Search results for: good life

Authors: Yannick Willemin

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Carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) offers outstanding value. However, like all materials, CFRP also has its challenges. Many forming processes are largely manual and hard to automate, making it challenging to control repeatability and reproducibility (R&R); they generate significant scrap and are too slow for high-series production; fibre costs are relatively high and subject to supply and cost fluctuations; the supply chain is fragmented; many forms of CFRP are not recyclable, and many materials have yet to be fully characterized for accurate simulation; shelf life and outlife limitations add cost; continuous-fibre forms have design limitations; many materials are brittle; and small and/or thick parts are costly to produce and difficult to automate. A majority of small structural parts are metal due to high CFRP fabrication costs for the small-size class. The fact that CFRP manufacturing processes that produce the highest performance parts also tend to be the slowest and least automated is another reason CFRP parts are generally higher in cost than comparably performing metal parts, which are easier to produce. Fortunately, business is in the midst of a major manufacturing evolution—Industry 4.0— one technology seeing rapid growth is additive manufacturing/3D printing, thanks to new processes and materials, plus an ability to harness Industry 4.0 tools. No longer limited to just prototype parts, metal-additive technologies are used to produce tooling and mold components for high-volume manufacturing, and polymer-additive technologies can incorporate fibres to produce true composites and be used to produce end-use parts with high aesthetics, unmatched complexity, mass customization opportunities, and high mechanical performance. A new hybrid manufacturing process combines the best capabilities of additive—high complexity, low energy usage and waste, 100% traceability, faster to market—and post-consolidation—tight tolerances, high R&R, established materials, and supply chains—technologies. The platform was developed by Zürich-based 9T Labs AG and is called Additive Fusion Technology (AFT). It consists of a design software offering the possibility to determine optimal fibre layup, then exports files back to check predicted performance—plus two pieces of equipment: a 3d-printer—which lays up (near)-net-shape preforms using neat thermoplastic filaments and slit, roll-formed unidirectional carbon fibre-reinforced thermoplastic tapes—and a post-consolidation module—which consolidates then shapes preforms into final parts using a compact compression press fitted with a heating unit and matched metal molds. Matrices—currently including PEKK, PEEK, PA12, and PPS, although nearly any high-quality commercial thermoplastic tapes and filaments can be used—are matched between filaments and tapes to assure excellent bonding. Since thermoplastics are used exclusively, larger assemblies can be produced by bonding or welding together smaller components, and end-of-life parts can be recycled. By combining compression molding with 3D printing, higher part quality with very-low voids and excellent surface finish on A and B sides can be produced. Tight tolerances (min. section thickness=1.5mm, min. section height=0.6mm, min. fibre radius=1.5mm) with high R&R can be cost-competitively held in production volumes of 100 to 10,000 parts/year on a single set of machines.

Keywords: additive manufacturing, composites, thermoplastic, hybrid manufacturing

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Authors: Ma'in Abushaikha

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Memorials are usually a landmark could be either an object, sculpture or a statue. They are built for a specific group or person who has died with historical contribution, or it could refer to an important hub, event or a specific culture, therefore to keep past events alive in the common memory through this kind of physical representation in public areas, or even to satisfy the desire to honour something either it is a person who suffered or died during a conflict or just to honour a group of people or even a whole society in a specific character they used to possess during a specific period of time. The aim behind the research is to look more deeply about the importance of memorials placement and environment for more successful outcomes towards people's psychology, therefore, behavior, manners and characteristics, knowing that in the main, they are usually set for function able purposes so people could be involved meaningfully therefore psychologically more than aesthetically. What contribution either positive or negative does memorialization through its physical/urban elements has towards people? Is it towards locals social reconstruction over time including either their understanding to the current conflicts or is it toward their general behavior, manners and characteristics in terms of psychology? And how important Memorial's placement is for the observer? Moreover, how does that either reduces or increases its value, attractiveness, and its effectiveness? This paper considers taking north Cyprus memorials as the main case study, is good enough as a choice to support the research hypothesis where a comparison between deferent memorials is going to be done as the main approach in trying to address the mentioned questions, by that, the research requires field survey in terms of interviewing both dwellers and general observers as well as library survey by viewing similar studies. As a significant result, this research is about to come up assesses how important memorials placements are, in order to apply its impact to the observers, whereas the most successful placed ones have its more effectiveness on observers psychology by time by introducing several mental reflects by this kind of physical representation.

Keywords: memorials, placement, environment, impact, psychology, characteristics, manners, behavior

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Authors: Ali̇ Bayram, Semih Dalkilic, Remzi Yigiter

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N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor is a subtype of glutamate receptor and plays a pivotal role in learning, memory, neuronal plasticity, neurotoxicity and synaptic mechanisms. Animal experiments were suggested that glutamate-induced excitotoxic injuriy and NMDA receptor blockage lead to amnesia and other neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Huntington’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Aim of this study is to investigate association between NMDA receptor coding gene GRIN2B expression level and Alzheimer disease. The study was approved by the local ethics committees, and it was conducted according to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and guidelines for the Good Clinical Practice. Peripheral blood was collected 50 patients who diagnosed AD and 49 healthy control individuals. Total RNA was isolated with RNeasy midi kit (Qiagen) according to manufacturer’s instructions. After checked RNA quality and quantity with spectrophotometer, GRIN2B expression levels were detected by quantitative real time PCR (QRT-PCR). Statistical analyses were performed, variance between two groups were compared with Mann Whitney U test in GraphpadInstat algorithm with 95 % confidence interval and p < 0.05. After statistical analyses, we have determined that GRIN2B expression levels were down regulated in AD patients group with respect to control group. But expression level of this gene in each group was showed high variability. İn this study, we have determined that NMDA receptor coding gene GRIN2B expression level was down regulated in AD patients when compared with healthy control individuals. According to our results, we have speculated that GRIN2B expression level was associated with AD. But it is necessary to validate these results with bigger sample size.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor, NR2B, GRIN2B, mRNA expression, RT-PCR

