Search results for: cross flow

Authors: Muhammad Shahbaz Akhtar

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Background; Tuberculosis remains a significant public health challenge in Pakistan, with high incidence and prevalence rates, particularly among vulnerable populations. Addressing the TB burden requires comprehensive efforts to improve healthcare infrastructure, increase access to quality diagnosis and treatment services, raise public awareness, and address socioeconomic determinants of health. Objective; To assess the knowledge and practices of healthcare workers and patients regarding prevention of tuberculosis at a tertiary care hospital of Southern Punjab.Material and methods; Data will be collected from 135 healthcare workers and 135 TB patients visiting Nishtar Hospital, Multan in this descriptive cross – sectional study using non – probability consecutive sampling technique. Proper approval will be taken from Hospital authorities to conduct this study. Study participants will be recruited after taking informed written consent, describing them objectives of this study. The study participants will be ensured of their confidentiality of the data and interviewed to assess their knowledge and practices regarding prevention of tuberculosis. Data Analysis Procedure; Data will be entered and analyzed by using SPSS version 25 to calculated mean and standard deviation for the numerical data such as age, duration of disease and duration of experience. Frequencies and percentages will be calculated for gender, age groups, level of knowledge, qualification, designation and practices. Impact of confounders like gender, age groups, duration of experience, disease duration, years of experience and designation will be assessed by stratification. Post stratification chi – square test will be applied at 0.05 level of significance at 95 % CI.

Keywords: tuberculosis, data analysis, HIV/AIDS, preventable

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Authors: Melissa Hachem, Lynda Bensefa-Colas, Isabelle Momas

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We evaluated the impact of the first lockdown restriction measures (March-May 2020) in the Paris area on (1) the variation of in-vehicle ultrafine particle (UFP) and black carbon (BC) concentrations between pre-and post-lockdown period and (2) the professional drivers working conditions and practices. The study was conducted on 33 Parisian taxi drivers. UFP and BC were measured inside their vehicles with DiSCmini® and microAeth®, respectively, on two typical working days before and after the first lockdown. The job-related characteristics were self-reported. Our results showed that after the first lockdown, the number of clients significantly decreased as well as the taxi driver's journey duration. Taxi drivers significantly opened their windows more and reduced the use of air recirculation. UFP decreased significantly by 32% and BC by 31% after the first lockdown, with a weaker positive correlation compared to before the lockdown. The reduction of in-vehicle UFP was explained mainly by the reduction of traffic flow and ventilation settings, though the latter probably varied according to the traffic condition. No predictor explained the variation of in-vehicle BC concentration between pre-and post-lockdown periods, suggesting different sources of UFP and BC. The road traffic was not anymore the dominant source of BC post-lockdown. We emphasize the role of traffic emissions on in-vehicle air pollution and that preventive measures such as ventilation settings will help to better manage air quality inside a vehicle in order to minimize exposure of professional drivers, as well as passengers, to air pollutants.

Keywords: black carbon, COVID-19, France, lockdown, taxis, ultrafine particles

Procedia PDF Downloads 195

Authors: Amber Shahi, Ayesha Tazeen, Abdus Samad, Shama Parveen

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Nanoparticles (NPs) are tiny particles. According to the International Organization for Standardization, the size range of NPs is in the nanometer range (1-100 nm). They show distinct properties that are not shown by larger particles of the same material. NPs are currently being used in different fields due to their unique physicochemical nature. NPs are a boon for medical sciences, environmental sciences, electronics, and textile industries. However, there is growing concern about their potential adverse effects on human health. This poster presents a comprehensive review of the current literature on the pros and cons of NPs on human health. The poster will discuss the various types of interactions of NPs with biological systems. There are a number of beneficial uses of NPs in the field of health and environmental welfare. NPs are very useful in disease diagnosis, antimicrobial action, and the treatment of diseases like Alzheimer’s. They can also cross the blood-brain barrier, making them capable of treating brain diseases. Additionally, NPs can target specific tumors and be used for cancer treatment. To treat environmental health, NPs also act as catalytic converters to reduce pollution from the environment. On the other hand, NPs also have some negative impacts on the human body, such as being cytotoxic and genotoxic. They can also affect the reproductive system, such as the testis and ovary, and sexual behavior. The poster will further discuss the routes of exposure of NPs. The poster will conclude with a discussion of the current regulations and guidelines on the use of NPs in various applications. It will highlight the need for further research and the development of standardized toxicity testing methods to ensure the safe use of NPs in various applications. When using NPs in diagnosis and treatment, we should also take into consideration their safe concentration in the body. Overall, this poster aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the pros and cons of NPs on human health and to promote awareness and understanding of the potential risks and benefits associated with their use.

Keywords: disease diagnosis, human health, nanoparticles, toxicity testing

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Authors: Alok Khaware, Vinay Kumar Gupta, Jean Noel Pederzani

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Lifeboat launching from marine vessel or offshore platform is one of the important areas of research in offshore applications. With the advancement of computational fluid dynamic simulation (CFD) technology to solve fluid induced motions coupled with Six Degree of Freedom (6DOF), rigid body dynamics solver, it is now possible to predict the motion of the lifeboat precisely in different challenging conditions. Traditionally dynamic remeshing approach is used to solve this kind of problems, but remeshing approach has some bottlenecks to control good quality mesh in transient moving mesh cases. In the present study, an overset method with higher-order interpolation is used to simulate a lifeboat launched from an offshore platform into calm water, and volume of fluid (VOF) method is used to track free surface. Overset mesh consists of a set of overlapping component meshes, which allows complex geometries to be meshed with lesser effort. Good quality mesh with local refinement is generated at the beginning of the simulation and stay unchanged throughout the simulation. Overset mesh accuracy depends on the precise interpolation technique; the present study includes a robust and accurate least square interpolation method and results obtained with overset mesh shows good agreement with experiment.

