Search results for: creative solutions

Authors: Damir Latypov

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A closed-form solution for 4-D double surface integrals arising in boundary integrals equations of a potential theory is obtained for arbitrary coplanar polygonal surfaces. The solution method is based on the construction of exact differential forms followed by the application of Stokes' theorem for each surface integral. As a result, the 4-D double surface integral is reduced to a 2-D double line integral. By an appropriate change of variables, the integrand is transformed into a separable function of integration variables. The closed-form solutions to the corresponding 1-D integrals are readily available in the integration tables. Previously closed-form solutions were known only for the case of coincident triangle surfaces and coplanar rectangles. Solutions for these cases were obtained by surface-specific ad-hoc methods, while the present method is general. The method also works for non-polygonal surfaces. As an example, we compute in closed form the 4-D integral for the case of coincident surfaces in the shape of a circular disk. For an arbitrarily shaped surface, the proposed method provides an efficient quadrature rule. Extensions of the method for non-coplanar surfaces and other than 1/R integral kernels are also discussed.

Keywords: boundary integral equations, differential forms, integration, stokes' theorem

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Authors: Shaima A. Al Mansoori

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Eco-cities have become part of the broader and universal discourse and embrace of sustainable communities. Given the ideals and ‘potential’ benefits of eco-cities for people, the environment and prosperity, hardly can an argument be made against the desirability of eco-cities. Yet, this paper posits that it is necessary for urban scholars, technocrats and policy makers to engage in discussions of the pragmatism of implementing the ideals of eco-cities, for example, from the political, budgetary, cultural and other dimensions. In the context of such discourse, this paper examines the feasibility of one of the cardinal principles and goals of eco-cities, which is the reduction or elimination of pollution through various creative and innovative initiatives, in the UAE. This paper contends and argues that, laudable and desirable as this goal is, it is a polylemma and, therefore, overly ambitious and practically unattainable in the UAE. The paper uses the mixed method research strategy, in which data is sourced from secondary and general sources through desktop research, from public records in governmental agencies, and from the conceptual academic and professional literature. Information from these sources will be used, first, to define and review pollution as a concept and multifaceted phenomenon with multidimensional impacts. Second, the paper will use society’s five goal clusters as a framework to identify key causes and impacts of pollution in the UAE. Third, the paper will identify and analyze specific public policies, programs and projects that make pollution in the UAE a polylemma. Fourth, the paper will argue that the phenomenal rates of population increase, urbanization, economic growth, consumerism and development in the UAE make pollution an inevitable product and burden that society must live with. This ‘reality’ makes the goal and desire of pollution-free cities pursuable but unattainable. The paper will conclude by identifying and advocating creative and innovative initiatives that can be taken by the various stakeholders in the country to reduce and mitigate pollution in the short- and long-term.

Keywords: goal clusters, pollution, polylemma, sustainable communities

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Authors: Özge Özsoy

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Teachers usually complain that their students do not study enough to further practice the subjects they have covered in class. Teachers tend to focus on how often and hard they should study rather than finding out the main reasons why most students avoid doing any extra work to improve their skills. In this study, with the use of exploratory practice method, 40 English preparatory class students at Anadolu University will discuss this puzzle through an in-class discussion and create posters describing the reasons for and solutions to it. The overlapping data from the posters will be categorized in two sections as reasons and solutions in a final poster. The study aims at revealing the student perspective of a common puzzle that troubles many teachers.

Keywords: exploratory practice, extra work, puzzle, students, teachers

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Authors: Raymond Ndhlovu, Jen Snowball

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It has long been known that the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs) have the potential to aid in physical, social and economic renewal and regeneration of towns and cities, hence their importance when dealing with regional development. The CCIs can act as a catalyst for activity and investment in an area because the ‘consumption’ of cultural activities will lead to the activities and use of other non-cultural activities, for example, hospitality development including restaurants and bars, as well as public transport. ‘Consumption’ of cultural activities also leads to employment creation, and diversification. However, CCIs tend to be clustered, especially around large cities. There is, moreover, a case for development of CCIs around smaller towns and cities, because they do not rely on high technology inputs, and long supply chains, and, their direct link to rural and isolated places makes them vital in regional development. However, there is currently little research on how to craft cultural policy for regions with smaller towns and cities. Using the Sarah Baartman District (SBDM) in South Africa as an example, this paper describes the process of developing cultural policy for a region that has potential, and existing, cultural clusters, but currently no one, coherent policy relating to CCI development. The SBDM was chosen as a case study because it has no large cities, but has some CCI clusters, and has identified them as potential drivers of local economic development. The process of developing cultural policy is discussed in stages: Identification of what resources are present; including human resources, soft and hard infrastructure; Identification of clusters; Analysis of CCI labour markets and ownership patterns; Opportunities and challenges from the point of view of CCIs and other key stakeholders; Alignment of regional policy aims with provincial and national policy objectives; and finally, design and implementation of a regional cultural policy.