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Authors: Alaa G. M. Osman, Khaled Y. AbouelFadl, Angela Krüger, Werner Kloas

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In Egypt, no previous records are available regarding possible multiple hormonal activities in the aquatic systems and especially the river Nile. In this paper, the in vitro yeast estrogen screen (YES) and yeast androgen screen (YAS) were used to assess the multiple hormonal activities in surface waters and sediment from the Egyptian river Nile for the first time. This study sought to determine if river Nile water caused changes in gonadal histology of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus niloticus). All water samples exhibited extremely low levels of estrogenicity. Estrogenicity was not detected nearly in any of the sediment samples. Unlike the estrogenicity, significant androgenic activities were recorded in the water and sediment samples along the Nile course. The present study reports for the first time quantified anti-estrogenic and anti-androgenic activities with high levels in both water and sediment of the river Nile. The greatest anti-estrogenic and anti-androgenic activities were observed in sample from downstream river Nile. These results indicated that the anti-estrogenic and anti-androgenic activities along the Nile course were great and the pollution of the sites at the downstream was more serious than the upstream sites due to industrial activities at theses sites. Good correlations were observed among some hormonal activities, suggesting coexistence of these contaminants in the environmental matrices. There were no signs of sexual disruption in any of the gonads analysed from either male or female Nile tilapia, demonstrating that any hormonal activity present along the Nile course was not sufficient to induce adverse effects on reproductive development. Further investiga¬tion is necessary to identify the chemicals responsible for the hormonal activities in the river Nile and to examine the effect of very low levels of hormonally active chemicals on gonadal histology, as well as in the development of more sensitive biomarkers.

Keywords: multiple hormonal activities, YES, YAS, river Nile, Nile tilapia, gonadal histology

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Authors: Amandeep Sharma, Digvaijay Verma, Ruplal Choudhary

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Food processing is an activity across the globe that help in better handling of agricultural produce, including dairy, meat, and fish. The operations carried out in the food industry includes raw material quality authenticity; sorting and grading; processing into various products using thermal treatments – heating, freezing, and chilling; packaging; and storage at the appropriate temperature to maximize the shelf life of the products. All this is done to safeguard the food products and to ensure the distribution up to the consumer. The approaches to develop predictive models based on mathematical or statistical tools or empirical models’ development has been reported for various milk processing activities, including plant maintenance and wastage. Recently AI is the key factor for the fourth industrial revolution. AI plays a vital role in the food industry, not only in quality and food security but also in different areas such as manufacturing, packaging, and cleaning. A new conceptual model was developed, which shows that smaller sample size as only spectra would be required to predict the other values hence leads to saving on raw materials and chemicals otherwise used for experimentation during the research and new product development activity. It would be a futuristic approach if these tools can be further clubbed with the mobile phones through some software development for their real time application in the field for quality check and traceability of the product.

Keywords: predictive modlleing, ann, ai, food

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Authors: Adriana De Serio, Adrian Korek

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Aims: This experiential research work presents a Group-MusicTherapy-Theatre-Plan (MusThePlan) the authors have carried out to support the actors. The MusicTherapy gives rise to individual psychophysical feedback and influences the emotional centres of the brain and the subconsciousness. Therefore, the authors underline the effectiveness of the preventive, educational, and training goals of the MusThePlan to lead theatre students and actors to deal with anxiety and to overcome psychophysical weaknesses, shyness, emotional stress in stage performances, to increase flexibility, awareness of one's identity and resources for a positive self-development and psychophysical health, to develop and strengthen social bonds, increasing a network of subjects working for social inclusion and reduction of stigma. Materials-Methods: Thirty students from the University Theatre Faculty participated in weekly music therapy sessions for two months; each session lasted 120 minutes. MusThePlan: Each session began with a free group rhythmic-sonorous-musical-production by body-percussion, voice-canto, instruments, to stimulate communication. Then, a synchronized-structured bodily-rhythmic-sonorous-musical production also involved acting, dances, movements of hands and arms, hearing, and more sensorial perceptions and speech to balance motor skills and the muscular tone. Each student could be the director-leader of the group indicating a story to inspire the group's musical production. The third step involved the students in rhythmic speech and singing drills and in vocal exercises focusing on the musical pitch to improve the intonation and on the diction to improve the articulation and lead up it to an increased intelligibility. At the end of each musictherapy session and of the two months, the Musictherapy Assessment Document was drawn up by analysis of observation protocols and two Indices by the authors: Patient-Environment-Music-Index (time to - tn) to estimate the behavior evolution, Somatic Pattern Index to monitor subject’s eye and mouth and limb motility, perspiration, before, during and after musictherapy sessions. Results: After the first month, the students (non musicians) learned to play percussion instruments and formed a musical band that played classical/modern music on the percussion instruments with the musictherapist/pianist/conductor in a public concert. At the end of the second month, the students performed a public musical theatre show, acting, dancing, singing, and playing percussion instruments. The students highlighted the importance of the playful aspects of the group musical production in order to achieve emotional contact and harmony within the group. The students said they had improved kinetic and vocal and all the skills useful for acting activity and the nourishment of the bodily and emotional balance. Conclusions: The MusThePlan makes use of some specific MusicTherapy methodological models, techniques, and strategies useful for the actors. The MusThePlan can destroy the individual "mask" and can be useful when the verbal language is unable to undermine the defense mechanisms of the subject. The MusThePlan improves actor’s psychophysical activation, motivation, gratification, knowledge of one's own possibilities, and the quality of life. Therefore, the MusThePlan could be useful to carry out targeted interventions for the actors with characteristics of repeatability, objectivity, and predictability of results. Furthermore, it would be useful to plan a University course/master in “MusicTherapy for the Theatre”.

