Search results for: delivery of local services

Authors: Conchita Martin de Bustamante, Christopher S. Kung, Brianne Lacy, Eunsol Park, Hien Piotrowski, Mustafa Husain, Waseem Ahmed

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Objective: To explore the comorbidity of mental health conditions (major depressive disorder, borderline personality disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and schizophrenia) with opioid use disorder in people incarcerated at a large urban jail. Background Schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety are all serious mental health conditions that are highly prevalent amongst incarcerated patients. However, it is seldom the only disorder these patients are suffering from. According to the US Department of Justice, about half of US prisoners, both at the state and federal level, suffer from substance use disorders. Although the opioid epidemic has been studied greatly in the recent years amongst the general population, little has been explored on how the opioid crisis has affected incarcerated patients in local jails, particularly regarding which of these patients are most susceptible. Method The cohort consisted of 507 people incarcerated at a large county jail who were evaluated by mental health providers in December 2020. A retrospective review was performed to evaluate associations between mental health diagnoses, substance use disorder, and other demographic variables. Results Participants had been diagnosed with various mental health conditions, including MDD (22.6%, n = 115), GAD (33.7%, n = 171), Schizophrenia (15.2%, n = 77) and BPD (27%, n = 137). Preliminary Chi square tests were conducted for these conditions against marijuana, alcohol, cocaine, opioid, methamphetamine, benzodiazepines, and sedative use disorders. The results showed significant associations between Schizophrenia (p = 0.013), GAD (p M 0.001), and MDD (p = 0.029) with opioid use disorders. Conclusions Determining the extent of these comorbid substance use and mental health disorders within an incarcerated population can help influence treatment plans for future incarcerated patients. Many federal and state jail systems lack pharmacological substance use intervention and the prevalence of these co-morbid conditions can shed light on the importance of treating conditions concurrently upon intake.

Keywords: mental health conditions, opioids, substance use disorder, comorbidity

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Authors: Yue Wang, Fan Chen

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After the economic reform in 1978, the urbanization in China has grown fast. It urged cities to expand in an unprecedented high speed. Villages around were annexed unprepared, and it turned out to be a new type of community called 'village in city.' Two things happened here. First, the locals gave up farming and turned to secondary industry and tertiary industry, as a result of losing their land. Secondly, attracted by the high income in cities and low rent here, plenty of migrants came into the community. This area is important to a city in rapid growth for providing a transitional zone. But thanks to its passivity and low development, 'village in city' has caused lots of trouble to the city. Densities of population and construction are both high, while facilities are severely inadequate. Unplanned and illegal structures are built, which creates a complex mixed-function area and leads to a bad residential area. Besides, the locals have a strong property right consciousness for the land. It holds back the transformation and development of the community. Although the land capitalization can bring significant benefits, it’s inappropriate to make a great financial compensation to the locals, and considering the large population of city migrants, it’s important to explore the relationship among the 'village in city,' city immigrants and the city itself. Taking the example of Hangzhou, this paper analyzed the developing process, functions spatial distribution, industrial structure and current traffic system of 'village in city.' Above the research on the community, this paper put forward a common method to make urban planning through the following ways: adding city functions, building civil facilities, re-planning functions spatial distribution, changing the constitution of local industry and planning new traffic system. Under this plan, 'village in city' finally can be absorbed into cities and make its own contribution to the urbanization.

Keywords: China, city immigrant, urbanization, village in city

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Authors: Wijayanada Rupasinghe, A. H. Dinithi Jayasekara

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In a modern democracy, new media can be used by governments to involve citizens in decision-making, and by civil society to engage people in specific issues. However new media can also be used to broaden political participation by helping citizens to communicate with their representatives and with each other. Arguably this political communication is most important during election campaigns when political parties and candidates seek to mobilize citizens and persuade them to vote for a given party or candidate. The new media must be used by Parliaments, Parliamentarians, governments and political parties as they are highly effective tools to involve and inform citizens in public policymaking and in the formation of governments. But all these groups must develop strategies to deal with a wide array of both positive and negative effects of these rapidly growing media.New media has begun to take precedent over other communication outlets in part because of its heightened accessibility and usability. Using personal website can empower the public in a way that is far faster, cheaper and more pervasive than other forms of communication. They encourage pluralism, reach young people more than other media and encourage greater participation, accountability and transparency. This research discusses the impact politicians’ personal websites has over their overall electability and likability and explores the integration of website is an essential campaign tactic on both the local and national level. This research examined the impact of having personal website have over the way constituents view politicians. This research examined how politicians can use their website in the most effective fashion and incorporate these new media outlets as essential campaign tools and tactics. A mixed-method approach using content analysis. Content analysis selected thirty websites in sri Lankan politicians. Research revealed that politician’s new media usage significantly influenced and enriched the experience an individual has with the public figure.

Keywords: election campaign ministers, new media, parliament, politicians websites

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Authors: Adrianna D. Hendricks

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This paper examines the factors that contribute to the re-traumatization of victims of sex trafficking within the Canadian context. Sex trafficking occurring domestically in Canada is severely under-researched, stigmatized, and under-prosecuted, leading to the re-traumatization of victims by various levels of government. This is in part due to the Canadian criminal justice system unethically utilizing prostitution laws in cases of sex trafficking and partially due to the unaddressed stigmatization victims face within the justice system itself. Utilizing evidence from a current literature review, personal correspondence, and personal life experiences, this paper will demonstrate the need for victim involvement in policy reform. The current literature review was done through an academic database search using the terms: “Sex Trafficking, Exploitation, Canada”, with the limitation of articles written within the last 5 years and written within the Canadian context. Overall, from the results, only eight articles precisely matched the criteria. The current literature argues strongly and unanimously for more research and education of professionals who have close contact with high-risk populations (doctors, police officers, social workers, etc.) to protect both minors and adults from being sexually trafficked. Additionally, for women and girls who do not have Canadian citizenship, the fear of deportation becomes a barrier to disclosing exploitation experiences to professionals. There is a desperate need for more research done in tandem with survivors and victims to inform policymaking in a meaningful way. The researcher is a survivor of sex trafficking both as a youth and as an adult, giving the researcher a unique insight into the realities of the criminal justice system for victims of sex trafficking. There is a clear need for professionals in positions of power to be re-educated about the realities of sex-trafficking, and what it means for the victims. Congruent to the current research the author calls for: standardized professional training for people in healthcare, police officers, court officials, and victim services; with the additional layers of victim involvement in creation of professional education training, and victim involvement in research. Justice for victims/survivors can only be obtained if they have been consulted and believed. Without meaningful consultation with survivors, victims who are both minors and adults will continue to fall through the cracks in policy.

