Search results for: informational efficiency theory

Authors: Prateek Guleria, Shubham Sharma, Rakesh Kumar Shukla, Harshit Sharma

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Performance measurement of small and medium-sized businesses is the primary need for all companies to survive and thrive in a dynamic global company. A structured and systematic, integrated organization increases employee reliability, sustainability, and loyalty. This paper is a case study of a gear manufacturing industry that was facing the problem of rejection due to dents and damages in gear. The DMAIC cycle, along with different tools used in the research work includes SIPOC (Supply, Input, Process, Output, Control) Pareto analysis, Root & Cause analysis, and FMEA (Failure Mode and Effect Analysis). The six-sigma level was improved from 4.06 to 3.46, and the rejection rate was reduced from 7.44% to 1.56%. These findings highlighted the influence of a Lean Six Sigma module in the gear manufacturing unit, which has already increased operational quality and continuity to increase market success and meet customer expectations. According to the findings, applying lean six sigma tools will result in increased productivity. The results could assist businesses in deciding the quality tools that were likely to improve efficiency, competitiveness, and expense.

Keywords: six sigma, DMAIC, SIPOC, failure mode, effect analysis

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Authors: Rattanakorn Phadungthin, Juthathip Haema

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This research presents an assessment of the criticality of the substation's power transformer using the Entropy Weight method to enable more effective maintenance planning. Typically, transformers fail due to heat, electricity, chemical reactions, mechanical stress, and extreme climatic conditions. Effective monitoring of the insulating oil is critical to prevent transformer failure. However, finding appropriate weights for dissolved gases is a major difficulty due to the lack of a defined baseline and the requirement for subjective expert opinion. To decrease expert prejudice and subjectivity, the Entropy Weight method is used to optimise the weightings of eleven key dissolved gases. The algorithm to assess the criticality operates through five steps: create a decision matrix, normalise the decision matrix, compute the entropy, calculate the weight, and calculate the criticality score. This study not only optimises gas weighing but also greatly minimises the need for expert judgment in transformer maintenance. It is expected to improve the efficiency and reliability of power transformers so failures and related economic costs are minimized. Furthermore, maintenance schemes and ranking are accomplished appropriately when the assessment of criticality is reached.

Keywords: criticality assessment, dissolved gas, maintenance scheme, power transformer

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Authors: Ankur Gupta, Jayant Raj Saurav, Shantanu Bhattacharya

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In this work we report an effective water filtration system based on the photo catalytic performance of semiconducting dense nano-brushes under natural sunlight. During thin-film photocatalysis usually performed by a deposited layer of photocatalyst, a stagnant boundary layer is created near the catalyst which adversely affects the rate of adsorption because of diffusional restrictions. One strategy that may be used is to disrupt this laminar boundary layer by creating a super dense nanostructure near the surface of the catalyst. Further it is adequate to fabricate a structured filter element for a through pass of the water with as grown nanostructures coming out of the surface of such an element. So, the dye remediation is performed through solar means. This remediation was initially limited to lower efficiency because of diffusional restrictions but has now turned around as a fast process owing to the development of the filter materials with standing out dense nanostructures. The effect of increased surface area due to microholes on fraction adsorbed is also investigated and found that there is an optimum value of hole diameter for maximum adsorption.

Keywords: nano materials, photocatalysis, waste water treatment, water remediation

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Authors: Adriano Z. Zambom, Preethi Ravikumar

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One of the biggest challenges in nonparametric regression is the curse of dimensionality. Additive models are known to overcome this problem by estimating only the individual additive effects of each covariate. However, if the model is misspecified, the accuracy of the estimator compared to the fully nonparametric one is unknown. In this work the efficiency of completely nonparametric regression estimators such as the Loess is compared to the estimators that assume additivity in several situations, including additive and non-additive regression scenarios. The comparison is done by computing the oracle mean square error of the estimators with regards to the true nonparametric regression function. Then, a backward elimination selection procedure based on the Akaike Information Criteria is proposed, which is computed from either the additive or the nonparametric model. Simulations show that if the additive model is misspecified, the percentage of time it fails to select important variables can be higher than that of the fully nonparametric approach. A dimension reduction step is included when nonparametric estimator cannot be computed due to the curse of dimensionality. Finally, the Boston housing dataset is analyzed using the proposed backward elimination procedure and the selected variables are identified.

