Search results for: dispersed region growing algorithm (DRGA)

Authors: Carolina Gouveia, José Vieira, Pedro Pinho

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The cardiopulmonary signal monitoring, without the usage of contact electrodes or any type of in-body sensors, has several applications such as sleeping monitoring and continuous monitoring of vital signals in bedridden patients. This system has also applications in the vehicular environment to monitor the driver, in order to avoid any possible accident in case of cardiac failure. Thus, the bio-radar system proposed in this paper, can measure vital signals accurately by using the Doppler effect principle that relates the received signal properties with the distance change between the radar antennas and the person’s chest-wall. Once the bio-radar aim is to monitor subjects in real-time and during long periods of time, it is impossible to guarantee the patient immobilization, hence their random motion will interfere in the acquired signals. In this paper, a mathematical model of the bio-radar is presented, as well as its simulation in MATLAB. The used algorithm for breath rate extraction is explained and a method for DC offsets removal based in a motion detection system is proposed. Furthermore, experimental tests were conducted with a view to prove that the unavoidable random motion can be used to estimate the DC offsets accurately and thus remove them successfully.

Keywords: bio-signals, DC component, Doppler effect, ellipse fitting, radar, SDR

Procedia PDF Downloads 141

Authors: Xi Zhang

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Much has been written about the promotion of Standard Mandarin and the negative effects it may have had on the development of non-Mandarin dialects. Less discussed, however, is the fate of northern Chinese dialects that are only marginally different from Standard Mandarin and the effect Standard Mandarin promotion may have had on such dialects. In this paper, we seek to bridge this gap by looking at language preferences in the family and the generational differences that they reflect. Specifically, we survey Mandarin dialect speakers from Xinle county in Hebei province, whose local dialect is similar but not identical to Standard Mandarin. We sample more than 160 families with pre-middle school children and ask the parents a series of questions that probe language behavior, language ability, and language attitude within the family with regard to educating the young. Our study shows that although most parents still speak the Xinle dialect, Standard Mandarin has become the language taught to the majority of children. We also show that only one-third of parents choose to preserve elements of Xinle dialect in the language they teach to their children. We analyze the possible factors (e.g., subjective, geographical, social, and external) that influence language choice and show how these factors collectively contribute to the current state of family language choice for educational purposes. Finally, based on our findings, we offer recommendations for coordinating the promotion of Standard Mandarin and dialect preservation in similar Mandarin-speaking regions.

Keywords: Diglossia, language planning, Mandarin, standard-with-dialects

Procedia PDF Downloads 71

Authors: Oseni Margaret Oladunni, Ogundele Joan Olayinka, Olusanya Olalekan Samuel, Akinniyi Modupe Olakintan

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The world's growing population is pushing humans to look for alternative food sources among underutilised or wild plants. One of these food sources has been identified as Canavalia enisiformis, or jack beans. The only issue with using jack beans is that they contain anti-nutrient chemicals, which must be removed or diminished in order for them to be fit for human consumption. The objective of this study is to determine the nutritional and industrial utility of Canavalia enisiformis by analysing the anti-nutrient, phytochemical, and antioxidant composition of raw whole seed and soaking dehusked seeds using established procedures. Phytate (23.48±0.24, 15.24±0.41 and 14.83±0.00), oxalate (4.32±0.09, 3.96±0.09 and 2.88±0.09), tannins (22.77±0.73, 18.68±0.03 and 17.50±0.46), and lectins (6.67±0.04, 6.20±0.01 and 6.42±0.07) exhibited the highest anti-nutrient values in raw whole seed and, at the very least, in dehusked, soaked seeds. The samples were subjected to phytochemical screening, which detected the presence of cardiac glycosides as well as anthraquinones, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, steroids, flavonoids, terpenoids, phlobatannins, and flavonoids. Due to the reduction in phytochemical contents quantified as a result of dehusking and soaking, phenolbatannins and anthraquinones were not found in the samples. The research findings also demonstrated elevated concentrations of several plausible phytochemical components with potential medical value, with the raw whole seed exhibiting the greatest capacity to scavenge free radicals. Accordingly, the study's findings validate the seed's therapeutic applications and imply that it might be an inexpensive source of antioxidants for humans and animals alike.

Keywords: dehusking, soaking, anti-nutrients, antioxidants, jack bean

Procedia PDF Downloads 48

Authors: Akash Bera, Suraj Singh, Jacinta Dsouza, Ramakrishna V. Hosur, Pushpa Mishra