Keywords: Canadian policy, re-traumatization, sex-trafficking, stigmatization

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Authors: Anahita Suri

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Craft -an integral part of the conduit to create something beautiful- is a visual representation of the human imagination given life through the hand. The Mirgan tribe in the Naxalite infested forests of Koraput, Odisha are not exempt from this craving for beauty. These skilled craftsmen dye and weave the simple yet sophisticated Kotpad textiles. The women undertake the time-consuming task of dyeing the cotton and silk yarns with the root of the aul tree. The men then weave these yarns into beautiful sarees and dupattas. The root of the aul tree lends the textile its maroon to brown color, which is offset against the unbleached cotton to create a minimalist and distinctive look. The motifs, incorporated through the extra weft technique, reflect the rich tribal heritage of the community. This is an eco-friendly, non-toxic textile. Kotpad fabrics were on the verge of extinction due to various factors like poor infrastructure, no innovation in traditional designs/products, customer ignorance leading to low demand. With livelihood opportunities through craft slowly dwindling, artisans were moving to alternative sources of income generation, like agriculture and daily wage labor. There was an urgent need for intervention to revive the craft, spread awareness about them in urban spaces, and strengthen the artisan’s ability to innovate and create. Recent efforts by government bodies and local designers have given Kotpad handloom a contemporary look without diluting its essence. This research explores the possibilities to leverage Kotpad handloom to find a place in the dynamic culture of the world by its promotion among different target groups and incorporating self-sustaining practices for the artisans. This could further encourage a space for handmade and handcrafted art, rich with stories about India, with a contemporary visual sensibility. This will strengthen environmental and ethical sustainability.

Keywords: craft, contemporary, handloom, natural dye, tribal

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Authors: Daijun Chen

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Affordable housing is subsidized by the government to meet the housing demand of low and middle-income urban residents in the process of urbanization and to alleviate the housing inequality caused by market-based housing reforms. It is a recognized fact that the living conditions of the insured have been improved while constructing the subsidized housing. However, the choice of affordable housing is mostly in the suburbs, where the surrounding urban functions and infrastructure are incomplete, resulting in the spatial mismatch of "jobs-housing" in affordable housing. The main reason for this problem is that the residents of affordable housing are more sensitive to the spatial location of their residence, but their selectivity and controllability to the housing location are relatively weak, which leads to higher commuting costs. Their real cost of living has not been effectively reduced. In this regard, 92 subsidized housing communities in Nanjing, China, are selected as the research sample in this paper. The residents of the affordable housing and their commuting Spatio-temporal behavior characteristics are identified based on the LBS (location-based service) data. Based on the spatial mismatch theory, spatial mismatch indicators such as commuting distance and commuting time are established to measure the spatial mismatch degree of subsidized housing in different districts of Nanjing. Furthermore, the geographically weighted regression model is used to analyze the influencing factors of the spatial mismatch of affordable housing in terms of the provision of employment opportunities, traffic accessibility and supporting service facilities by using spatial, functional and other multi-source Spatio-temporal big data. The results show that the spatial mismatch of affordable housing in Nanjing generally presents a "concentric circle" pattern of decreasing from the central urban area to the periphery. The factors affecting the spatial mismatch of affordable housing in different spatial zones are different. The main reasons are the number of enterprises within 1 km of the affordable housing district and the shortest distance to the subway station. And the low spatial mismatch is due to the diversity of services and facilities. Based on this, a spatial optimization strategy for different levels of spatial mismatch in subsidized housing is proposed. And feasible suggestions for the later site selection of subsidized housing are also provided. It hopes to avoid or mitigate the impact of "spatial mismatch," promote the "spatial adaptation" of "jobs-housing," and truly improve the overall welfare level of affordable housing residents.

Keywords: affordable housing, spatial mismatch, commuting characteristics, spatial adaptation, welfare benefits

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Authors: Valeria Abreu Minero, Edward Barker, Hannah Dickson, Francois Husson, Sandra Flynn, Jennifer Shaw

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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify offender typologies based on aspects of the offenders’ psychopathology and their associations with crime scene behaviours using data derived from the National Confidential Enquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health concerning homicides in England and Wales committed by offenders in contact with mental health services in the year preceding the offence (n=759). Design/methodology/approach – The authors used multiple correspondence analysis to investigate the interrelationships between the variables and hierarchical agglomerative clustering to identify offender typologies. Variables describing: the offender’s mental health history; the offenders’ mental state at the time of offence; characteristics useful for police investigations; and patterns of crime scene behaviours were included. Findings – Results showed differences in the offender’s histories in relation to their crime scene behaviours. Further, analyses revealed three homicide typologies: externalising, psychosis and depression. Analyses revealed three homicide typologies: externalising, psychotic and depressive. Practical implications – These typologies may assist the police during homicide investigations by: furthering their understanding of the crime or likely suspect; offering insights into crime patterns; provide advice as to what an offender’s offence behaviour might signify about his/her mental health background; findings suggest information concerning offender psychopathology may be useful for offender profiling purposes in cases of homicide offenders with schizophrenia, depression and comorbid diagnosis of personality disorder and alcohol/drug dependence. Originality/value – Empirical studies with an emphasis on offender profiling have almost exclusively focussed on the inference of offender demographic characteristics. This study provides a first step in the exploration of offender psychopathology and its integration to the multivariate analysis of offence information for the purposes of investigative profiling of homicide by identifying the dominant patterns of mental illness within homicidal behaviour.

