Search results for: image repair strategies

Authors: Daniel R. dos Santos, Mateus S. Maldonado, Estevão J. R. Batista

Abstract:

The military commanders increasingly dependent on spatial awareness, as knowing where enemy are, understanding how war battle scenarios change over time, and visualizing these trends in ways that offer insights for decision-making. Thanks to advancements in geospatial technologies and artificial intelligence algorithms, the commanders are now able to modernize military operations on a universal scale. Thus, geovisualisation has become an essential asset in the defense sector. It has become indispensable for better decisionmaking in dynamic/temporal scenarios, operation planning and management for the war field, situational awareness, effective planning, monitoring, and others. For example, a 3D visualization of war field data contributes to intelligence analysis, evaluation of postmission outcomes, and creation of predictive models to enhance decision-making and strategic planning capabilities. However, old-school visualization methods are slow, expensive, and unscalable. Despite modern technologies in generating 3D point clouds, such as LIDAR and stereo sensors, monocular depth values based on deep learning can offer a faster and more detailed view of the environment, transforming single images into visual information for valuable insights. We propose a dedicated monocular depth reconstruction approach via deep learning techniques for 3D geovisualisation of satellite images. It introduces scalability in terrain reconstruction and data visualization. First, a dataset with more than 7,000 satellite images and associated digital elevation model (DEM) is created. It is based on high resolution optical and radar imageries collected from Planet and Copernicus, on which we fuse highresolution topographic data obtained using technologies such as LiDAR and the associated geographic coordinates. Second, we developed an imagery-DEM fusion strategy that combine feature maps from two encoder-decoder networks. One network is trained with radar and optical bands, while the other is trained with DEM features to compute dense 3D depth. Finally, we constructed a benchmark with sparse depth annotations to facilitate future research. To demonstrate the proposed method's versatility, we evaluated its performance on no annotated satellite images and implemented an enclosed environment useful for Geovisualisation applications. The algorithms were developed in Python 3.0, employing open-source computing libraries, i.e., Open3D, TensorFlow, and Pythorch3D. The proposed method provides fast and accurate decision-making with GIS for localization of troops, position of the enemy, terrain and climate conditions. This analysis enhances situational consciousness, enabling commanders to fine-tune the strategies and distribute the resources proficiently.

Keywords: depth, deep learning, geovisualisation, satellite images

Procedia PDF Downloads 10

Authors: Fernanda Mary R. G. Da Silva, Adriana C. F. Mozzambani, Marcelo F. Mello

Abstract:

Introduction: Sexual assault against children and adolescents is a public health problem with serious consequences on their quality of life, especially for those who develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The broad literature in this research area points to greater losses in verbal learning, explicit memory, speed of information processing, attention and executive functioning in PTSD. Objective: To compare the neuropsychological functions of adolescents from 14 to 17 years of age, victims of sexual violence with PTSD with those of healthy controls. Methodology: Application of a neuropsychological battery composed of the following subtests: WASI vocabulary and matrix reasoning; Digit subtests (WISC-IV); verbal auditory learning test RAVLT; Spatial Span subtest of the WMS - III scale; abbreviated version of the Wisconsin test; concentrated attention test - D2; prospective memory subtest of the NEUPSILIN scale; five-digit test - FDT and the Stroop test (Trenerry version) in adolescents with a history of sexual violence in the previous six months, referred to the Prove (Violence Care and Research Program of the Federal University of São Paulo), for further treatment. Results: The results showed a deficit in the word coding process in the RAVLT test, with impairment in A3 (p = 0.004) and A4 (p = 0.016) measures, which compromises the verbal learning process (p = 0.010) and the verbal recognition memory (p = 0.012), seeming to present a worse performance in the acquisition of verbal information that depends on the support of the attentional system. A worse performance was found in list B (p = 0.047), a lower priming effect p = 0.026, that is, lower evocation index of the initial words presented and less perseveration (p = 0.002), repeated words. Therefore, there seems to be a failure in the creation of strategies that help the mnemonic process of retention of the verbal information necessary for learning. Sustained attention was found to be impaired, with greater loss of setting in the Wisconsin test (p = 0.023), a lower rate of correct responses in stage C of the Stroop test (p = 0.023) and, consequently, a higher index of erroneous responses in C of the Stroop test (p = 0.023), besides more type II errors in the D2 test (p = 0.008). A higher incidence of total errors was observed in the reading stage of the FDT test p = 0.002, which suggests fatigue in the execution of the task. Performance is compromised in executive functions in the cognitive flexibility ability, suggesting a higher index of total errors in the alternating step of the FDT test (p = 0.009), as well as a greater number of persevering errors in the Wisconsin test (p = 0.004). Conclusion: The data from this study suggest that sexual violence and PTSD cause significant impairment in the neuropsychological functions of adolescents, evidencing risk to quality of life in stages that are fundamental for the development of learning and cognition.

Keywords: adolescents, neuropsychological functions, PTSD, sexual violence

Procedia PDF Downloads 135

Authors: Jen Wang, Wei-Chia Hsu, Zih-Sin Wang, Ching-Ping Chu, Bo-Shiou Guo

Abstract:

In the late 19th century, the Jinguashi ore deposit in northern Taiwan was discovered, and accompanied with flourishing mining activities. However, tons of contaminants including heavy metals, sulfur dioxide, and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) were released to surroundings and caused environmental problems. Site T was one of copper smelter located on the coastal hill near Jinguashi ore deposit. In over ten years of operation, variety contaminants were emitted that it polluted the surrounding soil and groundwater quality. In order to exhaust fumes produced from smelting process, three stacks were built along the hill behind the factory. The sediment inside the stacks contains high concentration of heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, copper, etc. Moreover, soil around the discarded stacks suffered a serious contamination when deposition leached from the ruptures of stacks. Consequently, Site T (including the factory and its surroundings) was declared as a pollution remediation site that visiting the site and land-use activities on it are forbidden. However, the natural landscape and cultural attractions of Site T are spectacular that it attracts a lot of visitors annually. Moreover, land resources are extremely precious in Taiwan. In addition, Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) is actively promoting the contaminated land revitalization policy. Therefore, this study took Site T as case study for brownfield revitalization planning to the limits of activate and remediate the natural resources. Land-use suitability analysis and risk mapping were applied in this study to make appropriate risk management measures and redevelopment plan for the site. In land-use suitability analysis, surrounding factors into consideration such as environmentally sensitive areas, biological resources, land use, contamination, culture, and landscapes were collected to assess the development of each area; health risk mapping was introduced to show the image of risk assessments results based on the site contamination investigation. According to land-use suitability analysis, the site was divided into four zones: priority area (for high-efficiency development), secondary area (for co-development with priority area), conditional area (for reusing existing building) and limited area (for Eco-tourism and education). According to the investigation, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), heavy metals and TPH were considered as target contaminants while oral, inhalation and dermal would be the major exposure pathways in health risk assessment. In accordance with health risk map, the highest risk was found in the southwest and eastern side. Based on the results, the development plan focused on zoning and land use. Site T was recommended be divides to public facility zone, public architectonic art zone, viewing zone, existing building preservation zone, historic building zone, and cultural landscape zone for various purpose. In addition, risk management measures including sustained remediation, extinguish exposure and administration management are applied to ensure particular places are suitable for visiting and protect the visitors’ health. The consolidated results are corroborated available by analyzing aspects of law, land acquired method, maintenance and management and public participation. Therefore, this study has a certain reference value to promote the contaminated land revitalization policy in Taiwan.

Keywords: brownfield revitalization, land-use suitability analysis, health risk map, risk management

Procedia PDF Downloads 184

Authors: Nirmani Wijenayake, Louise Lutze-Mann, Lucy Jo, John Wilson, Vivian Yeung, Dean Lovett, Kim Snepvangers

Abstract:

Sessional academic staff at universities have the most influence and impact on student learning, engagement, and experience as they have the most direct contact with undergraduate students. A blended technology-enhanced program was created for the development and support of sessional staff to ensure adequate training is provided to deliver quality educational outcomes for the students. This program combines innovative mixed media educational modules, a peer-driven support forum, and face-to-face workshops to provide a comprehensive training and support package for staff. Additionally, the program encourages the development of learning communities and peer mentoring among the sessional staff to enhance their support system. In 2018, the program was piloted on 100 sessional staff in the School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences to evaluate the effectiveness of this model. As part of the program, rotoscope animations were developed to showcase ‘typical’ interactions between staff and students. These were designed around communication, confidence building, consistency in grading, feedback, diversity awareness, and mental health and wellbeing. When surveyed, 86% of sessional staff found these animations to be helpful in their teaching. An online platform (Moodle) was set up to disseminate educational resources and teaching tips, to host a discussion forum for peer-to-peer communication and to increase critical thinking and problem-solving skills through scenario-based lessons. The learning analytics from these lessons were essential in identifying difficulties faced by sessional staff to further develop supporting workshops to improve outcomes related to teaching. The face-to-face professional development workshops were run by expert guest speakers on topics such as cultural diversity, stress and anxiety, LGBTIQ and student engagement. All the attendees of the workshops found them to be useful and 88% said they felt these workshops increase interaction with their peers and built a sense of community. The final component of the program was to use an adaptive e-learning platform to gather feedback from the students on sessional staff teaching twice during the semester. The initial feedback provides sessional staff with enough time to reflect on their teaching and adjust their performance if necessary, to improve the student experience. The feedback from students and the sessional staff on this model has been extremely positive. The training equips the sessional staff with knowledge and insights which can provide students with an exceptional learning environment. This program is designed in a flexible and scalable manner so that other faculties or institutions could adapt components for their own training. It is anticipated that the training and support would help to build the next generation of educators who will directly impact the educational experience of students.

