Search results for: community based rehabilitation

Authors: Kamran Siddique, Yangwoo Kim, Zahid Akhtar

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In recent years, the technological advancements have led to a deluge of data from distinctive domains and the need for development of solutions based on parallel and distributed computing has still long way to go. That is why, the research and development of massive computing frameworks is continuously growing. At this particular stage, highlighting a potential research area along with key insights could be an asset for researchers in the field. Therefore, this paper explores one of the emerging distributed computing frameworks, Apache Hama. It is a Top Level Project under the Apache Software Foundation, based on Bulk Synchronous Processing (BSP). We present an unbiased and critical interrogation session about Apache Hama and conclude research directions in order to assist interested researchers.

Keywords: apache hama, bulk synchronous parallel, BSP, distributed computing

Procedia PDF Downloads 232

Authors: Simon Bambey, Edward Lim, Kai Corley-Jory, Pooya Taheri

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The main goal of this paper is to propose a simple and low-cost microcontroller-based laser communication link. To demonstrate that laser communication is a viable and efficient means for transmitting data, a transceiver capable of transfer rates of approximately 0.7 kB/s is prototyped. The hardware used for the transceiver consists of Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) lasers, photodiodes, and the Arduino Mega 2560 which is an open-source and easy-to-use microcontroller-based platform intended for making interactive projects. A graphic user interface utilizing the Meteor framework is developed to facilitate the communication between the user and transceiver. The developed transceiver prototype is capable of receiving and transmitting data at significant ranges with no loss of information. Furthermore, stable and secure communication is achieved through several mechanisms developed to manage simultaneous sending and receiving, in addition to detecting physical interruptions during transmission. The design setup is scalable and with further development can be transformed into a fiber-optic transmission system. Due to its nature, laser communication is very secure and can provide a safe and private communication link. Overall, this paper demonstrates how laser communication can be an economical, durable, and effective means of information transfer.

Keywords: Arduino microcontrollers, laser applications, user interfaces, wireless communication

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Authors: Riki Panchal, Debasis Sarkar

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This paper describes the work done for the GIS-based project management for different infrastructure projects. It is a review paper which gives the idea of the trends in the construction project management and various models adopted for the betterment of the project planning and execution. Traditional scheduling and progress control techniques such as bar charts and the critical path method fail to provide information pertaining to the spatial aspects of a construction project. An integrated system was developed to represent construction progress not only in terms of a CPM schedule but also in terms of a graphical representation of the construction that is synchronized with the work schedule. Hence, it is suggested to work on the common platform from where all the data can be shared and analyzed.

Keywords: GIS, project management, integrated model, infrastructure project

Procedia PDF Downloads 503

Authors: Onyeke Paul Chuks

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Nigeria is ranked among the developing nations and a country with a low income per capita. The consequences of this economic situation have led to the low achievement records below UN benchmark especially in the area of basic education for her citizens. The country is, however, making relentless efforts at arresting the situation by making budgetary allocations to ensure the realization of Millennium Development Goal No. 2 which is achieving universal basic education, her distressed economy notwithstanding. Basic education which comprises primary and lower secondary education as well as pre-primary and/or adult literacy programs have suffered serious setbacks orchestrated by the dwindling of the nation’s economy. This category of education being the bedrock of all other levels of education is regarded as a priority by developing countries and also the focus of the Education for All Movement led by UNESCO. The introduction of child-friendly school model is one of the strategies designed by UNESCO to achieving this all important MDGs goal No. 2. Child-friendly education model is aimed at replacing the out-dated, mundane, regimented and officious school administrative model where the basic rights of school children are trampled upon with impunity and community participation in school activities is viewed as unnecessary interference by school managers. This paper ex-rayed the potential obstacles likely to impinge on the implementation of child-friendly school model in Nigeria especially from the angle of her distressed economy and the colossal effects of the corrupt practices bedeviling the nation. The paper as well outlines prospects for the successful implementation of the child-friendly school model in Nigeria.