Keywords: computational fluid dynamics, free surface flow, lifeboat launching, overset mesh, volume of fluid

Procedia PDF Downloads 280

Authors: Dang HuynhMinhTam, Kuang-Cong Lu, Yi-Hung Chen, Zhung-Yu Lin, Cheng-Siang Cheng

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Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology become a predominant technique to mitigate carbon dioxide and achieve net-zero emissions goals. This research targets to continuously capture the low concentration CO₂ from the tail gas of the regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) in the high technology industry. A rotating packed bed (RPB) reactor is investigated to capture the efficiency of CO₂ using a mixture of NaOH/Na₂CO₃ solutions to simulate the real absorbed solution. On a lab scale, semi-batch experiments of continuous gas flow and circulating absorbent solution are conducted to find the optimal parameters and are then examined in a continuous operation. In the semi-batch tests, the carbon capture efficiency and pH variation in the conditions of a low concentration CO₂ (about 1.13 vol%), the NaOH concentration of 1 wt% or 2 wt% mixed with 14 wt% Na₂CO₃, the rotating speed (600, 900, 1200 rpm), the gas-liquid ratio (100, 200, and 400), and the temperature of absorbent solution of 40 ºC are studied. The CO₂ capture efficiency significantly increases with higher rotating speed and smaller gas-liquid ratio, respectively, while the difference between the NaOH concentration of 1 wt% and 2 wt% is relatively small. The maximum capture efficiency is close to 80% in the conditions of the NaOH concentration of 1 wt%, the G/L ratio of 100, and the rotating speed of 1200 rpm within the first 5 minutes. Furthermore, the continuous operation based on similar conditions also demonstrates the steady efficiency of the carbon capture of around 80%.

Keywords: carbon dioxide capture, regenerative thermal oxidizer, rotating packed bed, sodium hydroxide

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Authors: Emad Mohammed Sani

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Women encounter exclusion and discrimination in varying degrees, particularly those who marry as minors. The detrimental custom of getting married young is still prevalent worldwide and affects millions of people. It has been less common over time, although it is still widespread in underdeveloped nations. Oromia Regional State is the region in Ethiopia with the highest proportion of child brides. This study aimed at evaluating the effects of early marriage on its survivors’ life conditions – specifically, empowerment and household decision-making – in Eastern Hararghe Zone of Oromia Region. This study employed community-based cross-sectional study design. It adopted mixed method approach – survey, in-depth interview and focus group discussion (FGD) – to collect, analyses and interpret data on early marriage and its effects on household decision-making processes. Narratives and analytical descriptions were integrated to substantiate and/or explain observed quantitative results, or generate contextual themes. According to this study, married women who were married at or after the age of eighteen participated more in household decision-making than child brides. Child brides were more likely to be victims of violence and other types of spousal abuse in their marriages. These changes are mostly caused by an individual's age at first marriage. Delaying marriage had a large positive impact on women's empowerment at the household level, and age at first marriage had a considerable negative impact. In order to advance women's welfare and emancipation, we advise more research to concentrate on the relationship between the home and the social-structural forms that appear at the individual and communal levels.

Keywords: child-bride, early marriage, women, ethiopia

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Authors: Monu Verma, Hyunook Kim

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Heavy metals and organic dyes are the major sources of water pollution. Herein, a trifunctional β−cyclodextrin−ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid−chitosan (β−CD−EDTA−CS) polymer was synthesized using an easy and simple chemical route by the reaction of activated β−CD with CS through EDTA as a cross-linker (amidation reaction) for the removal of inorganic and organic pollutants from aqueous solution under different parameters such as pH, time effect, initial concentration, reusability, etc. The synthesized adsorbent was characterized using powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), thermogravimetric analyzer techniques to investigate their structural, functional, morphological, elemental compositions, surface area, and thermal properties, respectively. Two types of heavy metals, i.e., mercury (Hg²⁺) and cadmium (Cd²⁺), and three organic dyes, i.e., methylene blue (MB), crystal violet (CV), and safranin O (SO), were chosen as inorganic and organic pollutants, respectively, to study the adsorption capacity of β-CD-EDTA-CS in aqueous solution. The β-CD-EDTA-CS shows a monolayer adsorption capacity of 346.30 ± 14.0 and 202.90 ± 13.90 mg g−¹ for Hg²⁺ and Cd²⁺, respectively, and a heterogeneous adsorption capacity of 107.20 ± 5.70, 77.40 ± 5.30 and 55.30 ± 3.60 mg g−¹ for MB, CV and SO, respectively. Kinetics results followed pseudo-second order (PSO) kinetics behavior for both metal ions and dyes, and higher rate constants values (0.00161–0.00368 g mg−¹ min−¹) for dyes confirmed the cavitation of organic dyes (physisorption). In addition, we have also demonstrated the performance of β-CD-EDTA-CS for the four heavy metals, Hg²⁺, Cd²⁺, Ni²⁺, and Cu²⁺, and three dyes MB, CV, and SO in secondary treated wastewater. The findings of this study indicate that β-CD-EDTA-CS is simple and easy to synthesize and can be used in wastewater treatment.