Keywords: cultural and creative industries, economic impact, intrinsic value, regional development

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Authors: Deria Adi Wijaya, Amad Saeroji, Jimmi Sandi P., Nanang Wijayanto

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Tourism and the creative economy are combinations that can become a sustainable source of welfare that can boost the economy so as to increase the country's foreign exchange. Therefore the development of the tourism sector is one of the priorities in President Joko Widodo's leadership framework for the 2019-2024 period. Entering the current pandemic, each party is required to be able to implement strict health protocols to slow the rate of SARS-Cov2 infection, or what is known as the coronavirus, but on the other hand, the need to turn the wheels of the economy must continue. Therefore, an effort is needed to develop tourism activities that are full of experiences that add health benefits. Anticipating this, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy collaborated with the Ministry of Health to offer an innovative development model, namely wellness tourism. The development of wellness tourism is an alternative that can make a positive contribution to the development of Indonesian tourism during the pandemic. This research seeks to synergize efforts to develop national tourism into the regional sphere; in this case, Baluwarti Tourism Village, which is located within the walls of the Surakarta Sunanate Palace, has the potential to be developed into a wellness tourism destination in Surakarta City. Considering that a village that is in the immediate vicinity of a palace certainly has a variety of potential attractions for royal wellness tourism. The main objectives of this study are 1) to identify the potential for palace-style wellness tourism in Baluwarti Tourism Village; 2) to formulate development in the form of tour packages in Baluwarti Tourism Village. Of course, the development of the wellness tour package is still based on local wisdom, namely a tour package that raises local potential as a palace-style wellness tourism attraction that can improve the economy of the local people through the tourism sector in the post-pandemic era.

Keywords: potential, wellness tourism, Baluwarti Tourism Village, Surakarta Sunanate Palace, Surakarta City

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Authors: Nasser A. M. Barakat

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Membrane technology is the most promising process for oil-water separation operation if the hydrophilicity, fouling and reusability properties could be improved. In this study, novel effective and reusable membrane for oil-water separation process is introduced based on modification of polysulfone (PSF) electrospun nanofiber mats. The modification process was achieved by incorporation of NaOH nanoparticles inside the PSF nanofibers, and formation of a thin layer from a polyamide polymer on the surface of the electrospun mat. Typically, solutions composed of PSF and NaOH (twelve solutions were prepared based on different PSF concentrations; 15, 18 and 20 wt%, and various NaOH content; 1.5, 1.7 and 2.5 wt%) have been electrospun, then the dried nanofiber mats were treated by m-phenylenediamine and 1,3,5-benzenetricarbonyl chloride to form polyamide thin layer on the surface of the mats. The results indicated that incorporation of NaOH and the formed polyamide could decrease the water contact angle from ~ 130˚ to 13˚ for the nanofiber mats obtained from 20 wt% PSF solutions containing 1.7 wt% sodium hydroxide powders. Interestingly, the membrane having the lowest contact angle could separate oil-water mixture for three successive cycles and 100% removal of the oil with relatively high water flux; 5.5 m3/m2.day. Overall, simplicity of the manufacturing technique, and effectiveness and reusability of the produced nanofiber mats open new avenue for the introduced as promising membranes for the oil-water separation process.