Keywords: designing effective instruction, enhancing student learning, implementing effective strategies, professional development

Procedia PDF Downloads 128

Authors: Tagel Gebrehiwot, Carolina Castilla

Abstract:

Food insecurity and child malnutrition are among the most critical issues in Ethiopia. Accordingly, different reform programs have been carried to improve household food security. The Food Security Program (FSP) (among others) was introduced to combat the persistent food insecurity problem in the country. The FSP combines a safety net component called the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) started in 2005. The goal of PSNP is to offer multi-annual transfers, such as food, cash or a combination of both to chronically food insecure households to break the cycle of food aid. Food or cash transfers are the main elements of PSNP. The case for cash transfers builds on the Sen’s analysis of ‘entitlement to food’, where he argues that restoring access to food by improving demand is a more effective and sustainable response to food insecurity than food aid. Cash-based schemes offer a greater choice of use of the transfer and can allow a greater diversity of food choice. It has been proven that dietary diversity is positively associated with the key pillars of food security. Thus, dietary diversity is considered as a measure of household’s capacity to access a variety of food groups. Studies of dietary diversity among Ethiopian rural households are somewhat rare and there is still a dearth of evidence on the impact of PSNP on household dietary diversity. In this paper, we examine the impact of the Ethiopia’s PSNP on household dietary diversity and child nutrition using panel household surveys. We employed different methodologies for identification. We exploit the exogenous increase in kebeles’ PSNP budget to identify the effect of the change in the amount of money households received in transfers between 2012 and 2014 on the change in dietary diversity. We use three different approaches to identify this effect: two-stage least squares, reduced form IV, and generalized propensity score matching using a continuous treatment. The results indicate the increase in PSNP transfers between 2012 and 2014 had no effect on household dietary diversity. Estimates for different household dietary indicators reveal that the effect of the change in the cash transfer received by the household is statistically and economically insignificant. This finding is robust to different identification strategies and the inclusion of control variables that determine eligibility to become a PSNP beneficiary. To identify the effect of PSNP participation on children height-for-age and stunting we use a difference-in-difference approach. We use children between 2 and 5 in 2012 as a baseline because by then they have achieved long-term failure to grow. The treatment group comprises children ages 2 to 5 in 2014 in PSNP participant households. While changes in height-for-age take time, two years of additional transfers among children who were not born or under the age of 2-3 in 2012 have the potential to make a considerable impact on reducing the prevalence of stunting. The results indicate that participation in PSNP had no effect on child nutrition measured as height-for-age or probability of beings stunted, suggesting that PSNP should be designed in a more nutrition-sensitive way.

Keywords: continuous treatment, dietary diversity, impact, nutrition security

Procedia PDF Downloads 336

Authors: Andreas Rudisch, Ralf Lampert, Andreas Kolbitsch

Abstract:

It is a well-known fact among the engineering community that earthquakes with comparatively low magnitudes can cause serious damage to nonstructural components (NSCs) of buildings, even when the supporting structure performs relatively well. Past research works focused mainly on NSCs of nuclear power plants and industrial plants. Particular attention should also be given to architectural façade elements of old masonry buildings (e.g. ornamental figures, balustrades, vases), which are very vulnerable under seismic excitation. Large numbers of these historical nonstructural components (HiNSCs) can be found in highly frequented historical city centers and in the event of failure, they pose a significant danger to persons. In order to estimate the vulnerability of acceleration sensitive HiNSCs, the peak horizontal floor acceleration (PHFA) is used. The PHFA depends on the dynamic characteristics of the building, the ground excitation, and induced nonlinearities. Consequently, the PHFA can not be generalized as a simple function of height. In the present research work, an extensive case study was conducted to investigate the influence of induced nonlinearity on the PHFA for old masonry buildings. Probabilistic nonlinear FE time-history analyses considering three different hazard levels were performed. A set of eighteen synthetically generated ground motions was used as input to the structure models. An elastoplastic macro-model (multiPlas) for nonlinear homogenized continuum FE-calculation was calibrated to multiple scales and applied, taking specific failure mechanisms of masonry into account. The macro-model was calibrated according to the results of specific laboratory and cyclic in situ shear tests. The nonlinear macro-model is based on the concept of multi-surface rate-independent plasticity. Material damage or crack formation are detected by reducing the initial strength after failure due to shear or tensile stress. As a result, shear forces can only be transmitted to a limited extent by friction when the cracking begins. The tensile strength is reduced to zero. The first goal of the calibration was the consistency of the load-displacement curves between experiment and simulation. The calibrated macro-model matches well with regard to the initial stiffness and the maximum horizontal load. Another goal was the correct reproduction of the observed crack image and the plastic strain activities. Again the macro-model proved to work well in this case and shows very good correlation. The results of the case study show that there is significant scatter in the absolute distribution of the PHFA between the applied ground excitations. An absolute distribution along the normalized building height was determined in the framework of probability theory. It can be observed that the extent of nonlinear behavior varies for the three hazard levels. Due to the detailed scope of the present research work, a robust comparison with code-recommendations and simplified PHFA distributions are possible. The chosen methodology offers a chance to determine the distribution of PHFA along the building height of old masonry structures. This permits a proper hazard assessment of HiNSCs under seismic loads.

Keywords: nonlinear macro-model, nonstructural components, time-history analysis, unreinforced masonry

Procedia PDF Downloads 169

Authors: Supriya Ambawat, Subaran Singh, C. Tara Satyavathi, B. S. Rajpurohit, Ummed Singh, Balraj Singh

Abstract:

Pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] is an important staple food of the arid and semiarid tropical regions of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. It is rightly termed as nutricereal as it has high nutrition value and a good source of carbohydrate, protein, fat, ash, dietary fiber, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, etc. Pearl millet has low prolamine fraction and is gluten free which is useful for people having a gluten allergy. It has several health benefits like reduction in blood pressure, thyroid, diabe¬tes, cardiovascular and celiac diseases but its direct consumption as food has significantly declined due to several reasons. Keeping this in view, it is important to reorient the ef¬forts to generate demand through value-addition and quality improvement and create awareness on the nutritional merits of pearl millet. In India, through Indian Council of Agricultural Research-All India Coordinated Research Project on Pearl millet, multilocational coordinated trials for developed hybrids were conducted at various centers. The gene banks of pearl millet contain varieties with high levels of iron and zinc which were used to produce new pearl millet varieties with elevated iron levels bred with the high‐yielding varieties. Thus, using breeding approaches and biochemical analysis, a total of 167 hybrids and 61 varieties were identified and released for cultivation in different agro-ecological zones of the country which also includes some biofortified hybrids rich in Fe and Zn. Further, using several biotechnological interventions such as molecular markers, next-generation sequencing (NGS), association mapping, nested association mapping (NAM), MAGIC populations, genome editing, genotyping by sequencing (GBS), genome wide association studies (GWAS) advancement in millet improvement has become possible by identifying and tagging of genes underlying a trait in the genome. Using DArT markers very high density linkage maps were constructed for pearl millet. Improved HHB67 has been released using marker assisted selection (MAS) strategies, and genomic tools were used to identify Fe-Zn Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL). The draft genome sequence of millet has also opened various ways to explore pearl millet. Further, genomic positions of significantly associated simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers with iron and zinc content in the consensus map is being identified and research is in progress towards mapping QTLs for flour rancidity. The sequence information is being used to explore genes and enzymatic pathways responsible for rancidity of flour. Thus, development and application of several biotechnological approaches along with biofortification can accelerate the genetic gain targets for pearl millet improvement and help improve its quality.

Keywords: Biotechnological approaches, genomic tools, malnutrition, MAS, nutricereal, pearl millet, sequencing.