Keywords: adsorption isotherms, adsorption mechanism, amino-β-cyclodextrin, heavy metal ions, organic dyes

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Authors: Tim Dunne, Jiaxiang Ren, Lei Zhao, Peng Cheng, Yi Song, Yu Liu, Wenhan Yue, Xiongwen Yang

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Two decades of the Shale Revolution has transforming transformed the global energy market, in part by the adaption of multi-stage dissolvable frac plugs. Magnesium has been favored for the bulk of plugs, requiring development of materials to suit specific field requirements. Herein, the mechanical and dissolution results from equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) of two cast dissolvable magnesium alloy are described. ECAP was selected as a route to increase the mechanical properties of two formulations of dissolvable magnesium, as solutionizing failed. In this study, 1” square cross section samples cast Mg alloys formulations containing rare earth were processed at temperatures ranging from 200 to 350 °C, at a rate of 0.005”/s, with a backpressure from 0 to 70 MPa, in a brass, or brass + graphite sheet. Generally, the yield and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) doubled for all. For formulation DM-2, the yield increased from 100 MPa to 250 MPa; UTS from 175 MPa to 325 MPa, but the strain fell from 2 to 1%. Formulation DM-3 yield increased from 75 MPa to 200 MPa, UTS from 150 MPa to 275 MPa, with strain increasing from 1 to 3%. Meanwhile, ECAP has also been found to reduce the dissolution rate significantly. A microstructural analysis showed grain refinement of the alloy and the movement of secondary phases away from the grain boundary. It is believed that reconfiguration of the grain boundary phases increased the mechanical properties and decreased the dissolution rate. ECAP processing of dissolvable high rare earth content magnesium is possible despite the brittleness of the material. ECAP is a possible processing route to increase mechanical properties for dissolvable aluminum alloys that do not extrude.

Keywords: equal channel angular processing, dissolvable magnesium, frac plug, mechanical properties

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Authors: V. Nagammai

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Very-large-scale integration (VLSI) is the process of creating an integrated circuit (IC) by combining thousands of transistors into a single chip. Development of technology increases the complexity in IC manufacturing which may vary the power consumption, increase the size and latency period. Topology defines a number of connections between network. In this project, NoC topology is generated using atlas tool which will increase performance in turn determination of constraints are effective. The routing is performed by XY routing algorithm and wormhole flow control. In NoC topology generation, the value of power, area and latency are predetermined. In previous work, placement, routing and shortest path evaluation is performed using an algorithm called floor planning with cluster reconstruction and path allocation algorithm (FCRPA) with the account of 4 3x3 switch, 6 4x4 switch, and 2 5x5 switches. The usage of the 4x4 and 5x5 switch will increase the power consumption and area of the block. In order to avoid the problem, this paper has used one 8x8 switch and 4 3x3 switches. This paper uses IPRCA which of 3 steps they are placement, clustering, and shortest path evaluation. The placement is performed using min – cut placement and clustering are performed using an algorithm called cluster generation. The shortest path is evaluated using an algorithm called Dijkstra's algorithm. The power consumption of each block is determined. The experimental result shows that the area, power, and wire length improved simultaneously.

Keywords: application specific noc, b* tree representation, floor planning, t tree representation

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Authors: Weldegerima Gebremedhin Hagos

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Background: The Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) is a catastrophic emerging global health threat caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 has a wide range of complications and sequels. It is devastating in developing countries, causing serious health and socioeconomic crises as a result of the increasingly overburdened healthcare system. Ethiopia reported the first case of SARS-CoV-2 on 13th March 2020, with community transmission ensuing by mid-May. The aim of this study was conducted to determine the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Tigray, Ethiopia. Methods: Facility-based correctional study designs were used on a total of 380 study participants from March 2023 up to May 2023 in two general hospitals and one comprehensive specialized hospital in Tigray, Ethiopia. A pre-structured questionnaire was used to assess information regarding the socio-demographic, clinical data and other risk factors. A nasal swap was taken by trained health professionals, and the laboratory analysis was done by RT-PCR (quant studio 7-flex, applied biosystems) in Tigrai Health Research Institute and Mekelle University Medical Microbiology Research Laboratory. Result: The mean age of the study participants was 31 (SD+/-3.5) years, with 65% being male and 35% female. The overall seropositivity of sars-cov-2 among the study participants was 5.5%. The prevalence was higher in males (6.2%) than females which were (4.7%). Sars-cov-2 infection was significantly associated with a history of lack of vaccination (p-value 0.002). There was no significant association between seropositivity and demographic factors (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among the study participants is high. Those study participants with a previous history of vaccination have a low probability of developing COVID-19 infection. A low SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was recorded in those who frequently use masks.

Keywords: prevalence, SARS-CoV-2, infection, risk factors

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Authors: Zahra Khazaeipour, Ehsan Ahmadipour, Vafa Rahimi-Movaghar, Fereshteh Ahmadipour

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Research Objectives: Chronic pain is one of the common problems associated with spinal cord injuries (SCI), which causes many complications. Therefore, this study intended to evaluate the relationship between pain and demographic, injury characteristics, socio-economic and social support in individuals with spinal cord Injury in Iran. Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Setting: Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Research Center (BASIR), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, between 2012 and 2013. Participants: The participants were 140 individuals with SCI, 101 (72%) men and 39 (28%) women, with mean age of 29.4 ±7.9 years. Main Outcome Measure: The Persian version of the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) was used to measure the pain, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) was used to measure social support. Results: About 50.7% complained about having pain, which 79.3% had bilateral pain. The most common locations of pain were lower limbs and back. The most quality of pain was described as aching (41.4%), and tingling (32.9%). Patients with a medium level of education had the least pain compared to high and low level of education. SCI individuals with good economic situation reported higher frequency of having pain. There was no significant relationship between pain and social support. There was positive correlation between pain and impairment of mood, normal work, relations with other people and lack of sleep (P < 0.001). Conclusion: These findings revealed the importance of socioeconomic factors such as economic situation and educational level in understanding chronic pain in people with SCI and provide further support for the bio-psychosocial model. Hence, multidisciplinary evaluations and treatment strategies are advocated, including biomedical, psychological, and psycho-social interventions.

