Search results for: Evaluation factors

Authors: Pratap Sriram Sundar, Chandan Chowdhury, Sagar Kamarthi

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Nature has perfected her designs over 3.5 billion years of evolution. Research fields such as biomimicry, biomimetics, bionics, bio-inspired computing, and nature-inspired designs have explored nature-made artifacts and systems to understand nature’s mechanisms and intelligence. Learning from nature, the researchers have generated sustainable designs and innovation in a variety of fields such as energy, architecture, agriculture, transportation, communication, and medicine. Axiomatic design offers a method to judge if a design is good. This paper analyzes design aspects of one of the nature’s amazing object: chicken egg. The functional requirements (FRs) of components of the object are tabulated and mapped on to nature-chosen design parameters (DPs). The ‘independence axiom’ of the axiomatic design methodology is applied to analyze couplings and to evaluate if eggs’ design is good (i.e., uncoupled design) or bad (i.e., coupled design). The analysis revealed that eggs design is a good design, i.e., uncoupled design. This approach can be applied to any nature’s artifacts to judge whether their design is a good or a bad. This methodology is valuable for biomimicry studies. This approach can also be a very useful teaching design consideration of biology and bio-inspired innovation.

Keywords: uncoupled design, axiomatic design, nature design, design evaluation

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Authors: Kun-Peng Jin, Jin Liang, Ti-Jun Xiao

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In this work, we are concerned with the dynamic behaviors of solutions to some coupled systems with infinite memory, which consist of two partial differential equations where only one partial differential equation has damping. Such coupled systems are good mathematical models to describe the deformation and stress characteristics of some viscoelastic materials affected by temperature change, external forces, and other factors. By using the theory of operator semigroups, we give wellposedness results for the Cauchy problem for these coupled systems. Then, with the help of some auxiliary functions and lemmas, which are specially designed for overcoming difficulties in the proof, we show that the solutions of the coupled systems decay to zero in a strong way under a few basic conditions. The results in this dynamic analysis of coupled systems are generalizations of many existing results.

Keywords: dynamic analysis, coupled system, infinite memory, damping.

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Authors: Hsu-Hui Cheng, Peng-Chian Chen, Shu-Yuan Chang, Jie-Ying Zhang

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Activities in the music practice rooms range from playing, listening, rehearsing to music performing. The good room acoustics in a music practice room enables a music teacher to teach more effectively subtle concepts such as intonation, articulation, balance, dynamics and tone production. A poor acoustical environment would deeply affect the development of basic musical skills of music students. Practicing in the music practice room is an essential daily activity for music students; consequently, music practice rooms are very important facilities in a music school or department. The purpose of this survey is to measure and analyze the acoustic condition of piano practice rooms at the department of music in Zhaoqing University and accordingly apply a more effective teaching method to music students. The volume of the music practice room is approximately 25 m³, and it has existing curtains and some wood hole sound-absorbing panels. When all small music practice rooms are in constant use for teaching, it was found that the values of the background noise at 45, 46, 42, 46, 45 dB(A) in the small music practice room ( the doors and windows were close), respectively. The noise levels in the small music practice room to higher than standard levels (35dB(A)).

Keywords: acoustical performance, music practice room, noise level, piano room

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

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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

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Authors: Li Wang, Dan Shu, Shiguang Pang, Lixiu Wang, Bing Xiang Yang, Qian Liu