Keywords: electrospinning, oil-water separation, hydrophilic membrane, nanofibers

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Authors: Sandani Muthukumarana, Malith Shehan Keraminiyage, Pavithra Rathnasiri

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Climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing our generation. However, it also presents an opportunity to grow the economy using biotechnology. Biotechnology offers a variety of solutions that can help mitigate the effects of global warming. Despite this, there is a lack of research on the potential and challenges associated with the further use of biotechnology to combat the impacts of climate change. To address this gap, it is essential to investigate the current context surrounding the use of biotechnology for climate change mitigation, including potential applications, current practices, and existing challenges. By reviewing the existing literature on these perspectives, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the potential for biotechnology to mitigate the hazards of climate change. The use of biotechnology to mitigate the effects of climate change will be made easier as a result, and this will lay the groundwork for further study and actual initiatives in this field. Biotechnology can play a crucial role in mitigating the impacts of climate change. It offers a range of solutions, such as genetically modified crops, bioremediation, and bioenergy, that can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance carbon sequestration, and increase climate resilience. By utilizing biotechnology, we can reduce the negative impacts of climate change and create a more sustainable future. According to this knowledge, researchers can harness the potential of biotechnology to fight climate change and build a more sustainable future for future generations.

Keywords: biotechnology, impact, solutions, climate changes

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Authors: Zuhier Altawallbeh

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This paper investigates the approximate analytical solutions of general form of Volterra integro-differential equations system by using the residual power series method (for short RPSM). The proposed method produces the solutions in terms of convergent series requires no linearization or small perturbation and reproduces the exact solution when the solution is polynomial. Some examples are given to demonstrate the simplicity and efficiency of the proposed method. Comparisons with the Laplace decomposition algorithm verify that the new method is very effective and convenient for solving system of pantograph equations.

Keywords: integro-differential equation, pantograph equations, system of initial value problems, residual power series method

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Authors: Mira Kadric

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The proposed paper deals with a new developed approach for interpreting teaching, combining traditional didactics with a new element. The fundamental principle of the approach is taken from the theatre pedagogy (Augusto Boal`s Theatre of the Oppressed) and includes the discussion on social power relations. From the point of view of education sociology this implies strengthening students’ individual potential for self-determination on a number of levels, especially in view of the present increase in social responsibility. This knowledge constitutes a starting point and basis for the process of self-determined action. This takes place in the context of a creative didactic policy which identifies didactic goals, provides clear sequences of content, specifies interdisciplinary methods and examines their practical adequacy and ultimately serves not only individual translators and interpreters, but all parties involved. The goal of the presented didactic model is to promote independent work and problem-solving strategies; this helps to develop creative potential and self-confident behaviour. It also conveys realistic knowledge of professional reality and thus also of the real socio-political and professional parameters involved. As well as providing a discussion of fundamental questions relevant to Translation and Interpreting Studies, this also serves to improve this interdisciplinary didactic approach which simulates interpreting reality and illustrates processes and strategies which (can) take place in real life. This idea is illustrated in more detail with methods taken from the Theatre of the Oppressed created by Augusto Boal. This includes examples from (dialogue) interpreting teaching based on documentation from recordings made in a seminar in the summer term 2014.

Keywords: augusto boal, didactic model, interpreting teaching, theatre of the oppressed

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Authors: Martin Juhas, Bohuslava Juhasova, Igor Halenar, Andrej Elias

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This article deals with the possibility of increasing efficiency, reliability and safety of the system for teledosimetric data collection management and their evaluation as a part of complex study for activity “Research of data collection, their measurement and evaluation with mobile and autonomous units” within project “Research of monitoring and evaluation of non-standard conditions in the area of nuclear power plants”. Possible weaknesses in existing system are identified. A study of available cluster solutions with possibility of their deploying to analysed system is presented.

Keywords: teledosimetric data, efficiency, reliability, safety, cluster solution

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Authors: Aleksandra Y. Sazonova, Valentina M. Raeva

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The aim of this work was to apply extractive distillation for acetonitrile removal from water solutions, to validate thermodynamic criterion based on excess Gibbs energy to entrainer selection process for acetonitrile – water mixture separation and show its potential efficiency at isothermal conditions as well as at isobaric (conditions of real distillation process), to simulate and analyze an extractive distillation process with chosen entrainers: optimize amount of trays and feeds, entrainer/original mixture and reflux ratios. Equimolar composition of the feed stream was chosen for the process, comparison of the energy consumptions was carried out. Glycerol was suggested as the most energetically and ecologically suitable entrainer.

