Search results for: computational model(s)

Authors: Narges Arsanious Kamel Arsanious

Abstract:

A descriptive statistical analysis of the data showed that the most important factor evoking negative attitudes among teachers is student behavior. have been presented as useful models for understanding the risk factors and protective factors associated with the emergence of autistic traits. Although these "syndrome" forms of autism reach clinical thresholds, they appear to be distinctly different from the idiopathic or "non-syndrome" autism phenotype. Most teachers reported that kindergartens did not prepare them for the educational needs of children with autism, particularly in relation to non-verbal skills. The study is important and points the way for improving teacher inclusion education in Thailand. Inclusive education for students with autism is still in its infancy in Thailand. Although the number of autistic children in schools has increased significantly since the Thai government introduced the Education Regulations for Persons with Disabilities Act in 2008, there is a general lack of services for autistic students and their families. This quantitative study used the Teaching Skills and Readiness Scale for Students with Autism (APTSAS) to test the attitudes and readiness of 110 elementary school teachers when teaching students with autism in general education classrooms. To uncover the true nature of these co morbidities, it is necessary to expand the definition of autism to include the cognitive features of the disorder, and then apply this expanded conceptualization to examine patterns of autistic syndromes. This study used various established eye-tracking paradigms to assess the visual and attention performance of children with DS and FXS who meet the autism thresholds defined in the Social Communication Questionnaire. To study whether the autistic profiles of these children are associated with visual orientation difficulties ("sticky attention"), decreased social attention, and increased visual search performance, all of which are hallmarks of the idiopathic autistic child phenotype. Data will be collected from children with DS and FXS, aged 6 to 10 years, and two control groups matched for age and intellectual ability (i.e., children with idiopathic autism).In order to enable a comparison of visual attention profiles, cross-sectional analyzes of developmental trajectories are carried out. Significant differences in the visual-attentive processes underlying the presentation of autism in children with FXS and DS have been suggested, supporting the concept of syndrome specificity. The study provides insights into the complex heterogeneity associated with autism syndrome symptoms and autism itself, with clinical implications for the utility of autism intervention programs in DS and FXS populations.

Keywords: attitude, autism, teachers, sports activities, movement skills, motor skills

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Authors: Narges Arsanious Kamel Arsanious

Abstract:

A descriptive statistical analysis of the data showed that the most important factor evoking negative attitudes among teachers is student behavior. It have been presented as useful models for understanding the risk factors and protective factors associated with the emergence of autistic traits. Although these ‘syndrome’ forms of autism reach clinical thresholds, they appear to be distinctly different from the idiopathic or ‘non-syndrome’ autism phenotype. Most teachers reported that kindergartens did not prepare them for the educational needs of children with autism, particularly in relation to non-verbal skills. The study is important and points the way for improving teacher inclusion education in Thailand. Inclusive education for students with autism is still in its infancy in Thailand. Although the number of autistic children in schools has increased significantly since the Thai government introduced the Education Regulations for Persons with Disabilities Act in 2008, there is a general lack of services for autistic students and their families. This quantitative study used the Teaching Skills and Readiness Scale for Students with Autism (APTSAS) to test the attitudes and readiness of 110 elementary school teachers when teaching students with autism in general education classrooms. To uncover the true nature of these co morbidities, it is necessary to expand the definition of autism to include the cognitive features of the disorder, and then apply this expanded conceptualization to examine patterns of autistic syndromes. This study used various established eye-tracking paradigms to assess the visual and attention performance of children with DS and FXS who meet the autism thresholds defined in the Social Communication Questionnaire. To study whether the autistic profiles of these children are associated with visual orientation difficulties (sticky attention), decreased social attention, and increased visual search performance, all of which are hallmarks of the idiopathic autistic child phenotype. Data will be collected from children with DS and FXS, aged 6 to 10 years, and two control groups matched for age and intellectual ability (i.e., children with idiopathic autism). In order to enable a comparison of visual attention profiles, cross-sectional analyzes of developmental trajectories are carried out. Significant differences in the visual-attentive processes underlying the presentation of autism in children with FXS and DS have been suggested, supporting the concept of syndrome specificity. The study provides insights into the complex heterogeneity associated with autism syndrome symptoms and autism itself, with clinical implications for the utility of autism intervention programs in DS and FXS populations.

Keywords: attitude, autism, teachers, sports activities, movement skills, motor skills

Procedia PDF Downloads 41

Authors: Kersch-Counet C., Fransen K. H. S., Broyd M., Nyakayiru J. D. O. A., Schoemaker M. H., Mallee L. F., Bovee-Oudenhoven I. M. J.

Abstract:

Background: Around one third of people, including athletes, suffer from feelings of gut discomfort. Fermentation of dairy is a process that has been associated with products that can improve gut health. However, insight in (potential) health benefits of most fermented foods is limited to chemical analyses and in-vitro models. Objective: The aim of this open-label, single-arm explorative trial was to investigate in a real life setting the effect of consumption of a fermented whey product for 3 weeks on self-perceived physical and mental wellbeing and digestive issues in 150 US recreational athletes (20-50 years of age) with self-reported gut complaints at enrolment. Methods: Participants living at the West-Coast of the US received for 3 weeks a daily powder of 15 g of BiotisTM Fermentis to be mixed in water using a supplied shaker. Weekly questionnaires were conducted by MMR research to study the effect on physical/mental health issues and self-perceived gut complaints. Non-parametric tests (e.g., Friedman test) were used to assess statistical differences over time while the Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used for sub-groups analysis. Results: Bloating, stress and anxiety were the top 3 issues of the US recreational athletes. Satisfaction of physical wellbeing increased significantly throughout the 3-weeks of fermented whey product consumption (p<0.0005). Combined digestive issues decreased significantly after 2- and 3-weeks of product consumption, with bloating showing a significant reduction (p<0.05). There was a trend that self-reported stress levels reduced after 3 weeks and participants said to significantly feel more active, energetic, and vital (p<0.05). Subgroup analysis showed that gender and habitual protein supplement consumption were associated with specific health issues and modulated the response to the fermented dairy product. Conclusion: Daily consumption of the fermented BiotisTM Fermentis product is associated with a reduction in self-perceived gastrointestinal symptoms and improved overall wellbeing and mood state in US recreational athletes. This large nutrition and health consumer study brings valuable insights in self-reported gut complaints of recreational athletes in the US and their response to a fermented dairy product. A controlled clinical trial in a targeted population is recommended to scientifically substantiate the product effect as observed in this explorative study.

Keywords: real-life study, digestive health, fermented whey, sports

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Authors: Emilie Vandevelde, Ellen Claes

Abstract:

This study aims to develop a comprehensive model for the civic socialization process of teachers. Citizenship has become one of the main objectives for the European education systems. It is expected that teachers are well prepared and equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitudes to also engage students in democratic citizenship. While a lot is known about young peoples’ civic competence development and how schools and teachers (don’t) support this process, less is known about how teachers themselves engage with (the teaching of) civics. Other than the civic socialization process of young adolescents that focuses on personal competence development, the civic socialization process of teachers includes the development of professional, civic competences. These professional competences make that they are able to prepare pupils to carry out their civic responsibilities in thoughtful ways. Existing models for the civic socialization process of young adolescents do not take this dual purpose into account. Based on these observations, this paper will investigate (1)What personal and professional civic competences teachers need to effectively teach civic education and (2) how teachers acquire these personal and professional civic competences. To answer the first research question, a systematic review of literature of existing civic education frameworks was carried out and linked to literature on teacher training. The second research question was addressed by adapting the Octagon model, developed by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), to the context of teachers. This was done by carrying out a systematic review of the recent literature linking three theoretical topics involved in teachers’ civic competence development: theories about the civic socialization process of young adolescents, Schulmans (1987) theoretical assumptions on pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), and Nogueira & Moreira’s (2012) framework for civic education teachers’ knowledge and literature on teachers’ professional development. This resulted in a comprehensive conceptual framework describing the personal and professional civic competences of civic education teachers. In addition, this framework is linked to the OctagonT model: a model that describes the processes through which teachers acquire these personal and professional civic competences. This model recognizes that teachers’ civic socialization process is influenced by interconnected variables located at different levels in a multi-level structure (the individual teacher (e.g., civic beliefs), everyday contacts (e.g., teacher educators, the intended, informal and hidden curriculum of the teacher training program, internship contacts, participation opportunities in teacher training, etc.) and the influence of the national educational context (e.g., vision on civic education)). Furthermore, implications for teacher education programs are described.

