Search results for: physical systems
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 14633

Search results for: physical systems

9113 Enhanced Exchange Bias in Poly-crystalline Compounds through Oxygen Vacancy and B-site Disorder

Authors: Koustav Pal, Indranil Das

Abstract:

In recent times, perovskite and double perovskite (DP) systems attracts lot of interest as they provide a rich material platform for studying emergent functionalities like near-room-temperature ferromagnetic (FM) insulators, exchange bias (EB), magnetocaloric effects, colossal magnetoresistance, anisotropy, etc. These interesting phenomena emerge because of complex couplings between spin, charge, orbital, and lattice degrees of freedom in these systems. Various magnetic phenomena such as exchange bias, spin glass, memory effect, colossal magneto-resistance, etc. can be modified and controlled through antisite (B-site) disorder or controlling oxygen concentration of the material. By controlling oxygen concentration in SrFe0.5Co0.5O3 – δ (SFCO) (δ ∼ 0.3), we achieve intrinsic exchange bias effect with a large exchange bias field (∼1.482 Tesla) and giant coercive field (∼1.454 Tesla). Now we modified the B-site by introducing 10% iridium in the system. This modification give rise to the exchange bias field as high as 1.865 tesla and coercive field 1.863 tesla. Our work aims to investigate the effect of oxygen deficiency and B-site effect on exchange bias in oxide materials for potential technological applications. Structural characterization techniques including X-ray diffraction, scanning tunneling microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were utilized to determine crystal structure and particle size. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to identify valence states of the ions. Magnetic analysis revealed that oxygen deficiency resulted in a large exchange bias due to a significant number of ionic mixtures. Iridium doping was found to break interaction paths, resulting in various antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic surfaces that enhance exchange bias.

Keywords: coercive field, disorder, exchange bias, spin glass

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9112 Practical Experiences in the Development of a Lab-Scale Process for the Production and Recovery of Fucoxanthin

Authors: Alma Gómez-Loredo, José González-Valdez, Jorge Benavides, Marco Rito-Palomares

Abstract:

Fucoxanthin is a carotenoid that exerts multiple beneficial effects on human health, including antioxidant, anti-cancer, antidiabetic and anti-obesity activity; making the development of a whole process for its production and recovery an important contribution. In this work, the lab-scale production and purification of fucoxanthin in Isocrhysis galbana have been studied. In batch cultures, low light intensities (13.5 μmol/m2s) and bubble agitation were the best conditions for production of the carotenoid with product yields of up to 0.143 mg/g. After fucoxanthin ethanolic extraction from biomass and hexane partition, further recovery and purification of the carotenoid has been accomplished by means of alcohol – salt Aqueous Two-Phase System (ATPS) extraction followed by an ultrafiltration (UF) step. An ATPS comprised of ethanol and potassium phosphate (Volume Ratio (VR) =3; Tie-line Length (TLL) 60% w/w) presented a fucoxanthin recovery yield of 76.24 ± 1.60% among the studied systems and was able to remove 64.89 ± 2.64% of the carotenoid and chlorophyll pollutants. For UF, the addition of ethanol to the original recovered ethanolic ATPS stream to a final relation of 74.15% (w/w) resulted in a reduction of approximately 16% of the protein contents, increasing product purity with a recovery yield of about 63% of the compound in the permeate stream. Considering the production, extraction and primary recovery (ATPS and UF) steps, around a 45% global fucoxanthin recovery should be expected. Although other purification technologies, such as Centrifugal Partition Chromatography are able to obtain fucoxanthin recoveries of up to 83%, the process developed in the present work does not require large volumes of solvents or expensive equipment. Moreover, it has a potential for scale up to commercial scale and represents a cost-effective strategy when compared to traditional separation techniques like chromatography.

Keywords: aqueous two-phase systems, fucoxanthin, Isochrysis galbana, microalgae, ultrafiltration

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9111 Violence Against Nurses – Healthcare Workers with Great Sacrifice - During The COVID-19 Pandemic: A Discussion Article

Authors: Sarieh Poortaghi, Zakiyeh Jafaryparvar, Marzieh Hasanpour, Reza Negarandeh

Abstract:

Aim: This article aims to discuss how violence against health care workers especially nurses affects health care systems and the quality of care of the patients. In this paper causes of violence and strategies to reduce it have been discussed. Methods: Discourse of the literature considering the violence against nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic and its reasons and outcomes. Results: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant increase in violence against healthcare providers. The attacker against nurses may be among patients, companions, visitors, colleagues such as doctors and other nurses, supervisors, and managers. Many individuals who experience violence in healthcare environments refrain from reporting it. The causes of violence against nurses include spending long periods with patients, perceiving nursing as a low-status profession, gender of nurses, direct and frequent contact with patients and their companions, inadequate facilities and high workload, weak healthcare delivery systems in public hospitals and inequality in health, nature of the department and shift type of personnel, work shifts and staff shortages, forcing nurses to work in non-standard conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic, prohibition of patient visits during the pandemic, patient death and nurses' sense of incompetence, and expressing stress through aggression. Workplace violence leads to a decrease in job satisfaction and an increase in continuous psychological stress, which has a negative impact on the personal and professional lives of nurses. Potential strategies for reducing workplace violence include protecting healthcare workers through laws, improving communication with patients and their families, critically analyzing information in social media, facilitating patient access through remote medical strategies, and improving access to primary healthcare services.