Keywords: offender profiling, mental illness, psychopathology, multivariate analysis, homicide, crime scene analysis, crime scene behviours, investigative advice

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Authors: Busra Ekinci

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Urban heat island term becomes one of the most important problem in urban areas as a reflection of global warming in local scale last years. Many communities and governments are taking action to reduce heat island effects on urban areas where the half of the world's population live today. At this point, urban design turned out to be an important practice and research area for providing an environmentally sensitive urban development. In this study, mitigating strategies of urban heat island effects by urban design are investigated in Aksaray Square and surroundings in Istanbul. Aksaray is an important historical and commercial center of Istanbul, which has an increasing density due to be the node of urban transportation. Also, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality prepared an urban design project to respond the needs of growing population in the area for 2018. The purpose of the study is emphasizing the importance of urban design objectives and strategies that are developed to reduce the heat island effects on urban areas. Depending on this, the urban heat island effect of the area was examined based on the albedo (reflectivity) parameter which is the most effective parameter in the formation of the heat island effect in urban areas. Albedo values were calculated by Albedo Viewer web application model that was developed by Energy and Environmental Engineering Department of Kyushu University in Japan. Albedo parameter had examined for the present situation and the planned situation with urban design project. The results show that, the current area has urban heat island potential. With the Aksaray Square Project, the heat island effect on the area can be reduced, but would not be completely prevented. Therefore, urban design strategies had been developed to reduce the island effect in addition to the urban design project of the area. This study proves that urban design objectives and strategies are quite effective to reduce the heat island effects, which negatively affect the social environment and quality of life in urban areas.

Keywords: Albedo, urban design, urban heat island, sustainable design

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Authors: Gloria Patricia Manurung

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Jakarta Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system which was established in 2009 to reduce private vehicle usage and ease the rush hour gridlock throughout the Jakarta Greater area, has failed to achieve its purpose. With gradually increasing the number of private vehicles ownership and reduced road space by the BRT lane construction, private vehicle users intuitively invade the exclusive lane of BRT, creating local traffic along the BRT network. Invaded BRT lanes costs become the same with the road network, making BRT which is supposed to be the main public transportation in the city becoming unreliable. Efforts to guard critical lanes with preventing the invasion by allocating traffic agents at several intersections have been expended, lead to the improving congestion level along the lane. Given a set of number of traffic agents, this study uses an analytical approach to finding the best deployment strategy of traffic agent on a simplified Jakarta road network in minimizing the BRT link cost which is expected to lead to the improvement of BRT system time reliability. User-equilibrium model of traffic assignment is used to reproduce the origin-destination demand flow on the network and the optimum solution conventionally can be obtained with brute force algorithm. This method’s main constraint is that traffic assignment simulation time escalates exponentially with the increase of set of agent’s number and network size. Our proposed metaheuristic and heuristic algorithms perform linear simulation time increase and result in minimized BRT cost approaching to brute force algorithm optimization. Further analysis of the overall network link cost should be performed to see the impact of traffic agent deployment to the network system.

Keywords: traffic assignment, user equilibrium, greedy algorithm, optimization

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Authors: Moloud Torkandam

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Any cities must be designed and built in a way that minimizes their need for fossil fuel. Undoubtedly, the necessity of accepting this principle in the previous eras is undeniable with respect to the mode of constructions. Perhaps only due to the great diversity of materials and new technologies in the contemporary era, such a principle in buildings has been forgotten. The question of optimizing energy consumption in buildings has attracted a great deal of attention in many countries and, in this way, they have been able to cut down the consumption of energy up to 30 percent. The energy consumption is remarkably higher than global standards in our country, and the most important reason is the undesirable state of buildings from the standpoint of energy consumption. In addition to providing the means to protect the natural and fuel resources for the future generations, reducing the use of fossil energies may also bring about desirable outcomes such as the decrease in greenhouse gases (whose emissions cause global warming, the melting of polar ice, the rise in sea level and the climatic changes of the planet earth), the decrease in the destructive effects of contamination in residential complexes and especially urban environments and preparation for national self-sufficiency and the country’s independence and preserving national capitals. This research realize that in this modern day and age, living sustainably is a pre-requisite for ensuring a bright future and high quality of life. In acquiring this living standard, we will maintain the functions and ability of our environment to serve and sustain our livelihoods. Electricity is now an integral part of modern life, a basic necessity. In the provision of electricity, we are committed to respecting the environment by reducing the use of fossil fuels through the use of proven technologies that use local renewable and natural resources as its energy source. As far as this research concerned it is completely necessary to work on different type of energy producing such as solar and CPVT system.

Keywords: energy, photovoltaic, termal system, solar energy, CPVT

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Authors: Sitarrine Thongpussawal, Dasarath Jayasuriya, Thanaroj Woraratprasert, Sakawtree Prajamwong

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Thailand grapples with recurrent floods causing substantial repercussions on its economy, society, and environment. In 2021, the economic toll of these floods amounted to an estimated 53,282 million baht, primarily impacting the agricultural sector. The existing flood monitoring system in Thailand suffers from inaccuracies and insufficient information, resulting in delayed warnings and ineffective communication to the public. The Office of the National Water Resources (OWNR) is tasked with developing and integrating data and information systems for efficient water resources management, yet faces challenges in monitoring accuracy, forecasting, and timely warnings. This study endeavors to evaluate the viability of enhancing Thailand's Flood Forecasting and Warning (FFW) systems. Additionally, it aims to formulate a comprehensive work package grounded in international best practices to enhance the country's FFW systems. Employing qualitative research methodologies, the study conducted in-depth interviews and focus groups with pertinent agencies. Data analysis involved techniques like note-taking and document analysis. The study substantiates the feasibility of developing and enhancing FFW systems in Thailand. Implementation of international best practices can augment the precision of flood forecasting and warning systems, empowering local agencies and residents in high-risk areas to prepare proactively, thereby minimizing the adverse impact of floods on lives and property. This research underscores that Thailand can feasibly advance its FFW systems by adopting international best practices, enhancing accuracy, and improving preparedness. Consequently, the study enriches the theoretical understanding of flood forecasting and warning systems and furnishes valuable recommendations for their enhancement in Thailand.

