Search results for: adaptation challenges
17 A Systematic Review Of Literature On The Importance Of Cultural Humility In Providing Optimal Palliative Care For All Persons
Authors: Roseanne Sharon Borromeo, Mariana Carvalho, Mariia Karizhenskaia
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Healthcare providers need to comprehend cultural diversity for optimal patient-centered care, especially near the end of life. Although a universal method for navigating cultural differences would be ideal, culture’s high complexity makes this strategy impossible. Adding cultural humility, a process of self-reflection to understand personal and systemic biases and humbly acknowledging oneself as a learner when it comes to understanding another's experience leads to a meaningful process in palliative care generating respectful, honest, and trustworthy relationships. This study is a systematic review of the literature on cultural humility in palliative care research and best practices. Race, religion, language, values, and beliefs can affect an individual’s access to palliative care, underscoring the importance of culture in palliative care. Cultural influences affect end-of-life care perceptions, impacting bereavement rituals, decision-making, and attitudes toward death. Cultural factors affecting the delivery of care identified in a scoping review of Canadian literature include cultural competency, cultural sensitivity, and cultural accessibility. As the different parts of the world become exponentially diverse and multicultural, healthcare providers have been encouraged to give culturally competent care at the bedside. Therefore, many organizations have made cultural competence training required to expose professionals to the special needs and vulnerability of diverse populations. Cultural competence is easily standardized, taught, and implemented; however, this theoretically finite form of knowledge can dangerously lead to false assumptions or stereotyping, generating poor communication, loss of bonds and trust, and poor healthcare provider-patient relationship. In contrast, Cultural humility is a dynamic process that includes self-reflection, personal critique, and growth, allowing healthcare providers to respond to these differences with an open mind, curiosity, and awareness that one is never truly a “cultural” expert and requires life-long learning to overcome common biases and ingrained societal influences. Cultural humility concepts include self-awareness and power imbalances. While being culturally competent requires being skilled and knowledgeable in one’s culture, being culturally humble involves the sometimes-uncomfortable position of healthcare providers as students of the patient. Incorporating cultural humility emphasizes the need to approach end-of-life care with openness and responsiveness to various cultural perspectives. Thus, healthcare workers need to embrace lifelong learning in individual beliefs and values on suffering, death, and dying. There have been different approaches to this as well. Some adopt strategies for cultural humility, addressing conflicts and challenges through relational and health system approaches. In practice and research, clinicians and researchers must embrace cultural humility to advance palliative care practices, using qualitative methods to capture culturally nuanced experiences. Cultural diversity significantly impacts patient-centered care, particularly in end-of-life contexts. Cultural factors also shape end-of-life perceptions, impacting rituals, decision-making, and attitudes toward death. Cultural humility encourages openness and acknowledges the limitations of expertise in one’s culture. A consistent self-awareness and a desire to understand patients’ beliefs drive the practice of cultural humility. This dynamic process requires practitioners to learn continuously, fostering empathy and understanding. Cultural humility enhances palliative care, ensuring it resonates genuinely across cultural backgrounds and enriches patient-provider interactions.Keywords: cultural competency, cultural diversity, cultural humility, palliative care, self-awareness
Procedia PDF Downloads 6216 Source of Professionalism and Knowledge among Sport Industry Professionals in India with Limited Sport Management Higher Education
Authors: Sandhya Manjunath
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The World Association for Sport Management (WASM) was established in 2012, and its mission is "to facilitate sport management research, teaching, and learning excellence and professional practice worldwide". As the field of sport management evolves, it have seen increasing globalization of not only the sport product but many educators have also internationalized courses and curriculums. Curricula should reflect globally recognized issues and disseminate specific intercultural knowledge, skills, and practices, but regional disparities still exist. For example, while India has some of the most ardent sports fans and events in the world, sport management education programs and the development of a proper curriculum in India are still in their nascent stages, especially in comparison to the United States and Europe. Using the extant literature on professionalization and institutional theory, this study aims to investigate the source of knowledge and professionalism of sports managers in India with limited sport management education programs and to subsequently develop a conceptual framework that addresses any gaps or disparities across regions. This study will contribute to WASM's (2022) mission statement of research practice worldwide, specifically to fill the existing disparities between regions. Additionally, this study may emphasize the value of higher education among professionals entering the workforce in the sport industry. Most importantly, this will be a pioneer study highlighting the social issue of limited sport management higher education programs in India and improving professional research practices. Sport management became a field of study in the 1980s, and scholars have studied its professionalization since this time. Dowling, Edwards, & Washington (2013) suggest that professionalization can be categorized into three broad categories of organizational, systemic, and occupational professionalization. However, scant research has integrated the concept of professionalization with institutional theory. A comprehensive review of the literature reveals that sports industry research is progressing in every country worldwide at its own pace. However, there is very little research evidence about the Indian sports industry and the country's limited higher education sport management programs. A growing need exists for sports scholars to pursue research in developing countries like India to develop theoretical frameworks and academic instruments to evaluate the current standards of qualified professionals in sport management, sport marketing, venue and facilities management, sport governance, and development-related activities. This study may postulate a model highlighting the value of higher education in sports management. Education stakeholders include governments, sports organizations and their representatives, educational institutions, and accrediting bodies. As these stakeholders work collaboratively in developed countries like the United States and Europe and developing countries like India, they simultaneously influence the professionalization (i.e., organizational, systemic, and occupational) of sport management education globally. The results of this quantitative study will investigate the current standards of education in India and the source of knowledge among industry professionals. Sports industry professionals will be randomly selected to complete the COSM survey on PsychData and rate their perceived knowledge and professionalism on a Likert scale. Additionally, they will answer questions involving their competencies, experience, or challenges in contributing to Indian sports management research. Multivariate regression will be used to measure the degree to which the various independent variables impact the current knowledge, contribution to research, and professionalism of India's sports industry professionals. This quantitative study will contribute to the limited academic literature available to Indian sports practitioners. Additionally, it shall synthesize knowledge from previous work on professionalism and institutional knowledge, providing a springboard for new research that will fill the existing knowledge gaps. While a further empirical investigation is warranted, our conceptualization contributes to and highlights India's burgeoning sport management industry.Keywords: sport management, professionalism, source of knowledge, higher education, India
