Search results for: urban challenges

Authors: Luyin Liang

Abstract:

Although sibling relationship has been viewed as one of the most important family relationships that significantly impacted on the quality of life of both adults with Intellectual Disability (AWID) and their brothers/sisters, very few research have been done to investigate this relationship in China. This study investigated Chinese siblings of AWID’s relational motivations in sibling relationship and their determining factors. Quantitative research method has been adopted and 284 samples were recruited in this study. Siblings of AWID’s two types of relational motivations, including obligatory motivations and discretionary motivations were examined. Their emotional closeness, senses of responsibility, experiences of ID stigma, and expectancy of self-reward in sibling relationship were measured by validated scales. Personal, and familial-social demographic characteristics were also investigated. Linear correlation test and standard multiple regression analysis were the major statistical methods that have been used to analyze the data. The findings of this study showed that all the measured factors, including siblings of AWID’s emotional closeness, their senses of responsibility, experiences of ID stigma, and self-reward expectations had significant relationships with their both types of motivations. However, when these factors were grouped together to measure each type of these motivations, the prediction results were varied. The order of factors that best predict siblings of AWID’s obligatory motivations was: their senses of responsibility, emotional closeness, experiences of ID stigma, and their expectancy of self-reward, whereas the order of these factors that best determine siblings of AWID’s discretionary motivations was: their self-reward expectations, experiences of ID stigma, senses of responsibility, and emotional closeness. Among different demographic characteristics, AWID’s disability condition, their siblings’ age, gender, marital status, number of children, both siblings’ living arrangements and family financial status were found to have significant impacts on siblings of AWID’s both types of motivations in sibling relationship. The results of this study could enhance social work practitioners’ understandings about the needs and challenges of siblings of AWID. Suggestions on advocacies for policy changes and services improvements for these siblings were discussed in this study.

Keywords: sibling relationship, intellectual disability, adults, China

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Authors: Samia Dahmani

Abstract:

The research investigated the process and outcomes of an ongoing project “Den Grønne Rute”: a network of recreational rooms to be implemented throughout a former vulnerable neighborhood: Trekanten in the city of Holstebro in Denmark. The aim of the project is to better integrate Trekanten in the city and which initiated reflections upon the (dis)connection and the integration in relation to urban planning and city management, as well as the extent to which the project considers diversity since Holstebro is a growing multicultural city. With this research, it was first verified if Trekanten is splintered from Holstebro city, and secondly if planning for diversity, by engaging people in the process via place-making approaches, can help redress the disconnection between the neighborhood and the rest of the city. More specifically, the paper aims at exploring the role of place-making “Den Grønne Rute” in Trekanten in promoting planning for diversity and reassembling the splintering in the city. The theoretical and conceptual framework served to analyze the relationship between the splintering urbanism concept and the community involvement’s role in an inclusive process. The field study examines the detachment between Trekanten and Holstebro and the extent to which the project can overcome the disconnection. Methodologically a mix-methods approach was adopted where two semi-structured interviews, a focus group, and an online survey were conducted. Contrary to prior assumptions, the results showed that not only is Trekanten splintered from the city, but also the city is greatly disconnected from Trekanten, and hence Holstebro is a splintered city. The surprise was that Trekanten is moreover inner-splintered. The splintering urbanism accordingly has different dimensions. Even though the project’s design seemed to incorporate diverse ages and groups of people, its process lacks an understanding of the diversity’s relevance in promoting inclusiveness. In fact, the analysis revealed socio-cultural and psychological splintering. Since place-making, as a collaborative approach in planning, is itself an expression of diversity (since it brings differences into play), reconsidering diversity within the process by engaging people at the early stages of planning was recommended. Another suggestion was not to limit the project to a destination but more as an experience to remember and a story to tell. Only by bringing people together in re-imagining the place can Trekanten reassemble with Holstebro and vice versa. The aim of the research was to add a new perspective to the splintering urbanism and planning for diversity so to advance place-making as an approach in promoting the latter and redressing the former.

Keywords: the splintering urbanism, place-making, planning for diversity, Den Grønne Rute, Trekanten, Holstebro

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Authors: Susanne Gustafsson

Abstract:

Life-history research is an extraordinarily fruitful method to use for social analysis and gendered health analysis in particular. Its potential is illustrated through a case study drawn from a Swedish project. It reveals an old type of masculinity that faces difficulties when carrying out two sets of demands simultaneously, as a worker/manager and as a father/husband. The paper illuminates the historical transformation of masculinity and the consequences of this for health. We draw on the idea of the “changing faces of masculinity” to explore the dynamism and complexity of gendered health. An empirical case is used for its illustrative abilities. Jan, a middle-level manager and father employed in the energy sector in urban Sweden is the subject of this paper. Jan’s story is one of 32 semi-structured interviews included in an extended study focusing on well-being at work. The results reveal a face of masculinity conceived of in middle-level management as tacitly linked to the neoliberal doctrine. Over a couple of decades, the idea of “flexibility” was turned into a valuable characteristic that everyone was supposed to strive for. This resulted in increased workloads. Quite a few employees, and managers, in particular, find themselves working both day and night. This may explain why not having enough time to spend with children and family members is a recurring theme in the data. Can this way of doing be linked to masculinity and health? The first author’s research has revealed that the use of gender in health science is not sufficiently or critically questioned. This lack of critical questioning is a serious problem, especially since ways of doing gender affect health. We suggest that gender reproduction and gender transformation are interconnected, regardless of how they affect health. They are recognized as two sides of the same phenomenon, and minor movements in one direction or the other become crucial for understanding its relation to health. More or less, at the same time, as Jan’s masculinity was reproduced in response to workplace practices, Jan’s family position was transformed—not totally but by a degree or two, and these degrees became significant for the family’s health and well-being. By moving back and forth between varied events in Jan’s biographical history and his sociohistorical life span, it becomes possible to show that in a time of gender transformations, power relations can be renegotiated, leading to consequences for health.

Keywords: changing faces of masculinity, gendered health, life-history research method, subverter

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Authors: Vaibhav Rathi, Soumen Maity, Achu R. Sekhar, Abhijit Banerjee

Abstract:

Construction sector in India is extremely resource and carbon intensive. It contributes to significantly to national greenhouse emissions. At the resource end the industry consumes significant portions of the output from mining. Resources such as sand and soil are most exploited and their rampant extraction is becoming constant source of impact on environment and society. Cement is another resource that is used in abundance in building and construction and has a direct impact on limestone resources. Though India is rich in cement grade limestone resource, efforts have to be made for sustainable consumption of this resource to ensure future availability. Use of these resources in high volumes in India is a result of rapid urbanization. More cities have grown to a population of million plus in the last decade and million plus cities are growing further. To cater to needs of growing urban population of construction activities are inevitable in the coming future thereby increasing material consumption. Increased construction will also lead to substantial increase in end of life waste generation from Construction and Demolition (C&D). Therefore proper management of C&D waste has the potential to reduce environmental pollution as well as contribute to the resource efficiency in the construction sector. The present study deals with estimation, characterisation and documenting current management practices of C&D waste in 10 Indian cities of different geographies and classes. Based on primary data the study draws conclusions on the potential of C&D waste to be used as an alternative to primary raw materials. The estimation results show that India generates 716 million tons of C&D waste annually, placing the country as second largest C&D waste generator in the world after China. The study also aimed at utilization of C&D waste in to building materials. The waste samples collected from various cities have been used to replace 100% stone aggregates in paver blocks without any decrease in strength. However, management practices of C&D waste in cities still remains poor instead of notification of rules and regulations notified for C&D waste management. Only a few cities have managed to install processing plant and set up management systems for C&D waste. Therefore there is immense opportunity for management and reuse of C&D waste in Indian cities.

