Search results for: Visible Light Communication (VLC)

Authors: V. I. Kozyavkin, L. F. Shestopalova, T. B. Voloshyn

Abstract:

Introduction: Rehabilitation of children with Autism is the issue of the day in psychiatry and neurology. It is attributed to constantly increasing quantity of autistic children - Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Existing rehabilitation approaches in treatment of children with Autism improve their medico- social and social- psychological adjustment. Experience of treatment for different kinds of Autistic disorders in International Clinic of Rehabilitation (ICR) reveals the necessity of complex intensive approach for healing this malady and wider implementation of a Kozyavkin method for treatment of children with ASD. Methods: 19 children aged from 3 to 14 years were examined. They were diagnosed ‘Autism’ (F84.0) with comorbid neurological pathology (from pyramidal insufficiency to para- and tetraplegia). All patients underwent rehabilitation in ICR during two weeks, where INRS approach was used. INRS included methods like biomechanical correction of the spine, massage, physical therapy, joint mobilization, wax-paraffin applications. They were supplemented by art- therapy, ergotherapy, rhythmical group exercises, computer game therapy, team Olympic games and other methods for improvement of motivation and social integration of the child. Estimation of efficacy was conducted using parent’s questioning and done twice- on the onset of INRS rehabilitation course and two weeks afterward. For efficacy assessment of rehabilitation of autistic children in ICR standardized tool was used, namely Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC). This scale was selected because any rehabilitation approaches for the child with Autism can be assessed using it. Results: Before the onset of INRS treatment mean score according to ATEC scale was 64,75±9,23, it reveals occurrence in examined children severe communication, speech, socialization and behavioral impairments. After the end of the rehabilitation course, the mean score was 56,5±6,7, what indicates positive dynamics in comparison to the onset of rehabilitation. Generally, improvement of psychoemotional state occurred in 90% of cases. Most significant changes occurred in the scope of speech (16,5 before and 14,5 after the treatment), socialization (15.1 before and 12,5 after) and behavior (20,1 before and 17.4 after). Conclusion: As a result of INRS rehabilitation course reduction of autistic symptoms was noted. Particularly improvements in speech were observed (children began to spell out new syllables, words), there was some decrease in signs of destructiveness, quality of contact with the surrounding people improved, new skills of self-service appeared. The prospect of the study is further, according to evidence- based medicine standards, deeper examination of INRS and assessment of its usefulness in treatment for Autism and ASD.

Keywords: intensive neurophysiological rehabilitation system (INRS), international clinic od rehabilitation, ASD, rehabilitation

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Authors: Gashaw Sisay Zenebe

Abstract:

Northern-Ethiopian conflict that broke out on 04 November 2020 between the central government and TPLF caused destruction beyond imagination in all aspects; millions of people have been killed, including civilians, mainly women, and children. Civilians have been indiscriminately attacked simply because of their ethnic or religious identity. Warrying parties committed serious crimes of international concern opposite to International Humanitarian Law (IHL). A House of People Representatives (HPR) declared that the terrorist Tigrean Defense Force (TDF), encompassing all segments of its people, waged war against North Gondar through human flooding. On Aug 30, 2021, after midnight, TDF launched a surprise attack against Chena People who had been drunk and deep slept due to the annual festivity. Unlike the lowlands, however, ENDF conjoined the local people to fight TDF in these Highland areas. This research examines identity politics and the consequential genocidal massacre of Chena, including its human and physical destructions that occurred as a result of the armed conflict. As such, the study could benefit international entities by helping them develop a better understanding of what happened in Chena and trigger interest in engaging in ensuring the accountability and enforcement of IHL in the future. Preserving fresh evidence will also serve as a starting point on the road to achieving justice either nationally or internationally. To study the Chena case evaluated against IHL rules, a combination of qualitative and doctrinal research methodology has been employed. The study basically follows a unique sampling case study which has used primary data tools such as observation, interview, key-informant interview, FGD, and battle-field notes. To supplement, however, secondary sources, including books, journal articles, domestic laws, international conventions, reports, and media broadcasts, were used to give meaning to what happened on the ground in light of international law. The study proved that the war was taking place to separate Tigray from Ethiopia. While undertaking military operations to achieve this goal, mass killings, genocidal acts, and war crimes were committed over Chena and approximate sites in the Dabat district of North Gondar. Thus, hundreds of people lost their lives to the brutalities of mass killings, hundreds of people were subjected to a forcible disappearance, and tens of thousands of people were forced into displacement. Furthermore, harsh beatings, forced labor, slavery, torture, rape, and gang rape have been reported, and generally, people are subjected to pass cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment and punishment. Also, what is so unique is that animals were indiscriminately killed completely, making the environment unsafe for human survival because of pollution and bad smells and the consequent diseases such as Cholera, Flu, and Diarrhea. In addition to TDF, ENDF’s shelling has caused destruction to farmers’ houses & claimed lives. According to humanitarian principles, acts that can establish MACs and war crimes were perpetrated. Generally, the war in this direction has shown an absolute disrespect for international law norms.

Keywords: genocide, war crimes, Tigray Defense Force, Chena, IHL

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Authors: E. Locatelli, I. Monaco, R. C. Martin, Y. Li, R. Pini, M. Chiariello, M. Comes Franchini

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Despite the many advantages of application of nanomaterials in the field of nanomedicine, increasing concerns have been expressed on their potential adverse effects on human health. There is urgency for novel green strategies toward novel materials with enhanced biocompatibility using safe reagents. Photothermal ablation therapy, which exploits localized heat increase of a few degrees to kill cancer cells, has appeared recently as a non-invasive and highly efficient therapy against various cancer types; anyway new agents able to generate hyperthermia when irradiated are needed and must have precise biocompatibility in order to avoid damage to healthy tissues and prevent toxicity. Recently, there has been increasing interest in magnesium as a biomaterial: it is the fourth most abundant cation in the human body, and it is essential for human metabolism. However magnesium nanoparticles (Mg NPs) have had limited diffusion due to the high reduction potential of magnesium cations, which makes NPs synthesis challenging. Herein, we report the synthesis of Mg NPs and their surface functionalization for the obtainment of a stable and biocompatible nanomaterial suitable for photothermal ablation therapy against cancer. We synthesized the Mg crystals by reducing MgCl2 with metallic lithium and exploiting naphthalene as an electron carrier: the lithium–naphthalene complex acts as the real reducing agent. Firstly, the nanocrystal particles were coated with the ligand 12-ethoxy ester dodecanehydroxamic acid, and then entrapped into water-dispersible polymeric micelles (PMs) made of the FDA-approved PLGA-b-PEG-COOH copolymer using the oil-in-water emulsion technique. Lately, we developed a more straightforward methodology by introducing chitosan, a highly biocompatible natural product, at the beginning of the process, simultaneously using lithium–naphthalene complex, thus having a one-pot procedure for the formation and surface modification of MgNPs. The obtained MgNPs were purified and fully characterized, showing diameters in the range of 50-300 nm. Notably, when coated with chitosan the particles remained stable as dry powder for more than 10 months. We proved the possibility of generating a temperature rise of a few to several degrees once MgNPs were illuminated using a 810 nm diode laser operating in continuous wave mode: the temperature rise resulted significant (0-15 °C) and concentration dependent. We then investigated potential cytotoxicity of the MgNPs: we used HN13 epithelial cells, derived from a head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and the hepa1-6 cell line, derived from hepatocellular carcinoma and very low toxicity was observed for both nanosystems. Finally, in vivo photothermal therapy was performed on xenograft hepa1-6 tumor bearing mice: the animals were treated with MgNPs coated with chitosan and showed no sign of suffering after the injection. After 12 hours the tumor was exposed to near-infrared laser light. The results clearly showed an extensive damage to tumor tissue after only 2 minutes of laser irradiation at 3Wcm-1, while no damage was reported when the tumor was treated with the laser and saline alone in control group. Despite the lower photothermal efficiency of Mg with respect to Au NPs, we consider MgNPs a promising, safe and green candidate for future clinical translations.