Procedia PDF Downloads 6915 Industrial Waste to Energy Technology: Engineering Biowaste as High Potential Anode Electrode for Application in Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Pejman Salimi, Sebastiano Tieuli, Somayeh Taghavi, Michela Signoretto, Remo Proietti Zaccaria
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Increasing the growth of industrial waste due to the large quantities of production leads to numerous environmental and economic challenges, such as climate change, soil and water contamination, human disease, etc. Energy recovery of waste can be applied to produce heat or electricity. This strategy allows for the reduction of energy produced using coal or other fuels and directly reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Among different factories, leather manufacturing plays a very important role in the whole world from the socio-economic point of view. The leather industry plays a very important role in our society from a socio-economic point of view. Even though the leather industry uses a by-product from the meat industry as raw material, it is considered as an activity demanding integrated prevention and control of pollution. Along the entire process from raw skins/hides to finished leather, a huge amount of solid and water waste is generated. Solid wastes include fleshings, raw trimmings, shavings, buffing dust, etc. One of the most abundant solid wastes generated throughout leather tanning is shaving waste. Leather shaving is a mechanical process that aims at reducing the tanned skin to a specific thickness before tanning and finishing. This product consists mainly of collagen and tanning agent. At present, most of the world's leather processing is chrome-tanned based. Consequently, large amounts of chromium-containing shaving wastes need to be treated. The major concern about the management of this kind of solid waste is ascribed to chrome content, which makes the conventional disposal methods, such as landfilling and incineration, not practicable. Therefore, many efforts have been developed in recent decades to promote eco-friendly/alternative leather production and more effective waste management. Herein, shaving waste resulting from metal-free tanning technology is proposed as low-cost precursors for the preparation of carbon material as anodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In line with the philosophy of a reduced environmental impact, for preparing fully sustainable and environmentally friendly LIBs anodes, deionized water and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) have been used as alternatives to toxic/teratogen N-methyl-2- pyrrolidone (NMP) and to biologically hazardous Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVdF), respectively. Furthermore, going towards the reduced cost, we employed water solvent and fluoride-free bio-derived CMC binder (as an alternative to NMP and PVdF, respectively) together with LiFePO₄ (LFP) when a full cell was considered. These actions make closer to the 2030 goal of having green LIBs at 100 $ kW h⁻¹. Besides, the preparation of the water-based electrodes does not need a controlled environment and due to the higher vapour pressure of water in comparison with NMP, the water-based electrode drying is much faster. This aspect determines an important consequence, namely a reduced energy consumption for the electrode preparation. The electrode derived from leather waste demonstrated a discharge capacity of 735 mAh g⁻¹ after 1000 charge and discharge cycles at 0.5 A g⁻¹. This promising performance is ascribed to the synergistic effect of defects, interlayer spacing, heteroatoms-doped (N, O, and S), high specific surface area, and hierarchical micro/mesopore structure of the biochar. Interestingly, these features of activated biochars derived from the leather industry open the way for possible applications in other EESDs as well.Keywords: biowaste, lithium-ion batteries, physical activation, waste management, leather industry
Procedia PDF Downloads 17014 Adaptable Path to Net Zero Carbon: Feasibility Study of Grid-Connected Rooftop Solar PV Systems with Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting to Decrease Urban Flooding in India
Authors: Rajkumar Ghosh, Ananya Mukhopadhyay
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India has seen enormous urbanization in recent years, resulting in increased energy consumption and water demand in its metropolitan regions. Adoption of grid-connected solar rooftop systems and rainwater collection has gained significant popularity in urban areas to address these challenges while also boosting sustainability and environmental consciousness. Grid-connected solar rooftop systems offer a long-term solution to India's growing energy needs. Solar panels are erected on the rooftops of residential and commercial buildings to generate power by utilizing the abundant solar energy available across the country. Solar rooftop systems generate clean, renewable electricity, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. This is compatible with India's goal of reducing its carbon footprint. Urban residents and companies can save money on electricity by generating their own and possibly selling excess power back to the grid through net metering arrangements. India gives several financial incentives (subsidies 40% for system capacity 1 kW to 3 kW) to stimulate the building of solar rooftop systems, making them an economically viable option for city dwellers. India provides subsidies up to 70% to special states such as Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Lakshadweep. Incorporating solar rooftops into urban infrastructure contributes to sustainable urban expansion by alleviating pressure on traditional energy sources and improving air quality. Incorporating solar rooftops into urban infrastructure contributes to sustainable urban expansion by alleviating demand on existing energy sources and improving power supply reliability. Rainwater harvesting is another key component of India's sustainable urban development. It comprises collecting and storing rainwater for use in non-potable water applications such as irrigation, toilet flushing, and groundwater recharge. Rainwater gathering 2 helps to conserve water resources by lowering the demand for freshwater sources. This technology is crucial in water-stressed areas to ensure a sustainable water supply. Excessive rainwater runoff in metropolitan areas can lead to Urban flooding. Solar PV system with Rooftop Rainwater harvesting systems absorb and channel excess rainwater, which helps to reduce flooding and waterlogging in Smart cities. Rainwater harvesting systems are inexpensive and quick to set up, making them a tempting option for city dwellers and businesses looking to save money on water. Rainwater harvesting systems are now compulsory in several Indian states for specified types of buildings (bye law, Rooftop space ≥ 300 sq. m.), ensuring widespread adoption. Finally, grid-connected solar rooftop systems and rainwater collection are important to India's long-term urban development. They not only reduce the environmental impact of urbanization, but also empower individuals and businesses to control their energy and water requirements. The G20 summit will focus on green financing, fossil fuel phaseout, and renewable energy transition. The G20 Summit in New Delhi reaffirmed India's commitment to battle climate change by doubling renewable energy capacity. To address climate change and mitigate global warming, India intends to attain 280 GW of solar renewable energy by 2030 and Net Zero carbon emissions by 2070. With continued government support and increased awareness, these strategies will help India develop a more resilient and sustainable urban future.Keywords: grid-connected solar PV system, rooftop rainwater harvesting, urban flood, groundwater, urban flooding, net zero carbon emission
Procedia PDF Downloads 9113 From Linear to Circular Model: An Artificial Intelligence-Powered Approach in Fosso Imperatore
Authors: Carlotta D’Alessandro, Giuseppe Ioppolo, Katarzyna Szopik-Depczyńska