Keywords: child-friendly school, distressed economy, model, Nigeria

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Authors: Philemon Wokoma Iyagba, Obey Onenee Christie

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From the hindbrain, which is responsible for motor activities, to the forebrain, responsible for processing information related to complex cognitive activities, the human brain has continued to evolve over the years. This evolution- has been progressive, leading to advancements in science and technology. However, the development of science and technology in Africa, where ancient civilization arguably began, has been retrogressive. Dialectics was done by dissecting different opinions on the reason behind the stunted development of science and technology in Africa. The researchers proposed that the inability to sustain the technological advancements made by early Africans is due to poor or lack of replicability of the African knowledge-based system, almost no or poor documentation of adopted procedures and the approval-seeking mentality that cheaply paved the way for westernization which also led to the adulteration of the African way of life and education without making room for incorporating her identity and proper alignment of her rich cultural heritage in education and her enormous achievements before and during the middle age. This article discussed conceptual issues, with its positions based on established facts, the discussion was based on relevant literature and recommendations were made accordingly.

Keywords: forebrain, hindbrain, dialectics from African perspective, development in science and technology

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Authors: Tahir Ahmad, M. Kamran, R. Ahmad, M. T. Z. Butt

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Hybrid aluminum metal matrix composites with 1, 2, 3 and 4 wt. % of silica sand nanoparticles and electro-less nickel coated carbon fibers were successfully developed using sand casting technique. Epoxy coating of carbon fibers was removed and phosphorous-nickel coating was successfully applied via electro-less route. The developed hybrid composites were characterized using micro hardness tester, tensile testing, and optical microscopy. The gradual increase of reinforcing phases yielded improved mechanical properties such as hardness and tensile strength. The increase in hardness was attributed to the presence of silica sand nanoparticles whereas electro-less nickel coated carbon fibers enhanced the tensile properties of developed hybrid composites. The microstructure of the developed hybrid composites revealed the homogeneous distribution of both carbon fibers and silica sand nanoparticles in aluminum based hybrid composites. The formation of dendrite microstructure is the main cause of improving mechanical properties.

Keywords: aluminum based hybrid composites, mechanical properties, microstructure, microstructure and mechanical properties relationship

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Authors: Olumide Simeon Ogunnusi, Shukor Abd Razak, Michael Kolade Adu

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Inter-agent communication manager facilitates communication among mobile agents via message passing mechanism. Until now, all Foundation for Intelligent Physical Agents (FIPA) compliant agent systems are capable of exchanging messages following the standard format of sending and receiving messages. Previous works tend to secure messages to be exchanged among a community of collaborative agents commissioned to perform specific tasks using cryptosystems. However, the approach is characterized by computational complexity due to the encryption and decryption processes required at the two ends. The proposed approach to secure agent communication allows only agents that are created by the host agent server to communicate via the agent communication channel provided by the host agent platform. These agents are assumed to be harmless. Therefore, to secure communication of legitimate agents from intrusion by external agents, a 2-phase policy enforcement system was developed. The first phase constrains the external agent to run only on the network server while the second phase confines the activities of the external agent to its execution environment. To implement the proposed policy, a controller agent was charged with the task of screening any external agent entering the local area network and preventing it from migrating to the agent execution host where the legitimate agents are running. On arrival of the external agent at the host network server, an introspector agent was charged to monitor and restrain its activities. This approach secures legitimate agent communication from Man-in-the Middle and Replay attacks.

Keywords: agent communication, introspective agent, isolation of agent, policy enforcement system

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Authors: Divya Sisodiya, Deepika Sipal

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Optical wireless communication (OWC) is a relatively new technology in optical communication systems that allows for high-speed wireless optical communication. This research focuses on developing a cost-effective OWC system using a hybrid configuration of optical amplifiers. In addition to using EDFA amplifiers, a comparison study was conducted to determine which modulation technique is more effective for communication. This research examines the performance of an OWC system based on ASK and PSK modulation techniques by varying OWC parameters under various atmospheric conditions such as rain, mist, haze, and snow. Finally, the simulation results are discussed and analyzed.

Keywords: OWC, bit error rate, amplitude shift keying, phase shift keying, attenuation, amplifiers

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Authors: Djamal Hamadi, Ashraf Ayoub, Ounis Abdelhafid, Chebili Rachid

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In this paper, a new computationally-efficient rectangular flat shell finite element named 'ACM_RSBEC' is presented. The formulated element is obtained by superposition of a new rectangular membrane element 'RSBEC' based on the strain approach and the well known plate bending element 'ACM'. This element can be used for the analysis of thin shell structures, no matter how the geometrical shape might be. Tests on standard problems have been examined. The convergence of the new formulated element is also compared to other types of quadrilateral shell elements. The presented shell element ‘ACM_RSBEC’ has been demonstrated to be effective and useful in analysing thin shell structures.

