Search results for: cognitive performance
6621 Life-Cycle Assessment of Residential Buildings: Addressing the Influence of Commuting
Authors: J. Bastos, P. Marques, S. Batterman, F. Freire
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Due to demands of a growing urban population, it is crucial to manage urban development and its associated environmental impacts. While most of the environmental analyses have addressed buildings and transportation separately, both the design and location of a building affect environmental performance and focusing on one or the other can shift impacts and overlook improvement opportunities for more sustainable urban development. Recently, several life-cycle (LC) studies of residential buildings have integrated user transportation, focusing exclusively on primary energy demand and/or greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, most papers considered only private transportation (mainly car). Although it is likely to have the largest share both in terms of use and associated impacts, exploring the variability associated with mode choice is relevant for comprehensive assessments and, eventually, for supporting decision-makers. This paper presents a life-cycle assessment (LCA) of a residential building in Lisbon (Portugal), addressing building construction, use and user transportation (commuting with private and public transportation). Five environmental indicators or categories are considered: (i) non-renewable primary energy (NRE), (ii) greenhouse gas intensity (GHG), (iii) eutrophication (EUT), (iv) acidification (ACID), and (v) ozone layer depletion (OLD). In a first stage, the analysis addresses the overall life-cycle considering the statistical model mix for commuting in the residence location. Then, a comparative analysis compares different available transportation modes to address the influence mode choice variability has on the results. The results highlight the large contribution of transportation to the overall LC results in all categories. NRE and GHG show strong correlation, as the three LC phases contribute with similar shares to both of them: building construction accounts for 6-9%, building use for 44-45%, and user transportation for 48% of the overall results. However, for other impact categories there is a large variation in the relative contribution of each phase. Transport is the most significant phase in OLD (60%); however, in EUT and ACID building use has the largest contribution to the overall LC (55% and 64%, respectively). In these categories, transportation accounts for 31-38%. A comparative analysis was also performed for four alternative transport modes for the household commuting: car, bus, motorcycle, and company/school collective transport. The car has the largest results in all impact categories. When compared to the overall LC with commuting by car, mode choice accounts for a variability of about 35% in NRE, GHG and OLD (the categories where transportation accounted for the largest share of the LC), 24% in EUT and 16% in ACID. NRE and GHG show a strong correlation because all modes have internal combustion engines. The second largest results for NRE, GHG and OLD are associated with commuting by motorcycle; however, for ACID and EUT this mode has better performance than bus and company/school transport. No single transportation mode performed best in all impact categories. Integrated assessments of buildings are needed to avoid shifts of impacts between life-cycle phases and environmental categories, and ultimately to support decision-makers.Keywords: environmental impacts, LCA, Lisbon, transport
Procedia PDF Downloads 3556620 Symbiotic Organism Search (SOS) for Solving the Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem
Authors: Eki Ruskartina, Vincent F. Yu, Budi Santosa, A. A. N. Perwira Redi
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This paper introduces symbiotic organism search (SOS) for solving capacitated vehicle routing problem (CVRP). SOS is a new approach in metaheuristics fields and never been used to solve discrete problems. A sophisticated decoding method to deal with a discrete problem setting in CVRP is applied using the basic symbiotic organism search (SOS) framework. The performance of the algorithm was evaluated on a set of benchmark instances and compared results with best known solution. The computational results show that the proposed algorithm can produce good solution as a preliminary testing. These results indicated that the proposed SOS can be applied as an alternative to solve the capacitated vehicle routing problem.Keywords: symbiotic organism search, capacitated vehicle routing problem, metaheuristic
Procedia PDF Downloads 6246619 SEMCPRA-Sar-Esembled Model for Climate Prediction in Remote Area
Authors: Kamalpreet Kaur, Renu Dhir
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Climate prediction is an essential component of climate research, which helps evaluate possible effects on economies, communities, and ecosystems. Climate prediction involves short-term weather prediction, seasonal prediction, and long-term climate change prediction. Climate prediction can use the information gathered from satellites, ground-based stations, and ocean buoys, among other sources. The paper's four architectures, such as ResNet50, VGG19, Inception-v3, and Xception, have been combined using an ensemble approach for overall performance and robustness. An ensemble of different models makes a prediction, and the majority vote determines the final prediction. The various architectures such as ResNet50, VGG19, Inception-v3, and Xception efficiently classify the dataset RSI-CB256, which contains satellite images into cloudy and non-cloudy. The generated ensembled S-E model (Sar-ensembled model) provides an accuracy of 99.25%.Keywords: climate, satellite images, prediction, classification
Procedia PDF Downloads 586618 Improved Mechanical and Electrical Properties and Thermal Stability of Post-Consumer Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol Containing Hybrid System of Nanofillers