Keywords: chitosan, magnesium nanoparticles, nanomedicine, photothermal therapy

Procedia PDF Downloads 265

Authors: Fikret Yalcinkaya, Hamza Unsal

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To understand how neurons work, it is required to combine experimental studies on neural science with numerical simulations of neuron models in a computer environment. In this regard, the simplicity and applicability of spiking neuron modeling functions have been of great interest in computational neuron science and numerical neuroscience in recent years. Spiking neuron models can be classified by exhibiting various neuronal behaviors, such as spiking and bursting. These classifications are important for researchers working on theoretical neuroscience. In this paper, three different spiking neuron models; Izhikevich, Adaptive Exponential Integrate Fire (AEIF) and Hindmarsh Rose (HR), which are based on first order differential equations, are discussed and compared. First, the physical meanings, derivatives, and differential equations of each model are provided and simulated in the Matlab environment. Then, by selecting appropriate parameters, the models were visually examined in the Matlab environment and it was aimed to demonstrate which model can simulate well-known biological neuron behaviours such as Tonic Spiking, Tonic Bursting, Mixed Mode Firing, Spike Frequency Adaptation, Resonator and Integrator. As a result, the Izhikevich model has been shown to perform Regular Spiking, Continuous Explosion, Intrinsically Bursting, Thalmo Cortical, Low-Threshold Spiking and Resonator. The Adaptive Exponential Integrate Fire model has been able to produce firing patterns such as Regular Ignition, Adaptive Ignition, Initially Explosive Ignition, Regular Explosive Ignition, Delayed Ignition, Delayed Regular Explosive Ignition, Temporary Ignition and Irregular Ignition. The Hindmarsh Rose model showed three different dynamic neuron behaviours; Spike, Burst and Chaotic. From these results, the Izhikevich cell model may be preferred due to its ability to reflect the true behavior of the nerve cell, the ability to produce different types of spikes, and the suitability for use in larger scale brain models. The most important reason for choosing the Adaptive Exponential Integrate Fire model is that it can create rich ignition patterns with fewer parameters. The chaotic behaviours of the Hindmarsh Rose neuron model, like some chaotic systems, is thought to be used in many scientific and engineering applications such as physics, secure communication and signal processing.

Keywords: Izhikevich, adaptive exponential integrate fire, Hindmarsh Rose, biological neuron behaviours, spiking neuron models

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Authors: George Kyriakopoulos, Photini Pazartzis, Anthi Koskina, Crystalie Bourcha

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The need for securing safe access to and return from outer space, as well as ensuring the viability of outer space operations, maintains vivid the debate over the promotion of organization of space traffic through a Space Traffic Management System (STM). The proliferation of outer space activities in recent years as well as the dynamic emergence of the private sector has gradually resulted in a diverse universe of actors operating in outer space. The said developments created an increased adverse impact on outer space sustainability as the case of the growing number of space debris clearly demonstrates. The above landscape sustains considerable threats to outer space environment and its operators that need to be addressed by a combination of scientific-technological measures and regulatory interventions. In this context, recourse to recent technological advancements and, in particular, to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning systems, could achieve exponential results in promoting space traffic management with respect to collision avoidance as well as launch and re-entry procedures/phases. New technologies can support the prospects of a successful space traffic management system at an international scale by enabling, inter alia, timely, accurate and analytical processing of large data sets and rapid decision-making, more precise space debris identification and tracking and overall minimization of collision risks and reduction of operational costs. What is more, a significant part of space activities (i.e. launch and/or re-entry phase) takes place in airspace rather than in outer space, hence the overall discussion also involves the highly developed, both technically and legally, international (and national) Air Traffic Management System (ATM). Nonetheless, from a regulatory perspective, the use of AI for the purposes of space traffic management puts forward implications that merit particular attention. Key issues in this regard include the delimitation of AI-based activities as space activities, the designation of the applicable legal regime (international space or air law, national law), the assessment of the nature and extent of international legal obligations regarding space traffic coordination, as well as the appropriate liability regime applicable to AI-based technologies when operating for space traffic coordination, taking into particular consideration the dense regulatory developments at EU level. In addition, the prospects of institutionalizing international cooperation and promoting an international governance system, together with the challenges of establishment of a comprehensive international STM regime are revisited in the light of intervention of AI technologies. This paper aims at examining regulatory implications advanced by the use of AI technology in the context of space traffic management operations and its key correlating concepts (SSA, space debris mitigation) drawing in particular on international and regional considerations in the field of STM (e.g. UNCOPUOS, International Academy of Astronautics, European Space Agency, among other actors), the promising advancements of the EU approach to AI regulation and, last but not least, national approaches regarding the use of AI in the context of space traffic management, in toto. Acknowledgment: The present work was co-funded by the European Union and Greek national funds through the Operational Program "Human Resources Development, Education and Lifelong Learning " (NSRF 2014-2020), under the call "Supporting Researchers with an Emphasis on Young Researchers – Cycle B" (MIS: 5048145).

Keywords: artificial intelligence, space traffic management, space situational awareness, space debris

Procedia PDF Downloads 247

Authors: Valentin Nickolai, Florian Pfeffel, Christian Louis Kühner

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In many industrialized nations, the demand for skilled workers rises, causing the current market for employees to be more candidate-driven than employer-driven. Therefore, losing highly skilled and experienced employees due to early or partial retirement negatively impacts firms. Therefore, finding new ways to incentivize older employees (Silver Workers) to stay longer with the company and in their job can be crucial for the success of a firm. This study analyzes how working remotely can be a valid incentive for experienced Silver Workers to stay in their job and instead work from home with more flexible working hours. An online survey with n = 684 respondents, who are employed in the service sector, has been conducted based on 13 constructs that influence job satisfaction. These have been further categorized into three groups “classic influencing factors,” “influencing factors changed by remote working,” and new remote working influencing factors,” and were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). Here, Cronbach’s alpha of the individual constructs was shown to be suitable. Furthermore, the construct validity of the constructs was confirmed by face validity, content validity, convergent validity (AVE > 0.5: CR > 0.7), and discriminant validity. Additionally, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed the model fit for the investigated sample (CMIN/DF: 2.567; CFI: 0.927; RMSEA: 0.048). It was shown in the SEM-analysis that the influencing factor on job satisfaction, “identification with the work,” is the most significant with β = 0.540, followed by “Appreciation” (β = 0.151), “Compensation” (β = 0.124), “Work-Life-Balance” (β = 0.116), and “Communication and Exchange of Information” (β = 0.105). While the significance of each factor can vary depending on the work model, the SEM-analysis also shows that the identification with the work is the most significant factor in all three work models mentioned above and, in the case of the traditional office work model, it is the only significant influencing factor. The study shows that employees between the ages of 56 and 65 years have the highest job satisfaction when working entirely from home or remotely. Furthermore, their job satisfaction score of 5.4 on a scale from 1 (very dissatisfied) to 7 (very satisfied) is the highest amongst all age groups in any of the three work models. Due to the significantly higher job satisfaction, it can be argued that giving Silver Workers the offer to work from home or remotely can incentivize them not to opt for early retirement or partial retirement but to stay in their job full-time Furthermore, these findings can indicate that employees in the Silver Worker age are much more inclined to leave their job for early retirement if they have to entirely work in the office.