Keywords: finite element, flat shell element, strain based approach, static condensation

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Authors: Shengqi Yu, Jinwei Zhao

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This paper presents a kind of analog circuit based temperature control system, which is mainly composed by threshold control signal circuit, synchronization signal circuit and trigger pulse circuit. Firstly, the temperature feedback signal function is realized by temperature sensor TS503F3950E. Secondly, the main control circuit forms the cycle controlled pulse signal to control the thyristor switching model. Finally two reverse paralleled thyristors regulate the output power by their switching state. In the consequence, this is a modernized and energy-saving domestic electric heating system.

Keywords: time base circuit, automatic control, zero-crossing trigger, temperature control

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Authors: Harsimran Kaur Chadha, Preeti Onkar

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Tourism has grown into one of the world’s largest industries in the last two decades all over the world. It is an important sector of Indian economy as it contributes substantially to the foreign exchange earnings of the country. The tourism policies of India aim to position tourism as a major engine of economic growth. These policies work towards utilizing tourism’s direct and multiplier effect on employment and poverty eradication in a sustainable manner. India is blessed with a great ancient and living civilization that gave rise to four of the world’s great religions and philosophies. Diverse religions, castes, languages, culture of India build a tremendous potential for religious tourism in India. Religious Tourism facilitates development of basic infrastructural facilities, generates income for the local community as well as the government, balances regional development, and fosters peace and socio-cultural harmony. However, tourism development needs to be regulated to prevent the negative impacts. The main challenge towards Sustainable Tourism development is to balance limits and usage of natural resources. The uncontrollable growth of tourism should not lead to resource degradation. Since tourism growth is inevitable, the challenge is to manage it sustainably within environmental, social and economic constraints. This paper tries to explore both the benefits and costs of Religious Tourism Development, using the example of Simhasth Kumbh Mahaparv at Ujjain. Finally it concludes by putting forth the notion that heavy investments for temporary infrastructure development incurred during these large spiritual gatherings need to be sustainable in the long run.

Keywords: challenges, religious, sustainable, tourism

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Authors: Torsten Schwan, Rene Unger

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Simulation of thermal and electrical building performance more and more becomes part of an integrative planning process. Increasing requirements on energy efficiency, the integration of volatile renewable energy, smart control and storage management often cause tremendous challenges for building engineers and architects. This mainly affects commercial or non-residential buildings. Their energy consumption characteristics significantly distinguish from residential ones. This work focuses on the many-objective optimization problem indoor air quality and comfort, especially in non-residential buildings. Based on a brief description of intermediate dependencies between different requirements on indoor air treatment it extends existing Modelica-based building physics models with additional system states to adequately represent indoor air conditions. Interfaces to corresponding HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system and control models enable closed-loop analyzes of occupants' requirements and energy efficiency as well as profitableness aspects. A complex application scenario of a nearly-zero-energy school building shows advantages of presented evaluation process for engineers and architects. This way, clear identification of air quality requirements in individual rooms together with realistic model-based description of occupants' behavior helps to optimize HVAC system already in early design stages. Building planning processes can be highly improved and accelerated by increasing integration of advanced simulation methods. Those methods mainly provide suitable answers on engineers' and architects' questions regarding more exuberant and complex variety of suitable energy supply solutions.

Keywords: indoor air quality, dynamic simulation, energy efficient control, non-residential buildings

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Authors: Nithipattara Balsiri

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The purposes of this research was to develop instructional model by using research-based learning enhancing critical thinking, cognitive skills, and culture and local wisdom knowledge of undergraduate students. The sample consisted of 307 undergraduate students. Critical thinking and cognitive skills test were employed for data collection. Second-order confirmatory factor analysis, t-test, and one-way analysis of variance were employed for data analysis using SPSS and LISREL programs. The major research results were as follows; 1) the instructional model by using research-based learning enhancing critical thinking, cognitive skills, and culture and local wisdom knowledge should be consists of 6 sequential steps, namely (1) the setting research problem (2) the setting research hypothesis (3) the data collection (4) the data analysis (5) the research result conclusion (6) the application for problem solving, and 2) after the treatment undergraduate students possessed a higher scores in critical thinking and cognitive skills than before treatment at the 0.05 level of significance.

