Search results for: sustainable facilities management

Authors: Pijush Roy, Vinay Kumar Rai

Abstract:

The present study highlights the estimation of soil loss and identification of critical area for implementation of best management practice is central to the success of soil conservation programme. The quantification of morphometric and Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) factors using remote sensing and GIS for prioritization of micro-watersheds in Asan River catchment, western Doon valley at foothills of Siwalik ranges in the Dehradun districts of Uttarakhand, India. The watershed has classified as a dendritic pattern with sixth order stream. The area is classified into very high, high, moderately high, medium and low susceptibility zones. High to very high erosion zone exists in the urban area and agricultural land. Average annual soil loss of 64 tons/ha/year has been estimated for the watershed. The optimum management practices proposed for micro-watersheds of Asan River basin are; afforestation, contour bunding suitable sites for water harvesting structure as check dam and soil conservation, agronomical measure and bench terrace.

Keywords: erosion susceptibility zones, morphometric characteristics, prioritization, remote sensing and GIS, universal soil loss equation

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Authors: Baluku Nathan

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Infection prevention and control (IPC) is a practical, evidence-based approach that prevents patients and emergency health workers from being harmed by avoidable infections as a result of antimicrobial resistance; all hospital infection control programs put together various practices which, when used appropriately, restrict the spread of infection. A breach in these control practices facilitates the transmission of infections from patients to health workers, other patients and attendants. It is, therefore, important for all EMTs and patients to adhere to them strictly. It is also imperative for administrators to ensure the implementation of the infection control program for their facilities. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influencing factors of prevention practices against Infection exposure among emergency medical technicians (EMTs) in the emergency department at Mbarara hospital. Methodology: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study that employed a self-reported questionnaire that was filled out by 32 EMTs in the emergency department from 12th February to 3rd march 2022. The questionnaire consisted of items concerning the defensive environment and other Factors influencing Infection prevention and control practices in the accident and emergency department of Mbarara hospital. Results: From the findings, majority16(50%) always used protective gear when doing clinical work,14 (43.8%) didn’t use protective gear, citing they were only assisting those performing resuscitations, gumboots were the least used protective gear with only3(9.4%) usage. Regarding disposal techniques of specific products like blood and sharps, results showed 10 (31.3%) said blood is disposed of in red buckets, 5(15.6%) in yellow buckets and only5(15.6%) in black buckets and 12(37.5%) didn’t respond. However, 28(87.5%) said sharps were disposed of in a sharps container. The majority, 17(53.1%), were not aware of the infection control guidelines even though they were pinned on walls of the emergency rooms,15(46.9%) said they had never had quality assurance monitoring events,14(43.8%) said monitoring was continuous while15(46.9 %) said it was discrete. Conclusions: The infection control practices at the emergency department were inadequate in view of less than 100% of the EMTs observing the five principles of infection prevention, such as the use of personal protective equipment and proper waste disposal in appropriate color-coded bins. Dysfunctional infection prevention and control committees accompanied by inadequate supervision to ensure infection control remained a big challenge.

Keywords: infection prevention, influencing factors, emergency medical technician (EMT), emergency unit

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Authors: Kemi Olalekan Oduntan

Abstract:

This paper is of the view that entrepreneurship education (if well utilized) can solve the problems of unemployment and the clamor for paid employment in Nigeria. Nigeria educational system is bookish too more academically oriented thereby neglecting the entrepreneurial and vocational values to a greater extent. This paper examines the utilization of entrepreneurship education as a way out of the myriad of unemployment in Nigeria, with the need to refocus Nigeria educational system towards skills acquisition that prepares Nigerians for self-reliance, hence being an employer of labor, while sustainable development and economic diversification are also stressed. The paper further argues that entrepreneurship education will equip the students and Nigeria working class youth with the skills to be jobs creators and become an employer of labor which it will solve Nigeria’s problems such as poverty, overdependence on foreign goods, low economic growth and poor infrastructural development among others. We concludes and recommends that a new pedagogy that prepares students and working class youth with knowledge and practical skills to be entrepreneurial be instituted, promoted and made compulsory in all our tertiary institutions as a way of reducing the menace unemployment in Nigeria.

Keywords: entrepreneurship education, unemployment, national development, self-employment

Procedia PDF Downloads 425

Authors: Baluku Nathan

Abstract:

Infection prevention and control (IPC) is a practical, evidence-based approach that prevents patients and emergency health workers from being harmed by avoidable infections as a result of antimicrobial resistance; all hospital infection control programs put together various practices which, when used appropriately, restrict the spread of infection. A breach in these control practices facilitates the transmission of infections from patients to health workers, other patients, and attendants. It is, therefore important for all emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and patients to strictly adhere to them. It is also imperative for administrators to ensure the implementation of the infection control programme for their facilities. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influencing factors of prevention practices against infection exposure among emergency medical technicians (EMTs) in the emergency department at Mbarara hospital. Methodology: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study that employed a self-reported questionnaire that was filled out by 32 EMTs in the emergency department from 12th February to 3rd march 2022. The questionnaire consisted of items concerning the defensive environment and other factors influencing infection prevention and control practices in the accident and emergency department of Mbarara hospital. Results: From the findings, the majority 16 (50%) always used protective gear when doing clinical work, 14 (43.8%) didn’t use protective gear, citing they were only assisting those performing resuscitations, gumboots were the least used protective gear with only3(9.4%) usage. About disposal techniques of specific products like blood and sharps, results showed 10 (31.3%) said blood is disposed of in red buckets, 5 (15.6%) in yellow buckets, and only 5(15.6%) in black buckets, and 12(37.5%) didn’t respond, however, 28(87.5%) said sharps were disposed of in a sharps container. The majority, 17 (53.1%), were not aware of the infection control guidelines even though they were pinned on walls of the emergency rooms, 15(46.9%) said they have never had quality assurance monitoring events, 14(43.8%) said monitoring was continuous while 15(46.9 %) said it was discrete. Conclusions: The infection control practices at the emergency department were inadequate in view of less than 100% of the EMTs observing the five principles of infection prevention, such as the use of personal protective equipment and proper waste disposal in appropriate color-coded bins. Dysfunctional infection prevention and control committees accompanied by inadequate supervision to ensure infection control remained a big challenge.