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Background: Cancer is one of the most severe diseases in childhood; long-term treatment and its side effects significantly impact the patient's physical, psychological, social functioning and quality of life while also placing substantial physical and psychological burdens on caregivers and families. Family resilience is crucial for children with cancer, helping them cope better with the disease and supporting the family in facing challenges together. As a family-level variable, family resilience requires information from multiple family members. However, to our best knowledge, there is currently no research investigating family resilience from both the perspectives of pediatric cancer patients and their caregivers. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the family resilience and quality of life of pediatric cancer patients from a patient–caregiver dyadic perspective. Methods: A total of 149 dyads of patients diagnosed with pediatric cancer patients and their principal caregivers were recruited from oncology departments of 4 tertiary hospitals in Wuhan and Taiyuan, China. All participants completed questionnaires that identified their demographic and clinical characteristics as well as assessed their family resilience and quality of life for both the patients and their caregivers. K-means cluster analysis was used to identify different clusters of family resilience based on the reports from patients and caregivers. Multivariate logistic regression and linear regression are used to analyze the factors influencing family resilience and quality of life, as well as the relationship between the two. Results: Three clusters of family resilience were identified: a cluster of high family resilience (HR), a cluster of low family resilience (LR), and a cluster of discrepant family resilience (DR). Most (67.1%) families fell into the cluster with low resilience. Characteristics such as the types of caregivers perceived social support of the patient were different among the three clusters. Compared to the LR group, families where the mother is the caregiver and where the patient has high social support are more likely to be assigned to the HR. The quality of life for caregivers was consistently highest in the HR cluster and lowest in the LR cluster. The patient's quality of life is not related to family resilience. In the linear regression analysis of the patient's quality of life, patients who are the first-born have higher quality of life, while those living with their parents have lower quality of life. The participants' characteristics were not associated with the quality of life for caregivers. Conclusions: In most families, family resilience was low. Families with maternal caregivers and patients receiving high levels of social support are more inclined to be higher levels of family resilience. Family resilience was linked to the quality of life of caregivers of pediatric cancer patients. The clinical implications of this findings suggest that healthcare and social support organizations should prioritize and support the participation of mothers in caregiving responsibilities. Furthermore, they should assist families in accessing social support to enhance family resilience. This study also emphasizes the importance of promoting family resilience for enhancing family health and happiness, as well as improving the quality of life for caregivers.

Keywords: pediatric cancer, cluster analysis, family resilience, quality of life

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Authors: A. K. Areamu, J. C. Igbeka

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The performance of box-type solar cookers has been reported by several researchers but little attention was paid to the effect of the type of insulation material on the energy and exergy efficiency of these cookers. This research aimed at evaluating the energy and exergy efficiencies of the box-type cookers containing different insulation materials. Energy and exergy efficiencies of five box-type solar cookers insulated with maize cob, air (control), maize husk, coconut coir and polyurethane foam respectively were obtained over a period of three years. The cookers were evaluated using water heating test procedures in determining the energy and exergy analysis. The results were subjected to statistical analysis using ANOVA. The result shows that the average energy input for the five solar cookers were: 245.5, 252.2, 248.7, 241.5 and 245.5J respectively while their respective average energy losses were: 201.2, 212.7, 208.4, 189.1 and 199.8J. The average exergy input for five cookers were: 228.2, 234.4, 231.1, 224.4 and 228.2J respectively while their respective average exergy losses were: 223.4, 230.6, 226.9, 218.9 and 223.0J. The energy and exergy efficiency was highest in the cooker with coconut coir (37.35 and 3.90% respectively) in the first year but was lowest for air (11 and 1.07% respectively) in the third year. Statistical analysis showed significant difference between the energy and exergy efficiencies over the years. These results reiterate the importance of a good insulating material for a box-type solar cooker.

Keywords: efficiency, energy, exergy, heating insolation

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Authors: Semra Turkan

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In this paper, we have examined the factors that affect the productivity of Turkey’s Top 500 Industrial Enterprises in 2014. The labor productivity of enterprises is taken as an indicator of productivity of industrial enterprises. When the relationships between some financial ratios and labor productivity, it is seen that there is a nonparametric relationship between labor productivity and return on sales. In addition, the distribution of labor productivity of enterprises is right-skewed. If the dependent distribution is skewed, the quantile regression is more suitable for this data. Hence, the nonparametric relationship between labor productivity and return on sales by quantile smoothing splines.

Keywords: quantile regression, smoothing spline, labor productivity, financial ratios

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Authors: Amir Jalalian-Khakshour, T. N. Croft

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Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) systems are becoming increasingly popular as they have a number of advantages over traditional wind turbines. The advantages are reliability, ease of transportation and manufacturing. These attributes could make these technologies useful in developing economies. The performance characteristics of a VAWT are different from a horizontal axis wind turbine, which can be attributed to the low tip speed ratio operation. To unlock the potential of these VAWT systems, the operational behaviour in a number of system topologies and environmental conditions needs to be understood. In this study, a non-linear dynamic simulation method was developed in Matlab and validated against in field data of a large scale, 8-meter rotor diameter prototype. This simulation method has been utilised to determine the performance characteristics of a number of control methods and system topologies. The motivation for this research was to develop a simulation method which accurately captures the operating behaviour and is computationally inexpensive. The model was used to evaluate the performance through parametric studies and optimisation techniques. The study gave useful insights into the applications and energy generation potential of this technology.