Keywords: civic education, civic competences, civic socialization, octagon model, teacher training

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Authors: Binger Lu

Abstract:

It remains unclear whether second language (L2) speakers could use discourse context cues to predict upcoming information as native speakers do during online comprehension. Some researchers propose that L2 learners may have a reduced ability to generate predictions during discourse processing. At the same time, there is evidence that discourse-level cues are weighed more heavily in L2 processing than in L1. Previous studies showed that L1 prediction is sensitive to the global validity of predictive cues. The current study aims to explore whether and to what extent L2 learners can dynamically and strategically adjust their prediction in accord with the global validity of predictive cues in L2 discourse comprehension as native speakers do. In a self-paced reading experiment, Chinese native speakers (N=128), C-E bilinguals (N=128), and English native speakers (N=128) read high-predictable (e.g., Jimmy felt thirsty after running. He wanted to get some water from the refrigerator.) and low-predictable (e.g., Jimmy felt sick this morning. He wanted to get some water from the refrigerator.) discourses in two-sentence frames. The global validity of predictive cues was manipulated by varying the ratio of predictable (e.g., Bill stood at the door. He opened it with the key.) and unpredictable fillers (e.g., Bill stood at the door. He opened it with the card.), such that across conditions, the predictability of the final word of the fillers ranged from 100% to 0%. The dependent variable was reading time on the critical region (the target word and the following word), analyzed with linear mixed-effects models in R. C-E bilinguals showed reliable prediction across all validity conditions (β = -35.6 ms, SE = 7.74, t = -4.601, p< .001), and Chinese native speakers showed significant effect (β = -93.5 ms, SE = 7.82, t = -11.956, p< .001) in two of the four validity conditions (namely, the High-validity and MedLow conditions, where fillers ended with predictable words in 100% and 25% cases respectively), whereas English native speakers didn’t predict at all (β = -2.78 ms, SE = 7.60, t = -.365, p = .715). There was neither main effect (χ^²(3) = .256, p = .968) nor interaction (Predictability: Background: Validity, χ^²(3) = 1.229, p = .746; Predictability: Validity, χ^²(3) = 2.520, p = .472; Background: Validity, χ^²(3) = 1.281, p = .734) of Validity with speaker groups. The results suggest that prediction occurs in L2 discourse processing but to a much less extent in L1, witha significant effect in some conditions of L1 Chinese and anull effect in L1 English processing, consistent with the view that L2 speakers are more sensitive to discourse cues compared with L1 speakers. Additionally, the pattern of L1 and L2 predictive processing was not affected by the global validity of predictive cues. C-E bilinguals’ predictive processing could be partly transferred from their L1, as prior research showed that discourse information played a more significant role in L1 Chinese processing.

Keywords: bilingualism, discourse processing, global validity, prediction, self-paced reading

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Authors: O. Squillace, R. L. Thompson

Abstract:

Migration of small molecules to, and across the surface of polymer matrices is a little-studied problem with important industrial applications. Tackifiers in adhesives, flavors in foods and binding agents in paints all present situations where the function of a product depends on the ability of small molecules to migrate through a polymer matrix to achieve the desired properties such as softness, dispersion of fillers, and to deliver an effect that is felt (or tasted) on a surface. It’s been shown that the chemical and molecular structure, surface free energies, phase behavior, close environment and compatibility of the system, influence the migrants’ motion. When differences in behavior, such as occurrence of segregation to the surface or not, are observed it is then of crucial importance to identify and get a better understanding of the driving forces involved in the process of molecular migration. In this aim, experience is meant to be allied with theory in order to deliver a validated theoretical and computational toolkit to describe and predict these phenomena. The systems that have been chosen for this study aim to address the effect of polarity mismatch between the migrants and the polymer matrix and that of a second migrant over the first one. As a non-polar resin polymer, polyvinyl acetate is used as the material to which more or less polar migrants (sorbitol, carvone, octanoic acid (OA), triacetin) are to be added. Through contact angle measurement a surface excess is seen for sorbitol (polar) mixed with PVAc as the surface energy is lowered compare to the one of pure PVAc. This effect is increased upon the addition of carvon or triacetin (non-polars). Surface micro-structures are also evidenced by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Ion beam analysis (Nuclear Reaction Analysis), supplemented by neutron reflectometry can accurately characterize the self-organization of surfactants, oligomers, aromatic molecules in polymer films in order to relate the macroscopic behavior to the length scales that are amenable to simulation. The nuclear reaction analysis (NRA) data for deuterated OA 20% shows the evidence of a surface excess which is enhanced after annealing. The addition of 10% triacetin, as a second migrant, results in the formation of an underlying layer enriched in triacetin below the surface excess of OA. The results show that molecules in polarity mismatch with the matrix tend to segregate to the surface, and this is favored by the addition of a second migrant of the same polarity than the matrix. As studies have been restricted to materials that are model supported films under static conditions in a first step, it is also wished to address the more challenging conditions of materials under controlled stress or strain. To achieve this, a simple rig and PDMS cell have been designed to stretch the material to a defined strain and to probe these mechanical effects by ion beam analysis and atomic force microscopy. This will make a significant step towards exploring the influence of extensional strain on surface segregation, flavor release in cross-linked rubbers.

Keywords: polymers, surface segregation, thin films, molecular migration

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Authors: W. Mohammedsaeed, A. J. Mcbain, S. M. Cruickshank, C. A. O’Neill

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Many studies have demonstrated the importance of probiotics and their potential therapeutic effects within the gut. Recently, the possible therapeutic effects of probiotics in other tissues have also begun to be investigated. Comparatively few studies have evaluated the use of topical probiotics in relation to the skin. In this study, we have conducted preliminary investigations into whether a well-known probiotic, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG), can increase the rate of re-epithelialization in a model wound. Full-thickness skin was obtained from individuals undergoing elective cosmetic surgery. This skin was wounded using excisional punch and cultured using a serum-free medium, either in the presence or absence of L. rhamnosus GG lysate. Histological staining of the sections was performed with Haematoxylin& Eosin E to quantify “epithelial tongue length”. This is the length of the new epithelial ‘tongue’ that grows and covers the exposed dermis at the inner wound edges. The length of the new epithelial ‘tongue’ was compared in untreated section and section treated with and L. rhamnosus GG made using108CFU/ml bacterial cells. L. rhamnosus GG lysate enhanced significantly the re-epithelialisation of treated wounds compared with that of untreated wounds (P=0.005, n=3). Tongue length, at day 1 was 7.55μm 0.15, at day 3 it was 18.5μm 0.25 and at day 7 was 22.9μm 0.35. These results can be compared with untreated cultures in which tongue length was 3.25μm 0.35, day 3 was 9.65μm 0.25 and day 7 was 13.5μm 0.15 post-wounding. In ex-vivo proliferation and migration cells were measured by determining the expression of nuclear proliferation marker Ki-67 and the expression of Phosphorylated cortactin respectively demonstrated that L. rhamnosus GG significantly increased NHEK proliferation and migration rates relative to controls. However, the dominant mechanism was migration because in ex-vivo skin treated with the L. rhamnosus GG up-regulated the gene expression of the chemokine receptor and ligands CXCR2 and CXCL2 comparing with controls (P=0.02, P=0.03 respectively, n=3). High levels of CXCL2/CXCL2 have already been implicated in multiple aspects of stimulation of wound healing through activation of keratinocyte migration. These data demonstrate that lysates from Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG increase re-epithelialization by stimulation of keratinocyte migration. The current study identifies the partial mechanism that contribute to stimulating the wound-healing process ex vivo in response to L. rhamnosus GG lysate is an increase in the production of CXCL2/ CXCR2 in ex vivo models. The use of probiotic lysates potentially offers new options to develop treatments that could improve wound healing.