Procedia PDF Downloads 186

Authors: Sogand Barghi

Abstract:

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in accounting practices is reshaping the landscape of financial management. This paper explores the innovative applications of AI in the realm of accounting, emphasizing its transformative impact on efficiency, accuracy, decision-making, and financial insights. By harnessing AI's capabilities in data analysis, pattern recognition, and automation, accounting professionals can redefine their roles, elevate strategic decision-making, and unlock unparalleled value for businesses. This paper delves into AI-driven solutions such as automated data entry, fraud detection, predictive analytics, and intelligent financial reporting, highlighting their potential to revolutionize the accounting profession. Artificial intelligence has swiftly emerged as a game-changer across industries, and accounting is no exception. This paper seeks to illuminate the profound ways in which AI is reshaping accounting practices, transcending conventional boundaries, and propelling the profession toward a new era of efficiency and insight-driven decision-making. One of the most impactful applications of AI in accounting is automation. Tasks that were once labor-intensive and time-consuming, such as data entry and reconciliation, can now be streamlined through AI-driven algorithms. This not only reduces the risk of errors but also allows accountants to allocate their valuable time to more strategic and analytical tasks. AI's ability to analyze vast amounts of data in real time enables it to detect irregularities and anomalies that might go unnoticed by traditional methods. Fraud detection algorithms can continuously monitor financial transactions, flagging any suspicious patterns and thereby bolstering financial security. AI-driven predictive analytics can forecast future financial trends based on historical data and market variables. This empowers organizations to make informed decisions, optimize resource allocation, and develop proactive strategies that enhance profitability and sustainability. Traditional financial reporting often involves extensive manual effort and data manipulation. With AI, reporting becomes more intelligent and intuitive. Automated report generation not only saves time but also ensures accuracy and consistency in financial statements. While the potential benefits of AI in accounting are undeniable, there are challenges to address. Data privacy and security concerns, the need for continuous learning to keep up with evolving AI technologies, and potential biases within algorithms demand careful attention. The convergence of AI and accounting marks a pivotal juncture in the evolution of financial management. By harnessing the capabilities of AI, accounting professionals can transcend routine tasks, becoming strategic advisors and data-driven decision-makers. The applications discussed in this paper underline the transformative power of AI, setting the stage for an accounting landscape that is smarter, more efficient, and more insightful than ever before. The future of accounting is here, and it's driven by artificial intelligence.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, accounting, automation, predictive analytics, financial reporting

Procedia PDF Downloads 71

Authors: Monkiz Khasreen

Abstract:

In the context of the global trend towards reducing new buildings carbon footprint, the design team is required to make early decisions that have a major influence on embodied and operational carbon. Sustainability strategies should be clear during early stages of building design process, as changes made later can be extremely costly. Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) could be used as the vehicle to carry other tools and processes towards achieving the requested improvement. Although LCA is the ‘golden standard’ to evaluate buildings from 'cradle to grave', lack of details available on the concept design makes LCA very difficult, if not impossible, to be used as an estimation tool at early stages. Issues related to transparency and accessibility of information in the building industry are affecting the credibility of LCA studies. A verified database derived from LCA case studies is required to be accessible to researchers, design professionals, and decision makers in order to offer guidance on specific areas of significant impact. This database could be the build-up of data from multiple sources within a pool of research held in this context. One of the most important factors that affects the reliability of such data is the temporal factor as building materials, components, and systems are rapidly changing with the advancement of technology making production more efficient and less environmentally harmful. Recent LCA studies on different building functions, types, and structures are always needed to update databases derived from research and to form case bases for comparison studies. There is also a need to make these studies transparent and accessible to designers. The work in this paper sets out to address this need. This paper also presents life-cycle case study of a new-build educational building in England. The building utilised very current construction methods and technologies and is rated as BREEAM excellent. Carbon emissions of different life-cycle stages and different building materials and components were modelled. Scenario and sensitivity analyses were used to estimate the future of new educational buildings in England. The study attempts to form an indicator during the early design stages of similar buildings. Carbon dioxide emissions of this case study building, when normalised according to floor area, lie towards the lower end of the range of worldwide data reported in the literature. Sensitivity analysis shows that life cycle assessment results are highly sensitive to future assumptions made at the design stage, such as future changes in electricity generation structure over time, refurbishment processes and recycling. The analyses also prove that large savings in carbon dioxide emissions can result from very small changes at the design stage.

Keywords: architecture, building, carbon dioxide, construction, educational buildings, England, environmental impact, life-cycle assessment

Procedia PDF Downloads 113

Authors: Stefano Zaninotto, Geoffrey Farrugia, Johan Debattista, Jason Gauci

Abstract:

The need to reduce fuel and noise during taxi operations in the airports with a scenario of constantly increasing air traffic has resulted in an effort by the aerospace industry to move towards electric taxiing. In fact, this is one of the problems that is currently being addressed by SESAR JU and two main solutions are being proposed. With the first solution, electric motors are installed in the main (or nose) landing gear of the aircraft. With the second solution, manned or unmanned electric tow trucks are used to tow aircraft from the gate to the runway (or vice-versa). The presence of the tow trucks results in an increase in vehicle traffic inside the airport. Therefore, it is important to design the system in a way that the workload of Air Traffic Control (ATC) is not increased and the system assists ATC in managing all ground operations. The aim of this work is to develop an electric taxiing system, based on the use of autonomous tow trucks, which optimizes aircraft ground operations while keeping ATC in the loop. This system will consist of two components: an optimization tool and a Graphical User Interface (GUI). The optimization tool will be responsible for determining the optimal path for arriving and departing aircraft; allocating a tow truck to each taxiing aircraft; detecting conflicts between aircraft and/or tow trucks; and proposing solutions to resolve any conflicts. There are two main optimization strategies proposed in the literature. With centralized optimization, a central authority coordinates and makes the decision for all ground movements, in order to find a global optimum. With the second strategy, called decentralized optimization or multi-agent system, the decision authority is distributed among several agents. These agents could be the aircraft, the tow trucks, and taxiway or runway intersections. This approach finds local optima; however, it scales better with the number of ground movements and is more robust to external disturbances (such as taxi delays or unscheduled events). The strategy proposed in this work is a hybrid system combining aspects of these two approaches. The GUI will provide information on the movement and status of each aircraft and tow truck, and alert ATC about any impending conflicts. It will also enable ATC to give taxi clearances and to modify the routes proposed by the system. The complete system will be tested via computer simulation of various taxi scenarios at multiple airports, including Malta International Airport, a major international airport, and a fictitious airport. These tests will involve actual Air Traffic Controllers in order to evaluate the GUI and assess the impact of the system on ATC workload and situation awareness. It is expected that the proposed system will increase the efficiency of taxi operations while reducing their environmental impact. Furthermore, it is envisaged that the system will facilitate various controller tasks and improve ATC situation awareness.

Keywords: air traffic control, electric taxiing, autonomous tow trucks, graphical user interface, ground operations, multi-agent, route optimization

Procedia PDF Downloads 130

Authors: O. F. Elkommos

Abstract:

Teaching and learning EFL speaking modules is one of the most challenging productive modules for both instructors and learners. In a student-centered interactive communicative language teaching approach, learners and instructors should be aware of the fact that the target language must be taught as/for communication. The student must be empowered by tools that will work on more than one level of their communicative competence. Communicative learning will need a teaching and learning methodology that will address the goal. Teaching turn-taking rules, pragmatic principles and speech acts will enhance students' sociolinguistic competence, strategic competence together with discourse competence. Sociolinguistic competence entails the mastering of speech act conventions and illocutionary acts of refusing, agreeing/disagreeing; emotive acts like, thanking, apologizing, inviting, offering; directives like, ordering, requesting, advising, and hinting, among others. Strategic competence includes enlightening students’ consciousness of the various particular turn-taking systemic rules of organizing techniques of opening and closing conversation, adjacency pairs, interrupting, back-channeling, asking for/giving opinion, agreeing/disagreeing, using natural fillers for pauses, gaps, speaker select, self-select, and silence among others. Students will have the tools to manage a conversation. Students are engaged in opportunities of experiencing the natural language not as a mere extra student talking time but rather an empowerment of knowing and using the strategies. They will have the component items they need to use as well as the opportunity to communicate in the target language using topics of their interest and choice. This enhances students' communicative abilities. Available websites and textbooks now use one or more of these tools of turn-taking or pragmatics. These will be students' support in self-study in their independent learning study hours. This will be their reinforcement practice on e-Learning interactive activities. The students' target is to be able to communicate the intended meaning to an addressee that is in turn able to infer that intended meaning. The combination of these tools will be assertive and encouraging to the student to beat the struggle with what to say, how to say it, and when to say it. Teaching the rules, principles and techniques is an act of awareness raising method engaging students in activities that will lead to their pragmatic discourse competence. The aim of the paper is to show how the suggested pragmatic model will empower students with tools and systems that would support their learning. Supporting students with turn taking rules, speech act theory, applying both to texts and practical analysis and using it in speaking classes empowers students’ pragmatic discourse competence and assists them to understand language and its context. They become more spontaneous and ready to learn the discourse pragmatic dimension of the speaking techniques and suitable content. Students showed a better performance and a good motivation to learn. The model is therefore suggested for speaking modules in EFL classes.