Keywords: power generation, renewable energy, rotordynamics, wind energy

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Authors: Ali Amiri, Arash Esfandiari, Elham Zarenezhad

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We report here an efficient and rapid method for the preparation of 3,4-dihydro-1H-quinoxalin-2-ones and 1H‑quinolin-2-ones that involves grinding of o-, m-, or p‑phenylenediamine and three dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates using a pestle and mortar. This solvent-free approach requires only a few minutes of reaction time. This type of reaction is expected to be the most economical method since neither catalyst nor solvent is used. Finally, all synthesised compounds were screened for antimicrobial activity against two Gram-positive bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa PTCC 1077, Escherichia coli PTCC1330) and two Gram-negative bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus PTCC 1133, Bacillus cereus PTCC 1015) and their activity. Compared with gentamycin and ampicillin as reference drugs for Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the synthesised compounds and reference drugs were determined by the microdilution method. Good antibacterial activity was observed for 3,4-dihydro-1H-quinoxalin-2-ones against all species of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and1H‑quinolin-2-ones showed good antibacterial activity against two Gram-positive bacteria.

Keywords: quinolin, quinoxalin, anti-bacterial activity, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)

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Authors: Du Yanxia, Stephan E. Bansmer, Gui Yewei, Xiao Guangming, Yang Xiaofeng

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The heat and mass transfer characteristics of icing coupled with film flow is studied and the coupled model of the thermal behavior with the flow simulation by single-step method is developed. The behavior of ice and water was analyzed. The results show that under supercooled large droplet (SLD) icing conditions, the film flow is an important phonomena in icing accretion process. The pressure gradient, gravity and shear stress are the main factors affecting the film flow on icing surface, which has important influence on the shape and rate of icing. To predict SLD ice accretion accurately, the heat and mass transfer of ice and film flow should be taken into account.

Keywords: SLD, aircraft, icing, heat and mass transfer

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Authors: K. Abuzayan, H. Alabed, J. Ezarrugh, M. Agila

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Static and dynamic balance are essential in daily and sports life. Many factors have been identified as influencing static balance control. Therefore, the aim of this study was to apply the (XCoM) method and other relevant variables (CoP, CoM, Fh, KE, P, Q, and, AI) to investigate sport related activities such as hopping and jumping. Many studies have represented the CoP data without mentioning its accuracy, so several experiments were done to establish the agreement between the CoP and the projected CoM in a static condition. Five male healthy (Mean ± SD:- age 24.6 years ±4.5, height 177 cm ± 6.3, body mass 72.8 kg ± 6.6) participated in this study. Results found that The implementation of the XCoM method was found to be practical for evaluating both static and dynamic balance. The general findings were that the CoP, the CoM, the XCoM, Fh, and Q were more informative than the other variables (e.g. KE, P, and AI) during static and dynamic balance. The XCoM method was found to be applicable to dynamic balance as well as static balance.

Keywords: centre of mass, static balance, dynamic balance, extrapolated centre of mass

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Authors: Jun-ya Nagase

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There are many pipes such as a water pipe and a gas pipe in a chemical plant and house. It is possible to prevent accidents by these inspections. However, many pipes are very narrow and it is difficult for people to inspect directly. Therefore, development of a robot that can move in narrow pipe is necessary. A wheel movement type robot, a snake-like robot and a multi-leg robot are all described in the relevant literature as pipe inspection robots that are currently studied. Among them, the tracked crawler robot can travel by traversing uneven ground flexibly with a crawler belt attached firmly to the ground surface. Although conventional crawler robots have high efficiency and/or high ground-covering ability, they require a comparatively large space to move. In this study, a cylindrical crawler robot based on worm-rack mechanism, which does not need large space to move and which has high ground-covering ability, is proposed. Experiments have demonstrated smooth operation and a forward movement of the robot by application of voltage to the motor. In addition, performance tests show that it can propel itself in confined spaces. This paper reports the structure, drive mechanism, prototype, and experimental evaluation.

Keywords: tracked-crawler, pipe inspection robot, worm-rack mechanism, amoeba locomotion

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Authors: Imdat Taymaz, Erman Aslan, Kemal Cakir

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The Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) is performed to computationally investigate the laminar flow and heat transfer of an incompressible fluid with constant material properties in a 2D channel with a built-in triangular prism. Both momentum and energy transport is modelled by the LBM. A uniform lattice structure with a single time relaxation rule is used. Interpolation methods are applied for obtaining a higher flexibility on the computational grid, where the information is transferred from the lattice structure to the computational grid by Lagrange interpolation. The flow is researched on for different Reynolds number, while Prandtl number is keeping constant as a 0.7. The results show how the presence of a triangular prism effects the flow and heat transfer patterns for the steady-state and unsteady-periodic flow regimes. As an evaluation of the accuracy of the developed LBM code, the results are compared with those obtained by a commercial CFD code. It is observed that the present LBM code produces results that have similar accuracy with the well-established CFD code, as an additionally, LBM needs much smaller CPU time for the prediction of the unsteady phonema.

