Search results for: chemical alternative assessment

Authors: Shaker A. Aladwan

Abstract:

This paper aims to explore the Barriers to innovation leadership in Jordanian public sector organizations. Qualitative approach was adopted, and content analysis was used to analyze the 18 assessment reports which are extracted from the public innovation award in Jordan, then, 20 semi-structured interviews were conducted with the key persons who are involved with innovation initiatives in the public sector organizations in Jordan. Several Barriersthat face the innovation leadership in the Jordanian public sector organizations. Managerially, the challenges include lack of innovation vision, implementation lack of innovation core values, lack of strategic planning for innovation, bad bureaucracy culture, and excessive centralization. Technically, the challenges include lack of task assignment for employees, lack of resources, lack of innovative training programs, lack of knowledge sharing, and the failure of governments to formulate policies and regulations. most of the studies focused on innovation in the non-public sector organizations, and most of them were conducted in the American and Western countries, which are different in terms of culture, kinds of innovation, barriers, and drivers. Thus, this paper provides new insights into barriers to innovation leadership in the public sector and in a new research context. This paper also provides a theoretical contribution by diagnosing the barriers facing innovation within the context of public administration in developing countries.

Keywords: innovation, excellence award, challenges, public sector, jordan

Procedia PDF Downloads 132

Authors: Sylvain Caillol

Abstract:

Uncertainty in terms of price and availability of petroleum, in addition to global political and institutional tendencies toward the principles of sustainable development, urge chemical industry to a sustainable chemistry and particularly the use of renewable resources in order to synthesize biobased chemicals and products. We propose a platform approach for the synthesis of various building blocks from cardanol in one or two-steps syntheses. Cardanol, which is a natural phenol, is issued from Cashew Nutshell Liquid (CNSL), a non-edible renewable resource, co-produced from cashew industry in large commercial volumes. Cardanol is particularly interesting to replace fossil aromatic groups in polymers and materials. Our team studied various routes for the synthesis of cardanol-derived biobased building blocks used after that in polymer syntheses. For example, we used phenolation to dimerize/oligomerize cardanol to propose increase functionality of cardanol. Thio-ene was used to synthesize new reactive amines. Epoxidation and (meth)acrylation were also used to insert oxirane or (meth)acrylate groups in order to synthesize polymers and materials.

Keywords: cardanol, cashew nutshell liquid, epoxy, vinyl ester, latex, emulsion

Procedia PDF Downloads 180

Authors: Amit S. Chauhan, S. Mandal

Abstract:

The structural response of shear walls subjected to various types of loads is difficult to predict precisely. They are incorporated in buildings to resist lateral forces and support the gravity loads. The steel plate shear walls (SPSWs) are used as lateral load resisting systems for buildings and acts as an alternative to reinforced concrete shear walls (RCSWs). This paper compares the behavior of SPSW with the RCSW incorporated in a building frame having G+6 storey, located in Zone III, using the technique of Equivalent Static Method (ESM) as per Indian Standard Criteria For Earthquake Resistant Design of Structures IS 1893:2002. This paper intends to evaluate several parameters such as lateral displacement at tip, inter-storey drift, weight of steel and volume of concrete with the alteration of the shear wall with respect to different types viz., SPSW and RCSW. The strip model employed in this study is a widely accepted analytical tool for SPSW analysis. SPSW can be modelled as truss members by using a series of diagonal tension strips positioned at 45-degree angles. In this paper, by replacing the SPSWs with the tension strips, the G+6 building has been analyzed using STAAD.Pro V8i. Based on the present study, it can be concluded that structure with SPSWs is much better then structure with RCSWs.

Keywords: equivalent static method, inter-storey drift, lateral displacement, Steel plate shear wall, strip model

Procedia PDF Downloads 249

Authors: Parth Mehta, Vedasri Bai Khavala, Prabhu Rajagopal, Tiju Thomas

Abstract:

There is an increasing need for alternative clean fuels, and hydrogen (H₂) has long been considered a promising solution with a high calorific value (142MJ/kg). However, the storage of H₂ and expensive processes for its generation have hindered its usage. Sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) can potentially be used as an economically viable means of H₂ storage. Thus far, there have been attempts to optimize the life of NaBH₄ (half-life) in aqueous media by stabilizing it with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) for various pH values. Other reports have shown that H₂ yield and reaction kinetics remained constant for all ratios of H₂O to NaBH₄ > 30:1, without any acidic catalysts. Here we highlight the importance of pH and H₂O: NaBH₄ ratio (80:1, 40:1, 20:1 and 10:1 by weight), for NaBH₄ stabilization (half-life reaction time at room temperature) and corrosion minimization of H₂ reactor components. It is interesting to observe that at any particular pH>10 (e.g., pH = 10, 11 and 12), the H₂O: NaBH₄ ratio does not have the expected linear dependence with stability. On the contrary, high stability was observed at the ratio of 10:1 H₂O: NaBH₄ across all pH>10. When the H₂O: NaBH₄ ratio is increased from 10:1 to 20:1 and beyond (till 80:1), constant stability (% degradation) is observed with respect to time. For practical usage (consumption within 6 hours of making NaBH₄ solution), 15% degradation at pH 11 and NaBH₄: H₂O ratio of 10:1 is recommended. Increasing this ratio demands higher NaOH concentration at the same pH, thus requiring a higher concentration or volume of acid (e.g., HCl) for H₂ generation. The reactions are done with tap water to render the results useful from an industrial standpoint. The observed stability regimes are rationalized based on complexes associated with NaBH₄ when solvated in water, which depend sensitively on both pH and NaBH₄: H₂O ratio.