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Ultraviolet C (UVC) radiation induces apoptosis in mammalian cells and it is suggested that the mechanism by which this occurs is the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis through the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into the cytosol. The Bcl-2 family of proteins pro-and anti-apoptotic is the regulators of the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. Upon UVC irradiation, the proliferation of apoptosis is enhanced through the downregulation of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-xl and up-regulation of Bax. Although the participation of the Bcl-2 family of proteins in apoptosis appears responsive to UVC radiation, to the author's best knowledge, it is unknown how the structure and, effectively, the function of these proteins are directly impacted by UVC exposure. In this background, we present here a structural rationale for the effect of UVC irradiation in restoring apoptosis using two of the relevant proteins, namely, Bid-FL and Bcl-xl ΔC, whose solution structures have been reported previously. Using a variety of biophysical tools such as circular dichroism, fluorescence and NMR spectroscopy, we show that following UVC irradiation, the structures of Bcl-xlΔC and Bid-FL are irreversibly altered. Bcl-xLΔC is found to be more sensitive to UV exposure than Bid-FL. From the NMR data, dramatic structural perturbations (α-helix to β-sheet) are seen to occur in the BH3 binding region, a crucial segment of Bcl-xlΔC which impacts the efficacy of its interactions with pro-apoptotic tBid. These results explain the regulation of apoptosis by UVC irradiation. Our results on irradiation dosage dependence of the structural changes have therapeutic potential for the treatment of cancer.

Keywords: Bid, Bcl-xl, UVC, apoptosis

Procedia PDF Downloads 127

Authors: Tofigh Hamidavi, Sepehr Abrishami, Pasquale Ponterosso, David Begg

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Structural design and analysis is an important and time-consuming process, particularly at the conceptual design stage. Decisions made at this stage can have an enormous effect on the entire project, as it becomes ever costlier and more difficult to alter the choices made early on in the construction process. Hence, optimisation of the early stages of structural design can provide important efficiencies in terms of cost and time. This paper suggests a structural design optimisation (SDO) framework in which Genetic Algorithms (GAs) may be used to semi-automate the production and optimisation of early structural design alternatives. This framework has the potential to leverage conceptual structural design innovation in Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) projects. Moreover, this framework improves the collaboration between the architectural stage and the structural stage. It will be shown that this SDO framework can make this achievable by generating the structural model based on the extracted data from the architectural model. At the moment, the proposed SDO framework is in the process of validation, involving the distribution of an online questionnaire among structural engineers in the UK.

Keywords: building information, modelling, BIM, genetic algorithm, GA, architecture-engineering-construction, AEC, optimisation, structure, design, population, generation, selection, mutation, crossover, offspring

Procedia PDF Downloads 241

Authors: D. D. Nguyen, H. S. Park, S. W. Yang, B. Thusa, Y. M. Kim, T. H. Lee

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Currently, the design response spectrum (i.e., Nuclear Regulatory Commission - NRC 1.60 spectrum) with the peak ground acceleration (PGA) 0.3g (for Safe Shutdown Earthquake level) is specified for designing the new nuclear power plant (NPP) structures in Korea. However, the recent earthquakes in the region such as the 2016 Gyeongju and the 2017 Pohang earthquake showed that the possible PGA of ground motions can be larger than 0.3g. Therefore, there is a need to analyze the seismic performance of the existing NPP structures under these earthquakes. An NPP model, APR-1400, which is designed and built in Korea was selected for a case study. The NPP structure is numerically modeled in terms of lumped-mass stick elements using OpenSees framework. The floor acceleration and displacement of components are measured to quantify the responses of components. The numerical results show that the floor spectral accelerations are significantly amplified in the components subjected to Korean earthquakes. A comparison between floor response spectra of Korean earthquakes and the NRC design motion highlights that the seismic design level of NPP components under an earthquake should be thoroughly reconsidered. Additionally, a seismic safety assessment of the equipment and relays attached to main structures is also required.

Keywords: nuclear power plant, floor response spectra, Korean earthquake, NRC spectrum

Procedia PDF Downloads 158

Authors: Jonathan Glazzard

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National student satisfaction data in England demonstrate that undergraduate students are less satisfied overall with assessment and feedback than other aspects of their higher education courses. Given that research findings suggest that high-quality feedback is a critical factor associated with academic achievement, it is important that feedback enables students to demonstrate improved academic achievement in their subsequent assessments. Given the growing importance of staff-student partnerships in higher education, this research examined students’ perceptions of assessment and feedback in one UK university. Students’ perceptions were elicited through the use of a university-wide survey which was completed by undergraduate students. In addition, three focus groups were used to provide qualitative student perception data across the three university Facilities. The data indicate that whilst students valued detailed feedback on their work, less detailed feedback could be compensated for by the development of pre-assessment literacy skills which are front-loaded into courses. Assessment literacy skills valued by students included the use of clear assessment criteria and assignment briefings which enabled students to fully understand the assessment task. Additionally, students valued assessment literacy pre-assessment tasks which enabled them to understand the standards which they were expected to achieve. Students valued opportunities for self and peer assessment prior to the final assessment and formative assessment feedback which matched the summative assessment feedback. Students also valued dialogic face-to-face feedback after receiving written feedback Above all, students valued feedback which was particular to their work and which gave recognition for the effort they had put into completing specific assessments. The data indicate that there is a need for higher education lecturers to receive systematic training in assessment and feedback which provides a comprehensive grounding in pre-assessment literacy skills.