Keywords: Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, wounds, migration, lysate

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Authors: Vrushali Guhe, Shailza Singh

Abstract:

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is neglected tropical disease present worldwide caused by the protozoan parasite Leishmania major, the therapeutic armamentarium for leishmaniasis are showing several limitations as drugs are showing toxic effects with increasing resistance by a parasite. Thus identification of novel therapeutic targets is of paramount importance. Previous studies have shown that autophagy, a cellular process, can either facilitate infection or aid in the elimination of the parasite, depending on the specific parasite species and host background in leishmaniasis. In the present study, our objective was to target the essential autophagy protein ATG8, which plays a crucial role in the survival, infection dynamics, and differentiation of the Leishmania parasite. ATG8 in Leishmania major and its homologue, LC3, in Homo sapiens, act as autophagic markers. Present study manifested the crucial role of ATG8 protein as a potential target for combating Leishmania major infection. Through bioinformatics analysis, we identified non-conserved motifs within the ATG8 protein of Leishmania major, which are not present in LC3 of Homo sapiens. Against these two non-conserved motifs, we generated a peptide library of 60 peptides on the basis of physicochemical properties. These peptides underwent a filtering process based on various parameters, including feasibility of synthesis and purification, compatibility with Selective Reaction Monitoring (SRM)/Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM), hydrophobicity, hydropathy index, average molecular weight (Mw average), monoisotopic molecular weight (Mw monoisotopic), theoretical isoelectric point (pI), and half-life. Further filtering criterion shortlisted three peptides by using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. The direct interaction between ATG8 and the shortlisted peptides was confirmed through Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) experiments. Notably, these peptides exhibited the remarkable ability to penetrate the parasite membrane and exert profound effects on Leishmania major. The treatment with these peptides significantly impacted parasite survival, leading to alterations in the cell cycle and morphology. Furthermore, the peptides were found to modulate autophagosome formation, particularly under starved conditions, suggesting their involvement in disrupting the regulation of autophagy within Leishmania major. In vitro, studies demonstrated that the selected peptides effectively reduced the parasite load within infected host cells. Encouragingly, these findings were corroborated by in vivo experiments, which showed a reduction in parasite burden upon peptide administration. Additionally, the peptides were observed to affect the levels of LC3II within host cells. In conclusion, our findings highlight the efficacy of these novel peptides in targeting Leishmania major’s ATG8 and disrupting parasite survival. These results provide valuable insights into the development of innovative therapeutic strategies against leishmaniasis via targeting autophagy protein ATG8 of Leishmania major.

Keywords: ATG8, leishmaniasis, surface plasmon resonance, MD simulation, molecular docking, peptide designing, therapeutics

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Authors: Inje Cho

Abstract:

The leading health risks threatening the world today are associated with a modern lifestyle characterized by sedentary behavior, stress, anxiety, and an obesogenic food environment. To counter this alarming trend, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have proffered Physical Activity guidelines to bolster physical engagement. Concurrently, the burgeon of smartphones and mobile applications has witnessed a proliferation of fitness applications aimed at invigorating exercise adherence and real-time activity monitoring. Grounded in the Uses and gratification theory, this study delves into the technological affordances of mobile fitness applications, discerning the mediating influences of escapism and social outcome expectations on attitudes and exercise intention. The theory explains how individuals employ distinct communication mediums to satiate their exigencies and desires. Technological affordances manifest as attributes of emerging technologies that galvanize personal engagement in physical activities. Several features of mobile fitness applications include affordances for goal setting, virtual rewards, peer support, and exercise information. Escapism, denoting the inclination to disengage from normal routines, has emerged as a salient motivator for the consumption of new media. This study postulates that individual’s perceptions technological affordances within mobile fitness applications, can affect escapism and social outcome expectations, potentially influencing attitude, and behavior formation. Thus, the integrated model has been developed to empirically examine the interrelationships between technological affordances, escapism, social outcome expectations, and exercise intention. Structural Equation Modelling serves as the methodological tool, and a cohort of 400 Fitbit users shall be enlisted from the Prolific, data collection platform. A sequence of multivariate data analyses will scrutinize both the measurement and hypothesized structural models. By delving into the effects of mobile fitness applications, this study contributes to the growing of new media studies in sport management. Moreover, the novel integration of the uses and gratification theory, technological affordances, via the prism of escapism, illustrates the dynamics that underlies mobile fitness user’s attitudes and behavioral intentions. Therefore, the findings from this study contribute to theoretical understanding and provide pragmatic insights to developers and practitioners in optimizing the impact of mobile fitness applications.

Keywords: technological affordances, uses and gratification, mobile fitness apps, escapism, physical activity

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Authors: A. B. Moldes, X. Vecino, L. Rodriguez-López, J. M. Dominguez, J. M. Cruz

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The concept of the circular economy is focus on the importance of providing goods and services sustainably. Thus, in a future it will be necessary to respond to the environmental contamination and to the use of renewables substrates by moving to a more restorative economic system that drives towards the utilization and revalorization of residues to obtain valuable products. During its evolution our industrial economy has hardly moved through one major characteristic, established in the early days of industrialization, based on a linear model of resource consumption. However, this industrial consumption system will not be maintained during long time. On the other hand, there are many industries, like the corn milling industry, that although does not consume high amount of non renewable substrates, they produce valuable streams that treated accurately, they could provide additional, economical and environmental, benefits by the extraction of interesting commercial renewable products, that can replace some of the substances obtained by chemical synthesis, using non renewable substrates. From this point of view, the use of streams from corn milling industry to obtain surface-active compounds will decrease the utilization of non-renewables sources for obtaining this kind of compounds, contributing to a circular and global economy. However, the success of the circular economy depends on the interest of the industrial sectors in the revalorization of their streams by developing relevant and new business models. Thus, it is necessary to invest in the research of new alternatives that reduce the consumption of non-renewable substrates. In this study is proposed the utilization of a corn milling industry stream to obtain an extract with surfactant capacity. Once the biosurfactant is extracted, the corn milling stream can be commercialized as nutritional media in biotechnological process or as animal feed supplement. Usually this stream is combined with other ingredients obtaining a product namely corn gluten feed or may be sold separately as a liquid protein source for beef and dairy feeding, or as a nutritional pellet binder. Following the productive scheme proposed in this work, the corn milling industry will obtain a biosurfactant extract that could be incorporated in its productive process replacing those chemical detergents, used in some point of its productive chain, or it could be commercialized as a new product of the corn manufacture. The biosurfactants obtained from corn milling industry could replace the chemical surfactants in many formulations, and uses, and it supposes an example of the potential that many industrial streams could offer for obtaining valuable products when they are manage properly.

Keywords: biosurfactantes, circular economy, corn, sustainability

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Authors: Amir E. Amirzadeh, Richard K. Strand

Abstract:

Moisture-induced problems are a significant concern for building owners, architects, construction managers, and building engineers, as they can have substantial impacts on building enclosures' durability and performance. Computational analyses, such as hygrothermal and thermal analysis, can provide valuable information and demonstrate the expected relative performance of building enclosure systems but are not grounded in absolute certainty. This paper evaluates the hygrothermal performance of common enclosure systems in hospitals in cold climates. The study aims to investigate the impact of exterior wall systems on hospitals, focusing on factors such as durability, construction deficiencies, and energy performance. The study primarily examines the impact of air leakage and vapor retarding layers relative to energy consumption. While these factors have been studied in residential and commercial buildings, there is a lack of information on their impact on hospitals in a holistic context. The study integrates various research studies and professional experience in hospital building design to achieve its objective. The methodology involves surveying and observing exterior wall assemblies, reviewing common exterior wall assemblies and details used in hospital construction, performing simulations and numerical analyses of various variables, validating the model and mechanism using available data from industry and academia, visualizing the outcomes of the analysis, and developing a mechanism to demonstrate the relative performance of exterior wall systems for hospitals under specific conditions. The data sources include case studies from real-world projects and peer-reviewed articles, industry standards, and practices. This research intends to integrate and analyze the in-situ and as-designed performance and durability of building enclosure assemblies with numerical analysis. The study's primary objective is to provide a clear and precise roadmap to better visualize and comprehend the correlation between the durability and performance of common exterior wall systems used in the construction of hospitals and the energy consumption of these buildings under certain static and dynamic conditions. As the construction of new hospitals and renovation of existing ones have grown over the last few years, it is crucial to understand the effect of poor detailing or construction deficiencies on building enclosure systems' performance and durability in healthcare buildings. This study aims to assist stakeholders involved in hospital design, construction, and maintenance in selecting durable and high-performing wall systems. It highlights the importance of early design evaluation, regular quality control during the construction of hospitals, and understanding the potential impacts of improper and inconsistent maintenance and operation practices on occupants, owner, building enclosure systems, and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems, even if they are designed to meet the project requirements.