Keywords: building materials, construction and demolition waste, cities, environmental pollution, resource efficiency

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Authors: Evangelia-Matroni Tomara

Abstract:

This thesis answers the question whether the media representations and reporting in 2015-2016 - especially, after the image of the drowned three-year-old Syrian boy in the Mediterranean Sea which made global headlines in the beginning of September 2015 -, the European Commission regulatory sources material and related reporting, have the power to challenge the conceptualization of humanitarianism or even redefine it. The theoretical foundations of the thesis are based on humanitarianism and its core definitions, the power of media representations and the relative portrayal of migrants, refugees and/or asylum seekers, as well as the dominant migration discourse and EU migration governance. Using content analysis for the media portrayal of migrants (436 newspaper articles) and qualitative content analysis for the European Commission Communication documents from May 2015 until June 2016 that required various depths of interpretation, this thesis allowed us to revise the concept of humanitarianism, realizing that the current crisis may seem to be a turning point for Europe but is not enough to overcome the past hostile media discourses and suppress the historical perspective of security and control-oriented EU migration policies. In particular, the crisis helped to shift the intensity of hostility and the persistence in the state-centric, border-oriented securitization in Europe into a narration of victimization rather than threat where mercy and charity dynamics are dominated and into operational mechanisms, noting the emergency of immediate management of the massive migrations flows, respectively. Although, the understanding of a rights-based response to the ongoing migration crisis, is being followed discursively in both political and media stage, the nexus described, points out that the binary between ‘us’ and ‘them’ still exists, with only difference that the ‘invaders’ are now ‘pathetic’ but still ‘invaders’. In this context, the migration crisis challenges the concept of humanitarianism because rights dignify migrants as individuals only in a discursive or secondary level while the humanitarian work is mostly related with the geopolitical and economic interests of the ‘savior’ states.

Keywords: European Union politics, humanitarianism, immigration, media representation, policy-making, refugees, security studies

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Authors: Mahfouz Saeed

Abstract:

Cu₂(ZnSn)(S)₄ (CTZS) offers potential advantages over CuInGaSe₂ (CIGS) as solar thin film because to its higher band gap. Preparing such photovoltaic materials by electrochemical techniques is particularly attractive due to the lower processing cost and the high throughput of such techniques. Several recent publications report CTZS electroplating; however, the electrochemical process still facing serious challenges such as a sulfur atomic ration which is about 50% of the total alloy. We introduce in this work an improved electrolyte composition which enables the direct electrodeposition of CTZS from a single bath. The electrolyte is significantly more dilute in comparison to common baths described in the literature. The bath composition we introduce is: 0.0032 M CuSO₄, 0.0021 M ZnSO₄, 0.0303 M SnCl₂, 0.0038 M Na₂S₂O₃, and 0.3 mM Na₂S₂O3. PHydrion is applied to buffer the electrolyte to pH=2, and 0.7 M LiCl is applied as supporting electrolyte. Electrochemical process was carried at a rotating disk electrode which provides quantitative characterization of the flow (room temperature). Comprehensive electrochemical behavior study at different electrode rotation rates are provided. The effects of agitation on atomic composition of the deposit and its adhesion to the molybdenum back contact are discussed. The post treatment annealing was conducted under sulfur atmosphere with no need for metals addition from the gas phase during annealing. The potential which produced the desired atomic ratio of CTZS at -0.82 V/NHE. Smooth deposit, with uniform composition across the sample surface and depth was obtained at 500 rpm rotation speed. Final sulfur atomic ratio was adjusted to 50.2% in order to have the desired atomic ration. The final composition was investigated using Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy technique (EDS). XRD technique used to analyze CTZS crystallography and thickness. Complete and functional CTZS PV devices were fabricated by depositing all the required layers in the correct order and the desired optical properties. Acknowledgments: Case Western Reserve University for the technical help and for using their instruments.

Keywords: photovoltaic, CTZS, thin film, electrochemical

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Authors: Samia Dahmani

Abstract:

The research investigated the process and outcomes of an ongoing project, “Den Grønne Rute”: a network of recreational rooms to be implemented throughout a former vulnerable neighborhood: Trekanten, in the city of Holstebro in Denmark. The aim of the project is to better integrate Trekanten in the city and which initiated reflections upon the (dis)connection and the integration in relation to urban planning and city management, as well as the extent to which the project considers diversity since Holstebro is a growing multicultural city. With this research, it was first verified if Trekanten is splintered from Holstebro city, and secondly if planning for diversity, by engaging people in the process via place-making approaches, can help redress the disconnection between the neighborhood and the rest of the city. More specifically, the paper aims at exploring the role of place-making “Den Grønne Rute” in Trekanten in promoting planning for diversity and reassembling the splintering in the city. The theoretical and conceptual framework served to analyze the relationship between the splintering urbanism concept and the community involvement’s role for an inclusive process. The field study examines the detachment between Trekanten and Holstebro and the extent to which the project can overcome the disconnection. Methodologically a mix-methods approach was adopted where two semi-structured interviews, a focus group, and an online survey were conducted. Contrary to prior assumptions, the results showed that not only is Trekanten splintered from the city, but also the city is greatly disconnected from Trekanten, and hence Holstebro is a splintered city. The surprise was that Trekanten is moreover inner-splintered. The splintering urbanism accordingly has different dimensions. Even though the project’s design seemed to incorporate diverse ages and groups of people, its process lacks an understanding of the diversity’s relevance in promoting inclusiveness. In fact, the analysis revealed socio-cultural and psychological splintering. Since place-making, as a collaborative approach in planning, is itself an expression of diversity (since it brings differences into play), reconsidering diversity within the process by engaging people at the early sages of planning was recommended. Another suggestion was not to limit the project to a destination but more as an experience to remember and a story to tell. Only by bringing people together in re-imagining the place, can Trekanten reassemble with Holstebro and vice versa. The aim with the research was to add a new perspective to the splintering urbanism and planning for diversity so to advance place-making as an approach in promoting the latter and redressing the former.

