Search results for: direct blue 199

Authors: Irena Paramita Pramono

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Islamic bank is a financial industry with huge potential to grow in Indonesia. Profit-sharing agreement in the operations of Islamic banks distinguishes Islamic banks with conventional banks. Profit-sharing agreement allows sharing of benefits and risks between shahibul maal and mudharib in islamic bank. This study aimed to observe the patterns of influence between the risk-sharing agreement, financing risk and Profitability in Islamic banks. This research used several Islamic banks as sample and path analysis method. The empirical results of this research shows that the profit-sharing agreement in deposits structure has no direct significant effect to ROA, but it has indirect effect to ROA through profit-sharing financing. On the other hand, profit-sharing financing has direct and indirect influence to ROA through financing risk. This research shows that profit-sharing financing has a positive significant effect to the financing risk and also to the ROA. The research recommends Islamic banks to continue using and developing profit-sharing agreement in its operational activities, hence to create value.

Keywords: Islamic bank, profit-loss sharing agreement, financing risk, profitability

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Authors: Alireza Saviz, Sedigheh Zarei

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Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is an integral part of an open and effective international economic system and a major catalyst to development. Developing countries, emerging economies and countries in transition have come increasingly to see FDI as a source of economic development modernization, income growth and employment. FDI is an important vehicle for the transfer of technology, contributing relatively more to growth than domestic investment. Exploratory research is being conducted here. The data for the study is collected from secondary sources like research papers, journals, websites and reports. This paper aim was to generate knowledge on Iran’s situation through these factors after lifting sanction in comparison to Turkey. Although the most important factors that influence foreign investor decisions vary depending on the countries, sectors, years, and the objective of investor, nowadays governments should pay more attention to human resources education, marketing, infrastructure and administrative process in order to attracting foreign investors. A proper understanding of these findings will help governments to create appropriate policies in order to encourage more foreign investors

Keywords: foreign direct investment, host country, competitive advantage, FDI

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Authors: L. Korpinen, R. Pääkkönen, F. Gobba

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Accidents and close call situations involving cell phones are nowadays possible. The objective of this study was to investigate the accidents and close call situations due to cell phone use while moving, driving, and working among Finns aged between 18 and 65. This work is part of a large cross-sectional study that was carried out on 15,000 working-age Finns. About 26% of people who had an accident, and about half of the people including close call situation with the mobile phone, answered that use of the phone influenced. In the future, it is important to take into account that the use of a mobile phone can be distracting while driving.

Keywords: blue-collar workers, accident, cell phone, close call situation

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Authors: Abhishek Pandey

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Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen is widely used as prescription & non-prescription medicine. Ibuprofen mainly used in the treatment of mild to moderate pain related to headache, migraine, postoperative condition and in the management of spondylitis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Acetaminophen is used as an analgesic and antipyretic drug. Ibuprofen having high tendency of sticking to punches of tablet punching machine while Acetaminophen is not ordinarily compressible to tablet formulation because Acetaminophen crystals are very hard and brittle in nature and fracture very easily when compressed producing capping and laminating tablet defects therefore wet granulation method is used to make them compressible. The aim of study was to prepare Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen tablets by direct compression and top spray granulation technique. In this Investigation tablets were prepared by using directly compressible grade excipients. Dibasic calcium phosphate, lactose anhydrous (DCL21), microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel PH 101). In order to obtain best or optimized formulation, nine different formulations were generated among them batch F7, F8, F9 shows good results and within the acceptable limit. Formulation (F7) selected as optimize product on the basis of dissolution study. Furtherly, directly compressible granules of both drugs were prepared by using top spray granulation technique in fluidized bed processor equipment and compressed .In order to obtain best product process optimization was carried out by performing four trials in which various parameters like inlet air temperature, spray rate, peristaltic pump rpm, % LOD, properties of granules, blending time and hardness were optimized. Batch T3 coined as optimized batch on the basis physical & chemical evaluation. Finally formulations prepared by both techniques were compared.

Keywords: direct compression, top spray granulation, process optimization, blending time

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Authors: Afshin Akhondzadeh Basti, Zohreh Mashak, Ali Khanjari, Mohammad Adel Rezaei, Fatemeh Mohammadkhan

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Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a halophilic bacterium and often causes gastroenteritis because of consumption of raw or inadequately cooked seafood. Studies showed a strong association of thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH) produced by members of this species with its pathogenicity. The effects of garlic (Allium sativum) essential oil at concentrations of 0, 0.005, 0.015, 0.03 and 0.045% on the minimum inhibitiotory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), growth curve and production of TDH toxin of vibrio parahaemolyticus were studied in BHI model. MIC and MBC of Allium sativum essential oil was estimated 0.03%. The results of this study revealed that the TDH production was significantly affected by Allium sativum EO and titers of TDH production in 0 and 0.005 % were 1/256 whereas this titer in 0.015 % concentration of EO. Concentrations of 0.005 and 0/015 % of garlic essential oil reduced the bacterial growth rate significantly (P < 0.05) compared to the control group. According to the results Allium sativum essential oil showed to be effective against bacterial growth and production of TDH toxin. Its potential application in food systems may be suggested.