Keywords: hygrothermal analysis, building enclosure, hospitals, energy efficiency, optimization and visualization, uncertainty and decision making

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Authors: Zhenyu Zhang, Hsi-Hsien Wei

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Highway network systems play a vital role in disaster response for disaster-damaged areas. Damaged bridges in such network systems can impede disaster response by disrupting transportation of rescue teams or humanitarian supplies. Therefore, emergency inspection and repair of bridges to quickly collect damage information of bridges and recover the functionality of highway networks is of paramount importance to disaster response. A widely used measure of a network’s capability to recover from disasters is resilience. To enhance highway network resilience, plenty of studies have developed various repair scheduling methods for the prioritization of bridge-repair tasks. These methods assume that repair activities are performed after the damage to a highway network is fully understood via inspection, although inspecting all bridges in a regional highway network may take days, leading to the significant delay in repairing bridges. In reality, emergency repair activities can be commenced as soon as the damage data of some bridges that are crucial to emergency response are obtained. Given that emergency bridge inspection and repair (EBIR) activities are executed simultaneously in the response phase, the real-time interactions between these activities can occur – the blockage of highways due to repair activities can affect inspection routes which in turn have an impact on emergency repair scheduling by providing real-time information on bridge damages. However, the impact of such interactions on the optimal emergency inspection routes (EIR) and emergency repair schedules (ERS) has not been discussed in prior studies. To overcome the aforementioned deficiencies, this study develops a routing and scheduling model for EBIR while accounting for real-time inspection-repair interactions to maximize highway network resilience. A stochastic, time-dependent integer program is proposed for the complex and real-time interacting EBIR problem given multiple inspection and repair teams at locations as set post-disaster. A hybrid genetic algorithm that integrates a heuristic approach into a traditional genetic algorithm to accelerate the evolution process is developed. Computational tests are performed using data from the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, based on a regional highway network in Sichuan, China, consisting of 168 highway bridges on 36 highways connecting 25 cities/towns. The results show that the simultaneous implementation of bridge inspection and repair activities can significantly improve the highway network resilience. Moreover, the deployment of inspection and repair teams should match each other, and the network resilience will not be improved once the unilateral increase in inspection teams or repair teams exceeds a certain level. This study contributes to both knowledge and practice. First, the developed mathematical model makes it possible for capturing the impact of real-time inspection-repair interactions on inspection routing and repair scheduling and efficiently deriving optimal EIR and ERS on a large and complex highway network. Moreover, this study contributes to the organizational dimension of highway network resilience by providing optimal strategies for highway bridge management. With the decision support tool, disaster managers are able to identify the most critical bridges for disaster management and make decisions on proper inspection and repair strategies to improve highway network resilience.

Keywords: disaster management, emergency bridge inspection and repair, highway network, resilience, uncertainty

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Authors: Yuanyuan Zhang, Yujuan Zheng, Giuseppina Barutello, Sumako Kameishi, Kungchun Chiu, Katharina Hennig, Martial Balland, Federica Cavallo, Lars Holmgren

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Angiogenesis describes that new blood vessels migrate from pre-existing ones to form 3D lumenized structure and remodeling. During directional migration toward the gradient of pro-angiogenic factors, the endothelial cells, especially the tip cells need filopodia to sense the environment and exert the pulling force. Of particular interest are the integrin proteins, which play an essential role in focal adhesion in the connection between migrating cells and extracellular matrix (ECM). Understanding how these biomechanical complexes orchestrate intrinsic and extrinsic forces is important for our understanding of the underlying mechanisms driving angiogenesis. We have previously identified Angiomotin (Amot), a member of Amot scaffold protein family, as a promoter for endothelial cell migration in vitro and zebrafish models. Hence, we established inducible endothelial-specific Amot knock-out mice to study normal retinal angiogenesis as well as tumor angiogenesis. We found that the migration ratio of the blood vessel network to the edge was significantly decreased in Amotec- retinas at postnatal day 6 (P6). While almost all the Amot defect tip cells lost migration advantages at P7. In consistence with the dramatic morphology defect of tip cells, there was a non-autonomous defect in astrocytes, as well as the disorganized fibronectin expression pattern correspondingly in migration front. Furthermore, the growth of transplanted LLC tumor was inhibited in Amot knockout mice due to fewer vasculature involved. By using MMTV-PyMT transgenic mouse model, there was a significantly longer period before tumors arised when Amot was specifically knocked out in blood vessels. In vitro evidence showed that Amot binded to beta-actin, Integrin beta 1 (ITGB1), Fibronectin, FAK, Vinculin, major focal adhesion molecules, and ITGB1 and stress fibers were distinctly induced by Amot transfection. Via traction force microscopy, the total energy (force indicater) was found significantly decreased in Amot knockdown cells. Taken together, we propose that Amot is a novel partner of the ITGB1/Fibronectin protein complex at focal adhesion and required for exerting force transition between endothelial cell and extracellular matrix.

Keywords: angiogenesis, angiomotin, endothelial cell migration, focal adhesion, integrin beta 1

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Authors: Şeyma Saliha Fidan, Ozgur Serin, Ata Mugan

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While performing verification analyses under static and dynamic loads that composite structures used in aviation are exposed to, it is necessary to obtain the bearing strength limit value for mechanically connected composite structures. For this purpose, various tests are carried out in accordance with aviation standards. There are many companies in the world that perform these tests in accordance with aviation standards, but the test costs are very high. In addition, due to the necessity of producing coupons, the high cost of coupon materials, and the long test times, it is necessary to simulate these tests on the computer. For this purpose, various test coupons were produced by using reinforcement and alignment angles of the composite radomes, which were integrated into the aircraft. Glass fiber reinforced and Quartz prepreg is used in the production of the coupons. The simulations of the tests performed according to the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D5961 Procedure C standard were performed on the computer. The analysis model was created in three dimensions for the purpose of modeling the bolt-hole contact surface realistically and obtaining the exact bearing strength value. The finite element model was carried out with the Analysis System (ANSYS). Since a physical break cannot be made in the analysis studies carried out in the virtual environment, a hypothetical break is realized by reducing the material properties. The material properties reduction coefficient was determined as 10%, which is stated to give the most realistic approach in the literature. There are various theories in this method, which is called progressive failure analysis. Because the hashin theory does not match our experimental results, the puck progressive damage method was used in all coupon analyses. When the experimental and numerical results are compared, the initial damage and the resulting force drop points, the maximum damage load values ​​, and the bearing strength value are very close. Furthermore, low error rates and similar damage patterns were obtained in both test and simulation models. In addition, the effects of various parameters such as pre-stress, use of bushing, the ratio of the distance between the bolt hole center and the plate edge to the hole diameter (E/D), the ratio of plate width to hole diameter (W/D), hot-wet environment conditions were investigated on the bearing strength of the composite structure.

Keywords: puck, finite element, bolted joint, composite

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Authors: Justin Fu, Thomas Mazzuchi, Shahram Sarkani

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A key factor in technological immaturity in defense weapons acquisition is lack of understanding critical integrations at the subsystem and component level. To address this shortfall, recent research in integration readiness level (IRL) combines with technology readiness level (TRL) to form a system readiness level (SRL). SRL can be enriched with more robust quantitative methods to provide the program manager a useful tool prior to committing to major weapons acquisition programs. This research harnesses previous mathematical models based on graph theory, Petri nets, and tropical algebra and proposes a modification of the desirable SRL mathematical properties such that a tightly integrated (multitude of interfaces) subsystem can display a lower SRL than an inherently less coupled subsystem. The synthesis of these methods informs an improved decision tool for the program manager to commit to expensive technology development. This research ties the separately developed manufacturing readiness level (MRL) into the network representation of the system and addresses shortfalls in previous frameworks, including the lack of integration weighting and the over-importance of a single extremely immature component. Tropical algebra (based on the minimum of a set of TRLs or IRLs) allows one low IRL or TRL value to diminish the SRL of the entire system, which may not be reflective of actuality if that component is not critical or tightly coupled. Integration connections can be weighted according to importance and readiness levels are modified to be a cardinal scale (based on an analytic hierarchy process). Integration arcs’ importance are dependent on the connected nodes and the additional integrations arcs connected to those nodes. Lack of integration is not represented by zero, but by a perfect integration maturity value. Naturally, the importance (or weight) of such an arc would be zero. To further explore the impact of grouping subsystems, a multi-objective genetic algorithm is then used to find various clusters or communities that can be optimized for the most representative subsystem SRL. This novel calculation is then benchmarked through simulation and using past defense acquisition program data, focusing on the newly introduced Middle Tier of Acquisition (rapidly field prototypes). The model remains a relatively simple, accessible tool, but at higher fidelity and validated with past data for the program manager to decide major defense acquisition program milestones.

