Search results for: drying technology
2133 Traditional Farming Practices and Climate Change Adaptation among the Dumagats of Tanay, Rizal and Their Implications to the Delivery of Extension and Advisory Services
Authors: Janika Vien K. Valsorable, Filma C. Calalo
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Climate change is one of the most damaging and serious environmental threats worldwide being faced today. While almost everyone highly depends and puts their trust on what technology, innovations, and initiatives from hard-core science can do to cope with the changing climate, there are still people who find hope on indigenous knowledge systems. The study aimed to analyze the traditional farming practices of the Dumagats in Tanay, Rizal and how these relate to their adaptation and mitigation of climate change. The analysis is based on interviews with 17 members of the Dumagat tribe specifically residing in Barangay Cuyambay, San Andres, and Mamuyao, and supported by Key Informant Interview and Focus Group Discussion as well as document reviews. Results of the study showed that the Dumagats adopt indigenous knowledge systems and their high sensitivity and resilience to climate change aid them in their farming system and activities. These traditional farming practices are exemplified from land preparation to planting, fertilizer application, weed and pest management, harvesting and post-harvest activities. Owing to their dependence upon, and close relationship with the environment and its resources, the Dumagats have learned to interpret and react to the impacts of climate change in creative ways, drawing on their traditional knowledge to cope with the impending changes. With the increasing trend at all levels of government to service the needs of rural communities, there is the need for the extension to contextualize advisory service delivery for indigenous communities.Keywords: climate change, Dumagat tribe, indigenous knowledge systems, traditional farming practices
Procedia PDF Downloads 2592132 16s rRNA Based Metagenomic Analysis of Palm Sap Samples From Bangladesh
Authors: Ágota Ábrahám, Md Nurul Islam, Karimane Zeghbib, Gábor Kemenesi, Sazeda Akter
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Collecting palm sap as a food source is an everyday practice in some parts of the world. However, the consumption of palm juice has been associated with regular infections and epidemics in parts of Bangladesh. This is attributed to fruit-eating bats and other vertebrates or invertebrates native to the area, contaminating the food with their body secretions during the collection process. The frequent intake of palm juice, whether as a processed food product or in its unprocessed form, is a common phenomenon in large areas. The range of pathogens suitable for human infection resulting from this practice is not yet fully understood. Additionally, the high sugar content of the liquid makes it an ideal culture medium for certain bacteria, which can easily propagate and potentially harm consumers. Rapid diagnostics, especially in remote locations, could mitigate health risks associated with palm juice consumption. The primary objective of this research is the rapid genomic detection and risk assessment of bacteria that may cause infections in humans through the consumption of palm juice. Utilizing state-of-the-art third-generation Nanopore metagenomic sequencing technology based on 16S rRNA, and identified bacteria primarily involved in fermenting processes. The swift metagenomic analysis, coupled with the widespread availability and portability of Nanopore products (including real-time analysis options), proves advantageous for detecting harmful pathogens in food sources without relying on extensive industry resources and testing.Keywords: raw date palm sap, NGS, metabarcoding, food safety
Procedia PDF Downloads 422131 Cryptocurrency as a Payment Method in the Tourism Industry: A Comparison of Volatility, Correlation and Portfolio Performance
Authors: Shu-Han Hsu, Jiho Yoon, Chwen Sheu
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With the rapidly growing of blockchain technology and cryptocurrency, various industries which include tourism has added in cryptocurrency as the payment method of their transaction. More and more tourism companies accept payments in digital currency for flights, hotel reservations, transportation, and more. For travellers and tourists, using cryptocurrency as a payment method has become a way to circumvent costs and prevent risks. Understanding volatility dynamics and interdependencies between standard currency and cryptocurrency is important for appropriate financial risk management to assist policy-makers and investors in marking more informed decisions. The purpose of this paper has been to understand and explain the risk spillover effects between six major cryptocurrencies and the top ten most traded standard currencies. Using data for the daily closing price of cryptocurrencies and currency exchange rates from 7 August 2015 to 10 December 2019, with 1,133 observations. The diagonal BEKK model was used to analyze the co-volatility spillover effects between cryptocurrency returns and exchange rate returns, which are measures of how the shocks to returns in different assets affect each other’s subsequent volatility. The empirical results show there are co-volatility spillover effects between the cryptocurrency returns and GBP/USD, CNY/USD and MXN/USD exchange rate returns. Therefore, currencies (British Pound, Chinese Yuan and Mexican Peso) and cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Tether, Litecoin and Stellar) are suitable for constructing a financial portfolio from an optimal risk management perspective and also for dynamic hedging purposes.Keywords: blockchain, co-volatility effects, cryptocurrencies, diagonal BEKK model, exchange rates, risk spillovers
Procedia PDF Downloads 1362130 Impacts and Management of Oil Spill Pollution along the Chabahar Bay by ESI Mapping, Iran
Authors: M. Sanjarani, A. Danehkar, A. Mashincheyan, A. H. Javid, S. M. R. Fatemi
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The oil spill in marine water has direct impact on coastal resources and community. Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) map is the first step to assess the potential impact of an oil spill and minimize the damage of coastal resources. In order to create Environmental Sensitivity Maps for the Chabahar bay (Iran), information has been collected in three different layers (Shoreline Classification, Biological and Human- uses resources) by means of field observations and measurements of beach morphology, personal interviews with professionals of different areas and the collection of bibliographic information. In this paper an attempt made to prepare an ESI map for sensitivity to oil spills of Chabahar bay coast. The Chabahar bay is subjected to high threaten to oil spill because of port, dense mangrove forest,only coral spot in Oman Sea and many industrial activities. Mapping the coastal resources, shoreline and coastal structures was carried out using Satellite images and GIS technology. The coastal features classified into three major categories as: Shoreline Classification, Biological and Human uses resources. The important resources classified into mangrove, Exposed tidal flats, sandy beach, etc. The sensitivity of shore was ranked as low to high (1 = low sensitivity,10 = high sensitivity) based on geomorphology of Chabahar bay coast using NOAA standards (sensitivity to oil, ease of clean up, etc). Eight ESI types were found in the area namely; ESI 1A, 1C, 3A, 6B, 7, 8B,9A and 10D. Therefore, in the study area, 50% were defined as High sensitivity, less than 1% as Medium, and 49% as low sensitivity areas. The ESI maps are useful to the oil spill responders, coastal managers and contingency planners. The overall ESI mapping product can provide a valuable management tool not only for oil spill response but for better integrated coastal zone management.Keywords: ESI, oil spill, GIS, Chabahar Bay, Iran