Keywords: the splintering urbanism, placemaking, planning for diversity, den grønne rute, trekanten, holstebro

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Authors: Shaikah Alsubayae, Gianluigi Casse, Carlos Chavez, Jon Taylor, Alan Taylor, Mohammad Alsulimane

Abstract:

Achieving precise radiotherapy through carbon therapy necessitates the accurate monitoring of radiation dose distribution within the patient's body. This process is pivotal for targeted tumor treatment, minimizing harm to healthy tissues, and enhancing overall treatment effectiveness while reducing the risk of side effects. In our investigation, we adopted a methodological approach to monitor secondary proton doses in carbon therapy using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. Initially, Geant4 simulations were employed to extract the initial positions of secondary particles generated during interactions between carbon ions and water, including protons, gamma rays, alpha particles, neutrons, and tritons. Subsequently, we explored the relationship between the carbon ion beam and these secondary particles. Interaction vertex imaging (IVI) proves valuable for monitoring dose distribution during carbon therapy, providing information about secondary particle locations and abundances, particularly protons. The IVI method relies on charged particles produced during ion fragmentation to gather range information by reconstructing particle trajectories back to their point of origin, known as the vertex. In the context of carbon ion therapy, our simulation results indicated a strong correlation between some secondary particles and the range of carbon ions. However, challenges arose due to the unique elongated geometry of the target, hindering the straightforward transmission of forward-generated protons. Consequently, the limited protons that did emerge predominantly originated from points close to the target entrance. Fragment (protons) trajectories were approximated as straight lines, and a beam back-projection algorithm, utilizing interaction positions recorded in Si detectors, was developed to reconstruct vertices. The analysis revealed a correlation between the reconstructed and actual positions.

Keywords: radiotherapy, carbon therapy, monitor secondary proton doses, interaction vertex imaging

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Authors: Lars Andersen

Abstract:

The development of design and engineering in large construction projects are characterized by an increased degree of flattening out of formal structures, extended use of parallel and integrated processes (‘Integrated Concurrent Engineering’) and an increased number of expert disciplines. The integration process is based on ongoing collaborations, dialogues, intercommunication and comments on each other’s work (iterations). This process based on reciprocal communication between actors and disciplines triggers value creation. However, communication between equals is not in itself sufficient to create effective decision making. The complexity of the process and time pressure contribute to an increased risk of a deficit of decisions and loss of process control. The paper refers to a study that aims at developing a resilient decision-making system that does not come in conflict with communication processes based on equality between the disciplines in the process. The study includes the construction of a hospital, following the phases design, engineering and physical building. The Research method is a combination of formative process research, process tracking and phenomenological analyses. The study tracked challenges and problems in the building process to the projection substrates (drawing and models) and further to the organization of the engineering and design phase. A comparative analysis of traditional and new ways of organizing the projecting made it possible to uncover an implicit material order or structure in the process. This uncovering implied a development of a material process perspective. According to this perspective the complexity of the process is rooted in material-functional differentiation. This differentiation presupposes a structuring material (the skeleton of the building) that coordinates the other types of material. Each expert discipline´s competence is related to one or a set of materials. The architect, consulting engineer construction etc. have their competencies related to structuring material, and inherent in this; coordination competence. When dialogues between the disciplines concerning the coordination between them do not result in agreement, the disciplines with responsibility for the structuring material decide the interface issues. Based on these premises, this paper develops a self-organized expert-driven interdisciplinary decision-making system.

Keywords: collaboration, complexity, design, engineering, materiality

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Authors: Atiq Uz Zaman

Abstract:

Sustainable waste management is one of the major global challenges that we face today. A poor waste management system not only symbolises the inefficiency of our society but also depletes valuable resources and emits pollutions to the environment. Presently, we extract more natural resources than ever before in order to meet the demand for constantly growing resource consumption. It is estimated that around 71 tonnes of ‘upstream’ materials are used for every tonne of MSW. Therefore, resource recovery from waste potentially offsets a significant amount of upstream resource being depleted. This study tries to measure the environmental benefits of global waste management systems by applying a tool called the Zero Waste Index (ZWI). The ZWI measures the waste management performance by accounting for the potential amount of virgin material that can be offset by recovering resources from waste. In addition, the ZWI tool also considers the energy, GHG and water savings by offsetting virgin materials and recovering energy from waste. This study analyses the municipal solid waste management system of 172 countries from all over the globe and the population covers in the study is 3.37 billion. This study indicates that we generated around 1.47 billion tonnes (436kg/cap/year) of municipal solid waste each year and the waste generation is increasing over time. This study also finds a strong and positive correlation (R2=0.29, p = < .001) between income (GDP/capita/year) and amount of waste generated (kg/capita/year). About 84% of the waste is collected globally and only 15% of the collected waste is recycled. The ZWI of the world is measured in this study of 0.12, which means that the current waste management system potentially offsets only 12% of the total virgin material substitution potential from waste. Annually, an average person saved around 219kWh of energy, emitted around 48kg of GHG and saved around 38l of water. Findings of this study are very important to measure the current waste management performance in a global context. In addition, the study also analysed countries waste management performance based on their income level.

Keywords: global performance, material substitution; municipal waste, resource recovery, waste management, zero waste index

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Authors: L. Ebralidze, A. Tsertsvadze, D. Berashvili, A. Bakuridze

Abstract:

Current cancer therapy strategies are based on surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The problems associated with chemotherapy are one of the biggest challenges for clinical medicine. These include: low specificity, broad spectrum of side effects, toxicity and development of cellular resistance. Therefore, anti-cance drugs need to be develop urgently. Particularly, in order to increase efficiency of anti-cancer drugs and reduce their side effects, scientists work on formulation of nano-drugs. The objective of this study was to develop composition and technology of vincristine nanoparticles using high-molecular carbohydrates of plant origin. Plant polysacharides, particularly, soy bean seed polysaccharides, flaxseed polysaccharides, citrus pectin, gum arabic, sodium alginate were used as objects. Based on biopharmaceutical research, vincristine containing nanoparticle formulations were prepared. High-energy emulsification and solvent evaporation methods were used for preparation of nanosystems. Polysorbat 80, polysorbat 60, sodium dodecyl sulfate, glycerol, polyvinyl alcohol were used in formulation as emulsifying agent and stabilizer of the system. The ratio of API and polysacharides, also the type of the stabilizing and emulsifying agents are very effective on the particle size of the final product. The influence of preparation technology, type and concentration of stabilizing agents on the properties of nanoparticles were evaluated. For the next stage of research, nanosystems were characterized. Physiochemical characterization of nanoparticles: their size, shape, distribution was performed using Atomic force microscope and Scanning electron microscope. The present study explored the possibility of production of NPs using plant polysaccharides. Optimal ratio of active pharmaceutical ingredient and plant polysacharids, the best stabilizer and emulsifying agent was determined. The average range of nanoparticles size and shape was visualized by SEM.