Keywords: communicative competence, EFL, empowering learners, enhance learning, speech acts, teaching speaking, turn taking, learner centred, pragmatics

Procedia PDF Downloads 176

Authors: Ahmad Zamzam

Abstract:

With the development of the economy in recent years, Saudi Arabia has been maintaining high economic growth. Therefore, its energy consumption has increased dramatically. This economic growth reflected on the expansion of high-rise tower's construction. Jeddah coastal strip (cornice) has many high-rise buildings planned to start next few years. These projects required a massive amount of electricity that was not planned to be supplied by the old infrastructure. This research studies the effect of the building envelope on its thermal performance. It follows a parametric simulation methodology using Ecotect software to analyze the effect of the building envelope design on its cooling energy load for an office high-rise building in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, which includes building geometrical form, massing treatments, orientation and glazing type effect. The research describes an integrated passive design approach to reduce the cooling requirement for high-rise building through an improved building envelope design. The research used Ecotect to make four simulation studies; the first simulation compares the thermal performance of five high-rise buildings, presenting the basic shape of the plan. All the buildings have the same plan area and same floor height. The goal of this simulation is to find out the best shape for the thermal performance. The second simulation studies the effect of orientation on the thermal performance by rotating the same building model to find out the best and the worst angle for the building thermal performance. The third simulation studies the effect of the massing treatment on the total cooling load. It compared five models with different massing treatment, but with the same total built up area. The last simulation studied the effect of the glazing type by comparing the total cooling load of the same building using five different glass type and also studies the feasibility of using these glass types by studying the glass cost effect. The results indicate that using the circle shape as building plan could reduce the thermal cooling load by 40%. Also, using shading devices could reduce the cooling loads by 5%. The study states that using any of the massing grooving, recess or any treatment that could increase the outer exposed surface is not preferred and will decrease the building thermal performance. Also, the result shows that the best direction for glazing and openings from thermal performance viewpoint in Jeddah is the North direction while the worst direction is the East one. The best direction angle for openings - regarding the thermal performance in Jeddah- is 15 deg West and the worst is 250 deg West (110 deg East). Regarding the glass type effect, comparing to the double glass with air fill type as a reference case, the double glass with Air-Low-E will save 14% from the required amount of the thermal cooling load annually. Argon fill and triple glass will save 16% and 17% from the total thermal cooling load respectively, but for the glass cost purpose, using the Argon fill and triple glass is not feasible.

Keywords: passive cooling, reduce thermal load, Jeddah, building shape, energy

Procedia PDF Downloads 128

Authors: Scott Rawlings

Abstract:

Victoria’s first State of the Bays report is an historic baseline study of the health of Port Phillip Bay and Western Port. The report includes 50 assessments of 36 indicators across a broad array of topics from the nitrogen cycle and water quality to key marine species and habitats. This paper discusses the processes for determining and assessing the indicators and comments on future priorities identified to maintain and improve the health of these water ways. Victoria’s population is now at six million, and growing at a rate of over 100,000 people per year - the highest increase in Australia – and the population of greater Melbourne is over four million. Port Phillip Bay and Western Port are vital marine assets at the centre of this growth and will require adaptive strategies if they are to remain in good condition and continue to deliver environmental, economic and social benefits. In 2014, it was in recognition of these pressures that the incoming Victorian Government committed to reporting on the state of the bays every five years. The inaugural State of the Bays report was issued by the independent Victorian Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability. The report brought together what is known about both bays, based on existing research. It was a baseline on which future reports will build and, over time, include more of Victoria’s marine environment. Port Phillip Bay and Western Port generally demonstrate healthy systems. Specific threats linked to population growth are a significant pressure. Impacts are more significant where human activity is more intense and where nutrients are transported to the bays around the mouths of creeks and drainage systems. The transport of high loads of nutrients and pollutants to the bays from peak rainfall events is likely to increase with climate change – as will sea level rise. Marine pests are also a threat. More than 100 introduced marine species have become established in Port Phillip Bay and can compete with native species, alter habitat, reduce important fish stocks and potentially disrupt nitrogen cycling processes. This study confirmed that our data collection regime is better within the Marine Protected Areas of Port Phillip Bay than in other parts. The State of the Bays report is a positive and practical example of what can be achieved through collaboration and cooperation between environmental reporters, Government agencies, academic institutions, data custodians, and NGOs. The State of the Bays 2016 provides an important foundation by identifying knowledge gaps and research priorities for future studies and reports on the bays. It builds a strong evidence base to effectively manage the bays and support an adaptive management framework. The Report proposes a set of indicators for future reporting that will support a step-change in our approach to monitoring and managing the bays – a shift from reporting only on what we do know, to reporting on what we need to know.

Keywords: coastal science, marine science, Port Phillip Bay, state of the environment, Western Port

Procedia PDF Downloads 210

Authors: Elizaveta Startseva, Elena Notina, Irina Bykova, Valentina Ulyumdzhieva, Natallia Zhabo

Abstract:

With the various existing models of intercultural communication that contain a vast number of stages for foreign language acquisition, there is a need for conscious perception of the foreign culture. Such a process is associated with the emergence of linguistic conflict with the consistent students’ desire to solve the problem of the language differences, along with cultural discrepancies. The aim of this study is to present the modern ways and methods of removing psycholinguistic conflict through skills development in professional translation and intercultural communication. The study was conducted in groups of 1-4-year students of Medical Institute and Agro-Technological Institute RUDN university. In the course of training, students got knowledge in such disciplines as basic grammar and vocabulary of the English language, phonetics, lexicology, introduction to linguistics, theory of translation, annotating and referencing media texts and texts in specialty. The students learned to present their research work, participated in the University and exit conferences with their reports and presentations. Common strategies of removing linguistic and cultural conflict can be attributed to the development of such abilities of a language personality as a commitment to communication and cooperation, the formation of cultural awareness and empathy of other cultures of the individual, realistic self-esteem, emotional stability, tolerance, etc. The process of mastering a foreign language and culture of the target language leads to a reduplication of linguistic identity, which leads to successive formation of the so-called 'secondary linguistic personality.' In our study, we tried to approach the problem comprehensively, focusing on the translation gaps for technical and non-technical language still missing such a typology which could classify all of the lacunas on the same principle. When obtaining the background knowledge, students learn to overcome the difficulties posed by the national-specific and linguistic differences of cultures in contact, i.e., to eliminate the gaps (to fill in and compensate). Compensation gaps is a means of fixing it, the initial phase of elimination, followed in some cases and some not is filling semantic voids (plenus). The concept of plenus occurs in most cases of translation gaps, for example in the transcription and transliteration of (intercultural and exoticism), the replication (reproduction of the morphemic structure of words or idioms. In all the above cases the task of the translator is to ensure an identical response of the receptors of the original and translated texts, since any statement is created with the goal of obtaining communicative effect, and hence pragmatic potential is the most important part of its contents. The practical value of our work lies in improving the methodology of teaching English for specific purposes on the basis of psycholinguistic concept of the secondary language personality.

Keywords: lacuna, language barrier, plenus, secondary language personality

Procedia PDF Downloads 289

Authors: Amjad Ali Khan, Muhammad Ishaq Saqi, Kashif Ali

Abstract:

The focus of hydrocarbon exploration in Pakistan has been primarily on conventional hydrocarbon resources. Directorate General Petroleum Concessions (DGPC) has taken the lead on the assessment of indigenous unconventional oil and gas resources, which has resulted in a ‘Shale Oil/Gas Resource Assessment Study’ conducted with the help of USAID. This was critically required in the energy-starved Pakistan, where the gap between indigenous oil & gas production and demand continues to widen for a long time. Exploration & exploitation of indigenous unconventional resources of Pakistan have become vital to meet our energy demand and reduction of oil and gas import bill of the country. This study has attempted to bridge a critical gap in geological information about the potential of shale gas & oil in Pakistan in the four formations, i.e., Sembar, Lower Goru, Ranikot and Ghazij in the Middle and Lower Indus Basins, which were selected for the study as for resource assessment for shale gas & oil. The primary objective of the study was to estimate and establish shale oil/gas resource assessment of the study area by carrying out extensive geological analysis of exploration, appraisal and development wells drilled in the Middle and Lower Indus Basins, along with identification of fairway(s) and sweet spots in the study area. The Study covers the Lower parts of the Middle Indus basins located in Sindh, southern Punjab & eastern parts of the Baluchistan provinces, with a total sedimentary area of 271,795 km2. Initially, 1611 wells were reviewed, including 1324 wells drilled through different shale formations. Based on the availability of required technical data, a detailed petrophysical analysis of 124 wells (21 Confidential & 103 in the public domain) has been conducted for the shale gas/oil potential of the above-referred formations. The core & cuttings samples of 32 wells and 33 geochemical reports of prospective Shale Formations were available, which were analyzed to calibrate the results of petrophysical analysis with petrographic/ laboratory analyses to increase the credibility of the Shale Gas Resource assessment. This study has identified the most prospective intervals, mainly in Sembar and Lower Goru Formations, for shale gas/oil exploration in the Middle and Lower Indus Basins of Pakistan. The study recommends seven (07) sweet spots for undertaking pilot projects, which will enable to evaluate of the actual production capability and production sustainability of shale oil/gas reservoirs of Pakistan for formulating future strategies to explore and exploit shale/oil resources of Pakistan including fiscal incentives required for developing shale oil/gas resources of Pakistan. Some E&P Companies are being persuaded to make a consortium for undertaking pilot projects that have shown their willingness to participate in the pilot project at appropriate times. The location for undertaking the pilot project has been finalized as a result of a series of technical sessions by geoscientists of the potential consortium members after the review and evaluation of available studies.

