Search results for: impact of agroforestry

Authors: Evgenia Papathanasiou, Georgios Kokkotis, Georgios Axiaris, Theodoros Argyropoulos, Nikos Viazis, Olga Giouleme, Konstantinos Gkoumas, Αnthia Gatopoulou, Αggelos Theodoulou, Georgios Theocharis, Αngeliki Theodoropoulou, Μaria Κalogirou, Pantelis Karatzas, Κonstantinos Κatsanos, Theodora Kafetzi, Κonstantinos Κarmiris, Αnastasia Κourikou, Ιoannis E Κoutroubakis, Christos Liatsos, Gerassimos J. Mantzaris, Νicoletta Μathou, Georgia Bellou, George Michalopoulos Αikaterini Μantaka, Penelope Nikolaou, Μichael Oikonomou, Dimitrios Polymeros, George Papatheodoridis, Εvdoxia Stergiou, Κonstantinos Soufleris, Εpameinondas Skouloudis, Μaria Tzouvala, Georgia Tsiolakidou, Εftychia Tsironi, Styliani Tsafaraki, Kalliopi Foteinogiannopoulou, Konstantina Chalakatevaki, Αngeliki Christidou, Dimitrios K. Christodoulou, Giorgos Bamias, Spyridon Michopoulos, Εvanthia Zampeli

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Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) commonly affects female patients of reproductive age, making the interaction between fertility, pregnancy and IBD an important issue in disease management. The effect of disease activity on the outcome of pregnancy and its impact on neonatal growth is a field of intense research. Close follow-up of pregnant IBD patients by a multidisciplinary team improves maternal and neonatal outcomes. Aim – Methods: Α national retrospective study of pregnancies in women with IBD between 2010-2020 was carried out in 22 IBD reference centers in Greece. Patient characteristics such as disease profile, type of treatment, and disease activity during gestation were analyzed in correlation to the method of delivery, pregnancy outcomes, as well as breastfeeding and offspring health. Results: Two-hundred and twenty-three pregnancies in 175 IBD patients were registered in the study. 122 with Crohn’s disease (CD). Median age during diagnosis was 25.6 years (12-44), with median disease duration of 7.4 years (0-23). One-hundred and twenty-nine patients (58%) were recorded during their first pregnancy. Early pregnancy termination was reported by 48 patients (22%). Pregnancy as a result of in vitro fertilization (IVF) occurred in 15 cases (6.7%). At the beginning of gestation, 165 patients (74%) were under treatment: 48 with anti-TNF agents (29%), 43 with azathioprine (26%), 101 with 5-aminosalicylic acid formulations (61%) and 12 with steroids (7%). We recorded 49 cases of IBD flares (22%) during pregnancy. Two-thirds of them (n=30) were in remission at the onset of the pregnancy. Almost half of them (n=22) required corticosteroid treatment. Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) were in greater risk of disease flare during pregnancy (p<0.001). All but 3 pregnancies (99.1%) resulted in uncomplicated delivery. In 147 cases (67.1%), cesarean delivery was performed. Two late fetal deaths (0.9%) were reported, both in patients with continuously active disease since the beginning of pregnancy. After delivery, 75 patients (34%) presented with a disease flare, which was associated with active disease at the beginning of pregnancy (p <0.001). Conclusion: The majority of female, Greek IBD patients, had a favorable pregnancy outcome. Active inflammation during gestation and UC diagnosis were associated with a negative impact on pregnancy outcomes. The results of this study are in favor of the continuation of IBD treatment during pregnancy.

Keywords: pregnancy, ulcerative colitis, Crohn disease, flare

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Authors: Ahmad Bilal

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Digital and convergent media can be helpful in terms of acquiring film production skills and knowledge, and it has also reduced the cost of production. Thus, allowing filmmakers greater opportunities and access to the medium of film. Both these dimensions of new and convergent media have been challenging the established cinema of Pakistan, as traditionally, it has been controlled by the authorities through censorship policies. The use of the smartphone as a movie camera, editing machine, and a transmitter can further challenge the control in a postcolonial society. To explore the impact of new and convergent media on the art of filmmaking, a film 'Sohni Dharti: An untrue story' is produced. It is shot both on a smartphone and a Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera (DSLR), with almost zero budgets. It is distributed through Vimeo from Pakistan. This process reveals how the technologies that are available today, and the increased knowledge of film production that they bring, allow a more inclusive experience of the film production and distribution. At the same time, however, it also discloses the limitations that accompany new technologies within the context of a postcolonial society. This paper will investigate the role of technology to bring filmmaking at a level of pencil and paper.

Keywords: convergent media, filmmaking, smartphone, Pakistan

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Authors: Hossein Kheirollahi, Yunhua Luo

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Studying stress and strain trends in the femur and recognizing femur failure mechanism is very important for preventing hip fracture in the elderly. The aim of this study was to identify high stress and strain regions in the femur during normal walking and falling to find the mechanical behavior and failure mechanism of the femur. We developed a finite element model of the femur from the subject’s quantitative computed tomography (QCT) image and used it to identify potentially high stress and strain regions during the single-leg stance and the sideways fall. It was found that fracture may initiate from the superior region of femoral neck and propagate to the inferior region during a high impact force such as sideways fall. The results of this study showed that the femur bone is more sensitive to strain than stress which indicates the effect of strain, in addition to effect of stress, should be considered for failure analysis.