Keywords: flooding, forecasting, warning, monitoring, communication, Thailand

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Authors: Portia Muehlbauer

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This paper examines the evolving landscape of preventing and countering violent extremism (PCVE) by delving into the growing importance of integrating human rights principles into violence prevention strategies on the local, community level. This study sheds light on the underlying theoretical frameworks of violent extremism and the influence of gender while investigating the intersection between human rights preservation and violent extremism prevention. To gain practical insight, the research focuses on two prominent international non-governmental organizations, Women without Borders (WwB) and Hedayah, and their distinct PCVE initiatives. WwB adopts a gender-sensitive approach, implementing parental education programs that empower mothers in at-risk communities to prevent the spread of violent extremism. In contrast, Hedayah takes an indirect route, employing capacity building programs that enhance the capabilities of educators, social workers, and psychologists in early intervention, rehabilitation and reintegration efforts. Qualitative data for this comparative analysis was collected through an extensive four-month internship at WwB during the fall of 2020, a three-month internship at Hedayah in the spring of 2021, a thought-provoking semi-structured interview with the executive director of WwB, personal field notes, and a comprehensive discourse analysis of the prevailing literature on human rights considerations in PCVE practices. This study examines the merits and challenges of integrating human rights into PCVE programming through the lens of both organizations, WwB and Hedayah. The findings of this study will inform policymakers, practitioners, and researchers on the intricate relationship between human rights protection and effective PCVE strategies.

Keywords: preventing and countering violent extremism, human rights, counterterrorism, peacebuilding, capacity building programs, gender studies

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Authors: Dzul Fahmi Md. Nordin, Rosmini Omar

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This conceptual paper aims to explore the concept of National Talent Retention for a nation by extending the works on Talent Retention in organizations to the scope of nations. The objective of this paper is to explore the relationship of National Talent Retention as the dependent variable with the three explored value propositions namely Firm Value Proposition, Higher Education and Training Value Proposition and National Attractiveness Value Proposition as the independent variables. Life Satisfaction is introduced in this study as a moderating variable to explore possibilities of Life Satisfaction as a mediator for the relationship between National Value Proposition and National Talent Retention. Theories such as Migration, Value Propositions, Life Satisfaction, Human Resource Management and Resource Based View are referred to in order to understand and explore the concept of National Talent Retention. Malaysia is chosen as the background of this study since Malaysia represents a developing nation with progressive economic, education and national policy which presents an interesting background for this exploratory paper. Surprisingly, Malaysia is still facing the phenomenon of Brain Drain which if not handled properly will hinder its Vision 2020 to progress a fully developed nation by year 2020. Mixed methodology analysis is proposed in this paper to include both qualitative face-to-face interview as well as quantitative survey questionnaire to study on the value proposition factors explored. Target respondents are strictly confined to Malaysia’s local high skilled talents either residing in Malaysia or migrated abroad since this paper is mainly interested to study on the concept of National Talent Retention and how successful Malaysia is projecting its value propositions from the perception of high skilled talent Malaysians. It is hoped that this paper could contribute towards understanding National Talent Retention concept where, the model could be replicated to identify influential factors specific to other nations.

Keywords: national talent retention, national value proposition, life satisfaction, high skilled talents

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Authors: B. Rusyidi, D. Mariana

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Although reforms in trafficking regulations have taken place since 2007, Indonesia is still struggling to fight child trafficking. This study aimed to identify and assess risk factors and vulnerabilities in the life of trafficked children prior to, during, and after being trafficked in order to inform the child protection system and its policies. The study was qualitative and utilized in-depth interviews to collect data. Data were gathered in 2014 and 2015 from 15 trafficked and sexually exploited girls aged 14 to 17 years originating from West Java. Social workers, safe home personnel and parents were also included as informants. Data analysis was guided by the ecological perspective and theme analyses. The study found that risks and vulnerabilities of the victims were associated with conditions at various levels of the environment. At the micro level, risk factors and vulnerabilities included young age, family conflict/violence, involvement with the “wrong” circle of friends/peers, family poverty, lack of social and economic support for the victim’s family, and psychological damages due to trafficking experiences. At the mezzo level, the lack of structured activities after school, economic inequality, stigma towards victims, lack of services for victims, and minimum public education on human trafficking were among the community hazards that increased the vulnerability and risks. Gender inequality, consumerism, the view of children as assets, corruption, weak law enforcement, the lack of institutional support, and community-wide ignorance regarding trafficking were found as factors that increased risks and vulnerabilities at the macro level. The findings from the study underline the necessity to reduce risk factors and promote protective factors at the individual, family, community and societal levels. Shifting the current focus from tertiary to primary/prevention policies and improving institutional efforts are pressing needs in the context of reducing child trafficking in Indonesia. The roles of human service providers including social work also should be promoted.

Keywords: child trafficking, child sexual exploitation, ecological perspective, risks and vulnerabilities

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Authors: Ziwei Guo, Liangping Hong, Zhiguo Ye

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The exogenous modernization process in China and other late-coming countries, is not resulted from a gradual growth of their own modernity features, but a conscious response to external challenges. Under this context, it had been equally important for Chinese cities to make themselves ‘Chinese’ as well as ‘modern’. Wuhan was the first opened inland treaty port in late Qing Dynasty. In the following one hundred years, Wuhan transferred from a feudal town to a modern industrial city. It is a good example to illustrate the urban construction and cultural heritage through the process and impact of social transformation. An overall perspective on transformation will contribute to develop the city`s uniqueness and enhance its inclusive development. The study chooses the history of Wuhan from 1861 to 1957 as the study period. The whole transformation process will be divided into four typical periods based on key historical events, and the paper analyzes the changes on urban structure and constructions activities in each period. Then, a lot of examples are used to compare the features of Wuhan modern city heritage in the four periods. In this way, three characteristics of Wuhan modern city heritage are summarized. The paper finds that globalization and localization worked together to shape the urban physical space environment. For Wuhan, social transformation has a profound and comprehensive impact on urban construction, which can be analyzed in the aspects of main construction, architecture style, location and actors. Moreover, the three towns of Wuhan have a disparate cityscape that is reflected by the varied heritages and architecture features over different transformation periods. Lastly, the protection regulations and conservation planning of heritage in Wuhan are discussed, and suggestions about the conservation of Wuhan modern heritage are tried to be drawn. The implications of the study are providing a new perspective on modern city heritage for cities like Wuhan, and the future local planning system and heritage conservation policies can take into consideration the ‘Modern Cultural Transformation Route’ in this paper.