Keywords: formative assessment, summative assessment, feedback, marking

Procedia PDF Downloads 322

Authors: Shutchapol Chopvitayakun

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Nowadays, especially for the last 5 years, mobile devices, mobile applications and mobile users, through the deployment of wireless communication and mobile phone cellular network, all these components are growing significantly bigger and stronger. They are being integrated into each other to create multiple purposes and pervasive deployments into every business and non-business sector such as education, medicine, traveling, finance, real estate and many more. Objective of this study was to develop a mobile application for seniors or last-year students who enroll the internship program at each tertiary school (undergraduate school) and do onsite practice at real field sties, real organizations and real workspaces. During the internship session, all students as the interns are required to exercise, drilling and training onsite with specific locations and specific tasks or may be some assignments from their supervisor. Their work spaces are both private and government corporates and enterprises. This mobile application is developed under schema of a transactional processing system that enables users to keep daily work or practice log, monitor true working locations and ability to follow daily tasks of each trainee. Moreover, it provides useful guidance from each intern’s advisor, in case of emergency. Finally, it can summarize all transactional data then calculate each internship cumulated hours from the field practice session for each individual intern.

Keywords: internship, mobile application, Android OS, smart phone devices, mobile transactional processing system, guidance and monitoring, tertiary education, senior students, model view controller (MVC)

Procedia PDF Downloads 315

Authors: Kaoutar Chbihi, Aziza Menouni, Imane Berni, Tarik Abchouch, Samir El Jaafari

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The unpredictability and ambiguity of a pandemic, combined with the economic impact, sedentary lifestyle, and increased living cost, have the potential to seriously raise the risk of mental health issues among the population. Therefore, this study had the aim to assess the magnitude of mental health outcomes and risk factors among the general population in Morocco in times of the Covid-19 pandemic. This study consisted of a cross-sectional design and was survey-based and region-stratified by collecting demographic data and mental health measurements from 523 participants. The degree of depression, anxiety, and insomnia symptoms were assessed by using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire and the 7-items Generalized Anxiety Disorder. The survey was completed by 523 individuals. Results showed that 67.9% were women, and 58.6% were aged 18-30 years. 49% of participants reported depression issues, while 39.8% experienced anxiety. Being a married woman with children was associated with severe symptoms of depression and anxiety. Finally, our findings reported a significant mental health burden among the general population of Morocco, which needs to be tackled by specific co-created interventions and adapted strategies in order to prevent impacts on public health.

Keywords: anxiety, COVID-19, depression, mental health, Morocco, pandemic

Procedia PDF Downloads 79

Authors: Seiied Taghi Seiied Safavian, Ebrahim Fataei, Taghi Ebadi

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Urbanized population increasing has been a major driving force for physical development and expansion. In this regard, selecting optimal management strategies for sustainable development of cities as the most important population centers has gotten more attention by the city managers. One of the most important issues in planning a sustainable development is environmental sustainability. In this research, identifying the optimal physical development strategies of Ardabil city in the future condition have been investigated based on land-use planning principles and regularities. Determination of suitable lands of urban development was conducted through natural variables comprised of slope, topography, geology, distance from fault, underground water's depth, land-use strategies and earth shape using hierarchical process method (AHP) in Geographical information system (GIS). Region's potential capabilities and talents were estimated by environmental elements extraction and its measurement based on environmental criteria. Consequently, specified suitable areas for Ardabil city development were introduced. Results of this research showed that the northern part of the Ardabil city is the most suitable sites for physical development of this city regarding the environmental sustainability criteria.

Keywords: urban development, environmental sustainability, Ardabil city, AHP, GIS

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Authors: Jun-Geol Park, Kyoung-Il Do, Min-Ju Kwon, Kyung-Hyun Park, Yong-Seo Koo

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This paper analyzed the SCR (Silicon Controlled Rectifier)-based ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) protection circuits with the turn-on time characteristics. The structures are the LVTSCR (Low Voltage Triggered SCR), the ZTSCR (Zener Triggered SCR) and the PTSCR (P-Substrate Triggered SCR). The three structures are for the 5V power clamp. In general, the structures with the low trigger voltage structure can have the fast turn-on characteristics than other structures. All the ESD protection circuits have the low trigger voltage by using the N+ bridge region of LVTSCR, by using the zener diode structure of ZTSCR, by increasing the trigger current of PTSCR. The simulation for the comparison with the turn-on time was conducted by the Synopsys TCAD simulator. As the simulation results, the LVTSCR has the turn-on time of 2.8 ns, ZTSCR of 2.1 ns and the PTSCR of 2.4 ns. The HBM simulation results, however, show that the PTSCR is the more robust structure of 430K in HBM 8kV standard than 450K of LVTSCR and 495K of ZTSCR. Therefore the PTSCR is the most effective ESD protection circuit for the 5V power clamp.