Keywords: allium sativum essential oil, vibrio parahaemolyticus, TDH, consumption

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Authors: Samuel Ahamefula

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Turbulent motion is a highly nonlinear and complex phenomenon, and its modelling is still very challenging. In this study, we developed a hybrid computational approach to accurately simulate fluid turbulence phenomenon. The focus is coupling and transitioning between Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) and Large Eddy Simulating Wall Models (LES-WM) regions. In the framework, high-order fidelity fluid dynamical methods are utilized to simulate the unsteady compressible Navier-Stokes equations in the Eulerian format on the unstructured moving grids. The coupling and transitioning of DNS and LES-WM are conducted through the linearly staggered Dirichlet-Neumann coupling scheme. The high-fidelity framework is verified and validated based on namely, DNS ability for capture full range of turbulent scales, giving accurate results and LES-WM efficiency in simulating near-wall turbulent boundary layer by using wall models.

Keywords: computational methods, turbulence modelling, turbulence entropy, navier-stokes equations

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Authors: J. Suwanprateeb, F. Thammarakcharoen

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Calcium phosphate coating (CaP) has been employed for protein delivery, but the typical direct protein adsorption on the coating led to low incorporation content and fast release of the protein from the coating. By using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model protein, rapid biomimetic co-precipitation between calcium phosphate and BSA was employed to control the distribution of BSA within calcium phosphate coating during biomimetic formation on titanium surface for only 6 h at 50 oC in an accelerated calcium phosphate solution. As a result, the amount of BSA incorporation and release duration could be increased by using a rapid biomimetic co-precipitation technique. Up to 43 fold increases in the BSA incorporation content and the increase from 6 h to more than 360 h in release duration compared to typical direct adsorption technique were observed depending on the initial BSA concentration used during co-precipitation (1, 10, and 100 microgram/ml). From X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy studies, the coating composition was not altered with the incorporation of BSA by this rapid biomimetic co-precipitation and mainly comprised octacalcium phosphate and hydroxyapatite. However, the microstructure of calcium phosphate crystals changed from straight, plate-like units to curved, plate-like units with increasing BSA content.

Keywords: biomimetic, Calcium Phosphate Coating, protein, titanium

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Authors: S. Mowafi, A. Abou El-Kheir, M. Abou Taleb, H. El-Sayed

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Two proteinic biopolymers; namely keratin and sericin, were extracted from their respective natural resources by simple appropriate methods. The said proteins were dissolved in the appropriate solvents followed by regeneration in a form of film polyvinyl alcohol. Protein-starch-potassium iodide (PSPI) composite was prepared by anchoring starch and potassium iodide mixture onto the film surface using appropriate polymeric material. The possibility of using PSPI composite for determination of the concentration of chlorine ions in domestic as well as industrial water was examined. The concentration of chlorine in water was determined spectrophotometrically by measuring the intensity of blue colour of formed between starch and the released iodine obtained by interaction of potassium iodide chlorine in the tested water sample.

Keywords: chlorine, protein, potassium iodide, water

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Authors: Mojtaba Abolfazli, Mohammad Gahderi, Alireza Ashoorizadeh, Rahim Zeinali

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Interconnection between countries provides noticeable economic, technical and environmental benefits. Iran grid has an excellent condition for connection to neighbouring countries. There are two main options including High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) and High Voltage Alternative Current (HVAC) for interconnection between the grids. At present, all of Iran cross border interconnections are HVAC while HVDC brings more benefits in comparison which should be considered by system planners. This paper presents a comprehensive review of technical considerations of HVDC for interconnection of Iran grid to neighbouring countries. Converter technology, converter transformers, converter valves, filters, and transmission link are studied for a good cognition to HVDC. In addition, a comparison between HVDC and HVAC for transmitting of power is discussed. Finally, a conclusion on HVDC technology and components is drawn out to provide a comprehensive knowledge for system planners.

Keywords: interconnection, HVDC, HVAC, voltage sourced converter, current sourced converter

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Authors: Shu-Yu Hsu, Chen-Chien Hsu, Wei-Yen Wang

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Color segmentation is a basic and simple way for recognizing the visual markers in a robotic tracking system. In this paper, we propose a new method for color segmentation by incorporating differential evolution algorithm and connected component labeling to autonomously preset the HSV threshold of visual markers. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, a ROBOTIS OP2 humanoid robot is used to conduct the experiment, where five most commonly used color including red, purple, blue, yellow, and green in visual markers are given for comparisons.

Keywords: color segmentation, differential evolution, connected component labeling, humanoid robot

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Authors: Ruijuan Bi

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Discrimination in insurance pricing is a topic of increasing concern, particularly in the context of the rapid development of big data and artificial intelligence. There is a need to explore the various forms of discrimination, such as direct and indirect discrimination, proxy discrimination, algorithmic discrimination, and unfair discrimination, and understand their implications in insurance pricing models. This paper aims to analyze and interpret the definitions of discrimination in insurance pricing and explore measures to reduce discrimination. It utilizes a textual analysis methodology, which involves gathering qualitative data from relevant literature on definitions of discrimination. The research methodology focuses on exploring the various forms of discrimination and their implications in insurance pricing models. Through textual analysis, this paper identifies the specific characteristics and implications of each form of discrimination in the general insurance industry. This research contributes to the theoretical understanding of discrimination in insurance pricing. By analyzing and interpreting relevant literature, this paper provides insights into the definitions of discrimination and the laws and regulations surrounding it. This theoretical foundation can inform future empirical research on discrimination in insurance pricing using relevant theories of probability theory.