Keywords: nurses, health care workers, Covid-19, nursing

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9110 Exploring Partnership Brokering Science in Social Entrepreneurship: A Literature Review

Authors: Lani Fraizer

Abstract:

Increasingly, individuals from diverse professional and academic backgrounds are making a conscious choice to pursue careers related to social change; a sophisticated understanding of social entrepreneur education is becoming ever more important. Social entrepreneurs are impassioned change makers who characteristically combine leadership and entrepreneurial spirits to problem solve social ills affecting our planet. Generating partnership opportunities and nurturing them is an important part of their change-making work. Faced with the complexities of these partnerships, social entrepreneurs and people who work with them need to be well prepared to tackle new and unforeseen challenges faced. As partnerships become even more critical to advance initiatives at scale, for example, understanding the partnership brokering role is even more important for educators who prepare these leaders to establish and sustain multi-stakeholder partnerships. This paper aims to provide practitioners in social entrepreneurship with enhanced knowledge of partnership brokering and identify directions for future research. A literature review search from January 1977 to May 2015 was conducted using the combined keywords ‘partnership brokering’ and ‘social entrepreneurship’ via WorldCat, one of the largest database catalogs in the world with collections of more than 10,000 worldwide. This query focused on literature written in the English language and analyzed solely the role of partnership brokering in social entrepreneurship. The synthesis of the literature review found three main themes emerging: the need for more professional awareness of partnership brokering and its value add in systems change-making work, the need for more knowledge on developing partnership brokering competencies, and the need for more applied research in the area of partnership brokering and how it is practiced by practitioners in social entrepreneurship. The results of the review serve to emphasize and reiterate the importance of partnership brokers in social entrepreneurship work, and act as a reminder of the need for further scholarly research in this area to bridge the gap between practice and research.

Keywords: partnership brokering, leadership, social entrepreneurship, systems changemaking

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9109 A Case Study of Meaningful Learning in Play for Young Children

Authors: Baoliang Xu

Abstract:

The future of education should focus on creating meaningful learning for learners. Play is a basic form and an important means of carrying out kindergarten educational activities, which promotes the creation and development of meaningful learning and is of great importance in the harmonious physical and mental development of young children. Through literature research and case studies, this paper finds that: meaningful learning has the characteristics of contextuality, interaction and constructiveness; teachers should pay great attention to the guidance of children's games, fully respect children's autonomy and create a prepared game environment; children's meaningful learning exists in games and hidden in things that interest them, and "the generation of questions The "generation of questions" fuels the depth of children's meaningful learning, and teachers' professional support helps children's meaningful learning to develop continuously. In short, teachers' guidance of young children's play should be emphasized to effectively provide scaffolding instruction to promote meaningful learning in a holistic manner.

Keywords: meaningful learning, young childhood, game, case study

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9108 Multi-Label Approach to Facilitate Test Automation Based on Historical Data

Authors: Warda Khan, Remo Lachmann, Adarsh S. Garakahally

Abstract:

The increasing complexity of software and its applicability in a wide range of industries, e.g., automotive, call for enhanced quality assurance techniques. Test automation is one option to tackle the prevailing challenges by supporting test engineers with fast, parallel, and repetitive test executions. A high degree of test automation allows for a shift from mundane (manual) testing tasks to a more analytical assessment of the software under test. However, a high initial investment of test resources is required to establish test automation, which is, in most cases, a limitation to the time constraints provided for quality assurance of complex software systems. Hence, a computer-aided creation of automated test cases is crucial to increase the benefit of test automation. This paper proposes the application of machine learning for the generation of automated test cases. It is based on supervised learning to analyze test specifications and existing test implementations. The analysis facilitates the identification of patterns between test steps and their implementation with test automation components. For the test case generation, this approach exploits historical data of test automation projects. The identified patterns are the foundation to predict the implementation of unknown test case specifications. Based on this support, a test engineer solely has to review and parameterize the test automation components instead of writing them manually, resulting in a significant time reduction for establishing test automation. Compared to other generation approaches, this ML-based solution can handle different writing styles, authors, application domains, and even languages. Furthermore, test automation tools require expert knowledge by means of programming skills, whereas this approach only requires historical data to generate test cases. The proposed solution is evaluated using various multi-label evaluation criteria (EC) and two small-sized real-world systems. The most prominent EC is ‘Subset Accuracy’. The promising results show an accuracy of at least 86% for test cases, where a 1:1 relationship (Multi-Class) between test step specification and test automation component exists. For complex multi-label problems, i.e., one test step can be implemented by several components, the prediction accuracy is still at 60%. It is better than the current state-of-the-art results. It is expected the prediction quality to increase for larger systems with respective historical data. Consequently, this technique facilitates the time reduction for establishing test automation and is thereby independent of the application domain and project. As a work in progress, the next steps are to investigate incremental and active learning as additions to increase the usability of this approach, e.g., in case labelled historical data is scarce.

Keywords: machine learning, multi-class, multi-label, supervised learning, test automation

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9107 Electrochemical Biosensor for Rutin Detection with Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes and Cerium Dioxide Nanoparticles

Authors: Stephen Rathinaraj Benjamin, Flavio Colmati Junior, Maria Izabel Florindo Guedes, Rosa Amalia Fireman Dutra

Abstract:

A new enzymatic electrochemical biosensor based on multiwall carbon nanotubes and cerium oxide nanoparticles for the detection of rutin has been developed. The cerium oxide nanoparticles /HRP/ multiwall carbon nanotubes/ carbon paste electrode (HRP/ CeO2/MWCNTs/CPE) was prepared by ensuing addition of MWCNTs and HRP on the CPE, followed by the mixing with cerium oxide nanoparticles. Surface physical characteristics of the modified electrode and the electrochemical properties of the composite were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), cylic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV). The HRP/ CeO2/MWCNTs/CPE showed good selectivity, stability and reproducibility, which was further applied to detect rutin tablet and capsule samples with satisfactory results.