Keywords: critical thinking, cognitive skills, culture and local wisdom knowledge

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Authors: Syed Umair Aziz, Muhammad Faheem, Sameer Hussain, Faraz Idris

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Content centric network is the network based on the mechanism of sending and receiving the data based on the interest and data request to the specified node (which has cached data). In this network, the security is bind with the content not with the host hence making it host independent and secure. In this network security is applied by taking content’s MAC (message authentication code) and encrypting it with the public key of the receiver. On the receiver end, the message is first verified and after verification message is saved and decrypted using the receiver's private key.

Keywords: content centric network, client-server, host security threats, message authentication code, named data network, network caching, peer-to-peer

Procedia PDF Downloads 628

Authors: Abdul Manan

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The necessity for efficient and cost-effective energy storage devices to intelligently store the inconsistent energy output from modern renewable energy sources is peaked today. The scientific community is struggling to identify the appropriate material system for energy storage applications. Countless contributions by researchers worldwide have now helped us identify the possible snags and limitations associated with each material/method. Energy storage has attracted great attention for its use in portable electronic devices military field. Different devices, such as dielectric capacitors, supercapacitors, and batteries, are used for energy storage. Of these, dielectric capacitors have high energy output, a long life cycle, fast charging and discharging capabilities, work at high temperatures, and excellent fatigue resistance. The energy storage characteristics have been studied to be highly affected by various factors, such as grain size, optimized compositions, grain orientation, energy band gap, processing techniques, defect engineering, core-shell formation, interface engineering, electronegativity difference, the addition of additives, density, secondary phases, the difference of Pmax-Pr, sample thickness, area of the electrode, testing frequency, and AC/DC conditions. The data regarding these parameters/factors are scattered in the literature, and the aim of this study is to gather the data into a single paper that will be beneficial for new researchers in the field of interest. Furthermore, control over and optimizing these parameters will lead to enhancing the energy storage properties.

Keywords: strategies, ceramics, energy storage, capacitors

Procedia PDF Downloads 65

Authors: Saeed Wahass

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Objective: Obesity is epidemic, affecting all societies and cultures. Most serious medical illnesses are attributed to obesity. For this reason, all healthcare systems worldwide have focused on obesity for both intervention and prevention. However, there is scientific evidence supporting that obesity is treatable through implementing different modalities of interventions. They include biological interventions like medications and bariatric surgeries and behavioral interventions. It seems healthcare professionals may suggest the quick and the easiest interventions for obesity like surgery, ignoring other modesties that might require efforts from their sides and patients as well. Searching on the onset, progression and prevention, behavior plays a major role. As a result, psychological interventions have become increasingly core for intervention and prevention of obesity. They are effective and cost effective in dealing with obesity. Methods: A questionnaire describing the role of behavior on obesity and the way it can be prevented and treated was distributed to a group of health professionals who are dealing with obesity e.g. bariatric surgeons, bariatric physicians, psychologists, health educators, nurses and social workers. Results: 88% of healthcare professionals believed that behavior plays a major role on the onset and progression of obesity, 95% of them recognized that obesity can be prevented with consideration for behavior factors. A major proportion (87%) of the respondents see that psychological interventions are effective and cost effective in treating obesity. Conclusions: It optimistically appears that the majority of healthcare professionals believe that behavior is a key component in understanding, preventing and treating obesity. This outcome may help in developing specific training courses for healthcare professionals, who are dealing with obesity concerning the way they can treat patients behaviorally and, moreover, educating the community.

Keywords: behavior, obesity, healthcare provider, psychological interventions

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Authors: Reza Ziaie Moayed, Maedeh Akhavan Tavakkoli

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This research aims to investigate and evaluate the liquefaction potential in a project in Kerman city based on different methods for fine-grained soils. Examining the previous damages caused by recent earthquakes, it has been observed that fine-grained soils play an essential role in the level of damage caused by soil liquefaction. But, based on previous investigations related to liquefaction, there is limited attention to evaluating the cyclic resistance ratio for fine-grain soils, especially with the SPT method. Although using a standard penetration test (SPT) to find the liquefaction potential of fine-grain soil is not common, it can be a helpful method based on its rapidness, serviceability, and availability. In the present study, the liquefaction potential has been first determined by the soil’s physical properties obtained from laboratory tests. Then, using the SPT test and its available criterion for evaluating the cyclic resistance ratio and safety factor of liquefaction, the correction of effecting fine-grained soils is made, and then the results are compared. The results show that using the SPT test for liquefaction is more accurate than using laboratory tests in most cases due to the contribution of different physical parameters of soil, which leads to an increase in the ultimate N₁(60,cs).