Keywords: hydrogen, sodium borohydride, stability optimization, H₂O:NaBH₄ ratio

Procedia PDF Downloads 126

Authors: Alia Ragheb

Abstract:

Philodendron species were reported in traditional medicine for the treatment of several diseases. From the 70% methanol extract of the aerial parts of Philodendron bipinnatifidum Schott ex Endl, nine flavonoid compounds were isolated and identified for the first time; saponarin, genkwanin 8-C-(2′′-O-β-glucopyranosyl)-β-glucopyranoside, apigenin 6-C-(2′′-O-β-glucopyranosyl)-β-glucopyranoside, schaftoside, swertisin, swertiajaponin, isoswertisin, isorhamnetin 3-O-(2′′-acetyl)-β-glucopyranoside and apigenin. Characterization of the plant was achieved using chromatographic, physical, chemical, spectroscopic, and spectrometric techniques. The 70% methanol aerial parts extract and the methanol fraction of the plant were in vivo screened for their acute anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and analgesic effects where significant effects were exhibited compared to that of reference drugs. From the reported literature, these biological activities could be attributed to its phenolic constituent. The 70% methanol aerial parts and successive extracts, as well as some pure isolated flavonoid compounds, were in vitro investigated for their antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities.

Keywords: antioxidant, araceae, cytotoxicity, flavonoids

Procedia PDF Downloads 186

Authors: Shekhar U. Kadam, S. K. Pankaj, Brijesh K. Tiwari, P. J. Cullen, Colm P. O’Donnell

Abstract:

Brown seaweed L. hyperborea is a rich source of phenolic compounds with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. The aim of this work was to study the effect of incorporation of L. hyperborea extract to bovine gelatin film on the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of film. Films with fraction of 25% by weight of bovine gelatin sample were cast with addition of glycerol as a plasticizer. The total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of the films showed higher levels with addition of seaweed extract. Also film appearance properties such as film thickness, color and light transparency were evaluated. Film appearance was slightly modified whereas microstructure of films showed rough patches at 50% level of extract in the film. Hydrophilicity and glass transition temperature of the films also increased with increased level of seaweed extract. It was found that seaweed extract can be incorporated within gelatin and casein for development of biofunctional films.

Keywords: Laminaria hyperborea, ultrasound, seaweed extract, bovine gelatin film, antioxidant, phenolic compounds

Procedia PDF Downloads 522

Authors: Huajuan Shi

Abstract:

Background: The biopsy of the preimplantation embryo may increase the potential risk and concern of embryo viability. Clinically discarded spent embryo medium (SEM) has entered the view of researchers, sparking an interest in noninvasive embryo screening. However, one of the major restrictions is the extremelty low quantity of cf-RNA, which is difficult to efficiently and unbiased amplify cf-RNA using traditional methods. Hence, there is urgently need to an efficient and low bias amplification method which can comprehensively and accurately obtain cf-RNA information to truly reveal the state of SEM cf-RNA. Result: In this present study, we established an agarose PCR amplification system, and has significantly improved the amplification sensitivity and efficiency by ~90 fold and 9.29 %, respectively. We applied agarose to sequencing library preparation (named AG-seq) to quantify and characterize cf-RNA in SEM. The number of detected cf-RNAs (3533 vs 598) and coverage of 3' end were significantly increased, and the noise of low abundance gene detection was reduced. The increasing percentage 5' end adenine and alternative splicing (AS) events of short fragments (< 400 bp) were discovered by AG-seq. Further, the profiles and characterizations of cf-RNA in spent cleavage medium (SCM) and spent blastocyst medium (SBM) indicated that 4‐mer end motifs of cf-RNA fragments could remarkably differentiate different embryo development stages. Significance: This study established an efficient and low-cost SEM amplification and library preparation method. Not only that, we successfully described the characterizations of SEM cf-RNA of preimplantation embryo by using AG-seq, including abundance features fragment lengths. AG-seq facilitates the study of cf-RNA as a noninvasive embryo screening biomarker and opens up potential clinical utilities of trace samples.

Keywords: cell-free RNA, agarose, spent embryo medium, RNA sequencing, non-invasive detection

Procedia PDF Downloads 96

Authors: Ravinder Singh, Ankita Gurao, Saroj Bandhan, Sudhir Kumar Kashyap

Abstract:

The Bos taurus Beta defensin 3 is a defensin peptide secreted by neutrophils and epithelial that exhibits anti-microbial activity. It is one of the crucial components forming an innate defense against intra mammary infections in livestock. The beta defensin 3 by virtue of its anti-microbial activity inhibits major mastitis pathogens including Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa etc, which are also responsible for biofilm formation leading to antibiotic resistance phenomenon. Therefore, the defensin may prove as a non-conventional option to treat mastitis. In this study, computational analysis has been performed including sequence comparison among species and homology modeling of Bos taurus beta defensin 3 protein. The assessments of protein structure were done using the protein structure and model assessment tools integrated in Swiss Model server, which employs various local and global quality evaluation parameters. Further, molecular docking was also carried out between the defensin peptide and the components of biofilm to gain insight into various interactions and structural differences crucial for functionality of this protein.