Keywords: musictherapy, sonorous-musical energy, quality of life, theatre

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Authors: John McDowall, Crysta Derham

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Broaden and build theory of emotion describes how experiencing positive emotions, such as happiness, broadens our ‘thought-action repertoire’ leading us to be more likely to go out and act on our positive emotions. This results in the building of new relationships, resources and skills, which we can draw on in times of need throughout life. In contrast, the experience of negative emotion is thought to narrow our ‘thought-action repertoire’, leading to specific actions to aid in survival. Three experiments aimed to explore the effect of briefly presented schematic faces (happy, sad, and neutral) on attentional scope using the flanker task. Based on the broaden and build theory it was hypothesised that there would be an increase in reaction time in trials primed with a happy face due to a broadening of attention, leading to increased flanker interference. A decrease in reaction time was predicted for trials primed with a sad face, due to a narrowing of attention leading to less flanker interference. Results lended partial support to the broaden and build hypothesis, with reaction times being slower following happy primes in incongruent flanker trials. Recent research is discussed in regards to potential mediators of the relationship between emotion and attention.

Keywords: emotion, attention, broaden and build, flanker task

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Authors: E. Bittar, A. Quiñonez, F. Mencia, E. Aguero, M. Delgado, V. Arriola, R. López

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In the western region of Paraguay, the poor condition of the roads has negatively affected the development of this zone, where the absence of petrous material has led engineers to opt for the stabilization of soils with lime or cement as the main structure for bases and subbases of these roads. In several areas of this region, high sulfate contents have been found both in groundwater and in soils, which, when reacted with lime or cement, generate a new problem instead of solving it. On the other hand, the use of industrial waste as granulated slag and fly ash proved to be a sustainable practice widely used in the manufacture of cement, and now also, in the stabilization of soils worldwide. Works related to soils containing sulfates stabilized either with granulated slag or fly ash and lime shown a good performance in their mechanical behaviour. This research seeks to evaluate the mechanical behaviour of soils with high contents of sulfates stabilized with lime by curing them both, at the normalized temperature (23 ± 2 °C) and at 40 ± 2 °C. Moreover, it attempts to asses if the addition of rice husk ash has a positive influence on the new geomaterial. The 40 ± 2 °C curing temperature was selected trying to simulate the average local temperature in summer and part of spring session whereas rice husk ash is an affordable waste produced in the region. An extensive experimental work, which includes unconfined compression, durability and free swell tests were carried out considering different dry unit weights, lime content and the addition of 20% of rice husk ash. The results showed that the addition of rice husk ash increases the resistance and durability of the material and decreases the expansion of this, moreover, the specimens cured at a temperature of 40 ± 2 °C showed higher resistance, better durability and lower expansion compared to those cured at the normalized temperature of 23 ± 2 °C.

Keywords: durability, expansion, lime stabilization, rice husk ash, sulfate

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Authors: Chanda Burrage

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The past half-century has revealed massive structural, geographic, and technological changes in livestock production. The move, for instance, toward expanding export markets, massive feedlots for the fattening of cattle and improved veterinary standards is a global trend in food animal agribusiness and is apparent in both developed and developing regions. In the Horn of Africa, various breeds of cattle that previously were not considered in economic terms are now treated as commodities and branded for numerous export markets. Formerly a culturally significant exchange good within the subsistence pastoral livelihoods, cattle are now identified as a key economic resource and fully connected to global markets. This study incorporates an ethnographic-commodity chain approach to examine critical issues surrounding regional trade, harmonization of standards, import & export legislation, the role of the private sector, and infrastructure development relative to the Boran cattle breed and Borana pastoralists. The specific sites assessed include the cattle production region of Moyale in southern Ethiopia, feedlots and export abattoirs in Adama, Ethiopia, and quarantines and ports in Djibouti and Somaliland. The goal is to evaluate innovation and modernization outcomes and narratives around Boran cattle production and development and the associate livelihood changes for cattle producers in southern Ethiopia and how the smallholder pastoralists are coping with the multitude of global changes. Inevitably, the inherent pressures related to such changes alter, and may even promote the reconfiguration of identity, while inadvertently contribute to the capacity of smallholder cattle producers to act independently and make their own free choices in sustainability. It is through these processes that local Borana groups may appropriate, bypass, or put to new use available and innovative material resources.

Keywords: globalization, global change, commodification, pastoralism, vulnerability, adaptive capacity

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Authors: Kritin K. Verma, Bailey Duhon, Patrick W. Slater

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Objective: To introduce the possible etiological role that the Labyrinthine Venous Vasculature (LVV) has in venous congestion of the cochlear system in Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSNHL) patients. Patients: Two patients (62-year-old female, 50-year-old male) presented within twenty-four hours of onset of SSNHL. Intervention: Following failed conservative and salvage techniques, the patients underwent ablation of the labyrinthine venous vasculature ipsilateral to the side of the loss. Main Outcome Measures: Improvement of sudden SSNHL based on an improvement of pure-tone audiometric (PTA) low-tone scoring averages at 250, 500, and 1000 Hz. Word recognition scoring using the NU-6 word list was used to assess quality of life. Results: Case 1 experienced a 51.7 dB increase in low-tone PTA and an increased word recognition scoring of 90%. Case 2 experienced a 33.4 dB increase in low-tone PTA and 60% increase in word recognition score. No major complications noted. Conclusion: Two patients experienced significant improvement in their low-tone PTA and word recognition scoring following the labyrinthine venous vasculature ablation.