Keywords: additive model, nonparametric regression, variable selection, Akaike Information Criteria

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Authors: Muhamad Azani Yahya, Vikneswaran Munikanan, Mohammed Alias Yusof

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Lean thinking holds the potential for improving the construction sector, and therefore, it is a concept that should be adopted by construction sector players and academicians in the real industry. Bridging from that, a learning process for construction sector players regarding this matter should be the agenda in gaining the knowledge in preparation for their career. Lean principles offer opportunities for reducing lead times, eliminating non-value adding activities, reducing variability, and are facilitated by methods such as pull scheduling, simplified operations and buffer reduction. Thus, the drive for rapid construction, which is a systematic approach in enhancing efficiency to deliver a project using time reduction, while lean is the continuous process of eliminating waste, meeting or exceeding all customer requirements, focusing on the entire value stream and pursuing perfection in the execution of a constructed project. The methodology presented is shown to be valid through literature, interviews and questionnaire. The results show that the majority of construction sector players unfamiliar with lean thinking and they agreed that it can improve the construction process flow. With this background knowledge established and identified, best practices and recommended action are drawn.

Keywords: construction improvement, rapid construction, time reduction, lean construction

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Authors: Isabela Romanha de Alcantara, Jose Eustaquio Ribeiro Vieira Filho, Jose Garcia Gasques

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Innovation and technology can be determinant factors to ensure agricultural and sustainable growth, as well as productivity gains. Technical change has contributed considerably to supply agricultural expansion in Brazil. This agricultural growth could be achieved by incorporating more land or capital. If capital is the main source of agricultural growth, it is possible to increase production per unit of land. The objective of this paper is to estimate: 1) total factor productivity (TFP), which is measured in terms of the rate of output per unit of input; and 2) the land-saving effect (LSE) that is the amount of land required in the case that yield rate is constant over time. According to this study, from 1990 to 2019, it appears that 87 percent of Brazilian agriculture product growth comes from the gains of productivity; the rest of 13 percent comes from input growth. In the same period, the total LSE was roughly 400 Mha, which corresponds to 47 percent of the national territory. These effects reflect the greater efficiency of using productive factors, whose technical change has allowed an increase in agricultural production based on productivity gains.

Keywords: agriculture, land-saving effect, livestock, productivity

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Authors: Babatunde Johnson

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The rate of diseases and death from preventable diseases among ethnic minority groups is high when compared with the wider white population in the UK. This can be due in part to the diet consumed and various cultural reasons. Changes in dietary practices and the health of ethnic minority groups can be caused by the adoption of food practices of the host culture after migration (acculturation) and generational differences among migrants. However, understanding how and why these changes occur is limited due to the challenges of data collection in research. This research utilizes the interpretive phenomenological approach, coupled with Bourdieu’s theory used as the conceptual framework, and seeks an in-depth understanding of how adult immigrant Nigerians in the UK interpret their experience of the influence of ethnic and prevailing cultures on their dietary practice. Recruiting participants from a close-knit community, such as the Nigerian population in the UK, can be complex and problematic and is determined by the accessibility to the community. Although complex, the researcher leveraged the principles of Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in gaining access to participants within the Nigerian community. This study emphasizes the need for a culturally tailored and community-centered approach to interventions geared toward the reduction of ethnic health inequality in the UK other than the existing practice, which focuses on better healthy eating through the improvement of skills and knowledge about food groups.

Keywords: culture, dietary practice, ethnic minority, health inequality

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Authors: Simeon Karafolas, Maciej Woźniak

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Mostly of public financing programs at national and regional level are funded from European Union sources. EU can participate directly to a national and regional program (example LEADER initiative, URBAN…) or indirectly by funding regional or national funds. Funds from European Union are provided from EU multiannual financial framework form which the annual budget is programmed. The adjusted program 2007-2013 of the EU considered commitments of almost 1 trillion Euros for the EU-28 countries. Provisions of the new program 2014-2020 consider commitments of more than 1 trillion Euros. Sustainable growth, divided to Cohesion and Competitiveness for Growth an Employment, is one of the two principal categories; the other is the preservation and management of natural resources. Through this financing process SMEs benefited of EU and public sources by receiving grants for their investments. Most of the financial instruments are available indirectly through the national financial intermediaries. Part of them is managed by the European Investment Fund. The paper focuses on the public financing to SMEs by examining case studies on divers forms of public help. It tries to distinguish the efficiency of the examined good practices and therefore try to have some conclusions on the possibility of application to other regions.