Keywords: pain, social support, socio-economic indicators, spinal cord injury

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Authors: Bradley Fevrier

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Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus, a non-communicable metabolic disorder, is a fast-growing problem for health, as it presents numerous complications and death worldwide. St. Lucia, much like most other emerging nation in the Caribbean, struggles with the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among its populace. Good knowledge, attitude, and practices [KAP] of T2DM are essential in the prevention and management of this disease.Lifestyle adaptation, including increased knowledge, positive attitude, and efficient practice towards lifestyle modifications, can avert the advancement of difficulties associated with diabetes. Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted during the period June 15, 2022, to July15 2022. Data were collected by using the self-administered questionnaire designed to collect the required information from participants, and the data wasanalyzed using the statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 26. Knowledge, attitude, and practice of lifestyle modification among participants were determined using descriptive statistics. Results: A total of 402 participants completed the study, fully yielding an 84% response rate. Overall, the assessed levels of KAP relating to the life-threatening complications of T2DM were moderate. Results further indicated that women outnumbered men 68.4% to 31.6%, respectively. Significant positive correlation (r= 0.244, p<0.001) and (r=.203, p<0.001) were found between the knowledge level as well as the attitude level of study respondents. Conclusion: The overall study findings regarding the level of knowledge and attitude concerning lifestyle modifications among study participants were interpreted as generally high. However, the practice of healthy lifestyle modification habits was poor. The current findings suggest a need for structured educational campaigns prioritizing the importance of lifestyle modifications (weight loss, smoking cessation, physical exercise) to the general population.

Keywords: Diabetes, knowledge, lifestyle, survey

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Authors: Tope Olubodun

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Background: Family planning practices help individuals and couples avoid unwanted pregnancies, regulate intervals between pregnancies, and determine the number of children in the family. Family planning is an effective intervention for promoting maternal health, but its acceptability and utilization are impeded by many factors in Southwest Nigeria. Aim: This study was conducted to assess women’s knowledge and practice of family planning in two rural communities in Ogun State, Southwest Nigeria, and to determine factors associated with the utilization of family planning among these women. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 561 women of reproductive age selected by multistage sampling. The data collection was done using interviewer-administered questionnaires. Data obtained were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 20. Frequencies were generated, and chi-square test was used to explore associations. The level of significance was set at 0.05. Result: The majority of the respondents were aware of family planning 410 (73.1%). The method most commonly known was male condom 348 (62.0%), then pills 276 (49.2%) and injectables 231(41.3%). The commonest sources of information on family planning were health workers 158 (26.8%), outreaches 162 (27.5%) and TV/radio 136 (23.1%). Respondents that had used family planning, however, only constituted forty–five percent. The methods commonly used were injectables 104 (39.2%) and pills 85 (32.1%). Reasons for choosing not to use family planning include the desire for more children 78 (26.3%), because spouse does not support family planning 56 (18.9%), fear of unbearable side effects 44 (14.9%), and poor knowledge of the methods of family planning as well as where the services can be obtained 39 (13.2%). There is a statistically significant association between age, ethnicity, education, occupation, average monthly income, and use of family planning. Conclusion: Campaigns that promote male involvement in family planning, use of family planning for child spacing, and dispelling of fears is recommended to improve the practice of family planning among such a group of women.

Keywords: family planning, rural, knowledge, practice

Procedia PDF Downloads 157

Authors: Krenare Shabani, Kreshnike Dedushi Hoti, Serbeze Kabashi, Jeton Shatri, Arben Rroji, Mrikë Bunjaku, Leotrim Berisha, Jona Kosova, Edmond Puca, Bleriana Shabani

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Introduction: Workers in Kosovo's mining industry are subjected to hazardous working conditions and airborne particles, such as silica dust, which can cause silicosis and other severe respiratory illnesses. The purpose of this research is to assess the health impacts of such exposures, as well as the importance of imaging and functional testing in detecting pathological changes early on. Methodology: The study is prospective and cross-sectional and was carried out during the year 2024. 626 people (446 miners and 180 non-miners) were enrolled in the study. Subjects underwent spirometry and chest radiography. Data were analysed with SPSS24. Results: The average age of the participants is 48 years. Demographics and Smoking: Smoking was common among young miners. Radiological Changes: Radiographic abnormalities in the lungs were seen in 23.1% of miners and 10.6% of non-miners, including small irregular opacities and emphysematous changes. Lung Function: The FEV1/FVC ratio decreased with increased exposure time, indicating a decline in pulmonary function.Impact of Exposure Duration: Longer exposure duration was associated with a higher number of miners experiencing coughs and requiring medical consultations such as CT scans and biopsies. Conclusions: Medical imaging and functional testing are critical for early diagnosis of lung abnormalities in miners.Findings demonstrate a strong correlation between extended exposure to mine dust and the development of respiratory disorders, emphasising the importance of preventative measures and routine health monitoring.

Keywords: silicosis, miners, imaging, spirometry

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Authors: Mohamed H. Kosba, Heba A. Ibrahim, H. Rozita

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Statement of the Problem: The life expectancy for transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients has increased dramatically with iron-chelation therapy and other modern management modalities. In these patients, the most dominant maxillofacial manifestations are protrusion of zygomatic bones and premaxilla due to the hyperplasia of bone marrow. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of malocclusion and orthodontic treatment needs according to the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) among Malay transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients. Orientation: This is a cross-sectional study consist of 43 Malay transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients, 22 males, and 19 females with the mean age of 15.9 years old (SD 3.58). The subjects were selected randomly from patients attending Paediatrics and Internal Medicine Clinic at Hospital USM and Hospital Sultana Bahiyah. The subjects were assessed for malocclusion according to Angle’s classification, and orthodontic treatment needs using DAI. The results show that 22 of the subjects (51.1%) have class II malocclusion, 12 subjects (28%) have class І, while 9 subjects (20.9%) have class Ⅲ. The assessment of orthodontic treatment needs to reveal 22 cases (51.1%) fall in the normal/minor needs category, 12 subjects (28%) fall in the severe and very severe category, while 9 subjects (20.9%) fall in the definite category. Conclusion & Significance: Half of Malay transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients have Class Ⅱmalocclusion. About 28% had malocclusion and required orthodontic treatment. This research shows that Malay transfusion-dependent thalassemia may require orthodontic management; earlier intervention to reduce the complexity of the treatment later, suggesting functional appliance as a suitable treatment option for them, a twin block appliance together with headgear to restrict maxillary growth suggested for management. The current protocol implemented by the Malaysian Ministry of Health for the management of these patients seems to be sufficient since the result shows that about 28% require orthodontic treatment need, according to DAI.