Keywords: emergency medical technician, infection prevention, influencing factors, infection control

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Authors: Abubakar O. Sulaiman

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Agriculture was the main stay of Nigeria’s economy before the oil boom of the 1970s caused a gradual but steady shift from agriculture to crude oil as the major source of revenue and foreign exchange. The economy later experienced many symptoms of the 'Dutch disease', with exchange rate appreciation and erosion of competitiveness of the non-oil tradable goods. In order to reverse the worsening economic situations -high unemployment, galloping inflation, deteriorating balance of payment, declining economic growth, and fiscal deficits among others- the government, embarked on austerity measures in 1982 and Structure Adjustment Programme (SAP) in 1986. One of the cornerstones of SAP is the diversification of the economy from oil to non-oil. In the form of stocktaking, this paper investigates the impact of non-oil revenue on economic growth in Nigeria using quarterly time-series data from 1980 to 2019. The findings revealed that a long-run relationship exists between the variables (non-oil variables) and economic growth in Nigeria. Among the variables, (agriculture revenue, manufacturing revenue, revenue from services, and company income tax) contributed substantially to economic growth. The paper recommends that the government should continue to intensify efforts and policies in the diversification of the economy as it will bring about sustainable non-oil revenue and economic growth.

Keywords: non-oil revenue, economic growth, export, long run relationship

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Authors: T. S. Terence Ma, Irene T. Ho

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Conducting adequate assessment of the challenges students with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) face and the support they need is imperative for promoting their school adjustment. Students with ASD often show deficits in communication, social interaction, emotional regulation, and self-management in learning. While targeting these areas in intervention is often helpful, we argue that not enough attention has been paid to weak self-regulation being a key factor underlying their manifest difficulty in all these areas. Self-regulation refers to one’s ability to moderate their behavioral or affective responses without assistance from others. Especially for students with high functioning autism, who often show problems not so much in acquiring the needed skills but rather in applying those skills appropriately in everyday problem-solving, self-regulation becomes a key to successful adjustment in daily life. Therefore, a greater understanding of the construct of self-regulation, its relationship with other daily skills, and its role in school functioning for students with ASD would generate insights on how students’ school adjustment could be promoted more effectively. There were two focuses in this study. Firstly, we examined the extent to which self-regulation is a distinct construct that is differentiable from other daily skills and the most salient indicators of this construct. Then we tested a model of relationships between self-regulation and other daily school skills as well as their relative and combined effects on school adjustment. A total of 1,345 Grade1 to Grade 6 students with ASD attending mainstream schools in Hong Kong participated in the research. In the first stage of the study, teachers filled out a questionnaire consisting of 136 items assessing a wide range of student skills in social, emotional and learning areas. Results from exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with 673 participants and subsequent confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with another group of 672 participants showed that there were five distinct factors of school skills, namely (1) communication skills, (2) pro-social behavior, (3) emotional skills, (4) learning management, and (5) self-regulation. Five scales representing these skill dimensions were generated. In the second stage of the study, a model postulating the mediating role of self-regulation for the effects of the other four types of skills on school adjustment was tested with structural equation modeling (SEM). School adjustment was defined in terms of the extent to which the student is accepted well in school, with high engagement in school life and self-esteem as well as good interpersonal relationships. A 5-item scale was used to assess these aspects of school adjustment. Results showed that communication skills, pro-social behavior, emotional skills and learning management had significant effects on school adjustment only indirectly through self-regulation, and their total effects were found to be not high. The results indicate that support rendered to students with ASD focusing only on the training of well-defined skills is not adequate for promoting their inclusion in school. More attention should be paid to the training of self-management with an emphasis on the application of skills backed by self-regulation. Also, other non-skill factors are important in promoting inclusive education.

Keywords: autism, assessment, factor analysis, self-regulation, school adjustment

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Authors: Adnan F. Sheikh, Fayaz A. Mir

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After the recent devastating flood in Kashmir in 2014, dredging of the local water bodies, especially Jhelum River has become a priority for the government. Local government under the project name of 'Comprehensive Flood Management Programme' plans to undertake an increase in discharge of existing flood channels by removal of encroachments and acquisition of additional land, dredging and other works of the water bodies. The total quantity of soil to be dredged will be 16.15 lac cumecs. Dredged soil is a major component that would result from the project which requires disposal/utilization. This study analyses the effect of cement and sand on the engineering properties of soil. The tests were conducted with variable additions of sand (10%, 20% and 30%), whereas cement was added at 12%. Samples with following compositions: soil-cement (12%) and soil-sand (30%) were tested as well. Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the engineering characteristics of soil, i.e., compaction, strength, and CBR characteristics. The strength characteristics of the soil were determined by unconfined compressive strength test and direct shear test. Unconfined compressive strength of the soil was tested immediately and for a curing period of seven days. CBR test was performed for unsoaked, soaked (worst condition- 4 days) and cured (4 days) samples.

Keywords: comprehensive flood management programme, dredge soil, strength characteristics, flood

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Authors: Adejoke Yemisi Ige

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This study presents a conceptual analysis and investigation into the development of a systematic framework required for better understanding of the social process of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and collective conciliation. The critical examination presented in this study is significant because; it draws on insight from ADR, negotiation and collective bargaining literature and applies it in our advancement of a methodical outline which gives an insight into the influence of the key actors and other stakeholder strategies and behaviours during dispute resolution in relation to the outcomes which is novel. This study is qualitative and essentially inductive in nature. One of the findings of the study confirms the need to consider ADR and collective conciliation within the context of the characteristic conditions; which focus on the need for some agreement to be reached. Another finding of the study shows the extent which information-sharing, willingness of the parties to negotiate and make concession assist both parties to attain resolution. This paper recommends that in order to overcome deadlock and attain acceptable outcomes at the end of ADR and collective conciliation, the importance of information exchange and sustenance of trade union and management relationship cannot be understated. The need for trade unions and management, the representatives to achieve their expectations in order to build the confidence and assurance of their respective constituents is essential. In conclusion, the analysis presented in this study points towards a set of factors that together can be called the social process of collective conciliation nevertheless; it acknowledges that its application to collective conciliation is new.