Keywords: nanoparticles, target delivery, natural high molecule carbohydrates, surfactants

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Authors: Javier Sandoval Bustamante, Pardis Sheikhzadeh, Vijayanarasimha Hindupur Pakka

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In the pursuit of achieving net-zero carbon emissions, the integration of low carbon technologies into electricity distribution networks is paramount. This paper delves into the critical assessment of how the integration of low carbon technologies, such as heat pumps, electric vehicle chargers, and photovoltaic systems, impacts the infrastructure and operation of electricity distribution networks. The study employs rigorous methodologies, including power flow analysis and headroom analysis, to evaluate the feasibility and implications of integrating these technologies into existing distribution systems. Furthermore, the research utilizes Local Area Energy Planning (LAEP) methodologies to guide local authorities and distribution network operators in formulating effective plans to meet regional and national decarbonization objectives. Geospatial analysis techniques, coupled with building physics and electric energy systems modeling, are employed to develop geographic datasets aimed at informing the deployment of low carbon technologies at the local level. Drawing upon insights from the Local Energy Net Zero Accelerator (LENZA) project, a comprehensive case study illustrates the practical application of these methodologies in assessing the rollout potential of LCTs. The findings not only shed light on the technical feasibility of integrating low carbon technologies but also provide valuable insights into the broader transition towards a sustainable and electrified energy future. This paper contributes to the advancement of knowledge in power electrical engineering by providing empirical evidence and methodologies to support the integration of low carbon technologies into electricity distribution networks. The insights gained are instrumental for policymakers, utility companies, and stakeholders involved in navigating the complex challenges of energy transition and achieving long-term sustainability goals.

Keywords: energy planning, energy systems, digital twins, power flow analysis, headroom analysis

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Authors: Jayanti Pujari

Abstract:

The present study attempts to find out the barriers faced by adult women with an Intellectual disability during their training at vocational training centres offered by rehabilitation institutes. As economic independence is the ultimate aim of rehabilitation, this study tries to focus on the barriers which restrict the adult women with intellectual disability in equipping themselves in required skill which can really empower them and help them in independent living. The objectives of the study are (1) To find out the barriers perceived by job coaches during training given to women with intellectual disability (2) To find out the barriers perceived by the parents of women with intellectual disability who are undergoing vocational training and (3) To find out the barriers perceived by the women with intellectual disabilities during the vocational training. The barriers have been operationalised in the present study from three perspectives such as behavioural barriers, competency related barriers and accessibility barriers. For the present study three groups of participants(N=60) have been selected through purposive nonprobability sampling procedure to generate the data. They are( 20) job coaches who are working at vocational centres, (20) parents of women with intellectual disabilities, (20) adult women with intellectual disabilities. The study followed a descriptive research design and data are generated through self developed questionnaire. Three sets of self-developed and face validated questionnaires were used as the tool to gather the data from the three categories of sample. The questionnaire has 30 close ended questions and the respondents have to answer on a three point scale (yes, no, need help). Both qualitative and quantitative analysis was conducted to test the hypothesis. The major findings of the study depict that the 87% of the women with intellectual disability perceived highest barriers related to competency whereas barriers related to behaviour and accessibility are perceived lowest. 92% of job coaches perceived barriers related to competencies and accessibility are highest which hinder the effectiveness of skill development of women with intellectual disability and 74% of the parents of adult women with intellectual disability also opines that the barriers related to competencies and accessibility are highest. In conclusion, it is stressed that there is need to create awareness among the stakeholders about the training and management strategies of skill training and positive behaviour support which will surely enable the adult women with intellectual disability to utilise their residual skill and acquire training to become economically independent.

Keywords: economic independence, intellectual disability, skill development, training barrier

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Authors: Lars A. L. Giske, Ola J. Mork, Emil Bjoerlykhaug

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The design of fish processing equipment greatly impacts how easy the cleaning process for the equipment is. This is a critical issue in fish processing, as cleaning of fish processing equipment is a task that is both costly and time consuming, in addition to being very important with regards to product quality. Even more, poorly cleaned equipment could in the worst case lead to contaminated product from which consumers could get ill. This paper will elucidate how equipment design changes could improve the work for the cleaners and saving money for the fish processing facilities by looking at a case for product design improvements. The design of fish processing equipment largely determines how easy it is to clean. “Design for cleaning” is the new hype in the industry and equipment where the ease of cleaning is prioritized gets a competitive advantage over equipment in which design for cleaning has not been prioritized. Design for cleaning is an important research area for equipment manufacturers. SeaSide AS is doing continuously improvements in the design of their products in order to gain a competitive advantage. The focus in this paper will be conveyors for internal logistic and a product called the “electro stunner” will be studied with regards to “Design for cleaning”. Often together with SeaSide’s customers, ideas for new products or product improvements are sketched out, 3D-modelled, discussed, revised, built and delivered. Feedback from the customers is taken into consideration, and the product design is revised once again. This loop was repeated multiple times, and led to new product designs. The new designs sometimes also cause the manufacturing processes to change (as in going from bolted to welded connections). Customers report back that the concrete changes applied to products by SeaSide has resulted in overall more easily cleaned equipment. These changes include, but are not limited to; welded connections (opposed to bolted connections), gaps between contact faces, opening up structures to allow cleaning “inside” equipment, and generally avoiding areas in which humidity and water may gather and build up. This is important, as there will always be bacteria in the water which will grow if the area never dries up. The work of creating more cleanable design is still ongoing, and will “never” be finished as new designs and new equipment will have their own challenges.

Keywords: cleaning, design, equipment, fish processing, innovation

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Authors: Lisa M. Coleman

Abstract:

The focus on disability, LGBTQ+, and internationalization has certainly been the subject of much research and programmatic across higher education. Many universities have entered into global partnerships with varying success and challenges across the various areas, including laws and policies. Attentiveness to the specific nuances of global inclusion, diversity, equity, belonging, and access (GIDBEA) and the leadership to support these efforts is crucial to the development of longstanding success across the programs. There have been a number of shifts related to diversification across student and alumni bodies. These shifts include but are not limited to how people identify gender, race, and sexuality (and the intersections across such identities), as well as trends across emerging and diverse disability communities. NYU is the most international campus in the United States, with the most campuses and sites outside of its county of origin and the most international students and exchange programs than any other university. As a result, the ongoing work related to GIDEBA is at the center of much of the leadership, administrative, and research efforts. Climate assessment work across NYU’s diverse global campus landscape will serve as the foundation to exemplify best practices related to data collection and dissemination, community and stakeholder engagement, and effective implementation of innovative strategies to close gap areas as identified. The data (quantitative and qualitative) and related research findings represent data collected from close to 22,000 stakeholders across the NYU campuses. The case study centers on specific methodological considerations, data integrity, stakeholder engagement from across student-faculty, staff, and alumni constituencies, and tactics to advance specific GIDBEA initiatives related to navigating shifting landscapes. Design thinking, incubation, and co-creation strategies have been employed to expand, leverage, actualize, and implement GIDBEA strategies that are – concrete, measurable, differentiated, and specific to global sites and regions and emerging trends.