Procedia PDF Downloads 3532129 Feature Selection of Personal Authentication Based on EEG Signal for K-Means Cluster Analysis Using Silhouettes Score
Authors: Jianfeng Hu
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Personal authentication based on electroencephalography (EEG) signals is one of the important field for the biometric technology. More and more researchers have used EEG signals as data source for biometric. However, there are some disadvantages for biometrics based on EEG signals. The proposed method employs entropy measures for feature extraction from EEG signals. Four type of entropies measures, sample entropy (SE), fuzzy entropy (FE), approximate entropy (AE) and spectral entropy (PE), were deployed as feature set. In a silhouettes calculation, the distance from each data point in a cluster to all another point within the same cluster and to all other data points in the closest cluster are determined. Thus silhouettes provide a measure of how well a data point was classified when it was assigned to a cluster and the separation between them. This feature renders silhouettes potentially well suited for assessing cluster quality in personal authentication methods. In this study, “silhouettes scores” was used for assessing the cluster quality of k-means clustering algorithm is well suited for comparing the performance of each EEG dataset. The main goals of this study are: (1) to represent each target as a tuple of multiple feature sets, (2) to assign a suitable measure to each feature set, (3) to combine different feature sets, (4) to determine the optimal feature weighting. Using precision/recall evaluations, the effectiveness of feature weighting in clustering was analyzed. EEG data from 22 subjects were collected. Results showed that: (1) It is possible to use fewer electrodes (3-4) for personal authentication. (2) There was the difference between each electrode for personal authentication (p<0.01). (3) There is no significant difference for authentication performance among feature sets (except feature PE). Conclusion: The combination of k-means clustering algorithm and silhouette approach proved to be an accurate method for personal authentication based on EEG signals.Keywords: personal authentication, K-mean clustering, electroencephalogram, EEG, silhouettes
Procedia PDF Downloads 2742128 Effects of Channel Orientation on Heat Transfer in a Rotating Rectangular Channel with Jet Impingement Cooling and Film Coolant Extraction
Authors: Hua Li, Hongwu Deng
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The turbine blade's leading edge is usually cooled by jet impingement cooling technology due to the heaviest heat load. For a rotating turbine blade, however, the channel orientation (β, the angle between the jet direction and the rotating plane) could play an important role in influencing the flow field and heat transfer. Therefore, in this work, the effects of channel orientation (from 90° to 180°) on heat transfer in a jet impingement cooling channel are experimentally investigated. Furthermore, the investigations are conducted under an isothermal boundary condition. Both the jet-to-target surface distance and jet-to-jet spacing are three times the jet hole diameter. The jet Reynolds number is 5,000, and the maximum jet rotation number reaches 0.24. The results show that the rotation-induced variations of heat transfer are different in each channel orientation. In the cases of 90°≤β≤135°, a vortex generated in the low-radius region of the supply channel changes the mass-flowrate distribution in each jet hole. Therefore, the heat transfer in the low-radius region decreases with the rotation number, whereas the heat transfer in the high-radius region increases, indicating that a larger temperature gradient in the radial direction could appear in the turbine blade's leading edge. When 135°<β≤180°; however, the heat transfer of the entire stagnant zone decreases with the rotation number. The rotation-induced jet deflection is the primary factor that weakens the heat transfer, and jets cannot reach the target surface at high rotation numbers. For the downstream regions, however, the heat transfer is enhanced by 50%-80% in every channel orientation because the dead zone is broken by the rotation-induced secondary flow in the impingement channel.Keywords: heat transfer, jet impingement cooling, channel orientation, high rotation number, isothermal boundary
Procedia PDF Downloads 992127 Maximizing Profit Using Optimal Control by Exploiting the Flexibility in Thermal Power Plants
Authors: Daud Mustafa Minhas, Raja Rehan Khalid, Georg Frey
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The next generation power systems are equipped with abundantly available free renewable energy resources (RES). During their low-cost operations, the price of electricity significantly reduces to a lower value, and sometimes it becomes negative. Therefore, it is recommended not to operate the traditional power plants (e.g. coal power plants) and to reduce the losses. In fact, it is not a cost-effective solution, because these power plants exhibit some shutdown and startup costs. Moreover, they require certain time for shutdown and also need enough pause before starting up again, increasing inefficiency in the whole power network. Hence, there is always a trade-off between avoiding negative electricity prices, and the startup costs of power plants. To exploit this trade-off and to increase the profit of a power plant, two main contributions are made: 1) introducing retrofit technology for state of art coal power plant; 2) proposing optimal control strategy for a power plant by exploiting different flexibility features. These flexibility features include: improving ramp rate of power plant, reducing startup time and lowering minimum load. While, the control strategy is solved as mixed integer linear programming (MILP), ensuring optimal solution for the profit maximization problem. Extensive comparisons are made considering pre and post-retrofit coal power plant having the same efficiencies under different electricity price scenarios. It concludes that if the power plant must remain in the market (providing services), more flexibility reflects direct economic advantage to the plant operator.Keywords: discrete optimization, power plant flexibility, profit maximization, unit commitment model
Procedia PDF Downloads 1312126 Design Study on a Contactless Material Feeding Device for Electro Conductive Workpieces
Authors: Oliver Commichau, Richard Krimm, Bernd-Arno Behrens