Keywords: alternative dispute resolution, collective conciliation, social process, theoretical framework, unveiling

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Authors: Dhruba Khatri, Uttam Ghimire, Nabin Kumar Thapalia

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Protected area management in Indonesia is based on MAB program and ICDPs have become Indonesia’s main approach to biodiversity conservation since the early 1990s. However, very few ICDPs have realized the importance of biodiversity conservation in Indonesia and significantly enhanced as a result of currently planned project activities. Gunung Palung National Park in West Kalimantan was damaged illegal logging after decentralization. It made clear through the field survey: (1) Agroforestry did not make reduce to deforestation on regional level and (2) local people who engaging illegal logging activities have two characteristics that for their life and for vent of surplus labor in village. From these results, it became clear that a local resident had a bilateral character as an actor of conservation and the deforestation and also it confirmed that a market also was working on both of the conservation and deforestation. Therefore, surplus labor can be the key actors for future program design and at the same time it is necessary corroborative system which central government, local government, and local people are concerned with the process of policy making under the situation that management body of national park and buffer zone was separated.

Keywords: buffer zone, decentralization, Gunung Palung National Park, illegal logging, Indonesia

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Authors: Abadi Berhane, Walelign Worku, Berhanu Abrha, Gebre Hadgu

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Sesame is an important oilseed crop in Ethiopia, which is the second most exported agricultural commodity next to coffee. However, there is poor soil fertility management and a research-led farming system for the crop. The AquaCrop model was applied as a decision-support tool, which performs a semi-quantitative approach to simulate the yield of crops under different soil fertility levels. The objective of this experiment was to calibrate and validate the AquaCrop model for simulating the growth and yield of sesame under different nitrogen fertilizer levels and to test the performance of the model as a decision-support tool for improved sesame cultivation in the study area. The experiment was laid out as a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in a factorial arrangement in the 2016, 2017, and 2018 main cropping seasons. In this experiment, four nitrogen fertilizer rates, 0, 23, 46, and 69 Kg/ha nitrogen, and three improved varieties (Setit-1, Setit-2, and Humera-1). In the meantime, growth, yield, and yield components of sesame were collected from each treatment. Coefficient of determination (R2), Root mean square error (RMSE), Normalized root mean square error (N-RMSE), Model efficiency (E), and Degree of agreement (D) were used to test the performance of the model. The results indicated that the AquaCrop model successfully simulated soil water content with R2 varying from 0.92 to 0.98, RMSE 6.5 to 13.9 mm, E 0.78 to 0.94, and D 0.95 to 0.99, and the corresponding values for AB also varied from 0.92 to 0.98, 0.33 to 0.54 tons/ha, 0.74 to 0.93, and 0.9 to 0.98, respectively. The results on the canopy cover of sesame also showed that the model acceptably simulated canopy cover with R2 varying from 0.95 to 0.99 and a RMSE of 5.3 to 8.6%. The AquaCrop model was appropriately calibrated to simulate soil water content, canopy cover, aboveground biomass, and sesame yield; the results indicated that the model adequately simulated the growth and yield of sesame under the different nitrogen fertilizer levels. The AquaCrop model might be an important tool for improved soil fertility management and yield enhancement strategies of sesame. Hence, the model might be applied as a decision-support tool in soil fertility management in sesame production.

Keywords: aquacrop model, normalized water productivity, nitrogen fertilizer, canopy cover, sesame

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Authors: Kanwal Javid, Shazia Pervaiz, Maria Mumtaz, Muhammad Ameer Nawaz Akram

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Forests and grasslands ecosystems play an important role in the global carbon cycle. Land management activities influence both ecosystems and enable them to absorb and sequester carbon dioxide (CO2). Similarly, in Pakistan, these terrestrial ecosystems are well known to mitigate carbon emissions and have a great source to supply a variety of services such as clean air and water, biodiversity, wood products, wildlife habitat, food, recreation and carbon sequestration. Carbon sequestration is the main agenda of developed and developing nations to reduce the impacts of global warming. But the amount of carbon storage within these ecosystems can be affected by many factors related to air quality such as land management, land-use change, deforestation, over grazing and natural calamities. Moreover, the long-term capacity of forests and grasslands to absorb and sequester CO2 depends on their health, productivity, resilience and ability to adapt to changing conditions. Thus, the main rationale of this study is to monitor the difference in carbon amount of forests and grasslands of Northern Pakistan using MODIS data sets and map results using Geographic Information System. Results of the study conclude that forests ecosystems are more effective in reducing the CO2 level and play a key role in improving the quality of air.

Keywords: carbon sequestration, grasslands, global warming, climate change.

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Authors: Tiffany Karalis Noel

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The purpose of this study was to examine the factors attributed to the self-efficacy of beginning secondary content area teachers as they moved through their student teaching experiences. This study used a narrative inquiry methodology to understand the variables attributed to teacher self-efficacy among a group of secondary content area teacher candidates. The primary purpose of using a narrative inquiry methodology was to share the stories of content area teacher candidates’ student teaching experiences. Focused research questions included: (1) To what extent does teacher education preparation affect the self-efficacy of beginning content area teachers? (2) Which recurrent elements of teacher education affect the self-efficacy of beginning teachers, regardless of content area? (3) How do the findings from research questions 1 and 2 inform teacher educators? The findings of this study suggest that teacher education preparation affects the self-efficacy of beginning secondary teacher candidates across the content areas; accordingly, the findings of this study provide insight for teacher educators to consider the areas where teacher education programs are failing to provide adequate preparation. These teacher candidates emphasized the value of adequate preparation throughout their teacher education programs to help inform their student teaching experiences. In order to feel effective and successful as beginning teachers, these teacher candidates required additional opportunities to apply the practical application of their teaching skills prior to the student teaching experience, the incorporation of classroom management strategy coursework into their curriculum, and opportunities to explore the extensive demands of the teaching profession ranging from time management to dealing with difficult parents, to name a few referenced examples. The teacher candidates experienced feelings of self-doubt related to their effectiveness as teachers when they were unable to employ successful classroom management strategies, pedagogical techniques, or even feel confidence in navigating challenging conversations with students, parents, and/or administrators. In order to help future teacher candidates and beginning teachers in general overcome these barriers, additional coursework, fieldwork, and practical application experiences should be provided in teacher education programs to help boost the self-efficacy of student teachers.