Keywords: disability, LGBTQ+, DEI, research, case studies

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Authors: Sakineh Nouri Saeidlou, Fatemeh Rezaiegoyjeloo, Parvin Ayremlou, Fariba Babaie

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Introduction: Childhood overweight and obesity is a major public health problem in both developed and developing countries. Overweight and obesity in children may have severe consequences later in adolescence and adulthood. The aim of current study was to determine the prevalence trend of overweight and obesity in school-aged children from 2009 to 2011. Methods: The present study was a population-based study and conducted in three consecutive years, from 2009 to 2011. The study population included all of primary, secondary and high school children in rural and urban regions of West Azarbijan province in West-North of Iran. Body mass index (BMI), the ratio of weight to height squared [weight (kg)]/ [height (m)]2, was calculated to the nearest decimal place. Overweight and obesity were classified using CDC recommendations for age and sex: a BMI 85th–95th percentile was classified as overweight and a BMI>95th percentile was classified as obese. All statistical analyses were performed using the Excel Software. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the sample in different time periods. The prevalence was calculated as the ratio of number present cases to a given population number in a given subgroup at a given time. Results: Overall, 165740, 145146 and 146203 school children were assessed at 2009, 2010 and 2011, respectively. Prevalence of overweight in primary school children among girls were 52.83, 86.93 and 116.36 and for boys were 57.07, 53.4 and 93.55 per 1000 person in 2009, 2010 and 2011 years ,respectively. The prevalence of obesity in secondary school children for girls were 22.26, 27.75 and 28.43 and 26.52, 25.72 and 35.85 for boys per 1000 person in 2009, 2010 and 2011, respectively, The highest prevalence of overweight was 77.58, 142.4 and 126.46 per 1000 person among primary, secondary and high school children, respectively, in 2011. The lowest prevalence of obesity was 12.52, 24.1 and 21.61 per 1000 person among primary, secondary and high school children, respectively, in 2009. Conclusion: However, the rapid increase in both obesity and overweight should have a special attention. Research on prevalence trend of overweight and obesity in children is poorly reported in Iran. So that, future studies need to follow-up on the associations between overweight and obesity with health outcomes when children develop and reach adolescence and adulthood.

Keywords: overweight, obesity, school children, prevalence trend, Iran

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Authors: Marisa P. De Brito

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The internet is affecting the way the industry operates and communicates. It is also becoming a customary means for leisure, tourism, and hospitality consumers to seek and exchange information and views on hotels, destinations events and attractions, or to develop social ties with other users. On the one hand, the internet is a rich field to conduct leisure, tourism, and hospitality research; on the other hand, however, there are few researchers formally embracing online methods of research, such as netnography. Within social sciences, netnography falls under the interpretative/ethnographic research methods umbrella. It is an adaptation of anthropological techniques such as participant and non-participant observation, used to study online interactions happening on social media platforms, such as Facebook. It is, therefore, a research method applied to the study of online communities, being the term itself a contraction of the words network (as on internet), and ethnography. It was developed in the context of marketing research in the nineties, and in the last twenty years, it has spread to other contexts such as education, psychology, or urban studies. Since netnography is not universally known, it may discourage researchers and educators from using it. This work offers guidelines for researchers wanting to apply this method in the field of leisure, tourism, and hospitality or for educators wanting to teach about it. This is done by means of a double approach: a content analysis of the literature side-by-side with educational data, on the use of netnography. The content analysis is of the incidental research using netnography in leisure, tourism, and hospitality in the last twenty years. The educational data is the author and her colleagues’ experience in coaching students throughout the process of writing a paper using primary netnographic data - from identifying the phenomenon to be studied, selecting an online community, collecting and analyzing data to writing their findings. In the end, this work puts forward, on the one hand, a research agenda, and on the other hand, an educational roadmap for those wanting to apply netnography in the field or the classroom. The educator’s roadmap will summarise what can be expected from mini-netnographies conducted by students and how to set it up. The research agenda will highlight for which issues and research questions the method is most suitable; what are the most common bottlenecks and drawbacks of the method and of its application, but also where most knowledge opportunities lay.

Keywords: netnography, online research, research agenda, educator's roadmap

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Authors: Charleen von Kolpinski, Karina Cagarman, Alina Blaute

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The circular economy concept is often framed by politicians, scientists and practitioners as being the solution to sustainability problems of our times. However, the focus of these discussions and publications is very often set on environmental and economic aspects. In contrast, the social dimension of sustainability has been neglected and only a few recent and mostly conceptual studies targeted the inclusion of social aspects and the SDGs into circular economy research. All stakeholders of this new circular system have to be included to represent a truly sustainable solution to all the environmental, economic and social challenges caused by the linear economic system. Hence, this empirical research aims to analyse, next to the environmental and economic dimension, also explicitly the social dimension of a sustainable circular business model. This inductive and explorative approach applies the single case study method. A multi-stakeholder view is adopted to shed light on social aspects of the circular business model. Different stakeholder views, tensions between stakeholders and conflicts of interest are detected. In semi-structured interviews with different stakeholders of the company, this study compares the different stakeholder views to profile the success factors of its business model in terms of sustainability implementation and to detect its shortcomings. These findings result in the development of propositions which cover different social aspects of sustainable circular business model implementation. This study is an answer to calls for future empirical research about the social dimension of the circular economy and contributes to sustainable business model thinking in entrepreneurial contexts of the circular economy. It helps identifying all relevant stakeholders and their needs to successfully and inclusively implement a sustainable circular business model. The method of a single case study has some limitations by nature as it only covers one enterprise with its special business model. Therefore, more empirical studies are needed to research sustainable circular business models from multiple stakeholder perspectives, in different countries and industries. Future research can build upon the developed propositions of this study and develop hypotheses to be tested.

Keywords: circular economy, single case study, social dimension, sustainable circular business model

Procedia PDF Downloads 159

Authors: Yude Wu

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Mongolia, grappling with significant socio-economic challenges, faces pressing issues of inequality and poverty, as evidenced by a high Gini coefficient and the highest poverty rate among the top 20 largest Asian countries. Despite government efforts, Mongolia's poverty rate experienced only a slight reduction from 29.6 percent in 2016 to 27.8 percent in 2020. PEER countries, such as South Africa, Botswana, Kazakhstan, and Peru, share characteristics with Mongolia, including reliance on the mining industry and classification as lower middle-income countries. Successful transitions of these countries to upper middle-income status between 1994 and the 2010s provide valuable insights. Drawing on secondary analyses of existing research and PEER country profiles, the study evaluates past policies, identifies gaps in current approaches, and proposes recommendations to combat poverty sustainably. The hypothesis includes a reliance on the mining industry and a transition from lower to upper middle-income status. Policies from these countries, such as the GEAR policy in South Africa and economic diversification in Botswana, offer insights into Mongolia's development. This essay aims to illuminate the multidimensional nature of underdevelopment in Mongolia through a secondary analysis of existing research and PEER country profiles, evaluating past policies, identifying gaps in current approaches, and providing recommendations for sustainable progress. Drawing inspiration from PEER countries, Mongolia can implement policies such as economic diversification to reduce vulnerability and create stable job opportunities. Emphasis on infrastructure, human capital, and strategic partnerships for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) aligns with successful strategies implemented by PEER countries, providing a roadmap for Mongolia's development objectives.