Keywords: algorithmic discrimination, direct and indirect discrimination, proxy discrimination, unfair discrimination, insurance pricing

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Authors: Aaron Liggett

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This research focuses on the visionary proposal made by the Olmsted Brothers Landscape Architecture firm in the 1920s for a network of interconnected parkways in Los Angeles. Their envisioned parkways aimed to address environmental and cultural strains by providing green space for recreation, wildlife habitat, and stormwater management while serving as multimodal transportation routes. Although the parkways were never constructed, through an evidence-based approach, this research presents a framework for evaluating the potential functionality and success of the parkways by modeling and visualizing their quantitative and qualitative landscape performance and benefits. Historical documents and innovative digital modeling tools produce detailed analysis, modeling, and visualization of the parkway designs. A set of 1928 construction documents are used to analyze and interpret the design intent of the parkways. Grading plans are digitized in CAD and modeled in Sketchup to produce 3D visualizations of the parkway. Drainage plans are digitized to model stormwater performance. Planting plans are analyzed to model urban forestry and biodiversity. The EPA's Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) predicts runoff quantity and quality. The USDA Forests Service tools evaluate carbon sequestration and air quality. Spatial and overlay analysis techniques are employed to assess urban connectivity and the spatial impacts of the parkway designs. The study reveals how the integration of blue infrastructure, green infrastructure, and transportation infrastructure within the parkway design creates a multifunctional landscape capable of offering alternative spatial and temporal uses. The analysis demonstrates the potential for multiple functional, ecological, aesthetic, and social benefits to be derived from the proposed parkways. The analysis of the Olmsted Brothers' proposed Los Angeles parkways, which predated contemporary ecological design and resiliency practices, demonstrates the potential for providing multiple functional, ecological, aesthetic, and social benefits within urban designs. The findings highlight the importance of integrated blue, green, and transportation infrastructure in creating a multifunctional landscape that simultaneously serves multiple purposes. The research contributes new methods for modeling and visualizing landscape performance benefits, providing insights and techniques for informing future designs and sustainable development strategies.

Keywords: landscape architecture, ecological urban design, greenway, landscape performance

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Authors: Muzaffar Hussain

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Requests strategies are considered as a part of the speech acts, which are frequently used in everyday communication. Each language provides speech acts to the speakers; therefore, the selection of appropriate form seems more culture-specific rather than language. The present paper investigates the gender-based difference in the use of request strategies by native speakers of Urdu/Punjabi male and female who are learning English as a second language. The data for the present study were collected from 68 graduate students, who are learning English as an L2 in Pakistan. They were given an online close-ended questionnaire, based on Discourse Completion Test (DCT). After analyzing the data, it was found that the L1 male Urdu/Punjabi speakers were inclined to use more direct request strategies while the female Urdu/Punjabi speakers used indirect request strategies. This paper also found that in some situations female participants used more direct strategies than male participants. The present study concludes that the use of request strategies is influenced by culture, social status, and power distribution in a society.

Keywords: gender variation, request strategies, face-threatening, second language pragmatics, language competence

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Authors: Mahsa Shafaei Bajestani, Mahmoud Yazdani, Aliakbar Golshani

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Artificial lightweight aggregates have a wide range of applications in industry and engineering. Nowadays, the usage of this material in geotechnical activities, especially as backfill in retaining walls has been growing due to the specific characteristics which make it a competent alternative to the conventional geotechnical materials. In practice, a material with lower weight but higher shear strength parameters would be ideal as backfill behind retaining walls because of the important roles that these parameters play in decreasing the overall active lateral earth pressure. In this study, two types of Light Expanded Clay Aggregates (LECA) produced in the Leca factory are investigated. LECA is made in a rotary kiln by heating natural clay at different temperatures up to 1200 °C making quasi-spherical aggregates with different sizes ranged from 0 to 25 mm. The loose bulk density of these aggregates is between 300 and 700 kN/m³. The purpose of this research is to determine the stress-strain behavior, shear strength parameters, and the energy absorption of LECA materials. Direct shear tests were conducted at five normal stresses of 25, 50, 75, 100, and 200 kPa. In addition, conventional triaxial compression tests were operated at confining pressures of 50, 100, and 200 kPa to examine stress-strain behavior. The experimental results show a high internal angle of friction and even a considerable amount of nominal cohesion despite the granular structure of LECA. These desirable properties along with the intrinsic low density of these aggregates make LECA as a very proper material in geotechnical applications. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that lightweight aggregates may have high energy absorption that is excellent alternative material in seismic isolations.