Keywords: finite element analysis, hip fracture, strain, stress

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Authors: Jean Felix Tuyisingize

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Speeding or inappropriate speed is a major problem worldwide, contributing to 10-15% of road crashes and 30% of fatal injury crashes. The consequences of speeding put the driver's life at risk and the lives of other road users like motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians. To control vehicle speeds, governments, and traffic authorities enforced speed regulations through speed cameras and speed section control, which monitor all vehicle speeds and detect plate numbers to levy penalties. However, speed limit violations are prevalent, even on motorways with speed cameras. The problem with speed cameras is that they alter driver behaviors, and their effect declines with increasing distance from the speed camera location. Drivers decelerate short distances before the camera and vigorously accelerate above the speed limit just after passing by the camera. The sudden decelerating near cameras causes the drivers to try to make up for lost time after passing it, and they do this by speeding up, resulting in a phenomenon known as the "Kangaroo jump" or "V-profile" around camera/ASSC areas. This study investigated the impact of speed enforcement devices, specifically Average Speed Section Control (ASSCs) and fixed cameras, on acceleration and deceleration events within their vicinity. The research employed advanced statistical and Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis on naturalistic driving data, to uncover speeding patterns near the speed enforcement systems. The study revealed a notable concentration of events within a 600-meter radius of enforcement devices, suggesting their influence on driver behaviors within a specific range. However, most of these events are of low severity, suggesting that drivers may not significantly alter their speed upon encountering these devices. This behavior could be attributed to several reasons, such as consistently maintaining safe speeds or using real-time in-vehicle intervention systems. The complexity of driver behavior is also highlighted, indicating the potential influence of factors like traffic density, road conditions, weather, time of day, and driver characteristics. Further, the study highlighted that high-severity events often occurred outside speed enforcement zones, particularly around intersections, indicating these as potential hotspots for drastic speed changes. These findings call for a broader perspective on traffic safety interventions beyond reliance on speed enforcement devices. However, the study acknowledges certain limitations, such as its reliance on a specific geographical focus, which may impact the broad applicability of the findings. Additionally, the severity of speed modification events was categorized into low, medium, and high, which could oversimplify the continuum of speed changes and potentially mask trends within each category. This research contributes valuable insights to traffic safety and driver behavior literature, illuminating the complexity of driver behavior and the potential influence of factors beyond the presence of speed enforcement devices. Future research directions may employ various categories of event severity. They may also explore the role of in-vehicle technologies, driver characteristics, and a broader set of environmental variables in driving behavior and traffic safety.

Keywords: acceleration, deceleration, speeding, inappropriate speed, speed enforcement cameras

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Authors: Laura Bishop, Isabel Jones, Linn Halvorsen, Angela Smith

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Phishing emails are a form of social engineering where attackers deceive email users into revealing sensitive information or installing malware such as ransomware. Scammers often use persuasion techniques to influence email users to interact with malicious content. This study will use eye-tracking equipment to analyze how participants respond to and process Cialdini’s persuasion principles when utilized within phishing emails. Eye tracking provides insights into what is happening on the subconscious level of the brain that the participant may not be aware of. An experiment is conducted to track participant eye movements, whilst interacting with and then filing a series of persuasive emails delivered at random. Eye tracking metrics will be analyzed in relation to whether a malicious email has been identified as phishing (filed as ‘suspicious’) or not phishing (filed in any other folder). This will help determine the most influential persuasion techniques and those 'areas of interest' within an email that require intervention. The results will aid further research on how to reduce the effects of persuasion on human decision-making when interacting with phishing emails.

Keywords: cybersecurity, human-centric, phishing, psychology

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Authors: Andrey A. Chernousov, Ben Y. B. Chan

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The thermal behavior of a large-scale, phase change material (PCM) enhanced building envelope system was studied in regard to the need for pre-fabricated construction in subtropical regions. The proposed large-scale envelope consists of a reinforced aluminum skin, insulation core, phase change material and reinforced gypsum board. The PCM impact on an energy efficiency of an enveloped room was resolved by validation of the Energy Plus numerical scheme and optimization of a smart material location in the core. The PCM location was optimized by a minimization method of a cooling energy demand. It has been shown that there is good agreement between the test and simulation results. The optimal location of the PCM layer in Hong Kong summer conditions has been then recomputed for core thicknesses of 40, 60 and 80 mm. A non-dimensional value of the optimal PCM location was obtained to be same for all the studied cases and the considered external and internal conditions.