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A growing demand on the production rate of modern presses leads to higher stroke rates. Commonly used material feeding devices for presses like grippers and roll-feeding systems can only achieve high stroke rates along with high gripper forces, to avoid stick-slip. These forces are limited by the sensibility of the surfaces of the workpieces. Stick-slip leads to scratches on the surface and false positioning of the workpiece. In this paper, a new contactless feeding device is presented, which develops higher feeding force without damaging the surface of the workpiece through gripping forces. It is based on the principle of the linear induction motor. A primary part creates a magnetic field and induces eddy currents in the electrically conductive material. A Lorentz-Force applies to the workpiece in feeding direction as a mutual reaction between the eddy-currents and the magnetic induction. In this study, the FEA model of this approach is shown. The calculation of this model was used to identify the influence of various design parameters on the performance of the feeder and thus showing the promising capabilities and limits of this technology. In order to validate the study, a prototype of the feeding device has been built. An experimental setup was used to measure pulling forces and placement accuracy of the experimental feeder in order to give an outlook of a potential industrial application of this approach.Keywords: conductive material, contactless feeding, linear induction, Lorentz-Force
Procedia PDF Downloads 1742125 Factors Affecting on Mid-Career Training for Arab Journalists, United Arab Emirates Case Study
Authors: Maha Abdulmajeed, Nagwa Fahmy
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Improving journalism practice in the UAE requires a clear understanding of the mid-career training environment; what Arab journalists’ think about the professional training available to them, what training needs they have and still not achieved, and what factors they think it could help to improve the mid-career training outcomes. This research paper examines the validity and effectiveness of mid-career professional journalistic training in the UAE. The research focuses on Arab journalists’ perceptions and attitudes towards professional training, and the state of journalistic training courses available to them, in comparison to modern trends of professional training. The two main objectives of this paper are to examine how different factors affect the effectiveness of the mid-career training offered to Arab Journalists in UAE, whether they are institutional factories, socio-economic factors, personal factors, etc. Then, to suggest a practical roadmap to improve the mid-career journalism training in the UAE. The research methodology combines qualitative and quantitative approaches. As researchers conduct in-depth interviews with a sample of Arab journalists in the UAE, Media outlets in UAE encompass private and governmental entities, with media products in Arabic and/or English, online and/or offline as well. Besides, content analysis will be applied to the available online and offline journalistic training courses offered to Arab journalists’ in UAE along the past three years. Research outcomes are expected to be helpful and practical to improve professional training in the UAE and to determine comprehensive and concrete criteria to provide up-to-date professional training, and to evaluate its validity. Results and research outcomes can help to better understand the current status of mid-career journalistic training in the UAE, to evaluate it based on studying both; the targeted trainees and the up-to-date journalistic training trends.Keywords: Arab journalists, Arab journalism culture, journalism practice, journalism and technology
Procedia PDF Downloads 2582124 An Improved Total Variation Regularization Method for Denoising Magnetocardiography
Authors: Yanping Liao, Congcong He, Ruigang Zhao
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The application of magnetocardiography signals to detect cardiac electrical function is a new technology developed in recent years. The magnetocardiography signal is detected with Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices (SQUID) and has considerable advantages over electrocardiography (ECG). It is difficult to extract Magnetocardiography (MCG) signal which is buried in the noise, which is a critical issue to be resolved in cardiac monitoring system and MCG applications. In order to remove the severe background noise, the Total Variation (TV) regularization method is proposed to denoise MCG signal. The approach transforms the denoising problem into a minimization optimization problem and the Majorization-minimization algorithm is applied to iteratively solve the minimization problem. However, traditional TV regularization method tends to cause step effect and lacks constraint adaptability. In this paper, an improved TV regularization method for denoising MCG signal is proposed to improve the denoising precision. The improvement of this method is mainly divided into three parts. First, high-order TV is applied to reduce the step effect, and the corresponding second derivative matrix is used to substitute the first order. Then, the positions of the non-zero elements in the second order derivative matrix are determined based on the peak positions that are detected by the detection window. Finally, adaptive constraint parameters are defined to eliminate noises and preserve signal peak characteristics. Theoretical analysis and experimental results show that this algorithm can effectively improve the output signal-to-noise ratio and has superior performance.Keywords: constraint parameters, derivative matrix, magnetocardiography, regular term, total variation
Procedia PDF Downloads 1462123 Natural Patterns for Sustainable Cooling in the Architecture of Residential Buildings in Iran (Hot and Dry Climate)
Authors: Elnaz Abbasian, Mohsen Faizi
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In its thousand-year development, architecture has gained valuable patterns. Iran’s desert regions possess developed patterns of traditional architecture and outstanding skeletal features. Unfortunately increasing population and urbanization growth in the past decade as well as the lack of harmony with environment’s texture has destroyed such permanent concepts in the building’s skeleton, causing a lot of energy waste in the modern architecture. The important question is how cooling patterns of Iran’s traditional architecture can be used in a new way in the modern architecture of residential buildings? This research is library-based and documental that looks at sustainable development, analyzes the features of Iranian architecture in hot and dry climate in terms of sustainability as well as historical patterns, and makes a model for real environment. By methodological analysis of past, it intends to suggest a new pattern for residential buildings’ cooling in Iran’s hot and dry climate which is in full accordance to the ecology of the design and at the same time possesses the architectural indices of the past. In the process of cities’ physical development, ecological measures, in proportion to desert’s natural background and climate conditions, has kept the natural fences, preventing buildings from facing climate adversities. Designing and construction of buildings with this viewpoint can reduce the energy needed for maintaining and regulating environmental conditions and with the use of appropriate building technology help minimizing the consumption of fossil fuels while having permanent patterns of desert buildings’ architecture.Keywords: sustainability concepts, sustainable development, energy climate architecture, fossil fuel, hot and dry climate, patterns of traditional sustainability for residential buildings, modern pattern of cooling
Procedia PDF Downloads 2942122 PRENACEL: Development and Evaluation of an M-Health Strategy to Improve Prenatal Care in Brazil
Authors: E. M. Vieira, C. S. Vieira, L. P. Bonifácio, L. M. de Oliveira Ciabati, A. C. A. Franzon, F. S. Zaratini, J. A. C. Sanchez, M. S. Andrade, J. P. Dias de Souza