Keywords: case report, sudden sensorineural hearing loss, venous congestion, vascular ablation

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Authors: Suman Dutta, Manish Agrawal, C. S. Jog

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Accurate computation of hydrodynamic forces on floating structures and their deformation finds application in the ocean and naval engineering and wave energy harvesting. This manuscript presents a monolithic, finite element strategy for fluid-structure interaction involving hyper-elastic solids partly submerged in an incompressible fluid. A velocity-based Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) formulation has been used for the fluid and a displacement-based Lagrangian approach has been used for the solid. The flexibility of the ALE technique permits us to treat the free surface of the fluid as a Lagrangian entity. At the interface, the continuity of displacement, velocity and traction are enforced using the mortar method. In the mortar method, the constraints are enforced in a weak sense using the Lagrange multiplier method. In the literature, the mortar method has been shown to be robust in solving various contact mechanics problems. The time-stepping strategy used in this work reduces to the generalized trapezoidal rule in the Eulerian setting. In the Lagrangian limit, in the absence of external load, the algorithm conserves the linear and angular momentum and the total energy of the system. The use of monolithic coupling with an energy-conserving time-stepping strategy gives an unconditionally stable algorithm and allows the user to take large time steps. All the governing equations and boundary conditions have been mapped to the reference configuration. The use of the exact tangent stiffness matrix ensures that the algorithm converges quadratically within each time step. The robustness and good performance of the proposed method are demonstrated by solving benchmark problems from the literature.

Keywords: ALE, floating body, fluid-structure interaction, monolithic, mortar method

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Authors: Rahul Warmoota, Aditya Bhardwaj, Steffy Angural, Monika Rana, Sunena Jassal, Neena Puri, Naveen Gupta

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Seafood processing generates large volumes of waste products such as skin, heads, tails, shells, scales, backbones, etc. Pollution due to conventional methods of seafood waste disposal causes negative implications on the environment, aquatic life, and human health. Moreover, these waste products can be used for the production of high-value products which are still untapped due to inappropriate management. Paenibacillus sp. AD is known to act on chitinolytic and proteinaceous waste and was explored for its potential to degrade various types of seafood waste in solid-state fermentation. Effective degradation of seafood waste generated from a variety of sources such as fish scales, crab shells, prawn shells, and a mixture of such wastes was observed. 30 to 40 percent degradation in terms of decrease in the mass was achieved. Along with the degradation, chitinolytic and proteolytic enzymes were produced, which can have various biotechnological applications. Apart from this, value-added products such as chitin oligosaccharides and peptides of various degrees of polymerization were also produced, which can be used for various therapeutic purposes. Results indicated that Paenibacillus sp. AD can be used for the development of a process for the infield degradation of seafood waste.

Keywords: chitin, chitin-oligosaccharides, chitinase, protease, biodegradation, crab shells, prawn shells, fish scales

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Authors: Christine Fräulin, Daniela Schurr, Hamed Shahidi Rad, Gerrit Waters, Günter Rinke, Roland Dittmeyer, Michael Nilles

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The reaction mechanisms of many liquid-phase reactions in organic chemistry have not yet been sufficiently clarified. Process conditions of several hundred degrees celsius and pressures to ten megapascals complicate the sampling and the determination of kinetic data. Space resolved in-situ measurements promises new insights. A non-invasive in-situ measurement technique has the advantages that no sample preparation is necessary, there is no change in sample mixture before analysis and the sampling do no lead to interventions in the flow. Thus, the goal of our research was the development of a contact-free spatially resolved measurement technique for kinetic studies of liquid phase reaction under process conditions. Therefore we used laser Raman spectroscopy combined with an optical transparent microchannel reactor. To show the performance of the system we choose the oxidation of cyclohexane as sample reaction. Cyclohexane oxidation is an economically important process. The products are intermediates for caprolactam and adipic acid, which are starting materials for polyamide 6 and 6.6 production. To maintain high selectivities of 70 to 90 %, the reaction is performed in industry at a low conversion of about six percent. As Raman spectroscopy is usually very selective but not very sensitive the detection of the small product concentration in cyclohexane oxidation is quite challenging. To meet these requirements, an optical experimental setup was optimized to determine the concentrations by laser Raman spectroscopy with respect to good detection sensitivity. With this measurement technique space resolved kinetic studies of uncatalysed and homogeneous catalyzed cyclohexane oxidation were carried out to obtain details about the reaction mechanism.

Keywords: in-situ laser raman spectroscopy, space resolved kinetic measurements, homogeneous catalysis, chemistry

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Authors: Naomi Sato, Tomonori Sato, Kenji Masui, Rob Stanborough

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To date, there are few studies on the subjective experiences of patients with chronic low-back pain (CLBP). The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of CLBP patients’ perceptions and attitudes regarding pain. Individual, semi-constructed interviews were conducted with 7 Japanese and 10 Americans who had been diagnosed with CLBP. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed based on a content analysis approach. The study proposal was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the first author’s affiliate university. All participants provided written consent. Participants’ ages ranged from 48 to 82. Five main categories were emerged, namely, 'There are no reasons for long-term chronic pain,' 'Just will not worsen,' 'Have something to help me cope,' 'Pain restricts my life,' and 'Have something to relieve me.' Participants lived with CLBP, which could sometimes be avoided as a result of the coping strategies that they employed, and due to which they sometimes felt helpless, despite their efforts. As a result, they had mixed feelings, which included resignation, resoluteness, and optimism. However, their perceptions and attitudes toward pain seemed to differ based on their backgrounds, including biological, social, religious, and cultural status. There is a need for the development of a scale in future studies, to enable quantitative measurement of individuals’ perceptions of and attitudes toward pain. There is also a need for an investigation of factors influencing perceptions and attitudes toward pain.