Keywords: cerium dioxide nanoparticles, horseradish peroxidase, multiwall carbon nanotubes, rutin

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9106 Investigation of Chip Formation Characteristics during Surface Finishing of HDPE Samples

Authors: M. S. Kaiser, S. Reaz Ahmed

Abstract:

Chip formation characteristics are investigated during surface finishing of high density polyethylene (HDPE) samples using a shaper machine. Both the cutting speed and depth of cut are varied continually to enable observations under various machining conditions. The generated chips are analyzed in terms of their shape, size, and deformation. Their physical appearances are also observed using digital camera and optical microscope. The investigation shows that continuous chips are obtained for all the cutting conditions. It is observed that cutting speed is more influential than depth of cut to cause dimensional changes of chips. Chips curl radius is also found to increase gradually with the increase of cutting speed. The length of continuous chips remains always smaller than the job length, and the corresponding discrepancies are found to be more prominent at lower cutting speed. Microstructures of the chips reveal that cracks are formed at higher cutting speeds and depth of cuts, which is not that significant at low depth of cut.

Keywords: HDPE, surface-finishing, chip formation, deformation, roughness

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9105 Effect pH on Chemical and Physical Properties of Iranian Fetta Cheese

Authors: M. Dezyani, R. Ezzati, H. Mirzaei

Abstract:

The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of pH on chemical, structural, and functional properties of Fetta cheese, and to relate changes in structure to changes in cheese unctionality. Fetta cheese was obtained from a cheese-production facility and stored at 4°C. Ten days after manufacture, the cheese was cut into blocks that were vacuum-packaged and stored for 4 d at 4°C. Cheese blocks were then high-pressure injected one, three, or five times with a 20% (wt/wt) glucono-δ-lactone solution. Successive injections were performed 24 h apart. Cheese blocks were then analyzed after 40 d of storage at 4°C. Acidulant injection decreased cheese pH from 5.3 in the uninjected cheese to 4.7 after five injections. Decreased pH increased the content of soluble calcium and slightly decreased the total calcium content of cheese. At the highest level, injection of acidulant promoted syneresis. Thus, after five injections, the moisture content of cheese decreased from 34 to 31%, which esulted in decreased cheese weight. Lowered cheese pH, 4.7 compared with 5.3, also resulted in contraction of the protein matrix. Acidulant injection decreased cheese hardness and cohesiveness, and the cheese became more crumbly.

Keywords: calcium, high-pressure injection, protein matrix, syneresis

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9104 Measuring Urban Sprawl in the Western Cape Province, South Africa: An Urban Sprawl Index for Comparative Purposes

Authors: Anele Horn, Amanda Van Eeden

Abstract:

The emphasis on the challenges posed by continued urbanisation, especially in developing countries has resulted in urban sprawl often researched and analysed in metropolitan urban areas, but rarely in small and medium towns. Consequently, there exists no comparative instrument between the proportional extent of urban sprawl in metropolitan areas measured against that of small and medium towns. This research proposes an Urban Sprawl Index as a possible tool to comparatively analyse the extent of urban sprawl between cities and towns of different sizes. The index can also be used over the longer term by authorities developing spatial policy to track the success or failure of specific tools intended to curb urban sprawl. In South Africa, as elsewhere in the world, the last two decades witnessed a proliferation of legislation and spatial policies to limit urban sprawl and contain the physical expansion and development of urban areas, but the measurement of the successes or failures of these instruments intending to curb expansive land development has remained a largely unattainable goal, largely as a result of the absence of an appropriate measure of proportionate comparison. As a result of the spatial political history of Apartheid, urban areas acquired a spatial form that contributed to the formation of single-core cities with far reaching and wide-spreading peripheral development, either in the form of affluent suburbs or as a result of post-Apartheid programmes such as the Reconstruction and Development Programme (1995) which, in an attempt to assist the immediate housing shortage, favoured the establishment of single dwelling residential units for low income communities on single plots on affordable land at the urban periphery. This invariably contributed to urban sprawl and even though this programme has since been abandoned, the trend towards low density residential development continues. The research area is the Western Cape Province in South Africa, which in all aspects exhibit the spatial challenges described above. In academia and popular media the City of Cape Town (the only Metropolitan authority in the province) has received the lion’s share of focus in terms of critique on urban development and spatial planning, however, the smaller towns and cities in the Western Cape arguably received much less public attention and were spared the naming and shaming of being unsustainable urban areas in terms of land consumption and physical expansion. The Urban Sprawl Index for the Western Cape (USIWC) put forward by this research enables local authorities in the Western Cape Province to measure the extent of urban sprawl proportionately and comparatively to other cities in the province, thereby acquiring a means of measuring the success of the spatial instruments employed to limit urban expansion and inefficient land consumption. In development of the USIWC the research made use of satellite data for reference years 2001 and 2011 and population growth data extracted from the national census, also for base years 2001 and 2011.

Keywords: urban sprawl, index, Western Cape, South Africa

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9103 Solar Energy for Decontamination of Ricinus communis

Authors: Elmo Thiago Lins Cöuras Ford, Valentina Alessandra Carvalho do Vale

Abstract:

The solar energy was used as a source of heating in Ricinus communis pie with the objective of eliminating or minimizing the percentage of the poison in it, so that it can be used as animal feed. A solar cylinder and plane collector were used as heating system. In the focal area of the solar concentrator a gutter support endowed with stove effect was placed. Parameters that denote the efficiency of the systems for the proposed objective was analyzed.