Keywords: prevalence, DAI, thalassaemia, angle classification

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Authors: Gagan Kumar, Koijam M. Devi, Amarendra K. Sarma, Dibakar Roy Chowdhury

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Research in metamaterials has been gaining momentum over the past decade owing to its ability in controlling electromagnetic wave properties through careful design at the sub-wavelength scale. The metamaterials have led to several important phenomena which are useful in a variety of applications. One such phenomenon is the electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) effect in which a narrow transparency region is created in an otherwise absorptive spectrum. In our work, we explore plasmon induced transparency (PIT) in terahertz metamaterials which is analogues to EIT effect. The PIT effect is achieved using the plasmonic metamaterials in which a unit cell is comprised of two C (2C) shaped resonators and a cut-wire (CW). When terahertz wave of a particular polarization is normally incident on the proposed metamaterials geometry, it strongly couples with the cut wire, resulting in the excitation of the bright mode. However due to the specific polarization of the incident beam, the fundamental modes of the C-shaped resonators are not excited by the incident terahertz, hence they are termed as the dark mode. The PIT effect occurs as a result of interference between the bright and the dark mode. In order to observe PIT effect, both the bright and dark modes should have similar resonant frequencies with a little deviation. We further have examined that the PIT window can be modulated by displacing the C-shaped resonators w.r.t. the cut-wire. The numerical observations for different coupling configurations can be explained through an equivalent lumped element circuit model. Moving ahead the PIT effect is further explored in a metamaterial comprising of a cross like structure and four C-shaped resonators. For such configuration, equally strong PIT effect is observed for two orthogonally polarized lights. Therefore, such metamaterials demonstrate a polarization independent PIT response w.r.t the incident terahertz radiation. The proposed study could be significant in the development of slow light devices and polarization independent sensing applications.

Keywords: terahertz, metamaterial, split ring resonator, plasmon

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Authors: Pechpailin Kortnoi, Tanitnun Paprad

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Background: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by impaired neuromuscular transmission due to antibodies against nicotinic receptors, leading to muscle weakness, ptosis, and respiratory issues. The incidence of MG has risen globally, emphasizing the need for effective diagnostics. Objective: This study evaluates the validity of a combined bedside test (the ice pack test and fatigability test) for diagnosing juvenile myasthenia gravis (JMG) in pediatric patients with ptosis. Methods: This cross-sectional study, conducted from January 2012 to May 2024 at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thailand, included pediatric patients (1 month to 18 years) with ptosis undergoing ice pack and fatigability tests. Data included demographics, clinical findings, and test results. Diagnostic efficacy was assessed using sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, PPV, NPV, Fagan Nomogram, Kappa Statistics, and McNemar’s Chi-Square. Results: Of 43 identified patients, 32 were included, with 47% male and a mean age of 7 years. The combined bedside test had high sensitivity (92.8%) and accuracy (87.5%) but moderate specificity (50%). It significantly outperformed the ice pack test (P = 0.0005), which showed low sensitivity (42.8%) and accuracy (43.8%). The fatigability test had 82% sensitivity and 92% PPV. Confirmatory tests (AChR-Ab, MuSK-Ab, neostigmine, repetitive nerve stimulation) supported most diagnoses. Conclusions: The combined bedside test, with high sensitivity (92.8%) and accuracy (87.5%), is an effective screening tool for juvenile myasthenia gravis, outperforming the ice pack test. Integrating it into clinical practice may improve diagnosis and enable timely treatment. The fatigability test (82% sensitivity) is also useful as an adjunct screening tool.

Keywords: myasthenia gravis, the fatigability test, the ice pack test, the combined bedside test

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Authors: M. Rojo, M. Blanco, T. Lacruz, S. Solano, L. Beltran, M. Graell, A. R. Sepulveda.

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There is an association between an early accumulation of Stressful Life Events (SLE) during childhood and various physical and psychological health complications. However, there are only a few studies on this topic in children and adolescents with overweight or obesity. The general aim of the study was to evaluate the accumulation and type of SLE in 200 children from 8 to 12 years old and analyze the relationship with their emotional well-being and weight status (obesity, overweight and normal weight). The children and their families completed an interview. The evaluated variables that are included in this study are sociodemographic measures, medical/psychological history, anthropometric measures (BMI, z-BMI), and psychological variables (children's clinical interview K-SADS-PL(Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children Present and Lifetime Version) and battery of questionnaires). Results: Children with overweight and obesity accumulate more stressful events from an early age and have a significantly higher percentage of psychiatric diagnoses, compared to their peers with normal weight. Presenting a child psychiatric disorder is related to greater z-BMI and the total number of SLE (p < 0.001). A higher z-BMI is also related to a greater number of stressful events during childhood. There is also a positive and significant relationship between the total number of SLE and worse emotional well-being (higher levels of anxious and depressive symptoms and low self-esteem of children) (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Children with overweight and obesity grow up in a family, school, and social context where more stressors are accumulated. This is also directly associated with worse emotional well-being. It is necessary to implement multidisciplinary prevention and intervention strategies in different changes (school, family, and health). This study is included in a project funded by the Ministry of Innovation and Science (PSI2011-23127).