Keywords: ESD, SCR, turn-on time, trigger voltage, power clamp

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Authors: Thomas Trouton, Sebastian Tanner, Manvir Sandher

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The use of simulation in undergraduate and postgraduate medical curricula is ever-growing, is a useful addition to the traditional apprenticeship model of learning within medical education, and better prepares graduates for the team-based approach to healthcare seen in real-life clinical practice. As a learning tool, however, undergraduate medical students often have little understanding of the theory behind the use of medical simulation and have little experience in planning and delivering their own simulated teaching sessions. We designed and implemented a student-selected component (SSC) as part of the undergraduate medical curriculum at the University of Buckingham Medical School to introduce students to the concepts behind the use of medical simulation in education and allow them to plan and deliver their own simulated medical scenario to their peers. The SSC took place over a 2-week period in the 3rd year of the undergraduate course. There was a mix of lectures, seminars and interactive group work sessions, as well as hands-on experience in the simulation suite, to introduce key concepts related to medical simulation, including technical considerations in simulation, human factors, debriefing and troubleshooting scenarios. We evaluated the success of our SSC using “Net Promotor Scores” (NPS) to assess students’ confidence in planning and facilitating a simulation-based teaching session, as well as leading a debrief session. In all three domains, we showed an increase in the confidence of the students. We also showed an increase in confidence in the management of common medical emergencies as a result of the SSC. Overall, the students who chose our SSC had the opportunity to learn new skills in medical education, with a particular focus on the use of simulation-based teaching, and feedback highlighted that a number of students would take these skills forward in their own practice. We demonstrated an increase in confidence in several domains related to the use of medical simulation in education and have hopefully inspired a new generation of medical educators.

Keywords: simulation, SSC, teaching, medical students

Procedia PDF Downloads 122

Authors: E. Fathallahi Aghdam, V. Hosseini

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Environmental pollution is not limited to a specific region or country; that is why sustainable development, as a necessary process for improvement, pays attention to issues such as destruction of natural resources, degradation of biological system, global pollution, and climate change in the world, especially in the developing countries. According to the World Health Organization, as a developing city, Tehran (capital of Iran) is one of the most polluted cities in the world in terms of air pollution. In this study, three pollutants including particulate matter less than 10 microns, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide were evaluated in Tehran using data mining techniques and through Crisp approach. The data from 21 air pollution measuring stations in different areas of Tehran were collected from 1999 to 2013. Commercial softwares Clementine was selected for this study. Tehran was divided into distinct clusters in terms of the mentioned pollutants using the software. As a data mining technique, clustering is usually used as a prologue for other analyses, therefore, the similarity of clusters was evaluated in this study through analyzing local conditions, traffic behavior, and industrial activities. In fact, the results of this research can support decision-making system, help managers improve the performance and decision making, and assist in urban studies.

Keywords: data mining, clustering, air pollution, crisp approach

Procedia PDF Downloads 427

Authors: Carla S. C. da Silva, Cristiano Coelho, Junio Souza

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The universe of luxury has charmed and seduced consumers for centuries. Since the middle ages, their symbols are displayed as objects of power and status, arousing desire and provoking social covetousness. In this way, the counterfeit market is growing every day, offering a group of consumers the opportunity to enter into a distinct social position, where the beautiful and shiny brand logo signals an inclusion passport to everything this group wants. This work sought to investigate how the context and the social environment can influence consumers to choose products of symbolic brands even if they are not legitimate and how this behavior is accepted in society. The study proposed: a) to evaluate the measures of knowledge and quality of a set of marks presented in the manipulation of two contexts (luxury x academic) between buyers and non-buyers of forgeries, both for original products and their correspondence with counterfeit products; b) measure the effect of layout on the verbal responses of buyers and non-buyers in relation to their assessment of the behavior of buyers of counterfeits. The present study, in addition to measuring the level of knowledge and quality attributed to each brand investigated, also verified the willingness of consumers to pay for a falsified good of the brands of predilection compared to the original study. This data can serve as a parameter for luxury brand managers in their counterfeit coping strategies. The investigation into the frequency of purchase has shown that those who buy counterfeit goods do so regularly, and there is a propensity to repeat the purchase. It was noted that a significant majority of buyers of counterfeits are prone to invest in illegality to meet their expectations of being in line with the standards of their interest groups.

Keywords: luxury, consumers, counterfeits, context, behaviorism

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Authors: Livia Eisler, Cristiane C. B. Alves, Cristina L. F. Ortolani, Kurt Faltin Jr.

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Purpose: This paper proposes a technically simple diagnosis method among orthodontists and maxillofacial surgeons in order to evaluate discrete bone alterations. The methodology consists of a protocol to optimize the diagnosis and minimize the possibility for orthodontic and ortho-surgical retreatment. Materials and Methods: A protocol of image processing and analysis, through ImageJ software and its plugins, was applied to 20 pairs of lateral cephalometric images obtained from cone beam computerized tomographies, before and 1 year after undergoing orthognathic surgery. The optical density of the images was analyzed in the condylar region to determine possible bone alteration after surgical correction. Results: Image density was shown to be altered in all image pairs, especially regarding the condyle contours. According to measures, condyle had a gender-related density reduction for p=0.05 and condylar contours had their alterations registered in mm. Conclusion: A simple, viable and cost-effective technique can be applied to achieve the more detailed image-based diagnosis, not depending on the human eye and therefore, offering more reliable, quantitative results.