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The quality of prenatal care is key to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality. Communication between the health service and users can stimulate prevention and care. M-health has been an important and low cost strategy to health education. The PRENACEL programme (prenatal in the cell phone) was developed. It consists of a programme of information via SMS from the 20th week of pregnancy up to 12th week after delivery. Messages were about prenatal care, birth, contraception and breastfeeding. Communication of the pregnant woman asking questions about their health was possible. The objective of this study was to evaluate the implementation of PRENACEL as a useful complement to the standard prenatal care. Twenty health clinics were selected and randomized by cluster, 10 as the intervention group and 10 as the control group. In the intervention group, women and their partner were invited to participate. The control group received the standard prenatal care. All women were interviewed in the immediate post-partum and in the 12th and 24th week post-partum. Most women were married, had more than 8 years of schooling and visit the clinic more than 6 times during prenatal care. The intervention group presented lowest percentage of higher economic participants (5.6%), less single mothers and no drug user. It also presented more prenatal care visits than the control group and it was less likely to present Severe Acute Maternal Mortality when compared to control group as well as higher percentage of partners (75.4%) was present at the birth compared to control group. Although the study is still being carried out, preliminary data are showing positive results of the compliance of women to prenatal care.Keywords: cellphone, health technology, prenatal care, prevention
Procedia PDF Downloads 3842121 Query Task Modulator: A Computerized Experimentation System to Study Media-Multitasking Behavior
Authors: Premjit K. Sanjram, Gagan Jakhotiya, Apoorv Goyal, Shanu Shukla
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In psychological research, laboratory experiments often face the trade-off issue between experimental control and mundane realism. With the advent of Immersive Virtual Environment Technology (IVET), this issue seems to be at bay. However there is a growing challenge within the IVET itself to design and develop system or software that captures the psychological phenomenon of everyday lives. One such phenomena that is of growing interest is ‘media-multitasking’ To aid laboratory researches in media-multitasking this paper introduces Query Task Modulator (QTM), a computerized experimentation system to study media-multitasking behavior in a controlled laboratory environment. The system provides a computerized platform in conducting an experiment for experimenters to study media-multitasking in which participants will be involved in a query task. The system has Instant Messaging, E-mail, and Voice Call features. The answers to queries are provided on the left hand side information panel where participants have to search for it and feed the information in the respective communication media blocks as fast as possible. On the whole the system will collect multitasking behavioral data. To analyze performance there is a separate output table that records the reaction times and responses of the participants individually. Information panel and all the media blocks will appear on a single window in order to ensure multi-modality feature in media-multitasking and equal emphasis on all the tasks (thus avoiding prioritization to a particular task). The paper discusses the development of QTM in the light of current techniques of studying media-multitasking.Keywords: experimentation system, human performance, media-multitasking, query-task
Procedia PDF Downloads 5502120 Implementation of Modern Information Technologies in Business to Customer Marketing Activity and the Implementation of Pro-Environmental Goals of Enterprises
Authors: M. Łęgowik-Małolepsza
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The article discusses the problem related to the use of modern information technologies to achieve pro-environmental marketing goals in business-to-customer (B2C) relationships. The topic is important and topical due to the strong social need to implement the concept of sustainable development. The aim of the article is to understand and evaluate the possibilities of implementing modern information technologies, such as Customer Relationship Management platforms (CRM), in the area of implementing marketing activities of companies operating in the Business to Customer model. In B2C relations, marketing departments struggle with problems resulting from the need for quick customer segmentation and the fragmentation of data existing in many systems, which significantly hinders the achievement of the assumed marketing goals. Therefore, the article proposes the use of modern information technology solutions in the area of marketing activities of enterprises, taking into account their pro-environmental goals. The most important results of the research carried out include an in-depth understanding of the possibilities of implementing modern information technologies to achieve marketing goals in B2C relationships. Moreover, a better understanding of the coexistence of opportunities and threats related to the implementation of marketing activities, taking into account pro-environmental goals and modern technologies, allows for more effective implementation of sustainable development management in enterprises. The methods used to achieve the goal are literature studies, descriptive analysis, and case studies. The study contributes to the discussion on the scope of application of modern information technologies in the area of B2C marketing activity, taking into account the implementation of pro-environmental goals of enterprises.Keywords: B2C marketing activity, implementation of technologies, modern information technologies, pro-environmental activities
Procedia PDF Downloads 1002119 Corporate Governance of Enterprise IT: Research Study on IT Governance Maturity
Authors: Mario Spremic
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Despite the financial crisis and ongoing need for cost cutting, companies all around the world heavily invest in information systems (IS) and underlying information technology (IT). Information systems (IS) play very important role in modern business organizations supporting its organizational efficiency or, under certain circumstances, fostering business model innovation and change. IS can influence organization competitiveness in two ways: supporting operational efficiency (IS as a main infrastructure for the current business), or differentiating business through business model innovation and business process change. In either way, IS becomes very important to the business and needs to be aligned with strategic objectives in order to justify massive investments. A number of studies showed that investments in IS and underlying IT resulted in added business value if they are truly connected with strategic business objectives. In that sense proliferation of governance of enterprise IT helps companies manage, or rather, governs IS as a primary business function with executive management involved in making a decision about IS and IT. The quality of IT governance is rising with the large number of decisions about IS made by executive management, not IT departments. The more executive management is engaged in making a decision about IS and IT, the IT governance is of better quality. In this paper, the practice of governing the enterprise IT will be investigated on a sample of the largest 100 Croatian companies. Research questions posed here will reveal if there are some formal IT governance mechanisms, are there any differences in perceived role of IS and IT between CIOs (Chief Information Officers) and CEOs (Chief Executive Officers) of the sampled companies and what are the mechanisms to govern massive investment in enterprise IT.Keywords: IT governance, governance of enterprise IT, information system auditing, operational efficiency