Keywords: acetonitrile, entrainer, extractive distillation, water

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Authors: Muhamad Ammar Bin Mohd Asri, Muhammad Hamizan Bin Yusof, Muhammad Haziq Bin Abdul Khalil, Esman Hanief Bin Khairul Anuar, Muhammad Fikri Bin Ishak, Amril Azim Bin Mohd Norrahim, Muhammad Danial Fakhri Bin Fakhruddin, Muhammad Khairul Nizam in Hosnodin, Muhammad Ezzat Hariz Bin Norhisam

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Ergonomics is the science of creating and arranging workplaces, products, and systems to increase human performance, comfort, and safety. This study researched ergonomics as a solution for preventing workplace injuries, specifically musculoskeletal disorders, among employers and employees. The method will be used in this project is a literature review which means conducting a study about ergonomics with peer-reviewed journal articles and books. It focuses on employees and employers who are in one company on other departments under the protection of Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA). These solutions include ergonomic assessments, workplace design improvements, effective training and education, and the use of ergonomic tools and equipment. Employers can build workplaces that are safer and more productive by putting these solutions in place, and employees can work comfortably and prevent accidents from bad ergonomics. Overall, the paper highlights how crucial it is to take injury prevention measures and consider ergonomics at work.

Keywords: occupational safety and health, musculoskeletal disorders, ergonomic, ergonomic risk

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Authors: Shoji Katagiri

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This paper is to clarify the relationship between ICT and income inequality. To do so, we develop the general equilibrium model with ICT investment, obtain the equilibrium solutions, and then simulate the model with these solutions for some OECD countries. As a result, generally, during the corresponding periods we confirm that the relationship between ICT investment and income inequality is positive. In this mode, the increment of the ratio of ICT investment to the aggregated investment in stock enhances the capital’s share of income, and finally leads to income inequality such as the increase of the share of the top decile income. Although we confirm the positive relationship between ICT investment and income inequality, the upward trend for that relationship depends on the values of parameters for the making use of the simulations and these parameters are not deterministic in the magnitudes on the calculated results for the simulations.

Keywords: ICT, inequality, capital accumulation, technology

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Authors: Radhwan Yousif Sedik Al-Jawadi

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Optimization is necessary for finding appropriate solutions to a range of real-life problems. In particular, genetic (or more generally, evolutionary) algorithms have proved very useful in solving many problems for which analytical solutions are not available. In this paper, we present an optimization algorithm called Dynamic Schema with Dissimilarity and Similarity of Chromosomes (DSDSC) which is a variant of the classical genetic algorithm. This approach constructs new chromosomes from a schema and pairs of existing ones by exploring their dissimilarities and similarities. To show the effectiveness of the algorithm, it is tested and compared with the classical GA, on 15 two-dimensional optimization problems taken from literature. We have found that, in most cases, our method is better than the classical genetic algorithm.

Keywords: chromosome injection, dynamic schema, genetic algorithm, similarity and dissimilarity

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Authors: Yves Lacroix, Van Van Than, Didier Léandri, Pierre Liardet

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The tombolo of Giens is located in the town of Hyères (France). We recall the history of coastal erosion, and prominent factors affecting the evolution of the western tombolo. We then discuss the possibility of stabilizing the western tombolo. Our argumentation relies on a coupled model integrating swells, currents, water levels and sediment transport. We present the conclusions of the simulations of various scenarios, including pre-existing propositions from coastal engineering offices. We conclude that beach replenishment seems to be necessary but not sufficient for the stabilization of the beach. Breakwaters reveal effective particularly in the most exposed northern area. Some solutions fulfill conditions so as to be elected as satisfactory. We give a comparative analysis of the efficiency of 14 alternatives for the protection of the tombolo.

Keywords: breakwaters, coupled models, replenishment, silting

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Authors: Abdullah Alotaiq

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The transition to low-carbon power generation is essential for mitigating climate change and achieving sustainability. This process, however, entails considerable costs, and understanding the factors influencing these costs is critical. This is necessary to cater to the increasing demand for low-carbon electricity across the heating, industry, and transportation sectors. A crucial aspect of this transition is identifying cost-effective and feasible paths for decarbonization, which is integral to global climate mitigation efforts. It is concluded that hybrid solutions, combining different low-carbon technologies, are optimal for minimizing costs and enhancing flexibility. These solutions also address the challenges associated with phasing out existing fossil fuel-based power plants and broadening the spectrum of low-carbon power generation options.