Keywords: beta defensin 3, bos taurus, docking, homology modeling

Procedia PDF Downloads 293

Authors: Jocelyn Solomons, Kraak

Abstract:

Rhythmic movement, also referred to as “dance”, involves the execution of different motor skills as well as the integration and sequencing of actions between limbs, timing and spatial precision. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate and compare the effect of a 16-week rhythmic movement intervention on flexibility, dynamic balance, agility, power and local muscular endurance of academy rugby players in the Western Cape, according to positional groups. Players (N ¼ 54) (age 18.66 0.81 years; height 1.76 0.69 cm; weight 76.77 10.69 kg), were randomly divided into a treatment-control [TCA] (n ¼ 28) and a control-treatment [CTB] (n ¼ 26) group. In this crossover experimental design, the interaction effect of the treatment order and the treatment time between the TCA and CTB group, was determined. Results indicated a statistically significant improvement (p < 0.05) in agility2 (p ¼ 0.06), power2 (p ¼ 0.05), local muscular endurance1 (p ¼ 0.01) & 3 (p ¼ 0.01) and dynamic balance (p < 0.01). Likewise, forwards and backs also showed statistically significant improvements (p < 0.05) per positional groups. Therefore, a rhythmic movement intervention has the potential to improve rugby-specific bio-motor skills and furthermore, improve positional specific skills should it be designed with positional groups in mind. Future studies should investigate, not only the effect of rhythmic movement on improving specific rugby bio-motor skills, but the potential of its application as an alternative training method during off- season (or detraining phases) or as a recovery method.

Keywords: agility, dance, dynamic balance, flexibility, local muscular endurance, power, training

Procedia PDF Downloads 65

Authors: J. Vyas, R. Kazys, J. Sestoke

Abstract:

Air-coupled ultrasonic is the contactless ultrasonic measurement approach which has become widespread for material characterization in Aerospace industry. It is always essential for the requirement of lightest weight, without compromising the durability. To archive the requirements, composite materials are widely used. This paper yields analysis of the air-coupled ultrasonics for composite materials such as CFRP (Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer) and GLARE (Glass Fiber Metal Laminate) and honeycombs for the design of modern aircrafts. Laser vibrometry could be the key source of characterization for the aerospace components. The air-coupled ultrasonics fundamentals, including principles, working modes and transducer arrangements used for this purpose is also recounted in brief. The emphasis of this paper is to approach the developed NDT techniques based on the ultrasonic guided waves applications and the possibilities of use of laser vibrometry in different materials with non-contact measurement of guided waves. 3D assessment technique which employs the single point laser head using, automatic scanning relocation of the material to assess the mechanical displacement including pros and cons of the composite materials for aerospace applications with defects and delaminations.

Keywords: air-coupled ultrasonics, contactless measurement, laser interferometry, NDT, ultrasonic guided waves

Procedia PDF Downloads 241

Authors: Julian Donovan, Jessica Brealey, Matthew Bowker, Marianne Feghali, Gregory Smith, Lee Thompson, Deborah Henderson

Abstract:

This article details the development of the X-ray response team (XRT), a service that utilises innovative technology to safely deliver acute and elective imaging and medical assessment service in the pre-hospital and community setting. This involves a partnership between Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s Radiology and Emergency Medicine departments and the North East Ambulance Service to create a multidisciplinary prehospital team. The team committed to the delivery of a two-day acute service every week, alongside elective referrals, starting in November 2020. The service was originally made available to a 15-mile radius surrounding the Northumbria Hospital. Due to demand, this was expanded to include the North Tyneside and Northumberland regions. The target population was specified as frail and vulnerable patients, as well as those deemed to benefit from staying in their own environment. Within the first two months, thirty-six percent of patients assessed were able to stay at home due to the provision of off-site imaging. In the future, this service aims to allow patient transfer directly to an appropriate ward or clinic, bypassing the emergency department to improve the patient journey and reduce emergency care pressures.

Keywords: frailty, imaging, pre-hospital, X-ray

Procedia PDF Downloads 208

Authors: Ghoul Rachid Brahim

Abstract:

Introduction: Tuberculous spondylodiscitis is an infection of the spine by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculous spondylodiscitis still remains a topical disease in developing countries and continues to pose a public health problem in endemic countries. Materials and methods: Clinical case: This is a 12-year-old child followed in pediatrics for weight loss and progressively worsening low back pain. The neurological examination found an irritative pyramidal syndrome in both lower limbs with a severe lumbar spinal syndrome. The radiological assessment: (Rx of the spine supplemented by CT and MRI) shows L1L2 spondylodiscitis. Treatment: The child is put on anti-tuberculosis treatment, and the spine is restrained with a corset. Control MRI shows a worsening of the dorsal kyphosis with a backward movement of the posterior wall and spinal cord compression. The child is operated on via the posterior approach (the operative procedure consists of an L1 laminectomy and D11 L3 osteosynthesis). Results: Spinal cord décompression and stabilization of the spine. Conclusion: Tuberculous spondylodiscitis in children remains a rare, aggressive, and progressive condition. The prognosis depends on the diagnosis's precocity and the therapeutic management quality.