Keywords: home office, remote work instead of early or partial retirement, silver worker, structural equation modeling

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Authors: Marina Wagdy Nageeb Eskander

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

Procedia PDF Downloads 53

Authors: Prasita Sooksamran, Wareerat Kaewurai

Abstract:

STEM is an integrated teaching approach promoted by the Ministry of Education in Thailand. STEM Education is an integrated approach to teaching Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. It has been questioned by Thai teachers on the grounds of how to integrate STEM into the classroom. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to develop a science instructional model based on the STEM approach to enhance scientific mind and problem-solving skills for primary students. This study is participatory action research, and follows the following steps: 1) develop a model 2) seek the advice of experts regarding the teaching model. Developing the instructional model began with the collection and synthesis of information from relevant documents, related research and other sources in order to create prototype instructional model. 2) The examination of the validity and relevance of instructional model by a panel of nine experts. The findings were as follows: 1. The developed instructional model comprised of principles, objective, content, operational procedures and learning evaluation. There were 4 principles: 1) Learning based on the natural curiosity of primary school level children leading to knowledge inquiry, understanding and knowledge construction, 2) Learning based on the interrelation between people and environment, 3) Learning that is based on concrete learning experiences, exploration and the seeking of knowledge, 4) Learning based on the self-construction of knowledge, creativity, innovation and 5) relating their findings to real life and the solving of real-life problems. The objective of this construction model is to enhance scientific mind and problem-solving skills. Children will be evaluated according to their achievements. Lesson content is based on science as a core subject which is integrated with technology and mathematics at grade 6 level according to The Basic Education Core Curriculum 2008 guidelines. The operational procedures consisted of 6 steps: 1) Curiosity 2) Collection of data 3) Collaborative planning 4) Creativity and Innovation 5) Criticism and 6) Communication and Service. The learning evaluation is an authentic assessment based on continuous evaluation of all the material taught. 2. The experts agreed that the Science Instructional Model based on the STEM Education Approach had an excellent level of validity and relevance (4.67 S.D. 0.50).

Keywords: instructional model, STEM education, scientific mind, problem solving

Procedia PDF Downloads 188

Authors: Nusrat Zabeen Islam

Abstract:

Partnership between local Non-Government organizations (NGO) and International development organizations has become an important feature in the development sector of Bangladesh. It is an important challenge for International development organizations to work with local NGOs with proper HR practice. Local NGOs have a lack of quality working environment and this affects the employee’s work experiences and overall performance at individual, partnership with International development organizations and organizational level. Many local development organizations due to the size of the organization and scope do not have a human resource (HR) unit. Inadequate Human Resource Policies, skills, leadership and lack of effective strategy is now a common scenario in Non-Government organization sector of Bangladesh. So corruption, nepotism, and fraud, risk of Political Contribution in office /work space, Sexual/ gender based abuse, insecurity take place in work place of development sector. The Complaint Management Mechanism (CMM) in human resource management could be one way to improve human resource competence in these organizations. The responsibility of Complaint Management Unit (CMU) of an International development organization is to make workplace maltreating, discriminating communities free. The information of impact of CMM was collected through case study of an International organization and some of its partner national organizations in Bangladesh who are engaged in different projects/programs. In this mechanism International development organizations collect complaints from beneficiaries/ staffs by complaint management unit and investigate by segregating the type and mood of the complaint and find out solution to improve the situation within a very short period. A complaint management committee is formed jointly with HR and management personnel. Concerned focal point collect complaints and share with CM unit. By conducting investigation, review of findings, reply back to CM unit and implementation of resolution through this mechanism, a successful bridge of communication and feedback can be established within beneficiaries, staffs and upper management. The overall result of Complaint management mechanism application indicates that by applying CMM accountability and transparency of workplace and workforce in development organization can be increased significantly. Evaluations based on outcomes, and measuring indicators such as productivity, satisfaction, retention, gender equity, proper judgment will guide organizations in building a healthy workforce, and will also clearly articulate the return on investment and justify any need for further funding.

Keywords: human resource management in NGOs, challenges in human resource, workplace environment, complaint management mechanism

Procedia PDF Downloads 319

Authors: Eva Maged Hosni Sadek

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

Procedia PDF Downloads 54

Authors: D. F. Carvalho, A. O. Uscamayta, J. C. Guerrero, H. F. Oliveira, P. M. Azevedo-Marques

Abstract:

The creation of vector contours slices (ROIs) on body silhouettes in oncologic patients is an important step during the radiotherapy planning in clinic and hospitals to ensure the accuracy of oncologic treatment. The radiotherapy planning of patients is performed by complex softwares focused on analysis of tumor regions, protection of organs at risk (OARs) and calculation of radiation doses for anomalies (tumors). These softwares are supplied for a few manufacturers and run over sophisticated workstations with vector processing presenting a cost of approximately twenty thousand dollars. The Brazilian project SIPRAD (Radiotherapy Planning System) presents a proposal adapted to the emerging countries reality that generally does not have the monetary conditions to acquire some radiotherapy planning workstations, resulting in waiting queues for new patients treatment. The SIPRAD project is composed by a set of integrated and interoperabilities softwares that are able to execute all stages of radiotherapy planning on simple personal computers (PCs) in replace to the workstations. The goal of this work is to present an image processing technique, computationally feasible, that is able to perform an automatic contour delineation in patient body silhouettes (SIPRAD-Body). The SIPRAD-Body technique is performed in tomography slices under grayscale images, extending their use with a greedy algorithm in three dimensions. SIPRAD-Body creates an irregular polyhedron with the Canny Edge adapted algorithm without the use of preprocessing filters, as contrast and brightness. In addition, comparing the technique SIPRAD-Body with existing current solutions is reached a contours similarity at least 78%. For this comparison is used four criteria: contour area, contour length, difference between the mass centers and Jaccard index technique. SIPRAD-Body was tested in a set of oncologic exams provided by the Clinical Hospital of the University of Sao Paulo (HCRP-USP). The exams were applied in patients with different conditions of ethnology, ages, tumor severities and body regions. Even in case of services that have already workstations, it is possible to have SIPRAD working together PCs because of the interoperability of communication between both systems through the DICOM protocol that provides an increase of workflow. Therefore, the conclusion is that SIPRAD-Body technique is feasible because of its degree of similarity in both new radiotherapy planning services and existing services.