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— The growing scarcity of resources and the mounting pressures of climate change, water pollution, and chemical contamination have prompted societies, governments, and businesses to seek ways to minimize their environmental impact. To combat climate change, and foster sustainability, Industrial Symbiosis (IS) offers a powerful approach, facilitating the shift toward a circular economic model. IS has gained prominence in the European Union's policy framework as crucial enabler of resource efficiency and circular economy practices. The essence of IS lies in the collaborative sharing of resources such as energy, material by-products, waste, and water, thanks to geographic proximity. It can be exemplified by eco-industrial parks (EIPs), which are natural environments for boosting cooperation and resource sharing between businesses. EIPs are characterized by group of businesses situated in proximity, connected by a network of both cooperative and competitive interactions. They represent a sustainable industrial model aimed at reducing resource use, waste, and environmental impact while fostering economic and social wellbeing. IS, combined with Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven technologies, can further optimize resource sharing and efficiency within EIPs. This research, supported by the “CE_IPs” project, aims to analyze the potential for IS and AI, in advancing circularity and sustainability at Fosso Imperatore. The Fosso Imperatore Industrial Park in Nocera Inferiore, Italy, specializes in agriculture and the industrial transformation of agricultural products, particularly tomatoes, tobacco, and textile fibers. This unique industrial cluster, centered around tomato cultivation and processing, also includes mechanical engineering enterprises and agricultural packaging firms. To stimulate the shift from a traditional to a circular economic model, an AI-powered Local Development Plan (LDP) is developed for Fosso Imperatore. It can leverage data analytics, predictive modeling, and stakeholder engagement to optimize resource utilization, reduce waste, and promote sustainable industrial practices. A comprehensive SWOT analysis of the AI-powered LDP revealed several key factors influencing its potential success and challenges. Among the notable strengths and opportunities arising from AI implementation are reduced processing times, fewer human errors, and increased revenue generation. Furthermore, predictive analytics minimize downtime, bolster productivity, and elevate quality while mitigating workplace hazards. However, the integration of AI also presents potential weaknesses and threats, including significant financial investment, since implementing and maintaining AI systems can be costly. The widespread adoption of AI could lead to job losses in certain sectors. Lastly, AI systems are susceptible to cyberattacks, posing risks to data security and operational continuity. Moreover, an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) analysis was employed to yield a prioritized ranking of the outlined AI-driven LDP practices based on the stakeholder input, ensuring a more comprehensive and representative understanding of their relative significance for achieving sustainability in Fosso Imperatore Industrial Park. While this study provides valuable insights into the potential of AIpowered LDP at the Fosso Imperatore, it is important to note that the findings may not be directly applicable to all industrial parks, particularly those with different sizes, geographic locations, or industry compositions. Additional study is necessary to scrutinize the generalizability of these results and to identify best practices for implementing AI-driven LDP in diverse contexts.Keywords: artificial intelligence, climate change, Fosso Imperatore, industrial park, industrial symbiosis
Procedia PDF Downloads 2512 Assessing Diagnostic and Evaluation Tools for Use in Urban Immunisation Programming: A Critical Narrative Review and Proposed Framework
Authors: Tim Crocker-Buque, Sandra Mounier-Jack, Natasha Howard
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Background: Due to both the increasing scale and speed of urbanisation, urban areas in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) host increasingly large populations of under-immunized children, with the additional associated risks of rapid disease transmission in high-density living environments. Multiple interdependent factors are associated with these coverage disparities in urban areas and most evidence comes from relatively few countries, e.g., predominantly India, Kenya, Nigeria, and some from Pakistan, Iran, and Brazil. This study aimed to identify, describe, and assess the main tools used to measure or improve coverage of immunisation services in poor urban areas. Methods: Authors used a qualitative review design, including academic and non-academic literature, to identify tools used to improve coverage of public health interventions in urban areas. Authors selected and extracted sources that provided good examples of specific tools, or categories of tools, used in a context relevant to urban immunization. Diagnostic (e.g., for data collection, analysis, and insight generation) and programme tools (e.g., for investigating or improving ongoing programmes) and interventions (e.g., multi-component or stand-alone with evidence) were selected for inclusion to provide a range of type and availability of relevant tools. These were then prioritised using a decision-analysis framework and a tool selection guide for programme managers developed. Results: Authors reviewed tools used in urban immunisation contexts and tools designed for (i) non-immunization and/or non-health interventions in urban areas, and (ii) immunisation in rural contexts that had relevance for urban areas (e.g., Reaching every District/Child/ Zone). Many approaches combined several tools and methods, which authors categorised as diagnostic, programme, and intervention. The most common diagnostic tools were cross-sectional surveys, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, secondary analysis of routine data, and geographical mapping of outcomes, resources, and services. Programme tools involved multiple stages of data collection, analysis, insight generation, and intervention planning and included guidance documents from WHO (World Health Organisation), UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund), USAID (United States Agency for International Development), and governments, and articles reporting on diagnostics, interventions, and/or evaluations to improve urban immunisation. Interventions involved service improvement, education, reminder/recall, incentives, outreach, mass-media, or were multi-component. The main gaps in existing tools were an assessment of macro/policy-level factors, exploration of effective immunization communication channels, and measuring in/out-migration. The proposed framework uses a problem tree approach to suggest tools to address five common challenges (i.e. identifying populations, understanding communities, issues with service access and use, improving services, improving coverage) based on context and available data. Conclusion: This study identified many tools relevant to evaluating urban LMIC immunisation programmes, including significant crossover between tools. This was encouraging in terms of supporting the identification of common areas, but problematic as data volumes, instructions, and activities could overwhelm managers and tools are not always suitably applied to suitable contexts. Further research is needed on how best to combine tools and methods to suit local contexts. Authors’ initial framework can be tested and developed further.Keywords: health equity, immunisation, low and middle-income countries, poverty, urban health
Procedia PDF Downloads 13911 Development of an Omaha System-Based Remote Intervention Program for Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs) Among Front-Line Nurses
Authors: Tianqiao Zhang, Ye Tian, Yanliang Yin, Yichao Tian, Suzhai Tian, Weige Sun, Shuhui Gong, Limei Tang, Ruoliang Tang
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Introduction: Healthcare workers, especially the nurses all over the world, are highly vulnerable to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), experiencing high rates of neck, shoulder, and low back injuries, due to the unfavorable working conditions. To reduce WMSDs among nursing personnel, many workplace interventions have been developed and implemented. Unfortunately, the ongoing Covid-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has posed great challenges to the ergonomic practices and interventions in healthcare facilities, particularly the hospitals, since current Covid-19 mitigation measures, such as social distancing and working remotely, has substantially minimized in-person gatherings and trainings. On the other hand, hospitals throughout the world have been short-staffed, resulting in disturbance of shift scheduling and more importantly, the increased job demand among the available caregivers, particularly the doctors and nurses. With the latest development in communication technology, remote intervention measures have been developed as an alternative, without the necessity of in-person meetings. The Omaha System (OS) is a standardized classification system for nursing practices, including a problem classification system, an intervention system, and an outcome evaluation system. This paper describes the development of an OS-based ergonomic intervention program. Methods: First, a comprehensive literature search was performed among worldwide electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), between journal inception to May 2020, resulting in a total of 1,418 scientific articles. After two independent screening