Keywords: review, power generation, energy transition, decarbonisation

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Authors: Giovanni Merola

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Sparse Principal Components Analysis aims to find principal components with few non-zero loadings. We derive such sparse solutions by adding a genuine sparsity requirement to the original Principal Components Analysis (PCA) objective function. This approach differs from others because it preserves PCA's original optimality: uncorrelatedness of the components and least squares approximation of the data. To identify the best subset of non-zero loadings we propose a branch-and-bound search and an iterative elimination algorithm. This last algorithm finds sparse solutions with large loadings and can be run without specifying the cardinality of the loadings and the number of components to compute in advance. We give thorough comparisons with the existing sparse PCA methods and several examples on real datasets.

Keywords: SPCA, uncorrelated components, branch-and-bound, backward elimination

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Authors: Sela Adjei

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This research delves into the nuanced representations of queerness in Ghana, presented through photographs, illustrations, film and music videos on social media and streaming platforms. The study focuses on the works of five Ghanaian artists (Va-Bene Elikem Fiatsi, Angel Maxine, Josephine Kuuire, Bright Ackwerh and Philip Nee Whang) within the context of Ghana's evolving media landscape. Of primary concern is a need to uncover the various aspects of queerness captured within the distinct artistic expressions of these five creatives. This study adopts a qualitative approach by analyzing artistic expressions of queerness in Ghana’s digital media spaces. Content analysis and visual semiotics served as the guiding tools to discuss and decipher the nuanced messages embedded in their works, considering both the visual and narrative aspects. This dual approach takes into account both the visual aesthetics and narrative elements, enhancing our understanding of the complex interplay between queerness and gender representation in the media. This study's contribution is twofold. First, it enriches the discourse surrounding queerness as portrayed by artists within Ghana's vibrant media landscape and situates their works within the broader discourse of global gender identities. Secondly, analyzing the creative output of these five Ghanaian artists broadens our understanding of gender minorities and the various challenges they face in Ghana (currently debating in parliament to pass an anti-LGBTQ+ bill that criminalizes activities related to gender minority groups). While focusing on the intersection of queerness, art, and gender identities, the reflections in this study challenge existing narratives and offer fresh insights into how these artists navigate and challenge societal norms through their creative expressions.

Keywords: queer, film, representation, streaming, media, gender

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Authors: Andreanna Kalasountas

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A rampant health crisis is facing America. That health crisis is poverty. Millions of Americans live without knowing when they will eat or where they will sleep. Meanwhile, there are over 600 multi-billionaires in the United States. “In April 2021, U.S. billionaires had nearly twice as much combined wealth than the bottom half of Americans -- $4.56 trillion vs. $2.62 trillion.” It's disturbingly ironic that we live in a country where there are people with more money than they know what to do with (or could spend in a lifetime) while simultaneously, people are losing their life because they do not have enough money to survive. Accordingly, this paper argues for the end of the multi-billionaire; that wealth be capped, captured, and redistributed to the poorest among us. To accomplish this goal, this paper begins by identifying the problem, advocating for a new measurement of poverty; and concludes with a both legal and tax policy solutions and what implementation of those solutions would look like.

Keywords: health and human rights, law and policy, poverty, wealth gap

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Authors: Lo Kar Yin

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In view of the increasing speed and quantity of the housing supply, building, and civil engineering infrastructure works triggered by the pandemic across the globe, contractors, professional services providers (PSP), including consultants (e.g., architect, project manager, civil/geotechnical/structural engineer, building services engineer, quantity surveyor/cost manager, etc.) and suppliers have faced tremendous challenges of the fierce market, limited manpower, and resources under contract prices fluctuation and competitive fee and price. With qualitative analysis, this paper is to review the available information from the industry stakeholders with a view to finding solutions for enhancing efficiency, safety, and quality of construction value chain services for public and private organizations/companies’ sustainable growth, not limited to checking the deliverables and data transfer from multi-disciplinary parties. Technology, contracts, and people are the key requirements for shaping the construction industry. With the integration of a modern engineering contract (e.g., NEC) collaborative approach, practical workflows are designed to address loopholes together with different levels of people employment/retention and technology adoption to achieve the best value for money.