Keywords: tuberculous spondylodiscitis, mycobacterium tuberculosis, laminectomy, MRI

Procedia PDF Downloads 96

Authors: M. Balordi, G. Santucci de Magistris, F. Pini, P. Marcacci

Abstract:

The increasing of extreme meteorological events represents the most important causes of damages and blackouts of the whole electric system. In particular, the icing on ground-wires and overheads lines, due to snowstorms or harsh winter conditions, very often gives rise to the collapse of cables and towers both in cold and warm climates. On the other hand, the high concentration of contaminants in the air, due to natural and/or antropic causes, is reflected in high levels of pollutants layered on glass and ceramic insulators, causing frequent and unpredictable flashover events. Overheads line and insulator failures lead to blackouts, dangerous and expensive maintenances and serious inefficiencies in the distribution service. Inducing superhydrophobic (SHP) properties to conductors, ground-wires and insulators, is one of the ways to face all these problems. Indeed, in some cases, the SHP surface can delay the ice nucleation time and decrease the ice nucleation temperature, preventing ice formation. Besides, thanks to the low surface energy, the adhesion force between ice and a superhydrophobic material are low and the ice can be easily detached from the surface. Moreover, it is well known that superhydrophobic surfaces can have self-cleaning properties: these hinder the deposition of pollution and decrease the probability of flashover phenomena. Here this study presents three different studies to impart superhydrophobicity to aluminum, zinc and glass specimens, which represent the main constituent materials of conductors, ground-wires and insulators, respectively. The route to impart the superhydrophobicity to the metallic surfaces can be summarized in a three-step process: 1) sandblasting treatment, 2) chemical-hydrothermal treatment and 3) coating deposition. The first step is required to create a micro-roughness. In the chemical-hydrothermal treatment a nano-scale metallic oxide (Al or Zn) is grown and, together with the sandblasting treatment, bring about a hierarchical micro-nano structure. By coating an alchilated or fluorinated siloxane coating, the surface energy decreases and gives rise to superhydrophobic surfaces. In order to functionalize the glass, different superhydrophobic powders, obtained by a sol-gel synthesis, were prepared. Further, the specimens were covered with a commercial primer and the powders were deposed on them. All the resulting metallic and glass surfaces showed a noticeable superhydrophobic behavior with a very high water contact angles (>150°) and a very low roll-off angles (<5°). The three optimized processes are fast, cheap and safe, and can be easily replicated on industrial scales. The anti-icing and self-cleaning properties of the surfaces were assessed with several indoor lab-tests that evidenced remarkable anti-icing properties and self-cleaning behavior with respect to the bare materials. Finally, to evaluate the anti-snow properties of the samples, some SHP specimens were exposed under real snow-fall events in the RSE outdoor test-facility located in Vinadio, western Alps: the coated samples delay the formation of the snow-sleeves and facilitate the detachment of the snow. The good results for both indoor and outdoor tests make these materials promising for further development in large scale applications.

Keywords: superhydrophobic coatings, anti-icing, self-cleaning, anti-snow, overheads lines

Procedia PDF Downloads 186

Authors: Vijay K. Tomer, Ritu Malik, Satya P. Nehra, Anshu Sharma

Abstract:

Highly ordered mesoporous WO₃-TiO₂ nanohybrids with large intrinsic surface area and highly ordered pore channels were synthesized using mesoporous silica, KIT-6 as hard template using a nanocasting strategy. The nanohybrid samples were characterized by a variety of physico-chemical techniques including X-ray diffraction, Nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms, and high resolution transmission electron microscope. The nanohybrids were tested for detection of important indoor Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) including acetone, ethanol, n-butanol, toluene, and xylene. The sensing result illustrates that the nanocomposite sensor was highly responsive towards xylene gas at relatively lower operating temperature. A rapid response and recovery time, highly linear response and excellent stability in the concentration ranges from 1 to 100 ppm was observed for xylene gas. It is believed that the promising results of this study can be utilized in the synthesis of ordered mesoporous nanostructures which can extend its configuration for the development of new age e-nose type sensors with enhanced gas-sensing performance.

Keywords: nanohybrids, response, sensor, VOCs, xylene

Procedia PDF Downloads 336

Authors: Fatima Melit, Nedjemeddine Bounar

Abstract:

Polycrystalline samples of Ce1-xMxO2-δ (x=0.1, 0.15, 0.2)(M=Gd, Y) were prepared by solid-state chemical reaction from mixtures of pre-dried oxides powders of CeO2, Gd2O3 and Y2O3 in the appropriate stoichiometric ratio to explore their use as solid electrolytes for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs). Their crystal structures and ionic conductivities were characterised by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and AC complex impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The XRD analyses confirm that all the resulting synthesised co-doped cerium oxide powders are single-phase and crystallise in the cubic structure system with the space group Fm3m. On the one hand, the lattice parameter (a ) of the phases increases with increasing Gd content; on the other hand, with increasing Y-substitution rate, the latter decreases. The results of complex impedance conductivity measurements have shown that doping has a remarkable effect on conductivity. The co-doped cerium phases showed significant ionic conductivity values, making these materials excellent candidates for solid oxide electrolytes at intermediate temperatures.