Keywords: DIFASS, grants, SMEs, public financing

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Authors: Richard Madanda, Paul Isaac Musasizi, Sandy Stevens Tickodri-Togboa, Doreen Orishaba, Victor Tumwine

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New vehicle concepts targeting specific geographical markets are designed to satisfy a unique set of road and load requirements. The KIIRA-EV SMACK (KES) hybrid vehicle is designed in Uganda for the East African market. The engine and generator added to the KES electric power train serve both as the range extender and the power assist. In this paper, the design consideration taken to achieve the proper management of the on-board power from the batteries and engine-generator based on the specific drive cycle are presented. To harness the fuel- efficiency benefits of the power train, a specific control philosophy operating the engine and generator at the most efficient speed- torque and speed-power regions is presented. By using a suitable model developed in MATLAB using Simulink and Stateflow, preliminary results show that the steady-state response of the vehicle for a particular hypothetical drive cycle mimicking the expected drive conditions in the city and highway traffic is sufficient.

Keywords: control strategy, drive cycle, hybrid vehicle, simulation

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Authors: J. Franco Macías, E. Montes Alba, A. López Vásquez

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The growing development in the poultry industry has generated a strong and adverse impact on quality and availability of water resources. Inside this industry, is finding out the treatment of by-products such as feathers, viscera and blood demanding highly water consumption, generating contaminant discharges as well. As one of current of treatment of by-products is the effluent of cooking condensate steam that has contaminant organic load; therefore, it is necessary to implement removal treatments before discharging it toward water sources. The photo catalysis appears as a promising alternative of treatment due to the different advantages it has, among others, includes low cost, easily operation, high efficiency and elimination of a wide variety of contaminants in a watery environment. This study has evaluated a heterogeneous photo catalytic treatment for removal contaminant organic load. This process was developed in oxidation and reduction conditions. It was analyzed the effect of factors such as pH, catalyst and sacrifice agent concentration. Finally, good conditions to removal contaminant organic load were achieved to determine percentage of contaminant organic load by means of response surface methodology.

Keywords: poultry industry, advanced oxidation process, photocatalysis, photodegradation, TiO2

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Authors: Purnima Rawat, Divya Vohora, Sarika Gupta, Farhan J. Ahmad, Sushama Talegaonkar

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Nanoparticles (NPs) that target bone tissue were developed using PLGA–mPEG (poly(lactic-co-glycolic-acid)–polyethylene glycol) diblock copolymers by using pamidronate as a bone-targeting moieties. These NPs are expected to enable the transport of hydrophilic drugs. The NP was prepared by in situ polymerization method, and their in- vitro characteristics were evaluated using dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and in phosphate-buffered solution. The bone targeting potential of the NP was also evaluated on in-vitro pre-osteoblast MCT3E1 cell line using ALP activity, degree of mineralization and RT-PCR assay. The average particle size of the NP was 101.6 ± 3.7nm, zeta potential values were negative (-25±0.34mV) of the formulations and the entrapment efficiency was 93± 3.1 % obtained. The moiety of the PLGA–mPEG–pamidronate NPs exhibited the best apatite mineral binding ability in-vitro MCT3E1 pre-osteoblast cell line. Our results suggested that the developed nanoparticles may use as a delivery system for Pamidronate in bone repair and regeneration, warranting further evaluation of the treatment of bone disease.

Keywords: nanoparticle, pamidronate, in-situ polymerization, osteoblast

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Authors: Ali Afaghi, Sehraneh Ghaemi

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The coordination of the multi-agent systems has been one of the interesting topic in recent years, because of its potential applications in many branches of science and engineering such as sensor networks, flocking, underwater vehicles and etc. In the most of the related studies, it is assumed that the dynamics of the multi-agent systems are integer-order and linear and the multi-agent systems with the fractional-order nonlinear dynamics are rarely considered. However many phenomena in nature cannot be described within integer-order and linear characteristics. This paper investigates the leader-following consensus problem for a class of nonlinear fractional-order multi-agent systems based on observer-based cooperative control. In the system, the dynamics of each follower and leader are nonlinear. For a multi-agent system with fixed directed topology firstly, an observer-based consensus protocol is proposed based on the relative observer states of neighboring agents. Secondly, based on the property of the stability theory of fractional-order system, some sufficient conditions are presented for the asymptotical stability of the observer-based fractional-order control systems. The proposed method is applied on a five-agent system with the fractional-order nonlinear dynamics and unavailable states. The simulation example shows that the proposed scenario results in the good performance and can be used in many practical applications.