Keywords: liquefaction, cyclic resistance ratio, SPT test, clay soil, cohesion soils

Procedia PDF Downloads 87

Authors: Javad Jozaei, Rob G. Bell, Paula Blackett, Scott A. Stephens

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In the last few decades, Social Vulnerability Assessment (SVA) has been a favoured means in evaluating the susceptibility of social systems to drivers of change, including climate change and natural disasters. However, the application of SVA to inform responsive and practical strategies to deal with uncertain climate change impacts has always been challenging, and typically agencies resort back to conventional risk/vulnerability assessment. These challenges include complex nature of social vulnerability concepts which influence its applicability, complications in identifying and measuring social vulnerability determinants, the transitory social dynamics in a changing environment, and unpredictability of the scenarios of change that impacts the regime of vulnerability (including contention of when these impacts might emerge). Research suggests that the conventional quantitative approaches in SVA could not appropriately address these problems; hence, the outcomes could potentially be misleading and not fit for addressing the ongoing uncertain rise in risk. The second phase of New Zealand’s Resilience to Nature’s Challenges (RNC2) is developing a forward-looking vulnerability assessment framework and methodology that informs the decision-making and policy development in dealing with the changing coastal systems and accounts for complex dynamics of New Zealand’s coastal systems (including socio-economic, environmental and cultural). Also, RNC2 requires the new methodology to consider plausible drivers of incremental and unknowable changes, create mechanisms to enhance social and community resilience; and fits the New Zealand’s multi-layer governance system. This paper aims to analyse the conventional approaches and methodologies in SVA and offer recommendations for more responsive approaches that inform adaptive decision-making and policy development in practice. The research adopts a qualitative research design to examine different aspects of the conventional SVA processes, and the methods to achieve the research objectives include a systematic review of the literature and case study methods. We found that the conventional quantitative, reductionist and deterministic mindset in the SVA processes -with a focus the impacts of rapid stressors (i.e. tsunamis, floods)- show some deficiencies to account for complex dynamics of social-ecological systems (SES), and the uncertain, long-term impacts of incremental drivers. The paper will focus on addressing the links between resilience and vulnerability; and suggests how resilience theory and its underpinning notions such as the adaptive cycle, panarchy, and system transformability could address these issues, therefore, influence the perception of vulnerability regime and its assessment processes. In this regard, it will be argued that how a shift of paradigm from ‘specific resilience’, which focuses on adaptive capacity associated with the notion of ‘bouncing back’, to ‘general resilience’, which accounts for system transformability, regime shift, ‘bouncing forward’, can deliver more effective strategies in an era characterised by ongoing change and deep uncertainty.

Keywords: complexity, social vulnerability, resilience, transformation, uncertain risks

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Authors: Yuhong Li, Luyu Mao

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Globalization has led to an increasingly interconnected international community and transmitted risks to every corner of the world through the chain of globalization. Security risks arising from international conflicts seem inescapable. Some countries have begun to build their capacity to deal with the globalization of security risks. They establish disembedding security mechanisms that transcend spatial or temporal boundaries and promote security cooperation with countries or regions that are not geographically close. This paper proposes four hypotheses of the phenomenon of "risks and security disembedding" in the post-Cold War international society and uses them to explain The United Kingdom’s behavior in the Bosnian War and the Russo-Ukrainian War. In the Bosnian War, confident in its own security and focused on maintaining European stability, The UK has therefore chosen to be cautious in its use of force in international frameworks such as the EU and to maintain a very limited intervention in Bosnia and Herzegovina's affairs. In contrast, the failure of the EU and NATO’s security mechanism in the Russo-Ukrainian war heightened Britain's anxiety, and the volatile international situation led it to show a strong tendency towards security disembedding, choosing to conclude security communities with extra-territorial states. Analysis suggests that security mechanisms are also the starting point of conflict and that countries will rely more on disembedding mechanisms to counteract the global security risks. The current mechanism of security disembedding occurs as a result of the global proliferation of security perceptions as a symbolic token and the recognition of an expert system of security mechanisms formed by states with similar security perceptions.