Keywords: electrolyte, Ceria, X-ray diffraction, EIS, SEM, SOFC

Procedia PDF Downloads 149

Authors: Peter Sabev, Katalina Grigorova

Abstract:

Test automation allows performing difficult and time consuming manual software testing tasks efficiently, quickly and repeatedly. However, development and maintenance of automated tests is expensive, so it needs a proper prioritization what to automate first. This paper describes a simple yet efficient approach for such prioritization of test cases based on the effort needed for both manual execution and software test automation. The suggested approach is very flexible because it allows working with a variety of assessment methods, and adding or removing new candidates at any time. The theoretical ideas presented in this article have been successfully applied in real world situations in several software companies by the authors and their colleagues including testing of real estate websites, cryptographic and authentication solutions, OSGi-based middleware framework that has been applied in various systems for smart homes, connected cars, production plants, sensors, home appliances, car head units and engine control units (ECU), vending machines, medical devices, industry equipment and other devices that either contain or are connected to an embedded service gateway.

Keywords: automated testing, manual testing, test automation, software testing, test prioritization

Procedia PDF Downloads 338

Authors: Soumeya Krimat, Tahar Dob, Mohamed Toumi, Aicha Kesouri, Hafidha Metidji, Chelghoum Chabane

Abstract:

Lavandula antineae Maire is an endemic medicinal plant of Algeria which is traditionally used for the treatment of chills, bruises, oedema and rheumatism. The present study was designed to investigate the phytochemical screening, total phenolic and antioxidant activity of Lavandula antineae Maire for the first time. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of different kind of chemical groups (anthraquinones, terpenes, saponins, flavonoids, tannins, O-heterosides, C-heterosides, phenolic acids). The amounts of total phenolics in the extracts (hydromethanolic and ethyl acetate extract) were determined spectrometrically. From the analyses, ethyl acetate extract had the highest total phenolic content (262.35 mg GA/g extract) and antioxidant activity (IC50=7.10 µg/ml) using DPPH method. The ethyl acetate extract was also more potent on reducing power compared to hydromethanolic extract. The results suggested that L. antineae could be considered as a new potential source of natural antioxidant for pharmaceuticals and food preservation.

Keywords: Lavandula antineae, antioxidant activity, phytochemical screening, total phenolics

Procedia PDF Downloads 524

Authors: Syed Jawad Hussain, Abir Touati, Farid Touati

Abstract:

Free-Space Optics (FSO) is a wireless technology that enables the optical transmission of data though the air. FSO is emerging as a promising alternative or complementary technology to fiber optic and wireless radio-frequency (RF) links due to its high-bandwidth, robustness to EMI, and operation in unregulated spectrum. These systems are envisioned to be an essential part of future generation heterogeneous communication networks. Despite the vibrant advantages of FSO technology and the variety of its applications, its widespread adoption has been hampered by rather disappointing link reliability for long-range links due to atmospheric turbulence-induced fading and sensitivity to detrimental climate conditions. Qatar, with modest cloud coverage, high concentrations of airborne dust and high relative humidity particularly lies in virtually rainless sunny belt with a typical daily average solar radiation exceeding 6 kWh/m2 and 80-90% clear skies throughout the year. The specific objective of this work is to study for the first time in Qatar the effect of solar irradiation on the deliverability of the FSO Link. In order to analyze the transport media, we have ported Embedded Linux kernel on Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and designed a network sniffer application that can run into FPGA. We installed new FSO terminals and configure and align them successively. In the reporting period, we carry out measurement and relate them to weather conditions.

Keywords: free space optics, solar irradiation, field programmable gate array, FSO outage

Procedia PDF Downloads 364

Authors: Krystian Chachula, Robert Nowak

Abstract:

Manufacturing home-made explosives and synthetic drugs is an increasing problem in Europe. To combat that, a data fusion system is proposed for the detection and localization of production sites in urban environments. The data consists of measurements of properties of wastewater performed by various sensors installed in a sewage network. A four-stage fusion strategy allows detecting sources of waste products from known chemical reactions. First, suspicious measurements are used to compute the amount and position of discharged compounds. Then, this information is propagated through the sewage network to account for missing sensors. The next step is clustering and the formation of tracks. Eventually, tracks are used to reconstruct discharge events. Sensor measurements are simulated by a subsystem based on real-world data. In this paper, different discharge scenarios are considered to show how the parameters of used algorithms affect the effectiveness of the proposed system. This research is a part of the SYSTEM project (SYnergy of integrated Sensors and Technologies for urban sEcured environMent).