Keywords: laminar forced convection, lbm, triangular prism

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Authors: Liu Shengnan, Sun Liping, Zhu Jianxun

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Based on three dimensional potential flow theory and hinged rigid body motion equations, structure RAOs of Pelamis wave energy converter is analyzed. Analysis of numerical simulation is carried out on Pelamis in the irregular wave conditions, and the motion response of structures and total generated power is obtained. The paper analyzes influencing factors on the average power including diameter of floating body, section form of floating body, draft, hinged stiffness and damping. The optimum parameters are achieved in Zhejiang Province. Compared with the results of the pelamis experiment made by Glasgow University, the method applied in this paper is feasible.

Keywords: Pelamis, hinge, floating multibody, wave energy

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Authors: Vahid Nademi

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In response to widely used wearable medical devices equipped with a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and insulin pump, the advanced control methods are still demanding to get the full benefit of these devices. Unlike costly clinical trials, implementing effective insulin-glucose control strategies can provide significant contributions to the patients suffering from chronic diseases such as diabetes. This study deals with a key role of two-layer insulin-glucose regulator based on model-predictive-control (MPC) scheme so that the patient’s predicted glucose profile is in compliance with the insulin level injected through insulin pump automatically. It is achieved by iterative optimization algorithm which is called an integrated perturbation analysis and sequential quadratic programming (IPA-SQP) solver for handling uncertainties due to unexpected variations in glucose-insulin values and body’s characteristics. The feasibility evaluation of the discussed control approach is also studied by means of numerical simulations of two case scenarios via measured data. The obtained results are presented to verify the superior and reliable performance of the proposed control scheme with no negative impact on patient safety.

Keywords: blood glucose monitoring, insulin pump, predictive control, optimization

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Authors: Janet Joy, Shri Shailesh Amarkhed, Pradeep M. Kulkarni

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Introduction: Ureteral stent-related symptoms significantly impact patients' quality of life. This study compared the efficacy of Mirabegron, Tolterodine, and Fesoterodine in managing these symptoms. Methodology: In this prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, two hundred patients undergoing ureteral stenting were randomly assigned to receive Mirabegron, Tolterodine, Fesoterodine, or placebo for two weeks. Symptoms were assessed using the Ureteral Stent Symptom Questionnaire (USSQ) at stent removal. Results: 200 patients completed the study. Mirabegron demonstrated the lowest mean USSQ score (31.6 ± 6.4), followed by Fesoterodine (34.0 ± 6.9) and Tolterodine (35.0 ± 7.2), all significantly lower than placebo (48.6 ± 8.7, p<0.001). Mirabegron showed superior efficacy in reducing urinary symptoms (score: 16.5 ± 3.9) compared to Fesoterodine (17.8 ± 4.1) and Tolterodine (18.2 ± 4.3). Side effects, such as parched mouth, were less frequent with Mirabegron (6%) than with Tolterodine (28%) and Fesoterodine (24%). Conclusion: All three medications significantly improved stent-related symptoms compared to placebo. Mirabegron demonstrated a trend toward superior efficacy and fewer side effects, suggesting its potential as a first-line treatment for stent-related discomfort.

Keywords: ureteral stent, mirabegron, tolterodine, fesoterodine, USSQ, stent-related symptoms

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Authors: Ulemu Maseko

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This study critically examines the empowerment of Muslim women in Malawi, focusing on the Muslim Women’s Organization (MWO) and its impact on gender equality within Islamic communities. It explores MWO's interpretation of Islamic women's rights, the stereotypes Muslim women face, and the factors limiting their rights. Utilizing qualitative methods, including interviews, focus groups, and participant observations, the research adopts phenomenological and feminist frameworks. Findings indicate that since its establishment in 1985, MWO has significantly advocated for gender equality by leveraging Islamic teachings and policy to support women’s empowerment, enabling Muslim women to participate in social change. However, entrenched cultural traditions, patriarchal structures, and systemic poverty remain barriers to empowerment.