Keywords: modern city heritage, transformation, identity, Wuhan

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Authors: M. Macchiaroli, V. Pellecchia, L. Dolores

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Within any European and world model of management of the integrated water service (in Italy only since 2012 is regulated by a national Authority, that is ARERA), a significant part is covered by the development of assets in terms of hydraulic networks and wastewater collection networks, including all their relative building works. The process of selecting the investments to be made starts from the preventive analysis of critical issues (water losses, unserved areas, low service standards, etc.) who occur in the managed territory of the Operator. Through the Program of Interventions (Provision by ARERA n. 580/2019/R/idr), the Operator provides to program the projects that can meet the emerged needs to determine the improvement of the water service levels. This phase (analyzed and solved by the author with a work published in 2019) involves the use of evaluation techniques (cost-benefit analysis, multi-criteria, and multi-objective techniques, neural networks, etc.) useful in selecting the most appropriate design answers to the different criticalities. However, at this point, the problem of establishing the time priorities between the various works deemed necessary remains open. That is, it is necessary to hierarchize the investments. In this decision-making moment, the interests of the private Operator are often opposed, which favors investments capable of generating high profitability, compared to those of the public controller (ARERA), which favors investments in greater social impact. In support of the concertation between these two actors, the protocol set out in the research has been developed, based on the AHP and capable of borrowing from the programmatic documents an orientation path for the settlement of the conflict. The protocol is applied to a case study of the Campania Region in Italy and has been professionally applied in the shared decision process between the manager and the local Authority.

Keywords: analytic hierarchy process, decision making, economic evaluation of projects, integrated water service

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Authors: Serhat Tüzün, Tufan Demirel

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

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

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Authors: K. W. Lee, C. M. Choi, H. C. Tsang, W. K. Fong, Y. K. Cheng, L. Y. Chan, C. K. Yuen, P. W. Lau, Y. L. To, K. C. Chow

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QR (Quick Response) Code is a matrix barcode. It enables users to open websites, photos and other information with mobile devices by just snapping the code. In usual Long Term Oxygen Therapy arrangement, piles of LTOT related information like leaflets from different oxygen service providers are given to patients to choose an appropriate plan according to their needs. If these printed materials are transformed into electronic format (QR Code), it would be more environmentally-friendly. More importantly, electronic materials including LTOT equipment operation and dyspnoea relieving techniques also empower patients in long-term disease management. The objective to this study is to investigate the effect of QR code in patient education on new LTOT users. This study was carried out in medical wards of North District Hospital. Adult patients and relatives who followed commands, were able to use smartphones with internet services and required LTOT arrangement on hospital discharge were recruited. In LTOT arrangement, apart from the usual LTOT education booklets which included patients’ personal information (e.g. oxygen titration and six-minute walk test results etc.), extra leaflets consisted of 1. QR codes of LTOT plans from different oxygen service providers, 2. Education materials of dyspnoea management and 3. Instructions on LTOT equipment operation were given. Upon completion of LTOT arrangement, a questionnaire about the use of QR code on patient education was filled in by patients or relatives. A total of 10 new LTOT users were recruited from November 2017 to January 2018. Initially, 70% of them did not know anything about the QR code, but all of them understood its operation after a simple demonstration. 70% of them agreed that it was convenient to use (20% strongly agree, 40% agree, 10% somewhat agree). 80% of them agreed that QR code could facilitate the retrieval of more LTOT related information (10% strongly agree, 70% agree) while 90% agreed that we should continue delivering QR code leaflets to new LTOT users in the future (30% strongly agree, 40% agree, 20% somewhat agree). It is proven that QR code is a convenient and environmentally-friendly tool to deliver information. It is also relatively easy to be introduced to new users. It has received welcoming feedbacks from current users.

Keywords: long-term oxygen therapy, physiotherapy, patient education, QR code

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Authors: Kasipandi Muniyandi, Parimelazhagan Thangaraj

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Plants are important prospective wealth of a country, combination of local health care information about a specific plant together with data published by several groups of scientists, can help in deciding whether it should be considered acceptable for medicinal use. In the developed countries, too, plant-derived drugs may be of importance. The wide variety of ailments that are being treated with Plectranthus is an indication of the medicinal value of the genus. A number of species are not toxic and so may be taken orally, whilst others are used topically on the skin or as enemas. This study was designed to evaluate the different properties of Plectranthus stocksii and the aerial parts were collected and extracted with petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, acetone and methanol by Soxhlet apparatus and finally macerated with hot water. The quantification assays revealed that, leaf methanol extract showed higher total phenolic (415.41 mg GAE/ g extract) and tannin (177.53 mg GAE/ g extract) contents whereas leaf ethyl acetate exhibited higher flavonoids (777.11 mg RE/ g extract) content. The antioxidant efficiency of the extracts was analyzed by various radical scavenging assays. Among the different antioxidant assays, leaf ethyl acetate extract showed higher free radical scavenging activities against DPPH (IC50 = 3.46 µg/mL), ABTS (27417.65 µM TE/ g extract), FRAP (152.17 mM Fe(II)E/ mg extract) NO• radical (21.46%) and Superoxide radical (IC50 = 24.16 µg/mL) assays. All the parts P. stocksii extracts showed significant protection against OH• induced DNA damage at 50 µg concentration. The HPLC analysis of leaf ethyl acetate extract revealed the presence of Quercetin (30.29 µg/mg of extract) was the major compound. Anticancer activity of leaf ethyl acetate extract showed better IC50 values were 48.87 and 36.08 µg/ mL against MCF-7 and Caco-2 respectively. From this study, P. stocksii can act as a potent antioxidant and cytotoxic antimicrobial agent. The scope for drug development from this plant is endless and there is undoubtedly a call for further research in pharmaceutical industries.

Keywords: antioxidant, cytotoxicity, phenolics, plectranthus stocksii

Procedia PDF Downloads 379

Authors: K. Cartelier, D. Aime, V. Vernoud, J. Buitink, J. M. Prosperi, K. Gallardo, C. Le Signor

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Legumes can produce protein-rich seeds without nitrogen fertilizer through root symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing rhizobia. Rich in lysine, these proteins are used for human nutrition and animal feed. However, the instability of seed protein yield and quality due to environmental fluctuations limits the wider use of legumes such as pea. Breeding efforts are needed to optimize and stabilize seed nutritional value, which requires to identify the genetic determinism of seed protein plasticity in response to the environment. Towards this goal, we have studied the plasticity of protein content and composition of seeds from a collection of 200 Medicago truncatula ecotypes grown under four controlled conditions (optimal, drought, and winter/spring sowing). A quantitative analysis of one-dimensional protein profiles of these mature seeds was performed and plasticity indices were calculated from each abundant protein band. Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) from these data identified major GWAS hotspots, from which a list of candidate genes was obtained. A Gene Ontology Enrichment Analysis revealed an over-representation of genes involved in several amino acid metabolic pathways. This led us to propose that environmental variations are likely to modulate amino acid balance, thus impacting seed protein composition. The selection of candidate genes for controlling the plasticity of seed protein composition was refined using transcriptomics data from developing Medicago truncatula seeds. The pea orthologs of key genes were identified for functional studies by mean of TILLING (Targeting Induced Local Lesions in Genomes) lines in this crop. We will present how this study highlighted mechanisms that could govern seed protein plasticity, providing new cues towards the stabilization of legume seed quality.