Keywords: disembedding mechanism, bosnia war, the russian-ukrainian war, british security strategy

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Authors: Jay N. Vyas, Sachin Daxini

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Numerical simulation techniques are widely used now in product development and testing instead of expensive, time-consuming and sometimes dangerous laboratory experiments. Numerous numerical methods are available for performing simulation of physical problems of different engineering fields. Grid based methods, like Finite Element Method, are extensively used in performing various kinds of static, dynamic, structural and non-structural analysis during product development phase. Drawbacks of grid based methods in terms of discontinuous secondary field variable, dealing fracture mechanics and large deformation problems led to development of a relatively a new class of numerical simulation techniques in last few years, which are popular as Meshless methods or Meshfree Methods. Meshless Methods are expected to be more adaptive and flexible than Finite Element Method because domain descretization in Meshless Method requires only nodes. Present paper introduces Meshless Methods and differentiates it with Finite Element Method in terms of following aspects: Shape functions used, role of weight function, techniques to impose essential boundary conditions, integration techniques for discrete system equations, convergence rate, accuracy of solution and computational effort. Capabilities, benefits and limitations of Meshless Methods are discussed and concluded at the end of paper.

Keywords: numerical simulation, Grid-based methods, Finite Element Method, Meshless Methods

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Authors: Linhang Zhu, Hongyu Zhu, Jiahe Liu

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This paper investigated a method of indoor real-time positioning and mapping based on the Manhattan world assumption. In indoor environments, relying solely on feature matching techniques or other geometric algorithms for sensor pose estimation inevitably resulted in cumulative errors, posing a significant challenge to indoor positioning. To address this issue, we adopt the Manhattan world hypothesis to optimize the camera pose algorithm based on feature matching, which improves the accuracy of camera pose estimation. A special processing method was applied to image data frames that conformed to the Manhattan world assumption. When similar data frames appeared subsequently, this could be used to eliminate drift in sensor pose estimation, thereby reducing cumulative errors in estimation and optimizing mapping and positioning. Through experimental verification, it is found that our method achieves high-precision real-time positioning in indoor environments and successfully generates maps of indoor environments. This provides effective technical support for applications such as indoor navigation and robot control.

Keywords: Manhattan world hypothesis, real-time positioning and mapping, feature matching, loopback detection

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Authors: Mahboobeh Eghtesad, Reza Mohseni

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We develop methods for detecting a target for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) based radars. As a preliminary step we introduce the target and Gaussian noise models in discrete–time form. Then, resorting to match filter (MF) we derive a detector for two different scenarios: a non-fluctuating target and a Rayleigh fluctuating target. It will be shown that a MF is not suitable for Rayleigh fluctuating targets. In this paper we propose a reduced-complexity method based on fast Fourier transfrom (FFT) for such a situation. The proposed method has better detection performance.

Keywords: constant false alarm rate (CFAR), match filter (MF), fast Fourier transform (FFT), OFDM radars, Rayleigh fluctuating target

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Authors: Jung-Hoon Han, Jooyoung Kwak

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Distances between cultures, institutions are gaining academic attention once again since the classical debate on the validity of globalization. Despite the incessant efforts to define international segments with various concepts, no significant attempts have been made considering the institutional dimensions. Resource-based theory and institutional theory provides useful insights in assessing market environment and understanding when and how MNEs loose or gain advantages. This study consists of two parts: identifying institutional clusters and predicting the effect of MNEs’ origin on the applicability of competitive advantages. MNEs in one country cluster are expected to use similar management systems.