Keywords: thermal performance, phase change material, energy efficiency, PCM optimization

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Authors: Kamran Rashid, Tashfeen M. Azhar, Asad-ur-Rahman Wahla

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Current research aims to understand the role of successful buyer-supplier relationship in achieving supply chain competitiveness in a developing country perspective. Five hypotheses are developed to test structural model. Survey data is collected from the manufacturing sector of Pakistan. Analysis is conducted using Partial Least Squares (PLS) Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) through Smart PLS version 2.0 M3. Results demonstrate positive impact of effective supplier selection, buyer-supplier engagement, and information sharing capability on success of buyer supplier relationship. This successful buyer supplier relationship drives the supply chain firm financial and market performance. Additional analyses with large sample sizes are required in other developing countries to cross validate the results. Current study provides empirical evidence of the role of successful buyer supplier relationship in achieving supply chain competitiveness.

Keywords: supply chain management, successful buyer-supplier relationship, supply chain competitiveness, developing country

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Authors: Lawan Muhammad Adam, Abduljabar Hilal Alsayoud

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One of the most promising techniques to produce pure hydrogen is through a palladium-based membrane (Pd-membrane). Density functional theory (DFT) is employed in this work to examine how the physical and chemical adsorption properties of hydrogen on the surface of Pd-Pt can be mutated in the presence of contaminating gases, CH₄, CO, and CO₂. The main target is to survey the energy topology related to hydrogen adsorption while adjusting the stages of freedom in both the structure and composition. The adsorption sites, crystal plane of the slab, and relative orientation of the adsorbed molecules on its surface, as well as various arrangements of adsorbed species, have been considered in this study. The dependency of hydrogen adsorption on surface coverage is studied. The study demonstrated the physical adsorption energies of the molecules on the surface concerning the different coverages of hydrogen atoms. The most stable combinations of the adsorption sites (Top, Hollow, and Bridge) with various orientations of gaseous molecules on the Pd-Pt surface were identified according to their calculated energies. When the binding of contaminating gaseous species to the Pd-Pt surface and their impact on the physical adsorption energies of the H₂ are examined, it is observed that the most poisonous gas relative to all other gases modifies the energetics of the adsorption process of hydrogen on the surface.

Keywords: DFT, Pd-Pt-membrane, H₂, CO, CO₂

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Authors: Ammar Z. Alshemary, Zafer Evis

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In this study, nanorods of Cr³⁺/SiO₄⁴⁻ codoped hydroxyapatite (Cr³⁺/SiO₄⁴⁻-HA) were synthesized successfully and rapidly through microwave irradiation technique, using (Ca(NO₃)₂•4H₂O), ((NH₄)₂HPO₄), (SiC₈H₂₀O₄) and (Cr(NO₃)₃.9H₂O) as source materials for Ca²⁺, PO₄³⁻, SiO₄⁴⁻ and Cr³⁺ ions, respectively. The impact of dopants on the phase formation and microstructure of the powders were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrum analysis (FT-IR) and Field emission electron microscopy (FESEM) techniques. XRD analysis showed that with an incorporation of Cr³⁺/SiO₄⁴⁻ ions into HA structure resulted in peak broadening and reduced peak height due to the amorphous nature and reduced crystallinity of the resulting HA powder. FTIR spectroscopy revealed the existence of the different vibrational modes matching to phosphates and hydroxyl groups. The FESEM analysis showed a change in the crystal shape from spherical to rod shaped particles upon Cr³⁺ doping into the crystal structure. Acknowledgments: This study was supported by Karabük University (Project no. KBÜBAP-17-YD-144). The authors would like to thank for support.

Keywords: nano-hydroxyapatite, microwave, dopants, characterization, microstructure

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Authors: Gaurav Kumar, Baldev Setia

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Water is essential for sustenance of life and the ecosystem. Among the various uses of water, the water required for drinking and domestics has the priority over other needs. Water that is required for human consumption must be available in sufficient quantity and should be of good quality. Keeping in view the futuristic needs of water of Kurukshetra town, a durable and cost-effective water supply system with the help of Ranney well has been proposed. This has been proposed on the premise that Brahmsarovar, the largest static water body in the state of Haryana provides sufficient recharge to the groundwater aquifer. In the study, a 30 year design period has been adopted and the water demand up to the year 2050 has been computed. The proposed Ranney well to be constructed in the vicinity of the Brahmsarovar will have a caisson of diameter of 12 m and will be laid at a depth of 30 m below MSL. The laterals, 20 in number, 300 mm in diameter and 15 m in length will be located in two layer separated by 1.5 m. the impact on environment because of the construction and working of the Ranney well is also studied and it has been found that there are no adverse impacts of the proposed scheme. However, the present study is limited to the hydraulics design of the scheme and does not address the structural design of components of Ranney well and the cost involved.