Authors: Iman Taraghi, Sandra Paszkiewicz, Daria Pawlikowska, Anna Szymczyk, Izabela Irska, Rafal Stanik, Amelia Linares, Tiberio A. Ezquerra, Elżbieta Piesowicz
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Currently, the massive use of thermoplastic materials in industrial applications causes huge amounts of polymer waste. The poly (ethylene glycol-co-1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol terephthalate) (PET-G) has been widely used in food packaging and polymer foils. In this research, the PET-G foils have been recycled and reused as a matrix to combine with different types of nanofillers such as carbon nanotubes, graphene nanoplatelets, and nanosized carbon black. The mechanical and electrical properties, as well as thermal stability and thermal conductivity of the PET-G, improved along with the addition of the aforementioned nanofillers and hybrid system of them.Keywords: polymer hybrid nanocomposites, carbon nanofillers, recycling, physical performance
Procedia PDF Downloads 1126617 Gender Equality for the Environment: Positioning India
Authors: Nivedita Roy, Aparajita Chattopadhyay
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Gender discrimination is already one of the major factors why India is still in the list of the 3rd World Countries, but, when it comes to gender inclusion in the environmental arena, this umbrella concept is quite unheard of by our countrymen. The main objective was to assess gender equality for the environment through calculating Environment and Gender Index on a country level, India, in this case. 22 states out of 29 were considered for calculation. Also, out of the 72 countries chosen by IUCN to calculate EGI, the lower middle income group of countries was chosen to assess the position of India, also a lower middle income group country, among them. Linear Regression is executed through SPSS and simple graphs and tables are prepared through MS-EXCEL for analysis. India portrays good governance, reporting activities well to the UN but in terms of basic livelihood and gender equality, the performance is comparatively weak.Keywords: environment, gender, livelihood, rights, participation, development, conservation
Procedia PDF Downloads 4356616 Design and Manufacture of Non-Contact Moving Load for Experimental Analysis of Beams
Authors: Firooz Bakhtiari-Nejad, Hamidreza Rostami, Meysam Mirzaee, Mona Zandbaf
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Dynamic tests are an important step of the design of engineering structures, because the accuracy of predictions of theoretical–numerical procedures can be assessed. In experimental test of moving loads that is one of the major research topics, the load is modeled as a simple moving mass or a small vehicle. This paper deals with the applicability of Non-Contact Moving Load (NML) for vibration analysis. For this purpose, an experimental set-up is designed to generate the different types of NML including constant and harmonic. The proposed method relies on pressurized air which is useful, especially when dealing with fragile or sensitive structures. To demonstrate the performance of this system, the set-up is employed for a modal analysis of a beam and detecting crack of the beam. The obtained results indicate that the experimental set-up for NML can be an attractive alternative to the moving load problems.Keywords: experimental analysis, moving load, non-contact excitation, materials engineering
Procedia PDF Downloads 4546615 Multiphase Equilibrium Characterization Model For Hydrate-Containing Systems Based On Trust-Region Method Non-Iterative Solving Approach
Authors: Zhuoran Li, Guan Qin
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A robust and efficient compositional equilibrium characterization model for hydrate-containing systems is required, especially for time-critical simulations such as subsea pipeline flow assurance analysis, compositional simulation in hydrate reservoirs etc. A multiphase flash calculation framework, which combines Gibbs energy minimization function and cubic plus association (CPA) EoS, is developed to describe the highly non-ideal phase behavior of hydrate-containing systems. A non-iterative eigenvalue problem-solving approach for the trust-region sub-problem is selected to guarantee efficiency. The developed flash model is based on the state-of-the-art objective function proposed by Michelsen to minimize the Gibbs energy of the multiphase system. It is conceivable that a hydrate-containing system always contains polar components (such as water and hydrate inhibitors), introducing hydrogen bonds to influence phase behavior. Thus, the cubic plus associating (CPA) EoS is utilized to compute the thermodynamic parameters. The solid solution theory proposed by van der Waals and Platteeuw is applied to represent hydrate phase parameters. The trust-region method combined with the trust-region sub-problem non-iterative eigenvalue problem-solving approach is utilized to ensure fast convergence. The developed multiphase flash model's accuracy performance is validated by three available models (one published and two commercial models). Hundreds of published hydrate-containing system equilibrium experimental data are collected to act as the standard group for the accuracy test. The accuracy comparing results show that our model has superior performances over two models and comparable calculation accuracy to CSMGem. Efficiency performance test also has been carried out. Because the trust-region method can determine the optimization step's direction and size simultaneously, fast solution progress can be obtained. The comparison results show that less iteration number is needed to optimize the objective function by utilizing trust-region methods than applying line search methods. The non-iterative eigenvalue problem approach also performs faster computation speed than the conventional iterative solving algorithm for the trust-region sub-problem, further improving the calculation efficiency. A new thermodynamic framework of the multiphase flash model for the hydrate-containing system has been constructed in this work. Sensitive analysis and numerical experiments have been carried out to prove the accuracy and efficiency of this model. Furthermore, based on the current thermodynamic model in the oil and gas industry, implementing this model is simple.Keywords: equation of state, hydrates, multiphase equilibrium, trust-region method