Procedia PDF Downloads 2982118 Single Protoplast of Murraya paniculata L. Jack Regenerated Into Plantlets
Authors: Hasan Basri Jumin, Danil Endriand Basri
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Isolated protoplast from embryogenic callus of orange Jessamine (Murraya paniculata L. (Jack) cultured and maintained under growth chamber at the temperature +25oC. The parameter observed are the plating efficiency, the number of spherical embryos, heard-shaped embryos-like structure, shoot formation, and plantlets obtained. Treatment was arranged with 0.0, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 or 1.0 mg 1-1 Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), and 0, 300, 500 mg 1/l malt extract (ME) and 0.M sorbitol in the medium with 2.5 % sucrose. Interaction between 0.001 mg/l NAA and 500 mg/l was observed the higher percentage of planting efficiency. For embryo development from callus, the media was added to 0.0 mg/l, 0.001 mg/l, 0.01 ,mg/l, 0.1 mg/l, 1.0 mg/l NAA, and 1.0 %, 2.0 %, 3.0 %, 4.0 % sucrose. Media supplemented with 0.01mg/l NAA, and 1.0% sucrose was found to be a suitable medium for the development of spherical somatic embryos. A combination of 0.1 mg/ indole acetic acid (IAA) and 0.1 mg/l zeatin constituted the spherical somatic embryo became heart-shaped embryos-like structure. A combination between GA3 0.1 mg 1/l GA3 and 0.1 mg 1-1 zeatin is looking high, growing the heart-shaped embryos-like structure to form a shoot. Cells were developed into spherical embryos and grew into heart-shaped embryos, and then spherical somatic embryos developed into shoot formation. Sequence from single protoplast to plantlets was obtained by using a low concentration of plant growth regulator and sucrose; This recovery of single protoplast to be completed plantlets is a new technology in plant cell culture, and this could be used in genetic engineering in citrus.Keywords: heart-shaped-embryos-like-structure, Muraya-paniculata, plant-growth-regulator, spherical- somatic-embryo, single protoplast, glucose
Procedia PDF Downloads 1032117 IoT and Deep Learning approach for Growth Stage Segregation and Harvest Time Prediction of Aquaponic and Vermiponic Swiss Chards
Authors: Praveen Chandramenon, Andrew Gascoyne, Fideline Tchuenbou-Magaia
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Aquaponics offers a simple conclusive solution to the food and environmental crisis of the world. This approach combines the idea of Aquaculture (growing fish) to Hydroponics (growing vegetables and plants in a soilless method). Smart Aquaponics explores the use of smart technology including artificial intelligence and IoT, to assist farmers with better decision making and online monitoring and control of the system. Identification of different growth stages of Swiss Chard plants and predicting its harvest time is found to be important in Aquaponic yield management. This paper brings out the comparative analysis of a standard Aquaponics with a Vermiponics (Aquaponics with worms), which was grown in the controlled environment, by implementing IoT and deep learning-based growth stage segregation and harvest time prediction of Swiss Chards before and after applying an optimal freshwater replenishment. Data collection, Growth stage classification and Harvest Time prediction has been performed with and without water replenishment. The paper discusses the experimental design, IoT and sensor communication with architecture, data collection process, image segmentation, various regression and classification models and error estimation used in the project. The paper concludes with the results comparison, including best models that performs growth stage segregation and harvest time prediction of the Aquaponic and Vermiponic testbed with and without freshwater replenishment.Keywords: aquaponics, deep learning, internet of things, vermiponics
Procedia PDF Downloads 612116 Perspectives of Pre-service Teachers on Vocational Pedagogy in Technical and Vocational Education and Training Teaching
Authors: Siphokazi Vimbelo
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Abstract - TVET colleges were established to equip students with the necessary skills for careers in a variety of fields such as business, tourism, engineering, and hospitality. TVET teachers are responsible for preparing students and for ensuring that students acquire these necessary skills. This calls for the pedagogies currently utilized in the TVET classroom. Occupational programmes that are being introduced in TVET colleges in South Africa will necessitate vocational pedagogy, which focuses on how individuals learn effectively in skill-oriented knowledge areas. Furthermore, limited research exists on the obstacles encountered by pre-service TVET educators as they develop vocational pedagogy-based lessons. Hence, this research will specifically examine the difficulties encountered by pre-service teachers in creating lesson plans rooted in vocational teaching methods. The preservice teachers are the students in the first year of the Advanced Diploma in Technical and Vocational Teaching (ADTVT). After brainstorming vocational pedagogy, the preservice teachers will develop lessons rooted in vocational pedagogy. Following that, the preservice teachers will participate in interviews to reflect on their lesson preparation process and discuss the challenges they encountered during the preparation. Thematic analysis will be used to analyse the data. It would be fascinating to discover the obstacles and exchange thoughts with academics from other Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) that also provide the same course, since it is a new program. Furthermore, the results will assist Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) academics in partnering with other academics to create various strategies for tackling challenges and determining priorities in implementing vocational education for a new student population.Keywords: preservice teachers, TVET, TVET teaching, vocational pedagogy
Procedia PDF Downloads 542115 Multidimensional Modeling of Solidification Process of Multi-Crystalline Silicon under Magnetic Field for Solar Cell Technology
Authors: Mouhamadou Diop, Mohamed I. Hassan
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Molten metallic flow in metallurgical plant is highly turbulent and presents a complex coupling with heat transfer, phase transfer, chemical reaction, momentum transport, etc. Molten silicon flow has significant effect in directional solidification of multicrystalline silicon by affecting the temperature field and the emerging crystallization interface as well as the transport of species and impurities during casting process. Owing to the complexity and limits of reliable measuring techniques, computational models of fluid flow are useful tools to study and quantify these problems. The overall objective of this study is to investigate the potential of a traveling magnetic field for an efficient operating control of the molten metal flow. A multidimensional numerical model will be developed for the calculations of Lorentz force, molten metal flow, and the related phenomenon. The numerical model is implemented in a laboratory-scale silicon crystallization furnace. This study presents the potential of traveling magnetic field approach for an efficient operating control of the molten flow. A numerical model will be used to study the effects of magnetic force applied on the molten flow, and their interdependencies. In this paper, coupled and decoupled, steady and unsteady models of molten flow and crystallization interface will be compared. This study will allow us to retrieve the optimal traveling magnetic field parameter range for crystallization furnaces and the optimal numerical simulations strategy for industrial application.Keywords: multidimensional, numerical simulation, solidification, multicrystalline, traveling magnetic field