Keywords: expanded clay, direct shear test, triaxial test, shear properties, energy absorption

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Authors: Najlaa Yousef Qusti, Steven J. Brookes, Paul A. Brunton

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Background: Tooth discoloration can be an aesthetic problem, and tooth whitening using carbamide peroxide bleaching agents are a popular treatment option. However, there are concerns about possible adverse effects such as demineralisation of the bleached enamel; however, the cause of this demineralisation is unclear. Introduction: Teeth can become stained or discoloured over time. Tooth whitening is an aesthetic solution for tooth discoloration. Bleaching solutions of 10% carbamide peroxide (CP) have become the standard agent used in dentist-prescribed and home-applied ’vital bleaching techniques’. These materials release hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), the active whitening agent. However, there is controversy in the literature regarding the effect of bleaching agents on enamel integrity and enamel mineral content. The purpose of this study was to establish if carbamide peroxide bleaching agents affect the acid solubility of enamel (i.e., make teeth more prone to demineralisation). Materials and Methods: Twelve human premolar teeth were sectioned longitudinally along the midline and varnished to leave the natural enamel surface exposed. The baseline behavior of each tooth half in relation to its demineralisation in acid was established by sequential exposure to 4 vials containing 1ml of 10mM acetic acid (1 minute/vial). This was followed by exposure to 10% CP for 8 hours. After washing in distilled water, the tooth half was sequentially exposed to 4 further vials containing acid to test if the acid susceptibility of the enamel had been affected. The corresponding tooth half acted as a control and was exposed to distilled water instead of CP. The mineral loss was determined by measuring [Ca²⁺] and [PO₄³⁻] released in each vial using a calcium ion-selective electrode and the phosphomolybdenum blue method, respectively. The effect of bleaching on the tooth surfaces was also examined using SEM. Results: Exposure to carbamide peroxide did not significantly alter the susceptibility of enamel to acid attack, and SEM of the enamel surface revealed a slight alteration in surface appearance. SEM images of the control enamel surface showed a flat enamel surface with some shallow pits, whereas the bleached enamel appeared with an increase in surface porosity and some areas of mild erosion. Conclusions: Exposure to H₂O₂ equivalent to 10% CP does not significantly increase subsequent acid susceptibility of enamel as determined by Ca²⁺ release from the enamel surface. The effects of bleaching on mineral loss were indistinguishable from distilled water in the experimental system used. However, some surface differences were observed by SEM. The phosphomolybdenum blue method for phosphate is compromised by peroxide bleaching agents due to their oxidising properties. However, the Ca²⁺ electrode is unaffected by oxidising agents and can be used to determine the mineral loss in the presence of peroxides.

Keywords: bleaching, carbamide peroxide, demineralisation, teeth whitening

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Authors: Heiko Weiß, Andreas Meister, Christoph Ament, Nils Dreifke

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Linear actuators are deployed in a wide range of applications. This paper presents the modeling and system identification of a variable excited linear direct drive (LDD). The LDD is designed based on linear hybrid stepper technology exhibiting the characteristic tooth structure of mover and stator. A three-phase topology provides the thrust force caused by alternating strengthening and weakening of the flux of the legs. To achieve best possible synchronous operation, the phases are commutated sinusoidal. Despite the fact that these LDDs provide high dynamics and drive forces, noise emission limits their operation in calm workspaces. To overcome this drawback an additional excitation of the magnetic circuit is introduced to LDD using additional enabling coils instead of permanent magnets. The new degree of freedom can be used to reduce force variations and related noise by varying the excitation flux that is usually generated by permanent magnets. Hence, an identified simulation model is necessary to analyze the effects of this modification. Especially the force variations must be modeled well in order to reduce them sufficiently. The model can be divided into three parts: the current dynamics, the mechanics and the force functions. These subsystems are described with differential equations or nonlinear analytic functions, respectively. Ordinary nonlinear differential equations are derived and transformed into state space representation. Experiments have been carried out on a test rig to identify the system parameters of the complete model. Static and dynamic simulation based optimizations are utilized for identification. The results are verified in time and frequency domain. Finally, the identified model provides a basis for later design of control strategies to reduce existing force variations.

Keywords: force variations, linear direct drive, modeling and system identification, variable excitation flux

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Authors: Louisa Han Lin Tan, Poh Sim Kang, Wei Ming Loi, Susan Jane Rickard Liow

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The efficacy of music for improving speech and language has been shown across ages and diagnoses. Across the world, the wide range of therapy settings and increasing number of children diagnosed with special needs demand more cost and time effective service delivery. However, research exploring co-treatment models on children other than those with Autism Spectrum Disorder remains sparse. The aim of this research was to determine the efficacy of music for improving language in children with special needs, and generalizability of therapy effects. 25 children (7 to 12 years) were split into three groups – A, B and control. A cross-over design with direct therapy (storytelling) with or without music, and indirect therapy was applied with two therapy phases lasting 6 sessions each. Therapy targeted three prepositions in each phase. Baseline language abilities were assessed, with re-assessment after each phase. The introduction of music in therapy led to significantly greater improvement (p=.046, r=.53) in associated language abilities, with case studies showing greater effectiveness in developmentally appropriate target prepositions. However, improvements were not maintained once direct therapy ceased. As such, the incorporation of music could lead to greater efficiency and effectiveness of language therapy in children with special needs, but sustainability and generalizability of therapy effects both require further exploration.