Keywords: self-efficacy, teacher efficacy, secondary preservice teacher education, teacher candidacy, student teaching

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Authors: Ed de Jong

Abstract:

Avantium is a leading technology development company and a frontrunner in renewable chemistry. Avantium develops disruptive technologies that enable the production of sustainable high value products from renewable materials and actively seek out collaborations and partnerships with like-minded companies and academic institutions globally, to speed up introductions of chemical innovations in the marketplace. In addition, Avantium helps companies to accelerate their catalysis R&D to improve efficiencies and deliver increased sustainability, growth, and profits, by providing proprietary systems and services to this regard. Many chemical building blocks and materials can be produced from biomass, nowadays mainly from 1st generation based carbohydrates, but potential for competition with the human food chain leads brand-owners to look for strategies to transition from 1st to 2nd generation feedstock. The use of non-edible lignocellulosic feedstock is an equally attractive source to produce chemical intermediates and an important part of the solution addressing these global issues (Paris targets). Avantium’s Dawn Technology™ separates the glucose, mixed sugars, and lignin available in non-food agricultural and forestry residues such as wood chips, wheat straw, bagasse, empty fruit bunches or corn stover. The resulting very pure lignin is dense in energy and can be used for energy generation. However, such a material might preferably be deployed in higher added value applications. Bitumen, which is fossil based, are mostly used for paving applications. Traditional hot mix asphalt emits large quantities of the GHG’s CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O, which is unfavorable for obvious environmental reasons. Another challenge for the bitumen industry is that the petrochemical industry is becoming more and more efficient in breaking down higher chain hydrocarbons to lower chain hydrocarbons with higher added value than bitumen. This has a negative effect on the availability of bitumen. The asphalt market, as well as governments, are looking for alternatives with higher sustainability in terms of GHG emission. The usage of alternative sustainable binders, which can (partly) replace the bitumen, contributes to reduce GHG emissions and at the same time broadens the availability of binders. As lignin is a major component (around 25-30%) of lignocellulosic material, which includes terrestrial plants (e.g., trees, bushes, and grass) and agricultural residues (e.g., empty fruit bunches, corn stover, sugarcane bagasse, straw, etc.), it is globally highly available. The chemical structure shows resemblance with the structure of bitumen and could, therefore, be used as an alternative for bitumen in applications like roofing or asphalt. Applications such as the use of lignin in asphalt need both fundamental research as well as practical proof under relevant use conditions. From a fundamental point of view, rheological aspects, as well as mixing, are key criteria. From a practical point of view, behavior in real road conditions is key (how easy can the asphalt be prepared, how easy can it be applied on the road, what is the durability, etc.). The paper will discuss the fundamentals of the use of lignin as bitumen replacement as well as the status of the different demonstration projects in Europe using lignin as a partial bitumen replacement in asphalts and will especially present the results of using Dawn Technology™ lignin as partial replacement of bitumen.

Keywords: biorefinery, wood fractionation, lignin, asphalt, bitumen, sustainability

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Authors: H. N. S. Silva, S. N. Silva

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Introduction: The latest WHO data published in 2014 states that Sri Lanka has reached 2,773 of total deaths and over 14000 individuals’ sustained injuries due to RTAs each year. It was noticed in previous studies that policemen, three wheel drivers and also pedestrians were the first to respond to RTAs but the victim’s condition was aggravated due to unskilled attempts made by the responders while management of the victim’s wounds, moving and positioning of the victims and also mainly while transportation of the victims. Objective: To observe the practices of the urban public in Sri Lanka who are encountered with RTAs. Methods: A qualitative study was done to analyze public behavior seen on video recordings of scenes of accidents purposefully selected from social media, news websites, YouTube and Google. Results: The results showed that all individuals who tried to help during the RTA were middle aged men, who were mainly pedestrians, motorcyclists and policemen during that moment. Vast majority were very keen to actively help the victims to get to hospital as soon as possible and actively participated in providing 'aid'. But main problem was the first aid attempts were disorganized and uncoordinated. Even though all individuals knew how to control external bleeding, none of them was aware of spinal prevention techniques or management of limb injuries. Most of the transportation methods and transfer techniques used were inappropriate and more injury prone. Conclusions: The public actively engages in providing aid despite their inappropriate practices in giving first aid.

Keywords: encountered, pedestrians, road traffic accidents, urban public

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Authors: Shirazu Issahaku, Isaac Kwesi Acquah, Simon Mensah Amoh, George Nunoo

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Introduction: Diagnostic Reference Levels are important indicators for monitoring and optimizing protocol and procedure in medical imaging between facilities and equipment. This helps to evaluate whether, in routine clinical conditions, the median value obtained for a representative group of patients within an agreed range from a specified procedure is unusually high or low for that procedure. This study aimed to propose Diagnostic Reference Levels for Computed Tomography examination of the most common routine examination of the head, chest and abdominal pelvis regions at the University of Ghana Medical Centre. Methods: The Diagnostic Reference Levels were determined based on the investigation of the most common routine examinations, including head Computed Tomography examination with and without contrast, abdominopelvic Computed Tomography examination with and without contrast, and chest Computed Tomography examination without contrast. The study was based on two dose indicators: the volumetric Computed Tomography Dose Index and Dose-Length Product. Results: The estimated median distribution for head Computed Tomography with contrast for volumetric-Computed Tomography dose index and Dose-Length Product were 38.33 mGy and 829.35 mGy.cm, while without contrast, were 38.90 mGy and 860.90 mGy.cm respectively. For an abdominopelvic Computed Tomography examination with contrast, the estimated volumetric-Computed Tomography dose index and Dose-Length Product values were 40.19 mGy and 2096.60 mGy.cm. In the absence of contrast, the calculated values were 14.65 mGy and 800.40 mGy.cm, respectively. Additionally, for chest Computed Tomography examination, the estimated values were 12.75 mGy and 423.95 mGy.cm for volumetric-Computed Tomography dose index and Dose-Length Product, respectively. These median values represent the proposed diagnostic reference values of the head, chest, and abdominal pelvis regions. Conclusions: The proposed Diagnostic Reference Level is comparable to the recommended International Atomic Energy Agency and International Commission Radiation Protection Publication 135 and other regional published data by the European Commission and Regional National Diagnostic Reference Level in Africa. These reference levels will serve as benchmarks to guide clinicians in optimizing radiation dose levels while ensuring accurate diagnostic image quality at the facility.