Keywords: radiotherapy, image processing, DICOM RT, Treatment Planning System (TPS)

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Authors: Asiye Nisa Kartal

Abstract:

An attempt to recognize the undiscovered bounds of Istiklal Street in Istanbul between its sensory experiences (intangible qualities) and physical setting (tangible qualities) could be taken as the first inspiration point for this study. ‘The dramatic physical changes’ and ‘their current impacts on sensory attributions’ of Istiklal Street have directed this study to consider the role of changing the physical layout on sensory dimensions which have a subtle but important role in the examination of urban places. The public places have always been subject to transformation, so in the last years, the changing socio-cultural structure, economic and political movements, law and city regulations, innovative transportation and communication activities have resulted in a controversial modification of Istanbul. And, as the culture, entertainment, tourism, and shopping focus of Istanbul, Istiklal Street has witnessed different changing stages within the last years. In this process, because of the projects being implemented, many buildings such as cinemas, theatres, and bookstores have restored, moved, converted, closed and demolished which have been significant elements in terms of the qualitative value of this area. And, the multi-layered socio-cultural, and architectural structure of Istiklal Street has been changing in a dramatical and controversial way. But importantly, while the physical setting of Istiklal Street has changed, the transformation has not been spatial, socio-cultural, economic; avoidably the sensory dimensions of Istiklal Street which have great importance in terms of intangible qualities of this area have begun to lose their distinctive features. This has created the challenge of this research. As the main hypothesis, this study claims that the physical transformations have led to change in the sensory characteristic of Istiklal Street, therefore the Sensescape of Istiklal Street deserve to be recorded, decoded and promoted as expeditiously as possible to observe the sensory reflections of physical transformations in this area. With the help of the method of ‘Sensewalking’ which is an efficient research tool to generate knowledge on sensory dimensions of an urban settlement, this study suggests way of ‘mapping’ to understand how do ‘changes of physical setting’ play role on ‘sensory qualities’ of Istiklal Street which have been changed or lost over time. Basically, this research focuses on the sensory mapping of Istiklal Street from the 1990s until today to picture, interpret, criticize the ‘sensory mapping of Istiklal Street in present’ and the ‘sensory mapping of Istiklal Street in past’. Through the sensory mapping of Istiklal Street, this study intends to increase the awareness about the distinctive sensory qualities of places. It is worthwhile for further studies that consider the sensory dimensions of places especially in the field of architecture.

Keywords: Istiklal street, sense, sensewalking, sensory mapping

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Authors: Sameh S. Namnqani, Yaqoob Y. Abobakar, Ahmed M. Alsewehri, Khaled M. AlQethami

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The main objective of this research is to know the impact of the application of the electronic supply system on the performance of the supply department of health organizations. To reach this goal, the study adopted independent variables to measure the dependent variable (performance of the supply department), namely: integration with suppliers, integration with intermediaries and distributors and knowledge of supply size, inventory, and demand. The study used the descriptive method and was aided by the questionnaire tool that was distributed to a sample of workers in the Supply Chain Management Department of King Abdullah Medical City. After the statistical analysis, the results showed that: The 70 sample members strongly agree with the (electronic integration with suppliers) axis with a p-value of 0.001, especially with regard to the following: Opening formal and informal communication channels between management and suppliers (Mean 4.59) and exchanging information with suppliers with transparency and clarity (Mean 4.50). It also clarified that the sample members agree on the axis of (electronic integration with brokers and distributors) with a p-value of 0.001 and this is represented in the following elements: Exchange of information between management, brokers and distributors with transparency, clarity (Mean 4.18) , and finding a close cooperation relationship between management, brokers and distributors (Mean 4.13). The results also indicated that the respondents agreed to some extent on the axis (knowledge of the size of supply, stock, and demand) with a p-value of 0.001. It also indicated that the respondents strongly agree with the existence of a relationship between electronic procurement and (the performance of the procurement department in health organizations) with a p-value of 0.001, which is represented in the following: transparency and clarity in dealing with suppliers and intermediaries to prevent fraud and manipulation (Mean 4.50) and reduce the costs of supplying the needs of the health organization (Mean 4.50). From the results, the study recommended several recommendations, the most important of which are: that health organizations work to increase the level of information sharing between them and suppliers in order to achieve the implementation of electronic procurement in the supply management of health organizations. Attention to using electronic data interchange methods and using modern programs that make supply management able to exchange information with brokers and distributors to find out the volume of supply, inventory, and demand. To know the volume of supply, inventory, and demand, it recommended the application of scientific methods of supply for storage. Take advantage of information technology, for example, electronic data exchange techniques and documents, where it can help in contact with suppliers, brokers, and distributors, and know the volume of supply, inventory, and demand, which contributes to improving the performance of the supply department in health organizations.

Keywords: healthcare supply chain, performance, electronic system, ERP

Procedia PDF Downloads 132

Authors: Nendouvhada Livhuwani Portia, Nicole Sibuyi, Kwazikwakhe Gabuza, Adewale Fadaka

Abstract:

Metabolic dysfunction-associated liver disease (MASLD) is a chronic condition characterized by excessive fat accumulation in the liver, distinct from conditions caused by alcohol, viral hepatitis, or medications. MASLD is often linked with metabolic syndrome, including obesity, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hypertriglyceridemia. This disease can progress to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), marked by liver inflammation and scarring, potentially leading to cirrhosis. However, only 43-44% of patients with steatosis develop MASH, and 7-30% of those with MASH progress to cirrhosis. The exact mechanisms underlying MASLD and its progression remain unclear, and there are currently no specific therapeutic strategies for MASLD/MASH. While anti-obesity and anti-diabetic medications can reduce progression, they do not fully treat or reverse the disease. As an alternative, green-synthesized metal nanoparticles (MNPs) are emerging as potential treatments for liver diseases due to their anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-obesity properties with minimal side effects. MNPs like gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been shown to improve metabolic processes by lowering blood glucose, body fat, and inflammation. The study aimed to explore the effects of green-synthesized MNPs on gene expression in an in vitro model of MASH using C3A/HepG2 liver cells. The MASH model was created by exposing these cells to free fatty acids (FFAs) followed by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce inflammation. Cell viability was assessed with the Water-Soluble Tetrazolium (WST)-1 assay, and lipid accumulation was measured using the Oil Red O (ORO) assay. Additionally, mitochondrial membrane potential was assessed by the tetramethyl rhodamine, methyl ester (TMRE) assay, and inflammation was measured with an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). The study synthesized AuNPs from Carpobrotus edulis fruit (CeF) and avocado seed (AvoSE) and AgNPs from Salvia africana-lutea (SAL) using optimized conditions. The MNPs were characterized by UV-Vis spectrophotometry and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). The nanoparticles were tested at various concentrations for their impact on the C3A/HepG2-induced MASH model. Among the MNPs tested, AvoSE-AuNPs showed the most promise. They reduced cell proliferation and intracellular lipid content more effectively than CeFE-AuNPs and SAL-AgNPs. Molecular analysis using real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed that AvoSE-AuNPs could potentially reverse MASH effects by reducing the expression of key pro-inflammatory and metabolic genes, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), Fas cell surface death receptor (FAS), Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-α, PPAR-γ, and Sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBPF)-1. Further research is needed to confirm the molecular mechanisms behind the effects of these MNPs and to identify the specific phytochemicals responsible for their synthesis and bioactivities.