Keywords: attitude, chronic low-back pain, perception, qualitative study

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Authors: Md Serajul Islam

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High Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy is used for cancer patients. In our country’s prospect, we are using only cervices and breast cancer treatment by using HDR. The air kerma rate in air at a reference distance of less than a meter from the source is the recommended quantity for the specification of gamma ray source Ir-192 in brachytherapy. The absorbed dose for the patients is directly proportional to the air kerma rate. Therefore the air kerma rate should be determined before the first use of the source on patients by qualified medical physicist who is independent from the source manufacturer. The air kerma rate will then be applied in the calculation of the dose delivered to patients in their planning systems. In practice, high dose rate (HDR) Ir-192 afterloader machines are mostly used in brachytherapy treatment. Currently, HDR-Co-60 increasingly comes into operation too. The essential advantage of the use of Co-60 sources is its longer half-life compared to Ir-192. The use of HDRCo-60 afterloading machines is also quite interesting for developing countries. This work describes the dosimetry at HDR afterloading machines according to the protocols IAEA-TECDOC-1274 (2002) with the nuclides Ir-192 and Co-60. We have used 3 different measurement methods (with a ring chamber, with a solid phantom and in free air and with a well chamber) in dependence of each of the protocols. We have shown that the standard deviations of the measured air kerma rate for the Co-60 source are generally larger than those of the Ir-192 source. The measurements with the well chamber had the lowest deviation from the certificate value. In all protocols and methods, the deviations stood for both nuclides by a maximum of about 1% for Ir-192 and 2.5% for Co-60-Sources respectively.

Keywords: Ir-192 source, cancer, patients, cheap treatment cost

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Authors: Sally J. Price, Greg F. Walker, Weiyi Liu, Craig R. Bunt

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Plastics, due to their long lifespan, are becoming more of an environmental concern once their useful life has been completed. There are a vast array of different types of plastic, and they can be found in almost every ecosystem on earth and are of particular concern in terrestrial environments where they can become incorporated into the food chain. Hence bioplastics have become more of interest to manufacturers and the public recently as they have the ability to (bio)degrade in commercial and in home composting situations. However, tools in which to quantify how they degrade in response to environmental variables are still being developed -one such approach is texture analysis using a TA.XT Texture Analyser, Stable Microsystems, was used to determine the force required to break or punch holes in standard ASTM D638 Type IV 3D printed bioplastic “dogbones” depending on the thicknesses of them. Manufacturers’ recommendations for calibrating the Texture Analyser are one such approach for standardising results; however, an independent technique using dummy dogbones and a substitute for the bioplastic was used alongside the samples. This approach was unexpectedly more valuable than realised at the start of the trial as irregular results were later discovered with the substitute material before valuable samples collected from the field were lost due to possible machine malfunction. This work will show the value of having an independent approach to machine calibration for accurate sample analysis with a Texture Analyser when analysing bioplastic samples.

Keywords: bioplastic, degradation, environment, texture analyzer

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Authors: Mengmeng Liu, J. David Frost

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Interstate highway system within the Atlanta Perimeter plays an important role in residents’ daily life. The serious influence of Atlanta I-85 Collapses implies that transportation system in the region lacks a cohesive and comprehensive transportation plan. Therefore, disaster resilience analysis of the transportation system is necessary. Resilience is the system’s capability to persist or to maintain transportation services when exposed to changes or shocks. This paper analyzed the resilience of the whole transportation system within the Perimeter and see how removing interstates within the Perimeter will affect the resilience of the transportation system. The data used in the paper are Atlanta transportation networks and LEHD Origin-Destination Employment Statistics data. First, we calculate the traffic flow on each road section based on LEHD data assuming each trip travel along the shortest travel time paths. Second, we calculate the measure of resilience, which is flow-based connectivity and centrality of the transportation network, and see how they will change if we remove each section of interstates from the current transportation system. Finally, we get the resilience function curve of the interstates and identify the most resilient interstates section. The resilience analysis results show that the framework of calculation resilience is effective and can provide some useful information for the transportation planning and sustainability analysis of the transportation infrastructures.

Keywords: connectivity, interstate highway system, network analysis, resilience analysis

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Authors: Mahsa Hadipour Jahromy, Sara Rezaii

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Parkinson’s disease (PD) results primarily from the death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Soon after the discovery of levodopa and its beneficial effects in chronic administration, debilitating involuntary movements observed, termed levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) with poorly understood pathogenesis. Polyphenol-rich compounds, like pomegranate, provided neuroprotection in several animal models of brain diseases. In the present work, we investigated whether pomegranate has preventive effects following 4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced dopaminergic degenerations and the potential to diminish LID in mice. Mice model of PD was induced by MPTP (30 mg/kg daily for five consecutive days). To induce a mice model of LID, valid PD mice were treated with levodopa (50 mg/kg, i.p) for 15 days. Then the effects of chronic co-administration of pomegranate juice (20 ml/kg) with levodopa and continuing for 10 days, evaluated. Behavioural tests were performed in all groups, every other day including: Abnormal involuntary movements (AIMS), forelimb adjusting steps, cylinder, and catatonia tests. Finally, brain tissue sections were prepared to study substantia nigra changes and dopamine neuron density after treatments. With this MPTP regimen, significant movement disorders revealed in AIMS tests and there was a reduction in dopamine striatal density. Levodopa attenuates their loss caused by MPTP, however, in chronic administration, dyskinesia observed in forelimb adjusting step and cylinder tests. Besides, catatonia observed in some cases. Chronic pomegranate co-administration significantly improved LID in both tests and reduced dopaminergic loss in substantia nigra. These data indicate that pomegranate might be a good adjunct for preserving dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and reducing LID in mice.