Keywords: Islam, women empowerment, Malawi, Islamic feminism

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Authors: Marike Venter de Villiers, Jessica Ramoshaba

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In recent years, the fashion industry has been associated with the exploitation of both people and resources. This is largely due to the emergence of the fast fashion concept, which entails rapid and continual style changes where clothes quickly lose their appeal, become out-of-fashion, and are then disposed of. This cycle often entails appalling working conditions in sweatshops with low wages, child labor, and a significant amount of textile waste that ends up in landfills. Although the awareness of the negative implications of ‘mindless fashion production and consumption’ is growing, fast fashion remains to be a popular choice among the youth. This is especially prevalent in South Africa, a poverty-stricken country where a vast number of young adults are unemployed and living in poverty. Despite being in poverty, the celebrity conscious culture and fashion products frequently portrayed on the growing intrusive social media platforms in South Africa pressurizes the consumers to purchase fashion and luxury products. Young adults are therefore more vulnerable to the temptation to purchase fast fashion products. A possible solution to the detrimental effects that the fast fashion industry has on the environment is the revival of the secondhand clothing trend. Although the popularity of secondhand clothing has gained momentum among selected consumer segments, the adoption rate of such remains slow. The main purpose of this study was to explore consumers’ perceptions of the secondhand clothing trend and to gain insight into factors that inhibit the adoption of secondhand clothing. This study also aimed to investigate whether consumers are aware of the negative implications of the fast fashion industry and their likelihood to shift their clothing purchases to that of secondhand clothing. By means of a quantitative study, fifty young females were asked to complete a semi-structured questionnaire. The researcher approached females between the ages of 18 and 35 in a face-to-face setting. The results indicated that although they had an awareness of the negative consequences of fast fashion, they lacked detailed insight into the pertinent effects of fast fashion on the environment. Further, a number of factors inhibit their decision to buy from secondhand stores: firstly, the accessibility to the latest trends was not always available in secondhand stores; secondly, the convenience of shopping from a chain store outweighs the inconvenience of searching for and finding a secondhand store; and lastly, they perceived secondhand clothing to pose a hygiene risk. The findings of this study provide fashion marketers, and secondhand clothing stores, with insight into how they can incorporate the secondhand clothing trend into their strategies and marketing campaigns in an attempt to make the fashion industry more sustainable.

Keywords: eco-friendly fashion, fast fashion, secondhand clothing, eco-friendly fashion

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Authors: Philip Robert Alldritt

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The continuing increase in human migration is at crisis levels in all areas of the planet. The causes are varied, and the risks are high for the migrants. Migration has been ongoing since the beginning of human emergence on the planet, but for the first time in our historic memory has the, migration reached this level of critical mass. The causes are many. Climate collapse, economic opportunity, drug cartel activity, political upheaval, and gang wars. Many locations are seemingly “within reach” of the migrants, and the push factors are so loaded with hopelessness that almost anyone would be willing to risk anything to improve their conditions. There is no argument about that mass migrations are occurring and will increase in the future. The solutions to this increase are complex. This paper will examine the causes of migration and attempt to provide some reasonable solutions to mitigate the migrations with equitable outcomes that may guide immigration policy in impacted areas.

Keywords: immigration, crisis, climate, cartels

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Authors: Abebe Mulugojam Negash, Yongbin Yu, Ekong Favour, Bekalu Nigus Dawit, Molla Woretaw Teshome, Aynalem Birtukan Yirga

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Breast cancer remains a significant health concern, necessitating advancements in diagnostic methodologies. Addressing this, our paper confronts the notable challenges in breast cancer classification, particularly the imbalance in datasets and the constraints in the accuracy and interpretability of prevailing deep learning approaches. We proposed an attention-based residual neural network (ResNet), which effectively combines the robust features of ResNet with an advanced attention mechanism. Enhanced through strategic data augmentation and positive weight adjustments, this approach specifically targets the issue of data imbalance. The proposed model is tested on the BreakHis dataset and achieved accuracies of 99.00%, 99.04%, 98.67%, and 98.08% in different magnifications (40X, 100X, 200X, and 400X), respectively. We evaluated the performance by using different evaluation metrics such as precision, recall, and F1-Score and made comparisons with other state-of-the-art methods. Our experiments demonstrate that the proposed model outperforms existing approaches, achieving higher accuracy in breast cancer classification.