Procedia PDF Downloads 1626614 DBN-Based Face Recognition System Using Light Field
Authors: Bing Gu
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Abstract—Most of Conventional facial recognition systems are based on image features, such as LBP, SIFT. Recently some DBN-based 2D facial recognition systems have been proposed. However, we find there are few DBN-based 3D facial recognition system and relative researches. 3D facial images include all the individual biometric information. We can use these information to build more accurate features, So we present our DBN-based face recognition system using Light Field. We can see Light Field as another presentation of 3D image, and Light Field Camera show us a way to receive a Light Field. We use the commercially available Light Field Camera to act as the collector of our face recognition system, and the system receive a state-of-art performance as convenient as conventional 2D face recognition system.Keywords: DBN, face recognition, light field, Lytro
Procedia PDF Downloads 4546613 Synthesis of CeF3:Sm3+ Nanophosphor for Biological Applications
Authors: Mayuri Gandhi, Nayan Agrawal, Harshita Bhatia
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In the present work, cerium fluoride (CeF3) was selected as the host material because of its high density, fast response and high radiation resistance, efficient absorption and energy transfer by host (to activator). For the synthesis of CeF3 nanoparticles doped with Sm3+ ion, co-precipitation route was employed. Thus for optimum results, concentration dependent studies of the fluorescence of Sm3+ was carried out. The photoluminescence gave emissions in both visible as well as the NIR region and therefore it can have its application in solar cells, where it can absorb a large spectrum of energy. CeF3:Sm3+ nanoparticles were carefully incorporated in a suitable polymer matrix in order to demonstrate a variety of applications to improve the performance of the polymer materials and use it to develop high grade optoelectronic devices such as LEDs, security labelling, lasers, displays, biological imaging, etc.Keywords: bioimaging, cerium fluoride, NIR emission, samarium
Procedia PDF Downloads 4006612 Performance Evaluation of Contemporary Classifiers for Automatic Detection of Epileptic EEG
Authors: K. E. Ch. Vidyasagar, M. Moghavvemi, T. S. S. T. Prabhat
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Epilepsy is a global problem, and with seizures eluding even the smartest of diagnoses a requirement for automatic detection of the same using electroencephalogram (EEG) would have a huge impact in diagnosis of the disorder. Among a multitude of methods for automatic epilepsy detection, one should find the best method out, based on accuracy, for classification. This paper reasons out, and rationalizes, the best methods for classification. Accuracy is based on the classifier, and thus this paper discusses classifiers like quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA), classification and regression tree (CART), support vector machine (SVM), naive Bayes classifier (NBC), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), K-nearest neighbor (KNN) and artificial neural networks (ANN). Results show that ANN is the most accurate of all the above stated classifiers with 97.7% accuracy, 97.25% specificity and 98.28% sensitivity in its merit. This is followed closely by SVM with 1% variation in result. These results would certainly help researchers choose the best classifier for detection of epilepsy.Keywords: classification, seizure, KNN, SVM, LDA, ANN, epilepsy
Procedia PDF Downloads 5066611 Direct Design of Steel Bridge Using Nonlinear Inelastic Analysis
Authors: Boo-Sung Koh, Seung-Eock Kim
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In this paper, a direct design using a nonlinear inelastic analysis is suggested. Also, this paper compares the load carrying capacity obtained by a nonlinear inelastic analysis with experiment results to verify the accuracy of the results. The allowable stress design results of a railroad through a plate girder bridge and the safety factor of the nonlinear inelastic analysis were compared to examine the safety performance. As a result, the load safety factor for the nonlinear inelastic analysis was twice as high as the required safety factor under the allowable stress design standard specified in the civil engineering structure design standards for urban magnetic levitation railways, which further verified the advantages of the proposed direct design method.Keywords: direct design, nonlinear inelastic analysis, residual stress, initial geometric imperfection
Procedia PDF Downloads 5246610 Bayesian Optimization for Reaction Parameter Tuning: An Exploratory Study of Parameter Optimization in Oxidative Desulfurization of Thiophene
Authors: Aman Sharma, Sonali Sengupta
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The study explores the utility of Bayesian optimization in tuning the physical and chemical parameters of reactions in an offline experimental setup. A comparative analysis of the influence of the acquisition function on the optimization performance is also studied. For proxy first and second-order reactions, the results are indifferent to the acquisition function used, whereas, while studying the parameters for oxidative desulphurization of thiophene in an offline setup, upper confidence bound (UCB) provides faster convergence along with a marginal trade-off in the maximum conversion achieved. The work also demarcates the critical number of independent parameters and input observations required for both sequential and offline reaction setups to yield tangible results.Keywords: acquisition function, Bayesian optimization, desulfurization, kinetics, thiophene