Keywords: fractional-order multi-agent systems, leader-following consensus, nonlinear dynamics, directed graphs

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Authors: Hubert Beisch, Janik Marx, Svenja Garlof, Roman Shvets, Ivan Grygorchak, Andriy Kityk, Bodo Fiedler

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Three-dimensional carbon materials can be used as electrode materials for energy storage systems such as batteries and supercapacitors. Fast charging and discharging times are realizable without reducing the performance due to aging processes. Furthermore high specific surface area (SSA) of three-dimensional carbon structures leads to high specific capacities. One newly developed carbon foam is Globugraphite. This interconnected globular carbon morphology with statistically distributed hierarchical pores is manufactured by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process from ceramic templates resulting from a sintering process. Via scanning electron (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the morphology is characterized. Moreover, the SSA was measured by the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) theory. Measurements of Globugraphite in an organic and inorganic electrolyte show high energy densities and power densities resulting from ion absorption by forming an electrochemical double layer. A comparison of the specific values is summarized in a Ragone diagram. Energy densities up to 48 Wh/kg and power densities to 833 W/kg could be achieved for an SSA from 376 m²/g to 859 m²/g. For organic electrolyte, a specific capacity of 100 F/g at a density of 20 mg/cm³ was achieved.

Keywords: BET, carbon foam, CVD process, electrochemical cell, Ragone diagram, SEM, TEM

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Authors: Narjes Azimi

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It has been a while that narrative and storytelling turned to be the inevitable part of media. The narrative has so many aspects and among those entire aspects, the fantasy genre is consciously challenging one as fantasy readers are used to reading narratives like good versus evil plot. This paper will analyze the ASOIF TV series as a Meta narrative cultural production that deconstructs the elements of a traditional narrative. This study will shade on a grand narrative perspective from poststructuralism point of view. The theoretical framework is structuralism and post structuralism. Lyotard and Barthes are two main poststructuralists and focus of the study. Lyotard grand narrative elements will analyze in this research study. Fantasy genre generated a number of outstanding authors that explore innovative perspectives. Among all these leading authors George R.R Martin is one of the best. George R. R. Martin’s Fantasy a Song of Ice and Fire picturized the brutal world that seven kingdoms struggling for the power. Since 2011 this production has been followed and watched by millions of audiences all around the world. The methodology is the textual analysis of selected scenes. Martin’s distinctive fantasy style which makes it different from other fantasies, yet this shift does not negate how the previous fantasy writers represent the mentioned concepts of war, and etc., but Martin’ fantasy and left the mature audiences full of uncertainty.

Keywords: narrative theory, metanarrative, deconstruction, post-structuralism, Lyotard, Barthes

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Authors: Cynthia Oluchi Akagha

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This paper highlights the increase in production cost and the corresponding outcomes in Nigeria using six major manufacturing companies as a case study. During an inflationary period, the cost-of-living increases, which reduces the purchasing power of money. Inflation has become a severe issue in many countries recently. To examine how inflation affects the success of businesses in Nigeria, a quantitative approach and a focus on causality were utilized to examine six (6) functional Nigerian manufacturing enterprises. The correlation between business production cost, cost of items supplied, and gross profit from 2021-2022 was analyzed. The analysis recorded that the cost of production increased in 2022 compared to 2021. The expansion varied between the six companies by 77.1%. Only one company out of six reported a decrease in gross profit in 2022 compared to the previous year. The other five companies' profits increased between 6.5% and 87%. Companies like these have thrived despite the rising cost of living because they have adjusted by increasing their product pricing. Since this change has the most significant influence on consumers, the best long-term reaction for a corporation to inflationary effects is often an improvement in cost efficiency, output, or both.