Keywords: bone resorption, computer-assisted image processing, orthodontics, orthognathic surgery

Procedia PDF Downloads 160

Authors: S. Mokhtar, R. Ibrahim, K. Abdan, A. Rashidi

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The population in the world are growing in very fast rate. It is expected that urban growth and development would create serious questions of food production and processing, transport, and consumption. Future smart green city policies are emerging to support new ways of visualizing, organizing and managing the city and its flows towards developing more sustainable cities in ensuring food security while maintaining its biodiversity. This is a survey paper analyzing the feasibility of developing a smart vertical farming system for climbing food plant to meet the need of food consumption in urban cities with an alternative green material. This paper documents our investigation on specific requirement for farming high valued climbing type food plant suitable for vertical farming, development of appropriate biocomposite material composition, and design recommendations for developing a new smart vertical farming system inside urban buildings. Results include determination of suitable specific climbing food plant species and material manufacturing processes for reinforcing natural fiber for biocomposite material. The results are expected to become recommendations for developing alternative structural materials for climbing food plant later on towards the development of the future smart vertical farming system. This paper contributes to supporting urban farming in cities and promotes green materials for preserving the environment. Hence supporting efforts in food security agenda especially for developing nations.

Keywords: biocomposite, natural reinforce fiber, smart farming, vertical farming

Procedia PDF Downloads 165

Authors: Luciana C. Ramos, Leandro J. Sousa, Antônio Ferreira da Silva, Valéria Gomes Oliveira Falcão, Suzana T. Cunha Lima

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The commercial production of biodiesel using microalgae demands a high-energy input for harvesting biomass, making production economically unfeasible. Methods currently used involve mechanical, chemical, and biological procedures. In this work, a flocculation system is presented as a cost and energy effective process to increase biomass production of Phaeodactylum tricornutum. This diatom is the only species of the genus that present fast growth and lipid accumulation ability that are of great interest for biofuel production. The algae, selected from the Bank of Microalgae, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Bahia (Brazil), have been bred in tubular reactor with photoperiod of 12 h (clear/dark), providing luminance of about 35 μmol photons m^-2s^-1, and temperature of 22 °C. The medium used for growing cells was the Conway medium, with addition of silica. The seaweed growth curve was accompanied by cell count in Neubauer camera and by optical density in spectrophotometer, at 680 nm. The precipitation occurred at the end of the stationary phase of growth, 21 days after inoculation, using two methods: centrifugation at 5000 rpm for 5 min, and electro-flocculation at 19 EPD and 95 W. After precipitation, cells were frozen at -20 °C and, subsequently, lyophilized. Biomass obtained by electro-flocculation was approximately four times greater than the one achieved by centrifugation. The benefits of this method are that no addition of chemical flocculants is necessary and similar cultivation conditions can be used for the biodiesel production and pharmacological purposes. The results may contribute to improve biodiesel production costs using marine microalgae.

Keywords: biomass, diatom, flocculation, microalgae

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Authors: F. Amirarfaei, K. Khorasani

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In this paper, reconfigurable consensus achievement of a team of agents with marginally stable linear dynamics and single input channel has been considered. The control algorithm is based on a first order linear protocol. After occurrence of a LOE fault in one of the actuators, using the imperfect information of the effectiveness of the actuators from fault detection and identification module, the control gain is redesigned in a way to still reach consensus. The idea is based on the modeling of change in effectiveness as change of Laplacian matrix. Then as special cases of this class of systems, a team of single integrators as well as double integrators are considered and their behavior subject to a LOE fault is considered. The well-known relative measurements consensus protocol is applied to a leaderless team of single integrator as well as double integrator systems, and Gersgorin disk theorem is employed to determine whether fault occurrence has an effect on system stability and team consensus achievement or not. The analyses show that loss of effectiveness fault in actuator(s) of integrator systems affects neither system stability nor consensus achievement.

Keywords: multi-agent system, actuator fault, stability analysis, consensus achievement

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Authors: S. Bader, N. Essoukri Ben Amara

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With the technological development and rise of virtual worlds, these spaces are becoming more and more attractive for cybercriminals, hidden behind avatars and fictitious identities. Since access to these spaces is not restricted or controlled, some impostors take advantage of gaining unauthorized access and practicing cyber criminality. This paper proposes an identity management approach for securing access to virtual worlds. The major purpose of the suggested solution is to install a strong security mechanism to protect virtual identities represented by avatars. Thus, only legitimate users, through their corresponding avatars, are allowed to access the platform resources. Access is controlled by integrating an authentication process based on biometrics. In the request process for registration, a user fingerprint is enrolled and then encrypted into a watermark utilizing a cancelable and non-invertible algorithm for its protection. After a user personalizes their representative character, the biometric mark is embedded into the avatar through a watermarking procedure. The authenticity of the avatar identity is verified when it requests authorization for access. We have evaluated the proposed approach on a dataset of avatars from various virtual worlds, and we have registered promising performance results in terms of authentication accuracy, acceptation and rejection rates.