Keywords: solar energy, concentrate, Ricinus communis, temperature

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9102 The Investigation of Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence Levels in Adolescents

Authors: Arda Ozturk, Turgay Ozgur, Mursit Aksoy, Bahar O. Ozgur, Ozan Yilmaz

Abstract:

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of 8 weeks of basic basketball and volleyball exercises to Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence (BKI) levels in 245 (92 girls and 154 boys) adolescents aged between 12 and 14 years. Data collected via Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence scale as a subdimension of Multiple Intelligences Inventory. BKI levels were not different between basketball and volleyball groups. Statistical analyses were made based on gender, age groups (12, 13, 14 years) and exercise type. Independent samples t-test revealed that there was no significant difference between boy’s and girl’s BKI levels. One way ANOVA test revealed that there was significant difference between age group’s (12, 13, 14) BKI levels in post-test. However, Paired samples t-test revealed no significant differences between pre-post test results of adolescent’s BKI levels. In conclusion, despite the relatively long-term (8 weeks) physical activity. BKI levels have not shown significant differences.

Keywords: bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, adolescent, basketball, volleyball

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9101 Vibro-Tactile Equalizer for Musical Energy-Valence Categorization

Authors: Dhanya Nair, Nicholas Mirchandani

Abstract:

Musical haptic systems can enhance a listener’s musical experience while providing an alternative platform for the hearing impaired to experience music. Current music tactile technologies focus on representing tactile metronomes to synchronize performers or encoding musical notes into distinguishable (albeit distracting) tactile patterns. There is growing interest in the development of musical haptic systems to augment the auditory experience, although the haptic-music relationship is still not well understood. This paper represents a tactile music interface that provides vibrations to multiple fingertips in synchronicity with auditory music. Like an audio equalizer, different frequency bands are filtered out, and the power in each frequency band is computed and converted to a corresponding vibrational strength. These vibrations are felt on different fingertips, each corresponding to a different frequency band. Songs with music from different spectrums, as classified by their energy and valence, were used to test the effectiveness of the system and to understand the relationship between music and tactile sensations. Three participants were trained on one song categorized as sad (low energy and low valence score) and one song categorized as happy (high energy and high valence score). They were trained both with and without auditory feedback (listening to the song while experiencing the tactile music on their fingertips and then experiencing the vibrations alone without the music). The participants were then tested on three songs from both categories, without any auditory feedback, and were asked to classify the tactile vibrations they felt into either category. The participants were blinded to the songs being tested and were not provided any feedback on the accuracy of their classification. These participants were able to classify the music with 100% accuracy. Although the songs tested were on two opposite spectrums (sad/happy), the preliminary results show the potential of utilizing a vibrotactile equalizer, like the one presented, for augmenting musical experience while furthering the current understanding of music tactile relationship.

Keywords: haptic music relationship, tactile equalizer, tactile music, vibrations and mood

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9100 The Use of Alternative Material to Fabric in Stage Costume

Authors: Melahat Çevik

Abstract:

The discovery of fabric has a quite old historical perspective because of veiling, heating and shelter needs of human. Since the days which fashion has a say, this situation has pasted beyond needs and has become status symbols. For the theater art drama which tell people by people, in the concern of reflecting daily life there will be such regards also we may see alternative products to artistically reshaped fabric. The stage is determined in the consensus of costume designer and director. Costume Designer does the research, taking into account the alternative products. Approaching nature as inventor, discovering products, shapes the work because in this work, cost is considerable. All types of fabric will be used but also new materials which are not presented to clothing industry yet are of great importance. In the discovery of new materials there priorities of the costume designer. In the scene everything should be determined in the axis of actor. The material discussed should have positive qualities which allow the performer to move and invigorate him or her in terms of physical and also should be positive in terms of health. This point must be approached in a more precise in high action plays and the obtained material should be tested before the presentation process.

Keywords: fabric, stage design, alternative materials, clothing industry

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9099 Tailorability of Poly(Aspartic Acid)/BSA Complex by Self-Assembling in Aqueous Solutions

Authors: Loredana E. Nita, Aurica P. Chiriac, Elena Stoleru, Alina Diaconu, Tudorachi Nita

Abstract:

Self-assembly processes are an attractive method to form new and complex structures between macromolecular compounds to be used for specific applications. In this context, intramolecular and intermolecular bonds play a key role during self-assembling processes in preparation of carrier systems of bioactive substances. Polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) are formed through electrostatic interactions, and though they are significantly below of the covalent linkages in their strength, these complexes are sufficiently stable owing to the association processes. The relative ease way of PECs formation makes from them a versatile tool for preparation of various materials, with properties that can be tuned by adjusting several parameters, such as the chemical composition and structure of polyelectrolytes, pH and ionic strength of solutions, temperature and post-treatment procedures. For example, protein-polyelectrolyte complexes (PPCs) are playing an important role in various chemical and biological processes, such as protein separation, enzyme stabilization and polymer drug delivery systems. The present investigation is focused on evaluation of the PPC formation between a synthetic polypeptide (poly(aspartic acid) – PAS) and a natural protein (bovine serum albumin - BSA). The PPC obtained from PAS and BSA in different ratio was investigated by corroboration of various techniques of characterization as: spectroscopy, microscopy, thermo-gravimetric analysis, DLS and zeta potential determination, measurements which were performed in static and/or dynamic conditions. The static contact angle of the sample films was also determined in order to evaluate the changes brought upon surface free energy of the prepared PPCs in interdependence with the complexes composition. The evolution of hydrodynamic diameter and zeta potential of the PPC, recorded in situ, confirm changes of both co-partners conformation, a 1/1 ratio between protein and polyelectrolyte being benefit for the preparation of a stable PPC. Also, the study evidenced the dependence of PPC formation on the temperature of preparation. Thus, at low temperatures the PPC is formed with compact structure, small dimension and hydrodynamic diameter, close to those of BSA. The behavior at thermal treatment of the prepared PPCs is in agreement with the composition of the complexes. From the contact angle determination results the increase of the PPC films cohesion, which is higher than that of BSA films. Also, a higher hydrophobicity corresponds to the new PPC films denoting a good adhesion of the red blood cells onto the surface of PSA/BSA interpenetrated systems. The SEM investigation evidenced as well the specific internal structure of PPC concretized in phases with different size and shape in interdependence with the interpolymer mixture composition.