Keywords: diagnostic reference levels, computed tomography dose index, computed tomography, radiation exposure, dose-length product, radiation protection

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Authors: Vladimir Kulyukin, Tanwir Zaman, Sarat Kiran Andhavarapu

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Research on nutrition label use identifies four factors that impede comprehension and retention of nutrition information by consumers: label’s location on the package, presentation of information within the label, label’s surface size, and surrounding visual clutter. In this paper, a system is presented that makes nutrition label use more effective for nutrition information comprehension and retention. The system’s front end is a smartphone application. The system’s back end is a four node Linux cluster for image recognition and data storage. Image frames captured on the smartphone are sent to the back end for skewed or aligned barcode recognition. When barcodes are recognized, corresponding nutrition labels are retrieved from a cloud database and presented to the user on the smartphone’s touchscreen. Each displayed nutrition label is positioned centrally on the touchscreen with no surrounding visual clutter. Wikipedia links to important nutrition terms are embedded to improve comprehension and retention of nutrition information. Standard touch gestures (e.g., zoom in/out) available on mainstream smartphones are used to manipulate the label’s surface size. The nutrition label database currently includes 200,000 nutrition labels compiled from public web sites by a custom crawler. Stress test experiments with the node cluster are presented. Implications for proactive nutrition management and food policy are discussed.

Keywords: mobile computing, cloud computing, nutrition label use, nutrition management, barcode scanning

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Authors: Riddhiman Sherlekar, Umang Paladia, Rachit Desai, Yash Patel

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The competitive scenario of the oil and gas market is a challenge for today’s plant designers to achieve designs that meet client expectations with shrinking budgets, safety requirements, and operating flexibility. Natural Gas Liquids have three main industrial uses. They can be used as fuels, or as petrochemical feedstock or as refinery blends that can be further processed and sold as straight run cuts, such as naphtha, kerosene and gas oil. NGL extraction is not a chemical reaction. It involves the separation of heavier hydrocarbons from the main gas stream through pressure as temperature reduction, which depending upon the degree of NGL extraction may involve cryogenic process. Previous technologies i.e. short cycle dry desiccant absorption, Joule-Thompson or Low temperature refrigeration, lean oil absorption have been giving results of only 40 to 45% ethane recoveries, which were unsatisfying depending upon the current scenario of down turn market. Here new technology has been suggested for boosting up the recoveries of ethane+ up to 95% and up to 99% for propane+ components. Cryogenic plants provide reboiling to demethanizers by using part of inlet feed gas, or inlet feed split. If the two stream temperatures are not similar, there is lost work in the mixing operation unless the designer has access to some proprietary design. The concept introduced in this process consists of reboiling the demethanizer with the residue gas, or residue gas split. The innovation of this process is that it does not use the typical inlet gas feed split type of flow arrangement to reboil the demethanizer or deethanizer column, but instead uses an open heat pump scheme to that effect. The residue gas compressor provides the heat pump effect. The heat pump stream is then further cooled and entered in the top section of the column as a cold reflux. Because of the nature of this design, this process offers the opportunity to operate at full ethane rejection or recovery. The scheme is also very adaptable to revamp existing facilities. This advancement can be proven not only in enhancing the results but also provides operational flexibility, optimize heat exchange, introduces equipment cost reduction, opens a future for the innovative designs while keeping execution costs low.

Keywords: deethanizer, demethanizer, residue gas, NGL

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Authors: Vinko Lešić, Mario Vašak, Anita Martinčević, Marko Gulin, Antonio Starčić, Hrvoje Novak

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With 40% of total world energy consumption, building systems are developing into technically complex large energy consumers suitable for application of sophisticated power management approaches to largely increase the energy efficiency and even make them active energy market participants. Centralized control system of building heating and cooling managed by economically-optimal model predictive control shows promising results with estimated 30% of energy efficiency increase. The research is focused on implementation of such a method on a case study performed on two floors of our faculty building with corresponding sensors wireless data acquisition, remote heating/cooling units and central climate controller. Building walls are mathematically modeled with corresponding material types, surface shapes and sizes. Models are then exploited to predict thermal characteristics and changes in different building zones. Exterior influences such as environmental conditions and weather forecast, people behavior and comfort demands are all taken into account for deriving price-optimal climate control. Finally, a DC microgrid with photovoltaics, wind turbine, supercapacitor, batteries and fuel cell stacks is added to make the building a unit capable of active participation in a price-varying energy market. Computational burden of applying model predictive control on such a complex system is relaxed through a hierarchical decomposition of the microgrid and climate control, where the former is designed as higher hierarchical level with pre-calculated price-optimal power flows control, and latter is designed as lower level control responsible to ensure thermal comfort and exploit the optimal supply conditions enabled by microgrid energy flows management. Such an approach is expected to enable the inclusion of more complex building subsystems into consideration in order to further increase the energy efficiency.

Keywords: price-optimal building climate control, Microgrid power flow optimisation, hierarchical model predictive control, energy efficient buildings, energy market participation

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Authors: Sonny Yip Hong Choy

Abstract:

With the ubiquity of 3D printing technology in the last decade, a wide array of material choices are available for Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) 3D printing technology. Exploration into creating printable bio-polymers has also seen progress recently in attempts to further the sustainability agenda and circular economy. By tackling waste and pollution via recycling and reusing, food by-products resulting from mass food production may see opportunities for renewed value and alternate applications through 3D printing. To date, many pure polymers, blends, as well as composites have been developed specifically for FDM printing contexts to heighten the physical performance of final printed products. This review article covers general information on various FDM printed polymers and composites while exploring experiments designed to create printable biopolymers made from reused food by-products. The biopolymer-based composites preparation is described in detail, while their advantages and disadvantages are also discussed. In addition, this article shares knowledge and highlights experimentation that aims to achieve acceptable 3D-printed biopolymer composite properties that may address the functional requirements of different application contexts. Furthermore, the article describes a brief overview of the potential applications of such bio-polymers and the future scope in this field.