Keywords: institutional theory, resource-based theory, institutional environment, cultural dimensions, cluster analysis, standardized management

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Authors: Vimal Kumar Dewangan, T. S. Sampath Kumar, Mukesh Doble, Viju Daniel Varghese

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The apatite-based, i.e., calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite (CDHAp) bone cement is well-known potential bone graft/substitute in orthopaedics due to its similar chemical composition with natural bone minerals. Therefore, an easy approach was attempted to fabricate the apatite-based (CDHAp) bone cement with improved injectability, bioresorbability, and macroporosity. In this study, the desired bone cement was developed by mixing the solid phase (consisting of wet chemically synthesized nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite and commercially available (synthetic) tricalcium phosphate) and the liquid phase (consisting of cement binding accelerator with few biopolymers in a dilute acidic solution) along with a liquid porogen as polysorbate or a solid porogen as mannitol (for comparison) in an optimized liquid-to-powder ratio. The fabricated cement sets within clinically preferred setting time (≤20 minutes) are better injectable (>70%) and also stable at ~7.3-7.4 (physiological pH). The CDHAp phased bone cement was resulted by immersing the fabricated after-set cement in phosphate buffer solution and other similar artificial body fluids and incubated at physiological conditions for seven days, confirmed through the X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy analyses. The so-formed synthetic apatite-based bone cement holds the acceptable compressive strength (within the range of trabecular bone) with average interconnected pores size falls in a macropores range (~50-200μm) inside the cement, verified by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mercury intrusion porosimetry and micro-CT analysis techniques. Also, it is biodegradable (degrades ~19-22% within 10-12 weeks) when incubated in artificial body fluids under physiological conditions. The biocompatibility study of the bone cement, when incubated with MG63 cells, shows a significant increase in the cell viability after 3rd day of incubation compared with the control, and the cells were well-attached and spread completely on the surface of the bone cement, confirmed through SEM and fluorescence microscopy analyses. With this all, we can conclude that the developed synthetic macroporous apatite-based bone cement may have the potential to become promising material used as a trabecular bone substitute.

Keywords: calcium deficient hydroxyapatite, synthetic apatite-based bone cement, injectability, macroporosity, trabecular bone substitute

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Authors: Habes Moh’d Khalifeh Hatamleh, Shukri Refai Ibrahim Marashdh

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The study came with the aim of identifying the most prominent quantitative, qualitative, and technological challenges facing the higher education system in Jordan as a dilemma in light of the technological revolution that had a radical contribution to changing the face of science and knowledge in various fields of higher education in Jordan. Human societies that require the adoption of scientific research and its basics as a clear entrance aimed at serving the community and upgrading it civilly. The number of private and public universities has increased, and many students have been accepted for all levels of study in the bachelor’s, higher diploma, master’s and doctoral programs, and the quantitative growth has been accompanied by many negatives, which requires renewal and development in the field of higher education, which led to the emergence of many challenges, and the qualitative challenge in terms of relevance, quality and goodness constitutes an important requirement for the improvement of teaching, scientific research and services in light of the social demand for higher education, in order to reach the quality. The real challenge facing our country is to enter the civilization of advanced technology, which has become the main factor and the starting point for preparing staff capable of accomplishing this transformation and creating an appropriate educational environment for the student to help him to use the sources of knowledge. This study can provide a set of recommendations and proposals that may contribute to addressing challenges and contributing to improving educational outcomes in light of the requirements of the labor market and the needs of society.

Keywords: quantitative, qualitative, technological, challenges, higher education

Procedia PDF Downloads 66

Authors: Habes Moh’d Khalifeh Hatamleh, Shukri Refai Ibrahim Marashdh

Abstract:

The study came with the aim of identifying the most prominent quantitative, qualitative, and technological challenges facing the higher education system in Jordan as a dilemma in light of the technological revolution that had a radical contribution to changing the face of science and knowledge in various fields of higher education in Jordan. Human societies that require the adoption of scientific research and its basics as a clear entrance aimed at serving the community and upgrading it civilly. The number of private and public universities has increased, and many students have been accepted for all levels of study in the bachelor’s, higher diploma, master’s and doctoral programs, and the quantitative growth has been accompanied by many negatives, which requires renewal and development in the field of higher education, which led to the emergence of many challenges, and the qualitative challenge in terms of relevance, quality and goodness constitutes an important requirement for the improvement of teaching, scientific research and services in light of the social demand for higher education, in order to reach the quality. The real challenge facing our country is to enter the civilization of advanced technology, which has become the main factor and the starting point for preparing staff capable of accomplishing this transformation and creating an appropriate educational environment for the student to help him to use the sources of knowledge. This study can provide a set of recommendations and proposals that may contribute to addressing challenges and contributing to improving educational outcomes in light of the requirements of the labor market and the needs of society.