Keywords: inequality, PEER countries, comparative analysis, nomadic animal husbandry, sustainable growth

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Authors: Javad Sadidi, Ehsan Babaei, Hani Rezayan

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The advent of web 2.0 gives a possibility to scale down the costs of data collection and mapping, specifically if the process is done by volunteers. Every volunteer can be thought of as a free and ubiquitous sensor to collect spatial, descriptive as well as multimedia data for tourist services. The lack of large-scale information, such as real-time climate and weather conditions, population density, and other related data, can be considered one of the important challenges in developing countries for tourists to make the best decision in terms of time and place of travel. The current research aims to design and implement a spatiotemporal web map service using volunteer-submitted data. The service acts as a tourist-guide service in which tourists can search interested places based on their requested time for travel. To design the service, three tiers of architecture, including data, logical processing, and presentation tiers, have been utilized. For implementing the service, open-source software programs, client and server-side programming languages (such as OpenLayers2, AJAX, and PHP), Geoserver as a map server, and Web Feature Service (WFS) standards have been used. The result is two distinct browser-based services, one for sending spatial, descriptive, and multimedia volunteer data and another one for tourists and local officials. Local official confirms the veracity of the volunteer-submitted information. In the tourist interface, a spatiotemporal search engine has been designed to enable tourists to find a tourist place based on province, city, and location at a specific time of interest. Implementing the tourist-guide service by this methodology causes the following: the current tourists participate in a free data collection and sharing process for future tourists, a real-time data sharing and accessing for all, avoiding a blind selection of travel destination and significantly, decreases the cost of providing such services.

Keywords: VGI, tourism, spatiotemporal, browser-based, web mapping

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Authors: John Olorunfemi Abe, Olawale Muhammed Popoola, Abimbola Patricia Idowu Popoola

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Hydrogen is an appealing alternative to fossil fuels because of its abundance, low weight, high energy density, and relative lack of contaminants. However, its low density presents a number of storage challenges. Therefore, this work studies the influence of refractory nitride additives consisting of 5 wt. % each of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), titanium nitride (TiN), and aluminum nitride (AlN) on hydrogen storage and electrochemical characteristics of Ti6Al4V-based materials produced by spark plasma sintering. The microstructure and phase constituents of the sintered materials were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (in conjunction with energy-dispersive spectroscopy) and X-ray diffraction, respectively. Pressure-composition-temperature (PCT) measurements were used to assess the hydrogen absorption/desorption behavior, kinetics, and storage capacities of the sintered materials, respectively. The pure Ti6Al4V alloy displayed a two-phase (α+β) microstructure, while the modified composites exhibited apparent microstructural modifications with the appearance of nitride-rich secondary phases. It is found that the diffusion process controls the kinetics of the hydrogen absorption. Thus, a faster rate of hydrogen absorption at elevated temperatures ensued. The additives acted as catalysts, lowered the activation energy and accelerated the rate of hydrogen sorption in the composites relative to the monolithic alloy. Ti6Al4V-5 wt. % h-BN appears to be the most promising candidate for hydrogen storage (2.28 wt. %), followed by Ti6Al4V-5 wt. % TiN (2.09 wt. %), whereas Ti6Al4V-5 wt. % AlN shows the least hydrogen storage performance (1.35 wt. %). Accordingly, the developed hydride system (Ti6Al4V-5h-BN) may be competitive for use in applications involving short-range continuous vehicles (~50-100km) as well as stationary applications such as electrochemical devices, large-scale storage cylinders in hydrogen production locations, and hydrogen filling stations.

Keywords: hydrogen storage, Ti6Al4V hydride system, pressure-composition-temperature measurements, refractory nitride additives, spark plasma sintering, Ti6Al4V-based materials

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Authors: Naveen Porika, Snigdho Majumdar, Niraj Sethi

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Water, food and energy securities are emerging as increasingly important and vital issues for India and the world. Hyderabad urban agglomeration (HUA), the capital city of Andhra Pradesh State in India, is the sixth largest city has a population of about 8.2 million. The Musi River, which is a tributary of Krishna river flows from west to east right through the heart of Hyderabad, about 80% of the water used by people is released back as sewage, which flows back into Musi every day with detrimental effects on the environment and people downstream of the city. The average daily sewage generated in Hyderabad city is 950 MLD, however, treatment capacity exists only for 541 Million Liters per Day (MLD) but only 407 MLD of sewage is treated. As a result, 543 MLD of sewage daily flows into Musi river. Hyderabad’s current estimated water demand stands at 320 Million Gallons per Day (MGD). However, its installed capacity is merely 270 MGD; by 2020 estimated demand will grow to 400 MGD. There is huge gap between current supply and demand, and this is likely to widen by 2021. Developing new fresh water sources is a challenge for Hyderabad, as the fresh water sources are few and far from the City (about 150-200 km) and requires excessive pumping. The constraints presented above make the conventional alternatives for supply augmentation unsustainable and unattractive .One such dependable and captive source of easily available water is the treated sewage. With proper treatment, water of desired quality can be recovered from the waste water (sewage) for recycle and reuse. Hyderabad Amberpet sewage treatment of capacity 339 MLD is Asia’s largest sewage treatment plant. Tertiary sewage treatment Standard basic engineering modules of 30 MLD,60 MLD, 120MLD & 180 MLD for sewage treatment plants has been developed which are utilized for developing Sewage Reclamation & Reuse model in Asia’s largest sewage treatment plant. This paper will focus on Hyderabad Water Supply & Demand, Sewage Generation & Treatment, Technical aspects of Tertiary Sewage Treatment and Utilization of developed standard modules for reclamation & reuse of treated sewage to overcome the deficit of 130 MGD as projected by 2021.

Keywords: water reclamation, reuse, Andhra Pradesh, hyderabad, musi river, sewage, demand and supply, recycle, Amberpet, 339 MLD, engineering modules, tertiary treatment

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Authors: A. Stifi, S. Gentes

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Undoubtedly from construction's perspective, the use of explosives will remove a large facility such as a 40-storey building , that took almost 3 to 4 years for construction, in few minutes. Usually, the reconstruction or decommissioning, the last phase of life cycle of any facility, is considered to be the shortest. However, this is proved to be wrong in the case of nuclear power plant. Statistics says that in the last 30 years, the construction of a nuclear power plant took an average time of 6 years whereas it is estimated that decommissioning of such plants may take even a decade or more. This paper is all about the decommissioning phase of a nuclear power plant which needs to be given more attention and encouragement from the research institutes as well as the nuclear industry. Currently, there are 437 nuclear power reactors in operation and 70 reactors in construction. With around 139 nuclear facilities already been shut down and are in different decommissioning stages and approximately 347 nuclear reactors will be in decommissioning phase in the next 20 years (assuming the operation time of a reactor as 40 years), This fact raises the following two questions (1) How far is the nuclear and construction Industry ready to face the challenges of decommissioning project? (2) What is required for a safety and reliable decommissioning project delivery? The decommissioning of nuclear facilities across the global have severe time and budget overruns. Largely the decommissioning processes are being executed by the force of manual labour where the change in regulations is respectively observed. In term of research and development, some research projects and activities are being carried out in this area, but the requirement seems to be much more. The near future of decommissioning shall be better through a sustainable development strategy where all stakeholders agree to implement innovative technologies especially for dismantling and decontamination processes and to deliever a reliable and safety decommissioning. The scope of technology transfer from other industries shall be explored. For example, remotery operated robotic technologies used in automobile and production industry to reduce time and improve effecincy and saftey shall be tried here. However, the innovative technologies are highly requested but they are alone not enough, the implementation of creative and innovative management methodologies should be also investigated and applied. Lean Management with it main concept "elimination of waste within process", is a suitable example here. Thus, the cooperation between international organisations and related industries and the knowledge-sharing may serve as a key factor for the successful decommissioning projects.