Keywords: gold nanoparticles, green nanotechnology, metal nanoparticles, obesity

Procedia PDF Downloads 14

Authors: Maryam Hazrati, Tengku Aizan Hamid, Rahimah Ibrahim, Siti Aishah Hassan, Farkhondeh Sharif, Zahra Bagheri

Abstract:

Background: Emotional abuse is the most common type of spousal abuse. In a long-term marriage which lasts several decades, the couple will be faced with greater vulnerability due to illness, disability, and dependence. Emotional abuse can have a devastating impact on victims, leading to low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Research Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an emotional-focused psychoeducational intervention (EFPEI) on emotional abuse and marital satisfaction among older adults couples and also to examine the dyadic effects of each partner’s emotional abuse behaviors (EAB) on his/her marital satisfaction (MS) in Shiraz-Iran. Methodology: The study was a randomized controlled trial (RCT). A total of 57 eligible couples were randomly assigned to either the experimental group or the control group. The experimental group received EFPEI, which consisted of 12 sessions, each lasting 90 minutes. The control group did not receive any intervention. Data were collected using demographic questionnaire, Multidimensional Measure of Emotional Abuse (MMEAQ), and Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire for Older People (MSQFOP). The data was analyzed using a variety of statistical methods, including repeated measures ANOVA, path analysis, and correlational analyses. Findings: The results of the study showed that the EFPEI was effective in reducing emotional abuse and increasing marital satisfaction among older adults couples. Specifically, the mean scores for emotional abuse and marital satisfaction were significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group at the end of the intervention. These effects were maintained at a 3-month follow-up. Moreover, the dyadic analysis revealed that husbands’ EAB had no significant effects on his own marital satisfaction but a significant negative partner effect, while wives’ EAB had significant negative actor and partner effects. Conclusion: The findings of this study provide support for the use of EFPEI as an effective intervention for decreasing emotional abuse and improving marital dissatisfaction among older adults. EFPEI is a short-term, evidence-based intervention that can be delivered by trained professionals. The intervention focuses on helping couples to improve their communication skills, resolve conflict, and build a stronger emotional connection.

Keywords: spouse abuse, emotion, aged, satisfaction, dyadic effect

Procedia PDF Downloads 78

Authors: Rania Melad Kamel Hakim

Abstract:

A descriptive statistical analysis of the data showed that the most important factor evoking negative attitudes among teachers is student behavior. These 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 to 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 50

Authors: Marietta Kékes Szabó

Abstract:

The patterns of personality (mal)function and the individuals’ psychosocial environment influence the healthy status collectively and may lie in the background of psychosomatic disorders. Although the patients with their diversified symptoms usually do not have any organic problems, the experienced complaint, the fear of serious illness and the lack of social support often lead to increased anxiety and further enigmatic symptoms. The role of the family system and its atmosphere seem to be very important in this process. More studies explored the characteristics of dysfunctional family organization: inflexible family structure, hidden conflicts that are not spoken about by the family members during their daily interactions, undefined role boundaries, neglect or overprotection of the children by the parents and coalition between generations. However, questionnaires that are used to measure the properties of the family system are able to explore only its unit and cannot pay attention to the dyadic interactions, while the representation of the family structure by a figure placing test gives us a new perspective to better understand the organization of the (sub)system(s). Furthermore, its dynamic form opens new perspectives to explore the family members’ joint representations, which gives us the opportunity to know more about the flexibility of cohesion and hierarchy of the given family system. In this way, the communication among the family members can be also examined. The aim of my study was to collect a great number of information about the organization of psychosomatic families. In our research we used Gehring’s Family System Test (FAST) both in static and dynamic forms to mobilize the family members’ mental representations about their family and to get data in connection with their individual representations as well as cooperation. There were four families in our study, all of them with a young adult person. Two families with healthy participants and two families with asthmatic patient(s) were involved in our research. The family members’ behavior that could be observed during the dynamic situation was recorded on video for further data analysis with Noldus Observer XT 8.0 program software. In accordance with the previous studies, our results show that the family structure of the families with at least one psychosomatic patient is more rigid than it was found in the control group and the certain (typical, ideal, and conflict) dynamic representations reflected mainly the most dominant family member’s individual concept. The behavior analysis also confirmed the intensified role of the dominant person(s) in the family life, thereby influencing the family decisions, the place of the other family members, as well as the atmosphere of the interactions, which could also be grasped well by the applied methods. However, further research is needed to learn more about the phenomenon that can open the door for new therapeutic approaches.

Keywords: psychosomatic families, family structure, family system test (FAST), static and dynamic representations, behavior analysis

Procedia PDF Downloads 386

Authors: Ana Claudia de Souza Costa, Beatriz de Cássia Pinheiro Goulart, Karine de Cássia Cavalari, Henrique Ceretta Oliveira, Edineis de Brito Guirardello

Abstract:

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, nursing represents the largest category of health professionals who were on the front line. Thus, investigating the practice environment and the job satisfaction of nursing professionals during the pandemic becomes fundamental since it reflects on the quality of care and the safety climate. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the nursing professionals' perception of the work environment, job satisfaction, and safety climate of the different hospitals and work shifts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: This is a cross-sectional survey with 130 nursing professionals from public, private and mixed hospitals in Brazil. For data collection, was used an electronic form containing the personal and occupational variables, work environment, job satisfaction, and safety climate. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis tests according to the data distribution. The distribution was evaluated by means of the Shapiro-Wilk test. The analysis was done in the SPSS 23 software, and it was considered a significance level of 5%. Results: The mean age of the participants was 35 years (±9.8), with a mean time of 6.4 years (±6.7) of working experience in the institution. Overall, the nursing professionals evaluated the work environment as favorable; they were dissatisfied with their job in terms of pay, promotion, benefits, contingent rewards, operating procedures and satisfied with coworkers, nature of work, supervision, and communication, and had a negative perception of the safety climate. When comparing the hospitals, it was found that they did not differ in their perception of the work environment and safety climate. However, they differed with regard to job satisfaction, demonstrating that nursing professionals from public hospitals were more dissatisfied with their work with regard to promotion when compared to professionals from private (p=0.02) and mixed hospitals (p< 0.01) and nursing professionals from mixed hospitals were more satisfied than those from private hospitals (p= 0.04) with regard to supervision. Participants working in night shifts had the worst perception of the work environment related to nurse participation in hospital affairs (p= 0.02), nursing foundations for quality care (p= 0.01), nurse manager ability, leadership and support (p= 0.02), safety climate (p< 0.01), job satisfaction related to contingent rewards (p= 0.04), nature of work (p= 0.03) and supervision (p< 0.01). Conclusion: The nursing professionals had a favorable perception of the environment and safety climate but differed among hospitals regarding job satisfaction for the promotion and supervision domains. There was also a difference between the participants regarding the work shifts, being the night shifts, those with the lowest scores, except for satisfaction with operational conditions.