Keywords: continuous monitoring, information fusion and sensors, internet of things, multisensor fusion

Procedia PDF Downloads 119

Authors: A. Nicknam, N. Eftekhari, A. Mazarei, M. Ganjvar

Abstract:

This article presents an alternative collapse capacity intensity measure in the three elements form which is influenced by the spectral ordinates at periods longer than that of the first mode period at near and far source sites. A parameter, denoted by β, is defined by which the spectral ordinate effects, up to the effective period (2T_1), on the intensity measure are taken into account. The methodology permits to meet the hazard-levelled target extreme event in the probabilistic and deterministic forms. A MATLAB code is developed involving OpenSees to calculate the collapse capacities of the 8 archetype RC structures having 2 to 20 stories for regression process. The incremental dynamic analysis (IDA) method is used to calculate the structure’s collapse values accounting for the element stiffness and strength deterioration. The general near field set presented by FEMA is used in a series of performing nonlinear analyses. 8 linear relationships are developed for the 8structutres leading to the correlation coefficient up to 0.93. A collapse capacity near field prediction equation is developed taking into account the results of regression processes obtained from the 8 structures. The proposed prediction equation is validated against a set of actual near field records leading to a good agreement. Implementation of the proposed equation to the four archetype RC structures demonstrated different collapse capacities at near field site compared to those of FEMA. The reasons of differences are believed to be due to accounting for the spectral shape effects.

Keywords: collapse capacity, fragility analysis, spectral shape effects, IDA method

Procedia PDF Downloads 241

Authors: Zahra Khan

Abstract:

Hydrogels are a macromolecular network of hydrophilic copolymers with physical or chemical cross-linking structures with significant water uptake capabilities. They are a promising substrate for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) as they are both flexible and biocompatible materials. Conventional SERS-active substrates suffer from limitations such as instability and inflexibility, which restricts their use in broader applications. Gelatin-based hydrogels have been synthesised in a facile and relatively quick method without the use of any toxic cross-linking agents. Composite gel material was formed by combining the gelatin with simple polymers to enhance the functional properties of the gel. Gold nanoparticles prepared by a reproducible seed-mediated growth method were combined into the bulk material during gel synthesis. After gel formation, the gel was submerged in the analyte solution overnight. SERS spectra were then collected from the gel using a standard Raman spectrometer. A wide range of analytes was successfully detected on these hydrogels showing potential for further optimization and use as SERS substrates for biomedical applications.

Keywords: gelatin, hydrogels, flexible materials, SERS

Procedia PDF Downloads 119

Authors: Yendo Hu, Xu-Yu Wu, Dylan Oh

Abstract:

GPS-Denied drones open the possibility of indoor applications, including dynamic arial surveillance, inspection, safety enforcement, and discovery. Indoor swarming further enhances these applications in accuracy, robustness, operational time, and coverage. For micro-drones, power management becomes a critical issue, given the battery payload restriction. This paper proposes an application enabling battery replacement solution that extends the micro-drone active phase without human intervention. First, a framework to quantify the effectiveness of a power management solution for a drone fleet is proposed. The operation-to-non-operation ratio, ONR, gives one a quantitative benchmark to measure the effectiveness of a power management solution. Second, a survey was carried out to evaluate the ONR performance for the various solutions. Third, through analysis, this paper proposes a solution tailored to the indoor micro-drone, suitable for swarming applications. The proposed automated battery replacement solution, along with a modified micro-drone architecture, was implemented along with the associated micro-drone. Fourth, the system was tested and compared with the various solutions within the industry. Results show that the proposed solution achieves an ONR value of 31, which is a 1-fold improvement of the best alternative option. The cost analysis shows a manufacturing cost of $25, which makes this approach viable for cost-sensitive markets (e.g., consumer). Further challenges remain in the area of drone design for automated battery replacement, landing pad/drone production, high-precision landing control, and ONR improvements.

Keywords: micro-drone, battery swap, battery replacement, battery recharge, landing pad, power management

Procedia PDF Downloads 127

Authors: Zhanat Shomanova, Ruslan Safarov, Yuri Nosenko, Zheneta Tashmuchambetova, Alima Zharmagambetova

Abstract:

An effective way of utilization of ferroalloy production wastes is preparing hydrocarbon refining catalysts from them. It is possible due to accordable transition metals containing in the wastes. In the work, we are presenting the results on elemental analysis of sludge samples from Aksu ferroalloy plant (Aksu, Kazakhstan), method of catalysts preparing, results of physical-chemical analysis of obtained catalysts (X-ray analysis, electron microscopy, the BET method etc.), results of using the catalysts in some hydrocarbons refining processes such as hydrocracking of rubber waste, cracking of gasoil, oxidation of cyclohexane. The main results of catalytic activity research are: a) In hydrocracking of rubber waste 64.9% of liquid products were fuel fractions; b) In cracking of gasoil conversion was 51% and selectivity by liquid products was 99%; c) In oxidation of cyclohexane the maximal product yield 87.9% and selectivity by cyclohexanol 93.0% were achieved.

Keywords: catalyst, cyclohexane oxidation, ferroalloy production waste, gasoil cracking

Procedia PDF Downloads 272

Authors: Malleshappa Japagal, Srinivas Chitragar

Abstract:

The use of waste plastic in pavement is becoming important alternative worldwide for disposal of plastic as well as to improve the stability of pavement and to meet out environmental issues. However, there are still concerns on fatigue and fracture resistance of Hot Mix Asphalt with the addition of plastic waste, (HMA-Plastic mixes) and moisture damage potential. The present study was undertaken to evaluate fracture resistance of HMA-Plastic mixes using semi-circular bending (SCB) test and moisture damage potential by Indirect Tensile strength (ITS) test using retained tensile strength (TSR). In this study, a dense graded asphalt mix with 19 mm nominal maximum aggregate size was designed in the laboratory using Marshall Mix design method. Aggregates were coated with different percentages of waste plastic (0%, 2%, 3% and 4%) by weight of aggregate and performance evaluation of fracture resistance and Moisture damage was carried out. The following parameters were estimated for the mixes: J-Integral or Jc, strain energy at failure, peak load at failure, and deformation at failure. It was found that the strain energy and peak load of all the mixes decrease with an increase in notch depth, indicating that increased percentage of plastic waste gave better fracture resistance. The moisture damage potential was evaluated by Tensile strength ratio (TSR). The experimental results shown increased TRS value up to 3% addition of waste plastic in HMA mix which gives better performance hence the use of waste plastic in road construction is favorable.