Keywords: drawdown, Ranney well, LPCD, MSL, transmissibility, storativity

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Authors: Denvi Giovanita, Wustari L. H. Mangundjaya

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The pace of globalization and technological development make changes inevitable to organizations. However, organizational change is not easy to implement and is prone to failure. One of the reasons of change failure is due to lack of employees’ commitment to change. There are many variables that can influence employees’ commitment to change. The influencing factors can be sourced from the organization or individuals themselves. This study focuses on the affective form of commitment to change. The objective of this study is to identify the effect of transformational leadership (organizational factor) and employees’ change self-efficacy (individual factor) on affective commitment to change. The respondents of this study were employees who work in organizations that are or have faced organizational change. The data were collected using Affective Commitment to Change, Change Self-Efficacy, and Transformational Leadership Inventory. The data were analyzed using regression. The result showed that both transformational leadership and change self-efficacy have a positive and significant impact on affective commitment to change. The implication of the study can be used for practitioners to enhance the success of organizational change, by developing transformational leadership on the leaders and change self-efficacy on the employees in order to create a high affective commitment to change.

Keywords: affective commitment to change, change self-efficacy, organizational change, transformational leadership

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Authors: M. Fadlallah, G. Ghibaudo, C. G. Theodorou

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The dynamic variation in memory devices such as the Static Random Access Memory can give errors in read or write operations. In this paper, the effect of low-frequency and random telegraph noise on the dynamic variation of one SRAM cell is detailed. The effect on circuit noise, speed, and length of time of processing is examined, using the Supply Read Retention Voltage and the Read Static Noise Margin. New test run methods are also developed. The obtained results simulation shows the importance of noise caused by dynamic variation, and the impact of Random Telegraph noise on SRAM variability is examined by evaluating the statistical distributions of Random Telegraph noise amplitude in the pull-up, pull-down. The threshold voltage mismatch between neighboring cell transistors due to intrinsic fluctuations typically contributes to larger reductions in static noise margin. Also the contribution of each of the SRAM transistor to total dynamic variation has been identified.

Keywords: low-frequency noise, random telegraph noise, dynamic variation, SRRV

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Authors: Chebli Derradji, Abdallah Bouguettoucha, Zoubir Manaa, S. Nacef, A. Amrane

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Antibiotics are major pollutants of wastewater not only due to their stability in biological systems, but also due to their impact on public health. Their degradation by means of hydroxyl radicals generated through the application of microwave in the presence of hydrogen peroxide and two solid catalysts, iron-based synthetic clay (LDHs) and goethite (FeOOH) have been examined. A drastic reduction of the degradation yield was observed above pH 4, and hence the optimal conditions were found to be a pH of 3, 0.1 g/L of clay, a somewhat low amount of H2O2 (1.74 mmol/L) and a microwave intensity of 850 W. It should be observed that to maintain an almost constant temperature, a cooling with cold water was always applied between two microwaves running; and hence the ratio between microwave heating time and cooling time was 1. The obtained SMX degradation was 98.8 ± 0.2% after 30 minutes of microwave treatment. It should be observed that in the absence of the solid catalyst, LDHs, no SMX degradation was observed. From this, the use of microwave in the presence of a solid source of iron (LDHs) appears to be an efficient solution for the treatment of wastewater containing SMX.

Keywords: microwave, fenton, heterogenous fenton, degradation, oxidation, antibiotics

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Authors: Yiyang Su, Jörg Neumann, Jan Wetzlich, Florian Thiel

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Smart grid is a term used to describe the next generation power grid. New challenges such as integration of renewable and decentralized energy sources, the requirement for continuous grid estimation and optimization, as well as the use of two-way flows of energy have been brought to the power gird. In order to achieve efficient, reliable, sustainable, as well as secure delivery of electric power more and more information and communication technologies are used for the monitoring and the control of power grids. Consequently, the need for cybersecurity is dramatically increased and has converged into several standards which will be presented here. These standards for the smart grid must be designed to satisfy both performance and reliability requirements. An in depth investigation of the effect of retrospectively embedded security in existing grids on it’s dynamic behavior is required. Therefore, a retrofitting plan for existing meters is offered, and it’s performance in a test low voltage microgrid is investigated. As a result of this, integration of security measures into measurement architectures of smart grids at the design phase is strongly recommended.

Keywords: cyber security, performance, protocols, security standards, smart grid

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Authors: Yongfang Deng, Dunwen Zuo

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An attempt is made here to join 2024 aluminum alloy plate by friction stir joining (FSJ) using different types of tools. Joint surface morphology was observed, and both arc line spacing and flash were measured. Study is carried out on the effect of pin, shoulder and eccentricity of the tool on the surface topography of the joint and the formation of the joint surface topography is analyzed. It is found that, eccentric squeezing action of the tool is the mainly motive power to form arc lines contour and flash structure. Little flash appears in the advancing side but with severe deformation, while the flash in the retreating side is heavy but with soft deformation. The pin of tool has a deep impact on the flash on the advancing side of the joints. Shoulder can widen the arc lines, refine arcs structure, reduce flash in the retreat side, but will increase the flash in the advancing side. Increasing the amount of eccentricity, it has litter effect on the arc line spacing but will destroy the arc lines morphology in the joint surface and promote the formation of filamentous flash structure in the joint.