Keywords: health facility environment, job satisfaction, patient safety, nursing

Procedia PDF Downloads 151

Authors: Niyi Awofeso, Yunes Gaber, Moyosola Bamidele

Abstract:

Since most social media platforms are accessible anytime and anywhere where Internet connections and smartphones are available, the invisibility of the reader raises questions about accuracy, appropriateness and comprehensibility of social media communication. Furthermore, the identity and motives of individuals and organizations who post articles on social media sites are not always transparent. In the health sector, through socially networked platforms constitute a common source of health-related information, given their purported wealth of information. Nevertheless, fake blogs and sponsored postings for marketing 'natural cures' pervade most commonly used social media platforms, thus complicating readers’ abilities to access and understand trustworthy health-related information. This purposive sampling study of 120 participants aged 18-35 year in UAE was conducted between September and December 2017, and explored commonly used social media platforms, frequency of use of social media for accessing health related information, and approaches for assessing the trustworthiness of health information on social media platforms. Results indicate that WhatsApp (95%), Instagram (87%) and Youtube (82%) were the most commonly used social media platforms among respondents. Majority of respondents (81%) indicated that they regularly access social media to get health-associated information. More than half of respondents (55%) with non-chronic health status relied on unsolicited messages to obtain health-related information. Doctors’ health blogs (21%) and social media sites of international healthcare organizations (20%) constitute the most trusted source of health information among respondents, with UAE government health agencies’ social media accounts trusted by 15% of respondents. Cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and hypertension were the most commonly searched topics on social media (29%), followed by nutrition (20%) and skin care (16%). Majority of respondents (41%) rely on reliability of hits on Google search engines, 22% check for health information only from 'reliable' social media sites, while 8% utilize 'logic' to ascertain reliability of health information. As social media has rapidly become an integral part of the health landscape, it is important that health care policy makers, healthcare providers and social media companies collaborate to promote the positive aspects of social media for young people, whilst mitigating the potential negatives. Utilizing popular social media platforms for posting reader-friendly health information will achieve high coverage. Improving youth digital literacy will facilitate easier access to trustworthy information on the internet.

Keywords: social media, United Arab Emirates, youth engagement, digital literacy

Procedia PDF Downloads 115

Authors: Linna Li

Abstract:

The capability to move around places is doubtless very important for individuals to maintain good health and social functions. People’s activities in space and time have long been a research topic in behavioral and socio-economic studies, particularly focusing on the highly dynamic urban environment. By analyzing groups of people who share similar activity patterns, many socio-economic and socio-demographic problems and their relationships with individual behavior preferences can be revealed. Los Angeles, known for its large population, ethnic diversity, cultural mixing, and entertainment industry, faces great transportation challenges such as traffic congestion, parking difficulties, and long commuting. Understanding people’s travel behavior and movement patterns in this metropolis sheds light on potential solutions to complex problems regarding urban mobility. This project visualizes people’s trajectories in Greater Los Angeles (L.A.) Area over a period of two months using Twitter data. A Python script was used to collect georeferenced tweets within the Greater L.A. Area including Ventura, San Bernardino, Riverside, Los Angeles, and Orange counties. Information associated with tweets includes text, time, location, and user ID. Information associated with users includes name, the number of followers, etc. Both aggregated and individual activity patterns are demonstrated using various geovisualization techniques. Locations of individual Twitter users were aggregated to create a surface of activity hot spots at different time instants using kernel density estimation, which shows the dynamic flow of people’s movement throughout the metropolis in a twenty-four-hour cycle. In the 3D geovisualization interface, the z-axis indicates time that covers 24 hours, and the x-y plane shows the geographic space of the city. Any two points on the z axis can be selected for displaying activity density surface within a particular time period. In addition, daily trajectories of Twitter users were created using space-time paths that show the continuous movement of individuals throughout the day. When a personal trajectory is overlaid on top of ancillary layers including land use and road networks in 3D visualization, the vivid representation of a realistic view of the urban environment boosts situational awareness of the map reader. A comparison of the same individual’s paths on different days shows some regular patterns on weekdays for some Twitter users, but for some other users, their daily trajectories are more irregular and sporadic. This research makes contributions in two major areas: geovisualization of spatial footprints to understand travel behavior using the big data approach and dynamic representation of activity space in the Greater Los Angeles Area. Unlike traditional travel surveys, social media (e.g., Twitter) provides an inexpensive way of data collection on spatio-temporal footprints. The visualization techniques used in this project are also valuable for analyzing other spatio-temporal data in the exploratory stage, thus leading to informed decisions about generating and testing hypotheses for further investigation. The next step of this research is to separate users into different groups based on gender/ethnic origin and compare their daily trajectory patterns.

Keywords: geovisualization, human mobility pattern, Los Angeles, social media

Procedia PDF Downloads 111

Authors: Amanda Aliende da Matta, Maria del Pilar Fogueiras Bertomeu, Valeria de Ormaechea Otalora, Maria Paz Sandin Esteban, Miriam Comet Donoso

Abstract:

This communication presents proposed questions about the existential in research on the political participation of young women. The study follows a qualitative methodology, in particular, the applied hermeneutic phenomenological (AHP) method, and the general objective of the research is to give an account of the experience of political participation as a young woman. The study participants are women aged 18 to 35 who have experience in political participation. The techniques of data collection are the descriptive story and the phenomenological interview. Hermeneutic phenomenology as a research approach is based on phenomenological philosophy and applied hermeneutics. The ultimate objective of HP is to gain access to the meaning structures of lived experience by appropriating them, clarifying them, and reflectively making them explicit. Human experiences are always lived through existential: fundamental themes that are useful in exploring meaningful aspects of our life worlds. Everyone experiences the world through the existential of lived relationships, the lived body, lived space, lived time, and lived things. The phenomenological research, then, also tacitly asks about the existential. Existentials are universal themes useful for exploring significant aspects of our life world and of the particular phenomena under study. Four main existentials prove especially helpful as guides for reflection in the research process: relationship, body, space, and time. For example, in our case, we may ask ourselves how can the existentials of relationship, body, space, and time guide us in exploring the structures of meaning in the lived experience of political participation as a woman and a young person. The study is still not finished, as we are currently conducting phenomenological thematic analysis on the collected stories of lived experience. Yet, we have already identified some fragments of texts that show the existential in their experiences, which we will transcribe below. 1) Relationality - The experienced I-Other. It regards how relationships are experienced in our narratives about political participation as young women. One example would be: “As we had known each other for a long time, we understood each other with our eyes; we were all a little bit on the same page, thinking the same thing.” 2) Corporeality - The lived body. It regards how the lived body is experienced in activities of political participation as a young woman. One example would be: “My blood was boiling, but it was not the time to throw anything in their face, we had to look for solutions.”; “I had a lump in my throat and I wanted to cry.”. 3) Spatiality - The lived space. It regards how one experiences the lived space in political participation activities as a young woman. One example would be: “And the feeling I got when I saw [it] it's like watching everybody going into a mousetrap.” 4) Temporality - Lived time. It regards how one experiences the lived time in political participation activities as a young woman. One example would be: “Then, there were also meetings that went on forever…”

Keywords: applied hermeneutic phenomenology, existentials, hermeneutics, phenomenology, political participation

Procedia PDF Downloads 76

Authors: Sara Asham Mahrous Kamel

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

Procedia PDF Downloads 45

Authors: Jilbert Novelero, Oliver Mariano

Abstract:

In a world where technological evolution and competition to create innovative products are at its peak, problems on Electronic Waste (E-Waste) are now becoming a global concern. E-waste is said to be any electrical or electronic devices that have reached the terminal of its useful life. The major issue are the volume and the raw materials used in crafting E-waste which is non-biodegradable and contains hazardous substances that are toxic to human health and the environment. The objective of this study is to gather baseline data in terms of the composition of E-waste in the solid waste stream and to determine the top 5 E-waste categories in a highly urbanized city. Recommendations in managing these wastes for its reduction were provided which may serve as a guide for acceptance and implementation in the locality. Pasig City was the chosen beneficiary of the research output and through the collaboration of the City Government of Pasig and its Solid Waste Management Office (SWMO); the researcher successfully conducted the Electronic Waste Analysis and Characterization Study (E-WACS) to achieve the objectives. E-WACS that was conducted on April 2019 showed that E-waste ranked 4th which comprises the 10.39% of the overall solid waste volume. Out of 345, 127.24kg which is the total daily domestic waste generation in the city, E-waste covers 35,858.72kg. Moreover, an average of 40 grams was determined to be the E-waste generation per person per day. The top 5 E-waste categories were then classified after the analysis. The category which ranked first is the office and telecommunications equipment that contained the 63.18% of the total generated E-waste. Second in ranking was the household appliances category with 21.13% composition. Third was the lighting devices category with 8.17%. Fourth on ranking was the consumer electronics and batteries category which was composed of 5.97% and fifth was the wires and cables category where it comprised the 1.41% of the average generated E-waste samples. One of the recommendations provided in this research is the implementation of the Pasig City Waste Advantage Card. The card can be used as a privilege card and earned points can be converted to avail of and enjoy services such as haircut, massage, dental services, medical check-up, and etc. Another recommendation raised is for the LGU to encourage a communication or dialogue with the technology and electronics manufacturers and distributors and international and local companies to plan the retrieval and disposal of the E-wastes in accordance with the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy where producers are given significant responsibilities for the treatment and disposal of post-consumer products.

Keywords: E-waste, E-WACS, E-waste characterization, electronic waste, electronic waste analysis

Procedia PDF Downloads 116

Authors: Victoria L. Nkosi, Parvaneh Farhangpour

Abstract:

Often a Grade 12 certificate is perceived as a passport to tertiary education and the minimum requirement to enter the world of work. In spite of its importance, many students do not make this milestone in South Africa. It is important to find out why so many students still fail in spite of transformation in the education system in the post-apartheid era. Given the complexity of education and its context, this study adopted a case study design to examine one historically underperforming high school in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa in 2013. The aim was to gain a understanding of the inner and outer school contextual factors associated with the high failure rate among Grade 12 students.  Government documents and reports were consulted to identify factors in the district and the village surrounding the school and a student survey was conducted to identify school, home and student factors. The randomly-sampled half of the population of Grade 12 students (53) participated in the survey and quantitative data are analyzed using descriptive statistical methods. The findings showed that a host of factors is at play. The school is located in a village within a municipality which has been one of the poorest three municipalities in South Africa and the lowest Grade 12 pass rate in the Mpumalanga province.   Moreover, over half of the families of the students are single parents, 43% are unemployed and the majority has a low level of education. In addition, most families (83%) do not have basic study materials such as a dictionary, books, tables, and chairs. A significant number of students (70%) are over-aged (+19 years old); close to half of them (49%) are grade repeaters. The school itself lacks essential resources, namely computers, science laboratories, library, and enough furniture and textbooks. Moreover, teaching and learning are negatively affected by the teachers’ occasional absenteeism, inadequate lesson preparation, and poor communication skills. Overall, the continuous low performance of students in this school mirrors the vicious circle of multiple negative conditions present within and outside of the school. The complexity of factors associated with the underperformance of Grade 12 students in this school calls for a multi-dimensional intervention from government and stakeholders. One important intervention should be the placement of over-aged students and grade-repeaters in suitable educational institutions for the benefit of other students.

Keywords: inner context, outer context, over-aged students, vicious cycle

Procedia PDF Downloads 197

Authors: Gulden Aykinbaeva, Assem Umirzakova, Assel Makhadiyeva

Abstract:

The problem of studying of young married couples in connection with a change of social institute of a family and marriage is represented very actual for family consultation, considering a family role in the development of modern society. Results of numerous researchs say that one of difficult in formation and stabilization of a matrimony is the period of a young family. This period is characterized by various processes of integration, adaptation and emotional compatibility of spouses. The young family in it the period endures the first standard crisis which postpones a print for the further development of the family scenario. Emergence new, earlier not existing, systems of values render a huge value on the process of formation of a young family and each of spouses separately. Possibly to solve the set family tasks at the development of the uniform system of the family relations in which socially mature persons capable to consider a family as the creativity of each other act as subjects. Due to the research objective in work the following techniques were used: a questionnaire of satisfaction with V. V. Stolin's marriage and A. N. Volkova's technique directed on detection of coherence of family values and role installations in a married couple, and also content – the analysis. Development of an internal basis of a family on mutual clearing of values is important during the work with married couples. 'The mature view' of the partner in the marriage union provides coherence between the expected and real behavior of the partner that is important for the realization of the purposes of adaptation in a family. For research of communication of the data obtained by means of A. N. Volkova's techniques, V. V. Stolina and content – the analysis, the correlation analysis, with the application of the criterion of Spirmen was used. The analysis of results of the conducted research allowed us to determine the number of consistent patterns: 1. Nature of change of satisfaction with marriage at spouses testifies that the matrimonial relations undergo high-quality changes at different stages of formation of a young family. 2. The matrimonial relations in the course of their development, formation and functioning in young marriage undergo considerable changes on psychological, social and psychological and insignificant — at the psychophysiological and sociocultural levels. The material received by us allows to plan ways of further detailed researches of the development of the matrimonial relations not only in the young marriage but also at further stages of development of a matrimony. We believe that the results received in this research can be almost applied at creation of algorithms of selection of marriage partners, at diagnostics of character and the maintenance of matrimonial disharmonies, at the forecast of stability of marriage and a family.

Keywords: married couples, formation of the young family, psychological consultation, matrimony

Procedia PDF Downloads 388

Authors: Selina Lin, Justin M Fan, Vincent Zhang, Cindy Chen, Daniel Lam, Jason Yan, Ning Zhang

Abstract:

Depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the United States, and past studies have shown a concerning increase in the rates of depression in youth populations over time. Furthermore, depression is an especially important issue for Asian Americans because of the anti-Asian violence taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic. While Asian American adolescents are reluctant to seek help for mental health issues, past research has found a prevalence of depressive symptoms in them that have yet to be fully investigated. There have been studies conducted to understand and observe the impacts of multifarious factors influencing the mental well-being of Asian American adolescents; however, they have been generally limited to qualitative investigation, and very few have attempted to quantitatively evaluate the relationship between depression levels and a comprehensive list of factors for those levels at the same time. To better quantify these relationships, this project investigated the prevalence of depression in Asian American teenagers mainly from the Greater Philadelphia Region, aged 12 to 19, and, with an anonymous survey, asked participants 48 multiple-choice questions pertaining to demographic information, daily behaviors, school life, family life, depression levels (quantified by the PHQ-9 assessment), school and family support against depression. Each multiple-choice question was assigned as a factor and variable for statistical and dominance analysis to determine the most influential factors on depression levels of Asian American adolescents. The results were validated via Bootstrap analysis and t-tests. While certain influential factors identified in this survey are consistent with the literature, such as parent-child relationship and peer pressure, several dominant factors were relatively overlooked in the past. These factors include the parents’ relationship with each other, the satisfaction with body image, sex identity, support from the family and support from the school. More than 25% of participants desired more support from their families and schools in handling depression issues. This study implied that it is beneficial for Asian American parents and adolescents to take programs on parents’ relationships with each other, parent-child communication, mental health, and sexual identity. A culturally inclusive school environment and more accessible mental health services would be helpful for Asian American adolescents to combat depression. This survey-based study paved the way for further investigation of effective approaches for helping Asian American adolescents against depression.