Keywords: hot mix asphalt, semi circular bending, marshall mix design, tensile strength ratio

Procedia PDF Downloads 310

Authors: Pradthana Sianglam, Wittaya Ngeontae

Abstract:

A new approach for the fabrication of cadmium ion (Cd2+) sensor is demonstrated. The detection principle is based on the in-situ generation of cadmium sulfide quantum dots (CdS QDs) in the presence of chiral thiol containing compound and detection by the circular dichroism spectroscopy (CD). Basically, the generation of CdS QDs can be done in the presence of Cd2+, sulfide ion and suitable capping compounds. In addition, the strong CD signal can be recorded if the generated QDs possess chiral property (from chiral capping molecule). Thus, the degree of CD signal change depends on the number of the generated CdS QDs which can be related to the concentration of Cd2+ (excess of other components). In this work, we use the mixture of cysteamine (Cys) and L-Penicillamine (LPA) as the capping molecules. The strong CD signal can be observed when the solution contains sodium sulfide, Cys, LPA, and Cd2+. Moreover, the CD signal is linearly related to the concentration of Cd2+. This approach shows excellence selectivity towards the detection of Cd2+ when comparing to other cation. The proposed CD sensor provides low limit detection limits around 70 µM and can be used with real water samples with satisfactory results.

Keywords: circular dichroism sensor, quantum dots, enaniomer, in-situ generation, chemical sensor, heavy metal ion

Procedia PDF Downloads 367

Authors: Ratna Dewi Kusumaningtyas, Prima Astuti Handayani, Arief Budiman

Abstract:

Reactive Distillation (RD) is a multifunctional reactor which integrates chemical reaction with in situ separation to shift the equilibrium towards the product formation. Thus, it is suitable for equilibrium limited reaction such as esterification and transesterification to enhance the reaction conversion. In this work, the application of RD for high FFA oil esterification-transterification for biodiesel production using sulphuric acid catalyst has been studied. Crude Jatropha Oil with FFA content of 30.57% was utilized as the feedstock. Effects of the catalyst concentration and molar ratio of the alcohol to oils were also investigated. It was revealed that best result was obtained with sulphuric acid catalyst (reaction conversion of 94.71% and FFA content of 1.62%) at 60C, molar ratio of methanol to FFA of 30:1, and catalyst loading of 3%. After undergoing esterification reaction, jatropha oil was then transesterified to produce biodiesel. Transesterification reaction was performed in the presence of NaOH catalyst in RD column at 60C, molar ratio of methanol to oil of 6:1, and catalyst concentration of 1%. It demonstrated that biodiesel produced in this work agreed with the Indonesian National and ASTM standard of fuel.

Keywords: reactive distillation, biodiesel, esterification, transesterification

Procedia PDF Downloads 465

Authors: V. Cesaroni, C. Girometta, A. Bernicchia, M. Brusoni, F. Corana, R. M. Baiguera, C. M. Cusaro, M. L. Guglielminetti, B. Mannucci, H. Kawagishi, C. Perini, A. M. Picco, P. Rossi, E. Salerni, E. Savino

Abstract:

Fungi of the genus Hericium contain various compounds with antibacterial activity, cytotoxic effect on cancer cells and bioactive molecules. Some of the active metabolites stimulate the synthesis of the Nerve Growth Factor (NGF). Recently, the effect of dietary supplement based on Hericium erinaceus on recognition memory and on hippocampal mossy fiber-CA3 neurotransmission was published. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Hericium species on Italian territory in order to isolate the strains for further studies and applications. The first step was to collect Hericium sporophores in Tuscany: H. alpestre Pers., H. coralloides (Scop.) Pers. and H. erinaceus (Bull.) Pers. were the species present. The strains of H. alpestre (H.a.1), H. coralloides (H.c.1) and H. erinaceus (H.e.1 & H.e.2) have been isolated in pure culture and preserved in the collection of the University of Pavia (MicUNIPV). The DNA sequences obtained from the strains were compared to other sequences found in international databases. Therefore, it was possible to construct a phylogenetic tree that highlights the clear separation in clades of the sequences and the molecular identification of our strains with the species of Hericium considered. The second step was to cultivate indoor and outdoor H. erinaceus in order to obtain as many sporophores as possible for further chemical analysis. All the procedures for H. erinaceus cultivation have been followed. Among the available recipes for indoor H. erinaceus cultivation, it was used a substrate formulation contained 70% oak sawdust, 20% rice bran, 10% wheat straw, 1% CaCO3 and 1% sucrose. The bioactive compounds present in the mycelia and in the sporophores of H. erinaceus were chemically analyzed in collaboration with the Centro Grandi Strumenti of the University of Pavia using high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/ESI-MS/MS). The materials to be analyzed were previously freeze-dried and then extracted with an alcoholic procedure. Preliminary chromatographic analysis revealed the presence of potentially bioactive and structurally different secondary metabolites such as polysaccharides, erinacins, ericenones, steroids and other terpenoids. Ericenones C and D (in sporophores) and erinacin A (in mycelium) have been identified by comparison with the respective standards. These molecules are known to have effects on the Central Nervous System (CNS) cells, which is the main objective of our studies. Thanks to the high sensitivity in the detection of bioactive compounds of H. erinaceus, it will be possible to use the To obtain lyophilized mycelium and the respective culture broth, 4 small pieces (about 5 mm2) of the respective H.e.1 or H.c.1 strains, taken from the margin of growing cultures (MEA), were inoculated into 1 liter of 2% ME (malt extract, Biokar Diagnostics). The static liquid cultures were kept at 24 °C in the dark chamber and fungi grew for one month. 10 replicates for each strain have been done. The method proposed as an analytical screening protocol to determine the optimal growth conditions of the fungus and to improve the production chain of H. erinaceus. These results encourage to carry out chemical analyzes also on H. alpestre and H. coralloides in order to evaluate the presence of bioactive compounds in these two species.