Keywords: food by-products, bio-polymers, FDM, 3d printing

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Authors: Sakti Mandal

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Varying distribution of land surface temperature in an urbanized environment is a globally addressed phenomenon. Usually has been noticed that criticality of surface temperature increases from the periphery to the urban centre. As the centre experiences maximum severity of heat throughout the year, it also represents most critical zone in terms of thermal condition. In this present study, an attempt has been taken to propose a quantitative approach of thermal critical zonation (TCZ) on the basis of seasonal temperature variation. Here the zonation is done by calculating thermal critical value (TCV). From the Landsat 8 thermal digital data of summer and winter seasons for the year 2014, the land surface temperature maps and thermally critical zonation has been prepared, and corresponding dataset has been computed to conduct the overall study of that particular study area. It is shown that TCZ can be clearly identified and analyzed by the help of inter-seasonal temperature range. The results of this study can be utilized effectively in future urban development and planning projects as well as a framework for implementing rules and regulations by the authorities for a sustainable urban development through an environmentally affable approach.

Keywords: thermal critical values (TCV), thermally critical zonation (TCZ), land surface temperature (LST), Landsat 8, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC)

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Authors: Enoch Ocran

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Film Pertinence maintains consistency in storytelling by sustaining the natural flow of action while evoking a particular feeling or emotion from the viewers with selected motion pictures. This study presents a thorough investigation of "Film Pertinence" in videography that examines its influence in Africa and around the world. This research delves into the dynamic realm of visual storytelling through film, with a specific focus on the concept of Film Pertinence (FP). The study’s primary objectives are to conduct a comparative analysis of videography tools and techniques employed in both African and international contexts, examining how they contribute to the achievement of organizational goals and the enhancement of cultural awareness. The research methodology includes a comprehensive literature review, interviews with videographers from diverse backgrounds in Africa and the international arena, and the examination of pertinent case studies. The investigation aims to elucidate the multifaceted nature of videographic practices, with particular attention to equipment choices, visual storytelling techniques, cultural sensitivity, and adaptability. This study explores the impact of cultural differences on videography choices, aiming to promote understanding between African and foreign filmmakers and create more culturally sensitive films. It also explores the role of technology in advancing videography practices, resource allocation, and the influence of globalization on local filmmaking practices. The research also contributes to film studies by analyzing videography's impact on storytelling, guiding filmmakers to create more compelling narratives. The findings can inform film education, tailoring curricula to regional needs and opportunities. The study also encourages cross-cultural collaboration in the film industry by highlighting convergence and divergence in videography practices. At its core, this study seeks to explore the implications of film pertinence as a framework for videographic practice. It scrutinizes how cultural expression, education, and storytelling transcend geographical boundaries on a global scale. By analyzing the interplay between tools, techniques, and context, the research illuminates the ways in which videographers in Africa and worldwide apply film Pertinence principles to achieve cross-cultural communication and effectively capture the objectives of their clients. One notable focus of this paper is on the techniques employed by videographers in West Africa to emphasize storytelling and participant engagement, showcasing the relevance of FP in highlighting cultural awareness in visual storytelling. Additionally, the study highlights the prevalence of film pertinence in African agricultural documentaries produced for esteemed organizations such as the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), Proforest, World Food Program, Fidelity Bank Ghana, Instituto BVRio, Aflatoun International, and the Solidaridad Network. These documentaries serve to promote prosperity, resilience, human rights, sustainable farming practices, community respect, and environmental preservation, underlining the vital role of film in conveying these critical messages. In summary, this research offers valuable insights into the evolving landscape of videography in different contexts, emphasizing the significance of film pertinence as a unifying principle in the pursuit of effective visual storytelling and cross-cultural communication.

Keywords: film pertinence, Africa, cultural awareness, videography tools

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Authors: Prudvi Paresi, Fatemeh Javidan

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In recent years, greenhouse gas, or in particular, carbon emissions, have received special attention from environmentalists and designers due to the fact that they significantly contribute to the temperature rise. The building industry is one of the top seven major industries contributing to embodied carbon emission. Signage systems are an integral part of the building industry and bring completeness to the space-building by providing the required information and guidance. A significant amount of building materials, such as steel, aluminium, acrylic, LED, etc., are utilized in these systems, but very limited information is available on their sustainability and carbon footprint. Therefore, there is an urgent need to assess the emissions associated with the signage industry and for controlling these by adopting different mitigation techniques without sacrificing the efficiency of the project. The present paper investigates the embodied carbon of two case studies in the Australian signage industry within the cradle – gate (A1-A3) and gate–site (A4-A5) stages. A material source-based database is considered to achieve more accuracy. The study identified that aluminium is the major contributor to embodied carbon in the signage industry compared to other constituents. Finally, an attempt is made to suggest strategies for mitigating embodied carbon in this industry.

Keywords: carbon accounting, small-scale construction, signage industry, construction materials