Keywords: polyelectrolyte – protein complex, bovine serum albumin, poly(aspartic acid), self-assembly

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9098 Building and Development of the Stock Market Institutional Infrastructure in Russia

Authors: Irina Bondarenko, Olga Vandina

Abstract:

The theory of evolutionary economics is the basis for preparation and application of methods forming the stock market infrastructure development concept. The authors believe that the basis for the process of formation and development of the stock market model infrastructure in Russia is the theory of large systems. This theory considers the financial market infrastructure as a whole on the basis of macroeconomic approach with the further definition of its aims and objectives. Evaluation of the prospects for interaction of securities market institutions will enable identifying the problems associated with the development of this system. The interaction of elements of the stock market infrastructure allows to reduce the costs and time of transactions, thereby freeing up resources of market participants for more efficient operation. Thus, methodology of the transaction analysis allows to determine the financial infrastructure as a set of specialized institutions that form a modern quasi-stable system. The financial infrastructure, based on international standards, should include trading systems, regulatory and supervisory bodies, rating agencies, settlement, clearing and depository organizations. Distribution of financial assets, reducing the magnitude of transaction costs, increased transparency of the market are promising tasks in the solution for questions of services level and quality increase provided by institutions of the securities market financial infrastructure. In order to improve the efficiency of the regulatory system, it is necessary to provide "standards" for all market participants. The development of a clear regulation for the barrier to the stock market entry and exit, provision of conditions for the development and implementation of new laws regulating the activities of participants in the securities market, as well as formulation of proposals aimed at minimizing risks and costs, will enable the achievement of positive results. The latter will be manifested in increasing the level of market participant security and, accordingly, the attractiveness of this market for investors and issuers.

Keywords: institutional infrastructure, financial assets, regulatory system, stock market, transparency of the market

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9097 Role of Energy Storage in Renewable Electricity Systems in The Gird of Ethiopia

Authors: Dawit Abay Tesfamariam

Abstract:

Ethiopia’s Climate- Resilient Green Economy (ECRGE) strategy focuses mainly on generating and proper utilization of renewable energy (RE). Nonetheless, the current electricity generation of the country is dominated by hydropower. The data collected in 2016 by Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) indicates that the intermittent RE sources from solar and wind energy were only 8 %. On the other hand, the EEP electricity generation plan in 2030 indicates that 36.1 % of the energy generation share will be covered by solar and wind sources. Thus, a case study was initiated to model and compute the balance and consumption of electricity in three different scenarios: 2016, 2025, and 2030 using the EnergyPLAN Model (EPM). Initially, the model was validated using the 2016 annual power-generated data to conduct the EnergyPLAN (EP) analysis for two predictive scenarios. The EP simulation analysis using EPM for 2016 showed that there was no significant excess power generated. Thus, the EPM was applied to analyze the role of energy storage in RE in Ethiopian grid systems. The results of the EP simulation analysis showed there will be excess production of 402 /7963 MW average and maximum, respectively, in 2025. The excess power was in the three rainy months of the year (June, July, and August). The outcome of the model also showed that in the dry seasons of the year, there would be excess power production in the country. Consequently, based on the validated outcomes of EP indicates, there is a good reason to think about other alternatives for the utilization of excess energy and storage of RE. Thus, from the scenarios and model results obtained, it is realistic to infer that if the excess power is utilized with a storage system, it can stabilize the grid system and be exported to support the economy. Therefore, researchers must continue to upgrade the current and upcoming storage system to synchronize with potentials that can be generated from renewable energy.

Keywords: renewable energy, power, storage, wind, energy plan

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9096 Recycling of Post-Industrial Cotton Wastes: Quality and Rotor Spinning of Reclaimed Fibers

Authors: Béchir Wanassi, Béchir Azzouz, Taher Halimi, Mohamed Ben Hassen

Abstract:

Mechanical recycling of post-industrial cotton yarn wastes, as well as the effects of passage number on the properties of reclaimed fibers, have been investigated. A new Modified Fiber Quality Index (MFQI) and Spinning Consistency Index (MSCI) for the characterization of the quality are presented. This index gives the real potential of spinnability according to its physical properties. The best quality of reclaimed fibers (after 7th passage) was used to produce rotor yarns. 100% recycling cotton yarns were produced in open-end spinning system with different rotor speed (i.e. 65000, 70000, and 80000 rpm), opening roller speed (i.e. 7700, 8200, and 8700 rpm) and twist factor (i.e. 137, 165, and 183). The effects of spinning parameters were investigated to evaluate a 100% recycling cotton yarns quality (TQI, hairiness, thin places, and thick places) using DOE method.

Keywords: cotton wastes, DOE, mechanical recycling, rotor spinning

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9095 A Detailed Study of Two Different Airfoils on Flight Performance of MAV of Same Physical Dimension

Authors: Shoeb A. Adeel, Shashant Anand, Vivek Paul, Dinesh, Suraj, Roshan

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The paper presents a study of micro air vehicles (MAVs) with wingspans of 20 Cm with two different airfoil configurations. MAVs have vast potential applications in both military and civilian areas. These MAVs are fully autonomous and supply real-time data. The paper focuses on two different designs of the MAVs one being N22 airfoil and the other a flat plate with similar dimension. As designed, the MAV would fly in a low Reynolds-number regime at airspeeds of 15 & 20 m/sec. Propulsion would be provided by an electric motor with an advanced lithium. Because of the close coupling between vehicle elements, system integration would be a significant challenge, requiring tight packaging and multifunction components to meet mass limitations and Centre of Gravity (C.G) balancing. These MAVs are feasible and within a couple of years of technology development in key areas including sensors, propulsion, Aerodynamics, and packaging these would be easily available to the users at affordable prices. The paper finally compares the flight performance of the two configurations.