Keywords: residual neural network, attention mechanism, positive weight, data augmentation

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Authors: Jin A Ryu, Hee Sun Kim

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As the number of fire accidents is gradually raising, many studies have been reported on evacuation. Previous studies have mostly focused on evaluating the safety of evacuation and the risk of fire in particular buildings. However, studies on effects of various parameters on evacuation have not been nearly done. Therefore, this paper aims at observing evacuation time under the effect of fire initiated location. In this study, evacuation simulations are performed on a 5-floor building located in Seoul, South Korea using the commercial program, Fire Dynamics Simulator with Evacuation (FDS+EVAC). Only the fourth and fifth floors are modeled with an assumption that fire starts in a room located on the fourth floor. The parameter for evacuation simulations is location of fire initiation to observe the evacuation time and safety. Results show that the location of fire initiation is closer to exit, the more time is taken to evacuate. The case having the nearest location of fire initiation to exit has the lowest ratio of successful occupants to the total occupants. In addition, for safety evaluation, the evacuation time calculated from computer simulation model is compared with the tolerable evacuation time according to code in Japan. As a result, all cases are completed within the tolerable evacuation time. This study allows predicting evacuation time under various conditions of fire and can be used to evaluate evacuation appropriateness and fire safety of building.

Keywords: fire simulation, evacuation simulation, temperature, evacuation safety

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Authors: Saman Ahani, Aboozar Dehghan, Roham Vali, Hamid Salehian, Amin Ebrahimi

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Pulsed-wave (PW) doppler ultrasonography is a non-invasive, relatively accurate imaging technique that can measure blood speed. The imaging could be obtained via the common carotid artery, as one of the main vessels supplying the blood of vital organs. In horses, factors such as susceptibility to depression of the cardiovascular system and their large muscular mass have rendered them vulnerable to changes in blood speed. One of the most important factors causing blood velocity changes is the administration of anesthetic drugs, including Ketamine and Acepromazine. Thus, in this study, the Pulsed-wave doppler technique was performed to assess the highest blood velocity in the common carotid artery following administration of Ketamine and Acepromazine. Six male and six female healthy Kurdish horses weighing 351 ± 46 kg (mean ± SD) and aged 9.2 ± 1.7 years (mean ± SD) were housed under animal welfare guidelines. After fasting for six hours, the normal blood flow velocity in the common carotid artery was measured using a Pulsed-wave doppler ultrasonography machine (BK Medical, Denmark), and a high-frequency linear transducer (12 MHz) without applying any sedative drugs as a control group. The same procedure was repeated after each individual received the following medications: 1.1, 2.2 mg/kg Ketamine (Pfizer, USA), and 0.5, 1 mg/kg Acepromizine (RACEHORSE MEDS, Ukraine), with an interval of 21 days between the administration of each dose and/or drug. The ultrasonographic study was done five (T5) and fifteen (T15) minutes after injecting each dose intravenously. Lastly, the statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software version 22 for Windows and a P value less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Five minutes after administration of Ketamine (1.1, 2.2 mg/kg) in both male and female horses, the blood velocity decreased to 38.44, 34.53 cm/s in males, and 39.06, 34.10 cm/s in females in comparison to the control group (39.59 and 40.39 cm/s in males and females respectively) while administration of 0.5 mg/kg Acepromazine led to a significant rise (73.15 and 55.80 cm/s in males and females respectively) (p<0.05). It means that the most drastic change in blood velocity, regardless of gender, refers to the latter dose/drug. In both medications and both genders, the increase in doses led to a decrease in blood velocity compared to the lower dose of the same drug. In all experiments in this study, the blood velocity approached its normal value at T15. In another study comparing the blood velocity changes affected by Ketamine and Acepromazine through femoral arteries, the most drastic changes were attributed to Ketamine; however, in this experiment, the maximum blood velocity was observed following administration of Acepromazine via the common carotid artery. Therefore, further experiments using the same medications are suggested using Pulsed-wave doppler measuring the blood velocity changes in both femoral and common carotid arteries simultaneously.