Keywords: Asian American adolescents, depression, dominance analysis, t-test, bootstrap analysis

Procedia PDF Downloads 133

Authors: Saleh Gorji, Sahil Gulati, Ana Pakzad

Abstract:

Continuous electron diffraction tomography, also known as microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED) or three-dimensional electron diffraction (3DED), is a powerful technique, which in combination with cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-ED), can provide atomic-scale 3D information about the crystal structure and composition of different classes of crystalline materials such as proteins, peptides, and small molecules. Unlike the well-established X-ray crystallography method, 3DED does not require large single crystals and can collect accurate electron diffraction data from crystals as small as 50 – 100 nm. This is a critical advantage as growing larger crystals, as required by X-ray crystallography methods, is often very difficult, time-consuming, and expensive. In most cases, specimens studied via 3DED method are electron beam sensitive, which means there is a limitation on the maximum amount of electron dose one can use to collect the required data for a high-resolution structure determination. Therefore, collecting data using a conventional scintillator-based fiber coupled camera brings additional challenges. This is because of the inherent noise introduced during the electron-to-photon conversion in the scintillator and transfer of light via the fibers to the sensor, which results in a poor signal-to-noise ratio and requires a relatively higher and commonly specimen-damaging electron dose rates, especially for protein crystals. As in other cryo-EM techniques, damage to the specimen can be mitigated if a direct detection camera is used which provides a high signal-to-noise ratio at low electron doses. In this work, we have used two classes of such detectors from Gatan, namely the K3® camera (a monolithic active pixel sensor) and Stela™ (that utilizes DECTRIS hybrid-pixel technology), to address this problem. The K3 is an electron counting detector optimized for low-dose applications (like structural biology cryo-EM), and Stela is also a counting electron detector but optimized for diffraction applications with high speed and high dynamic range. Lastly, data collection workflows, including crystal screening, microscope optics setup (for imaging and diffraction), stage height adjustment at each crystal position, and tomogram acquisition, can be one of the other challenges of the 3DED technique. Traditionally this has been all done manually or in a partly automated fashion using open-source software and scripting, requiring long hours on the microscope (extra cost) and extensive user interaction with the system. We have recently introduced Latitude® D in DigitalMicrograph® software, which is compatible with all pre- and post-energy-filter Gatan cameras and enables 3DED data acquisition in an automated and optimized fashion. Higher quality 3DED data enables structure determination with higher confidence, while automated workflows allow these to be completed considerably faster than before. Using multiple examples, this work will demonstrate how to direct detection electron counting cameras enhance 3DED results (3 to better than 1 Angstrom) for protein and small molecule structure determination. We will also show how Latitude D software facilitates collecting such data in an integrated and fully automated user interface.

Keywords: continuous electron diffraction tomography, direct detection, diffraction, Latitude D, Digitalmicrograph, proteins, small molecules

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Authors: Dina Moheb Rashid Michael

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: Matthew Sedgwick

Abstract:

Introduction: Social media continues to grow in popularity and Instagram is one of the largest platforms available. It provides an invaluable method of communication between health care professionals and patients. Both patients and dentists can benefit from seeing clinical cases posted by other members of the profession. It can prompt discussion about how the outcome was achieved and showcases what is possible with the right techniques and planning. This study aimed to identify what people were posting about the topic ‘veneers’ and inform health care professionals as to what content had the most engagement and make recommendations as to how to improve the quality of social media posts. Design: 150 consecutive posts for the search term ‘veneers’ were analyzed retrospectively between 21st October 2021 to 31st October 2021. Non-English language posts duplicated posts, and posts not about dental veneers were excluded. After exclusions were applied, 80 posts were included in the study for analysis. The content of the posts was analyzed and coded and the main themes were identified. The number of comments, likes and views were also recorded for each post. Results: The themes were: before and after treatment, cost, dental training courses, treatment process and trial smiles. Dentists were the most common posters of content (82.5%) and it was interesting to note that there were no patients who posted about treatment in this sample. The main type of media was photographs (93.75%) compared to video (6.25%). Videos had an average of 45,541 views and more comments and likes than the average for photographs. The average number of comments and likes per post were 20.88 and 761.58, respectively. Conclusion: Before and after photographs were the most common finding as this is how dentists showcase their work. The study showed that videos showing the treatment process had more engagement than photographs. Dentists should consider making video posts showing the patient journey, including before and after veneer treatment, as this can result in more potential patients and colleagues viewing the content. Video content could help dentists distinguish their posts from others as it can also be used across other platforms such as TikTok or Facebook reaching a wider audience. More informative posts about how the result has shown are achieved required, including potential costs. This will help increase transparency regarding this treatment method, including the financial and potential biological cost to teeth. As a result, this will improve patient understanding and become an invaluable adjunct in informed consent.

Keywords: content analysis, dental veneers, Instagram, social media

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Authors: Eric Spruth, Lindsey Herbert, Danielle DiCristofano, Isis Violet Spruth, Drake Von Spruth

Abstract:

Turning dreams into reality, the lifelong passion of Mr. Spruth and the company is to transform garbage-filled courtyards into flourishing flower and vegetable gardens, bringing light, hope, and wellness to not just the space but to the populations served within these public and private spaces. As an Expressive Art Therapist at Cook County Jail, Eric Spruth has implemented gardening projects, mobile radish carts, plant fostering systems, and large-scale murals. Lindsey Herbert, the Manager of Operations and Events at the International Museum of Surgical Science, supports gardening projects with Mr. Spruth along the front lawn of the museum, which will eventually accumulate into a community wellness garden. Mr. Spruth and Ms. Herbert both have dedicated efforts towards fostering awareness of hope and help and accountability for physical and mental wellbeing. Medicinal plants can rightfully be called one of nature’s wonderful healing tools with therapeutic powers. They can inhibit and kill bacteria, lower blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugar, prevent blood clotting, boost the immune system, and serve as a digestive aid. Some plants have the ability to stimulate the lymphatic system, which expedites the removal of waste products from the body to fight off evil toxins. Many plants are considered effective antioxidants to protect cells against free radical damage, serving to prevent some forms of cancer, heart disease, strokes, and viral infections. Garlic alone can provide us with over two hundred unusual chemicals that have the capability of protecting the human body from a wide variety of diseases. Besides the medicinal qualities of plants, plant and vegetable gardens also have an echoing effect on non-participants to look at something beautiful rather than a concrete courtyard or an unkempt lawn in front of a beautiful building. Plants also purify spaces and affect mood with color therapy. Collective gardening can foster a sense of community and purpose. Additionally, by recognizing the ever-evolving planet with global warming, horticulture therapy teaches important lessons in responsibility, accountability, and sustainability. Growing local food provides an opportunity to be involved in your own mental and physical health and gives you a chance for your own self-resilience, combating depression and a lack of nutrition. In adolescents, the process of watering and caring for plants can teach important life lessons that transcend beyond the garden by providing knowledge on how to care for yourself and how to be an active member of society. It also gives a sense of purpose and pride in transforming a small seed into a plant that can be consumed or enjoyed by others. Mr. Spruth and Ms. Herbert recognize the importance of bringing more green spaces to urban areas, both to serve a nutritional benefit and provide a beautiful transformation to underutilized areas. Gardens can bring beauty, wellness, and hope to dark spaces and provide immeasurable benefits for all.

Keywords: growth, hope, mental health, sustainability, transformation, wellness

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