Keywords: decommissioning of nuclear facilities, innovative technology, innovative management, sustainable development

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Authors: Pushkar Lal Sharma, Sanjana Singh, Umesh Kumar Sahu

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This paper helps to understand the need of Customer Relationship Management in Libraries and why Librarians should implement the marketing concept of Customer Relationship Management in their libraries. As like any industry, libraries too face growing challenges to continuously meet customer expectations, and attract and retain users in light of overflowing competition. The ability to understand customers, build relationships and market diverse services is essential when considering ways to expand service offerings and improve Return on Investment. Since Library is service oriented Enterprise, hence the Customer/User/ Reader/Patron are the most important element of Library & Information System to whom and for whom library offers various services. How to provide better and most efficient services to its users is the main concern of every Library & Information centre in the present era. The basic difference between Business Enterprise and Library Information System is that ‘in Business System ‘the efficiency is measured in terms of ’profit’ or ‘monetary gains’; whereas in a Library & Information System, the efficiency is measured in terms of ‘services’ and therefore the goals that are set in Business Enterprise are’ profit oriented’ whereas goals set in the Library & Information Centre are ‘Service-oriented’. With the explosion of information and advancement of technology readers have so many choices to get information rather than visiting a library. Everything is available at the click of a mouse, library customers have become more knowledgeable and demanding in an era marked by abundance of information resources and services. With this explosion of information in every field of knowledge and choice in selection of service, satisfying user has become a challenge now a day for libraries. Accordingly, Libraries have to build good relationship with its users by adopting Customer relationship Management. CRM refers to the methods and tools which help an organization to manage its relationship with its customers in an organized way. The Customer Relationship Management (CRM) combines business strategy and technology to identify, acquire and retain good customer relationship. The goal of CRM is to optimize management of customer information needs & interests and increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. Implementing CRM in Libraries can improve customer data and process management, customer loyalty, retention and satisfaction.

Keywords: customer relationship management, CRM, CRM tools, customer satisfaction

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Authors: Pauliasi Tony Fakahau

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This paper provides an overview of the impact of the revenue reform programme on vulnerable communities in the Kingdom of Tonga. Economic turmoil and mismanagement during the late 1990s forced the government to seek technical and financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank to undertake a comprehensive Economic and Public Sector Reform (EPSR) programme. The EPSR is a Western model recommended by donor agencies as the solution to Tonga’s economic challenges. The EPSR programme included public sector reform, private sector growth, and revenue generation. Tax reform was the main tool for revenue generation, which set out to strengthen tax compliance and administration as well as implement a value-added consumption tax. The EPSR is based on Western values and ideology but failed to recognise that Tongan cultural values are important to the local community. Two participant groups were interviewed. Participant group one consisted of 51 people representing vulnerable communities. Participant group two consisted of six people from the government and business sector who were from the elite of Tongan society. The Kakala Research Methodology provided the framework for the research, and the Talanoa Research Method was used to conduct semi-structured interviews in the homes of the first group and in the workplaces of the second group. The research found a heavy burden of the consumption tax on the purchasing power of participant group one (vulnerable participants), having an impact on nearly every financial transaction they made. Participant group ones’ main financial priorities were kavenga fakalotu (obligations to the church), kavenga fakafāmili (obligations to the family) and kavenga fakafonua (obligations to cultural events for the village, nobility, and royalty). The findings identified inequalities of the revenue reform, especially from consumption tax, for vulnerable people and communities compared to the elite of society. The research concluded that government and donor agencies need ameliorating policies to reduce the burden of tax on vulnerable groups more susceptible to the impact of revenue reform.

Keywords: tax reform, tonga vulnerable community revenue, revenue reform, public sector reform

Procedia PDF Downloads 104

Authors: Pramoda Karunarathna, Hemamalie Gunatilaka

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This study is based on experiences of Sri Lankan lesbian and gay workers’ career in the corporate sector, which include both manufacturing and service sectors. The study has started with the intention of shedding light on a grey area to observe the negative effects on lesbian and gay workers and their experiences while they are employed in the Sri Lankan corporate sector. In order to understand the experiences of lesbian and gay workers while they are at work within the corporate sector, the study seeks to address four questions. First research question is about the challenges faced by lesbian and gay workers while they are at work, and the second research question looks at their career patterns. Third research question seeks to address the behavior at work, and the fourth research question looks at the influence of class, religion, and cultural aspects on the career of lesbian and gay workers. Methodologically, the research was based on semi-structured interviews with nine participants (five gay men and four lesbian women) having work experience in the corporate sector and residing in Colombo, the capital city of Sri Lanka. The research found that the participants have gone through the process of developing sexual identity; gay men possess more feminine characteristics, while lesbian women possess more masculine characteristics. Further, their identity gets revealed in different ways, such as through the curriculum vitae, at the interviews, through the attire and behavior, and with the use of social media. The study also found that lesbian and gay workers experience discrimination due to violation of hierarchical power difference by other employees and marginalization, verbal and nonverbal abuse by other men at work are common experiences. Another finding is that lesbian and gay workers adopt strategies for survival at work, and they prefer the NGO sector to the corporate sector. In contrast, even within the corporate sector, advertising is preferred by lesbian and gay workers. Some of the Sri Lankan corporate sector organizations, especially multinational organizations, have initiated diversity training, and it might lead to making these organisations lesbian and gay-friendly workplaces in the future. It is also found that nearly 44 percent of the participants do not have a religion, and it is due to the rejection of deviant behaviours by most of the religions. In conclusion, lesbian and gay workers experience discrimination at work in the Sri Lankan corporate sector with an exception to the companies relating to advertising and non-governmental organisations is the sector that these workers prefer the most.