Keywords: FSJ, surface morphology, tool, joint

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Authors: Iyiola Olusola Oluwaleye, Ogbevire Umukoro

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In view of the prevailing pollution problems and its consequences on the environment, efforts are being made to lower the concentration of toxic components in combustion products and decreasing fossil fuel consumption by using renewable alternative fuels. In this work, the impact of ethanol-gasoline blend on the exhaust emission of a single cylinder non-mobile spark ignition engine was investigated. Gasoline was blended with 5 – 20% of ethanol sourced from the open market (bought off the shelf) in an interval of 5%. The results of the emission characteristics of the exhaust gas from the combustion of the ethanol-gasoline blends showed that increasing the percentage of ethanol in the blend decreased CO emission by between 2.12% and 52.29% and HC emissions by between12.14% and 53.24%, but increased CO2 and NOx emissions by between 25% to 56% and 59% to 60% respectively. E15 blend is preferred above other blends at no-load and across all the load variations. However its NOx emission was the highest when compared with other samples. This will negatively affect human health and the environment but this drawback can be remedied by adequate treatment with appropriate additives.

Keywords: blends, emission, ethanol, gasoline, spark ignition engine

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Authors: Kanokrat Makkwao, Tassanee Prueksasit

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This study aimed to investigate PM₁₀ emitted from different limestone mines in Saraburi province, Thailand. The blasting and crushing were the main processes selected for PM₁₀ sampling. PM₁₀ was collected in two mines including, a limestone mine for cement manufacturing (mine A) and a limestone mine for construction (mine B). The IMPACT samplers were used to collect PM₁₀. At blasting, the points aligning with the upwind and downwind direction were assigned for the sampling. The ranges of PM₁₀ concentrations at mine A and B were 0.267-5.592 and 0.130-0.325 mg/m³, respectively, and the concentration at blasting from mine A was significantly higher than mine B (p < 0.05). During crushing at mine A, the PM₁₀ concentration with the range of 1.153-3.716 and 0.085-1.724 mg/m³ at crusher and piles in respectively were observed whereas the PM₁₀ concentration measured at four sampling points in mine B, including secondary crusher, tertiary crusher, screening point, and piles, were ranged 1.032-16.529, 10.957-74.057, 0.655-4.956, and 0.169-1.699 mg/m³, respectively. The emission of PM₁₀ concentration at the crushing units was different in the ranges depending on types of machine, its operation, dust collection and control system, and environmental conditions.

Keywords: PM₁₀ concentration, limestone mines, blasting, crushing

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Authors: Attahir Shehu Mainiyo, Ahmad Ibrahim Karfe

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The Glorious Qur’an, as the central religious text of Islam, addresses various aspects of human life and provides guidance for personal and societal development. It also outlines the moral excellence of individuals and communities, focusing on spiritual, moral, and social dimensions. Da’wah is the act of inviting others to Islam, emphasizing the significance of conveying the message with kindness, patience, and understanding. Qur’anic moral excellence, as evinced in the Qur’an encompasses virtues such as compassion, honesty, humility, patience, and generosity. The Glorious Qur’an, therefore, harps on the importance of embodying these values in daily life, serving as a guide for individuals engaged in Da’wah activities to exemplify moral excellence through their actions and characters. It is in line with this backdrop that this article intends to assess the Da’wah and Qur’anic Moral Excellence. However, to achieve the objectives of the research, the article attempts to answer some basic questions. Emphasizes were laid in the Glorious on the need to invite others to the true path of Islam and the qualities of Da’i necessary for his Da’wah activities. The paper also discussed the impact of Qur’anic moral excellence on the Da’i and those invited to Islam. The paper adopts an analytical methodology and utilizes secondary data for the research.

Keywords: Da'wah, Qur'an, moral, excellence

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Authors: Khlood F. Salman, Richard Zoucha, Hani Nawafleh