Procedia PDF Downloads 121

Authors: Isis Ribeiro Berger

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In view of recent war conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, the government of Paraná State, in Brazil, started a program to host Ukrainian scientists in state universities in 2022. The initiative aimed at integrating these scientists into the Brazilian academic community, strengthening the role of universities in producing science and innovation even in times of war, as well as fostering Higher Education internationalization. Paraná state was a pioneer in this initiative due to the fact it has been home to the largest contingent of immigrants and descendants of Ukrainians in Brazil because of migratory processes that began at the end of the 19th century. One of the universities receiving Ukrainian scientists is in Foz do Iguaçu, a city that borders Argentina and Paraguay. It is a multilingual environment, whose majority languages are Portuguese (the official language of Brazil), Spanish (the official language of both Argentina and Paraguay), as well as Guarani (the co-official indigenous language of Paraguay). It is in such a sociolinguistic environment that two Ukrainian professors began their activities within the scope of an Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Program (master’s and doctorate degree). This case study, whose theme is the management of multilingualism, was developed within the scope of Language Policy. It aimed at identifying the attitudes of both Ukrainian professors and postgraduate students towards multilingualism in this context, given the plural linguistic repertoire of the academic community, as well as identifying the language management strategies for the construction of knowledge implemented by the program and in the classroom by these participants. Therefore, the study was conducted under a qualitative approach, for which surveys and interviews were adopted as part of its methodological procedures. Data revealed the presence of different languages in the classroom (Portuguese, Spanish, English and Ukrainian), which made pedagogical practices challenging for both professors and students, whose levels of knowledge in the different languages varied significantly. The results indicate that multilingualism was the norm as the means of instruction adopted in this context, in which bilingual Portuguese-English-Ukrainian instruction was used by the professors in their lectures. Although English has been privileged for the internationalization of Higher Education in various contexts, it was not used as an exclusive means of instruction in this case, mostly because it is a predominantly Portuguese-Spanish-speaking environment. In addition, the professors counted on the mediation of an interpreter hired by the program since not every student had sufficient knowledge of English as part of their repertoires. The findings also suggest Portuguese is the language that most of the participants of this study prefer, both because it is the mother tongue of majority, and because it is the official language of the host country to the professors, who have sought to integrate to the local culture and community. This research is inserted in the Axis: Multilingualism and Education, of the UNESCO Chair on Language Policies for Multilingualism to which this study is related.

Keywords: attitudes, border region, multilingualism management, Ukrainian professors

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Authors: Haitham Al Rawahi

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Oman Electricity Transmission Company (OETC) has implemented Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS), which is based on Oracle enterprise asset management model e-AM. This was implemented with cooperation of Nama Shared Services (NSS). CMMS is mainly used to create maintenance work orders with a preconfigured workflow of defined maintenance schedules/plans, required resources, and materials, obtaining shutdown approvals, completing maintenance activities, and closing the work orders. Furthermore, CMMS is also configured with asset failure classifications, asset hierarchy, asset maintenance activities, integration with spare inventories, etc. Since the year 2017, site engineer is working on CMMS by filling-in manually all related maintenance and inspection records on paper forms and then scanning and attaching it in CMMS for further analysis. Site engineer will finalize all paper works at site and then goes back to office to scan and attach it to work order in CMMS. This creates sub tasks for site engineer and makes it very difficult and lengthy process. Also, there is a significant risk for missing or deleted important fields on the paper due to usage of pen to fill the paper. In addition to that, site engineer may take time and days working outside of the office. therefore, OETC has decided to digitize these inspection and maintenance forms in one platform in CMMS, and it can be opened with both functionalities online and offline. The ArcGIS product formats or web-enabled solutions which has ability to access from mobile and desktop devices via arc map modules will be used too. The purpose of interlinking is to setup for maintenance and inspection forms to work orders in e-AM, which the site engineer has daily interactions with. This ArcGIS environment or tool is designed to link with e-AM, so when site engineer opens this application from the site and a window will take him through same ArcGIS. This window opens the maintenance forms and shows the required fields to fill-in and save the work through his mobile application. After saving his work with the availability of network (Off/In) line, notification will trigger to his line manager to review and take further actions (approve/reject/request more information). In this function, the user can see the assigned work orders to his departments as well as chart of all work orders with status. The approver has ability to see the statistics of all work.

Keywords: e-AM, GIS, CMMS, integration

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Authors: Danika Tynes

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Innovations in technology have implications for sustainable development in health and wellness. Remote monitoring is one innovation for which the evidence-base has grown to support its viability as a quality healthcare delivery adjunct. This research reviews global data on telehealth adoption, in particular, remote monitoring, and the conditions under which its success becomes more likely. System-level indicators were selected to represent four constructs of DoI theory (relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, and observability) and assessed against 5 types of Telehealth (Teleradiology, Teledermatology, Telepathology, Telepsychology, and Remote Monitoring) using ordinal logistic regression. Analyses include data from 84 countries, as extracted from the World Health Organization, World Bank, ICT (Information Communications Technology) Index, and HDI (Human Development Index) datasets. Analyses supported relative advantage and compatibility as the strongest influencers of remote monitoring adoption. Findings from this research may help focus on the allocation of resources, as a sustainability concern, through consideration of systems-level factors that may influence the success of remote monitoring adoption.

Keywords: remote monitoring, diffusion of innovation, telehealth, digital health

Procedia PDF Downloads 138

Authors: David Krejci, Tony Schönherr, Quirin Koch, Valentin Hugonnaud, Lou Grimaud, Alexander Reissner, Bernhard Seifert

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In 2018 the NANO thruster became the first Field Emission Electric Propulsion (FEEP) system ever to be verified in space in an In-Orbit Demonstration mission conducted together with Fotec. Since then, 160 additional ENPULSION NANO propulsion systems have been deployed in orbit on 73 different spacecraft across multiple customers and missions. These missions included a variety of different satellite bus sizes ranging from 3U Cubesats to >100kg buses, and different orbits in Low Earth Orbit and Geostationary Earth orbit, providing an abundance of on orbit data for statistical analysis. This large-scale industrialization and flight heritage allows for a holistic way of gathering data from testing, integration and operational phases, deriving lessons learnt over a variety of different mission types, operator approaches, use cases and environments. Based on these lessons learnt a new generation of propulsion systems is developed, addressing key findings from the large NANO heritage and adding new capabilities, including increased resilience, thrust vector steering and increased power and thrust level. Some of these successor products have already been validated in orbit, including the MICRO R3 and the NANO AR3. While the MICRO R3 features increased power and thrust level, the NANO AR3 is a successor of the heritage NANO thruster with added thrust vectoring capability. 5 NANO AR3 have been launched to date on two different spacecraft. This work presents flight telemetry data of ENPULSION NANO systems and onorbit statistical data of the ENPULSION NANO as well as lessons learnt during onorbit operations, customer assembly, integration and testing support and ground test campaigns conducted at different facilities. We discuss how transfer of lessons learnt and operational improvement across independent missions across customers has been accomplished. Building on these learnings and exhaustive heritage, we present the design of the new generation of propulsion systems that increase the power and thrust level of FEEP systems to address larger spacecraft buses.