Keywords: lesbian workers, gay workers, Sri Lankan corporate sector, discrimination

Procedia PDF Downloads 131

Authors: Dylan Santos De Pinho, Arnaud Gay De Combes, Matthieu Steuhlet, Claude Jeannerat, Nabil Ouerhani

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The Industry 4.0 initiative has been launched to address huge challenges related to ever-smaller batch sizes. The end-user need for highly customized products requires highly adaptive production systems in order to keep the same efficiency of shop floors. Most of the classical Software solutions that operate the manufacturing processes in a shop floor are based on rigid Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), which are not capable to adapt the production order on the fly depending on changing demands and or conditions. In this paper, we present a highly modular and flexible solution to orchestrate a set of production systems composed of a micro-milling machine-tool, a polishing station, a cleaning station, a part inspection station, and a rough material store. The different stations are installed according to a novel matrix configuration of a 3x3 vertical shelf. The different cells of the shelf are connected through horizontal and vertical rails on which a set of shuttles circulate to transport the machined parts from a station to another. Our software solution for orchestrating the tasks of each station is based on a Multi-Agent System. Each station and each shuttle is operated by an autonomous agent. All agents communicate with a central agent that holds all the information about the manufacturing order. The core innovation of this paper lies in the path planning of the different shuttles with two major objectives: 1) reduce the waiting time of stations and thus reduce the cycle time of the entire part, and 2) reduce the disturbances like vibration generated by the shuttles, which highly impacts the manufacturing process and thus the quality of the final part. Simulation results show that the cycle time of the parts is reduced by up to 50% compared with MES operated linear production lines while the disturbance is systematically avoided for the critical stations like the milling machine-tool.

Keywords: multi-agent systems, micro-manufacturing, flexible manufacturing, transfer systems

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Authors: Sylvie Studente

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Despite the increase in international students migrating to the UK, the transition from home environment to a host institution abroad can be overwhelming for many students due to acculturative stressors. These stressors are reported to peak within the first six months of transitioning into study abroad which has determinantal impacts for Higher Education Institutions. These impacts include; increased drop-out rates and overall decreases in academic performance. Research suggests that belongingness can negate acculturative stressors through providing opportunities for students to form necessary social connections. In response to this universities have focussed on utilising technology to create learning communities with the most commonly deployed being social media, blogs, and discussion forums. Despite these attempts, the application of technology in supporting international students is still ambiguous. With the reported growing popularity of mobile devices among students and accelerations in learning technology owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the potential is recognised to address this challenge via the use of chatbot technology. Whilst traditionally, chatbots were deployed as conversational agents in business domains, they have since been applied to the field of education. Within this emerging area of research, a gap exists in addressing the educational value of chatbots over and above the traditional service orientation categorisation. The proposed study seeks to extend upon current understandings by investigating the challenges faced by international students in studying abroad and exploring the potential of chatbots as a solution to assist students’ acculturation. There has been growing interest in the application of chatbot technology to education accelerated by the shift to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although interest in educational chatbots has surged, there is a lack of consistency in the research area in terms of guidance on the design to support international students in HE. This gap is widened when considering the additional challenge of supporting multicultural international students with diverse. Diversification in education is rising due to increases in migration trends for international study. As global opportunities for education increase, so does the need for multiculturally inclusive learning support.

Keywords: chatbots, education, international students, acculturation

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Authors: Aidan Battison, Neliswa Mama

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Environmental pollution by ionic species has been identified as one of the biggest challenges to the sustainable development of communities. The widespread use of organic and inorganic chemical products and the release of toxic chemical species from industrial waste have resulted in a need for advanced monitoring technologies for environment protection, remediation and restoration. Some of the disadvantages of conventional sensing methods include expensive instrumentation, well-controlled experimental conditions, time-consuming procedures and sometimes complicated sample preparation. On the contrary, the development of fluorescent chemosensors for biological and environmental detection of metal ions has attracted a great deal of attention due to their simplicity, high selectivity, eidetic recognition, rapid response and real-life monitoring. Coumarin derivatives S1 and S2 (Scheme 1) containing 1,2,3-triazole moieties at position -3- have been designed and synthesized from azide and alkyne derivatives by CuAAC “click” reactions for the detection of metal ions. These compounds displayed a strong preference for Fe3+ ions with complexation resulting in fluorescent quenching through photo-induced electron transfer (PET) by the “sphere of action” static quenching model. The tested metal ions included Cd2+, Pb2+, Ag+, Na+, Ca2+, Cr3+, Fe3+, Al3+, Cd2+, Ba2+, Cu2+, Co2+, Hg2+, Zn2+ and Ni2+. The detection limits of S1 and S2 were determined to be 4.1 and 5.1 uM, respectively. Compound S1 displayed the greatest selectivity towards Fe3+ in the presence of competing for metal cations. S1 could also be used for the detection of Fe3+ in a mixture of CH3CN/H¬2¬O. Binding stoichiometry between S1 and Fe3+ was determined by using both Jobs-plot and Benesi-Hildebrand analysis. The binding was shown to occur in a 1:1 ratio between the sensor and a metal cation. Reversibility studies between S1 and Fe3+ were conducted by using EDTA. The binding site of Fe3+ to S1 was determined by using 13 C NMR and Molecular Modelling studies. Complexation was suggested to occur between the lone-pair of electrons from the coumarin-carbonyl and the triazole-carbon double bond.

Keywords: chemosensor, "click" chemistry, coumarin, fluorescence, static quenching, triazole

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Authors: Bruna P. De Souza, Ricardo C. De Almeida

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In some cities in the State of Parana – Brazil and in other countries atmospheric bromeliads (Tillandsia spp - Bromeliaceae) are considered weeds in trees, electric power lines, satellite dishes and other artificial supports. In this study, a numerical model was developed to simulate the seed dispersal of the Tillandsia recurvata species by wind with the objective of evaluating seeds displacement in the city of Ponta Grossa – PR, Brazil, since it is considered that the region is already infested. The model simulates the dispersal of each individual seed integrating parameters from the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) and the local wind, simulated by the Weather Research Forecasting (WRF) mesoscale atmospheric model for the 2012 to 2015 period. The dispersal model also incorporates the approximate number of bromeliads and source height data collected from most infested electric power lines. The seeds terminal velocity, which is an important input data but was not available in the literature, was measured by an experiment with fifty-one seeds of Tillandsia recurvata. Wind is the main dispersal agent acting on plumed seeds whereas atmospheric turbulence is a determinant factor to transport the seeds to distances beyond 200 meters as well as to introduce random variability in the seed dispersal process. Such variability was added to the model through the application of an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform to wind velocity components energy spectra based on boundary-layer meteorology theory and estimated from micrometeorological parameters produced by the WRF model. Seasonal and annual wind means were obtained from the surface wind data simulated by WRF for Ponta Grossa. The mean wind direction is assumed to be the most probable direction of bromeliad seed trajectory. Moreover, the atmospheric turbulence effect and dispersal distances were analyzed in order to identify likely regions of infestation around Ponta Grossa urban area. It is important to mention that this model could be applied to any species and local as long as seed’s biological data and meteorological data for the region of interest are available.

Keywords: atmospheric turbulence, bromeliad, numerical model, seed dispersal, terminal velocity, wind

Procedia PDF Downloads 126