Search results for: engine performance analysis
27117 Identification and Characterization of 18S rRNA Gene of Demodex Canis From the Dog Population of Mizoram, India
Authors: Moneesh Thakur, Hridayesh Prasad, Nikitasha Bora, Parimal Roy Choudhary, A. K. Samanta, Sanjeev Kumar
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Canine demodicosis is a common parasitic condition which involves dog skin. Demodicosis in dogs is due the prominent growth of Demodex. Out of various canine Demodex spp., Demodex canis is the most often involved species. Canine demodicosis can occur as either a localized or generalized form of demodicosis severely affect the dogs and in non-treated dogs may cause death. This study was planned with the aim to screen and characterize the 18S rRNA gene of isolated Demodex canis. A total of 1200 dogs were screened during this study period. The skin scrapings of all the suspected dogs were examined under a microscope at 100X magnification for the presence of Demodex canis. The skin scrapings positive for Demodex canis were examined using PCR for confirmation. A total of 35 dogs were confirmed a positive result for D. canis based on 18S rRNA gene amplification by PCR. Further, the 18S rRNA gene of isolated Demodex canis was cloned and sequenced for genome analysis. On the sequence analysis, it was found that isolated sequence (GenBank Accession No. MK177513) had close similarity (99.7%) to that of D. canis genotype of China (Accession No. MG372254).Keywords: PCR, phylogenetic analysis, cloning and sequening, Demodex canis
Procedia PDF Downloads 8827116 Energy States of Some Diatomic Molecules: Exact Quantization Rule Approach
Authors: Babatunde J. Falaye
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In this study, we obtain the approximate analytical solutions of the radial Schrödinger equation for the Deng-Fan diatomic molecular potential by using exact quantization rule approach. The wave functions have been expressed by hypergeometric functions via the functional analysis approach. An extension to rotational-vibrational energy eigenvalues of some diatomic molecules are also presented. It is shown that the calculated energy levels are in good agreement with the ones obtained previously E_nl-D (shifted Deng-Fan).Keywords: Schrödinger equation, exact quantization rule, functional analysis, Deng-Fan potential
Procedia PDF Downloads 49027115 The Power House of Mind: Determination of Action
Authors: Sheetla Prasad
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The focus issue of this article is to determine the mechanism of mind with geometrical analysis of human face. Research paradigm has been designed for study of spatial dynamic of face and it was found that different shapes of face have their own function for determine the action of mind. The functional ratio (FR) of face has determined the behaviour operation of human beings. It is not based on the formulistic approach of prediction but scientific dogmatism and mathematical analysis is the root of the prediction of behaviour. For analysis, formulae were developed and standardized. It was found that human psyche is designed in three forms; manipulated, manifested and real psyche. Functional output of the psyche has been determined by degree of energy flow in the psyche and reserve energy for future. Face is the recipient and transmitter of energy but distribution and control is the possible by mind. Mind directs behaviour. FR indicates that the face is a power house of energy and as per its geometrical domain force of behaviours has been designed and actions are possible in the nature of individual. The impact factor of this study is the promotion of human capital for job fitness objective and minimization of criminalization in society.Keywords: functional ratio, manipulated psyche, manifested psyche, real psyche
Procedia PDF Downloads 44727114 Synthesis, Characterization and Electrical Studies of Solid Polymer Electrolyte (1-x) PANI-KAg₄I₅.xAl₂O₃
Authors: Rafiuddin
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Solid polymer electrolytes have emerged as an area of interest in the field of solid state chemistry owing to their facile and cost-effective synthesis and number of applications in different areas of chemistry, extending over a wide range of temperatures. In the present work, polymer composite solid electrolyte comprising of Polyaniline (PANI) as polymer and potassium silver iodide (KAg4I5) using alumina (Al2O3) of different compositions having the formula (1-x) PANI- KAg4I5. x Al2O3 with x ranging from 0.0 to 0.5 was prepared by solid state reaction method. The structural elucidation and characterization was done by X- Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermogravimetric- Differential Thermal Analysis (TG-DTA) and Impedance Spectroscopy. The thermal analysis shows a phase transition at 147°C attributed to β-α phase transition of AgI due to the disproportionation of KAg4I5 to AgI and KAg2I3 at temperatures higher than 36°C. The X Ray diffraction analysis also confirms the presence of both AgI and KAg2I3 in the samples. The conductivities recorded over a temperature range of 40-250° C lie in the range of 10-1 to 10-3 S cm-1. Maximum conductivity was seen in the compositon x = 0.4 i.e. 1.84 × 10-2 Scm-1 at 313 K and 1.38 × 10-1 Scm-1 at 513 K, with a minimum activation energy of 0.14 eV.Keywords: polymer solid electrolytes, XRD, DTA, electrical conductivity, impedance spectroscopy
Procedia PDF Downloads 29227113 Comparative Analysis of Patent Protection between Health System and Enterprises in Shanghai, China
Authors: Na Li, Yunwei Zhang, Yuhong Niu
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The study discussed the patent protections of health system and enterprises in Shanghai. The comparisons of technical distribution and scopes of patent protections between Shanghai health system and enterprises were used by the methods of IPC classification, co-words analysis and visual social network. Results reflected a decreasing order within IPC A61 area, namely A61B, A61K, A61M, and A61F. A61B required to be further investigated. The highest authorized patents A61B17 of A61B of IPC A61 area was found. Within A61B17, fracture fixation, ligament reconstruction, cardiac surgery, and biopsy detection were regarded as common concerned fields by Shanghai health system and enterprises. However, compared with cardiac closure which Shanghai enterprises paid attention to, Shanghai health system was more inclined to blockages and hemostatic tools. The results also revealed that the scopes of patent protections of Shanghai enterprises were relatively centralized. Shanghai enterprises had a series of comprehensive strategies for protecting core patents. In contrast, Shanghai health system was considered to be lack of strategic patent protections for core patents.Keywords: co-words analysis, IPC classification, patent protection, technical distribution