Keywords: music, language therapy, children, special needs

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Authors: Ana Rita Conde, Pilar Mota, Tânia Botelho, Suzana Caldeira, Isabel Rego, Jessica Pacheco, Osvaldo Silva, Áurea Sousa

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Tourism promotes well-being and health to children with ASD and their families. Literature indicates the need to provide tourist activities that integrate the therapeutic component, to promote the development and well-being of children with ASD. The study aims to implement tourist offers in Azores that integrate the therapeutic feature, assess their suitability and impact on the well-being and health of the child and caregivers. Using a mixed methodology, the study integrates families that experience and evaluate the impact of tourism products developed specifically for them.

Keywords: austism spectrum disorder, children, therapeutic tourism activities, well-being, health, inclusive tourism

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Authors: Mohamed Hafid, Marcel Lacroix

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This study aimed at developing an inverse heat transfer approach for predicting the time-varying freezing front and the temperature distribution of tumors during cryosurgery. Using a temperature probe pressed against the layer of tumor, the inverse approach is able to predict simultaneously the metabolic heat generation and the blood perfusion rate of the tumor. Once these parameters are predicted, the temperature-field and time-varying freezing fronts are determined with the direct model. The direct model rests on one-dimensional Pennes bioheat equation. The phase change problem is handled with the enthalpy method. The Levenberg-Marquardt Method (LMM) combined to the Broyden Method (BM) is used to solve the inverse model. The effect (a) of the thermal properties of the diseased tissues; (b) of the initial guesses for the unknown thermal properties; (c) of the data capture frequency; and (d) of the noise on the recorded temperatures is examined. It is shown that the proposed inverse approach remains accurate for all the cases investigated.

Keywords: cryosurgery, inverse heat transfer, Levenberg-Marquardt method, thermal properties, Pennes model, enthalpy method

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Authors: Ali Sinan Soğancı

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Apa-Hotamış conveyance channel is located within in the boundaries of Konya Regional Directorate of Water Works. This channel transfers the water to the fount of Apa Dam with 17 km length of Blue Channel. Then the water is transmitted with Apa- Hotamış conveyance channel to Hotamış Water Storage. In some places along the Apa-Hotamış conveyance canal which will be constructed by Directorate of Water Works of Konya, some swelling soils have been seen. The samples taken from these places have 35-95 kPa swelling pressure. To prevent the swelling pressure arising from the penetration of water to the concrete channel, it was proposed to make 10 cm concrete coating by spreading the geomembrane and geotextile between the soil and concrete. In this way, the pressure (35-95 kPa) caused by the swelling and cracking of concrete failure will be blocked.

Keywords: conveyance channel, swelling pressure, geomembrane, geotextile, concrete

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Authors: Vadanasundari Vedarethinam, Kun Qian

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The metabolic analysis is more distal over proteomics and genomics engaging in clinics and needs rationally distinct techniques, designed materials, and device for clinical diagnosis. Conventional techniques such as spectroscopic techniques, biochemical analyzers, and electrochemical have been used for metabolic diagnosis. Currently, there are four major challenges including (I) long-term process in sample pretreatment; (II) difficulties in direct metabolic analysis of biosamples due to complexity (III) low molecular weight metabolite detection with accuracy and (IV) construction of diagnostic tools by materials and device-based platforms for real case application in biomedical applications. Development of chips with nanomaterial is promising to address these critical issues. Mass spectroscopy (MS) has displayed high sensitivity and accuracy, throughput, reproducibility, and resolution for molecular analysis. Particularly laser desorption/ ionization mass spectrometry (LDI MS) combined with devices affords desirable speed for mass measurement in seconds and high sensitivity with low cost towards large scale uses. We developed a plasmonic chip for clinical metabolic fingerprinting as a hot carrier in LDI MS by series of chips with gold nanoshells on the surface through controlled particle synthesis, dip-coating, and gold sputtering for mass production. We integrated the optimized chip with microarrays for laboratory automation and nanoscaled experiments, which afforded direct high-performance metabolic fingerprinting by LDI MS using 500 nL of serum, urine, cerebrospinal fluids (CSF) and exosomes. Further, we demonstrated on-chip direct in-vitro metabolic diagnosis of early-stage lung cancer patients using serum and exosomes without any pretreatment or purifications. To our best knowledge, this work initiates a bionanotechnology based platform for advanced metabolic analysis toward large-scale diagnostic use.

Keywords: plasmonic chip, metabolic fingerprinting, LDI MS, in-vitro diagnostics

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Authors: Hamide Özyürek, Metin Yılmaz

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Standard processes, similar and limited production lines, the production of high direct costs will be more accurate than the use of parts of the traditional cost systems in the literature. However, direct costs, overhead expenses, in turn, decreases the burden of increasingly sophisticated production facilities, a situation that led the researchers to look for the cost of traditional systems of alternative techniques. Variety cost management approaches for example Total quality management (TQM), just-in-time (JIT), benchmarking, kaizen costing, targeting cost, life cycle costs (LLC), activity-based costing (ABC) value engineering have been introduced. Management and cost applications have changed over the past decade and will continue to change. Modern cost systems can provide relevant and accurate cost information. These methods provide the decisions about customer, product and process improvement. The aim of study is to describe and explain the adoption and application of costing systems in SME. This purpose reports on a survey conducted during 2014 small and medium sized enterprises (SME) in Ankara. The survey results were evaluated using SPSS package program.