Keywords: conventional resources, petrographic analysis, petrophysical analysis, unconventional resources, shale gas & oil, sweet spots

Procedia PDF Downloads 48

Authors: Farnaz Jafari

Abstract:

The surge in mass timber construction represents a pivotal moment in sustainable building practices, yet the lack of comprehensive education in construction management poses a challenge in harnessing this innovation effectively. This research endeavors to bridge this gap by developing a curriculum framework integrating mass timber construction into undergraduate and industry certificate programs. To optimize learning outcomes, the study explores the impact of two prototype formats -Virtual Reality (VR) simulations and physical mock-ups- on students' understanding and skill development. The curriculum framework aims to equip future construction managers with a holistic understanding of mass timber, covering its unique properties, construction methods, building codes, and sustainable advantages. The study adopts a mixed-methods approach, commencing with a systematic literature review and leveraging surveys and interviews with educators and industry professionals to identify existing educational gaps. The iterative development process involves incorporating stakeholder feedback into the curriculum. The evaluation of prototype impact employs pre- and post-tests administered to participants engaged in pilot programs. Through qualitative content analysis and quantitative statistical methods, the study seeks to compare the effectiveness of VR simulations and physical mock-ups in conveying knowledge and skills related to mass timber construction. The anticipated findings will illuminate the strengths and weaknesses of each approach, providing insights for future curriculum development. The curriculum's expected contribution to sustainable construction education lies in its emphasis on practical application, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and hands-on skills. The research also seeks to establish a standard for mass timber construction education, contributing to the field through a unique comparative analysis of VR simulations and physical mock-ups. The study's significance extends to the development of best practices and evidence-based recommendations for integrating technology and hands-on experiences in construction education. By addressing current educational gaps and offering a comparative analysis, this research aims to enrich the construction management education experience and pave the way for broader adoption of sustainable practices in the industry. The envisioned curriculum framework is designed for versatile integration, catering to undergraduate programs and industry training modules, thereby enhancing the educational landscape for aspiring construction professionals. Ultimately, this study underscores the importance of proactive educational strategies in preparing industry professionals for the evolving demands of the construction landscape, facilitating a seamless transition towards sustainable building practices.

Keywords: curriculum framework, mass timber construction, physical vs. virtual prototypes, sustainable building practices

Procedia PDF Downloads 72

Authors: Mamunur Rashid, Jialin Yan

Abstract:

The current years have witnessed a rapid evolution and integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in various fields, prominently influencing the education industry. Acknowledging this transformative wave, AI tools like ChatGPT and Grammarly have undeniably introduced perspectives and skills, enriching the educational experiences of higher education students. The prevalence of AI utilization in higher education also drives an increasing number of researchers' attention in various dimensions. Departments, offices, and professors in universities also designed and released a set of policies and guidelines on using AI effectively. In regard to this, the study targets exploring and analyzing graduate students' perspectives regarding AI guidelines set by teachers. A mixed-methods study will be mainly conducted in this study, employing in-depth interviews and focus groups to investigate and collect students' perspectives. Relevant materials, such as syllabi and course instructions, will also be analyzed through the documentary analysis to facilitate understanding of the study. Surveys will also be used for data collection and students' background statistics. The integration of both interviews and surveys will provide a comprehensive array of student perspectives across various academic disciplines. The study is anchored in the theoretical framework of self-determination theory (SDT), which emphasizes and explains the students' perspective under the AI guidelines through three core needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. This framework is instrumental in understanding how AI guidelines influence students' intrinsic motivation and sense of empowerment in their learning environments. Through qualitative analysis, the study reveals a sense of confusion and uncertainty among students regarding the appropriate application and ethical considerations of AI tools, indicating potential challenges in meeting their needs for competence and autonomy. The quantitative data further elucidates these findings, highlighting a significant communication gap between students and educators in the formulation and implementation of AI guidelines. The critical findings of this study mainly come from two aspects: First, the majority of graduate students are uncertain and confused about relevant AI guidelines given by teachers. Second, this study also demonstrates that the design and effectiveness of course materials, such as the syllabi and instructions, also need to adapt in regard to AI policies. It indicates that certain of the existing guidelines provided by teachers lack consideration of students' perspectives, leading to a misalignment with students' needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. More emphasize and efforts need to be dedicated to both teacher and student training on AI policies and ethical considerations. To conclude, in this study, graduate students' perspectives on teacher-provided AI guidelines are explored and reflected upon, calling for additional training and strategies to improve how these guidelines can be better disseminated for their effective integration and adoption. Although AI guidelines provided by teachers may be helpful and provide new insights for students, educational institutions should take a more anchoring role to foster a motivating, empowering, and student-centered learning environment. The study also provides some relevant recommendations, including guidance for students on the ethical use of AI and AI policy training for teachers in higher education.

Keywords: higher education policy, graduate students’ perspectives, higher education teacher, AI guidelines, AI in education

Procedia PDF Downloads 74

Authors: Chang Liu, Hanwen Zhang, Vikash Sharma, Don Eliseo Lucerno-Prisno III, Emmanuel Yujuico, Maulik Chokshi, Prashanthi Krishnakumar, Bach Xuan Tran, Giang Thu Vu, Kamilla Anna Pinter, Shenglan Tang

Abstract:

Background and Aims: Globally, many health systems focus on hospital-based healthcare models targeting acute care and disease treatment, which are not effective in addressing the challenges of ageing populations, chronic conditions, multi-morbidities, and increasingly unhealthy lifestyles. Recently, integrated care programs on chronic diseases have been developed, piloted, and implemented to meet such challenges. However, integrated care programs in the Asia-Pacific region vary in the levels of integration from linkage to coordination to full integration. This study aims to identify and analyze existing cases of integrated care in the Asia-Pacific region and identify the facilitators and barriers in order to improve existing cases and inform future cases. Methods: The study is a comparative study, with a combination approach of desk-based research and key informant interviews. The selected countries included in this study represent a good mix of lower-middle income countries (the Philippines, India, Vietnam, and Fiji), upper-middle income country (China), and high-income country (Singapore) in the Asia-Pacific region. Existing integrated care programs were identified through the scoping review approach. Trigger, history, general design, beneficiaries, and objectors were summarized with barriers and facilitators of integrated care based on key informant interviews. Representative case(s) in each country were selected and comprehensively analyzed through deep-dive case studies. Results: A total of 87 existing integrated care programs on chronic diseases were found in all countries, with 44 in China, 21 in Singapore, 12 in India, 5 in Vietnam, 4 in the Philippines, and 1 in Fiji. 9 representative cases of integrated care were selected for in-depth description and analysis, with 2 in China, the Philippines, and Vietnam, and 1 in Singapore, India, and Fiji. Population aging and the rising chronic disease burden have been identified as key drivers for almost all the six countries. Among the six countries, Singapore has the longest history of integrated care, followed by Fiji, the Philippines, and China, while India and Vietnam have a shorter history of integrated care. Incentives, technologies, education, and performance evaluation would be crucial for developing strategies for implementing future programs and improve already existing programs. Conclusion: Integrated care is important for addressing challenges surrounding the delivery of long-term care. To date, there is an increasing trend of integrated care programs on chronic diseases in the Asia-Pacific region, and all six countries in our study set integrated care as a direction for their health systems transformation.

Keywords: integrated healthcare, integrated care delivery, chronic diseases, Asia-Pacific region

Procedia PDF Downloads 135

Authors: Tauseef Ahmad, Muhammad Ishaq, Mathew Eapen, Ahyoung Park, Sam Karpiniec, Vanni Caruso, Rajaraman Eri

Abstract:

Fucoidans are complex, fucose-rich sulfated polymers discovered in brown seaweeds. Fucoidans are popular around the world, particularly in the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries, due to their promising medicinal properties. Fucoidans have been shown to have a variety of biological activities, including anti-inflammatory effects. They are known to inhibit inflammatory processes through a variety of mechanisms, including enzyme inhibition and selectin blockade. Inflammation is a part of the complicated biological response of living systems to damaging stimuli, and it plays a role in the pathogenesis of a variety of disorders, including arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, and allergies. In the current investigation, various fucoidan extracts from Undaria pinnatifida, Fucus vesiculosus, Macrocystis pyrifera, Ascophyllum nodosum, and Laminaria japonica were assessed for inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokine production (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) in LPS induced human macrophage cell line (THP-1) and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Furthermore, we also sought to catalogue these extracts based on their anti-inflammatory effects in the current in-vitro cell model. Materials and Methods: To assess the cytotoxicity of fucoidan extracts, MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5, -diphenyltetrazolium bromide) cell viability assay was performed. Furthermore, a dose-response for fucoidan extracts was performed in LPS induced THP-1 cells and PBMCs after pre-treatment for 24 hours, and levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 cytokines were measured using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Results: The MTT cell viability assay demonstrated that fucoidan extracts exhibited no evidence of cytotoxicity in THP-1 cells or PBMCs after 48 hours of incubation. The results of the sandwich ELISA revealed that all fucoidan extracts suppressed cytokine production in LPS-stimulated PBMCs and human THP-1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Notably, at lower concentrations, the lower molecular fucoidan (5-30 kDa) extract from Macrocystis pyrifera was a highly efficient inhibitor of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Fucoidan extracts from all species including Undaria pinnatifida, Fucus vesiculosus, Macrocystis pyrifera, Ascophyllum nodosum, and Laminaria japonica exhibited significant anti-inflammatory effects. These findings on several fucoidan extracts provide insight into strategies for improving their efficacy against inflammation-related diseases. Conclusion: In the current research, we have successfully catalogued several fucoidan extracts based on their efficiency in LPS-induced macrophages and PBMCs in downregulating the key pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-, IL-1 and IL-6), which are prospective targets in human inflammatory illnesses. Further research would provide more information on the mechanism of action, allowing it to be tested for therapeutic purposes as an anti-inflammatory medication.