Procedia PDF Downloads 1736609 Two Points Crossover Genetic Algorithm for Loop Layout Design Problem
Authors: Xu LiYun, Briand Florent, Fan GuoLiang
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The loop-layout design problem (LLDP) aims at optimizing the sequence of positioning of the machines around the cyclic production line. Traffic congestion is the usual criteria to minimize in this type of problem, i.e. the number of additional cycles spent by each part in the network until the completion of its required routing sequence of machines. This paper aims at applying several improvements mechanisms such as a positioned-based crossover operator for the Genetic Algorithm (GA) called a Two Points Crossover (TPC) and an offspring selection process. The performance of the improved GA is measured using well-known examples from literature and compared to other evolutionary algorithms. Good results show that GA can still be competitive for this type of problem against more recent evolutionary algorithms.Keywords: crossover, genetic algorithm, layout design problem, loop-layout, manufacturing optimization
Procedia PDF Downloads 2676608 Performance Analysis of Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser and Distributed Feedback Laser for Community Access Television
Authors: Ashima Rai
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CATV transmission systems have altered from old cable based one-way analog video transmission to two ways hybrid fiber transmission. The use of optical fiber reduces the RF amplifiers in the transmission, high transmission power or lower fiber transmission losses are required to increase system capability. This paper evaluates and compares Distributed Feedback (DFB) laser and Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) for CATV transmission. The simulation results exhibit the better performer among both lasers taking into consideration the parameters chosen for evaluation.Keywords: Distributed Feedback (DFB), Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL), Community Access Television (CATV), Composite Second Order (CSO), Composite Triple Beat (CTB), RF
Procedia PDF Downloads 3546607 Biocompatible Ionic Liquids in Liquid-Liquid Extraction of Lactic Acid: A Comparative Study
Authors: Konstantza Tonova, Ivan Svinyarov, Milen G. Bogdanov
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Ionic liquids consisting of pairs of imidazolium or phosphonium cation and chloride or saccharinate anion were synthesized and compared with respect to their extraction efficiency towards the fermentative L-lactic acid. The acid partitioning in the equilibrated biphasic systems of ionic liquid and water was quantified through the extraction degree and the partition coefficient. The water transfer from the aqueous into the ionic liquid-rich phase was also always followed. The effect of pH, which determines the state of lactic acid in the aqueous source was studied. The effect of other salting-out substances that modify the ionic liquid/water equilibrium was also investigated in view to reveal the best liquid-liquid system with respect to low toxicity, high extraction and back extraction efficiencies and performance simplicity.Keywords: ionic liquids, biphasic system, extraction, lactic acid
Procedia PDF Downloads 4686606 Accumulated Gender-Diverse Co-signing Experience, Knowledge Sharing, and Audit Quality
Authors: Anxuan Xie, Chun-Chan Yu
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Survey evidence provides support that auditors can gain professional knowledge not only from client firms but also from teammates they work with. Furthermore, given that knowledge is accumulated in nature, along with the reality that auditors today must work in an environment of increased diversity, whether the attributes of teammates will influence the effects of knowledge sharing and accumulation and ultimately influence an audit partner’s audit quality should be interesting research issues. We test whether the gender of co-signers will moderate the effect of a lead partner’s cooperative experiences on financial restatements. Furthermore, if the answer is “yes”, we further investigate the underlying reasons. We use data from Taiwan because, according to Taiwan’s law, engagement partners, who are basically two certificate public accountants from the same audit firm, are required to disclose (i.e., sign) their names in the audit report of public companies since 1983. Therefore, we can trace each engagement partner’s historic direct cooperative (co-signing) records and get large-sample data. We find that the benefits of knowledge sharing manifest primarily via co-signing audit reports with audit partners of different gender from the lead engagement partners, supporting the argument that in an audit setting, accumulated gender-diverse working relationship is positively associated with knowledge sharing, and therefore improve lead engagements’ audit quality. This study contributes to the extant literature in the following ways. First, we provide evidence that in the auditing setting, the experiences accumulated from cooperating with teammates of a different gender from the lead partner can improve audit quality. Given that most studies find evidence of negative effects of surface-level diversity on team performance, the results of this study support the prior literature that the association between diversity and knowledge sharing actually hinges on the context (e.g., organizational culture, task complexity) and “bridge” (a pre-existing commonality among team members that can smooth the process of diversity toward favorable results) among diversity team members. Second, this study also provides practical insights with respect to the audit firms’ policy of knowledge sharing and