Keywords: identity management, security, biometrics authentication and authorization, avatar, virtual world

Procedia PDF Downloads 265

Authors: Pallabi Kalita, Hui Tag, Loxmi Jamoh, H. N. Sarma, A. K. Das

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Wild edible food plants contain a number of organic phytochemical that have been linked to the promotion of good health. These plants used by the local people of Arunachal Pradesh (Northeast India) are found to have high nutritional potential to maintain general balance diet. A study was conducted to evaluate the nutritional potential of five commonly found, unexplored wild food plants namely, Piper pedicellatum C. DC (leaves), Gonostegia hirta (Blume ex Hassk.) Miq. (leaves), Mussaenda roxburghii Hook. f. (leaves), Solanum spirale Roxb. (leaves and fruits) and Cyathea spinulosa Wall. ex Hook. (pith portion and tender rachis) from East Siang District of Arunachal Pradesh Northeast (India) for ascertaining their suitability for utilization as supplementary food. Results of study revealed that P. pedicellatum, C. spinulosa, and S. spirale (leaves) are the most promising species which have high nutritional content out of the five wild food plants investigated which is required for the normal growth and development of human.

Keywords: wild edible plants, gross energy, Gonostegia hirta, Cyathea spinulosa

Procedia PDF Downloads 333

Authors: Meron Zenaselase Rata, Euridice Leyequien Abarca

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The production of major crops in Northern Ethiopia, especially the Tigray Region, is at subsistence level due to drought, erratic rainfall, and poor soil fertility. Since cactus pear is a drought-resistant plant, it is considered as a lifesaver fruit and a strategy for poverty reduction in a drought-affected area of the region. Despite its contribution to household income and food security in the area, the cactus pear sub-sector is experiencing many constraints with limited attention given to its post-harvest loss management. Therefore, this research was carried out to identify opportunities for reducing post-harvest losses and recommend possible strategies to reduce post-harvest losses, thereby improving production and smallholder’s income. Both probability and non-probability sampling techniques were employed to collect the data. Ganta Afeshum district was selected from Eastern Tigray, and two peasant associations (Buket and Golea) were also selected from the district purposively for being potential in cactus pear production. Simple random sampling techniques were employed to survey 30 households from each of the two peasant associations, and a semi-structured questionnaire was used as a tool for data collection. Moreover, in this research 2 collectors, 2 wholesalers, 1 processor, 3 retailers, 2 consumers were interviewed; and two focus group discussion was also done with 14 key farmers using semi-structured checklist; and key informant interview with governmental and non-governmental organizations were interviewed to gather more information about the cactus pear production, post-harvest losses, the strategies used to reduce the post-harvest losses and suggestions to improve the post-harvest management. To enter and analyze the quantitative data, SPSS version 20 was used, whereas MS-word were used to transcribe the qualitative data. The data were presented using frequency and descriptive tables and graphs. The data analysis was also done using a chain map, correlations, stakeholder matrix, and gross margin. Mean comparisons like ANOVA and t-test between variables were used. The analysis result shows that the present cactus pear value chain involves main actors and supporters. However, there is inadequate information flow and informal market linkages among actors in the cactus pear value chain. The farmer's gross margin is higher when they sell to the processor than sell to collectors. The significant postharvest loss in the cactus pear value chain is at the producer level, followed by wholesalers and retailers. The maximum and minimum volume of post-harvest losses at the producer level is 4212 and 240 kgs per season. The post-harvest loss was caused by limited farmers skill on-farm management and harvesting, low market price, limited market information, absence of producer organization, poor post-harvest handling, absence of cold storage, absence of collection centers, poor infrastructure, inadequate credit access, using traditional transportation system, absence of quality control, illegal traders, inadequate research and extension services and using inappropriate packaging material. Therefore, some of the recommendations were providing adequate practical training, forming producer organizations, and constructing collection centers.

Keywords: cactus pear, post-harvest losses, profit margin, value-chain

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Authors: B. Farahani, R. Fadil, A. Aboonabi, B. Hoffmann, J. Loscheider, K. Tavakolian, S. Arzanpour

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Wheelchair users spend long hours in a sitting position, and selecting the right cushion is highly critical in preventing pressure ulcers in that demographic. Pressure mapping systems (PMS) are typically used in clinical settings by therapists to identify the sitting profile and pressure points in the sitting area to select the cushion that fits the best for the users. A PMS is a flexible mat composed of arrays of distributed networks of flexible sensors. The output of the PMS systems is a color-coded image that shows the intensity of the pressure concentration. Therapists use the PMS images to compare different cushions fit for each user. This process is highly subjective and requires good visual memory for the best outcome. This paper aims to develop an image processing technique to analyze the images of PMS and provide an objective measure to assess the cushions based on their pressure distribution mappings. In this paper, we first reviewed the skeletal anatomy of the human sitting area and its relation to the PMS image. This knowledge is then used to identify the important features that must be considered in image processing. We then developed an algorithm based on those features to analyze the images and rank them according to their fit to the users' needs.