Procedia PDF Downloads 2392114 The Technophobia among Older Adults in China
Authors: Erhong Sun, Xuchun Ye
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Technophobia, namely the fear or dislike of modern advanced technologies, plays a central role in age-related digital divides and is considered a new risk factor for older adults, which can affect the daily lives of people through low adherence to digital living. Indeed, there is considerable heterogeneity in the group of older adults who feel technophobia. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify different technophobia typologies of older people and to examine their associations with the subjective age factor. A sample of 704 retired elderly over the age of 55 was recruited in China. Technophobia and subjective age were assessed with a questionnaire, respectively. Latent profile analysis was used to identify technophobia subgroups, using three dimensions including techno-anxiety, techno-paranoia, and privacy concerns as indicators. The association between the identified technophobia subgroups and subjective age was explored. In summary, four different technophobia typologies were identified among older adults in China. Combined with an investigation of personal background characteristics and subjective age, it draws a more nuanced image of the technophobia phenome among older adults in China. First, not all older adults suffer from technophobia, with about half of the elderly subjects belonging to the profiles of “Low-technophobia” and “Medium-technophobia.” Second, privacy concern plays an important role in the classification of technophobia among older adults. Third, subjective age might be a protective factor for technophobia in older adults. Although the causal direction between identified technophobia typologies and subjective age remains uncertain, our suggests that future interventions should better focus on subjective age by breaking the age stereotype of technology to reduce the negative effect of technophobia on older. Future development of this research will involve extensive investigation of the detailed impact of technophobia in senior populations, measurement of the negative outcomes, as well as formulation of innovative educational and clinical pathways.Keywords: technophobia, older adults, latent profile analysis, subjective age
Procedia PDF Downloads 652113 Language Effects on the Prestige and Product Image of Advertised Smartphone in Consumer Purchases in Indonesia
Authors: Vidyarini Dwita, Rebecca Fanany
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This study will discuss the growth of the market for smartphone technology in Indonesia. This country, with the world’s fourth largest population, has a reputation as the social media capital of the world, and this reputation is largely justified. The penetration of social media is high in Indonesia which has one of the largest global markets. Most Indonesian users of Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms access the sites from their mobile phones. Indonesia is expected to continue to be a major market for digital mobile devices, such as smartphone and tablets that can access the internet. The aim of this study to describe the way responses of Indonesian consumers to smartphone advertising using English and Indonesian will impact on their perceptions of the prestige and product image of the advertised items and thus influence consumer intention to purchase the item. Advertising for smartphones and similar products is intense and dynamic and often draws on the social attitudes of Indonesians with respect to linguistic and cultural content and especially appeals to their desire to be part of global mainstream culture. The study uses a qualitative method based on in-depth interviews with 30 participants. Content analysis is employed to analyse the responses of Indonesian consumers to smartphone advertising that uses English and Indonesian text. Its findings indicate that consumers’ impressions of English and Indonesian slogans influence their attitudes toward smartphones, suggesting that linguistic context plays a role in influencing consumer purchases.Keywords: consumer purchases, marketing communication, product image, smartphone advertising, sociolinguistic
Procedia PDF Downloads 2192112 Designing of Content Management Systems (CMS) for Web Development
Authors: Abdul Basit Kiani, Maryam Kiani
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Content Management Systems (CMS) have transformed the landscape of web development by providing an accessible and efficient platform for creating and managing digital content. This abstract explores the key features and benefits of CMS in web development, highlighting its impact on website creation and maintenance. CMS offers a user-friendly interface that empowers individuals to create, edit, and publish content without requiring extensive technical knowledge. With customizable templates and themes, users can personalize the design and layout of their websites, ensuring a visually appealing online presence. Furthermore, CMS facilitates efficient content organization through categorization and tagging, enabling visitors to navigate and search for information effortlessly. It also supports version control, allowing users to track and manage revisions effectively. Scalability is a notable advantage of CMS, as it offers a wide range of plugins and extensions to integrate additional features into websites. From e-commerce functionality to social media integration, CMS adapts to evolving business needs. Additionally, CMS enhances collaborative workflows by allowing multiple user roles and permissions. This enables teams to collaborate effectively on content creation and management, streamlining processes and ensuring smooth coordination. In conclusion, CMS serves as a powerful tool in web development, simplifying content creation, customization, organization, scalability, and collaboration. With CMS, individuals and businesses can create dynamic and engaging websites, establishing a strong online presence with ease.Keywords: web development, content management systems, information technology, programming
Procedia PDF Downloads 772111 Magnetohydrodynamic Flow of Viscoelastic Nanofluid and Heat Transfer over a Stretching Surface with Non-Uniform Heat Source/Sink and Non-Linear Radiation
Authors: Md. S. Ansari, S. S. Motsa