processes, the final knowledge pool included eleven randomized controlled trial studies to develop the draft of the intervention program with Omaha intervention subsystem as the framework. After the determination of sample size needed for statistical power and the potential loss to follow-up, a total of 94 nurses from eight clinical departments agreed to provide written, informed consent to participate in the study, which were subsequently assigned into two random groups (i.e., intervention vs. control). A subgroup of twelve nurses were randomly selected to participate in a semi-structured interview, during which their general understanding and awareness of musculoskeletal disorders and potential interventions was assessed. Then, the first draft was modified to reflect the findings from these interviews. Meanwhile, the tentative program schedule was also assessed. Next, two rounds of consultation were conducted among experts in nursing management, occupational health, psychology, and rehabilitation, to further adjust and finalize the intervention program. The control group had access to all the information and exercise modules at baseline, while an interdisciplinary research team was formed and supervised the implementation of the on-line intervention program through multiple social media groups. Outcome measures of this comparative study included biomechanical load assessed by the Quick Exposure Check and stresses due to awkward body postures. Results and Discussion: Modification to the draft included (1) supplementing traditional Chinese medicine practices, (2) adding the use of assistive patient handling equipment, and (3) revising the on-line training method. Information module should be once a week, lasting about 20 to 30 minutes, for a total of 6 weeks, while the exercise module should be 5 times a week, each lasting about 15 to 20 minutes, for a total of 6 weeks.Keywords: ergonomic interventions, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), omaha system, nurses, Covid-19
Procedia PDF Downloads 18210 Critical Factors for Successful Adoption of Land Value Capture Mechanisms – An Exploratory Study Applied to Indian Metro Rail Context
Authors: Anjula Negi, Sanjay Gupta
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Paradigms studied inform inadequacies of financial resources, be it to finance metro rails for construction or to meet operational revenues or to derive profits in the long term. Funding sustainability is far and wide for much-needed public transport modes, like urban rail or metro rails, to be successfully operated. India embarks upon a sustainable transport journey and has proposed metro rail systems countrywide. As an emerging economic leader, its fiscal constraints are paramount, and the land value capture (LVC) mechanism provides necessary support and innovation toward development. India’s metro rail policy promotes multiple methods of financing, including private-sector investments and public-private-partnership. The critical question that remains to be addressed is what factors can make such mechanisms work. Globally, urban rail is a revolution noted by many researchers as future mobility. Researchers in this study deep dive by way of literature review and empirical assessments into factors that can lead to the adoption of LVC mechanisms. It is understood that the adoption of LVC methods is in the nascent stages in India. Research posits numerous challenges being faced by metro rail agencies in raising funding and for incremental value capture. A few issues pertaining to land-based financing, inter alia: are long-term financing, inter-institutional coordination, economic/ market suitability, dedicated metro funds, land ownership issues, piecemeal approach to real estate development, property development legal frameworks, etc. The question under probe is what are the parameters that can lead to success in the adoption of land value capture (LVC) as a financing mechanism. This research provides insights into key parameters crucial to the adoption of LVC in the context of Indian metro rails. Researchers have studied current forms of LVC mechanisms at various metro rails of the country. This study is significant as little research is available on the adoption of LVC, which is applicable to the Indian context. Transit agencies, State Government, Urban Local Bodies, Policy makers and think tanks, Academia, Developers, Funders, Researchers and Multi-lateral agencies may benefit from this research to take ahead LVC mechanisms in practice. The study deems it imperative to explore and understand key parameters that impact the adoption of LVC. Extensive literature review and ratification by experts working in the metro rails arena were undertaken to arrive at parameters for the study. Stakeholder consultations in the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) process were undertaken for principal component extraction. 43 seasoned and specialized experts participated in a semi-structured questionnaire to scale the maximum likelihood on each parameter, represented by various types of stakeholders. Empirical data was collected on chosen eighteen parameters, and significant correlation was extracted for output descriptives and inferential statistics. Study findings reveal these principal components as institutional governance framework, spatial planning features, legal frameworks, funding sustainability features and fiscal policy measures. In particular, funding sustainability features highlight sub-variables of beneficiaries to pay and use of multiple revenue options towards success in LVC adoption. Researchers recommend incorporation of these variables during early stage in design and project structuring for success in adoption of LVC. In turn leading to improvements in revenue sustainability of a public transport asset and help in undertaking informed transport policy decisions.Keywords: Exploratory factor analysis, land value capture mechanism, financing metro rails, revenue sustainability, transport policy
Procedia PDF Downloads 819 Hybrid GNN Based Machine Learning Forecasting Model For Industrial IoT Applications
Authors: Atish Bagchi, Siva Chandrasekaran
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Background: According to World Bank national accounts data, the estimated global manufacturing value-added output in 2020 was 13.74 trillion USD. These manufacturing processes are monitored, modelled, and controlled by advanced, real-time, computer-based systems, e.g., Industrial IoT, PLC, SCADA, etc. These systems measure and manipulate a set of physical variables, e.g., temperature, pressure, etc. Despite the use of IoT, SCADA etc., in manufacturing, studies suggest that unplanned downtime leads to economic losses of approximately 864 billion USD each year. Therefore, real-time, accurate detection, classification and prediction of machine behaviour are needed to minimise financial losses. Although vast literature exists on time-series data processing using machine learning, the challenges faced by the industries that lead to unplanned downtimes are: The current algorithms do not efficiently handle the high-volume streaming data from industrial IoTsensors and were tested on static and simulated datasets. While the existing algorithms can detect significant 'point' outliers, most do not handle contextual outliers (e.g., values within normal range but happening at an unexpected time of day) or subtle changes in machine behaviour. Machines are revamped periodically as part of planned maintenance programmes, which change the assumptions on which original AI models were created and trained. Aim: This research study aims to deliver a Graph Neural Network(GNN)based hybrid forecasting model that interfaces with the real-time machine control systemand can detect, predict machine behaviour and behavioural changes (anomalies) in real-time. This research will help manufacturing industries and utilities, e.g., water, electricity etc., reduce unplanned downtimes and consequential financial losses. Method: The data stored within a process control system, e.g., Industrial-IoT, Data Historian, is generally sampled during data acquisition from the sensor (source) and whenpersistingin the Data Historian to optimise storage and query performance. The sampling may inadvertently discard values that might contain subtle aspects of behavioural changes in machines. This research proposed a hybrid forecasting and classification model which combines the expressive and extrapolation capability of GNN enhanced with the estimates of entropy and spectral changes in the sampled data and additional temporal contexts to reconstruct the likely temporal trajectory of machine behavioural changes. The proposed real-time model belongs to the Deep Learning category of machine learning and interfaces with the sensors directly or through 'Process Data Historian', SCADA etc., to perform forecasting and classification tasks. Results: The model was interfaced with a Data Historianholding time-series data from 4flow sensors within a water treatment plantfor45 days. The recorded sampling interval for a sensor varied from 10 sec to 30 min. Approximately 65% of the available data was used for training the model, 20% for validation, and the rest for testing. The model identified the anomalies within the water treatment plant and predicted the plant's performance. These results were compared with the data reported by the plant SCADA-Historian system and the official data reported by the plant authorities. The model's accuracy was much higher (20%) than that reported by the SCADA-Historian system and matched the validated results declared by the plant auditors. Conclusions: The research demonstrates that a hybrid GNN based approach enhanced with entropy calculation and spectral information can effectively detect and predict a machine's behavioural changes. The model can interface with a plant's 'process control system' in real-time to perform forecasting and classification tasks to aid the asset management engineers to operate their machines more efficiently and reduce unplanned downtimes. A series of trialsare planned for this model in the future in other manufacturing industries.Keywords: GNN, Entropy, anomaly detection, industrial time-series, AI, IoT, Industry 4.0, Machine Learning
Procedia PDF Downloads 1508 SEAWIZARD-Multiplex AI-Enabled Graphene Based Lab-On-Chip Sensing Platform for Heavy Metal Ions Monitoring on Marine Water
Authors: M. Moreno, M. Alique, D. Otero, C. Delgado, P. Lacharmoise, L. Gracia, L. Pires, A. Moya
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Marine environments are increasingly threatened by heavy metal contamination, including mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd), posing significant risks to ecosystems and human health. Traditional monitoring techniques often fail to provide the spatial and temporal resolution needed for real-time detection of these contaminants, especially in remote or harsh environments. SEAWIZARD addresses these challenges by leveraging the flexibility, adaptability, and cost-effectiveness of printed electronics, with the integration of microfluidics to develop a compact, portable, and reusable sensor platform designed specifically for real-time monitoring of heavy metal ions in seawater. The SEAWIZARD sensor is a multiparametric Lab-on-Chip (LoC) device, a miniaturized system that integrates several laboratory functions into a single chip, drastically reducing sample volumes and improving adaptability. This platform integrates three printed graphene electrodes for the simultaneous detection of Hg, Cd and Pb via square wave voltammetry. These electrodes share the reference and the counter electrodes to improve space efficiency. Additionally, it integrates printed pH and temperature sensors to correct environmental interferences that may impact the accuracy of metal detection. The pH sensor is based on a carbon electrode with iridium oxide electrodeposited while the temperature sensor is graphene based. A protective dielectric layer is printed on top of the sensor to safeguard it in harsh marine conditions. The use of flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as the substrate enables the sensor to conform to various surfaces and operate in challenging environments. One of the key innovations of SEAWIZARD is its integrated microfluidic layer, fabricated from cyclic olefin copolymer (COC). This microfluidic component allows a controlled flow of seawater over the sensing area, allowing for significant improved detection limits compared to direct water sampling. The system’s dual-channel design separates the detection of heavy metals from the measurement of pH and temperature, ensuring that each parameter is measured under optimal conditions. In addition, the temperature sensor is finely tuned with a serpentine-shaped microfluidic channel to ensure precise thermal measurements. SEAWIZARD also incorporates custom electronics that allow for wireless data transmission via Bluetooth, facilitating rapid data collection and user interface integration. Embedded artificial intelligence further enhances the platform by providing an automated alarm system, capable of detecting predefined metal concentration thresholds and issuing warnings when limits are exceeded. This predictive feature enables early warnings of potential environmental disasters, such as industrial spills or toxic levels of heavy metal pollutants, making SEAWIZARD not just a detection tool, but a comprehensive monitoring and early intervention system. In conclusion, SEAWIZARD represents a significant advancement in printed electronics applied to environmental sensing. By combining flexible, low-cost materials with advanced microfluidics, custom electronics, and AI-driven intelligence, SEAWIZARD offers a highly adaptable and scalable solution for real-time, high-resolution monitoring of heavy metals in marine environments. Its compact and portable design makes it an accessible, user-friendly tool with the potential to transform water quality monitoring practices and provide critical data to protect marine ecosystems from contamination-related risks.Keywords: lab-on-chip, printed electronics, real-time monitoring, microfluidics, heavy metal contamination
Procedia PDF Downloads 297 Supply Side Readiness for Universal Health Coverage: Assessing the Availability and Depth of Essential Health Package in Rural, Remote and Conflict Prone District
Authors: Veenapani Rajeev Verma
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Context: Assessing facility readiness is paramount as it can indicate capacity of facilities to provide essential care for resilience to health challenges. In the context of decentralization, estimation of supply side readiness indices at sub national level is imperative for effective evidence based policy but remains a colossal challenge due to lack of dependable and representative data sources. Setting: District Poonch of Jammu and Kashmir was selected for this study. It is remote, rural district with unprecedented topographical barriers and is identified as high priority by government. It is also a fragile area as is bounded by Line of Control with Pakistan bearing the brunt of cease fire violations, military skirmishes and sporadic militant attacks. Hilly geographical terrain, rudimentary/absence of road network and impoverishment are quintessential to this area. Objectives: Objective of the study is to a) Evaluate the service readiness of health facilities and create a concise index subsuming plethora of discrete indicators and b) Ascertain supply side barriers in service provisioning via stakeholder’s analysis. Study also strives to expand analytical domain unravelling context and area specific intricacies associated with service delivery. Methodology: Mixed method approach was employed to triangulate quantitative analysis with qualitative nuances. Facility survey encompassing 90 Subcentres, 44 Primary health centres, 3 Community health centres and 1 District hospital was conducted to gauge general service availability and service specific availability (depth of coverage). Compendium of checklist was designed using Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) in form of standard core questionnaire and scorecard generated for each facility. Information was collected across dimensions of amenities, equipment, medicines, laboratory and infection control protocols as proposed in WHO’s Service Availability and Readiness Assesment (SARA). Two stage polychoric principal component analysis employed to generate a parsimonious index by coalescing an array of tracer indicators. OLS regression method used to determine factors explaining composite index generated from PCA. Stakeholder analysis was conducted to discern qualitative information. Myriad of techniques like observations, key informant interviews and focus group discussions using semi structured questionnaires on both leaders and laggards were administered for critical stakeholder’s analysis. Results: General readiness score of health facilities was found to be 0.48. Results indicated poorest readiness for subcentres and PHC’s (first point of contact) with composite score of 0.47 and 0.41 respectively. For primary care facilities; principal component was characterized by basic newborn care as well as preparedness for delivery. Results revealed availability of equipment and surgical preparedness having lowest score (0.46 and 0.47) for facilities providing secondary care. Presence of contractual staff, more than 1 hr walk to facility, facilities in zone A (most vulnerable) to cross border shelling and facilities inaccessible due to snowfall and thick jungles was negatively associated with readiness index. Nonchalant staff attitude, unavailability of staff quarters, leakages and constraint in supply chain of drugs and consumables were other impediments identified. Conclusions/Policy Implications: It is pertinent to first strengthen primary care facilities in this setting. Complex dimensions such as geographic barriers, user and provider behavior is not under precinct of this methodology.Keywords: effective coverage, principal component analysis, readiness index, universal health coverage