Keywords: GWAS, Medicago truncatula, plasticity, seed, storage proteins

Procedia PDF Downloads 137

Authors: Huseyin Duran, Yesim Benal Oztekin, Kazim Kubilay Vursavus, Ilker Huseyin Celen

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There are two main approaches to manufacturing, market and usage of plant protection machinery in Turkey. The first approach is called as ‘Product Safety Approach’ and could be summarized as minimum health and safety requirements of consumer needs on plant protection equipment and machinery products. The second approach is the practices related to the Plant Protection Equipment and Machinery Directive. Product safety approach covers the plant protection machinery product groups within the framework of a new approach directive, Machinery Safety Directive (2006/42 / AT). The new directive is in practice in our country by 03.03.2009, parallel to the revision of the EU Regulation on the Directive (03.03.2009 dated and numbered 27158 published in the Official Gazette). ‘Pesticide Application for Machines’ paragraph is added to the 2006/42 / EC Machinery Safety Directive, which is, in particular, reveals the importance of primary health care and product safety issue, explaining the safety requirements for machines used in the application of plant protection products. The Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology is the authorized organizations in our country for the publication and implementation of this regulation. There is a special regulation, carried out by Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock General Directorate of Food and Control, on the manufacture and sale of plant protection machinery. This regulation, prepared based on 5996 Veterinary Services, Plant Health, Food and Feed Law, is ‘Regulation on Plant Protection Equipment and Machinery’ (published on 02.04.2011 whit number 27893 in the Official Gazette). The purposes of this regulation are practicing healthy and reliable crop production, the preparation, implementation and dissemination of the integrated pest management programs and projects for the development of human health and environmentally friendly pest control methods. This second regulation covers: approval, manufacturing, licensing of Plant Protection Equipment and Machinery; duties and responsibilities of the dealers; principles and procedures related to supply and control of the market. There are no inspection procedures for the application of currently used plant protection machinery in Turkey. In this study, content and application principles of all regulation approaches currently used in Turkey are summarized.

Keywords: plant protection equipment and machinery, product safety, market surveillance, inspection procedures

Procedia PDF Downloads 257

Authors: Anusree Ghosh, Nahid Morshed, Tapas Ranjan Chakraborty, Moniruzzaman Khan, Liakath Ali

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To establish the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar in Mirsarai, Chattogram land was reclaimed from the river mouth of the Feni River in the Bay of Bangle. The sandy land has a salinity of 9.5 EC ds/m, and the water of the adjacent Bay was 13.2 EC ds/m during winter, i.e., it has moderate salinity. The selection of plant species for the plantation was following the local practices. Mangrove plantation in a such landscape is not common in the country, and some actions towards the plantation seem ineffective and could be accomplished differently. The aim of this paper is to analyze the trial and develop a strategy for mangrove afforestation in reclaimed land where the tidal effect does not occur year-round. Though the Keora (Sonneratia apetala) is the priority species in a typical mangrove plantation, the success rate is comparatively high for the Baen (Avcennia officinalis) and Sada Baen (Avicennia alba). The natural growth was recorded for Keora, Goran (Ceriops decandra), Lal Jhau (Tamarix dioica) and Baen. Though there was the natural growth of Durba grass (Cynodon dactylon) and Motha Gash (Cyperus rotundus), no growth of climber was reported at the early stage of the natural growth. The transplanted growth of Keora, Gewa (Excoecaria agallocha), and Baen was found not suitable for plantation. The saplings growing from the viviparous germinated bean show no germination failure. Since the plantation site remains dry for 5 months, there was irrigation from the river; though it resulted in an increase in land salinity. To increase fertility, cow dung was used, and green manuring by planting Doincha (Sesbania bispinosa) shows a very insignificant contribution. The plantation of, only one and a half years old, is now a habitat of more than 100 species. The learning from the mangrove plantation from August 2021 to February 2023 assumes that in reclaimed land where there is inundation during monsoon only and salinity is moderate, the plantation from viviparous germinated Baen is better.

Keywords: mangrove plantation, reclaimed land, climate change, habitat restoration

Procedia PDF Downloads 105

Authors: Suheyla Demi̇rkol Orak

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The requirement of inclusive education is one of the utmost important results of both regular and irregular immigration. The matter in the case of Syrian immigrants is even worse than the other immigrants cases in world history since a massive immigration wave has affected all world countries' socio-economic profiles. When Syrians immigrated from Syria all over the world, they aimed to survive and left behind the war, but surviving is not optional occasion without handling language-related problems. Humans exist and preserve their existence with their language. That is a matter of concern for the integration of Syrians into the hosting countries. Many countries are proceeding with various programs to integrate Syrians into the majority groups by either assimilation or adaptation policies. Turkey has got the lion's share of the Syrian immigration apple, and in the same vein with this situation, its language education system should be analyzed severely in order to come up with a perfect match program for the integration of Syrians. It aimed to generate an inclusive education model for catalyzing the integration process of immigrant Syrian students into the majority socio-economic group via overcoming the language barrier. The identity of the immigrants is prioritized. The study follows a narrative literature review, which aims to review and critique relevant literature and offers a new conceptualization derived from the previous literature. The study derives a critical localized bilingual education model. As the outcome of the narrative literature review, a bilingual education model which prioritized the identity of the target community was designed. In the present study, main bilingual education programs and most of the countries' bilingual education policies were reviewed critically and suggestions were listed for the Syrian immigrants dominantly in Turkey and suggested to be benefitted by the other countries through localizing the practices.