Keywords: modern costing systems, managerial accounting, cost accounting, costing

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Authors: Sh. Sousani, Z. Shadrokh, M. Hofbauerová, J. Kollár, M. Jergel, P. Nádaždy, M. Omastová, E. Majková

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Perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) have the potential to increase the performance of the perovskite solar cell (PSCs). The integration of PQDs into PSCs can extend the absorption range and enhance photon harvesting and device efficiency. In addition, PQDs can stabilize the device structure by passivating surface defects and traps in the perovskite layer and enhance its stability. The integration of PQDs into PSCs is strongly affected by the type of ligands on the surface of PQDs. The ligands affect the charge transport properties of PQDs, as well as the formation of well-defined interfaces and stability of PSCs. In this work, the CsPbBr₃ QDs were synthesized by the conventional hot-injection method using cesium oleate, PbBr₂ and two different ligands, namely oleic acid (OA) oleylamine (OAm) and didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB). The STEM confirmed regular shape and relatively monodisperse cubic structure with an average size of about 10-14 nm of the prepared CsPbBr₃ QDs. Further, the photoluminescent (PL) properties of the PQDs/perovskite bilayer with the ligand OA, OAm and DDAB were studied. For this purpose, ITO/PQDs as well as ITO/PQDs/MAPI perovskite structures were prepared by spin coating and the effect of the ligand and oxygen plasma treatment was analyzed. The plasma treatment of the PQDs layer could be beneficial for the deposition of the MAPI perovskite layer and the formation of a well-defined PQDs/MAPI interface. The absorption edge in UV-Vis absorption spectra for OA, OAm CsPbBr₃ QDs is placed around 513 nm (the band gap 2.38 eV); for DDAB CsPbBr₃ QDs, it is located at 490 nm (the band gap 2.33 eV). The photoluminescence (PL) spectra of CsPbBr₃ QDs show two peaks located around 514 nm (503 nm) and 718 nm (708 nm) for OA, OAm (DDAB). The peak around 500 nm corresponds to the PL of PQDs, and the peak close to 710 nm belongs to the surface states of PQDs for both types of ligands. These surface states are strongly affected by the O₃ plasma treatment. For PQDs with DDAB ligand, the O₃ exposure (5, 10, 15 s) results in the blue shift of the PQDs peak and a non-monotonous change of the amplitude of the surface states' peak. For OA, OAm ligand, the O₃ exposition did not cause any shift of the PQDs peak, and the intensity of the PL peak related to the surface states is lower by one order of magnitude in comparison with DDAB, being affected by O₃ plasma treatment. The PL results indicate the possibility of tuning the position of the PL maximum by the ligand of the PQDs. Similar behavior of the PQDs layer was observed for the ITO/QDs/MAPI samples, where an additional strong PL peak at 770 nm coming from the perovskite layer was observed; for the sample with PQDs with DDAB ligands, a small blue shift of the perovskite PL maximum was observed independently of the plasma treatment. These results suggest the possibility of affecting the PL maximum position and the surface states of the PQDs by the combination of a suitable ligand and the O₃ plasma treatment.

Keywords: perovskite quantum dots, photoluminescence, O₃ plasma., Perovskite Solar Cells

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Authors: Sh. Sousani, Z. Shadrokh, M. Hofbauerová, J. Kollár, M. Jergel, P. Nádaždy, M. Omastová, E. Majková

Abstract:

Perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) have the potential to increase the performance of the perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The integration of PQDs into PSCs can extend the absorption range and enhance photon harvesting and device efficiency. In addition, PQDs can stabilize the device structure by passivating surface defects and traps in the perovskite layer and enhance its stability. The integration of PQDs into PSCs is strongly affected by the type of ligands on the surface of PQDs. The ligands affect the charge transport properties of PQDs, as well as the formation of well-defined interfaces and stability of PSCs. In this work, the CsPbBr₃ QDs were synthesized by the conventional hot-injection method using cesium oleate, PbBr₂, and two different ligands, namely oleic acid (OA)@oleylamine (OAm) and didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB). The STEM confirmed regular shape and relatively monodisperse cubic structure with an average size of about 10-14 nm of the prepared CsPbBr₃ QDs. Further, the photoluminescent (PL) properties of the PQDs/perovskite bilayer with the ligand OA@OAm and DDAB were studied. For this purpose, ITO/PQDs, as well as ITO/PQDs/MAPI perovskite structures, were prepared by spin coating, and the effect of the ligand and oxygen plasma treatment was analysed. The plasma treatment of the PQDs layer could be beneficial for the deposition of the MAPI perovskite layer and the formation of a well-defined PQDs/MAPI interface. The absorption edge in UV-Vis absorption spectra for OA@OAm CsPbBr₃ QDs is placed around 513 nm (the band gap 2.38 eV); for DDAB CsPbBr₃ QDs, it is located at 490 nm (the band gap 2.33 eV). The photoluminescence (PL) spectra of CsPbBr₃ QDs show two peaks located around 514 nm (503 nm) and 718 nm (708 nm) for OA@OAm (DDAB). The peak around 500 nm corresponds to the PL of PQDs, and the peak close to 710 nm belongs to the surface states of PQDs for both types of ligands. These surface states are strongly affected by the O₃ plasma treatment. For PQDs with DDAB ligand, the O₃ exposure (5, 10, 15 s) results in the blue shift of the PQDs peak and a non-monotonous change of the amplitude of the surface states' peak. For OA@OAm ligand, the O₃ exposition did not cause any shift of the PQDs peak, and the intensity of the PL peak related to the surface states is lower by one order of magnitude in comparison with DDAB, being affected by O₃ plasma treatment. The PL results indicate the possibility of tuning the position of the PL maximum by the ligand of the PQDs. Similar behaviour of the PQDs layer was observed for the ITO/QDs/MAPI samples, where an additional strong PL peak at 770 nm coming from the perovskite layer was observed; for the sample with PQDs with DDAB ligands, a small blue shift of the perovskite PL maximum was observed independently of the plasma treatment. These results suggest the possibility of affecting the PL maximum position and the surface states of the PQDs by the combination of a suitable ligand and the O₃ plasma treatment.

Keywords: perovskite quantum dots, photoluminescence, O₃ plasma., perovskite solar cells

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Authors: Sisay Tiroro Salato

Abstract:

Background: Ethiopia has been implementing the maternal death surveillance and response system to provide real-time actionable information, including causes of death and contributing factors. Analysis of maternal mortality surveillance data was conducted to identify the causes and underlying factors in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: We carried out a retrospective surveillance data analysis of 324 maternal deaths reported in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 2017 to 2021. The data were extracted from the national maternal death surveillance and response database, including information from case investigation, verbal autopsy, and facility extraction forms. The data were analyzed by computing frequency and presented in numbers, proportions, and ratios. Results: Of 324 maternal deaths, 92% died in the health facilities, 6.2% in transit, and 1.5% at home. The mean age at death was 28 years, ranging from 17 to 45. The maternal mortality ratio per 100,000 live births was 77for the five years, ranging from 126 in 2017 to 21 in 2021. The direct and indirect causes of death were responsible for 87% and 13%, respectively. The direct causes included obstetric haemorrhage, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, puerperal sepsis, embolism, obstructed labour, and abortion. The third delay (delay in receiving care after reaching health facilities) accounted for 57% of deaths, while the first delay (delay in deciding to seek health care) and the second delay (delay in reaching health facilities) and accounted for 34% and 24%, respectively. Late arrival to the referral facility, delayed management after admission, andnon-recognition of danger signs were underlying factors. Conclusion: Over 86% of maternal deaths were attributed by avoidable direct causes. The majority of women do try to reach health services when an emergency occurs, but the third delays present a major problem. Improving the quality of care at the healthcare facility level will help to reduce maternal death.

Keywords: maternal death, surveillance, delays, factors

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Authors: Mahgfirah Firdaus Soberatta

Abstract:

Language cannot be separated from human life. Humans use language to convey ideas, thoughts, and feelings. We can use words for different things for example like asserted, advising, promise, give opinions, hopes, etc. Propaganda is an attempt which seeks to obtain stable behavior to adopt everyone to his everyday life. It also controls the thoughts and attitudes of individuals in social settings permanent. In this research, the writer will discuss about the speech act in a propaganda speech delivered by Martin Luther King Jr. in Washington at Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963. 'I Have a Dream' is a public speech delivered by American civil rights activist MLK, he calls from an end to racism in USA. In this research, the writer uses Searle theory to analyze the types of illocutionary speech act that used by Martin Luther King Jr. in his propaganda speech. In this research, the writer uses a qualitative method described in descriptive, because the research wants to describe and explain the types of illocutionary speech acts used by Martin Luther King Jr. in his propaganda speech. The findings indicate that there are five types of speech acts in Martin Luther King Jr. speech. MLK also used direct speech and indirect speech in his propaganda speech. However, direct speech is the dominant speech act that MLK used in his propaganda speech. It is hoped that this research is useful for the readers to enrich their knowledge in a particular field of pragmatic speech acts.

Keywords: speech act, propaganda, Martin Luther King Jr., speech

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Authors: Sajjad Esmaeili, Robert Krause, Lukas Gerlich, Alireza Mohammadian Kia, Benjamin Uhlig

Abstract:

This investigation aims to develop the feasible and qualitative process parameters for the thin films fabrication into ultra-large through-silicon-vias (TSVs) as vertical interconnections. The focus of the study is on TSV metallization and its challenges employing new materials for the purpose of rapid signal propagation in the microsystems technology. Cobalt metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (Co-MOCVD) process enables manufacturing an adhesive and excellent conformal ultra-thin film all the way through TSVs in comparison with the conventional non-conformal physical vapor deposition (PVD) process of copper (Cu) seed layer. Therefore, this process provides a Cu seed-free layer which is capable of direct Cu electrochemical deposition (Cu-ECD) on top of it. The main challenge of this metallization module is to achieve the proper alternative seed layer with less roughness, sheet resistance and granular organic contamination (e.g. carbon) which intensify the Co corrosion under the influence of Cu electrolyte.