Procedia PDF Downloads 1216 Open Science Philosophy, Research and Innovation
Authors: C.Ardil
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Open Science translates the understanding and application of various theories and practices in open science philosophy, systems, paradigms and epistemology. Open Science originates with the premise that universal scientific knowledge is a product of a collective scholarly and social collaboration involving all stakeholders and knowledge belongs to the global society. Scientific outputs generated by public research are a public good that should be available to all at no cost and without barriers or restrictions. Open Science has the potential to increase the quality, impact and benefits of science and to accelerate advancement of knowledge by making it more reliable, more efficient and accurate, better understandable by society and responsive to societal challenges, and has the potential to enable growth and innovation through reuse of scientific results by all stakeholders at all levels of society, and ultimately contribute to growth and competitiveness of global society. Open Science is a global movement to improve accessibility to and reusability of research practices and outputs. In its broadest definition, it encompasses open access to publications, open research data and methods, open source, open educational resources, open evaluation, and citizen science. The implementation of open science provides an excellent opportunity to renegotiate the social roles and responsibilities of publicly funded research and to rethink the science system as a whole. Open Science is the practice of science in such a way that others can collaborate and contribute, where research data, lab notes and other research processes are freely available, under terms that enable reuse, redistribution and reproduction of the research and its underlying data and methods. Open Science represents a novel systematic approach to the scientific process, shifting from the standard practices of publishing research results in scientific publications towards sharing and using all available knowledge at an earlier stage in the research process, based on cooperative work and diffusing scholarly knowledge with no barriers and restrictions. Open Science refers to efforts to make the primary outputs of publicly funded research results (publications and the research data) publicly accessible in digital format with no limitations. Open Science is about extending the principles of openness to the whole research cycle, fostering, sharing and collaboration as early as possible, thus entailing a systemic change to the way science and research is done. Open Science is the ongoing transition in how open research is carried out, disseminated, deployed, and transformed to make scholarly research more open, global, collaborative, creative and closer to society. Open Science involves various movements aiming to remove the barriers for sharing any kind of output, resources, methods or tools, at any stage of the research process. Open Science embraces open access to publications, research data, source software, collaboration, peer review, notebooks, educational resources, monographs, citizen science, or research crowdfunding. The recognition and adoption of open science practices, including open science policies that increase open access to scientific literature and encourage data and code sharing, is increasing in the open science philosophy. Revolutionary open science policies are motivated by ethical, moral or utilitarian arguments, such as the right to access digital research literature for open source research or science data accumulation, research indicators, transparency in the field of academic practice, and reproducibility. Open science philosophy is adopted primarily to demonstrate the benefits of open science practices. Researchers use open science applications for their own advantage in order to get more offers, increase citations, attract media attention, potential collaborators, career opportunities, donations and funding opportunities. In open science philosophy, open data findings are evidence that open science practices provide significant benefits to researchers in scientific research creation, collaboration, communication, and evaluation according to more traditional closed science practices. Open science considers concerns such as the rigor of peer review, common research facts such as financing and career development, and the sacrifice of author rights. Therefore, researchers are recommended to implement open science research within the framework of existing academic evaluation and incentives. As a result, open science research issues are addressed in the areas of publishing, financing, collaboration, resource management and sharing, career development, discussion of open science questions and conclusions.Keywords: Open Science, Open Science Philosophy, Open Science Research, Open Science Data
Procedia PDF Downloads 1315 Acute Severe Hyponatremia in Patient with Psychogenic Polydipsia, Learning Disability and Epilepsy
Authors: Anisa Suraya Ab Razak, Izza Hayat
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Introduction: The diagnosis and management of severe hyponatremia in neuropsychiatric patients present a significant challenge to physicians. Several factors contribute, including diagnostic shadowing and attributing abnormal behavior to intellectual disability or psychiatric conditions. Hyponatraemia is the commonest electrolyte abnormality in the inpatient population, ranging from mild/asymptomatic, moderate to severe levels with life-threatening symptoms such as seizures, coma and death. There are several documented fatal case reports in the literature of severe hyponatremia secondary to psychogenic polydipsia, often diagnosed only in autopsy. This paper presents a case study of acute severe hyponatremia in a neuropsychiatric patient with early diagnosis and admission to intensive care. Case study: A 21-year old Caucasian male with known epilepsy and learning disability was admitted from residential living with generalized tonic-clonic self-terminating seizures after refusing medications for several weeks. Evidence of superficial head injury was detected on physical examination. His laboratory data demonstrated mild hyponatremia (125 mmol/L). Computed tomography imaging of his brain demonstrated no acute bleed or space-occupying lesion. He exhibited abnormal behavior - restlessness, drinking water from bathroom taps, inability to engage, paranoia, and hypersexuality. No collateral history was available to establish his baseline behavior. He was loaded with intravenous sodium valproate and leveritircaetam. Three hours later, he developed vomiting and a generalized tonic-clonic seizure lasting forty seconds. He remained drowsy for several hours and regained minimal recovery of consciousness. A repeat set of blood tests demonstrated profound hyponatremia (117 mmol/L). Outcomes: He was referred to intensive care for peripheral intravenous infusion of 2.7% sodium chloride solution with two-hourly laboratory monitoring of sodium concentration. Laboratory monitoring identified dangerously rapid correction of serum sodium concentration, and hypertonic saline was switched to a 5% dextrose solution to reduce the risk of acute large-volume fluid shifts from the cerebral intracellular compartment to the extracellular compartment. He underwent urethral catheterization and produced 8 liters of urine over 24 hours. Serum sodium concentration remained stable after 24 hours of correction fluids. His GCS recovered to baseline after 48 hours with improvement in behavior -he engaged with healthcare professionals, understood the importance of taking medications, admitted to illicit drug use and drinking massive amounts of water. He was transferred from high-dependency care to ward level and was initiated on multiple trials of anti-epileptics before achieving seizure-free days two weeks after resolution of acute hyponatremia. Conclusion: Psychogenic polydipsia is often found in young patients with intellectual disability or psychiatric disorders. Patients drink large volumes of water daily ranging from ten to forty liters, resulting in acute severe hyponatremia with mortality rates as high as 20%. Poor outcomes are due to challenges faced by physicians in making an early diagnosis and treating acute hyponatremia safely. A low index of suspicion of water intoxication is required in this population, including patients with known epilepsy. Monitoring urine output proved to be clinically effective in aiding diagnosis. Early referral and admission to intensive care should be considered for safe correction of sodium concentration while minimizing risk of fatal complications e.g. central pontine myelinolysis.Keywords: epilepsy, psychogenic polydipsia, seizure, severe hyponatremia