Keywords: bi/multilingual education, sheltered education, immigrants, glocalization, submersion program, immersion program

Procedia PDF Downloads 78

Authors: Mamoon Mousa Atout

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The industries of construction are in continuous growth not only in Middle East rejoin but almost all over the world. For the last fifteen years, big expansion and increase of different types of projects has been observed. Many infrastructural projects have been developed, high rise buildings, big shopping malls, power sub-stations, roads, bridges, schools, universities and developing many of new cities with full and complete facilities. The growth and enlargement of the mentioned developed projects has been accomplished through many international and local contracting organizations. Senior management of these organizations depend on their qualified and experienced team whom are aware of the implications of project management, construction management, engineering management and resource management during tendering till final completion of the project. This research aims to find out why reasons of principles of construction engineering and management are necessary for contracting firms and their managers. Principles of construction management help contracting organizations to accomplish and deliver projects without delay. This can be maintained by establishing guidelines’ details for updating the adopted system of construction management that they have through qualified and experienced project managers. The research focuses on benefits of other essential skills of projects planning, monitoring and control. Defining roles and responsibilities of contractor project managers during tendering and execution is a part of the investigated factors that will be analyzed. Other skills like optimizing and utilizing the obtainable project resources to deliver the project within time, cost and quality will be also investigated to find out how these factors are affecting the performance of contracting firms, projects managers and projects. The conclusion of the research will help senior management team and the contractors project managers about the benefits of implications and benefits construction management system and its effect upon the performance and knowledge of contract values that they have, and the optimal profit margin of the firm it.

Keywords: construction management, contracting firms, project managers, planning processes, roles and responsibilities

Procedia PDF Downloads 296

Authors: Salma H. Abu Hafsa, A. Mendonca, B. Brehm-Stecher, A. A. Hassan, S. A. Ibrahim

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Enterococci are important inhabitants of the animal intestine and are widely used in probiotic products. A probiotic strain is expected to possess several desirable properties in order to exert beneficial effects. Therefore, the objective of this study was to isolate and characterize strains of Enterococcus sp. from chicken cecal and fecal samples to determine potential probiotic properties. Enterococci were isolated from thirty one chicken cecal and fecal samples collected from a local farm. In vitro studies were performed to assess antibacterial activity (using agar well diffusion and cell free supernatant broth technique against Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis), susceptibility to antibiotics (amoxycillin, cotrimoxazole, chloramphenicol, cefuroxime, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, and nalidixic acid), survival in acidic conditions, resistance to bile salts, and their survival during simulated gastric juice conditions at pH 2.5. Isolates were identified using biochemical and molecular assays (API 50 CHL, and API ZYM kits followed by 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis). Two strains were identified, of which, Enteroccocus faecium was capable of inhibiting the growth of S. enteritidis and was susceptible to a wide range of antibiotics. In addition, the isolated strain exhibited significant resistance under highly acidic conditions (pH=2.5) for 8 hours and survived well in bile salt at 0.2% for 24 hours and showing ability to survive in the presence of simulated gastric juice at pH 2.5. Based on these results, the E. faecium isolate fulfills some of the criteria to be considered as a probiotic strain and therefore, could be used as a feed additive with good potential for controlling S. enteritidis in chickens. However, in vivo studies are needed to determine the safety of the strain.

Keywords: acid tolerance, antimicrobial activity, Enterococcus faecium, probiotic

Procedia PDF Downloads 396

Authors: Warangkana Juangjandee

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The rapidly increasing number of population in the limited area creates an effect on the idea of the improvement of the area to suit the environment and the needs of people. Faculty of architecture Chiang Mai University is also expanding in both variety fields of study and quality of education. In 2020, the new department will be introduced in the faculty which is Department of Landscape Architecture. With the limitation of the area in the existing building, the faculty plan to renovate some parts of its school for anticipates the number of students who will join the program in the next two years. As a result, the old wooden workshop area is selected to be renovated as student studio space. With such condition, it is necessary to study the restriction and the distinctive environment of the site prior to the improvement in order to find ways to manage the existing space due to the fact that the primary functions that have been practiced in the site, an old wooden workshop space and the new function, studio space, are too different. 72.9% of the annual times in the room are considered to be out of the thermal comfort condition with high relative humidity. This causes non-comfort condition for occupants which could promote mould growth. This study aims to analyze thermal comfort condition in the Landscape Learning Studio Area for finding the solution to improve indoor air quality and respond to local conditions. The research methodology will be in two parts: 1) field gathering data on the case study 2) analysis and finding the solution of improving indoor air quality. The result of the survey indicated that the room needs to solve non-comfort condition problem. This can be divided into two ways which are raising ventilation and indoor temperature, e.g. improving building design and stack driven ventilation, using fan for enhancing more internal ventilation.

Keywords: relative humidity, renovation, temperature, thermal comfort

Procedia PDF Downloads 211

Authors: Abdul Basit Kiani, Maryam Kiani

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Online developers now have the tools necessary to create online apps that are not only reliable but also highly interactive, thanks to the introduction of JavaScript frameworks and APIs. The objective is to give a broad overview of the recent advances in the area. The fusion of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) has expanded the possibilities for web development. Modern websites now include chatbots, clever recommendation systems, and customization algorithms built in. In the rapidly evolving landscape of modern websites, it has become increasingly apparent that user engagement and personalization are key factors for success. To meet these demands, websites now incorporate a range of innovative technologies. One such technology is chatbots, which provide users with instant assistance and support, enhancing their overall browsing experience. These intelligent bots are capable of understanding natural language and can answer frequently asked questions, offer product recommendations, and even help with troubleshooting. Moreover, clever recommendation systems have emerged as a powerful tool on modern websites. By analyzing user behavior, preferences, and historical data, these systems can intelligently suggest relevant products, articles, or services tailored to each user's unique interests. This not only saves users valuable time but also increases the chances of conversions and customer satisfaction. Additionally, customization algorithms have revolutionized the way websites interact with users. By leveraging user preferences, browsing history, and demographic information, these algorithms can dynamically adjust the website's layout, content, and functionalities to suit individual user needs. This level of personalization enhances user engagement, boosts conversion rates, and ultimately leads to a more satisfying online experience. In summary, the integration of chatbots, clever recommendation systems, and customization algorithms into modern websites is transforming the way users interact with online platforms. These advanced technologies not only streamline user experiences but also contribute to increased customer satisfaction, improved conversions, and overall website success.