deployment of engagement partners. For example, for audit firms that appreciate the merits of knowledge sharing, the deployment of auditors of different gender within an audit team can help auditors accumulate audit-related knowledge, which will further benefit the future performance of those audit firms. Moreover, nowadays, client firms also attach importance to the diversity of their engagement partners. As their policy goals, lawmakers and regulators also continue to promote a gender-diverse working environment. The findings of this study indicate that for audit firms, gender diversity will not be just a means to cater to those groups. Third, for audit committees or other stakeholders, they can evaluate the quality of existing (or potential) lead partners by tracking their co-signing experiences, especially whether they have gender-diverse co-signing experiences.Keywords: co-signing experiences, audit quality, knowledge sharing, gender diversity
Procedia PDF Downloads 726605 Bio-Medical Equipment Technicians: Crucial Workforce to Improve Quality of Health Services in Rural Remote Hospitals in Nepal
Authors: C. M. Sapkota, B. P. Sapkota
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Background: Continuous developments in science and technology are increasing the availability of thousands of medical devices – all of which should be of good quality and used appropriately to address global health challenges. It is obvious that bio medical devices are becoming ever more indispensable in health service delivery and among the key workforce responsible for their design, development, regulation, evaluation and training in their use: biomedical technician (BMET) is the crucial. As a pivotal member of health workforce, biomedical technicians are an essential component of the quality health service delivery mechanism supporting the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals. Methods: The study was based on cross sectional descriptive design. Indicators measuring the quality of health services were assessed in Mechi Zonal Hospital (MZH) and Sagarmatha Zonal Hospital (SZH). Indicators were calculated based on the data about hospital utilization and performance of 2018 available in Medical record section of both hospitals. MZH had employed the BMET during 2018 but SZH had no BMET in 2018.Focus Group Discussion with health workers in both hospitals was conducted to validate the hospital records. Client exit interview was conducted to assess the level of client satisfaction in both the hospitals. Results: In MZH there was round the clock availability and utilization of Radio diagnostics equipment, Laboratory equipment. Operation Theater was functional throughout the year. Bed Occupancy rate in MZH was 97% but in SZH it was only 63%.In SZH, OT was functional only 54% of the days in 2018. CT scan machine was just installed but not functional. Computerized X-Ray in SZH was functional only in 72% of the days. Level of client satisfaction was 87% in MZH but was just 43% in SZH. MZH performed all (256) the Caesarean Sections but SZH performed only 36% of 210 Caesarean Sections in 2018. In annual performance ranking of Government Hospitals, MZH was placed in 1st rank while as SZH was placed in 19th rank out of 32 referral hospitals nationwide in 2018. Conclusion: Biomedical technicians are the crucial member of the human resource for health team with the pivotal role. Trained and qualified BMET professionals are required within health-care systems in order to design, evaluate, regulate, acquire, maintain, manage and train on safe medical technologies. Applying knowledge of engineering and technology to health-care systems to ensure availability, affordability, accessibility, acceptability and utilization of the safer, higher quality, effective, appropriate and socially acceptable bio medical technology to populations for preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative care across all levels of the health service delivery.Keywords: biomedical equipment technicians, BMET, human resources for health, HRH, quality health service, rural hospitals
Procedia PDF Downloads 1186604 Feasibility of Online Health Coaching for Canadian Armed Forces Personnel Receiving Treatment for Depression, Anxiety and PTSD
Authors: Noah Wayne, Andrea Tuka, Adrian Norbash, Bryan Garber, Paul Ritvo
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Program/Intervention Description: The Canadian Armed Forces(CAF) Mental Health Clinicstreat a full spectrum of mental disorder, addictions, and psychosocial issues that include Major Depressive Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and other diagnoses. We evaluated the feasibility of an online health coach interventiondelivering mindfulness based cognitive behavioral therapy (M-CBT) and behaviour changesupport for individuals receiving treatment at CAF Clinics. Participants were provided accounts on NexJ Connected Wellness, a digital health platform, and 16 weeks of phone-based health coaching,emphasizingmild to moderate aerobic exercise, a healthy diet, and M-CBT content. The primary objective was to assess the feasibility of the online deliverywith CAF members. Evaluation Methods: Feasibility was evaluated in terms of recruitment, engagement, and program satisfaction. Weadditionallyevaluatedhealth behavior change, program completion, and mental health symptoms (i.e. PHQ-9, GAD-7, PCL-5) at three time points. Results: Service members were referred from Vancouver, Esquimalt, and Edmonton CAF bases between August 2020 and January 2021. N=106 CAF personnel were referred, and n=77 consented.N=66 participated, and n=44 completed 4-month and follow-up measures. The platform received a mean rating of76.5 on the System Usability Scale, and health coaching was judged the most helpful program feature (95.2% endorsement), while reminders (53.7%), secure messaging (51.2%), and notifications (51.2%) were also identified. Improvements in mental health status during active interventions were observed on the PHQ-9 (-5.4, p<0.001), GAD-7 (-4.0, p<0.001), and PCL-5 (-4.1, p<0.05). Conclusion: Online health coaching was well-received amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdowns. Uptake and engagement were positively reported. Participants valuedcontacts and reported strong therapeutic alliances with coaches. Healthy diet, regular exercise, and mindfulness practice are important for physical and mental health. Engagements in these behaviors are associated with reduced symptoms. An online health coach program appears feasible for assisting Canadian Armed Forces personnel.Keywords: coaching, CBT, military, depression, mental health, digital