Keywords: FEEP, field emission electric propulsion, electric propulsion, flight heritage

Procedia PDF Downloads 97

Authors: Navid Mirzaei Varzeghani, Mahmoud Saffarzadeh, Ali Naderan, Amirhossein Taheri

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Countries are progressing, and the world's busiest airports see year-on-year increases in travel demand. Passenger acceptability of an airport depends on the airport's appeals, which may include one of these routes between the city and the airport, as well as the facilities to reach them. One of the critical roles of transportation planners is to predict future transportation demand so that an integrated, multi-purpose system can be provided and diverse modes of transportation (rail, air, and land) can be delivered to a destination like an airport. In this study, 356 questionnaires were filled out in person over six days. First, the attraction of business and non-business trips was studied using data and a linear regression model. Lower travel costs, a range of ages more significant than 55, and other factors are essential for business trips. Non-business travelers, on the other hand, have prioritized using personal vehicles to get to the airport and ensuring convenient access to the airport. Business travelers are also less price-sensitive than non-business travelers regarding airport travel. Furthermore, carrying additional luggage (for example, more than one suitcase per person) undoubtedly decreases the attractiveness of public transit. Afterward, based on the manner and purpose of the trip, the locations with the highest trip generation to the airport were identified. The most famous district in Tehran was District 2, with 23 visits, while the most popular mode of transportation was an online taxi, with 12 trips from that location. Then, significant variables in separation and behavior of travel methods to access the airport were investigated for all systems. In this scenario, the most crucial factor is the time it takes to get to the airport, followed by the method's user-friendliness as a component of passenger preference. It has also been demonstrated that enhancing public transportation trip times reduces private transportation's market share, including taxicabs. Based on the responses of personal and semi-public vehicles, the desire of passengers to approach the airport via public transportation systems was explored to enhance present techniques and develop new strategies for providing the most efficient modes of transportation. Using the binary model, it was clear that business travelers and people who had already driven to the airport were the least likely to change.

Keywords: multimodal transportation, demand modeling, travel behavior, statistical models

Procedia PDF Downloads 179

Authors: Sherry Ann Ganase, Sandra Sookram

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In this paper, the vulnerability level to climate change is analysed using a comprehensive index, consisting of five pillars: human, social, natural, physical, and financial. A structural equation model is also applied to determine the indicators and relationships that exist between the observed environmental changes and the quality of life. Using survey data to model the results, a value of 0.382 is derived as the vulnerability level for San Pedro, where values closer to zero indicates lower vulnerability and values closer to one indicates higher vulnerability. The results showed the social pillar to be most vulnerable, with the indicator ‘participation’ ranked the highest in its cohort. Although, the environmental pillar is ranked as least vulnerable, the indicators ‘hazard’ and ‘biodiversity’ obtained scores closer to 0.4, suggesting that changes in the environment are occurring from natural and anthropogenic activities. These changes can negatively influence the quality of life as illustrated in the structural equation modelling. The study concludes by reporting on the need for collective action and participation by households in lowering vulnerability to ensure sustainable development and livelihood.

Keywords: climate change, participation, San Pedro, structural equation model, vulnerability index

Procedia PDF Downloads 637

Authors: Sadeq Al Yaari, Muhammad Alkhunayn, Sajedah Al Yaari, Adham Al Yaari, Ayman Al Yaari, Montaha Al Yaari, Ayah Al Yaari, Fatehi Eissa

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Dysgraphia is a neurological disorder of written expression that impairs writing ability and fine motor skills, resulting primarily in problems relating not only to handwriting but also to writing coherence and cohesion. We investigate the properties of smart writing technology to highlight some unique features of the effects they cause on the academic performance of pupils with dysgraphia. In Amis, dysgraphics undergo writing problems to express their ideas due to ordinary writing aids, as the default strategy. The Amis data suggests a possible connection between available writing aids and pupils’ writing improvement; therefore, texts’ expression and comprehension. A group of thirteen dysgraphic pupils were placed in a regular classroom of primary school, with twenty-one pupils being recruited in the study as a control group. To ensure validity, reliability and accountability to the research, both groups studied writing courses for two semesters, of which the first was equipped with smart writing aids while the second took place in an ordinary classroom. Two pre-tests were undertaken at the beginning of the first two semesters, and two post-tests were administered at the end of both semesters. Tests examined pupils’ ability to write coherent, cohesive and expressive texts. The dysgraphic group received the treatment of a writing course in the first semester in classes with smart technology and produced significantly greater increases in writing expression than in an ordinary classroom, and their performance was better than that of the control group in the second semester. The current study concludes that using smart teaching aids is a ‘MUST’, both for teaching and learning dysgraphia. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that for young dysgraphia, expressive tasks are more challenging than coherent and cohesive tasks. The study, therefore, supports the literature suggesting a role for smart educational aids in writing and that smart writing techniques may be an efficient addition to regular educational practices, notably in special educational institutions and speech-language therapeutic facilities. However, further research is needed to prompt the adults with dysgraphia more often than is done to the older adults without dysgraphia in order to get them to finish the other productive and/or written skills tasks.

Keywords: smart technology, writing aids, pupils with dysgraphia, hands’ movement

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Authors: D. T. Chabalala

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Currently South Africa is facing a triple challenge of poverty, unemployment and inequality. As such, communities have limited access to basic municipal services such as water, sanitation and electricity. Citizens such as those residing at Malamulele Township will be responsible to pay for the cost of water services that they consume instead of having the costs subsidised by the newly formed Municipality. The question on whether Malamulele residents would be willing to pay for water services provided for them need to be investigated. This study was conducted in Malamulele Township and surrounding villages. The article is based on a survey of 500 randomly selected households from township and villages surrounding Malamulele. The study uses the contingent valuation method to determine households’ willingness to pay for water services as well as the consequences they possibly will encounter in case their response is negative. The obtained results can be used by the Municipality and other Government Departments in order to better identify the affordable rates and the quantity of water service to be provided. Thus, it will make Municipality water supply services stable and sustainable. It will also be used as a tool to provide inform decisions about a range of infrastructure to enhance water supply systems.

Keywords: willingness to pay, contingent valuation method, water supply systems, Malamulele

Procedia PDF Downloads 231