Keywords: economic meltdown, inflation, organization, performance

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Authors: Retno Ambarwati Sigit Lestari, Wahyudi Budi Sediawan, Sarto Sarto

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This study focused on the removal of sulfide from liquid solution using biofilm on packed bed of salak fruit seeds. Biofilter operation of 444 hours consists of 6 phases of operation. Each phase lasted for approximately 72 hours to 82 hours and run at various inlet concentration and flow rate. The highest removal efficiency is 92.01%, at the end of phase 7 at the inlet concentration of 60 ppm and the flow rate of 30 mL min-1. Mathematic model of sulfide removal was proposed to describe the operation of biofilter. The model proposed can be applied to describe the removal of sulfide liquid using biofilter in packed bed. The simulation results the value of the parameters in process. The value of the rate maximum spesific growth is 4.15E-8 s-1, Saturation constant is 9.1E-8 g cm-3, mass transfer coefisient of liquid is 0.5 cm s-1, Henry’s constant is 0.007, and mass of microorganisms growth to mass of sulfide comsumed is 30. The value of the rate maximum spesific growth in early process is 0.00000004 s-1.

Keywords: biofilm, packed bed, removal, sulfide, salak fruit seeds.

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Authors: Robert Cui

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COVID-19 has drastically changed the way students interact and engage with their environments. Students, in particular, have been forced to change from in-person to online learning. How can we ensure that students continue to remain motivated even as their mode of education transitions to online learning? In this study conducted on high school students from a small private school (n = 50), we investigate the factors that predict student motivation during online learning. Using the framework of self-determination theory, we examine the three facets of student motivation during online learning: engagement, autonomy, and competence. We find that students' perception of their peers' engagement with the curriculum, feelings of parental academic expectations, perceptions of favoritism by the teacher, and perceived clarity of instruction given by the teacher all predict student engagement in online learning. Student autonomy is predicted by the amount of parental control a student feels, the clarity of instruction given by the teacher, and also the amount to which a student is perceiving their peers to be paying attention. Finally, competence is predicted by favoritism a student perceives from a teacher and also the amount of which a student is perceiving their peers to be paying attention. Based on these findings, we provide insights on how three important stakeholders –parents, teachers, and peers can enhance students' motivation during online learning.

Keywords: academic performance, motivation, online learning, parental influence, teacher, peers

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Authors: X. Wang, J. S. Kuang

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The Fixed-angle Softened Truss Model with Tension-stiffening (FASTMT) has a superior performance in predicting the shear behaviour of reinforced concrete (RC) membrane elements, especially for the post-cracking behaviour. Nevertheless, massive computational work is inevitable due to the multiple transcendental equations involved in the stress-strain relationship. In this paper, an iterative root-finding technique is introduced to FASTMT for solving quickly the transcendental equations of the tension-stiffening effect of RC membrane elements. This fast FASTMT, which performs in MATLAB, uses the bisection method to calculate the tensile stress of the membranes. By adopting the simplification, the elapsed time of each loop is reduced significantly and the transcendental equations can be solved accurately. Owing to the high efficiency and good accuracy as compared with FASTMT, the fast FASTMT can be further applied in quick prediction of shear behaviour of complex large-scale RC structures.

Keywords: bisection method, FASTMT, iterative root-finding technique, reinforced concrete membrane

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Authors: Z. Ž. Lazarević, D. L. Sekulić, V. N. Ivanovski, N. Ž. Romčević

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NiFe2O4 (nickel ferrite), ZnFe2O4 (zinc ferrite) and Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 (nickel-zinc ferrite) were prepared by mechanochemical route in a planetary ball mill starting from mixture of the appropriate quantities of the Ni(OH)2/Fe(OH)3, Zn(OH)2/Fe(OH)3 and Ni(OH)2/Zn(OH)2/Fe(OH)3 hydroxide powders. In order to monitor the progress of chemical reaction and confirm phase formation, powder samples obtained after 25 h, 18 h and 10 h of milling were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), IR, Raman and Mössbauer spectroscopy. It is shown that the soft mechanochemical method, i.e. mechanochemical activation of hydroxides, produces high quality single phase ferrite samples in much more efficient way. From the IR spectroscopy of single phase samples it is obvious that energy of modes depends on the ratio of cations. It is obvious that all samples have more than 5 Raman active modes predicted by group theory in the normal spinel structure. Deconvolution of measured spectra allows one to conclude that all complex bands in the spectra are made of individual peaks with the intensities that vary from spectrum to spectrum. The deconvolution of Raman spectra allows to separate contributions of different cations to a particular type of vibration and to estimate the degree of inversion.