Keywords: fucoidan, PBMCs, THP-1, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, inflammation

Procedia PDF Downloads 59

Authors: Mustafa Mutahari, Nao Sugiki, Kojiro Matsuo

Abstract:

The four decades of war, lack of job opportunities, poverty, lack of services, and natural disasters in different provinces of Afghanistan have contributed to a rapid increase in the population of Kabul, the capital city of Afghanistan. Population census has not been conducted since 1979, the first and last population census in Afghanistan. However, according to population estimations by Afghan authorities, the population of Kabul has been estimated at more than 4 million people, whereas the city was designed for two million people. Although the major transport mode of Kabul residents is public transport, responsible authorities within the country failed to supply the required means of transportation systems for the city. Besides, informal resettlement, lack of intersection control devices, presence of illegal vendors on streets, presence of illegal and unstandardized on-street parking and bus stops, driver`s unprofessional behavior, weak traffic law enforcement, and blocked roads and sidewalks have contributed to the extreme traffic congestion of Kabul. In 2018, the government of Afghanistan approved the Kabul city Urban Design Framework (KUDF), a vision towards the future of Kabul, which provides strategies and design guidance at different scales to direct urban development. Considering traffic congestion of the city and its budget limitations, the KUDF proposes a BRT route network with seven lines to reduce the traffic congestion, and it is said to facilitate more than 50% of Kabul population to benefit from this service. Based on the KUDF, it is planned to increase the BRT mode share from 0% to 17% and later to 30% in medium and long-term planning scenarios, respectively. Therefore, a detailed research study is needed to evaluate the proposed system before the implementation stage starts. The integrated land-use transport model is an effective tool to evaluate the Kabul BRT because of its future assessment capabilities that take into account the interaction between land use and transportation. This research aims to analyze and evaluate the proposed BRT route network with the application of an integrated land-use and transportation model. The research estimates the population distribution and travel behavior of Kabul within small boundary scales. The actual road network and land-use detailed data of the city are used to perform the analysis. The BRT corridors are evaluated not only considering its impacts on the spatial interactions in the city`s transportation system but also on the spatial developments. Therefore, the BRT are evaluated with the scenarios of improving the Kabul transportation system based on the distribution of land-use or spatial developments, planned development typology and population distribution of the city. The impacts of the new improved transport system on the BRT network are analyzed and the BRT network is evaluated accordingly. In addition, the research also focuses on the spatial accessibility of BRT stops, corridors, and BRT line beneficiaries, and each BRT stop and corridor are evaluated in terms of both access and geographic coverage, as well.

Keywords: accessibility, BRT, integrated land-use and transport model, travel behavior, spatial development

Procedia PDF Downloads 222

Authors: Sean Yao Zu Kong, Khong Yik Chew

Abstract:

Introduction: We described a case report of the successful use of advanced surgical techniques in a patient with recurrent breast cancer who underwent a wide resection including the hemi-sternum, clavicle, multiple ribs, and a lobe of the lung due to tumor involvement. This extensive resection exposed critical structures, requiring a creative approach to reconstruction. To address this complex chest wall reconstruction, a free fibula flap and a 4-zone rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap were successfully utilized. The use of a free vascularized bone flap allowed for rapid osteointegration and resistance against osteoradionecrosis after adjuvant radiation, while a four-zone tram flap allowed for reconstruction of both the chest wall and breast mound. Although limited recipient vessels made free flaps challenging, the free fibula flap served as both a bony reconstruction and vascular conduit, supercharged with the distal peroneal artery and veins of the peroneal artery from the fibula graft. Our approach highlights the potential of advanced surgical techniques to improve outcomes in complex cases of chest wall reconstruction in patients with recurrent breast cancer, which is becoming increasingly relevant as breast cancer incidence rates increases. Case presentation: This report describes a successful reconstruction of a patient with recurrent breast cancer who required extensive resection, including the anterior chest wall, clavicle, and sternoclavicular joint. Challenges arose due to the loss of accessory muscles and the non-rigid rib cage, which could lead to compromised ventilation and instability. A free fibula osteocutaneous flap and a four-zone TRAM flap with vascular supercharging were utilized to achieve long-term stability and function. The patient has since fully recovered, and during the review, both flaps remained viable, and chest mound reconstruction was satisfactory. A planned nipple/areolar reconstruction was offered pending the patient’s decision after adjuvant radiotherapy. Conclusion: In conclusion, this case report highlights the successful use of innovative surgical techniques in addressing a complex case of recurrent breast cancer requiring extensive resection and radical reconstruction. Our approach, utilized a combination of a free fibula flap and a 4-zone rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap, demonstrates the potential for advanced techniques in chest wall reconstruction to minimize complications and ensure long-term stability and function. As the incidence of breast cancer continues to rise, it is crucial that healthcare professionals explore and utilize innovative techniques to improve patient outcomes and quality of life.

Keywords: free fibula flap, rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap, post-adjuvant radiotherapy, reconstructive surgery, malignancy

Procedia PDF Downloads 62

Authors: Sempiga Olivier, Dominika Latusek-Jurczak

Abstract:

The conflict in Ukraine has had far-reaching economic consequences, not only for the countries directly involved in it but also for their trading partners and allies, and on the global economy in general. Different European Union (EU) countries, being some of Ukraine and Russia's major trading partners, have also felt the impact of the conflict on their economy. In a special way, the energy sector has suffered the most due to the fact that Russia is a huge exporter of gas and other energy sources on which rely European countries. Energy is a locomotive of the economy and once energy prices skyrocket there is a spill over effects in other areas causing different commodities’ prices to rise thereby affecting people’s social economic lifestyles. To minimise the impact energy crisis’ socio-political and economic consequences, the EU and countries have tightened their regulatory mechanisms to stop some energy firms exploit the crisis at the expense of the vulnerable mass. The key question is to what extent these regulatory instruments put in place during the energy crisis times have an affect on citizen trust in the governing institutions. The question is of paramount importance after years of declining trust in the EU and in most countries in Europe. Earlier research have analysed how wars or global political risks relate to citizen trust in government and organizations but very few empirical research have examined the relationship between regulatory instruments during the time of crisis on citizen trust in government and institutions. Using data from INSEE (the French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies) and European Social Survey (ESS), it carry out a multilinear regression analysis and investigate the impact of regulation both from the EU and different countries on energy prices on citizen trust. To understand the dynamics between regulatory actions during crises and citizen trust, this study draws on the theoretical framework of institutional trust and regulatory legitimacy. Institutional trust theory posits that citizens’ trust in government and institutions is influenced by perceptions of fairness, transparency, and efficacy in governance. Regulatory legitimacy, a related concept, suggests that regulatory measures, especially in response to crises, are more effective when perceived as just, necessary, and in the public interest. Results of this cross sectional study show that regulatory frameworks strongly affect the levels of trust, the association varying from strong to moderate depending on countries and period. This study contributes to the understanding of the vital relationship between regulatory measures implemented during crises and citizen trust in government institutions. By identifying the conditions under which trust is fostered or eroded, the findings provide policymakers with valuable insights into effective strategies for enhancing public confidence, ultimately guiding interventions that can mitigate the socio-political impacts of future energy crises.

Keywords: energy crisis, price, regulation, russia-Ukraine conflict, trust

Procedia PDF Downloads 8

Authors: Zubair Ahmed, Andrea Barbieri

Abstract:

The need to reduce energy consumption has prompted a considerable research effort for developing alternative energy-efficient lighting systems to replace conventional light sources (i.e., incandescent and fluorescent lamps). Organic light emitting device (OLED) technology offers the distinctive possibility to fabricate large area flat devices by vacuum or solution processing. Lanthanide β-diketonates complexes, due to unique photophysical properties of Ln(III) ions, have been explored as emitting layers in OLED displays and in solid-state lighting (SSL) in order to achieve high efficiency and color purity. For such applications, the excellent photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and stability are the two key points that can be achieved simply by selecting the proper organic ligands around the Ln ion in a coordination sphere. Regarding the strategies to enhance the PLQY, the most common is the suppression of the radiationless deactivation pathways due to the presence of high-frequency oscillators (e.g., OH, –CH groups) around the Ln centre. Recently, a different approach to maximize the PLQY of Ln(β-DKs) has been proposed (named 'Escalate Coordination Anisotropy', ECA). It is based on the assumption that coordinating the Ln ion with different ligands will break the centrosymmetry of the molecule leading to less forbidden transitions (loosening the constraints of the Laporte rule). The OLEDs based on such complexes are available, but with low efficiency and stability. In order to get efficient devices, there is a need to develop some new Ln complexes with enhanced PLQYs and stabilities. For this purpose, the Ln complexes, both visible and (NIR) emitting, of variant coordination structures based on the various fluorinated/non-fluorinated β-diketones and O/N-donor neutral ligands were synthesized using a one step in situ method. In this method, the β-diketones, base, LnCl₃.nH₂O and neutral ligands were mixed in a 3:3:1:1 M ratio in ethanol that gave air and moisture stable complexes. Further, they were characterized by means of elemental analysis, NMR spectroscopy and single crystal X-ray diffraction. Thereafter, their photophysical properties were studied to select the best complexes for the fabrication of stable and efficient OLEDs. Finally, the OLEDs were fabricated and investigated using these complexes as emitting layers along with other organic layers like NPB,N,N′-Di(1-naphthyl)-N,N′-diphenyl-(1,1′-biphenyl)-4,4′-diamine (hole-transporting layer), BCP, 2,9-Dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (hole-blocker) and Alq3 (electron-transporting layer). The layers were sequentially deposited under high vacuum environment by thermal evaporation onto ITO glass substrates. Moreover, co-deposition techniques were used to improve charge transport in the devices and to avoid quenching phenomena. The devices show strong electroluminescence at 612, 998, 1064 and 1534 nm corresponding to ⁵D₀ →⁷F₂(Eu), ²F₅/₂ → ²F₇/₂ (Yb), ⁴F₃/₂→ ⁴I₉/₂ (Nd) and ⁴I1₃/₂→ ⁴I1₅/₂ (Er). All the devices fabricated show good efficiency as well as stability.