Keywords: readiness, maturity, system, integration

Procedia PDF Downloads 92

Authors: Inga Žukovaitė

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This paper aims to present postdoc research on remote criminal proceedings in court. In this period, when most countries have introduced the possibility of remote criminal proceedings in their procedural laws, it is not only possible to identify the weaknesses and strengths of the legal regulation but also assess the effectiveness of the instrument used and to develop an approach to the process. The example of some countries (for example, Italy) shows, on the one hand, that criminal procedure, based on orality and immediacy, does not lend itself to easy modifications that pose even a slight threat of devaluation of these principles in a society with well-established traditions of this procedure. On the other hand, such strong opposition and criticism make us ask whether we are facing the possibility of rethinking the traditional ways to understand the safeguards in order to preserve their essence without devaluing their traditional package but looking for new components to replace or compensate for the so-called “loss” of safeguards. The reflection on technological progress in the field of criminal procedural law indicates the need to rethink, on the basis of fundamental procedural principles, the safeguards that can replace or compensate for those that are in crisis as a result of the intervention of technological progress. Discussions in academic doctrine on the impact of technological interventions on the proceedings as such or on the limits of such interventions refer to the principles of criminal procedure as to a point of reference. In the context of the inferiority of technology, scholarly debate still addresses the issue of whether the court will not gradually become a mere site for the exercise of penal power with the resultant consequences – the deformation of the procedure itself as a physical ritual. In this context, this work seeks to illustrate the relationship between remote criminal proceedings in court and the principle of immediacy, the concept of which is based on the application of different models of criminal procedure (inquisitorial and adversarial), the aim is to assess the challenges posed for legal regulation by the interaction of technological progress with the principles of criminal procedure. The main hypothesis to be tested is that the adoption of remote proceedings is directly linked to the prevailing model of criminal procedure, arguing that the more principles of the inquisitorial model are applied to the criminal process, the more remote criminal trial is acceptable, and conversely, the more the criminal process is based on an adversarial model, more the remote criminal process is seen as incompatible with the principle of immediacy. In order to achieve this goal, the following tasks are set: to identify whether there is a difference in assessing remote proceedings with the immediacy principle between the adversarial model and the inquisitorial model, to analyse the main aspects of the regulation of remote criminal proceedings based on the examples of different countries (for example Lithuania, Italy, etc.).

Keywords: remote criminal proceedings, principle of orality, principle of immediacy, adversarial model inquisitorial model

Procedia PDF Downloads 67

Authors: Havva Tutar Kahraman, Erol Pehlivan

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In recent years, environmental pollution by wastewater rises very critically. Effluents discharged from various industries cause this challenge. Different type of pollutants such as organic compounds, oxyanions, and heavy metal ions create this threat for human bodies and all other living things. However, heavy metals are considered one of the main pollutant groups of wastewater. Therefore, this case creates a great need to apply and enhance the water treatment technologies. Among adopted treatment technologies, adsorption process is one of the methods, which is gaining more and more attention because of its easy operations, the simplicity of design and versatility. Ion exchange process is one of the preferred methods for removal of heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions. It has found widespread application in water remediation technologies, during the past several decades. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to the removal of hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), from aqueous solutions. Cr(VI) is considered as a well-known highly toxic metal which modifies the DNA transcription process and causes important chromosomic aberrations. The treatment and removal of this heavy metal have received great attention to maintaining its allowed legal standards. The purpose of the present paper is an attempt to investigate some aspects of the use of three anion exchange resins: Eichrom 1-X4, Lewatit Monoplus M800 and Lewatit A8071. Batch adsorption experiments were carried out to evaluate the adsorption capacity of these three commercial resins in the removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions. The chromium solutions used in the experiments were synthetic solutions. The parameters that affect the adsorption, solution pH, adsorbent concentration, contact time, and initial Cr(VI) concentration, were performed at room temperature. High adsorption rates of metal ions for the three resins were reported at the onset, and then plateau values were gradually reached within 60 min. The optimum pH for Cr(VI) adsorption was found as 3.0 for these three resins. The adsorption decreases with the increase in pH for three anion exchangers. The suitability of Freundlich, Langmuir and Scatchard models were investigated for Cr(VI)-resin equilibrium. Results, obtained in this study, demonstrate excellent comparability between three anion exchange resins indicating that Eichrom 1-X4 is more effective and showing highest adsorption capacity for the removal of Cr(VI) ions. Investigated anion exchange resins in this study can be used for the efficient removal of chromium from water and wastewater.

Keywords: adsorption, anion exchange resin, chromium, kinetics

Procedia PDF Downloads 259

Authors: Tirtha Raj Adhikari, Lochan Prasad Devkota

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This research studied the hydrological regime of three glacierized river basins in Khumbu, Langtang and Annapurna regions of Nepal using the Hydraologiska Byrans Vattenbalansavde (HBV), HVB-light 3.0 model. Future scenario of discharge is also studied using downscaled climate data derived from statistical downscaling method. General Circulation Models (GCMs) successfully simulate future climate variability and climate change on a global scale; however, poor spatial resolution constrains their application for impact studies at a regional or a local level. The dynamically downscaled precipitation and temperature data from Coupled Global Circulation Model 3 (CGCM3) was used for the climate projection, under A2 and A1B SRES scenarios. In addition, the observed historical temperature, precipitation and discharge data were collected from 14 different hydro-metrological locations for the implementation of this study, which include watershed and hydro-meteorological characteristics, trends analysis and water balance computation. The simulated precipitation and temperature were corrected for bias before implementing in the HVB-light 3.0 conceptual rainfall-runoff model to predict the flow regime, in which Groups Algorithms Programming (GAP) optimization approach and then calibration were used to obtain several parameter sets which were finally reproduced as observed stream flow. Except in summer, the analysis showed that the increasing trends in annual as well as seasonal precipitations during the period 2001 - 2060 for both A2 and A1B scenarios over three basins under investigation. In these river basins, the model projected warmer days in every seasons of entire period from 2001 to 2060 for both A1B and A2 scenarios. These warming trends are higher in maximum than in minimum temperatures throughout the year, indicating increasing trend of daily temperature range due to recent global warming phenomenon. Furthermore, there are decreasing trends in summer discharge in Langtang Khola (Langtang region) which is increasing in Modi Khola (Annapurna region) as well as Dudh Koshi (Khumbu region) river basin. The flow regime is more pronounced during later parts of the future decades than during earlier parts in all basins. The annual water surplus of 1419 mm, 177 mm and 49 mm are observed in Annapurna, Langtang and Khumbu region, respectively.

Keywords: temperature, precipitation, water discharge, water balance, global warming

Procedia PDF Downloads 343

Authors: Neil Bar, Andrew Heweston

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Probability of failure (PF) often appears alongside factor of safety (FS) in design acceptance criteria for rock slope, underground excavation and open pit mine designs. However, the design acceptance criteria generally provide no guidance relating to how PF should be calculated for homogeneous and heterogeneous rock masses, or what qualifies a ‘reasonable’ PF assessment for a given slope design. Observational and kinematic methods were widely used in the 1990s until advances in computing permitted the routine use of numerical modelling. In the 2000s and early 2010s, PF in numerical models was generally calculated using the point estimate method. More recently, some limit equilibrium analysis software offer statistical parameter inputs along with Monte-Carlo or Latin-Hypercube sampling methods to automatically calculate PF. Factors including rock type and density, weathering and alteration, intact rock strength, rock mass quality and shear strength, the location and orientation of geologic structure, shear strength of geologic structure and groundwater pore pressure influence the stability of rock slopes. Significant engineering and geological judgment, interpretation and data interpolation is usually applied in determining these factors and amalgamating them into a geotechnical model which can then be analysed. Most factors are estimated ‘approximately’ or with allowances for some variability rather than ‘exactly’. When it comes to numerical modelling, some of these factors are then treated deterministically (i.e. as exact values), while others have probabilistic inputs based on the user’s discretion and understanding of the problem being analysed. This paper discusses the importance of understanding the key aspects of slope design for homogeneous and heterogeneous rock masses and how they can be translated into reasonable PF assessments where the data permits. A case study from a large open pit gold mine in a complex geological setting in Western Australia is presented to illustrate how PF can be calculated using different methods and obtain markedly different results. Ultimately sound engineering judgement and logic is often required to decipher the true meaning and significance (if any) of some PF results.