Procedia PDF Downloads 1516603 Comparison between Transient Elastography (FibroScan) and Liver Biopsy for Diagnosis of Hepatic Fibrosis in Chronic Hepatitis C Genotype 4
Authors: Gamal Shiha, Seham Seif, Shahera Etreby, Khaled Zalata, Waleed Samir
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Background: Transient Elastography (TE; FibroScan®) is a non-invasive technique to assess liver fibrosis. Aim: To compare TE and liver biopsy in hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients, genotype IV and evaluate the effect of steatosis and schistosomiasis on FibroScan. Methods: The fibrosis stage (METAVIR Score) TE, was assessed in 519 patients. The diagnostic performance of FibroScan is assessed by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROCs). Results: The cut-off value of ≥ F2 was 8.55 kPa, ≥ F3 was 10.2 kPa and cirrhosis = F4 was 16.3 kPa. The positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 70.1% and 81.7% for the diagnosis of ≥ F2, 62.6% and 96.22% for F ≥ 3, and 27.7% and 100% for F4. No significant difference between schistosomiasis, steatosis degree and FibroScan measurements. Conclusion: Fibroscan could accurately predict liver fibrosis.Keywords: chronic hepatitis C, FibroScan, liver biopsy, liver fibrosis
Procedia PDF Downloads 3996602 A Novel Fuzzy Second-Order Sliding Mode Control of a Doubly Fed Induction Generator for Wind Energy Conversion
Authors: Elhadj Bounadja, Mohand Oulhadj Mahmoudi, Abdelkader Djahbar, Zinelaabidine Boudjema
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In this paper we present a novel fuzzy second-order sliding mode control (FSOSMC) for wind energy conversion system based on a doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG). The proposed control strategy combines a fuzzy logic and a second-order sliding mode for the DFIG control. This strategy presents attractive features such as chattering-free, compared to the conventional first and second order sliding mode techniques. The use of this method provides very satisfactory performance for the DFIG control. The overall strategy has been validated on a 1.5-MW wind turbine driven a DFIG using the Matlab/Simulink.Keywords: doubly fed induction generator, fuzzy second-order sliding mode controller, wind energy
Procedia PDF Downloads 5426601 Optimization of Process Parameters by Using Taguchi Method for Bainitic Steel Machining
Authors: Vinay Patil, Swapnil Kekade, Ashish Supare, Vinayak Pawar, Shital Jadhav, Rajkumar Singh
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In recent days, bainitic steel is used in automobile and non-automobile sectors due to its high strength. Bainitic steel is difficult to machine because of its high hardness, hence in this paper machinability of bainitic steel is studied by using Taguchi design of experiments (DOE) approach. Convectional turning experiments were done by using L16 orthogonal array for three input parameters viz. cutting speed, depth of cut and feed. The Taguchi method is applied to study the performance characteristics of machining parameters with surface roughness (Ra), cutting force and tool wear rate. By using Taguchi analysis, optimized process parameters for best surface finish and minimum cutting forces were analyzed.Keywords: conventional turning, Taguchi method, S/N ratio, bainitic steel machining
Procedia PDF Downloads 3226600 Ficus carica as Adsorbent for Removal of Phenol from Aqueous Solutions: Modeling and Optimization
Authors: Tizi Hayet, Berrama Tarek, Bounif Nadia
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Phenol and its derivatives are organic compounds utilized in the chemical industry. They are introduced into the environment by accidental spills and the illegal release of industrial and municipal wastewater. Phenols are organic intermediaries that are considered potential pollutants. Adsorption is one of the purification and separation techniques used in this area. Algeria annually produces 131000 tons of fig; therefore, a large amount of fig leaves is generated, and the conversion of this waste into adsorbent allows the valorization of agricultural residue. The main purpose of this present work is to describe an application of a statistical method for modeling and to optimize the conditions of the phenol adsorption from agricultural by-products, locally available (fig leaves). The best experimental performance of phenol elimination on the adsorbent was obtained with: Adsorbent concentration (X₂) = 200 mg L⁻¹; Initial concentration (X₃) = 150 mg L⁻¹; Speed agitation (X₁) = 300 rpm.Keywords: low-cost adsorbents, adsorption, fig leaves, phenol, factorial design
Procedia PDF Downloads 1016599 Port Miami in the Caribbean and Mesoamerica: Data, Spatial Networks and Trends
Authors: Richard Grant, Landolf Rhode-Barbarigos, Shouraseni Sen Roy, Lucas Brittan, Change Li, Aiden Rowe