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In this paper, an analysis has been made on the flow of non-Newtonian viscoelastic nanofluid over a linearly stretching sheet under the influence of uniform magnetic field. Heat transfer characteristics is analyzed taking into the effect of nonlinear radiation and non-uniform heat source/sink. Transport equations contain the simultaneous effects of Brownian motion and thermophoretic diffusion of nanoparticles. The relevant partial differential equations are non-dimensionalized and transformed into ordinary differential equations by using appropriate similarity transformations. The transformed, highly nonlinear, ordinary differential equations are solved by spectral local linearisation method. The numerical convergence, error and stability analysis of iteration schemes are presented. The effects of different controlling parameters, namely, radiation, space and temperature-dependent heat source/sink, Brownian motion, thermophoresis, viscoelastic, Lewis number and the magnetic force parameter on the flow field, heat transfer characteristics and nanoparticles concentration are examined. The present investigation has many industrial and engineering applications in the fields of coatings and suspensions, cooling of metallic plates, oils and grease, paper production, coal water or coal–oil slurries, heat exchangers’ technology, and materials’ processing and exploiting.Keywords: magnetic field, nonlinear radiation, non-uniform heat source/sink, similar solution, spectral local linearisation method, Rosseland diffusion approximation
Procedia PDF Downloads 3672110 Enhancement of 2, 4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid Solubility via Solid Dispersion Technique
Authors: Tamer M. Shehata, Heba S. Elsewedy, Mashel Al Dosary, Alaa Elshehry, Mohamed A. Khedr, Maged E. Mohamed
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Objective: 2,4-Dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) is a well-known herbicide widely used as a weed killer. Recently, 2,4-D was rediscovered as a new anti-inflammatory agent through in silico as well as in-vivo experiments. However, poor solubility of 2,4-D could represent a problems during pharmaceutical development in addition to lower bioavailability. Solid dispersion (SD) refers to a group of solid products consisting of at least two different components, usually a hydrophobic drug and hydrophilic matrix. It is well known technique for enhancing drug solubility. Therefore, selecting SD as a tool for enhancing 2,4-D could be of great interest to the formulator. Method: In our project, several polymers were investigated (such as PEG, HPMC, citric acid and others) in addition to drug polymer ratios and its effect on solubility. Evaluation of drug polymer interaction was investigated through both Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). Finally, in-vivo evaluation was performed for the best selected preparation through inflammatory response of rat induce hind paw. Results: Results indicated that, citric acid 2,4-D and in ratio of 0.75 : 1 showed modified the dissolution profile of the drug. The FTIR resltes indicated no significant chemical interaction, however DSC showed shifting of the drug melting point. Finally, Carragenan induced rat hind paw edema showed significant reduction of the drug solid dispersion in comparison to the pure drug, indicating rapid and complete absorption of the drug in solid dispersion form. Conclusion: Solid dispersion technology can be utilized efficiently to enhance the solubility of 2,4-D.Keywords: solid dispersion, 2, 4-D solubility, carragenan induced edema
Procedia PDF Downloads 4382109 CMPD: Cancer Mutant Proteome Database
Authors: Po-Jung Huang, Chi-Ching Lee, Bertrand Chin-Ming Tan, Yuan-Ming Yeh, Julie Lichieh Chu, Tin-Wen Chen, Cheng-Yang Lee, Ruei-Chi Gan, Hsuan Liu, Petrus Tang
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Whole-exome sequencing focuses on the protein coding regions of disease/cancer associated genes based on a priori knowledge is the most cost-effective method to study the association between genetic alterations and disease. Recent advances in high throughput sequencing technologies and proteomic techniques has provided an opportunity to integrate genomics and proteomics, allowing readily detectable mutated peptides corresponding to mutated genes. Since sequence database search is the most widely used method for protein identification using Mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics technology, a mutant proteome database is required to better approximate the real protein pool to improve disease-associated mutated protein identification. Large-scale whole exome/genome sequencing studies were launched by National Cancer Institute (NCI), Broad Institute, and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), which provide not only a comprehensive report on the analysis of coding variants in diverse samples cell lines but a invaluable resource for extensive research community. No existing database is available for the collection of mutant protein sequences related to the identified variants in these studies. CMPD is designed to address this issue, serving as a bridge between genomic data and proteomic studies and focusing on protein sequence-altering variations originated from both germline and cancer-associated somatic variations.Keywords: TCGA, cancer, mutant, proteome
Procedia PDF Downloads 5852108 Investigation of Overarching Effects of Artificial Intelligence Implementation into Education Through Research Synthesis
Authors: Justin Bin
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Artificial intelligence (AI) has been rapidly rising in usage recently, already active in the daily lives of millions, from distinguished AIs like the popular ChatGPT or Siri to more obscure, inconspicuous AIs like those used in social media or internet search engines. As upcoming generations grow immersed in emerging technology, AI will play a vital role in their development. Namely, the education sector, an influential portion of a person’s early life as a student, faces a vast ocean of possibilities concerning the implementation of AI. The main purpose of this study is to analyze the effect that AI will have on the future of the educational field. More particularly, this study delves deeper into the following three categories: school admissions, the productivity of students, and ethical concerns (role of human teachers, purpose of schooling itself, and significance of diplomas). This study synthesizes research and data on the current effects of AI on education from various published literature sources and journals, as well as estimates on further AI potential, in order to determine the main, overarching effects it will have on the future of education. For this study, a systematic organization of data in terms of type (quantitative vs. qualitative), the magnitude of effect implicated, and other similar factors were implemented within each area of significance. The results of the study suggest that AI stands to change all the beforementioned subgroups. However, its specific effects vary in magnitude and favorability (beneficial or harmful) and will be further discussed. The results discussed will reveal to those affiliated with the education field, such as teachers, counselors, or even parents of students, valuable information on not just the projected possibilities of AI in education but the effects of those changes moving forward.Keywords: artificial intelligence, education, schools, teachers
Procedia PDF Downloads 5082107 Use of Two-Dimensional Hydraulics Modeling for Design of Erosion Remedy
Authors: Ayoub. El Bourtali, Abdessamed.Najine, Amrou Moussa. Benmoussa