Keywords: airfoil, CFD, MAV, flight performance, endurance, climb, lift, drag

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9094 An Application of Geographic Information System to Select Areas for Sanitary Landfill in Bang Nok- Khwaek Municipality

Authors: Musthaya Patchanee

Abstract:

The study of Sanitary landfill in Bang Nok-khwaek municipality consists of two procedures. First, to survey and create the spatial database by using physical factor, environmental factor, economical factor and social factor to follow the method of Geographic information system: GIS, second, to analyze the proper spatial for allocating the sanitary landfill in Bang Nok-khwaek municipality by using Overlay techniques to calculate the weighting linear total in Arc GIS program. The study found that there are 2.49 sq.km. proper spatial for the sanitary landfill in Bang Nok-khwaek municipals city which is 66.76% of the whole area. The highest proper spatial is 0.02 sq.km. which is 0.54%, The high proper spatial is 0.3 sq.km. which is 8.04%, the moderate spatial is 1.62 sq.km. which is 43.43% and the low proper spatial is 0.55 sq.km. which is 14.75%. These results will be used as the guideline to select the sanitary landfill area in accordance with sanitation standard for Subdistrict Administrative Organization and Subbdistrict Municipality in Samut Songkhram provice.

Keywords: Geographic Information System (GIS), sanitary landfill, Bang Nok-Khwaek municipality, Subdistrict Administrative Organization

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9093 Modelling and Analysis of Shear Banding in Flow of Complex Fluids

Authors: T. Chinyoka

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We present the Johnson-Segalman constitutive model to capture certain fluid flow phenomena that has been experimentally observed in the flow of complex polymeric fluids. In particular, experimentally observed phenomena such as shear banding, spurt and slip are explored and/or explained in terms of the non-monotonic shear-stress versus shear-rate relationships. We also explore the effects of the inclusion of physical flow aspects such as wall porosity on shear banding. We similarly also explore the effects of the inclusion of mathematical modelling aspects such as stress diffusion into the stress constitutive models in order to predict shear-stress (or shear-rate) paths. We employ semi-implicit finite difference methods for all the computational solution procedures.

Keywords: Johnson-Segalman model, diffusive Johnson-Segalman model, shear banding, finite difference methods, complex fluid flow

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9092 Utilizing Waste Heat from Thermal Power Plants to Generate Power by Modelling an Atmospheric Vortex Engine

Authors: Mohammed Nabeel Khan, C. Perisamy

Abstract:

Convective vortices are normal highlights of air that ingest lower-entropy-energy at higher temperatures than they dismiss higher-entropy-energy to space. By means of the thermodynamic proficiency, it has been anticipated that the force of convective vortices relies upon the profundity of the convective layer. The atmospheric vortex engine is proposed as a gadget for delivering mechanical energy by methods for artificially produced vortex. The task of the engine is in view of the certainties that the environment is warmed from the base and cooled from the top. By generation of the artificial vortex, it is planned to take out the physical solar updraft tower and decrease the capital of the solar chimney power plants. The study shows the essentials of the atmospheric vortex engine, furthermore, audits the cutting edge in subject. Moreover, the study talks about a thought on using the solar energy as heat source to work the framework. All in all, the framework is attainable and promising for electrical power production.

Keywords: AVE, atmospheric vortex engine, atmosphere, updraft, vortex

Procedia PDF Downloads 161
9091 Mobile App Architecture in 2023: Build Your Own Mobile App

Authors: Mounir Filali

Abstract:

Companies use many innovative ways to reach their customers to stay ahead of the competition. Along with the growing demand for innovative business solutions is the demand for new technology. The most noticeable area of demand for business innovations is the mobile application industry. Recently, companies have recognized the growing need to integrate proprietary mobile applications into their suite of services; Companies have realized that developing mobile apps gives them a competitive edge. As a result, many have begun to rapidly develop mobile apps to stay ahead of the competition. Mobile application development helps companies meet the needs of their customers. Mobile apps also help businesses to take advantage of every potential opportunity to generate leads that convert into sales. Mobile app download growth statistics with the recent rise in demand for business-related mobile apps, there has been a similar rise in the range of mobile app solutions being offered. Today, companies can use the traditional route of the software development team to build their own mobile applications. However, there are also many platform-ready "low-code and no-code" mobile apps available to choose from. These mobile app development options have more streamlined business processes. This helps them be more responsive to their customers without having to be coding experts. Companies must have a basic understanding of mobile app architecture to attract and maintain the interest of mobile app users. Mobile application architecture refers to the buildings or structural systems and design elements that make up a mobile application. It also includes the technologies, processes, and components used during application development. The underlying foundation of all applications consists of all elements of the mobile application architecture, developing a good mobile app architecture requires proper planning and strategic design. The technology framework or platform on the back end and user-facing side of a mobile application is part of the mobile architecture of the application. In-application development Software programmers loosely refer to this set of mobile architecture systems and processes as the "technology stack".