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Ports are critical for the US economy, connecting farmers, manufacturers, retailers, consumers and an array of transport and storage operators. Port facilities vary widely in terms of their productivity, footprint, specializations, and governance. In this context, Port Miami is considered as one of the busiest ports providing both cargo and cruise services in connecting the wider region of the Caribbean and Mesoamerica to the global networks. It is considered as the “Cruise Capital of the World and Global Gateway of the Americas” and “leading container port in Florida.” Furthermore, it has also been ranked as one of the top container ports in the world and the second most efficient port in North America. In this regard, Port Miami has made significant investments in the strategic and capital infrastructure of about US$1 billion, including increasing the channel depth and other onshore infrastructural enhancements. Therefore, this study involves a detailed analysis of Port Miami’s network, using publicly available multiple years of data about marine vessel traffic, cargo, and connectivity and performance indices from 2015-2021. Through the analysis of cargo and cruise vessels to and from Port Miami and its relative performance at the global scale from 2015 to 2021, this study examines the port’s long-term resilience and future growth potential. The main results of the analyses indicate that the top category for both inbound and outbound cargo is manufactured products and textiles. In addition, there are a lot of fresh fruits, vegetables, and produce for inbound and processed food for outbound cargo. Furthermore, the top ten port connections for Port Miami are all located in the Caribbean region, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Southeast USA. About half of the inbound cargo comes from Savannah, Saint Thomas, and Puerto Plata, while outbound cargo is from Puerto Corte, Freeport, and Kingston. Additionally, for cruise vessels, a significantly large number of vessels originate from Nassau, followed by Freeport. The number of passenger's vessels pre-COVID was almost 1,000 per year, which dropped substantially in 2020 and 2021 to around 300 vessels. Finally, the resilience and competitiveness of Port Miami were also assessed in terms of its network connectivity by examining the inbound and outbound maritime vessel traffic. It is noteworthy that the most frequent port connections for Port Miami were Freeport and Savannah, followed by Kingston, Nassau, and New Orleans. However, several of these ports, Puerto Corte, Veracruz, Puerto Plata, and Santo Thomas, have low resilience and are highly vulnerable, which needs to be taken into consideration for the long-term resilience of Port Miami in the future.Keywords: port, Miami, network, cargo, cruise
Procedia PDF Downloads 746598 Understanding the Influence of Social Media on Individual’s Quality of Life Perceptions
Authors: Biljana Marković
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Social networks are an integral part of our everyday lives, becoming an indispensable medium for communication in personal and business environments. New forms and ways of communication change the general mindset and significantly affect the quality of life of individuals. Quality of life is perceived as an abstract term, but often people are not aware that they directly affect the quality of their own lives, making minor but significant everyday choices and decisions. Quality of life can be defined broadly, but in the widest sense, it involves a subjective sense of satisfaction with one's life. Scientific knowledge about the impact of social networks on self-assessment of the quality of life of individuals is only just beginning to be researched. Available research indicates potential benefits as well as a number of disadvantages. In the context of the previous claims, the focus of the study conducted by the authors of this paper focuses on analyzing the impact of social networks on individual’s self-assessment of quality of life and the correlation between time spent on social networks, and the choice of content that individuals choose to share to present themselves. Moreover, it is aimed to explain how much and in what ways they critically judge the lives of others online. The research aspires to show the positive as well as negative aspects that social networks, primarily Facebook and Instagram, have on creating a picture of individuals and how they compare themselves with others. The topic of this paper is based on quantitative research conducted on a representative sample. An analysis of the results of the survey conducted online has elaborated a hypothesis which claims that content shared by individuals on social networks influences the image they create about themselves. A comparative analysis of the results obtained with the results of similar research has led to the conclusion about the synergistic influence of social networks on the feeling of the quality of life of respondents. The originality of this work is reflected in the approach of conducting research by examining attitudes about an individual's life satisfaction, the way he or she creates a picture of himself/herself through social networks, the extent to which he/she compares herself/himself with others, and what social media applications he/she uses. At the cognitive level, scientific contributions were made through the development of information concepts on quality of life, and at the methodological level through the development of an original methodology for qualitative alignment of respondents' attitudes using statistical analysis. Furthermore, at the practical level through the application of concepts in assessing the creation of self-image and the image of others through social networks.Keywords: quality of life, social media, self image, influence of social media
Procedia PDF Downloads 1156597 Power Quality Audit Using Fluke Analyzer
Authors: N. Ravikumar, S. Krishnan, B. Yokeshkumar
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In present days, the power quality issues are increases due to non-linear loads like fridge, AC, washing machines, induction motor, etc. This power quality issues will affects the output voltages, output current, and output power of the total performance of the generator. This paper explains how to test the generator using the Fluke 435 II series power quality analyser. This Fluke 435 II series power quality analyser is used to measure the voltage, current, power, energy, total harmonic distortion (THD), current harmonics, voltage harmonics, power factor, and frequency. The Fluke 435 II series power quality analyser have several advantages. They are i) it will records output in analog and digital format. ii) the fluke analyzer will records at every 0.25 sec. iii) it will also measure all the electrical parameter at a time.Keywords: THD, harmonics, power quality, TNEB, Fluke 435