Keywords: probability of failure, point estimate method, Monte-Carlo simulations, sensitivity analysis, slope stability

Procedia PDF Downloads 207

Authors: Soham Chakraborty

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This article examines the development of start-up culture in India, its development as well as related impact on the Indian society. Another vibrant synonym of start-up in the present century can be starting afresh. Startups have become the new flavor of this decade. A startup ecosystem is formed by mainly the new generation in the making. A startup ecosystem involves a variety of elements without which a startup can never prosper, they are—ideas, inventions, innovations as well as authentic research in the field into which one is interested, mentors, advisors, funding bodies, service provider organizations, angel, venture and so on. The culture of startup is quiet nascent but rampant in India. This is largely due to the widespread of media as a medium through which the newfangled entrepreneurs can spread their word of mouth far and wide. Different kinds of media such as Television, Radio, Internet, Print media and so on, act as the weapon to any startup company in India. The article explores how there is a sudden shift in the growing Indian economy due to the rise of startup ecosystem. There are various reasons, which are the result of the growing success of startup in India, firstly, entrepreneurs are building up startup ideas on the basis of various international startup but giving them a pinch of Indian flavor; secondly, business models are framed based on the current problems that people face in the modern century; thirdly, balance between social and technological entrepreneurs and lastly, quality of mentorship. The Government of India boasts startup as a flagship initiative. Bunch full of benefits and assistance was declared in an event named as 'Start Up India, Stand Up India' on 16th January 2016 by the current Prime Minister of India Mr. Narendra Modi. One of the biggest boon that increasing startups are creating in the society is the proliferation of self-employment. Noted Startups which are thriving in India are like OYO, Where’s The Food (WTF), TVF Pitchers, Flipkart and so on are examples of India is getting covered up by various innovative startups. The deep impact can be felt by each Indian after a few years as various governmental and non-governmental policies and agendas are helping in the sprawling up of startups and have mushroom growth in India. The impact of startup uprising in India is also possible due to increasing globalization which is leading to the eradication of national borders, thereby creating the environment to enlarge one’s business model. To conclude, this article points out on the correlation between rising startup in Indian market and its increasing developmental benefits for the people at large. Internationally, various business portals are tagging India to be the world’s fastest growing startup ecosystem.

Keywords: business, ecosystem, entrepreneurs, media, globalization, startup

Procedia PDF Downloads 266

Authors: Fernandez liporace, Mercedes Uriel Fabiana

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Academic achievement in high school and college students is currently a matter of concern. National and international assessments show high schoolers as low achievers, and local statistics indicate alarming dropout percentages in this educational level. Even so, 80% of those students intend attending higher education. On the other hand, applications to Public National Universities are free and non-selective by examination procedures. Though initial registrations are massive (307.894 students), only 50% of freshmen pass their first year classes, and 23% achieves a degree. Low performances use to be a common problem. Hence, freshmen adaptation, their adjustment, dropout and low academic achievement arise as topics of agenda. Besides, the hinge between high school and college must be examined in depth, in order to get an integrated and successful path from one educational stratum to the other. Psychology aims at developing two main research lines to analyse the situation. One regarding psychometric scales, designing and/or adapting tests, examining their technical properties and their theoretical validity (e.g., academic motivation, learning strategies, learning styles, coping, perceived social support, parenting styles and parental consistency, paradoxical personality as correlated to creative skills, psychopathological symptomatology). The second research line emphasizes relationships within the variables measured by the former scales, facing the formulation and testing of predictive models of academic achievement, establishing differences by sex, age, educational level (high school vs college), and career. Pursuing these goals, several studies were carried out in recent years, reporting findings and producing assessment technology useful to detect students academically at risk as well as good achievers. Multiple samples were analysed totalizing more than 3500 participants (2500 from college and 1000 from high school), including descriptive, correlational, group differences and explicative designs. A brief on the most relevant results is presented. Providing information to design specific interventions according to every learner’s features and his/her educational environment comes up as a mid-term accomplishment. Furthermore, that information might be helpful to adapt curricula by career, as well as for implementing special didactic strategies differentiated by sex and personal characteristics.

Keywords: academic achievement, higher education, high school, psychological assessment

Procedia PDF Downloads 369

Authors: Julie Ramain, Christine Mohr, Ahmad Abu-Akel

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Divergent thinking—a cognitive component of creativity—and particularly the ability to generate unique and novel ideas, has been linked to both autistic and schizotypal traits. However, to our knowledge, the concurrent effect of these trait dimensions on divergent thinking has not been investigated. Moreover, it has been suggested that creativity is associated with different types of attention and cognitive control, and consequently how information is processed in a given context. Intriguingly, consistent with the diametric model, autistic and schizotypal traits have been associated with contrasting attentional and cognitive control styles. Positive schizotypal traits have been associated with reactive cognitive control and attentional flexibility, while autistic traits have been associated with proactive cognitive control and the increased focus of attention. The current study investigated the relationship between divergent thinking, autistic and schizotypal traits and cognitive control in a non-clinical sample of 83 individuals (Males = 42%; Mean age = 22.37, SD = 2.93), sufficient to detect a medium effect size. Divergent thinking was evaluated in an adapted version of-of the Figural Torrance Test of Creative Thinking. Crucially, since we were interested in testing divergent thinking productivity across contexts, participants were asked to generate items from basic shapes in four different contexts. The variance of the proportion of unique to total responses across contexts represented a measure of context adaptability, with lower variance indicating increased context adaptability. Cognitive control was estimated with the Behavioral Proactive Index of the AX-CPT task, with higher scores representing the ability to actively maintain goal-relevant information in a sustained/anticipatory manner. Autistic and schizotypal traits were assessed with the Autism Quotient (AQ) and the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE-42). Generalized linear models revealed a 3-way interaction of autistic and positive schizotypal traits, and proactive cognitive control, associated with increased context adaptability. Specifically, the concurrent effect of autistic and positive schizotypal traits on increased context adaptability was moderated by the level of proactive control and was only significant when proactive cognitive control was high. Our study reveals that autistic and positive schizotypal traits interactively facilitate the capacity to generate unique ideas across various contexts. However, this effect depends on cognitive control mechanisms indicative of the ability to proactively maintain attention when needed. The current results point to a unique profile of divergent thinkers who have the ability to respectively tap both systematic and flexible processing modes within and across contexts. This is particularly intriguing as such combination of phenotypes has been proposed to explain the genius of Beethoven, Nash, and Newton.

Keywords: autism, schizotypy, creativity, cognitive control

Procedia PDF Downloads 135

Authors: Rauan Sakenov, Peter Bukovics, Peter Gaszler, Veronika Tokacs-Kollar, Beata Bugyi

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FH2 (formin homology-2) domains of several proteins, collectively known as formins, including DAAM, DAAM1 and mDia1, promote G-actin nucleation and elongation. FH2 domains of these formins exist as oligomers. Chain dimerization by ring structure formation serves as a structural basis for actin polymerization function of FH2 domain. Proper single chain configuration and specific interactions between its various regions are necessary for individual chains to form a dimer functional in G-actin nucleation and elongation. FH1 and WH2 domain-containing formins were shown to behave as intrinsically disordered proteins. Thus, the aim of this research was to study structural dynamics of FH2 domain of DAAM. To investigate structural features of FH2 domain of DAAM, molecular dynamics simulation of chain A of FH2 domain of DAAM solvated in water box in 50 mM NaCl was conducted at temperatures from 293.15 to 353.15K, with VMD 1.9.2, NAMD 2.14 and Amber Tools 21 using 2z6e and 1v9d PDB structures of DAAM was obtained on I-TASSER webserver. Calcium and ATP bound G-actin 3hbt PDB structure was used as a reference protein with well-described structural dynamics of denaturation. Topology and parameter information of CHARMM 2012 additive all-atom force fields for proteins, carbohydrate derivatives, water and ions were used in NAMD 2.14 and ff19SB force field for proteins in Amber Tools 21. The systems were energy minimized for the first 1000 steps, equilibrated and produced in NPT ensemble for 1ns using stochastic Langevin dynamics and the particle mesh Ewald method. Our root-mean square deviation (RMSD) analysis of molecular dynamics of chain A of FH2 domains of DAAM revealed similar insignificant changes of total molecular average RMSD values of FH2 domain of these formins at temperatures from 293.15 to 353.15K. In contrast, total molecular average RMSD values of G-actin showed considerable increase at 328K, which corresponds to the denaturation of G-actin molecule at this temperature and its transition from native, ordered, to denatured, disordered, state which is well-described in the literature. RMSD values of lasso and tail regions of chain A of FH2 domain of DAAM exhibited higher than total molecular average RMSD at temperatures from 293.15 to 353.15K. These regions are functional in intra- and interchain interactions and contain highly conserved tryptophan residues of lasso region, highly conserved GNYMN sequence of post region and amino acids of the shell of hydrophobic pocket of the salt bridge between Arg171 and Asp321, which are important for structural stability and ordered state of FH2 domain of DAAM and its functions in FH2 domain dimerization. In conclusion, higher than total molecular average RMSD values of lasso and post regions of chain A of FH2 domain of DAAM may explain disordered state of FH2 domain of DAAM at temperatures from 293.15 to 353.15K. Finally, absence of marked transition, in terms of significant changes in average molecular RMSD values between native and denatured states of FH2 domain of DAAM at temperatures from 293.15 to 353.15K, can make it possible to attribute these formins to the group of intrinsically disordered proteins rather than to the group of intrinsically ordered proteins such as G-actin.