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Introduction: Jordan ranks the fourth highest breast cancer prevalence after Lebanon, Bahrain, and Kuwait. Considerable evidence showed that cultural, ethnic, and economic differences influence a woman’s practice to early detection and prevention of breast cancer. Objectives: To understand women’s health beliefs and values in relation to early detection of breast cancer; and to explore the impact of these beliefs on their decisions regarding reluctance or acceptance of early detection measures such as mammogram screening. Design: A qualitative focused ethnography was used to collect data for this study. Settings: The study was conducted in the second largest city surrounded by a large rural area in Ma’an- Jordan. Participants: A total of twenty seven women, with no history of breast cancer, between the ages of 18 and older, who had prior health experience with health providers, and were willing to share elements of personal health beliefs related to breast health within the larger cultural context. The participants were recruited using the snowball method and words of mouth. Data collection and analysis: A short questionnaire was designed to collect data related to socio demographic status (SDQ) from all participants. A Semi-structured interviews guide was used to elicit data through interviews with the informants. Nvivo10 a data manager was utilized to assist with data analysis. Leininger’s four phases of qualitative data analysis was used as a guide for the data analysis. The phases used to analyze the data included: 1) Collecting and documenting raw data, 2) Identifying of descriptors and categories according to the domains of inquiry and research questions. Emic and etic data is coded for similarities and differences, 3) Identifying patterns and contextual analysis, discover saturation of ideas and recurrent patterns, and 4) Identifying themes and theoretical formulations and recommendations. Findings: Three major themes were emerged within the cultural and religious context; 1. Fear, denial, embarrassment and lack of knowledge were common perceptions of Ma’anis’ women regarding breast health and screening mammography, 2. Health care professionals in Jordan were not quick to offer information and education about breast cancer and screening, and 3. Willingness to learn about breast health and cancer prevention. Conclusion: The study indicated the disparities between the infrastructure and resourcing in rural and urban areas of Jordan, knowledge deficit related to breast cancer, and lack of education about breast health may impact women’s decision to go for a mammogram screening. Cultural beliefs, fear, embarrassments as well as providers lack of focus on breast health were significant contributors against practicing breast health. Health providers and policy makers should provide resources for the establishment health education programs regarding breast cancer early detection and mammography screening. Nurses should play a major role in delivering health education about breast health in general and breast cancer in particular. A culturally appropriate health awareness messages can be used in creating educational programs which can be employed at the national levels.

Keywords: breast health, beliefs, cultural context, ethnography, mammogram screening

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Authors: Eva Queheille, Franck Taillandier, Nadia Saiyouri

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Waste management has become a major issue in demolition works, because of its environmental impact (energy consumption, resource consumption, pollution…). However, improving waste management requires to take also into account the overall demolition process and to consider demolition main objectives (e.g. cost, delay). Establishing a strategy with these conflicting objectives (economic and environment) remains complex. In order to provide a decision-support for demolition companies, a multi-objective optimization model was developed. In this model, a demolition strategy is computed from a set of 80 decision variables (worker team composition, machines, treatment for each type of waste, choice of treatment platform…), which impacts the demolition objectives. The model has experimented on a real-case study (demolition of several buildings in France). To process the optimization, different optimization algorithms (NSGA2, MOPSO, DBEA…) were tested. Results allow the engineer in charge of this case, to build a sustainable demolition strategy without affecting cost or delay.

Keywords: deconstruction, life cycle assessment, multi-objective optimization, waste management

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Authors: Danijela Tuljak-Suban, Valter Suban

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Food as perishable goods represents a specific and sensitive part in the supply chain theory, since changing of its physical or chemical characteristics considerably influences the approach to stock management. The most delicate phase of this process is transportation, where it becomes difficult to ensure stability conditions that limit the deterioration, since the value of the deterioration rate could be easily influenced by the transportation mode. Fuzzy definition of variables allows taking into account these variations. Furthermore an appropriate choice of the defuzzification method permits to adapt results, as much as possible, to real conditions. In the article will be applied the those methods to the relationship between the deterioration rate of perishable goods and transportation by ship, with the aim: (a) to minimize the total costs function, defined as the sum of the ordering cost, holding cost, disposing cost and transportation costs, and (b) to improve supply chain sustainability by reducing the environmental impact and waste disposal costs.

Keywords: perishable goods, fuzzy reasoning, transport by ship, supply chain sustainability

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Authors: Tushar K. Routh

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If inputs are engineered in certain manners, they can influence deep neural networks’ (DNN) performances by facilitating misclassifications, a phenomenon well-known as adversarial attacks that question networks’ vulnerability. Recent studies have unfolded the relationship between vulnerability of such networks with their complexity. In this paper, the distinctive influence of additional convolutional layers at the decision boundaries of several DNN architectures was investigated. Here, to engineer inputs from widely known image datasets like MNIST, Fashion MNIST, and Cifar 10, we have exercised One Step Spectral Attack (OSSA) and Fast Gradient Method (FGM) techniques. The aftermaths of adding layers to the robustness of the architectures have been analyzed. For reasoning, separation width from linear class partitions and local geometry (curvature) near the decision boundary have been examined. The result reveals that model complexity has significant roles in adjusting relative distances from margins, as well as the local features of decision boundaries, which impact robustness.

Keywords: DNN robustness, decision boundary, local curvature, network complexity

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Authors: Paula Linna

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During the recent years interest in inclusive business has increased. Still, research on inclusive business development is at infancy. This study provides empirical evidence on inclusive business development of mini-grid solution for the rural African communities. This study tests how well the insights of creation theory can explain inclusive business development process which often occurs under uncertainty due to demands for developing new technology, new business model and establishing business in new market. These several uncertain elements of business development impact what kind of business strategies the entrepreneur can practice and what kind of decision making tools to use. In addition, community engagement is essential for the successful operative management of a mini-grid solution. This study advances the understanding of inclusive business development and can be used as the foundation for future work to facilitate the process of new business venture creation at the BOP particularly when developing community-operated entrepreneurship model.