Procedia PDF Downloads 1706596 ReS, Resonant String Shell: Development of an Acoustic Shell for Outdoor Chamber Music Concerts
Authors: Serafino Di Rosario
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ReS is a sustainable hand-built temporary acoustic shell, developed since 2011 and built during the architectural workshop at Villa Pennisi in Musica in Acireale, Sicily, each year since 2012. The design concept aims to provide a portable structure by reducing the on-site construction problems and the skills required by the builders together with maximizing the acoustic performance for the audience and the musicians. The shell is built using only wood, recycled for the most part, and can be built and dismantled by non-specialized workers in just three days. This paper describes the research process, which spans over four years and presents the final results in form of acoustic simulations performed by acoustic modeling software and real world measurements. ReS is developed by the ReS team who has been presented with the Peter Lord Award in 2015 by the Institute of Acoustics in the UK.Keywords: acoustic shell, outdoor natural amplification, computational design, room acoustics
Procedia PDF Downloads 2206595 Design, Prototyping, Integration, Flight Testing of a 20 cm Span Fully Autonomous Fixed Wing Micro Air Vehicle
Authors: Vivek Paul, Abel Nelly, Shoeb A Adeel, R. Tilak, S. Maheshwaran, S. Pulikeshi, Roshan Antony, C. S. Suraj
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This paper presents the complete design and development cycle of a 20 cm span fixed wing micro air vehicle that was developed at CSIR-NAL, under the micro air vehicle development program. The design is a cropped delta flying wing MAV with a modified N22 airfoil of 12.3% thickness. The design was fabricated using the fused deposition method- RPT technique. COTS components were procured and integrated into this RPT prototype. A commercial autopilot that was proven in the earlier MAV designs was used for this MAV. The MAV was flown fully autonomous for 14mins at an open field. The flight data showed good performance as expected from the MAV design. The paper also describes about the process involved in the design of MAVs.Keywords: autopilot, autonomous mode, flight testing, MAV, RPT
Procedia PDF Downloads 5136594 Catalytic Deoxygenation of Propionic Acid in the Vapour Phase
Authors: Hossein Bayahia, Mohammed Saad Motlaq Al-Gahmdi
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The gas-phase deoxygenation of propionic acid was investigated in the presence of Co-Mo catalysts in N2 or H2 flow at 200-400 °C. In the presence of N2 the main product was 3-pentanone with other deoxygenates and some light gases: ethane and ethene. Using H2 flow, the catalyst was active for decarboxylation and decarbonylation of acid and the yields of ethane and ethene. The decarboxylation and decarbonylation reactions increased with increasing temperature. Cobalt-molybdenum supported on alumina showed better performance than bulk catalyst, especially at 400 °C in the presence of N2 for the ketonisation of propionic acid to form 3-pentanone as the main product. Bulk and supported catalysts were characterized by surface area porosity (BET), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) of pyridine adsorption.Keywords: deoxygenation, propionic acid, gas-phase, catalyst
Procedia PDF Downloads 2796593 A Framework for Investigating Reverse Logistics Capability of E-Tailers
Authors: Wen-Shan Lin, Shu-Lu Hsu
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Environmental concern and consumer rights have entailed e-tailers to adopt better strategies to facilitate product returns from customers. As the demand for reverse logistics (RL) continues to grow, little is known about what motivates e-tailers to enhance their RL capabilities and about the role RL capabilities plays in enabling e-tailers to achieve better customer satisfaction and economic performance. Based on resource-based theory and institutional theory, this article proposes that the following factors play a critical role in influencing the RL capability of e-tailers: (a) Financial resource commitment to RL, (b) managerial resource commitment to RL, and (c) institutional pressure to implement RL. Based on the role of these factors, the study provides a framework and propositions that serve to guide future research addressing the link among resources, institutional pressure, and RL capability.Keywords: reverse logistics, e-tailing, resource-based theory, institutional theory
Procedia PDF Downloads 4436592 Solution to Increase the Produced Power in Micro-Hydro Power Plant
Authors: Radu Pop, Adrian Bot, Vasile Rednic, Emil Bruj, Oana Raita, Liviu Vaida
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Our research presents a study concerning optimization of water flow capture for micro-hydro power plants in order to increase the energy production. It is known that the fish ladder whole, were the water is capture is fix, and the water flow may vary with the river flow, this means that on the fish ladder we will have different servitude flows, sometimes more than needed. We propose to demonstrate that the ‘winter intake’ from micro-hydro power plant, could be automated with an intelligent system which is capable to read some imposed data and adjust the flow in to the needed value. With this automation concept, we demonstrate that the performance of the micro-hydro power plant could increase, in some flow operating regimes, with approx. 10%.Keywords: energy, micro-hydro, water intake, fish ladder
Procedia PDF Downloads 224