Keywords: childhood obesity, emotional well-being, psychopathology, stressful life events

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Authors: G. E. Kiral, O. Elma, A. T. Ince, B. Vural, U. S. Selamogullari, M. Uzunoglu

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Energy is an indispensable resource to meet the needs of people. Depending on the needs of people, the correct and efficient use of electrical energy has became important nowadays. Besides the need for the electrical energy is also increasing with the rapidly developing technology and continuously changing living standards. Due to the depletion of energy sources and increased demand for electricity, efficient energy use is an important research topic. Recently, ideas like smart cities, smart buildings and smart homes have been widely used under smart grid concept. With smart grid infrastructure, it will be possible to monitor electrical demand of a residential customer and control each electricity generation center for more efficient energy flow. The smallest component of the smart grid can be considered as smart homes. Better utilization of the electrical grid can be achieved through the communication of the smart home with both other customers in the grid and appliances in the house itself since generation can effectively be scheduled by having more precise demand data. Smart Plugs are used for the communication with the household appliances in the house. Smart Plug is an intermediate control element, which can be mounted on the existing outlet, and thus can be used to monitor the energy consumption of the plugged device and also can provide on/off control energy remotely. This study proposes a Smart Plug for energy monitoring and energy management. Proposed design is composed of five subsystems: micro controller embedded system with communication system, metering circuitry, power supply and switching circuitry. The developed smart plug offers efficient use of electrical energy.

Keywords: energy efficiency, home energy management, smart home, smart plug

Procedia PDF Downloads 733

Authors: Siddhartha Paul, Debabrata Das

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Closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) management focuses on integrating forward and reverse flow of material as well as information to maximize value creation over the entire life-cycle of a product. Bullwhip effect in supply chain management refers to the phenomenon where a small variation in customers’ demand results in larger variation of orders at the upstream levels of supply chain. Since the quality and quantity of products returned to the collection centers (as a part of reverse logistics process) are uncertain, bullwhip effect is inevitable in CLSC. Therefore, in the present study, first, through an extensive literature survey, we identify all the important factors related to forward as well as reverse supply chain which causes bullwhip effect in CLSC. Second, we develop a system dynamics model to study the interrelationship among the factors and their effect on the performance of overall CLSC. Finally, the results of the simulation study suggest that demand forecasting, lead times, information sharing, inventory and work in progress adjustment rate, supply shortages, batch ordering, price variations, erratic human behavior, parameter correcting, delivery time delays, return rate of used products, manufacturing and remanufacturing capacity constraints are the important factors which have a significant influence on system’s performance, specifically on bullwhip effect in a CLSC.

Keywords: bullwhip effect, closed-loop supply chain, system dynamics, variance ratio

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Authors: Mohamed Eltarabily, Abdelazim Negm, Chihiro Yoshimura

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Recently, the pollution of groundwater from the use of nitrogenous fertilizer is at the increase. Also, due to the increase in area under cultivation and regular use of fertilizer in irrigated agriculture, groundwater pollution from agricultural activities is becoming a major concern. Because of the high mobility of Nitrate (NO3-) in soil which is governed by electrostatic processes, particularly anion exclusion, nitrate can be intercepted by shallow subsurface drainage pipe systems and then discharged offsite into streams, rivers, and lakes causing many hazards. In order to solve these environmental problems associated with nitrate, a better understanding of how NO3- moves through the soil profile under flow conditions is required. In the present paper, the results of a comparative study between experimental and numerical modeling of Nitrate transport through a saturated soil column are presented and analyzed. In order to achieve that, three water fluxes densities; 0.008, 0.007, and 0.006 m sec-1 and N concentration rates 10 mol cm-3 were used. The same concentrations were used in the simulation using HYDRUS-2D. The physical and chemical properties of the collected soil samples were calculated. Besides, the soil texture was determined which was silty sand. Results showed that HYDRUS-2D can successfully predict the relative behavior of N transport in the present experiment. Nitrate concentrations will reach deeper depth with the increase in the water flux. Overall, it was overestimated in the final concentration of (NO3-) in the soil by numerical simulation than by experimental column test. The column experiment is a useful tool for assessing the nitrate concentrations in the soil profile.

Keywords: groundwater, nitrate leaching, HYDRUS-2D, soil column

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Authors: Rehab Abdullah Shendi

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The use of customised soft-core processors in which instructions can be integrated into a system in application hardware is increasing in the Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) field. Specifically, the partial run-time reconfiguration of FPGAs in specialised processors for a particular domain can be very beneficial. In this report, the design and implementation for the customisation of a soft-core MIPS processor using an FPGA and partial reconfiguration (PR) of FPGA technology will be addressed to achieve efficient resource use. This can be achieved using a PR design flow that helps the design fit into a smaller device. Moreover, the impact of static power consumption could be reduced due to runtime reconfiguration. This will be done by configurable custom instructions implemented in the hardware as an extension on the MIPS CPU. The aim of this project is to investigate the PR of FPGAs for run-time adaptations of the instruction set of a soft-core CPU, including the integration of custom instructions and the exploration of the potential to use the MultiBoot feature available in Xilinx FPGAs to carry out the PR process. The system will be evaluated and tested on a Nexus 3 development board featuring a Xilinx Spartran-6 FPGA. The system will be able to load reconfigurable custom instructions dynamically into user programs with the help of the trap handler when the custom instruction is called by the MIPS CPU. The results of this experiment demonstrate that custom instructions in hardware can speed up a certain function and many instructions can be saved when compared to a software implementation of the same function. Implementing custom instructions in hardware is perfectly possible and worth exploring.