Keywords: Acepromazine, common carotid artery, horse, ketamine, pulsed-wave doppler ultrasonography

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Authors: Nancy Sakr, Mohamed Abou-Zeid

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World energy consumption has increased rapidly in the past few years. Due to population growth, total energy consumption is increasing; a large amount of energy is wasted on the cooling and heating processes in buildings. However, using thermal heating management can minimize costs, heat consumption and create a management system for the heat insulation for buildings. This concept is being implemented through different approaches. Based on analysis and research, there is evidence in the energy consumption before and after testing and applying construction approaches for thermal heating management in building units. This investigation addresses the evaluation of the influence of external coatings on energy consumption. Coatings are considered one of the smart effective available approaches for energy efficiency. Unfortunately, this approach is not widely applied in the construction industry. It needs more data to prove effectiveness and credibility between people to use it as a smart thermal insulation approach. Two precedents have been analyzed in order to monitor buildings’ heat exposure, and how the buildings will be affected by thermal insulation materials. Data sheets from chemical companies which produce similar coatings are compared with the usual products and the protective thermal products.

Keywords: energy consumption, building envelope, thermal insulation, protective coatings

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Authors: Ishara Madusanka, So Morikawa

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Natural disasters, particularly floods, pose severe challenges globally, affecting both developed and developing countries. In many regions, especially Asia, riverine floods are prevalent and devastating. Integrated flood management incorporates structural and non-structural measures, with preventive relocation emerging as a cost-effective and proactive strategy for areas repeatedly impacted by severe flooding. However, preventive relocation is often hindered by economic, psychological, social, and institutional barriers. This study investigates the factors influencing resistance to preventive relocation and evaluates the role of flood risk information in shaping relocation decisions through risk perception. A conceptual model was developed, incorporating variables such as Flood Risk Information (FRI), Place Attachment (PA), Good Living Conditions (GLC), and Adaptation to Flooding (ATF), with Flood Risk Perception (FRP) serving as a mediating variable. The research was conducted in Welipitiya in the Polwatta river basin, Matara district, Sri Lanka, a region experiencing recurrent flood damage. For this study, an experimental design involving a structured questionnaire survey was utilized, with 185 households participating. The treatment group received flood risk information, including flood risk maps and historical data, while the control group did not. Data were collected in 2023 and analyzed using independent sample t-tests and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). PLS-SEM was chosen for its ability to model latent variables, handle complex relationships, and suitability for exploratory research. Multi-group Analysis (MGA) assessed variations across different flood risk areas. Findings indicate that flood risk information had a limited impact on flood risk perception and relocation decisions, though its effect was significant in specific high-risk areas. Place attachment was a significant factor influencing relocation decisions across the sample. One potential reason for the limited impact of flood risk information on relocation decisions could be the lack of specificity in the information provided. The results suggest that while flood risk information alone may not significantly influence relocation decisions, it is crucial in specific contexts. Future studies and practitioners should focus on providing more detailed risk information and addressing psychological factors like place attachments to enhance preventive relocation efforts.

Keywords: flood risk communication, flood risk perception, place attachment, preventive relocation, structural equation modeling

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Authors: Nikhil Agrawal, Adam A. Skelton

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Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most common forms of dementia, which is caused by misfolding and aggregation of amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides into amyloid-β fibrils (Aβ fibrils). To disrupt the remodeling of Aβ fibrils, a number of candidate molecules have been proposed. To study the molecular mechanisms of Aβ fibrils remodeling we performed a series of all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, a total time of 3µs, in explicit solvent. Several previously undiscovered candidate molecule-Aβ fibrils binding modes are unraveled; one of which shows the direct conformational change of the Aβ fibril by understanding the physicochemical factors responsible for binding and subsequent remodeling of Aβ fibrils by the candidate molecule, open avenues into structure-based drug design for AD can be opened.

Keywords: alzheimer’s disease, amyloid, MD simulations, misfolded protein

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Authors: Andrew Rylance, Anna Spenceley

Abstract:

An evaluation was undertaken to understand opportunities for stimulating local enterprise development within the tourism supply chain, linked to a private game reserve in South Africa, the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, which neighbors the Kruger National Park. The study focused on understanding the market demand for local products and services from commercial lodges, and the current local supply from enterprises and entrepreneurs in local communities. This article quantifies the value of current procurement spend by lodges on local products and services and estimates their potential future expenditure. The study matches these responses with the availability of products and services in the neighboring communities. It also provides insights into relationships between private lodges, game reserves and local communities in South Africa. It concurs with previous research on tourism supply chains in rural South Africa, and also makes recommendations for the development of local businesses with higher technical capacity development.