Keywords: electroluminescence, lanthanides, paramagnetic NMR, photoluminescence

Procedia PDF Downloads 121

Authors: Richard Harrison

Abstract:

Developing competency in mathematics and related critical thinking skills is essential to the education of undergraduate students of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Recently, the HE sector has been impacted by a seemingly widening disconnect between the mathematical competency of incoming first-year STEM students and their entrance qualification tariffs. Despite relatively high grades in A-Level Mathematics, students may initially lack fundamental skills in key areas such as algebraic manipulation and have limited capacity to apply problem solving strategies. Compounded by compensatory measures applied to entrance qualifications during the pandemic, there has been an associated decline in student performance on introductory university mathematics modules. In the UK, a number of online resources have been developed to help scaffold the transition to university mathematics. However, in general, these do not offer a structured learning journey focused on individual developmental needs, nor do they offer an experience coherent with the teaching and learning characteristics of the destination institution. In order to address some of these issues, a bespoke framework has been designed and implemented on our VLE in the Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences (FEPS) at the University of Surrey. Called the FEPS Maths Support Framework, it was conceived to scaffold the mathematical development of individuals prior to entering the university and during the early stages of their transition to undergraduate studies. More than 90% of our incoming STEM students voluntarily participate in the process. Students complete a set of initial diagnostic questions in the late summer. Based on their performance and feedback on these questions, they are subsequently guided to self-select specific mathematical topic areas for review using our proprietary resources. This further assists students in preparing for discipline related diagnostic tests. The framework helps to identify students who are mathematically weak and facilitates early intervention to support students according to their specific developmental needs. This paper presents a summary of results from a rich data set captured from the framework over a 3-year period. Quantitative data provides evidence that students have engaged and developed during the process. This is further supported by process evaluation feedback from the students. Ranked performance data associated with seven key mathematical topic areas and eight engineering and science discipline areas reveals interesting patterns which can be used to identify more generic relative capabilities of the discipline area cohorts. In turn, this facilitates evidence based management of the mathematical development of the new cohort, informing any associated adjustments to teaching and learning at a more holistic level. Evidence is presented establishing our framework as an effective early intervention strategy for addressing the sector-wide issue of supporting the mathematical development of STEM students transitioning to HE

Keywords: competency, development, intervention, scaffolding

Procedia PDF Downloads 66

Authors: Evgeniya V. Gavrilova, Sofya S. Belova

Abstract:

The present study was aimed at clarifying the relationship between general intellectual abilities and efficiency in free recall and rhymed words generation task after incidental exposure to linguistic stimuli. The theoretical frameworks stress that general intellectual abilities are based on intentional mental strategies. In this context, it seems to be crucial to examine the efficiency of incidentally presented information processing in cognitive task and its relation to general intellectual abilities. The sample consisted of 32 Russian students. Participants were exposed to pairs of words. Each pair consisted of two common nouns or two city names. Participants had to decide whether a city name was presented in each pair. Thus words’ semantics was processed intentionally. The city names were considered to be focal stimuli, whereas common nouns were considered to be peripheral stimuli. Along with that each pair of words could be rhymed or not be rhymed, but this phonemic aspect of stimuli’s characteristic (rhymed and non-rhymed words) was processed incidentally. Then participants were asked to produce as many rhymes as they could to new words. The stimuli presented earlier could be used as well. After that, participants had to retrieve all words presented earlier. In the end, verbal and non-verbal abilities were measured with number of special psychometric tests. As for free recall task intentionally processed focal stimuli had an advantage in recall compared to peripheral stimuli. In addition all the rhymed stimuli were recalled more effectively than non-rhymed ones. The inverse effect was found in words generation task where participants tended to use mainly peripheral stimuli compared to focal ones. Furthermore peripheral rhymed stimuli were most popular target category of stimuli that was used in this task. Thus the information that was processed incidentally had a supplemental influence on efficiency of stimuli processing as well in free recall as in word generation task. Different patterns of correlations between intellectual abilities and efficiency in different stimuli processing in both tasks were revealed. Non-verbal reasoning ability correlated positively with free recall of peripheral rhymed stimuli, but it was not related to performance on rhymed words’ generation task. Verbal reasoning ability correlated positively with free recall of focal stimuli. As for rhymed words generation task, verbal intelligence correlated negatively with generation of focal stimuli and correlated positively with generation of all peripheral stimuli. The present findings lead to two key conclusions. First, incidentally processed stimuli had an advantage in free recall and word generation task. Thus incidental information processing appeared to be crucial for subsequent cognitive performance. Secondly, it was demonstrated that incidentally processed stimuli were recalled more frequently by participants with high nonverbal reasoning ability and were more effectively used by participants with high verbal reasoning ability in subsequent cognitive tasks. That implies that general intellectual abilities could benefit from operating by different levels of information processing while cognitive problem solving. This research was supported by the “Grant of President of RF for young PhD scientists” (contract № is 14.Z56.17.2980- MK) and the Grant № 15-36-01348a2 of Russian Foundation for Humanities.

Keywords: focal and peripheral stimuli, general intellectual abilities, incidental information processing

Procedia PDF Downloads 231

Authors: Roberta Martino, Viviana Ventre

Abstract:

Empirical evidence has, over time, confirmed that the behavior of individuals is inconsistent with the descriptions provided by the Discounted Utility Model, an essential reference for calculating the utility of intertemporal prospects. The model assumes that individuals calculate the utility of intertemporal prospectuses by adding up the values of all outcomes obtained by multiplying the cardinal utility of the outcome by the discount function estimated at the time the outcome is received. The trend of the discount function is crucial for the preferences of the decision maker because it represents the perception of the future, and its trend causes temporally consistent or temporally inconsistent preferences. In particular, because different formulations of the discount function lead to various conclusions in predicting choice, the descriptive ability of models with a hyperbolic trend is greater than linear or exponential models. Suboptimal choices from any time point of view are the consequence of this mechanism, the psychological factors of which are encapsulated in the discount rate trend. In addition, analyzing the decision-making process from a psychological perspective, there is an equivalence between the selection of dominated prospects and a degree of impatience that decreases over time. The first part of the paper describes and investigates the anomalies of the discounted utility model by relating the cognitive distortions of the decision-maker to the emotional factors that are generated during the evaluation and selection of alternatives. Specifically, by studying the degree to which impatience decreases, it’s possible to quantify how the psychological and emotional mechanisms of the decision-maker result in a lack of decision persistence. In addition, this description presents inconsistency as the consequence of an inconsistent attitude towards time-delayed choices. The second part of the paper presents an experimental phase in which we show the relationship between inconsistency and impatience in different contexts. Analysis of the degree to which impatience decreases confirms the influence of the decision maker's emotional impulses for each anomaly in the utility model discussed in the first part of the paper. This work provides an application in the field of personalized behavioral finance. Indeed, the numerous behavioral diversities, evident even in the degrees of decrease in impatience in the experimental phase, support the idea that optimal strategies may not satisfy individuals in the same way. With the aim of homogenizing the categories of investors and to provide a personalized approach to advice, the results proven in the experimental phase are used in a complementary way with the information in the field of behavioral finance to implement the Analytical Hierarchy Process model in intertemporal choices, useful for strategic personalization. In the construction of the Analytic Hierarchy Process, the degree of decrease in impatience is understood as reflecting irrationality in decision-making and is therefore used for the construction of weights between anomalies and behavioral traits.