Keywords: mobile applications, development, architecture, technology

Procedia PDF Downloads 102
9090 Top-Down, Middle-Out, Bottom-Up: A Design Approach to Transforming Prison

Authors: Roland F. Karthaus, Rachel S. O'Brien

Abstract:

Over the past decade, the authors have undertaken applied research aimed at enabling transformation within the prison service to improve conditions and outcomes for those living, working and visiting in prisons in the UK and the communities they serve. The research has taken place against a context of reducing resources and public discontent at increasing levels of violence, deteriorating conditions and persistently high levels of re-offending. Top-down governmental policies have mainly been ineffectual and in some cases counter-productive. The prison service is characterised by hierarchical organisation, and the research has applied design thinking at multiple levels to challenge and precipitate change: top-down, middle-out and bottom-up. The research employs three distinct but related approaches, system design (top-down): working at the national policy level to analyse the changing policy context, identifying opportunities and challenges; engaging with the Ministry of Justice commissioners and sector organisations to facilitate debate, introducing new evidence and provoking creative thinking, place-based design (middle-out): working with individual prison establishments as pilots to illustrate and test the potential for local empowerment, creative change, and improved architecture within place-specific contexts and organisational hierarchies, everyday design (bottom-up): working with individuals in the system to explore the potential for localised, significant, demonstrator changes; including collaborative design, capacity building and empowerment in skills, employment, communication, training, and other activities. The research spans a series of projects, through which the methodological approach has developed responsively. The projects include a place-based model for the re-purposing of Ministry of Justice land assets for the purposes of rehabilitation; an evidence-based guide to improve prison design for health and well-being; capacity-based employment, skills and self-build project as a template for future open prisons. The overarching research has enabled knowledge to be developed and disseminated through policy and academic networks. Whilst the research remains live and continuing; key findings are emerging as a basis for a new methodological approach to effecting change in the UK prison service. An interdisciplinary approach is necessary to overcome the barriers between distinct areas of the prison service. Sometimes referred to as total environments, prisons encompass entire social and physical environments which themselves are orchestrated by institutional arms of government, resulting in complex systems that cannot be meaningfully engaged through narrow disciplinary lenses. A scalar approach is necessary to connect strategic policies with individual experiences and potential, through the medium of individual prison establishments, operating as discrete entities within the system. A reflexive process is necessary to connect research with action in a responsive mode, learning to adapt as the system itself is changing. The role of individuals in the system, their latent knowledge and experience and their ability to engage and become agents of change are essential. Whilst the specific characteristics of the UK prison system are unique, the approach is internationally applicable.

Keywords: architecture, design, policy, prison, system, transformation

Procedia PDF Downloads 133
9089 Polyvictimization and the Risk of Harm to Self and Others among Children and Youth

Authors: Shannon L. Stewart, Ashley Toohey, Natalia Lapshina

Abstract:

There is a well-established relationship between childhood maltreatment and negative outcomes (e.g., physical and mental health problems, social skill deficits, poor quality of life). The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between polyvictimization (multiple types of trauma) and risk of harm to self and others, taking into account possible age and sex differences. A total of 8980 children and youth were recruited from over 50 mental health facilities across Ontario, Canada. Among this sample, 29% of children and youth had experienced polyvictimization. Results showed that female children and youth who had experienced trauma were at greater risk of harm to themselves, while their male counterparts were at greater risk of harming others. Further, findings from this study highlight that experiencing polyvictimization, regardless of age or sex, increased the risk of harm to self and others. These findings add to extant literature as to the cumulative relationship between polyvictimization and risk in relation to harming oneself or others. Further, results from this study have significant implications for assessment and care-planning for those children and youth presenting with a trauma background.

Keywords: children's mental health, polyvictimization, risk of harm, sex differences

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9088 Nano Fat Injection for Scar Treatment and Skin Rejuvenation

Authors: Sokol Isaraj, Lorela Bendo

Abstract:

Scars resulting from surgery, injury, or burns have a physical and psychological impact on the affected patient. Although a number of treatments are available, nano fat grafting is an effective treatment for scars. Nano fat is a liquid suspension rich in stem cells obtained by mechanical emulsification. Nano fat grafting was performed in 10 cases to correct rhytides, surgical scars and post-burn scars between January 2022 and April 2022. Fat was aspirated from the lower abdomen or trochanteric region. After emulsification and filtration protocol, the resulting nano fat liquid was injected intradermally and subdermally. All patients filled out a questionnaire at 3 months post-treatment which consisted of questions regarding the grade of improvement of skin and recommendation of the procedure. The clinical results were apparent between 2 and 3 weeks after the treatment. All patients confirmed an improvement in skin texture and quality. The most significant improvement was seen in pigmentation and pliability. No complications were reported. Nano fat seems to be a safe and effective treatment for scar treatment and skin rejuvenation.

Keywords: fat grafting, fat transfer, microfat, nanofat

Procedia PDF Downloads 83
9087 Investigation of Comfort Properties of Knitted Fabrics

Authors: Mehmet Karahan, Nevin Karahan

Abstract:

Water and air permeability and thermal resistance of fabrics are the important attributes which strongly influence the thermo-physiological comfort properties of sportswear fabrics in different environmental conditions. In this work, terry and fleece fabrics were developed by varying the fiber content and areal density of fabrics. Further, the thermo-physical properties, including air permeability, water vapor permeability, and thermal resistance, of the developed fabrics were analyzed before and after washing. The multi-response optimization of thermo-physiological comfort properties was done by using principal component analysis (PCA) and Taguchi signal to noise ratio (PCA-S/N ratio) for optimal properties. It was found that the selected parameters resulted in a significant effect on thermo-physiological comfort properties of knitted fabrics. The PCA analysis showed that before wash, 100% cotton fabric with an aerial weight of 220 g.m⁻² gave optimum values of thermo-physiological comfort.

