop better practices of resilience and adaptation to the extreme climate changes and respond to the sustainability current demands, through the eco-friendly materials use. The mix design was performed for different size aggregates (with fine aggregates – PA1 and with coarse aggregates – PA2). The percentage influence of the fibres to be used was studied. It was observed that overall, the binder drainage decreases as the cellulose fibres percentage increases. It was found that the PA2 mixture obtained most binder drainage relative to PA1 mixture, irrespective of the fibres percentage used. Subsequently, the performance was evaluated through laboratory tests of indirect tensile stiffness modulus, water sensitivity, permeability and permanent deformation. The stiffness modulus for the two mixtures groups (with and without cellulosic fibres) presented very similar values between them. For the water sensitivity test it was observed that porous asphalt containing more fine aggregates are more susceptible to the water presence than mixtures with coarse aggregates. The porous asphalt with coarse aggregates have more air voids which allow water to pass easily leading to ITSR higher values. In the permeability test was observed that asphalt porous without cellulosic fibres presented had lower permeability than asphalt porous with cellulosic fibres. The resistance to permanent deformation results indicates better behaviour of porous asphalt with cellulosic fibres, verifying a bigger rut depth in porous asphalt without cellulosic fibres. In this study, it was observed that porous asphalt with bitumen higher percentages improve the performance to permanent deformation. This fact was only possible due to the bitumen retention by the cellulosic fibres.

Keywords: binder drainage, cellulosic fibres, permanent deformation, porous asphalt

Procedia PDF Downloads 228
1026 Understanding the Roots of Third World Problems: A Historical and Philosophical Sociology

Authors: Yaser Riki

Abstract:

There are plenty of considerations about the Third World and developing countries, but one of the main issues regarding these areas is how we can study them. This article makes attention to a fundamental way of approaching this subject through the convergence of history, philosophy, and sociology in order to understand the complexity of the Third World countries. These three disciplines are naturally connected and integrated, but they have gradually separated. While sociology has originated from philosophy, this work is an attempt to generate a sociology that incorporates philosophy as well as history at its heart. This is descriptive-analytical research that searches the history of sociology to find works and theories that provide ideas for this purpose, including the sociology of knowledge and science, The German Ideology (Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels), The Protestant Ethic (Max Weber), Ideology and Utopia (Karl Mannheim) and Dialectic of Enlightenment (Horkheimer and Adorno) provide ideas needed for this purpose. The paper offers a methodological and theoretical vision (historical-philosophical sociology) to identify a few factors, such as the system of thought, that are usually invisible and cause problems in societies, especially third-world counties. This is similar to what some of the founders of sociology did in the first world.

Keywords: the third world, methodology, sociology, philosophy, history, social change, development, social movements

Procedia PDF Downloads 106
1025 Not so Street Theatre: Politics in Theatre of Roots

Authors: Dani Karmakar

Abstract:

In India, the journey of street theatre was started with Indian peoples Theatre Association (IPTA) as a tool for anti-establishment that was categorized as by the people and for the people. It has expressed common people’s feelings, problems, day to day life. It has brought a social change that is downtrodden. By its nature, it is based on communist ideology. Street theatre is a theatre of protest. In India, many folk theatres translate directly ‘Street Theatre’, those are Veedhi Natakam in Andhra Pradesh and Therukoothu in Tamil Nadu. But they do not covey to common definition of street theatre. There are different folk theatres of different regions in India. All folk theatres have individual characteristic, criteria, taste and flavor that can render distinctive each others. In festivals or special occasions, whole communities come together to enjoy collectively and express their feelings. The Veedhi Natakam means 'street theatre'. Theru koothu is a traditional street theatre in the northern districts of Tamilnadu. Folk theatre has potential to deliver strong messages. It has a socially significant role. At Veedhi Natakam, Vidhushaka takes part for social criticism. Gambhira is also a socio-political folk drama presentation in West Bengal.

Keywords: folk theatre, Gambhira, politics, street theatre

Procedia PDF Downloads 355
1024 Genetic Dissection of QTLs in Intraspecific Hybrids Derived from Muskmelon (Cucumis Melo L.) and Mangalore Melon (Cucumis Melo Var Acidulus) for Shelflife and Fruit Quality Traits

Authors: Virupakshi Hiremata, Ratnakar M. Shet, Raghavendra Gunnaiah, Prashantha A.

Abstract:

Muskmelon is a health-beneficial and refreshing dessert vegetable with a low shelf life. Mangalore melon, a genetic homeologue of muskmelon, has a shelf life of more than six months and is mostly used for culinary purposes. Understanding the genetics of shelf life, yield and yield-related traits and identification of markers linked to such traits is helpful in transfer of extended shelf life from Mangalore melon to the muskmelon through intra-specific hybridization. For QTL mapping, 276 F2 mapping population derived from the cross Arka Siri × SS-17 was genotyped with 40 polymorphic markers distributed across 12 chromosomes. The same population was also phenotyped for yield, shelf life and fruit quality traits. One major QTL (R2 >10) and fourteen minor QTLs (R2 <10) localized on four linkage groups, governing different traits were mapped in F2 mapping population developed from the intraspecific cross with a LOD > 5.5. The phenotypic varience explained by each locus varied from 3.63 to 10.97 %. One QTL was linked to shelf-life (qSHL-3-1), five QTLs were linked to TSS (qTSS-1-1, qTSS-3-3, qTSS-3-1, qTSS-3-2 and qTSS-1-2), two QTLs for flesh thickness (qFT-3-1, and qFT-3-2) and seven QTLs for fruit yield per vine (qFYV-3-1, qFYV-1-1, qFYV-3-1, qFYV1-1, qFYV-1-3, qFYV2-1 and qFYV6-1). QTL flanking markers may be used for marker assisted introgression of shelf life into muskmelon. Important QTL will be further fine-mapped for identifying candidate genes by QTLseq and RNAseq analysis. Fine-mapping of Important Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) holds immense promise in elucidating the genetic basis of complex traits. Leveraging advanced techniques like QTLseq and RNA sequencing (RNA seq) is crucial for this endeavor. QTLseq combines next-generation sequencing with traditional QTL mapping, enabling precise identification of genomic regions associated with traits of interest. Through high-throughput sequencing, QTLseq provides a detailed map of genetic variations linked to phenotypic variations, facilitating targeted investigations. Moreover, RNA seq analysis offers a comprehensive view of gene expression patterns in response to specific traits or conditions. By comparing transcriptomes between contrasting phenotypes, RNA seq aids in pinpointing candidate genes underlying QTL regions. Integrating QTLseq with RNA seq allows for a multi-dimensional approach, coupling genetic variation with gene expression dynamics.

Keywords: QTL, shelf life, TSS, muskmelon and Mangalore melon

Procedia PDF Downloads 54