Keywords: customisation, FPGA, MIPS, partial reconfiguration, PR

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Authors: Mamidi Ramakrishna Rao

Abstract:

Doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) is currently the choice for many wind turbines. These generators, when connected to the grid through a converter, is subjected to varied power system conditions like voltage variation, frequency variation, short circuit fault conditions, etc. Further, many countries like Canada, Germany, UK, Scotland, etc. have distinct grid codes relating to wind turbines. Accordingly, following the network faults, wind turbines have to supply a definite reactive current. To satisfy the requirements including reactive current capability, an optimum electrical design becomes a mandate for DFIG to function. This paper intends to optimize the equivalent circuit parameters of an electrical design for satisfactory DFIG performance. Direct search method has been used for optimization of the parameters. The variables selected include electromagnetic core dimensions (diameters and stack length), slot dimensions, radial air gap between stator and rotor and winding copper cross section area. Optimization for 2 MW DFIG has been executed separately for three objective functions - maximum reactive power capability (Case I), maximum efficiency (Case II) and minimum weight (Case III). In the optimization analysis program, voltage variations (10%), power factor- leading and lagging (0.95), speeds for corresponding to slips (-0.3 to +0.3) have been considered. The optimum designs obtained for objective functions were compared. It can be concluded that direct search method of optimization helps in determining an optimum electrical design for each objective function like efficiency or reactive power capability or weight minimization.

Keywords: direct search, DFIG, equivalent circuit parameters, optimization

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Authors: Jennifer M. Glennon, Hana D'Souza, Luke Mason, Annette Karmiloff-Smith, Michael S. C. Thomas

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Genetic syndrome groups that feature high rates of autism comorbidity, like Down syndrome (DS) and fragile X syndrome (FXS), have been presented as useful models for understanding risk and protective factors involved in the emergence of autistic traits. Yet despite reaching clinical thresholds, these ‘syndromic’ forms of autism appear to differ in important ways from the idiopathic or ‘non-syndromic’ autism phenotype. To uncover the true nature of these comorbidities, it is necessary to extend definitions of autism to include the cognitive characteristics of the disorder and to then apply this broadened conceptualisation to the study of syndromic autism profiles. The current study employs a variety of well-established eye-tracking paradigms to assess visual attentional performance in children with DS and FXS who reach thresholds for autism on the Social Communication Questionnaire. It investigates whether autism profiles in these children are accompanied by visual orienting difficulties (‘sticky attention’), decreased social attention, and enhanced visual search performance, all of which are characteristic of the idiopathic autism phenotype. Data is collected from children with DS and FXS aged between 6 and 10 years, in addition to two control groups matched on age and intellectual ability (i.e., children with idiopathic autism and neurotypical controls). Cross-sectional developmental trajectory analyses are conducted to enable visuo-attentional profile comparisons. Significant differences in the visuo-attentional processes underpinning autism presentations in children with FXS and DS are hypothesised, supporting notions of syndrome specificity. The study provides insight into the complex heterogeneity associated with syndromic autism presentations and autism per se, with clinical implications for the utility of autism intervention programmes in DS and FXS populations.

Keywords: autism, down syndrome, fragile X syndrome, eye tracking

Procedia PDF Downloads 242

Authors: Asaiel Mubark Al Hadi

Abstract:

Background: A frequent anorectal condition known as hemorrhoids, sometimes known as piles, is characterized by a weakening of the anal cushion and the supporting tissue as well as spasms of the internal sphincter. Hemorrhoids are most frequently identified by painless bright red bleeding, prolapse, annoying grape-like tissue prolapse, itching, or a combination of symptoms. digital rectal examination (DRE) and anoscope are used to diagnose it. Constipation, a low-fiber diet, a high body- mass index (BMI), pregnancy, and a reduced physical activity are among the factors that are typically thought to increase the risk of hemorrhoids. Golighers is the most commonly used hemorrhoid classification scheme It is 4 degrees, which determines the degree of the event. The purpose of this study is to assess knowledge and awareness level of the causes and stages of Hemorrhoids in the public of Saudi Arabia. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Saudi Arabia between Oct 2022- Dec 2022. The study group included at least 384 aged above 18 years. The outcomes of this study were analyzed using the SPSS program using a pre-tested questionnaire. Results: The study included 1410 participants, 69.9% of them were females and 30.1% were males. 53.7% of participants aged 20- 30 years old. 17% of participants had hemorrhoids and 42% had a relative who had hemorrhoids. 42.8% of participants could identify stage 1 of hemorrhoids correctly, 44.7% identified stage 2 correctly, 46.7% identified stage 3 correctly and 58.1% identified stage 4 correctly. Only 28.9% of participants had high level of knowledge about hemorrhoids, 62.7% had moderate knowledge and 8.4% had low knowledge. Conclusion: In conclusion, Saudi general population has poor knowledge of hemorrhoids, their causes and their management approach. There was a significant association between knowledge scores of hemorrhoids with age, gender, residence area and employment.

Keywords: hemorrhoids, external hemorrhoid, internal hemorrhoid, anal fissure, hemorrhoid stages, prolapse, rectal bleeding

Procedia PDF Downloads 103

Authors: Iyagbaye O. Rich, Omoigberale O. Michael, Iyagbaye A. Louis

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The physical, chemical parameters and some trace contents of Ugbogui in Edo State, Nigeria were investigated from August 2015 to April 2016. Four stations were studied from upstream to downstream using standard methods. A total of thirty-three (33) physical and chemical characteristics and trace metal contents were examined; Air and water temperatures, depth, transparency, colour, turbidity, flow velocity, pH, total alkalinity, conductivity and dissolved solids etc. Other includes dissolved oxygen, oxygen saturation, biochemical oxygen demand, chloride, phosphate, sodium, nitrate, sulphate, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, lead, copper, zinc, nickel, cadmium, vanadium and chromium. Eleven (11) parameters exhibited clear seasonal variations. However, there were high significant differences (p < 0.01) in the values of depth, colour, total suspended solid, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, chloride, bicarbonate, phosphate, sulphate, iron, manganese, zinc, copper, chromium and cadmium among the stations. The anthropogenic activities had negatively impacted at station 3 of the river, although most of the recorded values were still within permissible limits.