Keywords: Cobalt MOCVD, direct Cu electrochemical deposition (ECD), metallization technology, through-silicon-via (TSV)

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Authors: Pisit Potjanajaruwit

Abstract:

This study aims to (1) investigate the corporate vision factor influencing Rajabhat University brand building in Thailand and (2) explore influences of brand building upon Rajabhat University stakeholders’ loyalty, and the research method will use mixed methods to conduct qualitative research with the quantitative research. The qualitative will approach by Indebt-interview the executive of Rathanagosin Rajabhat University group for 6 key informants and the quantitative data was collected by questionnaires distributed to stakeholder including instructors, staff, students and parents of the Rathanagosin Rajabhat University group for 400 sampling were selected by multi-stage sampling method. Data was analyzed by Structural Equation Modeling: SEM and also provide the focus group interview for confirming the model. Findings corporate vision had a direct and positive influence on Rajabhat University brand building were showed direct and positive influence on stakeholder’s loyalty and stakeholder’s loyalty was indirectly influenced by corporate vision through Rajabhat University brand building.

Keywords: brand building, corporate vision, Rajabhat University, stakeholder‘s loyalty

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Authors: Ehsan Mehryaar, Seyed Armin Motahari Tabari

Abstract:

Coarse-grained soils are known and commonly used in a wide range of geotechnical projects, including high earth dams or embankments for their high shear strength. The most important engineering property of these soils is friction angle which represents the interlocking between soil particles and can be applied widely in designing and constructing these earth structures. Friction angle and dilative behavior of coarse-grained soils can be estimated from empirical correlations with in-situ testing and physical properties of the soil or measured directly in the laboratory performing direct shear or triaxial tests. Unfortunately, large-scale testing is difficult, challenging, and expensive and is not possible in most soil mechanic laboratories. So, it is common to remove the large particles and do the tests, which cannot be counted as an exact estimation of the parameters and behavior of the original soil. This paper describes a new methodology to simulate particles grading distribution of a well-graded gravel sample to a smaller scale sample as it can be tested in an ordinary direct shear apparatus to estimate the stress-strain behavior, friction angle, and dilative behavior of the original coarse-grained soil considering its confining pressure, and relative density using a machine learning method. A total number of 72 direct shear tests are performed in 6 different sizes, 3 different confining pressures, and 4 different relative densities. Multivariate Adaptive Regression Spline (MARS) technique was used to develop an equation in order to predict shear strength and dilative behavior based on the size distribution of coarse-grained soil particles. Also, an uncertainty analysis was performed in order to examine the reliability of the proposed equation.

Keywords: MARS, coarse-grained soil, shear strength, uncertainty analysis

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Authors: Zhe Xu, Jian Li, Lvping Li, Zezheng Dong

Abstract:

This work is to study an optimized transfer strategy of connecting Earth and Mars via the vicinity of libration points, which have been playing an increasingly important role in trajectory designing on a deep space mission, and can be used as an effective alternative solution for Earth-Mars direct transfer mission in some unusual cases. The use of vicinity of libration points of the sun-planet body system is becoming potential gateways for future interplanetary transfer missions. By adding fuel to cargo spaceships located in spaceports, the interplanetary round-trip exploration shuttle mission of such a system facility can also be a reusable transportation system. In addition, in some cases, when the S/C cruising through invariant manifolds, it can also save a large amount of fuel. Therefore, it is necessary to make an effort on looking for efficient transfer strategies using variant manifold about libration points. It was found that Earth L1/L2 Halo/Lyapunov orbits and Mars L2/L1 Halo/Lyapunov orbits could be connected with reasonable fuel consumption and flight duration with appropriate design. In the paper, the halo hopping method and coplanar circular method are briefly introduced. The former used differential corrections to systematically generate low ΔV transfer trajectories between interplanetary manifolds, while the latter discussed escape and capture trajectories to and from Halo orbits by using impulsive maneuvers at periapsis of the manifolds about libration points. In the following, designs of transfer strategies of the two methods are shown here. A comparative performance analysis of interplanetary transfer strategies of the two methods is carried out accordingly. Comparison of strategies is based on two main criteria: the total fuel consumption required to perform the transfer and the time of flight, as mentioned above. The numeric results showed that the coplanar circular method procedure has certain advantages in cost or duration. Finally, optimized transfer strategy with engineering constraints is searched out and examined to be an effective alternative solution for a given direct transfer mission. This paper investigated main methods and gave out an optimized solution in interplanetary transfer via the vicinity of libration points. Although most of Earth-Mars mission planners prefer to build up a direct transfer strategy for the mission due to its advantage in relatively short time of flight, the strategies given in the paper could still be regard as effective alternative solutions since the advantages mentioned above and longer departure window than direct transfer.

Keywords: circular restricted three-body problem, halo/Lyapunov orbit, invariant manifolds, libration points

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