Keywords: efficiency, safety, quality, technology, contract, people, sustainable solutions, construction, services, integration

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Authors: Nicole Vlasman, Karamjeet Dhillon

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Over the past four years, the Healthy Relationships Program has been delivered in community organizations and schools across Canada. More than 240 groups have been facilitated in collaboration with 33 organizations. As a result, 2157 youth have been engaged in the programming. The purpose and scope of the Healthy Relationships Program are to offer sustainable, evidence-based skills through small group implementation to prevent violence and promote positive, healthy relationships in youth. The program development has included extensive networking at regional and national levels. The Healthy Relationships Program is currently being implemented, adapted, and researched within the Resilience and Inclusion through Strengthening and Enhancing Relationships (RISE-R) project. Alongside the project’s research objectives, the RISE-R team has worked to virtually share the ongoing findings of the project through a slow ontology approach. Slow ontology is a practice integrated into project systems and structures whereby slowing the pace and volume of outputs offers creative opportunities. Creative production reveals different layers of success and complements the project, the building blocks for sustainability. As a result of integrating a slow ontology approach, the RISE-R team has developed a Geographic Information System (GIS) that documents local landscapes through a Story Map feature, and more specifically, video installations. Video installations capture the cartography of space and place within the context of singular diverse community spaces (case studies). By documenting spaces via human connections, the project captures narratives, which further enhance the voices and faces of the community within the larger project scope. This GIS project aims to create a visual and interactive flow of information that complements the project's mixed-method research approach. Conclusively, creative project development in the form of a geographic information system can provide learning and engagement opportunities at many levels (i.e., within community organizations and educational spaces or with the general public). In each of these disconnected spaces, fragmented stories are connected through a visual display of project outputs. A slow ontology practice within the context of the RISE-R project documents activities on the fringes and within internal structures; primarily through documenting project successes as further contributions to the Centre for School Mental Health framework (philosophy, recruitment techniques, allocation of resources and time, and a shared commitment to evidence-based products).

Keywords: community programming, geographic information system, project development, project management, qualitative, slow ontology

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Authors: Mohamed Rabhi, Kouider Halim Benrahou

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The rheological properties of the carbonyl-methylcellulose (CMC), of different concentrations (25000, 50000, 60000, 80000 and 100000 ppm) and different temperatures were studied. We found that the rheological behavior of all CMC solutions presents a pseudo-plastic behavior, it follows the model of Ostwald-de Waele. The objective of this work is the modeling of flow by the CMC Cross model. The Cross model gives us the variation of the viscosity according to the shear rate. This model allowed us to adjust more clearly the rheological characteristics of CMC solutions. A comparison between the Cross model and the model of Ostwald was made. Cross the model fitting parameters were determined by a numerical simulation to make an approach between the experimental curve and those given by the two models. Our study has shown that the model of Cross, describes well the flow of "CMC" for low concentrations.

Keywords: CMC, rheological modeling, Ostwald model, cross model, viscosity

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Authors: Malini Ganapathy, Sarjit Kaur

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Maximising learning with higher-order thinking skills with Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has been deep-rooted and emphasised in various developed countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Singapore. The transformation of the education curriculum in the Malaysia Education Development Plan (PPPM) 2013-2025 focuses on the concept of Higher Order Thinking (HOT) skills which aim to produce knowledgeable students who are critical and creative in their thinking and can compete at the international level. HOT skills encourage students to apply, analyse, evaluate and think creatively in and outside the classroom. In this regard, the National Education Blueprint (2013-2025) is grounded based on high-performing systems which promote a transformation of the Malaysian education system in line with the vision of Malaysia’s National Philosophy in achieving educational outcomes which are of world class status. This study was designed to investigate ESL students’ learning practices on the emphasis of promoting HOTs while using ICT in their curricula. Data were collected using a stratified random sampling where 100 participants were selected to take part in the study. These respondents were a group of undergraduate students who undertook ESL courses in a public university in Malaysia. A three-part questionnaire consisting of demographic information, students’ learning experience and ICT utilization practices was administered in the data collection process. Findings from this study provide several important insights on students’ learning experiences and ICT utilization in developing HOT skills.