Keywords: anthropogenic activities, Nigeria, permissible limits, physical and chemical parameters, trace metal, water quality

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Authors: Ahmed M. Khedr, Saad M. Abdelrahman, Kareem M. Tonbol

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Two geo-referenced sea level datasets (September 2008 – November 2010) and (April 2012 – January 2014) were recorded at Alexandria Western Harbour (AWH). Accurate re-definition of tidal datum, referred to the latest International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF-2014), was discussed and updated to improve our understanding of the old predefined tidal datum at Alexandria. Tidal and non-tidal components of sea level were separated with the use of Delft-3D hydrodynamic model-tide suit (Delft-3D, 2015). Tidal characteristics at AWH were investigated and harmonic analysis showed the most significant 34 constituents with their amplitudes and phases. Tide was identified as semi-diurnal pattern as indicated by a “Form Factor” of 0.24 and 0.25, respectively. Principle tidal datums related to major tidal phenomena were recalculated referred to a meaningful geodetic height datum. The portion of residual energy (surge) out of the total sea level energy was computed for each dataset and found 77% and 72%, respectively. Power spectral density (PSD) showed accurate resolvability in high band (1–6) cycle/days for the nominated independent constituents, except some neighbouring constituents, which are too close in frequency. Wind and atmospheric pressure data, during the recorded sea level time, were analysed and cross-correlated with the surge signals. Moderate association between surge and wind and atmospheric pressure data were obtained. In addition, long-term sea level rise trend at AWH was computed and showed good agreement with earlier estimated rates.

Keywords: Alexandria, Delft-3D, Egypt, geodetic reference, harmonic analysis, sea level

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Authors: Antar Bouhank, Youcef Beellal, Samir Adjel, Abdelmadjid Ababsa

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This paper investigates the impact of 3D printing parameters using the cold metal transfer (CMT) technique on the morphological, mechanical, and tribological properties of walls and massive parts made from aluminum alloy. The parameters studied include current intensity, torch movement speed, printing increment, and the flow rate of shielding gas. The manufactured parts, using the technique mentioned above, are walls and massive parts with different filling strategies, using grid and zigzag patterns and at different current intensities. The main goal of the article is to find out the welding parameters suitable for having parts with low defects and improved properties from the previously mentioned properties point of view. It has been observed from the results thus obtained that the high current intensity causes rapid solidification, resulting in high porosity and low hardness values. However, the high current intensity can cause very rapid solidification, which increases the melting point, and the part remains in the most stable shape. Furthermore, the results show that there is an evident relationship between hardness, coefficient of friction and wear test where the high intensity is, the low hardness is. The same note is for the coefficient of friction. The micrography of the walls shows a random granular structure with fine grain boundaries with a different grain size. Some interesting results are presented in this paper.

Keywords: aluminum alloy, porosity, microstructures, hardness

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Authors: Reina Kawase, Yuzuru Matsuoka

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To mitigate climate change, to reduce CO2 emission from steel sector, energy intensive sector, is essential. One of the effective countermeasure is recycling of iron scrap and shifting to electric arc furnace. This research analyzes the feasibility of iron scrap recycling with considering demand-supply balance and quantifies the effective by CO2 emission reduction. Generally, the quality of steel made from iron scrap is lower than the quality of steel made from basic oxygen furnace. So, the constraint of demand side is goods-wise steel demand and that of supply side is generation of iron scap. Material Stock and Flow Model (MSFM_demand) was developed to estimate goods-wise steel demand and generation of iron scrap and was applied to 35 regions which aggregated countries in the world for 2005-2050. The crude steel production was estimated under two case; BaU case (No countermeasures) and CM case (With countermeasures). For all the estimation periods, crude steel production is greater than generation of iron scrap. This makes it impossible to substitute electric arc furnaces for all the basic oxygen furnaces. Even though 100% recycling rate of iron scrap, under BaU case, CO2 emission in 2050 increases by 12% compared to that in 2005. With same condition, 32% of CO2 emission reduction is achieved in CM case. With a constraint from demand side, the reduction potential is 6% (CM case).

Keywords: iron scrap recycling, CO2 emission reduction, steel demand, MSFM demand

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Authors: Karl Owen L. Suan, Juliet Marie S. Lambayan, Floramay P. Salo-Curato

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Objective: To predict the outcome among patients admitted with community-acquired pneumonia (ages 3 months to 59 months old) admitted in Visayas Community Medical Center using the Respiratory Index of Severity in Children (RISC). Design: A cross-sectional study design was used. Setting: The study was done in Visayas Community Medical Center, which is a private tertiary level in Cebu City from January-June 2013. Patients/Participants: A total of 72 patients were initially enrolled in the study. However, 1 patient transferred to another institution, thus 71 patients were included in this study. Within 24 hours from admission, patients were assigned a RISC score. Statistical Analysis: Cohen’s kappa coefficient was used for inter-rater agreement for categorical data. This study used frequency and percentage distribution for qualitative data. Mean, standard deviation and range were used for quantitative data. To determine the relationship of each RISC score parameter and the total RISC score with the outcome, a Mann Whitney U Test and 2x2 Fischer Exact test for testing associations were used. A p value less of than 0.05 alpha was considered significant. Results: There was a statistical significance between RISC score and clinical outcome. RISC score of greater than 4 was correlated with intubation and/or mortality. Conclusion: The RISC scoring system is a simple combination of clinical parameters and a reliable tool that will help stratify patients aged 3 months to 59 months in predicting clinical outcome.

Keywords: RISC, clinical outcome, community-acquired pneumonia, patients

Procedia PDF Downloads 305