Keywords: ferrites, Raman spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, Mössbauer measurements

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Authors: Ezgi Avci-Surucu, Doganbey Akgul

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Turkey’s energy reforms has achieved energy security through a variety of interlinked measures including electricity, gas, renewable energy and energy efficiency legislation; the establishment of an energy sector regulatory authority; energy price reform; the creation of a functional electricity market; restructuring of state-owned energy enterprises; and private sector participation through privatization and new investment. However, current strategies, namely; “Electricity Sector Reform and Privatization Strategy” and “Electricity Market and Supply Security Strategy” has been criticized for various aspects. The present paper analyzes the implementation of the aforementioned strategies in the framework of generation scheduling, transmission constraints, bidding structure and general aspects; and argues the deficiencies of current strategies which decelerates power investments and creates uncertainties. We conclude by policy suggestions to eliminate these deficiencies in terms of price and risk management, infrastructure, customer focused regulations and systematic market development.

Keywords: electricity markets, risk management, regulations, balancing and settlement, bilateral trading, generation scheduling, bidding structure

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Authors: Ashish Kumar Jain, Deepak Mishra

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The objective of the present investigation was to prepare and evaluate a vesicular dual drug delivery system for effective management of mucosal ulcer. Inner encapsulating and Double liposomes were prepared by glass bead and reverse phase evaporation method respectively. The formulation consisted of inner liposomes bearing Ranitidine Bismuth Citrate (RBC) and outer liposomes encapsulating Amoxicillin trihydrate (AMOX). The optimized inner liposomes and double liposomes were extensively characterized for vesicle size, morphology, zeta potential, vesicles count, entrapment efficiency and in vitro drug release. In vitro, the double liposomes demonstrated a sustained release of AMOX and RBC viz 91.4±1.8% and 77.2±2.1% respectively at the end of 72 hr. Furthermore binding specificity and targeting propensity toward H. pylori (SKP-56) was confirmed by agglutination and in situ adherence assay. Reduction of the absolute alcohol induced ulcerogenic index from 3.01 ± 0.25 to 0.31 ± 0.09 and 100% H. pylori clearance rate was observed. These results suggested that double liposomes are potential vector for the development of dual drug delivery for effective treatment of H. pylori-associated peptic ulcer.

Keywords: double liposomes, H. pylori targeting, PE liposomes, glass-beads method, peptic ulcers

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Authors: Ibrahim Uba Yusuf

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Conflict is a subject or, better put, theme that primarily dominates Hausa home videos. Conflict in Hausa home videos is one of the sources of attraction to viewers, but do such films achieve anything? The Hausa home video industry in Northern Nigeria, popularly called Kannywood has been making attempts by producing cultural products for consumption within and outside the country. The ability of the industry to connect issues of concern within the region is an effort to reckon with. This paper, therefore, examines how Hausa home videos on peacebuilding can serve as a template for peacebuilding. This is coming at a time when global attention to peacebuilding is increasing. The inclusion of peacebuilding as SDG Goal suggests the need for utilizing other approaches that can enhance peace in risk societies like Nigeria. The paper based its arguments using the key proponents of the auteur theory—the director’s bias, thoughts, and sense of reasoning shape the issues emphasized in the home videos. The paper argues that Hausa home video industry is one medium amongst the many producing discourse about peacebuilding, conflict, and justice, social cohesion, education, and understanding, as well as raising social consciousness on issues of public concern. It is the conclusion of the paper that Hausa home videos produced on sustaining peacebuilding in Northern Nigeria are cultural products that have become lenses to understanding the interplay between representations or portrayal of conflict and peaceful resolutions of the conflicting issues.

Keywords: hausa home videos, peacebuilding, conflict, northern Nigeria

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Authors: Hanna Corsini

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This article provides an analysis of counter-hegemonic movements and their consequences for the neoliberal world order at the international level. Even if calls for change are becoming louder, current research on populist forces at the domestic level in comparative politics is lacking an investigation of the international dimensions of the rise of such movements. At the same time, in the International Relations field, the focus still remains on the surge of challengers at the global level, while the national one stays neglected. This paper argues that to fill this gap as identified in the academic literature, the concept of hegemony, and more precisely, as deployed by Antonio Gramsci, can bear some interesting insights. An adaptation to the 21st century of Gramsci’s concept is proposed, highlighting the explanatory power that key concepts of his theoretical framework have. Transposing it to contemporary politics provides precious elements for an in-depth understanding of counter-hegemonic movements and the consequences of their rise for the neoliberal world order. In an era of disruption and turmoil in national politics, International Relations theory cannot avoid to engage with this dimension. However, populism as a theoretical concept lacks the capacity to go beyond the domestic border. It is therefore essential to create a dialogue between these two fields. Ultimately, the paper claims that (counter-)hegemony is crucial to build a bridge between the international and the domestic level.