Keywords: English as a second language students, critical and creative thinking, learning, information and communication technology and higher order thinking skills

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Authors: Faisal A. Salih

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Verapamil hydrochloride (Ver) is a drug used in medicine for arrythmia, angina and hypertension as a calcium channel blocker. For the quantitative determination of Ver in dosage forms, the HPLC method is most often used. A convenient alternative to the chromatographic method is potentiometry using a Verselective electrode, which does not require expensive equipment, can be used without separation from the matrix components, which significantly reduces the analysis time, and does not use toxic organic solvents, being a "green", "environmentally friendly" technique. It has been established in this study that the rational choice of the membrane plasticizer and the preconditioning and measurement algorithms, which prevent nonexchangeable extraction of Ver into the membrane phase, makes it possible to achieve excellent analytical characteristics of Ver-selective electrodes based on commercially available components. In particular, an electrode with the following membrane composition: PVC (32.8 wt %), ortho-nitrophenyloctyl ether (66.6 wt %), and tetrakis-4-chlorophenylborate (0.6 wt % or 0.01 M) have the lower detection limit 4 × 10−8 M and potential reproducibility 0.15–0.22 mV. Both direct potentiometry (DP) and potentiometric titration (PT) methods can be used for the determination of Ver in tablets and injection solutions. Masses of Ver per average tablet weight determined by the methods of DP and PT for the same set of 10 tablets were (80.4±0.2 and80.7±0.2) mg, respectively. The masses of Ver in solutions for injection, determined by DP for two ampoules from one set, were (5.00±0.015 and 5.004±0.006) mg. In all cases, good reproducibility and excellent correspondence with the declared quantities were observed.

Keywords: verapamil, potentiometry, ion-selective electrode, pharmaceutical analysis

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Authors: Jeanne-Mari Retief

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As of November 2016, three African states have withdrawn from the International Criminal Court (ICC) and more are expected to follow. The alleged abuse of universal jurisdiction and targeting of African states by the ICC motivated the withdrawals. These historical exits raise many questions, especially in regard to the adequate investigation and prosecution of international crimes in a continent with a history of impunity. Even though African courts exist and one more is proposed, many issues remain i.e. adequate access to the courts, the extent of the courts’ jurisdiction, and proposed methods of effectively dealing with international crimes in Africa. This paper seeks to address the practical effects of the withdrawal from the ICC and the problems posed through utilizing regional courts. It will specifically look at the practical challenges existing courts face, the lack of access to the latter, issues concerning the proposed African Court for Justice and Human Rights, and the shocking promotion of impunity in Africa. These all have severe implications for African citizens and victims of the most heinous crimes. The mantra of African solutions to African problems places an important duty on states to ensure the actual provision of these solutions, which can only be achieved through a critical analysis of the questions above.

Keywords: ACJHR, Africa, impunity, justice, Malabo protocol

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Authors: Fakhreddin Abedi, Wah June Leong

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Exponential stability of stochastic differential equations with non trivial solutions is provided in terms of Lyapunov functions. The main result of this paper establishes that, under certain hypotheses for the dynamics f(.) and g(.), practical exponential stability in probability at the small neighborhood of the origin is equivalent to the existence of an appropriate Lyapunov function. Indeed, we establish exponential stability of stochastic differential equation when almost all the state trajectories are bounded and approach a sufficiently small neighborhood of the origin. We derive sufficient conditions for exponential stability of stochastic differential equations. Finally, we give a numerical example illustrating our results.

Keywords: exponential stability in probability, stochastic differential equations, Lyapunov technique, Ito's formula

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Authors: Denise Levy, Helen J. Khoury