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One of the main goals of river engineering is river training, which is defined as controlling and predicting the behavior of a river. It is taking effective measurements to eliminate all related risks and thus improve the river system. In some rivers, the riverbed continues to erode and degrade; therefore, equilibrium will never be reached. Generally, river geometric characteristics and riverbed erosion analysis are some of the most complex but critical topics in river engineering and sediment hydraulics; riverbank erosion is the second answering process in hydrodynamics, which has a major impact on the ecological chain and socio-economic process. This study aims to integrate the new computer technology that can analyze erosion and hydraulic problems through computer simulation and modeling. Choosing the right model remains a difficult and sensitive job for field engineers. This paper makes use of the 5.0.4 version of the HEC-RAS model. The river section is adopted according to the gauged station and the proximity of the adjustment. In this work, we will demonstrate how 2D hydraulic modeling helped clarify the design and cover visuals to set up depth and velocities at riverbanks and throughout advanced structures. The hydrologic engineering center's-river analysis system (HEC-RAS) 2D model was used to create a hydraulic study of the erosion model. The geometric data were generated from the 12.5-meter x 12.5-meter resolution digital elevation model. In addition to showing eroded or overturned river sections, the model output also shows patterns of riverbank changes, which can help us reduce problems caused by erosion.Keywords: 2D hydraulics model, erosion, floodplain, hydrodynamic, HEC-RAS, riverbed erosion, river morphology, resolution digital data, sediment
Procedia PDF Downloads 1832106 Virtual Reality as a Method in Transformative Learning: A Strategy to Reduce Implicit Bias
Authors: Cory A. Logston
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It is imperative researchers continue to explore every transformative strategy to increase empathy and awareness of racial bias. Racism is a social and political concept that uses stereotypical ideology to highlight racial inequities. Everyone has biases they may not be aware of toward disparate out-groups. There is some form of racism in every profession; doctors, lawyers, and teachers are not immune. There have been numerous successful and unsuccessful strategies to motivate and transform an individual’s unconscious biased attitudes. One method designed to induce a transformative experience and identify implicit bias is virtual reality (VR). VR is a technology designed to transport the user to a three-dimensional environment. In a virtual reality simulation, the viewer is immersed in a realistic interactive video taking on the perspective of a Black man. The viewer as the character experiences discrimination in various life circumstances growing up as a child into adulthood. For instance, the prejudice felt in school, as an adolescent encountering the police and false accusations in the workplace. Current research suggests that an immersive VR simulation can enhance self-awareness and become a transformative learning experience. This study uses virtual reality immersion and transformative learning theory to create empathy and identify any unintentional racial bias. Participants, White teachers, will experience a VR immersion to create awareness and identify implicit biases regarding Black students. The desired outcome provides a springboard to reconceptualize their own implicit bias. Virtual reality is gaining traction in the research world and promises to be an effective tool in the transformative learning process.Keywords: empathy, implicit bias, transformative learning, virtual reality
Procedia PDF Downloads 1882105 Spatial Distribution and Time Series Analysis of COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy: A Geospatial Perspective
Authors: Muhammad Farhan Ul Moazzam, Tamkeen Urooj Paracha, Ghani Rahman, Byung Gul Lee, Nasir Farid, Adnan Arshad
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The novel coronavirus pandemic disease (COVID-19) affected the whole globe, though there is a lack of clinical studies and its epidemiological features. But as per the observation, it has been seen that most of the COVID-19 infected patients show mild to moderate symptoms, and they get better without any medical assistance due to a better immune system to generate antibodies against the novel coronavirus. In this study, the active cases, serious cases, recovered cases, deaths and total confirmed cases had been analyzed using the geospatial inverse distance weightage technique (IDW) within the time span of 2nd March to 3rd June 2020. As of 3rd June, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Italy were 231,238, total deaths 33,310, serious cases 350, recovered cases 158,951, and active cases were 39,177, which has been reported by the Ministry of Health, Italy. March 2nd-June 3rd, 2020 a sum of 231,238 cases has been reported in Italy out of which 38.68% cases reported in the Lombardia region with a death rate of 18%, which is high from its national mortality rate followed by Emilia-Romagna (14.89% deaths), Piemonte (12.68% deaths), and Vento (10% deaths). As per the total cases in the region, the highest number of recoveries has been observed in Umbria (92.52%), followed by Basilicata (87%), Valle d'Aosta (86.85%), and Trento (84.54%). The COVID-19 evolution in Italy has been particularly found in the major urban area, i.e., Rome, Milan, Naples, Bologna, and Florence. Geospatial technology played a vital role in this pandemic by tracking infected patient, active cases, and recovered cases. Geospatial techniques are very important in terms of monitoring and planning to control the pandemic spread in the country.Keywords: COVID-19, public health, geospatial analysis, IDW, Italy
Procedia PDF Downloads 1432104 No Space for Subculture, No Space for Disruption: Taming Creativity in Urban Development Projects
Authors: Nadine Osbild
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Recent urban development projects often try to cater to both high-tech innovation/start-up culture and local culture/sustainable living. In the process, the so-called “creative class” (Florida 2002) has become a focal point for innovative answers to increasing urban pressures. Our paper explores local subculture and art scenes as a place where current innovation policies and alternative approaches to urban future-making collide. We explore the (re-)making of prevalent understanding of creativity in the context of Munich – an economically successful and over-saturated city with a relatively conservative approach to innovation and disruption and no apparent need for the “creative class” remedy. In particular, we investigate the opportunities and manifestations of subculture in three urban development projects that are envisioned as collaborations between innovators and (sub)culturally oriented creativity. Following a co-production STS approach, we observe that these development projects serve as sites where understandings of innovation and creativity are configured and stabilized in keeping with broader socio-political and economic rationalities. What is more, the projects materialize a de-facto split between the two understandings of a “creative scene,” whereby alternative and potentially disruptive forms of creativity become sidelined or even prevented in Munich’s imagination of urban development in the name of innovation and economic growth. Thus taming the unruliness of creativity, Munich also manages to tame the disruptive threats of innovation, ensuring that the innovation-centered modes of future-making still leave socio-economic hierarchies intact while displacing (counter-)visions rooted in the subculture.Keywords: creative districts, science and technology studies, public engagement, innovation studies
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