Keywords: counter-hegemonic movements, Gramsci, hegemony, international relations

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Authors: Hasan Basri Jumin, Mardaleni

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Fortunella hindsii and Muraya paniculata are family members of Rutaceae and have potentially improved genetic diversity. Isolated protoplasts were cultured with media supplemented with 2.0 % glucose and 0.0, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 or 1.0. 10.0 mg/1 thidiazuron (TDZ) and, thickened with 0.9% gelrite, and maintained under 16 h photoperiod at 52.9 μmol/m²/s light intensity. The media supplemented with 0.00 mg/l TDZ yielded the maximum plating efficiency, while 0.001 mg/l TDZ produced the highest percentage of shoot formation, approximately 80%. After being cultured on the same TDZ concentration for 12 days, the protoplasts that survived developed cell walls. Ninety days following the culture of protoplasts, Fortunella hindsii and Murraya paniculata underwent somatic embryogenesis to grow into plantlets. Thidiazuron has demonstrated efficacy in forming flower buds that grow normally. Fortunella hindsii and Murraya paniculata shoots that emerged from branch internodes flowered in vitro on half-strength MT basal media containing 0.001 to 0.01 mg/l TDZ and 2-3% sucrose after two months of culture, and they eventually went on to flower. Seventy five percent of the plants displayed flowering on medium supplemented with 0.001 mg/l TDZ. Among the segments of Fortunella hindsii and Murraya paniculata generated from branch internodes, a possible precocious and floral gradient was found.

Keywords: Fortunella-hindsii, in-vitro flowering, Murraya-paniculata, protoplast, thidiazuron

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Authors: J. Scott Kenney

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Not all pain is created equal. In recent decades, the concept of Illegitimate pain has begun to shed light on the phenomena of emotional and physical pain that is misunderstood, neglected, or stigmatized, broadly conceptualized along dimensions of relative legitimation and physicality. Yet, beyond a pioneering study of the suffering of closeted LGBTQ + individuals, along with an analysis of the pains experienced by students at a religious boarding school, there has been insufficient attention to what lies behind such marginalized suffering beyond the original claim that it relates to broad interpretive standards and structured power relations, mediated through interaction in various groups/settings. This paper seeks to delve theoretically into this underdeveloped terrain. Building on earlier work, it takes direct aim at the definitional aspect that lies analytically prior to such matters, theoretically unpacking the role of ideology. Following a general introduction focused on theoretical relationships between social structure, power, and ideas, the paper reviews a range of sociological literature on relevant matters. After condensing the insights from these various literatures into a series of theoretical statements, the paper analytically engages with these to articulate a series of theoretical and methodological elaborations intended to practically assist researchers in empirically examining such matters in today's complex social environment.

Keywords: deviance, ideology, illegitimate pain, social theory, victimization

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Authors: Teklu Urgessa, Wookjae Maeng, Joong Seek Lee

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Application of five implementations of three data mining classification techniques was experimented for extracting important insights from tourism data. The aim was to find out the best performing algorithm among the compared ones for tourism knowledge discovery. Knowledge discovery process from data was used as a process model. 10-fold cross validation method is used for testing purpose. Various data preprocessing activities were performed to get the final dataset for model building. Classification models of the selected algorithms were built with different scenarios on the preprocessed dataset. The outperformed algorithm tourism dataset was Random Forest (76%) before applying information gain based attribute selection and J48 (C4.5) (75%) after selection of top relevant attributes to the class (target) attribute. In terms of time for model building, attribute selection improves the efficiency of all algorithms. Artificial Neural Network (multilayer perceptron) showed the highest improvement (90%). The rules extracted from the decision tree model are presented, which showed intricate, non-trivial knowledge/insight that would otherwise not be discovered by simple statistical analysis with mediocre accuracy of the machine using classification algorithms.