Keywords: quantitative, qualitative, technological, challenges, higher education

Procedia PDF Downloads 62

Authors: Hao Yuan, Yongjian Shen, Xiangjun He, Yuheng Li, Zhouzhou Zhang, Pengyu Zhang, Minkang Cai

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Remote sensing data can provide support for decision-making in disaster assessment or disaster relief. The traditional processing methods of sensitive targets in remote sensing mapping are mainly based on manual retrieval and image editing tools, which are inefficient. Methods based on deep learning for sensitive target hiding are faster and more flexible. But these methods have disadvantages in training time and cost of calculation. This paper proposed a target hiding model Self Attention (SA) Deepfill, which used self-attention modules to replace part of gated convolution layers in image inpainting. By this operation, the calculation amount of the model becomes smaller, and the performance is improved. And this paper adds free-form masks to the model’s training to enhance the model’s universal. The experiment on an open remote sensing dataset proved the efficiency of our method. Moreover, through experimental comparison, the proposed method can train for a longer time without over-fitting. Finally, compared with the existing methods, the proposed model has lower computational weight and better performance.

Keywords: remote sensing mapping, image inpainting, self-attention mechanism, target hiding

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Authors: Charlene Petersen, Herman Grobler, Karel Botha

Abstract:

Exposure to family violence has an impact on adolescent development, more specifically the identity process. This article explores the process of change in identity constructs of adolescents’ exposed to family violence in a Cape Town community in South Africa. In order to understand the process of identity formation the article explores and describes how the meaning that these adolescents give to family violence can contribute to change in their identity constructs. A mixed method approached was used in the study. A psycho-education strategy was implemented as the intervention and pretest-post-test scales were used to assess for change after the intervention process. Twelve participants were purposely selected for the study and included both male and female adolescents with ages ranging from 15 to 18 years from three secondary schools. The research data for this article were mainly extracted from the pre-test post-test design and the psycho-education strategy of the overall research study. The research results of the psycho-education strategy were thematically analyzed and a statistical procedure was used to measure for significant change within pre-test-post-test scales. The research merely refers to the outcome of psycho-education strategy and how it correlates with the outcome of the pre-test post-test design. Adolescents’ exposure to a psycho-education strategy, as well the pre-test post-test findings reveal a change within identity construct in terms of how they perceive themselves and interaction with others in the context of family violence.

Keywords: process of change in adolescent identity, family violence, psycho-education strategy, pre and post assessment

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Authors: Arun Prasad Jaganathan

Abstract:

In today's rapidly evolving technological landscape, the need for efficient and proactive maintenance management solutions has become increasingly evident across various industries. Traditional approaches often suffer from drawbacks such as reactive strategies, leading to potential downtime, increased costs, and decreased operational efficiency. In response to these challenges, this paper proposes an AI-enabled approach to object-based maintenance management aimed at enhancing reliability and efficiency. The paper contributes to the growing body of research on AI-driven maintenance management systems, highlighting the transformative impact of intelligent technologies on enhancing object reliability and operational efficiency.

Keywords: AI, machine learning, predictive maintenance, object-based maintenance, expert team scheduling

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Authors: Wenwen Liu, Robert Burton, Simon McKeown

Abstract:

Climate change is seriously threatening human security and development, leading to global warming and economic, political, and social chaos. Many artists have created visual responses that challenge perceptions on climate change, actively guiding people to think about the climate issues and potential crises after urban industrialization and explore positive solutions. This project is an interdisciplinary and intertextual study where art practice is informed by culture, philosophy, psychology, ecology, and science. By correlating theory and artistic practice, it studies how art practice creates a new way of understanding climate issues and uses art as a way of exploring speculative futures. In the context of practical-based research, arts-based practice as research and creative practice as interdisciplinary research are applied alternately to seek the original solution and new knowledge. Through creative art practice, this project has established new visual ways of looking at climate change and has developed it into a new model to generate more possibilities, an alternative social imagination. It not only encourages people to think and find a sustainable speculative future conducive to all species but also proves that people have the ability to realize positive futures.

Keywords: climate change, creative practice as interdisciplinary research, arts-based practice as research, creative art practice, speculative future

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