Keywords: Javascript, machine learning, artificial intelligence, web development

Procedia PDF Downloads 77

Authors: Antonio Marco Miotti, Antonella Ruffatto, Giampaola Basso, Antonio Madia, Giulia Zavatta, Emanuela Salvatico, Emanuela Zilli

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A National Action Plan to fight antimicrobial resistance was launched in Italy in 2017. In order to reduce inappropriate exposure to antibiotics and infections from multi-drug resistant bacteria, it is essential to set up a structured system of surveillance and monitoring of the implementation of National Action Plan standards, including antimicrobial consumption, with a special focus on quinolones, third generation cephalosporins and carbapenems. A quantitative estimate of antibiotic consumption (defined daily dose - DDD - consumption per 100 days of hospitalization) has been provided by the Pharmaceutical Service to the Hospital of Cittadella, ULSS 6 Euganea – Health Trust (District of Padua) for the years 2019 (before the pandemic), 2020 and 2021 for all classes of antibiotics. Multidisciplinary meetings have been organized monthly by the local Antimicrobial Stewardship Group. Between 2019 and 2021, an increase in the consumption of carbapenems in the Intensive Care Unit (from 12.2 to 18.2 DDD, + 49.2%) and a decrease in Medical wards (from 5.3 to 2.6 DDD, - 50.9%) was reported; a decrease in the consumption of quinolones in Intensive Care Unit (from 17.2 to 10.8 DDD, - 37.2%), Medical wards (from 10.5 to 6.6 DDD, - 37.1%) and Surgical wards (from 10.2 to 9.3 DDD, - 8.8%) was highlighted; an increase in the consumption of third generation cephalosporins in Medical wards (from 18.1 to 22.6 DDD, + 24,1%) was reported. Finally, after an increase in the consumption of macrolides between 2020 and 2019, in 2021, a decrease was reported in the Intensive Care Unit (DDD: 8.0 in 2019, 18.0 in 2020, 6.4 in 2021) and Medical wards (DDD: 9.0 in 2019, 13.7 in 2020, 10.9 in 2021). Constant monitoring of antimicrobial consumption and timely identifying of warning situations that may need a specific intervention are the cornerstone of Antimicrobial Stewardship programs, together with analysing data on bacterial resistance rates and infections from multi-drug resistant bacteria.

Keywords: carbapenems, quinolones, antimicrobial, stewardship

Procedia PDF Downloads 152

Authors: Hamed Karimian, Noraziah Nordin, Mohamad Ibrahim Noordin, Syam Mohan, Mahboubeh Razavi, Najihah Mohd Hashim, Happipah Mohd Ali

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Satureja bachtiarica Bunge is a perennial medicinal plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family and endemic species in Iran. Satureja bachtiarica Bunge with the local name of Marzeh koohi is edible vegetable use as flavoring agent, anti-bacterial and to relieve cough and indigestion. In this study, the anti-cancer effect of Satureja bachtiarica Bunge on the MDA-MB-231 cell line as an Breast cancer cell model has been analyzed for the first time. Satureja bachtiarica Bunge was extracted using different solvents in the order of increasing polarity. Cytotoxicity activity of hexane extract of Satureja bachtiarica Bunge (SBHE) was observed using MTT assay. Acridine orange/Propidium iodide staining was used to detect early apoptosis; Annexin-V-FITC assay was carried out to observe the detection of cell-surface Phosphatidylserine (PS), with Annexin-Vserving as a marker for apoptotic cells. Caspase 3/7, 8 and-9 assays showed significantly activation of caspase-9 where lead intrinsic mitochondrial pathway. Bcl-2/Bax expressions and cell cycle arrest were also investigated. SBHE had exhibited significantly higher cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231 Cell line compare to other cell lines. A significant increase in chromatin condensation in the cell nucleus was observed by fluorescence analysis. Treatment of MDA-MB-231 cells with SBHE encouraged apoptosis, by down-regulating Bcl-2 and up-regulating Bax, which lead the activation of caspase 9. Moreover, SBHE treatment significantly arrested MDA-MB-231 cells in the G1 phase. Together, the results presented in this study demonstrated that SBHE inhibited the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells, leading cell cycle arrest and programmed cell death, which was confirmed to be through the mitochondrial pathway.

Keywords: Satureja bachtiarica Bunge, MDA-MB-231, apoptosis, annexin-V, cell cycle

Procedia PDF Downloads 334

Authors: Ademola Azeez

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Background: This study is a two year review of requests pattern for Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA), in a Nigerian tertiary health care institution. Prostate specific antigen was first described about 44 years ago but is still in use today for, diagnosis, monitoring, screening and prognosis of prostatic carcinoma though not-very specific as was widely believed. Prostate cancer is an increasingly important public health problem among adult men worldwide. Nigeria, which was formerly regarded as a low-incidence area by several authors is now witnessing a steep rise in the occurrence of this disease. This has been suggested to be due to increasing availability of screening tests and diagnostic facilities and not necessarily because of increased incidence of the diseases. Many notable Nigerians have died due to this dreaded disease. Methods: All plasma samples for PSA from January 2021-December 2022 were analyzed weekly by abbot autoanalyser, chemiluminescence assay method. Bio-data from request form were collated and analyzed. A total of 385 requests were received for the period under review. Result: There was an increase of request from inception to the last year of review. Smoked food, consumption of local herb and alcohol in order of importance, respectively, appears to be prominent factor in patient requested for PSA. The mean age was 67.years; the youngest was 29, while the oldest was 93years. Age 70 has the highest frequency of 8.5% .Mean PSA was 12.9ng/ml. There was a positive correlation between age and PSA (R=0.255, P < 0.05).Significant increase in PSA with age were reported. Men who retired from active jobs constitute the highest request for PSA test. Conclusion: There was an increasing trend in the proportion of requests with values outside the reference interval especially in patients diagnosed of benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostate cancer, while some routine test for PSA were elevated for the first time .This is in line with earlier report of increasing incidence of prostate cancer in Nigeria despite the increasing knowledge of healthy lifestyle.

Keywords: pattern, PSA, tertiary institution, Nigeria

Procedia PDF Downloads 15