Keywords: levodopa-induced dyskinesia, MPTP, Parkinson’s disease, pomegranate

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Authors: Omid Adibi, Nategheh Najafpour, Bijan Farhanieh, Hossein Afshin

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Gas release from the pipelines is one of the main factors in the gas industry accidents. Released gas ejects from the pipeline as a free jet and in the growth process, the fuel gets mixed with the ambient air. Accordingly, an accidental spark will release the chemical energy of the mixture with an explosion. Gas explosion damages the equipment and endangers the life of staffs. So due to importance of safety in gas industries, prevision of accident can reduce the number of the casualties. In this paper, natural gas leakages from the low pressure pipelines are studied in two steps: 1) the simulation of mixing process and identification of flammable zones and 2) the simulation of wind effects on the mixing process. The numerical simulations were performed by using the finite volume method and the pressure-based algorithm. Also, for the grid generation the structured method was used. The results show that, in just 6.4 s after accident, released natural gas could penetrate to 40 m in vertical and 20 m in horizontal direction. Moreover, the results show that the wind speed is a key factor in dispersion process. In fact, the wind transports the flammable zones into the downstream. Hence, to improve the safety of the people and human property, it is preferable to construct gas facilities and buildings in the opposite side of prevailing wind direction.

Keywords: flammable zones, gas pipelines, numerical simulation, wind effects

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Authors: Atcharawan Phenwansuk

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The product design is important to the development of SME towards the global, because it made to the quality product to react the needs of consumers and could reduces cost in the production, making it more profitable. As a results, the business are competition advantage for more marketing. It also enhance image of product and firms to build its own brand products to be acceptable. The product was designed should be shape, size, colorful, and direct of target consumers. This is method to add value products to get popular and effective, because the beauty is first satisfaction which come from main shape and color of the design product, but the product was designed need to hold data and law combination of shape and color between artistic theory and satisfaction of consumers together. The design must consider the safety of life and asset of consumers the most important. From to use of designed products should be to consider the cost savings, convenient distance, transportation, routes (land, water or air) of living space on transport (capacity, volume, width, length of the car, truck and container, etc). The packaging must be can to prevent not damage of the products. If products is more large , maybe to design new packaging, which can easily disassembled for make smaller package such as designing the assembly. Products must be packed in the container for size standard for save costs, as well as the buyer can make transport and assembly of products to fit easily on your own.

Keywords: logistics process , pineapple’s leaves product, product design, satisfaction of consumers

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Authors: Reza Miresmaeili, Asghar Heydari Astaraee, Fereshteh Dolati

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In the present study, an analytical model based on dislocation density model was developed to simulate grain refinement in surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT). The correlation between SMAT time and development in plastic strain on one hand, and dislocation density evolution, on the other hand, was established to simulate the grain refinement in SMAT. A dislocation density-based constitutive material law was implemented using VUHARD subroutine. A random sequence of shots is taken into consideration for multiple impacts model using Python programming language by utilizing a random function. The simulation technique was to model each impact in a separate run and then transferring the results of each run as initial conditions for the next run (impact). The developed Finite Element (FE) model of multiple impacts describes the coverage evolution in SMAT. Simulations were run to coverage levels as high as 4500%. It is shown that the coverage implemented in the FE model is equal to the experimental coverage. It is depicted that numerical SMAT coverage parameter is adequately conforming to the well-known Avrami model. Comparison between numerical results and experimental measurements for residual stresses and depth of deformation layers confirms the performance of the established FE model for surface engineering evaluations in SMA treatment. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies of grain refinement, including resultant grain size and dislocation density, were conducted to validate the established model. The full width at half-maximum in XRD profiles can be used to measure the grain size. Numerical results and experimental measurements of grain refinement illustrate good agreement and show the capability of established FE model to predict the gradient microstructure in SMA treatment.

Keywords: dislocation density, grain refinement, severe plastic deformation, simulation, surface mechanical attrition treatment

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Authors: PB Venkataraman

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Most of the real-life problems are ill-structured. They do not have a single solution but many competing solutions. The solution paths are non-linear and ambiguous, and the problem definition itself is many times a challenge. Students of professional education learn to solve such problems through internships. The current pandemic situation has constrained on-site internship opportunities; thus the students have no option but to pursue this learning online. This research assessed the learning gain of four undergraduate students in engineering as they undertook an online internship in an organisation over a period of eight weeks. A clinical interview at the end of the internship provided the primary data to assess the team’s problem-solving skills using a tested rubric. In addition to this, change in their learning attitudes were assessed through a pre-post study using a repurposed CLASS instrument for Electrical Engineering. Analysis of CLASS data indicated a shift in the sophistication of their learning attitude. A learning engagement survey adopting a 6-point Likert scale showed active participation and motivation in learning. We hope this new research will stimulate educators to exploit online internships even beyond the time of pandemic as more and more business operations are transforming into virtual.