Keywords: analytic hierarchy process, behavioral finance, financial anomalies, impatience, time inconsistency

Procedia PDF Downloads 68

Authors: A. F. G. Van Woezik, L. M. A. Braakman-Jansen, O. A. Kulyk, J. E. W. C. Van Gemert-Pijnen

Abstract:

Background: Zoonoses pose a serious threat to public health and economies worldwide, especially as antimicrobial resistance grows and newly emerging zoonoses can cause unpredictable outbreaks. In order to prevent and control emerging and re-emerging zoonoses, collaboration between veterinary, human health and public health domains is essential. In reality however, there is a lack of cooperation between these three disciplines and uncertainties exist about their tasks and responsibilities. The objective of this ongoing research project (ZonMw funded, 2014-2018) is to develop an online education and communication One Health platform, “eZoon”, for the general public and professionals working in veterinary, human health and public health domains to support the risk communication of non-alimentary zoonoses in the Netherlands. The main focus is on education and communication in times of outbreak as well as in daily non-outbreak situations. Methods: A participatory development approach was used in which stakeholders from veterinary, human health and public health domains participated. Key stakeholders were identified using business modeling techniques previously used for the design and implementation of antibiotic stewardship interventions and consisted of a literature scan, expert recommendations, and snowball sampling. We used a stakeholder salience approach to rank stakeholders according to their power, legitimacy, and urgency. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders (N=20) from all three disciplines to identify current problems in risk communication and stakeholder values for the One Health platform. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded inductively by two researchers. Results: The following key values were identified (but were not limited to): (a) need for improved awareness of veterinary and human health of each other’s fields, (b) information exchange between veterinary and human health, in particularly at a regional level; (c) legal regulations need to match with daily practice; (d) professionals and general public need to be addressed separately using tailored language and information; (e) information needs to be of value to professionals (relevant, important, accurate, and have financial or other important consequences if ignored) in order to be picked up; and (f) need for accurate information from trustworthy, centrally organised sources to inform the general public. Conclusion: By applying a participatory development approach, we gained insights from multiple perspectives into the main problems of current risk communication strategies in the Netherlands and stakeholder values. Next, we will continue the iterative development of the One Health platform by presenting key values to stakeholders for validation and ranking, which will guide further development. We will develop a communication platform with a serious game in which professionals at the regional level will be trained in shared decision making in time-critical outbreak situations, a smart Question & Answer (Q&A) system for the general public tailored towards different user profiles, and social media to inform the general public adequately during outbreaks.

Keywords: ehealth, one health, risk communication, stakeholder, zoonosis

Procedia PDF Downloads 286

Authors: Daniel Gredig, Annabelle Bartelsen-Raemy

Abstract:

Social work services offered to people living with diabetes tend to be moulded by the prevailing understanding that social work is to support people living with diabetes in their adherence to medical prescription and/or life style changes. As diabetes has been conceived as a condition facing no stigma, discrimination of people living with diabetes has not been considered. However, there is growing evidence of stigma. To our knowledge, nevertheless, there have been no comprehensive, in-depth studies of stigma and its impact. Against this background and challenging the present layout of services for people living with diabetes, the present study aimed to establish whether: -people living with diabetes in Switzerland experience stigma, and if so, in what context and to what extent; -experiencing stigma impacts the quality of life of those affected. It was hypothesized that stigma would impact on their quality of life. It was further hypothesized that low self-esteem, psychological distress, depression, and a lack of social support would be mediating factors. For data collection an anonymous paper-and-pencil self-administered questionnaire was used which drew on a qualitative elicitation study. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modelling. To generate a large and diverse convenience sample the questionnaire was distributed to the readers of journal destined to diabetics living in Switzerland issued in German and French. The sample included 3347 people with type 1 and 2 diabetes, aged 16–96, living in diverse living conditions in the German- and French-speaking areas of Switzerland. Respondents reported experiences of discrimination in various contexts and stereotyping based on the belief that diabetics have a low work performance; are inefficient in the workplace; inferior; weak-willed in their ability to manage health-related issues; take advantage of their condition and are viewed as pitiful or sick people. Respondents who reported higher levels of perceived stigma reported higher levels of psychological distress (β = .37), more pronounced depressive symptoms (β=.33), and less social support (β = -.22). Higher psychological distress (β = -.29) and more pronounced depressive symptoms (β = -.28), in turn, predicted lower quality of life. These research findings challenge the prevailing understanding of social work services for people living with diabetes in Switzerland and beyond. They call for a less individualistic approach, the consideration of the social context service users are placed in their everyday life, and addressing stigma. So, social work could partner with people living with diabetes in order to fight against discrimination and stereotypes. This could include identifying and designing educational and public awareness strategies. In direct social work with people living with diabetes, this could include broaching experiences of stigma and modes of coping with. This study was carried out in collaboration with the Swiss Diabetes Association. The association accepted the challenging conclusions from this study. It connected to the results and is currently discussing the priorities and courses of action to be taken.

Keywords: diabetes, discrimination, quality of life, services, stigma

Procedia PDF Downloads 230

Authors: Tatiana Ponomarenko, Oksana Marinina, Marina Nevskaya

Abstract:

Modern corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a sphere of multilevel responsibility of a company toward society represented by various stakeholders. The relevance of CSR management grows due to the active development of socially responsible investing (principles for responsible investment) taking into account factors of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG), growing attention of the investment community in general to the long-term stability of companies and the quality of control of nonfinancial risks. The modern approach to CSR strategic management is aimed at the creation of trustful relationships with stakeholders, on the basis of which a contribution to the sustainable development of companies, regions, and national economics is insured. However, the practical concepts of social responsibility in mining companies are different, which leads to various degrees of application of CSR. A number of companies implement CSR using a traditional (limited) understanding of responsibility toward employees and counteragents, the others understand CSR much wider and try to use leverages of efficient cooperation. As in large mining companies the scope of CSR measures is diverse and characterized by different indices, the study was aimed at evaluating CSR efficiency on the basis of a proprietary methodology and determining the level of development of CSR management in terms of anti-crisis, reactive and proactive development. The methodology of the research includes analysis of integrated global reporting initiative (GRI) reports of large mining companies; choice of most representative sectoral agents by a criterion of the regularity of issuance and publication of reports; calculation of indices of evaluation of CSR level of the selected companies in dynamics. The methodology of evaluation of CSR level is based on a rating score of changes in standard indices of GRI reports by economic, environmental, and social directions. Result. By the results of the analysis, companies of fuel and energy and metallurgic complexes, in overwhelming majority, reflecting three indices out of a wide range of possible indicators of SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), were selected for the study. The evaluation of the scopes of CSR of the companies Gazprom, LUKOIL, Metalloinvest, Nornikel, Rosneft, Severstal, SIBUR, SUEK corresponds to the reactive type of development according to a scale of CSR strategic management, which is the average value out of the possible values. The chief drawback is that companies, in the process of analyzing global goals, often choose the goals which relate to their own activities, paying insufficient attention to the interests of the stakeholders inside the country. This fact evidences the necessity of searching for more effective mechanisms of CSR control. Acknowledgment: This article is prepared within grant support of the RFBR, project 19-510-44013 'Development of the concept of mineral resources value formation in the context of sustainable development in resource-oriented economies'.

Keywords: sustainable development, corporate social responsibility, development strategies, efficiency assessment

Procedia PDF Downloads 134

Authors: Yunwei Tang, Linhai Jing, Hui Li, Qingjie Liu, Xiuxia Li, Qi Yan, Haifeng Ding

Abstract:

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is an endangered species, mainly live in central China, where bamboos act as the main food source of wild giant pandas. Knowledge of spatial distribution of bamboos therefore becomes important for identifying the habitat of giant pandas. There have been ongoing studies for mapping bamboos and other tree species using remote sensing. WorldView-2 (WV-2) is the first high resolution commercial satellite with eight Multi-Spectral (MS) bands. Recent studies demonstrated that WV-2 imagery has a high potential in classification of tree species. The advanced classification techniques are important for utilising high spatial resolution imagery. It is generally agreed that object-based image analysis is a more desirable method than pixel-based analysis in processing high spatial resolution remotely sensed data. Classifiers that use spatial information combined with spectral information are known as contextual classifiers. It is suggested that contextual classifiers can achieve greater accuracy than non-contextual classifiers. Thus, spatial correlation can be incorporated into classifiers to improve classification results. The study area is located at Wuyipeng area in Wolong, Sichuan Province. The complex environment makes it difficult for information extraction since bamboos are sparsely distributed, mixed with brushes, and covered by other trees. Extensive fieldworks in Wuyingpeng were carried out twice. The first one was on 11th June, 2014, aiming at sampling feature locations for geometric correction and collecting training samples for classification. The second fieldwork was on 11th September, 2014, for the purposes of testing the classification results. In this study, spectral separability analysis was first performed to select appropriate MS bands for classification. Also, the reflectance analysis provided information for expanding sample points under the circumstance of knowing only a few. Then, a spatially weighted object-based k-nearest neighbour (k-NN) classifier was applied to the selected MS bands to identify seven land cover types (bamboo, conifer, broadleaf, mixed forest, brush, bare land, and shadow), accounting for spatial correlation within classes using geostatistical modelling. The spatially weighted k-NN method was compared with three alternatives: the traditional k-NN classifier, the Support Vector Machine (SVM) method and the Classification and Regression Tree (CART). Through field validation, it was proved that the classification result obtained using the spatially weighted k-NN method has the highest overall classification accuracy (77.61%) and Kappa coefficient (0.729); the producer’s accuracy and user’s accuracy achieve 81.25% and 95.12% for the bamboo class, respectively, also higher than the other methods. Photos of tree crowns were taken at sample locations using a fisheye camera, so the canopy density could be estimated. It is found that it is difficult to identify bamboo in the areas with a large canopy density (over 0.70); it is possible to extract bamboos in the areas with a median canopy density (from 0.2 to 0.7) and in a sparse forest (canopy density is less than 0.2). In summary, this study explores the ability of WV-2 imagery for bamboo extraction in a mountainous region in Sichuan. The study successfully identified the bamboo distribution, providing supporting knowledge for assessing the habitats of giant pandas.

Keywords: bamboo mapping, classification, geostatistics, k-NN, worldview-2

Procedia PDF Downloads 313