Keywords: tourism, communities, business development, South Africa, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, market study, supply study

Procedia PDF Downloads 533

Authors: Maria Ahmadnezhad, Seyedgharani Ghoreishi ‎

Abstract:

Electrohydraulic servo system have been used in industry in a wide ‎number of applications. Its ‎dynamics are highly nonlinear and also ‎have large extent of model uncertainties and external ‎disturbances. ‎In this thesis, a robust back-stepping control (RBSC) scheme is ‎proposed to overcome ‎the problem of disturbances and system ‎uncertainties effectively and to improve the set-point ‎performance ‎of EHS systems. In order to implement the proposed control ‎scheme, the system ‎uncertainties in EHS systems are considered as ‎total leakage coefficient and effective oil volume. In ‎addition, in ‎order to obtain the virtual controls for stabilizing system, the ‎update rule for the ‎system uncertainty term is induced by the ‎Lyapunov control function (LCF). To verify the ‎performance and ‎robustness of the proposed control system, computer simulation of ‎the ‎proposed control system using Matlab/Simulink Software is ‎executed. From the computer ‎simulation, it was found that the ‎RBSC system produces the desired set-point performance and ‎has ‎robustness to the disturbances and system uncertainties of ‎EHS systems.‎

Keywords: electro hydraulic servo system, back-stepping control, robust back-‎stepping control, Lyapunov redesign‎

Procedia PDF Downloads 1007

Authors: Amir Hedjripour

Abstract:

The required dewatering configuration for a contaminated sediment dam is discussed to meet no-spill criteria for a defined Average Recurrence Interval (ARI). There is an option for the sediment dam to pump the contaminated water to another storage facility before its capacity is exceeded. The system is subjected to a range of storm durations belonging to the design ARI with concurrent dewatering to the other storage facility. The model is set up in 1-minute time intervals and temporal patterns of storm events are used to de-segregate the total storm depth into partial durations. By running the model for selected storm durations, the maximum water volume in the dam is recorded as the critical volume, which indicates the required storage capacity for that storm duration. Runoff from upstream catchment and the direct rainfall over the dam open area are calculated by taking into account the time of concentration for the catchment. Total 99 different storm durations from 5 minutes to 72 hours were modelled together with five dewatering scenarios from 50 l/s to 500 l/s. The optimised dam/pump configuration is selected by plotting critical points for all cases and storage-dewatering envelopes. A simple economic analysis is also presented in the paper using Present-Value (PV) analysis to assist with the financial evaluation of each configuration and selection of the best alternative.

Keywords: contaminated water, optimisation, pump, sediment dam

Procedia PDF Downloads 373

Authors: Mohamed A. Eid, Sobhy M. Aly, Marwa M. Ibrahim, Nadia L. Radwan

Abstract:

To investigate the interaction effects of vitamin D supplementation combined with aerobic exercises (AE) and conventional physical therapy program (CPTP) on balance and physical performance in children with Down syndrome (DS).Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted for 38 children with DS, with ages ranging from 8 to 12 years. They were divided randomly to two groups. The control group (n=19) received the CPTP, while the study group (n=19) received the CPTP, AE, and vitamin D in the form of an oral daily dose of vitamin D3 400 IU (Cholecalciferol). Evaluation of balance by using the Biodex Stability System and physical performance by using the six-minute walk test (6MWT)was performed before and after 12 weeks of the treatment program. Findings: All groups showed a significant improvement in balance and physical performance after treatment (p < 0.05). The study group showed a significant improvement in balance and physical performancecompared with that of the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Vitamin D supplementation combined with AE and CPTP could improve balance and physical performance in children with DS. Therefore, vitamin D and AEshould be considered as adjunctive to the rehabilitation program of these children.

Keywords: aerobic exercises, balance, down syndrome, physical performance, vitamin D

Procedia PDF Downloads 243

Authors: Hafiz A. Sakandar, M. Afzaal, U. Khan, M. N. Akhtar

Abstract:

Food is the primary concern of living organisms, provision of diet for maintenance of good physical and mental health is a basic right of an individual and the outcome of factors related to diet on health has been matter of apprehension since ancient times. Healthy and fresh food always demanded by the consumers. Modern research has find out many alternatives of traditional packaging. Now the consumer knows that good packaging system is that which protects the food from the contaminants and increases shelf life of food product. While in Pakistan about 40% of fruits and vegetables lost due to spoilage caused by poor handling, transportation, and poor packaging interaction with other environmental conditions. So it is crucial for developing countries like Pakistan to pay attention to these exacerbating situations for economy losses by considering food packaging an ultimate solution to the problem.

Keywords: packaging, food safety, antimicrobial, food losses

Procedia PDF Downloads 554