Keywords: dynamic cushion, image processing, pressure mapping system, wheelchair

Procedia PDF Downloads 170

Authors: Mahera Abdulrahman

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Objective: Healthcare transformation from traditional to modern in the country recently prompted the need to address career choices, accreditation perception and satisfaction among medical residents. However, a concerted nationwide study to understand and address burnout in the medical residency program has not been conducted in the UAE and the region. Methods: A nationwide, multicenter, cross-sectional study was designed to evaluate professional burnout and depression among medical residents in order to address the gap. Results: Our results indicate that 75.5% (216/286) of UAE medical residents had moderate to high emotional exhaustion, 84% (249/298) had high depersonalization, and 74% (216/291) had a low sense of personal accomplishment. In aggregate, 70% (212/302) of medical residents were considered to be experiencing at least one symptom of burnout based on a high emotional exhaustion score or a high depersonalization score. Depression ranging from 6-22%, depending on the specialty was also striking given the fact the Arab culture lays high emphasis on family bonding. Interestingly 83% (40/48) of medical residents who had high scores for depression also reported burnout. Conclusion: Our data indicate that burnout and depression among medical residents is epidemic. There is an immediate need to address burnout through effective interventions at both the individual and institutional levels. It is imperative to reconfigure the approach to medical training for the well-being of the next generation of physicians in the Arab world.

Keywords: mental health, Gulf, Arab, residency training, burnout, depression

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Authors: Kamal, J. P. Narayan

Abstract:

In the present wok the effects of basin-shape-ratio on the frequency content and spectral amplitudes of the basin-generated surface waves and the associated spatial variation of ground motion amplification and differential ground motion in a 3D semi-spherical basin has been studied. A recently developed 3D fourth-order spatial accurate time-domain finite-difference (FD) algorithm based on the parsimonious staggered-grid approximation of the 3D viscoelastic wave equations was used to estimate seismic responses. The simulated results demonstrated the increase of both the frequency content and the spectral amplitudes of the basin-generated surface waves and the duration of ground motion in the basin with the increase of shape-ratio of semi-spherical basin. An increase of the average spectral amplification (ASA), differential ground motion (DGM) and the average aggravation factor (AAF) towards the centre of the semi-spherical basin was obtained.

Keywords: 3D viscoelastic simulation, basin-generated surface waves, basin-shape-ratio effects, average spectral amplification, aggravation factors and differential ground motion

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Authors: Ming-Yen Chang, Sheng-Hung Ke

Abstract:

This research focuses on the development of a speed bump identification system for real-time control of adjustable shock absorbers in vehicular suspension systems. The study initially involved the collection of images of various speed bumps, and rubber speed bump profiles found on roadways. These images were utilized for training and recognition purposes through the deep learning object detection algorithm YOLOv5. Subsequently, the trained speed bump identification program was integrated with an in-vehicle camera system for live image capture during driving. These images were instantly transmitted to a computer for processing. Using the principles of monocular vision ranging, the distance between the vehicle and an approaching speed bump was determined. The appropriate control distance was established through both practical vehicle measurements and theoretical calculations. Collaboratively, with the electronically adjustable shock absorbers equipped in the vehicle, a shock absorber control system was devised to dynamically adapt the damping force just prior to encountering a speed bump. This system effectively mitigates passenger discomfort and enhances ride quality.

Keywords: adjustable shock absorbers, image recognition, monocular vision ranging, ride

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Authors: Raphaël Weuts, Mykyta Petik, Anton Vedder

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Artificial Intelligence has the potential to create and already creates enormous value in healthcare. Prescriptive systems might be able to make the use of healthcare capacity more efficient. Such systems might entail interpretations that exclude the effect of confounders that brings risks with it. Those risks might be mitigated by regulation that prevents systems entailing such risks to come to market. One modality of regulation is that of legislation, and the European AI Act is an example of such a regulatory instrument that might mitigate these risks. To assess the risk mitigation potential of the AI Act for those risks, this research focusses on a case study of a hypothetical application of medical device software that entails the aforementioned risks. The AI Act refers to the harmonised norms for already existing legislation, here being the European medical device regulation. The issue at hand is a causal link between a confounder and the value the algorithm optimises for by proxy. The research identifies where the AI Act already looks at confounders (i.a. feedback loops in systems that continue to learn after being placed on the market). The research identifies where the current proposal by parliament leaves legal uncertainty on the necessity to check for confounders that do not influence the input of the system, when the system does not continue to learn after being placed on the market. The authors propose an amendment to article 15 of the AI Act that would require high-risk systems to be developed in such a way as to mitigate risks from those aforementioned confounders.