Keywords: creation theory, base of the pyramid (BOP), community-operated entrepreneurship, rural African communities

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Authors: Serhat Tüzün, Tufan Demirel

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Decision Support Systems (DSS) have been investigated by researchers and technologists for more than 35 years. This paper analyses the developments in the architecture and software of these systems, provides a systematic analysis for different Web-based DSS approaches and Intelligent Decision-making Technologies (IDT), with the suggestion for future studies. Decision Support Systems literature begins with building model-oriented DSS in the late 1960s, theory developments in the 1970s, and the implementation of financial planning systems and Group DSS in the early and mid-80s. Then it documents the origins of Executive Information Systems, online analytic processing (OLAP) and Business Intelligence. The implementation of Web-based DSS occurred in the mid-1990s. With the beginning of the new millennia, intelligence is the main focus on DSS studies. Web-based technologies are having a major impact on design, development and implementation processes for all types of DSS. Web technologies are being utilized for the development of DSS tools by leading developers of decision support technologies. Major companies are encouraging its customers to port their DSS applications, such as data mining, customer relationship management (CRM) and OLAP systems, to a web-based environment. Similarly, real-time data fed from manufacturing plants are now helping floor managers make decisions regarding production adjustment to ensure that high-quality products are produced and delivered. Web-based DSS are being employed by organizations as decision aids for employees as well as customers. A common usage of Web-based DSS has been to assist customers configure product and service according to their needs. These systems allow individual customers to design their own products by choosing from a menu of attributes, components, prices and delivery options. The Intelligent Decision-making Technologies (IDT) domain is a fast growing area of research that integrates various aspects of computer science and information systems. This includes intelligent systems, intelligent technology, intelligent agents, artificial intelligence, fuzzy logic, neural networks, machine learning, knowledge discovery, computational intelligence, data science, big data analytics, inference engines, recommender systems or engines, and a variety of related disciplines. Innovative applications that emerge using IDT often have a significant impact on decision-making processes in government, industry, business, and academia in general. This is particularly pronounced in finance, accounting, healthcare, computer networks, real-time safety monitoring and crisis response systems. Similarly, IDT is commonly used in military decision-making systems, security, marketing, stock market prediction, and robotics. Even though lots of research studies have been conducted on Decision Support Systems, a systematic analysis on the subject is still missing. Because of this necessity, this paper has been prepared to search recent articles about the DSS. The literature has been deeply reviewed and by classifying previous studies according to their preferences, taxonomy for DSS has been prepared. With the aid of the taxonomic review and the recent developments over the subject, this study aims to analyze the future trends in decision support systems.

Keywords: decision support systems, intelligent decision-making, systematic analysis, taxonomic review

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Authors: Lipaz Shamoa-Nir, Irene Razpurker-Apfeld

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This research examined the impact of subliminal exposure to religious content on the mutual attitudes of majority group members (Jews) and minority group members (Muslims). Participants were subliminally exposed to religious concepts (e.g., Mezuzah, yarmulke or veil) and then they filled questionnaires assessing their stereotypes towards the out-group members. Each participant was primed with either in-group religious concepts, out-group concepts or neutral ones. The findings show that the Muslim participants were not influenced by the religious content to which they were exposed while the Jewish participants perceived the Muslims as less 'hostile' when subliminally exposed to religious concepts, regardless of concept type (out-group/in-group). This research highlights the influence of evoked religious content on out-group attitudes even when the perceiver is unaware of prime content. The power that exposure to content in a non-native language has in activating attitudes towards the out-group is also discussed.

Keywords: intergroup attitudes, stereotypes, majority-minority, religious out-group, implicit content, native language

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Authors: Ahmad Shayeq Azizi, Yuji Toda

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In Afghanistan, floods are the most frequent and recurrent events among other natural disasters. On the other hand, lack of monitoring data is a severe problem, which increases the difficulty of making the appropriate flood countermeasures of flood forecasting. This study is carried out to simulate the flood inundation in Harirud River Basin by application of distributed hydrological model, Integrated Flood Analysis System (IFAS) and 2D hydrodynamic model, International River Interface Cooperative (iRIC) based on satellite rainfall combined with historical peak discharge and global accessed data. The results of the simulation can predict the inundation area, depth and velocity, and the hardware countermeasures such as the impact of levee installation can be discussed by using the present method. The methodology proposed in this study is suitable for the area where hydrological and geographical data including river survey data are poorly observed.

Keywords: distributed hydrological model, flood inundation, hydrodynamic model, ungauged basins

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Authors: Shabnam, Jagdeep Kumar

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Because of the impact of their greater surface area and smaller quantum sizes in comparison with other metal atoms or bulk metals, metal nanoparticles, such as those formed of gold, exhibit a variety of unusual chemical and physical properties. The size- and shape-dependent properties of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) are particularly notable. Metal nanoparticles have received a lot of attention due to their unique properties and exciting prospective uses in photonics, electronics, biological sensing, and imaging. The latest developments in GNP synthesis are discussed in this review. Green chemistry measures were used to assess the production of gold nanoparticles, with a focus on Process Mass Intensity (PMI). Based on these measurements, opportunities for improving synthetic approaches were found. With PMIs that were often in the thousands, solvent usage was found to be the main obstacle for nanoparticle synthesis, even ones that were otherwise considered to be environmentally friendly. Since ligated metal nanoparticles are the most industrially relevant but least environmentally friendly, their synthesis by arrested precipitation was chosen as the best chance for significant advances. Gold nanoparticles of small sizes and bio-stability are produced biochemically, and they are used in many biological applications.