Keywords: classification algorithms, data mining, knowledge discovery, tourism

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Authors: Rubén Bãnos, José Arcos, Oscar Bautista, Federico Méndez

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The Oscillatory electroosmotic flow (OEOF) in power law fluids through a microchannel is studied numerically. A time-dependent external electric field (AC) is suddenly imposed at the ends of the microchannel which induces the fluid motion. The continuity and momentum equations in the x and y direction for the flow field were simplified in the limit of the lubrication approximation theory (LAT), and then solved using a numerical scheme. The solution of the electric potential is based on the Debye-H¨uckel approximation which suggest that the surface potential is small,say, smaller than 0.025V and for a symmetric (z : z) electrolyte. Our results suggest that the velocity profiles across the channel-width are controlled by the following dimensionless parameters: the angular Reynolds number, Reω, the electrokinetic parameter, ¯κ, defined as the ratio of the characteristic length scale to the Debye length, the parameter λ which represents the ratio of the Helmholtz-Smoluchowski velocity to the characteristic length scale and the flow behavior index, n. Also, the results reveal that the velocity profiles become more and more non-uniform across the channel-width as the Reω and ¯κ are increased, so oscillatory OEOF can be really useful in micro-fluidic devices such as micro-mixers.

Keywords: low zeta potentials, non-newtonian, oscillatory electroosmotic flow, power-law model

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Authors: Said Sair, Hanane Ait Ousaleh, Ilyas Belghazi, Othmane Amadine

Abstract:

Plastic waste has become a major environmental issue, driving the need for innovative solutions to convert it into valuable resources. This study explores the catalytic pyrolysis of plastic waste to produce hydrogen, using zeolite catalysts as a key component in the process. Various zeolites, including types X, A, and P, are synthesized and characterized through X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). These techniques are employed to assess the structural and chemical properties of the catalysts. Catalytic pyrolysis experiments are performed under different conditions, including variations in temperature, catalyst loading, and reaction time, to optimize hydrogen production. The results demonstrate that the choice of zeolite catalyst significantly impacts plastic waste conversion efficiency into hydrogen. This research contributes to advancing circular economy principles by providing an effective method for plastic waste management and clean energy production, promoting environmental sustainability.

Keywords: hydrogen production, plastic waste, zeolite catalysts, catalytic pyrolysis, circular economy, sustainable energy

Procedia PDF Downloads 31

Authors: Abdulrahman R. Alenezi

Abstract:

This research investigates the effects of facility disruptions on-demand allocation within the context of the Reliable Facility Location Problem (RFLP). We explore two distinct scenarios: one where primary and backup facilities can fail simultaneously and another where such simultaneous failures are not possible. The RFLP model is tailored to reflect these scenarios, incorporating different approaches to transportation cost calculations. Utilizing a Lagrange relaxation method, the model achieves high efficiency, yielding an average optimality gap of 0.1% within 12.2 seconds of CPU time. Findings indicate that primary facilities are typically sited closer to demand points than backup facilities. In cases where simultaneous failures are prohibited, demand points are predominantly assigned to the nearest available facility. Conversely, in scenarios permitting simultaneous failures, demand allocation may prioritize factors beyond mere proximity, such as failure rates. This study highlights the critical influence of facility reliability on strategic location decisions, providing insights for enhancing resilience in supply chain networks.

Keywords: reliable supply chain network, facility location problem, reliable facility location model, LaGrange relaxation

Procedia PDF Downloads 33

Authors: Mohammad Shoaib Khan, Abdul Sattar Bahalkani

Abstract:

This research investigates the violence and their impact on SMEs in Sindh. The main objective of current research is to examine the women empowerment through women participation in small and medium enterprises in upper Sindh. The data were collected from 500 respondents from Kandhkot District, by using simple random technique. A structural questionnaire was designed as an instrument for measuring the impact of SMEs business in women empowerment in rural Sindh. It was revealed that the rural women is less confident and their husbands were always given them hard time once they are exposing themselves to outside the boundaries of the house. It was revealed that rural women have a major contribution in social, economic, and political development. It was further revealed that women are getting low wages and due to non-availability of market facility they are paying low wages. The negative impact of husbands’ income and having children at the age of 0-6 years old are also significant. High income of other household member raises the reservation wage of mothers, thus lowers the probability of participation when the objective of working is to help family’s financial need. The impact of childcare on mothers’ labor force participation is significant but not as the theory predicted. The probability of participation in labor force is significantly higher for women who lived in the urban areas where job opportunities are greater compared to the rural.

Keywords: empowerment, violence against women, SMEs, rural

Procedia PDF Downloads 336