Keywords: AI Act, healthcare, confounders, risks

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Authors: Chellammal Surianarayanan

Abstract:

Healthcare industry is generating large amounts of data driven by various needs such as record keeping, physician’s prescription, medical imaging, sensor data, Electronic Patient Record(EPR), laboratory, pharmacy, etc. Healthcare data is so big and complex that they cannot be managed by conventional hardware and software. The complexity of healthcare big data arises from large volume of data, the velocity with which the data is accumulated and different varieties such as structured, semi-structured and unstructured nature of data. Despite the complexity of big data, if the trends and patterns that exist within the big data are uncovered and analyzed, higher quality healthcare at lower cost can be provided. Hadoop is an open source software framework for distributed processing of large data sets across clusters of commodity hardware using a simple programming model. The core components of Hadoop include Hadoop Distributed File System which offers way to store large amount of data across multiple machines and MapReduce which offers way to process large data sets with a parallel, distributed algorithm on a cluster. Hadoop ecosystem also includes various other tools such as Hive (a SQL-like query language), Pig (a higher level query language for MapReduce), Hbase(a columnar data store), etc. In this paper an analysis has been done as how healthcare big data can be processed and analyzed using Hadoop ecosystem.

Keywords: big data analytics, Hadoop, healthcare data, towards quality healthcare

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Authors: Salah Alrabeei, Mohammad Yousuf

Abstract:

The goal of option pricing theory is to help the investors to manage their money, enhance returns and control their financial future by theoretically valuing their options. Modeling option pricing by Black-School models with jumps guarantees to consider the market movement. However, only numerical methods can solve this model. Furthermore, not all the numerical methods are efficient to solve these models because they have nonsmoothing payoffs or discontinuous derivatives at the exercise price. In this paper, the exponential time differencing (ETD) method is applied for solving partial integrodifferential equations arising in pricing European options under Merton’s and Kou’s jump-diffusion models. Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithm is used as a matrix-vector multiplication solver, which reduces the complexity from O(M2) into O(M logM). A partial fraction form of Pad`e schemes is used to overcome the complexity of inverting polynomial of matrices. These two tools guarantee to get efficient and accurate numerical solutions. We construct a parallel and easy to implement a version of the numerical scheme. Numerical experiments are given to show how fast and accurate is our scheme.

Keywords: Integral differential equations, , L-stable methods, pricing European options, Jump–diffusion model

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Authors: Ronelle Prinsloo

Abstract:

Teenage pregnancy in South African schools is a growing concern. In South Africa, many young female learners end their schooling permanently, not because they have completed their studies, but due to pregnancy. The admission policy of public schools is determined by the governing body of such a school, and this policy can determine that a pregnant leaner may not attend school during pregnancy and for a certain period after the birth of the child. This can be seen as an infringement of the rights of the teenage mother to be allowed to attend school. It can also be argued that this conflicts with the best interest of the child as well as the rights of the governing body to determine policy in accordance with the mandate as given to them by the parents and community served by the school. A pregnant learner can argue that the admission policy of a school is discriminatory if it does not allow the pregnant learner to continue her schooling. She may also argue that she is being unfairly discriminated against based on gender because in many instances, the baby’s father is still allowed to go to school. The Constitution (Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996), provides in section 9, that everyone is equal before the law; it goes on to provide that equality includes the full and equal enjoyment of all rights and freedoms and provides those grounds on which one may not be discriminated against including, gender, sex, and pregnancy. Schools should be encouraged to re-enroll students if they have a support system available to assist with the necessary childcare when they attend school. To dramatically increase the number of young people enrolled in alternative pathways such as Further Education and Training or Adult Basic Education and Training must be provided. In addition, alternative systems must offer viable exit opportunities for participants by cohering with further education and economic opportunities.

Keywords: admission policy, Constitution of South Africa, human rights, teenage pregnancy

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Authors: Aymen Laadhari

Abstract:

The cardiovascular system is centered on the heart and is characterized by a very complex structure with different physical scales in space (e.g. micrometers for erythrocytes and centimeters for organs) and time (e.g. milliseconds for human brain activity and several years for development of some pathologies). The development and numerical implementation of mathematical models of the cardiovascular system is a tremendously challenging topic at the theoretical and computational levels, inducing consequently a growing interest over the past decade. The accurate computational investigations in both healthy and pathological cases of processes related to the functioning of the human cardiovascular system can be of great potential in tackling several problems of clinical relevance and in improving the diagnosis of specific diseases. In this talk, we focus on the specific task of simulating three particular phenomena related to the cardiovascular system on the macroscopic, mesoscopic and microscopic scales, respectively. Namely, we develop numerical methodologies tailored for the simulation of (i) the haemodynamics (i.e., fluid mechanics of blood) in the aorta and sinus of Valsalva interacting with highly deformable thin leaflets, (ii) the hyperelastic anisotropic behaviour of cardiomyocytes and the influence of calcium concentrations on the contraction of single cells, and (iii) the dynamics of red blood cells in microvasculature. For each problem, we present an appropriate fully Eulerian finite element methodology. We report several numerical examples to address in detail the relevance of the mathematical models in terms of physiological meaning and to illustrate the accuracy and efficiency of the numerical methods.

Keywords: finite element method, cardiovascular system, Eulerian framework, haemodynamics, heart valve, cardiomyocyte, red blood cell

Procedia PDF Downloads 252