Procedia PDF Downloads 1224 Times2D: A Time-Frequency Method for Time Series Forecasting
Authors: Reza Nematirad, Anil Pahwa, Balasubramaniam Natarajan
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Time series data consist of successive data points collected over a period of time. Accurate prediction of future values is essential for informed decision-making in several real-world applications, including electricity load demand forecasting, lifetime estimation of industrial machinery, traffic planning, weather prediction, and the stock market. Due to their critical relevance and wide application, there has been considerable interest in time series forecasting in recent years. However, the proliferation of sensors and IoT devices, real-time monitoring systems, and high-frequency trading data introduce significant intricate temporal variations, rapid changes, noise, and non-linearities, making time series forecasting more challenging. Classical methods such as Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) and Exponential Smoothing aim to extract pre-defined temporal variations, such as trends and seasonality. While these methods are effective for capturing well-defined seasonal patterns and trends, they often struggle with more complex, non-linear patterns present in real-world time series data. In recent years, deep learning has made significant contributions to time series forecasting. Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) and their variants, such as Long short-term memory (LSTMs) and Gated Recurrent Units (GRUs), have been widely adopted for modeling sequential data. However, they often suffer from the locality, making it difficult to capture local trends and rapid fluctuations. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), particularly Temporal Convolutional Networks (TCNs), leverage convolutional layers to capture temporal dependencies by applying convolutional filters along the temporal dimension. Despite their advantages, TCNs struggle with capturing relationships between distant time points due to the locality of one-dimensional convolution kernels. Transformers have revolutionized time series forecasting with their powerful attention mechanisms, effectively capturing long-term dependencies and relationships between distant time points. However, the attention mechanism may struggle to discern dependencies directly from scattered time points due to intricate temporal patterns. Lastly, Multi-Layer Perceptrons (MLPs) have also been employed, with models like N-BEATS and LightTS demonstrating success. Despite this, MLPs often face high volatility and computational complexity challenges in long-horizon forecasting. To address intricate temporal variations in time series data, this study introduces Times2D, a novel framework that parallelly integrates 2D spectrogram and derivative heatmap techniques. The spectrogram focuses on the frequency domain, capturing periodicity, while the derivative patterns emphasize the time domain, highlighting sharp fluctuations and turning points. This 2D transformation enables the utilization of powerful computer vision techniques to capture various intricate temporal variations. To evaluate the performance of Times2D, extensive experiments were conducted on standard time series datasets and compared with various state-of-the-art algorithms, including DLinear (2023), TimesNet (2023), Non-stationary Transformer (2022), PatchTST (2023), N-HiTS (2023), Crossformer (2023), MICN (2023), LightTS (2022), FEDformer (2022), FiLM (2022), SCINet (2022a), Autoformer (2021), and Informer (2021) under the same modeling conditions. The initial results demonstrated that Times2D achieves consistent state-of-the-art performance in both short-term and long-term forecasting tasks. Furthermore, the generality of the Times2D framework allows it to be applied to various tasks such as time series imputation, clustering, classification, and anomaly detection, offering potential benefits in any domain that involves sequential data analysis.Keywords: derivative patterns, spectrogram, time series forecasting, times2D, 2D representation
Procedia PDF Downloads 423 Recent Trends in Transportable First Response Healthcare Architecture
Authors: Stephen Verderber
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The World Health Organization (WHO) calls for research and development on ecologically sustainable, resilient structures capable of effectively responding to disaster events globally, in response to climate change, politically based diasporas, earthquakes, and other adverse events upending the rhythms of everyday life globally. By 2050, nearly 80% of the world’s population will reside in coastal zones, and this, coupled with the increasingly dire impacts of climate change, constitute a recipe for further chaos and disruption, and in light of these events, architects have yet to rise up to meet the challenge. In the arena of healthcare, rapidly deployable clinics and field hospitals can provide immediate assistance in medically underserved disaster strike zones. Transportable facilities offer multiple advantages over conventional, fixed-site hospitals, as lightweight, comparatively unencumbered alternatives. These attributes have been proven repeatedly in 20th century vehicular and tent-based structures deployed in frontline combat theaters and in prior natural disasters. Prefab transportable clinics and trauma centers recently responded adroitly to medical emergencies in the aftermath of the Haitian (2010) and Ecuadorian (2016) earthquakes, and in North American post-hurricane relief efforts (2017) while architects continue to be castigated by their engineer colleagues as chronically poor first responders. Architecturally based portable structures for healthcare currently include Redeployable Health Centers (RHCs), Redeployable Trauma Centers (RTCs), and Permanent Modular Installations (PMIs). Five tectonic variants within this typology have recently been operationalized in the field: 1. Vehicular-based Nomadics: Prefab modules installed on a truck chassis with interior compartments dropped in prior to final assembly. Alternately, a two-component apparatus is preferred, with a truck cab pulling a modular medical unit, with independent transiting component; 2. Tent and Pneumatic Systems: Tent/yurt precursors and inflatable systems lightweight and responsive to topographically challenging terrain and diverse climates; 3. Containerized Systems: The standard modular intermodal-shipping container affords structural strength, resiliency in difficult transiting conditions, and can be densely close-packed and these can be custom-built or hold flat-pack systems; 4. Flat-Packs and Pop-Up Systems: These kit-of-part assemblies are shipped in standardized or specially-designed ISO containers; and 5. Hybrid Systems: These consist of composite facilities representing a synthesis of mobile vehicular components and/or tent or shipping containers, fused with conventional or pneumatically activated tent systems. Hybrids are advantageous in many installation contexts from an aesthetic, fabrication, and transiting perspective. Advantages/disadvantages of various modular systems are comparatively examined, followed by presentation of a compendium of 80 evidence (research)-based planning and design considerations addressing site/context, transiting and commissioning, triage, decontamination/intake, diagnostic and treatment, facility tectonics, and administration/total environment. The benefits of offsite pre-manufactured fabrication are examined, as is anticipated growth in international demand for transportable healthcare facilities to meet the challenges posed by accelerating global climate change and global conflicts. This investigation into rapid response facilities for pre and post-disaster zones is drawn from a recent book by the author, the first on architecture on this topic (Innovations in Transportable Healthcare Architecture).Keywords: disaster mitigation, rapid response healthcare architecture, offsite prefabrication
Procedia PDF Downloads 1182 Recent Developments in E-waste Management in India
Authors: Rajkumar Ghosh, Bhabani Prasad Mukhopadhay, Ananya Mukhopadhyay, Harendra Nath Bhattacharya