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Nuclear technology is a controversial issue among a great share of the Brazilian population. Misinformation and common wrong beliefs confuse public’s perceptions and the scientific community is expected to offer a wider perspective on the benefits and risks resulting from ionizing radiation in everyday life. Attentive to the need of new approaches between science and society, the Nuclear Energy Museum, in northeast Brazil, is an initiative created to communicate the growing impact of the beneficial applications of nuclear technology in medicine, industry, agriculture and electric power generation. Providing accessible scientific information, the museum offers a rich learning environment, making use of different educational strategies, such as films, interactive panels and multimedia learning tools, which not only increase the enjoyment of visitors, but also maximize their learning potential. Developed according to modern active learning instructional strategies, multimedia materials are designed to present the increasingly role of nuclear science in modern life, transforming science education into a meaningful learning experience. In year 2016, nine different interactive computer-based activities were developed, presenting curiosities about ionizing radiation in different landmarks around the world, such as radiocarbon dating works in Egypt, nuclear power generation in France and X-radiography of famous paintings in Italy. Feedback surveys have reported a high level of visitors’ satisfaction, proving the high quality experience in learning nuclear science at the museum. The Nuclear Energy Museum is the first and, up to the present time, the only permanent museum in Brazil devoted entirely to nuclear science.

Keywords: nuclear technology, multimedia learning tools, science museum, society and education

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Authors: Walid Moudani

Abstract:

The Crew Reserve Assignment Problem (CRAP) considers the assignment of the crew members to a set of reserve activities covering all the scheduled flights in order to ensure a continuous plan so that operations costs are minimized while its solution must meet hard constraints resulting from the safety regulations of Civil Aviation as well as from the airlines internal agreements. The problem considered in this study is of highest interest for airlines and may have important consequences on the service quality and on the economic return of the operations. In this communication, a new mathematical formulation for the CRAP is proposed which takes into account the regulations and the internal agreements. While current solutions make use of Artificial Intelligence techniques run on main frame computers, a low cost approach is proposed to provide on-line efficient solutions to face perturbed operating conditions. The proposed solution method uses a dynamic programming approach for the duties scheduling problem and when applied to the case of a medium airline while providing efficient solutions, shows good potential acceptability by the operations staff. This optimization scheme can then be considered as the core of an on-line Decision Support System for crew reserve assignment operations management.

Keywords: airlines operations management, combinatorial optimization, dynamic programming, crew scheduling

Procedia PDF Downloads 347

Authors: Lisete Barlach, Guilherme Ary Plonski

Abstract:

Innovative ideas are not always synonymous with business opportunities. Any idea can be creative and not recognized as a potential project in which money and time will be invested, among other resources. Even in firms that promote and enhance innovation, there are two 'check-points', the first corresponding to the acknowledgment of the idea as creative and the second, its consideration as a business opportunity. Both the recognition of new business opportunities or new ideas involve cognitive and psychological frameworks which provide individuals with a basis for noticing connections between seemingly independent events or trends as if they were 'connecting the dots'. It also involves prototypes-representing the most typical member of a certain category–functioning as 'templates' for this recognition. There is a general assumption that these kinds of evaluation processes develop through experience, explaining why expertise plays a central role in this process: the more experienced a professional, the easier for him (her) to identify new opportunities in business. But, paradoxically, an increase in expertise can lead to the inflexibility of thought due to automation of procedures. And, besides this, other cognitive biases can also be present, because new ideas or business opportunities generally depend on heuristics, rather than on established algorithms. The paper presents a literature review about the Einstellung effect by tracking famous cases of rejected ideas, extracted from historical records. It also presents the results of empirical research, with data upon rejected ideas gathered from two different environments: projects rejected during first semester of 2017 at a large incubator center in Sao Paulo and ideas proposed by employees that were rejected by a well-known business company, at its Brazilian headquarter. There is an implicit assumption that Einstellung effect tends to be more and more present in contemporaneity, due to time pressure upon decision-making and idea generation process. The analysis discusses desirability, viability, and feasibility as elements that affect decision-making.

Keywords: cognitive biases, Einstellung effect, recognition of business opportunities, rejected ideas

Procedia PDF Downloads 181

Authors: Arian Ebneyamini, Hoda Azimi, Jules Thibaults, F. Handan Tezel

Abstract:

In this study, a modification of Hennepe model for pervaporation separation of butanol from aqueous solutions using Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) mixed matrix membranes has been introduced and validated by experimental data. The model was compared to the original Hennepe model and few other models which are applicable for membrane gas separation processes such as Maxwell, Lewis Nielson and Pal. Theoretical modifications for non-ideal interface morphology have been offered to predict the permeability in case of interface void, interface rigidification and pore-blockage. The model was in a good agreement with experimental data.

Keywords: butanol, PDMS, modeling, pervaporation, mixed matrix membranes

Procedia PDF Downloads 200