Keywords: thermo-physiological comfort, fleece knitted fabric, air permeability, water vapor transmission, cotton/polyester

Procedia PDF Downloads 117
9086 Developing Women’s Football in Asia and Oceania - 1970s to 1990s

Authors: Luciane Lauffer

Abstract:

Over the past decade, the expansion of women’s football as a competitive sport has gained more attention from the media and researchers. However, the practice of the sport is not new, and in Asia and Oceania, women’s football has emerged as a common physical activity in many countries since the 1970s. This study recovers the major occurrences that made women’s football possible in an international context, also resulting from the main achievements of the feminist movement in most Westernized countries. Using archival research, the author reviews documents that compose the history of the women’s game, marked by many imposed barriers imposed by social and gender norms. This materials present how women managed their sport in their respective countries and regions, mostly prompted by a spirit of cooperation and partnerships that allowed the staging of major international events. The findings point out that, despite the layers of gendered boundaries that attempted to contain the expansion of the sport, women from Asia and Oceania made the sport flourish and eventually achieving recognition at the international level.

Keywords: women’s football, gender norms, game development, Asia-pacific

Procedia PDF Downloads 106
9085 Genetic Programming: Principles, Applications and Opportunities for Hydrological Modelling

Authors: Oluwaseun K. Oyebode, Josiah A. Adeyemo

Abstract:

Hydrological modelling plays a crucial role in the planning and management of water resources, most especially in water stressed regions where the need to effectively manage the available water resources is of critical importance. However, due to the complex, nonlinear and dynamic behaviour of hydro-climatic interactions, achieving reliable modelling of water resource systems and accurate projection of hydrological parameters are extremely challenging. Although a significant number of modelling techniques (process-based and data-driven) have been developed and adopted in that regard, the field of hydrological modelling is still considered as one that has sluggishly progressed over the past decades. This is majorly as a result of the identification of some degree of uncertainty in the methodologies and results of techniques adopted. In recent times, evolutionary computation (EC) techniques have been developed and introduced in response to the search for efficient and reliable means of providing accurate solutions to hydrological related problems. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the underlying principles, methodological needs and applications of a promising evolutionary computation modelling technique – genetic programming (GP). It examines the specific characteristics of the technique which makes it suitable to solving hydrological modelling problems. It discusses the opportunities inherent in the application of GP in water related-studies such as rainfall estimation, rainfall-runoff modelling, streamflow forecasting, sediment transport modelling, water quality modelling and groundwater modelling among others. Furthermore, the means by which such opportunities could be harnessed in the near future are discussed. In all, a case for total embracement of GP and its variants in hydrological modelling studies is made so as to put in place strategies that would translate into achieving meaningful progress as it relates to modelling of water resource systems, and also positively influence decision-making by relevant stakeholders.

Keywords: computational modelling, evolutionary algorithms, genetic programming, hydrological modelling

Procedia PDF Downloads 298
9084 Preliminary Study Investigating Trunk Muscle Fatigue and Cognitive Function in Event Riders during a Simulated Jumping Test

Authors: Alice Carter, Lucy Dumbell, Lorna Cameron, Victoria Lewis

Abstract:

The Olympic discipline of eventing is the triathlon of equestrian sport, consisting of dressage, cross-country and show jumping. Falls on the cross-country are common and can be serious even causing death to rider. Research identifies an increased risk of a fall with an increasing number of obstacles and for jumping efforts later in the course suggesting fatigue maybe a contributing factor. Advice based on anecdotal evidence suggests riders undertake strength and conditioning programs to improve their ‘core’, thus improving their ability to maintain and control their riding position. There is little empirical evidence to support this advice. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate truck muscle fatigue and cognitive function during a simulated jumping test. Eight adult riders participated in a riding test on a Racewood Event simulator for 10 minutes, over a continuous jumping programme. The SEMG activity of six trunk muscles were bilaterally measured at every minute, and normalised root mean squares (RMS) and median frequencies (MDF) were computed from the EMG power spectra. Visual analogue scales (VAS) measuring Fatigue and Pain levels and Cognitive Function ‘tapping’ tests were performed before and after the riding test. Average MDF values for all muscles differed significantly between each sampled minute (p = 0.017), however a consistent decrease from Minute 1 and Minute 9 was not found, suggesting the trunk muscles fatigued and then recovered as other muscle groups important in maintaining the riding position during dynamic movement compensated. Differences between the MDF and RMS of different muscles were highly significant (H=213.01, DF=5, p < 0.001), supporting previous anecdotal evidence that different trunk muscles carry out different roles of posture maintenance during riding. RMS values were not significantly different between the sampled minutes or between riders, suggesting the riding test produced a consistent and repeatable effect on the trunk muscles. MDF values differed significantly between riders (H=50.8, DF = 5, p < 0.001), suggesting individuals may experience localised muscular fatigue of the same test differently, and that other parameters of physical fitness should be investigated to provide conclusions. Lumbar muscles were shown to be important in maintaining the position, therefore physical training program should focus on these areas. No significant differences were found between pre- and post-riding test VAS Pain and Fatigue scores or cognitive function test scores, suggesting the riding test was not significantly fatiguing for participants. However, a near significant correlation was found between time of riding test and VAS Pain score (p = 0.06), suggesting somatic pain may be a limiting factor to performance. No other correlations were found between the factors of participant riding test time, VAS Pain and Fatigue, however a larger sample needs to be tested to improve statistical analysis. The findings suggest the simulator riding test was not sufficient to provoke fatigue in the riders, however foundations for future studies have been laid to enable methodologies in realistic eventing settings.

Keywords: eventing, fatigue, horse-rider, surface EMG, trunk muscles

Procedia PDF Downloads 191