Keywords: FH2 domain, DAAM, formins, molecular modelling, computational biophysics

Procedia PDF Downloads 134

Authors: Ruzanna Muradyan

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Medical data mining is a crucial field in contemporary healthcare that offers cutting-edge tactics with enormous potential to transform patient care. This abstract examines how sophisticated data mining techniques could transform the healthcare industry, with a special focus on how they might improve patient outcomes. Healthcare data repositories have dynamically evolved, producing a rich tapestry of different, multi-dimensional information that includes genetic profiles, lifestyle markers, electronic health records, and more. By utilizing data mining techniques inside this vast library, a variety of prospects for precision medicine, predictive analytics, and insight production become visible. Predictive modeling for illness prediction, risk stratification, and therapy efficacy evaluations are important points of focus. Healthcare providers may use this abundance of data to tailor treatment plans, identify high-risk patient populations, and forecast disease trajectories by applying machine learning algorithms and predictive analytics. Better patient outcomes, more efficient use of resources, and early treatments are made possible by this proactive strategy. Furthermore, data mining techniques act as catalysts to reveal complex relationships between apparently unrelated data pieces, providing enhanced insights into the cause of disease, genetic susceptibilities, and environmental factors. Healthcare practitioners can get practical insights that guide disease prevention, customized patient counseling, and focused therapies by analyzing these associations. The abstract explores the problems and ethical issues that come with using data mining techniques in the healthcare industry. In order to properly use these approaches, it is essential to find a balance between data privacy, security issues, and the interpretability of complex models. Finally, this abstract demonstrates the revolutionary power of modern data mining methodologies in transforming the healthcare sector. Healthcare practitioners and researchers can uncover unique insights, enhance clinical decision-making, and ultimately elevate patient care to unprecedented levels of precision and efficacy by employing cutting-edge methodologies.

Keywords: data mining, healthcare, patient care, predictive analytics, precision medicine, electronic health records, machine learning, predictive modeling, disease prognosis, risk stratification, treatment efficacy, genetic profiles, precision health

Procedia PDF Downloads 59

Authors: Serhat Tüzün, Tufan Demirel

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Decision Support Systems (DSS) have been investigated by researchers and technologists for more than 35 years. This paper analyses the developments in the architecture and software of these systems, provides a systematic analysis for different Web-based DSS approaches and Intelligent Decision-making Technologies (IDT), with the suggestion for future studies. Decision Support Systems literature begins with building model-oriented DSS in the late 1960s, theory developments in the 1970s, and the implementation of financial planning systems and Group DSS in the early and mid-80s. Then it documents the origins of Executive Information Systems, online analytic processing (OLAP) and Business Intelligence. The implementation of Web-based DSS occurred in the mid-1990s. With the beginning of the new millennia, intelligence is the main focus on DSS studies. Web-based technologies are having a major impact on design, development and implementation processes for all types of DSS. Web technologies are being utilized for the development of DSS tools by leading developers of decision support technologies. Major companies are encouraging its customers to port their DSS applications, such as data mining, customer relationship management (CRM) and OLAP systems, to a web-based environment. Similarly, real-time data fed from manufacturing plants are now helping floor managers make decisions regarding production adjustment to ensure that high-quality products are produced and delivered. Web-based DSS are being employed by organizations as decision aids for employees as well as customers. A common usage of Web-based DSS has been to assist customers configure product and service according to their needs. These systems allow individual customers to design their own products by choosing from a menu of attributes, components, prices and delivery options. The Intelligent Decision-making Technologies (IDT) domain is a fast growing area of research that integrates various aspects of computer science and information systems. This includes intelligent systems, intelligent technology, intelligent agents, artificial intelligence, fuzzy logic, neural networks, machine learning, knowledge discovery, computational intelligence, data science, big data analytics, inference engines, recommender systems or engines, and a variety of related disciplines. Innovative applications that emerge using IDT often have a significant impact on decision-making processes in government, industry, business, and academia in general. This is particularly pronounced in finance, accounting, healthcare, computer networks, real-time safety monitoring and crisis response systems. Similarly, IDT is commonly used in military decision-making systems, security, marketing, stock market prediction, and robotics. Even though lots of research studies have been conducted on Decision Support Systems, a systematic analysis on the subject is still missing. Because of this necessity, this paper has been prepared to search recent articles about the DSS. The literature has been deeply reviewed and by classifying previous studies according to their preferences, taxonomy for DSS has been prepared. With the aid of the taxonomic review and the recent developments over the subject, this study aims to analyze the future trends in decision support systems.

Keywords: decision support systems, intelligent decision-making, systematic analysis, taxonomic review

Procedia PDF Downloads 279

Authors: D. Pradhan, G. Tripathy, S. Pradhan

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Objectives: Imperviousness gainst estrogen treatments is a noteworthy reason for infection backslide and mortality in estrogen receptor alpha (ERα)- positive breast diseases. Tamoxifen or estrogen withdrawal builds the reliance of breast malignancy cells on INT3 flagging. Here, we researched the commitment of Quercetin and INT3 motioning in endocrine-safe breast tumor cells. Methods: We utilized two models of endocrine treatments safe (ETR) breast tumor: Tamoxifen-safe (TamR) and long haul estrogen-denied (LTED) MCF7 cells. We assessed the transitory and intrusive limit of these cells by Transwell cells. Articulation of epithelial to mesenchymal move (EMT) controllers and in addition INT3 receptors and targets were assessed by constant PCR and western smudge investigation. Besides, we tried in-vitro hostile to Quercetin monoclonal Antibodies (mAbs) and Gamma Secretase Inhibitors (GSIs) as potential EMT inversion remedial specialists. At last, we created stable Quercetin overexpressing MCF7 cells and assessed their EMT components and reaction to Tamoxifen. Results: We found that ETR cells procured an Epithelial to Mesenchymal move (EMT) phenotype and showed expanded levels of Quercetin and INT3 targets. Interestingly, we distinguished more elevated amount of INT3 however lower levels of INT1 and INT3 proposing a change to motioning through distinctive INT3 receptors after obtaining of resistance. Against Quercetin monoclonal antibodies and the GSI PF03084014 were powerful in obstructing the Quercetin/INT3 pivot and in part repressing the EMT process. As a consequence of this, cell relocation and attack were weakened and the immature microorganism like populace was essentially decreased. Hereditary hushing of Quercetin and INT3 prompted proportionate impacts. At long last, stable overexpression of Quercetin was adequate to make MCF7 lethargic to Tamoxifen by INT3 initiation. Conclusions: ETR cells express abnormal amounts of Quercetin and INT3, whose actuation eventually drives intrusive conduct. Hostile to Quercetin mAbs and GSI PF03084014 lessen articulation of EMT particles decreasing cell obtrusiveness. Quercetin overexpression instigates Tamoxifen resistance connected to obtaining of EMT phenotype. Our discovering propose that focusing on Quercetin and INT3 warrants further clinical Correlation as substantial restorative methodologies in endocrine-safe breast.