Keywords: ill-structured problems, learning attitudes, internship, assessment, student engagement

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Authors: Renga Rao Krishnamoorthy, Raihan Tahir

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The quality of classroom learning and teaching delivery has been and will continue to be debated at various levels worldwide. The regional cooperation programme to improve the quality and labour market orientation of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (RECOTVET), ‘Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit’ (GIZ), in line with the sustainable development goals (SDG), has taken the initiative in the development of quality TVET in the ASEAN region by developing the Quality Toolbox for Better TVET Delivery (Quality Toolbox). This initiative aims to provide quick and practical materials to trainers, instructors, and personnel involved in education and training at an institute to shape the quality of classroom learning and teaching. The Quality Toolbox for Better TVET Delivery was developed in three stages: literature review and development, validation, and finalization. Thematic areas in the Quality Toolbox were derived from collective input of concerns and challenges raised from experts’ workshops through moderated sessions involving representatives of TVET institutes from 9 ASEAN Member States (AMS). The sessions were facilitated by professional moderators and international experts. TVET practitioners representing AMS further analysed and discussed the structure of the Quality Toolbox and content of thematic areas and outlined a set of specific requirements and recommendations. The application exercise of the Quality Toolbox was carried out by TVET institutes among ASM. Experience sharing sessions from participating ASEAN countries were conducted virtually. The findings revealed that TVET institutes use two types of approaches in shaping the quality of learning and teaching, which is ascribed to inductive or deductive, shaping of quality in learning and teaching is a non-linear process and finally, Q-tools can be adopted and adapted to shape the quality of learning and teaching at TVET institutes in the following: improvement of the institutional quality, improvement of teaching quality and improvement on the organisation of learning and teaching for students and trainers. The Quality Toolbox has good potential to be used at education and training institutes to shape quality in learning and teaching.

Keywords: AMS, GIZ, RECOTVET, quality tools

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Authors: Harith Mohammed Benbouali

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The concept of sustainable development is becoming increasingly important in our society. The efforts of specialized agencies, cleverly portrayed in the media, allow a widespread environmental awareness. Far from the old environmental movement in the backward-looking nostalgia, the environment is combined with today's progress. Many areas now include these concerns in their efforts, this in order to try to reduce the negative impact of human activities on the environment. The quantitative dimension of development has given way to the quality aspect. However, this feature is not common, and the initial target was abandoned in favor of economic considerations. Specialists in the field of building and construction have constantly sought to further integrate the environmental dimension, creating a seal of high environmental quality buildings. The pursuit of well-being of neighborhood residents and the quality of buildings are also a hot topic in planning. Quality of life is considered so on, since financial concerns dominate to the detriment of the environment and the welfare of the occupants. This work concerns the development of an analytical method based on multiple indicators of objectives across the district. The quantification of indicators related to objectives allows the construction professional, the developer or the community, to quantify and compare different alternatives for development of a neighborhood. This quantification is based on the use of simulation tools and a multi-criteria aggregation.

Keywords: sustainable development, environment, district, indicators, multi-criteria analysis, evaluation

Procedia PDF Downloads 315

Authors: Zayed Alsulami, Asma Aldosseri, Ahmed Ezziden, Abdulrahman Alonazi

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Children are more susceptible to medication errors than adults. Medication administration process is the last stage in the medication treatment process and most of the errors detected in this stage. Little research has been undertaken about medication errors in children in the Middle East countries. This study was aimed to evaluate how the paediatric nurses adhere to the medication administration policy and also to identify any medication preparation and administration errors or any risk factors. An observational, prospective study of medication administration process from when the nurses preparing patient medication until administration stage (May to August 2014) was conducted in Saudi Arabia. Twelve paediatric nurses serving 90 paediatric patients were observed. 456 drug administered doses were evaluated. Adherence rate was variable in 7 steps out of 16 steps. Patient allergy information, dose calculation, drug expiry date were the steps in medication administration with lowest adherence rates. 63 medication preparation and administration errors were identified with error rate 13.8% of medication administrations. No potentially life-threating errors were witnessed. Few logistic and administrative factors were reported. The results showed that the medication administration policy and procedure need an urgent revision to be more sensible for nurses in practice. Nurses’ knowledge and skills regarding the medication administration process should be improved.

Keywords: medication sasfety, paediatric, medication errors, paediatric ward

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Authors: Anuoluwapo S. Taiwo, David S. Ayre, Morteza Khorami, Sameer S. Rahatekar

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This investigation aims to characterize the effect of Corn Cob (CC), an agricultural waste, for potential use as a filler material, reducing cement in natural fibre-reinforced cement composite boards used for building applications in low-cost housing estates in developing countries. The corn cob is readily and abundantly available in many West African States. However, this agricultural waste product has not been put to any effective use. Hence, the objective of the current research is to convert this massive agro-waste resource into a potential material for use as filler materials reducing cement contents in fibre-cement board production. Kraft pulp fibre-reinforced cement composite boards were developed with the incorporation of the corn cob powder at varying percentages of 1 – 4% as filler materials to reduce the cement content, using a laboratory-simulated vacuum de-watering process. The mechanical properties of the developed cement boards were characterized through a three-point bending test, while the fractured morphology of the cement boards was examined through a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Results revealed that the flexural strength of the composite board improved significantly with an optimum enhancement of 39% when compared to the reference sample without corn cob replacement, however, the flexural behaviour (ductility) of the composite board was slightly affected by the addition of the corn cob powder at higher percentage. SEM observation of the fractured surfaces revealed good bonding at the fibre-matrix interface as well as a ductile-to-brittle fracture mechanism. Overall, the composite board incorporated with 2% corn cob powder as filler materials had the optimum properties which satisfied the minimum requirements of relevant standards for fibre cement flat sheets.

Keywords: agricultural waste, building applications, fibre-cement board, kraft pulp fibre, sustainability

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Authors: Nikolaos Papadimas, Joanna Bennett, Amir Sakhaei, Timothy Dodwell

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Composite modeling of consolidation processes is playing an important role in the process and part design by indicating the formation of possible unwanted prior to expensive experimental iterative trial and development programs. Composite materials in their uncured state display complex constitutive behavior, which has received much academic interest, and this with different models proposed. Errors from modeling and statistical which arise from this fitting will propagate through any simulation in which the material model is used. A general hyperelastic polynomial representation was proposed, which can be readily implemented in various nonlinear finite element packages. In our case, FEniCS was chosen. The coefficients are assumed uncertain, and therefore the distribution of parameters learned using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods. In engineering, the approach often followed is to select a single set of model parameters, which on average, best fits a set of experiments. There are good statistical reasons why this is not a rigorous approach to take. To overcome these challenges, A hierarchical Bayesian framework was proposed in which population distribution of model parameters is inferred from an ensemble of experiments tests. The resulting sampled distribution of hyperparameters is approximated using Maximum Entropy methods so that the distribution of samples can be readily sampled when embedded within a stochastic finite element simulation. The methodology is validated and demonstrated on a set of consolidation experiments of AS4/8852 with various stacking sequences. The resulting distributions are then applied to stochastic finite element simulations of the consolidation of curved parts, leading to a distribution of possible model outputs. With this, the paper, as far as the authors are aware, represents the first stochastic finite element implementation in composite process modelling.