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This study investigates the global issue of electronic waste (e-waste), focusing on its prevalence in India and other regions. E-waste has emerged as a significant worldwide problem, with India contributing a substantial share of annual e-waste generation. The primary sources of e-waste in India are computer equipment and mobile phones. Many developed nations utilize India as a dumping ground for their e-waste, with major contributions from the United States, China, Europe, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan. The study identifies Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Mumbai, and Delhi as prominent contributors to India's e-waste crisis. This issue is contextualized within the broader framework of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which encompasses 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 associated targets to address poverty, environmental preservation, and universal prosperity. The study underscores the interconnectedness of e-waste management with several SDGs, including health, clean water, economic growth, sustainable cities, responsible consumption, and ocean conservation. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data reveals that e-waste generation surpasses that of plastic waste, increasing annually at a rate of 31%. However, only 20% of electronic waste is recycled through organized and regulated methods in underdeveloped nations. In Europe, efficient e-waste management stands at just 35%. E-waste pollution poses serious threats to soil, groundwater, and public health due to toxic components such as mercury, lead, bromine, and arsenic. Long-term exposure to these toxins, notably arsenic in microchips, has been linked to severe health issues, including cancer, neurological damage, and skin disorders. Lead exposure, particularly concerning for children, can result in brain damage, kidney problems, and blood disorders. The study highlights the problematic transboundary movement of e-waste, with approximately 352,474 metric tonnes of electronic waste illegally shipped from Europe to developing nations annually, mainly to Africa, including Nigeria, Ghana, and Tanzania. Effective e-waste management, underpinned by appropriate infrastructure, regulations, and policies, offers opportunities for job creation and aligns with the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for SDGs, especially in the realms of decent work, economic growth, and responsible production and consumption. E-waste represents hazardous pollutants and valuable secondary resources, making it a focal point for anthropogenic resource exploitation. The United Nations estimates that e-waste holds potential secondary raw materials worth around 55 billion Euros. The study also identifies numerous challenges in e-waste management, encompassing the sheer volume of e-waste, child labor, inadequate legislation, insufficient infrastructure, health concerns, lack of incentive schemes, limited awareness, e-waste imports, high costs associated with recycling plant establishment, and more. To mitigate these issues, the study offers several solutions, such as providing tax incentives for scrap dealers, implementing reward and reprimand systems for e-waste management compliance, offering training on e-waste handling, promoting responsible e-waste disposal, advancing recycling technologies, regulating e-waste imports, and ensuring the safe disposal of domestic e-waste. A mechanism, Buy-Back programs, will compensate customers in cash when they deposit unwanted digital products. This E-waste could contain any portable electronic device, such as cell phones, computers, tablets, etc. Addressing the e-waste predicament necessitates a multi-faceted approach involving government regulations, industry initiatives, public awareness campaigns, and international cooperation to minimize environmental and health repercussions while harnessing the economic potential of recycling and responsible management.Keywords: e-waste management, sustainable development goal, e-waste disposal, recycling technology, buy-back policy
Procedia PDF Downloads 851 Impacts of Transformational Leadership: Petronas Stations in Sabah, Malaysia
Authors: Lizinis Cassendra Frederick Dony, Jirom Jeremy Frederick Dony, Cyril Supain Christopher
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The purpose of this paper is to improve the devotion to leadership through HR practices implementation at the PETRONAS stations. This emphasize the importance of personal grooming and Customer Care hospitality training for their front line working individuals and teams’ at PETRONAS stations in Sabah. Based on Thomas Edison, International Leadership Journal, theory, research, education and development practice and application to all organizational phenomena may affect or be affected by leadership. FINDINGS – PETRONAS in short called Petroliam Nasional Berhad is a Malaysian oil and gas company that was founded on August 17, 1974. Wholly owned by the Government of Malaysia, the corporation is vested with the entire oil and gas resources in Malaysia and is entrusted with the responsibility of developing and adding value to these resources. Fortune ranks PETRONAS as the 68th largest company in the world in 2012. It also ranks PETRONAS as the 12th most profitable company in the world and the most profitable in Asia. As of the end of March 2005, the PETRONAS Group comprised 103 wholly owned subsidiaries, 19 partly owned outfits and 57 associated companies. The group is engaged in a wide spectrum of petroleum activities, including upstream exploration and production of oil and gas to downstream oil refining, marketing and distribution of petroleum products, trading, gas processing and liquefaction, gas transmission pipeline network operations, marketing of liquefied natural gas; petrochemical manufacturing and marketing; shipping; automotive engineering and property investment. PETRONAS has growing their marketing channel in a competitive market. They have combined their resources to pursue common goals. PETRONAS provides opportunity to carry out Industrial Training Job Placement to the University students in Malaysia for 6-8 months. The effects of the Industrial Training have exposed them to the real working environment experience acting representing on behalf of General Manager for almost one year. Thus, the management education and reward incentives schemes have aspire the working teams transformed to gain their good leadership. Furthermore, knowledge and experiences are very important in the human capital development transformation. SPSS extends the accurate analysis PETRONAS achievement through 280 questionnaires and 81 questionnaires through excel calculation distributed to interview face to face with the customers, PETRONAS dealers and front desk staffs stations in the 17 stations in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Hence, this research study will improve its service quality innovation and business sustainability performance optimization. ORIGINALITY / VALUE – The impact of Transformational Leadership practices have influenced the working team’s behaviour as a Brand Ambassadors of PETRONAS. Finally, the findings correlation indicated that PETRONAS stations needs more HR resources practices to deploy more customer care retention resources in mitigating the business challenges in oil and gas industry. Therefore, as the business established at stiff competition globally (Cooper, 2006; Marques and Simon, 2006), it is crucial for the team management should be capable to minimize noises risk, financial risk and mitigating any other risks as a whole at the optimum level. CONCLUSION- As to conclude this research found that both transformational and transactional contingent reward leadership4 were positively correlated with ratings of platoon potency and ratings of leadership for the platoon leader and sergeant were moderately inter correlated. Due to this identification, we recommended that PETRONAS management should offers quality team management in PETRONAS stations in a broader variety of leadership training specialization in the operation efficiency at the front desk Customer Care hospitality. By having the reliability and validity of job experiences, it leverages diversity teamwork and cross collaboration. Other than leveraging factor, PETRONAS also will strengthen the interpersonal front liners effectiveness and enhance quality of interaction through effective communication. Finally, through numerous CSR correlation studies regression PETRONAS performance on Corporate Social Performance and several control variables.1 CSR model activities can be mis-specified if it is not controllable under R & D which evident in various feedbacks collected from the local communities and younger generation is inclined to higher financial expectation from PETRONAS. But, however, it created a huge impact on the nation building as part of its social adaptability overreaching their business stakeholders’ satisfaction in Sabah.Keywords: human resources practices implementation (hrpi), source of competitive advantage in people’s development (socaipd), corporate social responsibility (csr), service quality at front desk stations (sqafd), impacts of petronas leadership (iopl)
Procedia PDF Downloads 349