Keywords: Hericium species, Hercium erinaceus bioactive compounds, medicinal mushrooms, mushroom cultivation

Procedia PDF Downloads 144

Authors: Arlan Jay Jondonero

Abstract:

The study explores the potential of teleseryes in improving the reproductive health practices of its Filipino teenage viewers. This includes the identification of the elements of teleseryes and the conditions that make it suitable for teleseryes to influence the practices of its viewers, as well as the assessment of how the Sabido methodology was applied in other countries to see if it can be applied in the Philippine context. It discusses the historical context of teleseryes in the Philippines, which are now in the online digital media platform. The study recognizes the role of the social cognitive theory and dramatic theory in a viewer’s acquisition of better reproductive health practices and evaluates if these theories can be applied in the Philippine context. Using the quasi-experimental approach, the study aims to determine if there is a causal relationship between how the online teleserye “Mga Batang Poz” is perceived by the Filipino teenage audience through its characters and storylines and the development of the audience’s knowledge, perceptions, and behaviors surrounding HIV/AIDS. The study looked into the components of the teleserye that made it relatable to the Filipino youth, as well as factors that should be taken into consideration to significantly influence the reproductive health practices of the Filipino youth.

Keywords: entertainment-education, HIV, quasi-experimental, Sabido methodology, teleserye

Procedia PDF Downloads 121

Authors: Naureen Naeem, M. S. Aslam

Abstract:

Chia seeds found to be a rich source of dietary fiber contain oil which is high in omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids and helpful in the control of cardiovascular diseases. Owing to its spectacular significance, present research had been designed to explore its effect on cholesterol level of the individuals after consumption of chia seed oil supplemented ice cream. The project was designed in such a manner that fat of ice cream was replaced with chia seed oil in different proportions i.e., 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%. After physico-chemical and sensory evaluation of ice cream, best treatment was selected and used for efficacy trials. After baseline line study and thorough inclusion criteria 10 individuals were selected and divided into two groups. One group treated as control and the other was given chia seed oil supplemented l(50%) ice cream. Significant decrease in cholesterol level was observed in the treated group. 18% decrease in cholesterol level was observed at 40th day followed by 8% at 20th day. Similarly 20% decrease in LDL cholesterol with 14% increase in HDL cholesterol. It was recommended that further trials be conducted with sophisticated techniques to completely replace saturated fat in ice cream with unsaturated fats and to study its effect in hyperglycemia and oxidative stress.

Keywords: hypercholesterolemia, chia seed oil, HDL, triglycerides

Procedia PDF Downloads 311

Authors: Natalia Moreira, Trevor Wood-Harper

Abstract:

The acceptance of sustainable products by the final consumer is still one of the challenges of the industry, which constantly seeks alternative approaches to successfully be accepted in the global market. A large set of methods and approaches have been discussed and analysed throughout the literature. Considering the current need for sustainable development and the current pace of consumption, the need for a combined solution towards the development of new products became clear, forcing researchers in product development to propose alternatives to the previous standard product development models. This paper presents, through a systemic analysis of the literature on product development, eco-design and consumer involvement, a set of alternatives regarding consumer involvement towards the development of sustainable products and how these approaches could help improve the sustainable industry’s establishment in the general market. The initial findings of the research show that the understanding of the benefits of sustainable behaviour lead to a more conscious acquisition and eventually to the implementation of sustainable change in the consumer. Thus this paper is the initial approach towards the development of new sustainable products using the fashion industry as an example of practical implementation and acceptance by the consumers. By comparing the existing literature and critically analysing it this paper concluded that the consumer involvement is strategic to improve the general understanding of sustainability and its features. The use of consumers and communities has been studied since the early 90s in order to exemplify uses and to guarantee a fast comprehension. The analysis done also includes the importance of this approach for the increase of innovation and ground breaking developments, thus requiring further research and practical implementation in order to better understand the implications and limitations of this methodology.

Keywords: consumer involvement, products development, sustainability, eco-design

Procedia PDF Downloads 597