Keywords: endocrine, epithelial, mesenchymal, INT3, quercetin, MCF7

Procedia PDF Downloads 304

Authors: Cristina Galiana Carballo, Ibon Doval Martínez

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Urban boundaries often result in a controversial limit between countryside and city in Europe. This territory is normally defined by the very limited land uses and the abundance of open space. The dimension and dynamics of peri-urbanization in the last decades have increased this land stock, which has influenced/impacted in several factors in terms of economic costs (maintenance, transport), ecological disturbances of the territory and changes in inhabitant´s behaviour. In an increasingly urbanised world and a growing urban population, cities also face challenges such as Climate Change. In this context, new near-future corrective trends including circular economies for local food supply or decentralised waste management became key strategies towards more sustainable urban models. Those new solutions need to be planned and implemented considering the potential conflict with current land uses. The city of Vitoria-Gasteiz (Basque Country, Spain) has triplicated land consumption per habitant in 10 years, resulting in a vast extension of low-density urban type confronting rural land and threatening agricultural uses, landscape and urban sustainability. Urban planning allows managing and optimum use allocation based on soil vocation and socio-ecosystem needs, while peri-urban space arises as an opportunity for developing different uses which do not match either within the compact city, not in open agricultural lands, such as medium-size agrocomposting systems or biomass plants. Therefore, a qualitative multi-criteria methodology has been developed for Vitoria-Gasteiz city to assess the spatial definition of peri-urban land. Therefore, a qualitative multi-criteria methodology has been developed for Vitoria-Gasteiz city to assess the spatial definition of peri-urban land. Climate change and circular economy were identified as frameworks where to determine future land, soil vocation and urban planning requirements which eventually become estimations of required local food and renewable energy supply along with alternative waste management system´s implementation. By means of it, it has been developed an urban planning proposal which overcomes urban-non urban dichotomy in Vitoria-Gasteiz. The proposal aims to enhance rural system and improve urban sustainability performance through the normative recognition of an agricultural peri-urban belt.

Keywords: landscape ecology, land-use management, periurban, urban planning

Procedia PDF Downloads 162

Authors: Madhuka G. P. D. Udantha, Gihan V. Dias, Surangika Ranathunga

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Today Websites contain very interesting applications. But there are only few methodologies to analyze User navigations through the Websites and formulating if the Website is put to correct use. The web logs are only used if some major attack or malfunctioning occurs. Web Logs contain lot interesting dealings on users in the system. Analyzing web logs has become a challenge due to the huge log volume. Finding interesting patterns is not as easy as it is due to size, distribution and importance of minor details of each log. Web logs contain very important data of user and site which are not been put to good use. Retrieving interesting information from logs gives an idea of what the users need, group users according to their various needs and improve site to build an effective and efficient site. The model we built is able to detect attacks or malfunctioning of the system and anomaly detection. Logs will be more complex as volume of traffic and the size and complexity of web site grows. Unsupervised techniques are used in this solution which is fully automated. Expert knowledge is only used in validation. In our approach first clean and purify the logs to bring them to a common platform with a standard format and structure. After cleaning module web session builder is executed. It outputs two files, Web Sessions file and Indexed URLs file. The Indexed URLs file contains the list of URLs accessed and their indices. Web Sessions file lists down the indices of each web session. Then DBSCAN and EM Algorithms are used iteratively and recursively to get the best clustering results of the web sessions. Using homogeneity, completeness, V-measure, intra and inter cluster distance and silhouette coefficient as parameters these algorithms self-evaluate themselves to input better parametric values to run the algorithms. If a cluster is found to be too large then micro-clustering is used. Using Cluster Signature Module the clusters are annotated with a unique signature called finger-print. In this module each cluster is fed to Associative Rule Learning Module. If it outputs confidence and support as value 1 for an access sequence it would be a potential signature for the cluster. Then the access sequence occurrences are checked in other clusters. If it is found to be unique for the cluster considered then the cluster is annotated with the signature. These signatures are used in anomaly detection, prevent cyber attacks, real-time dashboards that visualize users, accessing web pages, predict actions of users and various other applications in Finance, University Websites, News and Media Websites etc.

Keywords: anomaly detection, clustering, pattern recognition, web sessions

Procedia PDF Downloads 286

Authors: Christian Ihwiwhu, Nnamdi Obioha, Udeme John, Edward Bobade, Oghenerunor Bekibele, Adedeji Awujoola, Ibi-Ada Itotoi

Abstract:

Understanding the complexity in the distribution of hydrocarbon in a simple structure with flow baffles and connectivity issues is critical in targeting and developing the remaining pay in a mature asset. Subtle facies changes (heterogeneity) can have a drastic impact on reservoir fluids movement, and this can be crucial to identifying sweet spots in mature fields. This study aims to evaluate selected reservoirs in Ovhor Field, Niger Delta, Nigeria, with the objective of optimising production from the field by targeting undeveloped oil reserves, bypassed pay, and gaining an improved understanding of the selected reservoirs to increase the company’s reservoir limits. The task at the Ovhor field is complicated by poor stratigraphic seismic resolution over the field. 3-D geological (sedimentology and stratigraphy) interpretation, use of results from quantitative interpretation, and proper understanding of production data have been used in recognizing flow baffles and undeveloped compartments in the field. The full field 3-D model has been constructed in such a way as to capture heterogeneities and the various compartments in the field to aid the proper simulation of fluid flow in the field for future production prediction, proper history matching and design of good trajectories to adequately target undeveloped oil in the field. Reservoir property models (porosity, permeability, and net-to-gross) have been constructed by biasing log interpreted properties to a defined environment of deposition model whose interpretation captures the heterogeneities expected in the studied reservoirs. At least, two scenarios have been modelled for most of the studied reservoirs to capture the range of uncertainties we are dealing with. The total original oil in-place volume for the four reservoirs studied is 157 MMstb. The cumulative oil and gas production from the selected reservoirs are 67.64 MMstb and 9.76 Bscf respectively, with current production rate of about 7035 bopd and 4.38 MMscf/d (as at 31/08/2019). Dynamic simulation and production forecast on the 4 reservoirs gave an undeveloped reserve of about 3.82 MMstb from two (2) identified oil restoration activities. These activities include side-tracking and re-perforation of existing wells. This integrated approach led to the identification of bypassed oil in some areas of the selected reservoirs and an improved understanding of the studied reservoirs. New wells have/are being drilled now to test the results of our studies, and the results are very confirmatory and satisfying.

Keywords: facies, flow baffle, bypassed pay, heterogeneities, history matching, reservoir limit

Procedia PDF Downloads 127

Authors: Ghada M. AlSwayied, Anas N. AlHumaid

Abstract:

Smoking has been linked to thousands of deaths worldwide. Around three million adults continue to use tobacco each day in Saudi Arabia; a sign that smoking is prevalent among Saudi population and obviously considered as a public health threat. Although the awareness against smoking is continuously running, it can be observed that smoking behavior increases noticeably as common practice especially among young adults across the world. Therefore, it was an essential step to guess what does motivate smokers to think about quit smoking. Can a graphic and emotional ad that is focusing on health consequences do really make a difference? A case study has been conducted on the Annual Anti-Smoking National Campaign, which was provided by Saudi Ministry of Health in the period of May 2017. To assess campaign’s effects on the number of calls, the number of visits and online access to health messages during and after the campaign period from May to August compared with the previous campaign in 2016. The educational video was selected as a primary tool to deliver the smoking health message. The Minister of Health who is acting as a role model for young adults was used to deliver a direct message to smokers with an avoidance of smoking cues usage. Due to serious consequences of smoking, the Minister of Health delivered the news of canceling the media campaign and directing the budget to smoking cessation clinics. It was shown that the positive responses and interactions on the campaign were obviously remarkable; achieving a high rate of recall and recognition. During the campaign, the number of calls to book for a visit reached 45880 phone calls, and the total online views ran to 1,253,879. Whereas, clinic visit raised up to 213 cumulative percent. Interestingly, a total number of 15,192 patients visited the clinics along three months compared with the last year campaign’s period, which was merely 4850 patients. Furthermore, around half of patients who visited the clinics were in the age from 26 to 40-year-old. There was a great progress in enhancing public awareness on: 'where to go' to assist smokers in making a quit attempt. With regard to the stages of change theory, it was predicted that by following direct-message technique; the proportion of patients in the contemplation and preparation stages would be increased. There was no process evaluation obtained to assess implementation of the campaigns’ activities.

Keywords: smoking, health promotion, role model, educational material, intervention, community health

Procedia PDF Downloads 148