Keywords: gold, nanoparticles, green synthesis, AuNP

Procedia PDF Downloads 83

Authors: Hassan Younis

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Purpose: The objective of this study is to review influential papers in the sustainability and supply chain studies domain, leveraging insights from this review to develop a structured framework for academics and researchers. This framework aims to assist scholars in identifying the most impactful publications for their scholarly pursuits. Subsequently, the study will apply and trial the developed framework on selected scholarly articles within the sustainability and supply chain studies domain to evaluate its efficacy, practicality, and reliability. Design/Methodology/Approach: Utilizing the "Publish or Perish" tool, a search was conducted to locate papers incorporating "sustainability" and "supply chain" in their titles. After rigorous filtering steps, a panel of university professors identified five crucial criteria for evaluating research robustness: average yearly citation counts (25%), scholarly contribution (25%), alignment of findings with objectives (15%), methodological rigor (20%), and journal impact factor (15%). These five evaluation criteria are abbreviated as “ACMAJ" framework. Each paper then received a tiered score (1-3) for each criterion, normalized within its category, and summed using weighted averages to calculate a Final Normalized Score (FNS). This systematic approach allows for objective comparison and ranking of the research based on its impact, novelty, rigor, and publication venue. Findings: The study's findings highlight the lack of structured frameworks for assessing influential sustainability research in supply chain management, which often results in a dependence on citation counts. A complete model that incorporates five essential criteria has been suggested as a response. By conducting a methodical trial on specific academic articles in the field of sustainability and supply chain studies, the model demonstrated its effectiveness as a tool for identifying and selecting influential research papers that warrant additional attention. This work aims to fill a significant deficiency in existing techniques by providing a more comprehensive approach to identifying and ranking influential papers in the field. Practical Implications: The developed framework helps scholars identify the most influential sustainability and supply chain publications. Its validation serves the academic community by offering a credible tool and helping researchers, students, and practitioners find and choose influential papers. This approach aids field literature reviews and study suggestions. Analysis of major trends and topics deepens our grasp of this critical study area's changing terrain. Originality/Value: The framework stands as a unique contribution to academia, offering scholars an important and new tool to identify and validate influential publications. Its distinctive capacity to efficiently guide scholars, learners, and professionals in selecting noteworthy publications, coupled with the examination of key patterns and themes, adds depth to our understanding of the evolving landscape in this critical field of study.

Keywords: supply chain management, sustainability, framework, model

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Authors: Mohan Kotamrazu

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Tall buildings block and divert strong upper level winds to the ground. These high velocity winds many a time create adverse wind effects at ground level which can be uncomfortable and even compromise the safety of pedestrians and people who frequent the spaces in the vicinity of tall buildings. Discomfort can be experienced around the entrances and corners of tall buildings. Activities such as strolling or sitting in a park, waiting for a bus near a tall building can become highly unpleasant. For the elderly unpleasant conditions can also become dangerous leading to accidents and injuries. Today there is a growing concern among architects, planners and urban designers about the wind environment in the vicinity of tall building. Regulating authorities insist on wind tunnel testing of tall buildings in cities such as Wellington, Auckland, Boston, San Francisco, etc. prior to granting permission for their construction The present paper examines the different ways that tall buildings can induce strong winds at pedestrian level and their impact on people who frequent the spaces around tall buildings.

Keywords: tall buildings, wind effects, wind comfort, wind safety

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Authors: Yusra Tariq

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The Grass 37 gene is presently known in tomatoes, which are the source of healthy substances such as ascorbic acid, polyphenols, carotenoids and nutrients. It has a significant impact on the growth and development of humans. The GRASS 37 gene is a plant Transcription factor group assuming significant parts in various reactions of different Abiotic stresses such as (drought, salinity, thermal stresses, temperature, and bright waves) which could highly affect the growth. Tomatoes are very sensitive to temperature, and their growth or production occurs optimally in a temperature range from 21 C to 29.5 C during the daytime and from 18.5 C to 21 C during the night. This protein acts as a positive regulator of salt stress response and abscisic acid signaling. This study summarizes the structure characterized by molecular formula and protein-binding domains by different bioinformatics tools such as Expasy translate tool, Expasy Portparam, Swiss Prot and Inter Pro Scan, Clustal W tool regulatory procedure of GRASS gene components, also their reactions to both biotic and Abiotic stresses.

Keywords: GRAS37, gene, bioinformatics, tool

Procedia PDF Downloads 53