Keywords: data-driven , material consolidation, stochastic finite elements, surrogate models

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Authors: Andrea Palazzo, Daniel Macek, Veronika Malinova

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Contour processing is the new technology challenge for architects and construction companies. The many advantages it promises make it one of the most interesting solutions for construction in terms of automation of building processes. The technology for 3D printing houses offers many application possibilities, from low-cost construction, to being considered by NASA for visionary projects as a good solution for building settlements on other planets. Another very important point is that clients, as architects, will no longer have many limits in design concerning ideas and creativity. The prices for real estate are constantly increasing and the lack of availability of construction materials as well as the speculation that has been created around it in 2021 is bringing prices to such a level that in the future real estate developers risk not being able to find customers for these ultra-expensive homes. Hence, this paper starts with the introduction of 3D printing, which now has the potential to gain an important position in the market, becoming a valid alternative to the classic construction process. This technology is not only beneficial from an economic point of view but it is also a great opportunity to have an impact on the environment by reducing CO2 emissions. Further on in the article we will also understand if, after the COP 26 (2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference), world governments could also push towards building technologies that reduce the waste materials that are needed to be disposed of and at the same time reduce emissions with the contribution of governmental funds. This paper will give us insight on the multiple benefits of 3D printing and emphasise the importance of finding new solutions for materials that can be used by the printer. Therefore, based on the type of material, it will be possible to understand the compatibility with current regulations and how the authorities will be inclined to support this technology. This will help to enable the rise and development of this technology in Europe and in the rest of the world on actual housing projects and not only on prototypes.

Keywords: additive manufacturing, contour crafting, development, new regulation, printing material

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Authors: Siddhant Srivastav, Soumyaranjan Mishra, Sumanta Kumar Meher

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Researchers are attempting to develop extremely efficient electrochemical energy storage technologies as a result of the phenomenal advancement of portable electronic devices. Because of their improved electrical conductivity and narrower band gap, transition metal selenide-based nanostructures have piqued the interest of many researchers in this field. Based on this concept, we present a simple anion exchange hydrothermal synthesis method for synthesizing manganese and nickel based selenide (Mn/NiSe2) nanostructure for use in all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors. According to the comprehensive physicochemical characterizations, the material has lowly crystalline properties, a distinct porous microstructure, and a significant bonding contact between the metal and the selenium. The electrochemical investigations of the Mn/NiSe2 electrode material revealed supercapacitive charge discharge properties, excellent electro-kinetic reversibility, and minimal charge transfer resistance (Rct). Furthermore, the all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor device assembled using Mn/NiSe2 as positive electrode, nitrogen doped reduced graphene oxide (N-rGO) as negative electrode, and PVA-KOH gel as electrolyte/separator exhibit good redox behaviour, excellent charge-discharge properties with negligible voltage (IR) drop, and lower impedance characteristics. The solid state asymmetric supercapacitor device (Mn/NiSe2||N-rGO) demonstrated the power density of ultra-capacitors and the energy density of rechargeable batteries. Conclusively, the Mn/NiSe2 has been proposed as a potential outstanding electrode material for the next generation of all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors.

Keywords: anion exchange, asymmetric supercapacitor, supercapacitive charge-discharge, voltage drop

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Authors: Asrat M.Belachew, Tiago Pereira, Institute of Mathematics, Computer Sciences, Avenida Trabalhador São Carlense, 400, São Carlos, 13566-590, Brazil

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Infectious diseases are among the most prominent threats to human beings. They cause morbidity and mortality to an individual and collapse the social, economic, and political systems of the whole world collectively. Mathematical models are fundamental tools and provide a comprehensive understanding of how infectious diseases spread and designing the control strategy to mitigate infectious diseases from the host population. Modeling the spread of infectious diseases using a compartmental model of inhomogeneous populations is good in terms of complexity. However, in the real world, there is a situation that accounts for heterogeneity, such as ages, locations, and contact patterns of the population which are ignored in a homogeneous setting. In this work, we study how classical an SEIR infectious disease spreading of the compartmental model can be extended by incorporating the mobility of population between heterogeneous cities during an outbreak of infectious disease. We have formulated an SEIR multi-cities epidemic spreading model using a system of 4k ordinary differential equations to describe the disease transmission dynamics in k-cities during the day and night. We have shownthat the model is epidemiologically (i.e., variables have biological interpretation) and mathematically (i.e., a unique bounded solution exists all the time) well-posed. We constructed the next-generation matrix (NGM) for the model and calculated the basic reproduction number R0for SEIR-epidemic spreading model with cities mobility. R0of the disease depends on the spectral radius mobility operator, and it is a threshold between asymptotic stability of the disease-free equilibrium and disease persistence. Using the eigenvalue perturbation theorem, we showed that sending a fraction of the population between cities decreases the reproduction number of diseases in interconnected cities. As a result, disease transmissiondecreases in the population.

Keywords: SEIR-model, mathematical model, city mobility, epidemic spreading

Procedia PDF Downloads 113