Procedia PDF Downloads 12927112 Antecedent Factors Affecting Evaluation of Quality of Students at Graduate School
Authors: Terada Pinyo
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This study is a survey research designed to evaluate the quality of graduate students and factors influencing their quality. The sample group consists of 240 students. The data are collected from stratified sampling and are analyzed and calculated by instant computer program. Statistics used are percentage, mean, standard deviation, Pearson correlation coefficient, Cramer’s V and logistic regression analysis. It is found that the graduate students’ opinions regarding their characteristics according to the Thai Qualifications Framework for Higher Education (TQF) are at high score range both overall and specific category. The top categories that received the top score are interpersonal skills and responsibility, ethics and morals, knowledge, cognitive skills, numerical analysis with communication and information technology skills, respectively. On the other hand, factors affecting the quality of graduate students are cognitive skills, numerical analysis with communication and information technology, knowledge, interpersonal skills and responsibility, ethics and morals, and career regarding sales/business, respectively.Keywords: student quality evaluation, Thai qualifications framework for higher education, graduate school, cognitive skills
Procedia PDF Downloads 39327111 Plasma Spray Deposition of Bio-Active Coating on Titanium Alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) Substrate
Authors: Renu Kumari, Jyotsna Dutta Majumdar
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In the present study, composite coating consisting of hydroxyapatite (HA) + 50 wt% TiO2 has been developed on Ti-6Al-4V substrate by plasma spray deposition technique. Followed by plasma spray deposition, detailed surface roughness and microstructural characterization were carried out by using optical profilometer and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The composition and phase analysis were carried out by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique, respectively. The bio-activity behavior of the uncoated and coated samples was also compared by dipping test in Hank’s solution. The average surface roughness of the coating was 10 µm (as compared to 0.5 µm of as-received Ti-6Al-4V substrate) with the presence of porosities. The microstructure of the coating was found to be continuous with the presence of solidified splats. A detailed XRD analysis shows phase transformation of TiO2 from anatase to rutile, decomposition of hydroxyapatite, and formation of CaTiO3 phase. Standard dipping test confirmed a faster kinetics of deposition of calcium phosphate in the coated HA+50% wt.% TiO2 surface as compared to the as-received substrate.Keywords: titanium, plasma spraying, microstructure, bio-activity, TiO2, hydroxyapatite
Procedia PDF Downloads 31527110 Nutritional Characteristics, Phytochemical and Antimicrobial Potential of Leaf Protein Concentrates from Huckleberry
Authors: Sodamade Abiodun, Adeboye Olubunmi Omolara
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Problems associated with protein malnutrition are still prevalent in third-world countries, leading to the constant search for plants that can serve as nutrients and medicinal purposes. Huckleberry is one of the plants that has been proven useful locally in the treatment of numerous ailments and diseases. A fresh sample of Huckleberry was collected from a vegetable garden situated near the Erelu dam of the Emmanuel Alayande College of Education campus, Oyo. The sample was authenticated at the forestry research institute of Nigeria (FRIN) Ibadan. The leaves of the plant were plucked and processed for leaf protein concentrates before proximate composition; mineral analysis phytochemical and antimicrobial properties of the leaf protein concentrates were determined using a standard method of analysis. The results of proximate constituents showed; moisture content; 9.89±0.051g/100g, Ash; 3.23±0.12g/100g, crude fat; 3.96±0.11g/100g and 61.27±0.56g/100g of Nitrogen free extractive results of the mineral analysis showed that the sample contains Mg; 0.081±0.00mg/100g, Ca; 42.30±0.05mg/100g, Na; 27.57±0.09mg/100g, K; 6.81±0.01mg/100g, P; 8.90±0.03mg/100g Fe; 0.51±0.00mg/100g, Zn; 0.021±0.00mg/100g, Cd; 0.04±0.04mg/100g, Pb; 0.002±0.00mg/100g, Cr; 0.041±0.00mg/100g while cadmium was not detected in the sample. The result of phytochemical analysis of leaf protein concentrates of the Huckleberry showed the presence of Alkaloid, Saponin, Flavonoid, Tanin, Coumarin, steroid, Terpenoid, cordial glycosides, Glycosides, Quinones, Anthocyanin, phytosterols, and phenols. Ethanolic extracts of the Huckleberry leaf protein concentrates showed that it contains bioactive compounds that are capable of eradicating some tested microorganisms; Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebisidlae pneumonia and Proteus merabilis. The results of the analysis of leaf protein concentrates of Huckleberry showed that the sample contains high nutrient and mineral constituents and phytochemical compounds that could make the sample useful for medicinal activities.Keywords: huckleberry, mentha piperita, phytochemical, leaf protein concentrates, nutritional characteristics
Procedia PDF Downloads 8227109 The Revenue Management Implementation and Its Complexity in the Airline Industry: An Empirical Study on the Egyptian Airline Industry
Authors: Amr Sultan, Sara Elgazzar, Breksal Elmiligy
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The airline industry nowadays is becoming a more growing industry facing a severe competition. It is an influential issue in this context to utilize revenue management (RM) concept and practice in order to develop the pricing strategy. There is an unfathomable necessity for RM to assist the airlines and their associates to disparage the cost and recuperate their revenue, which in turn will boost the airline industry performance. The complexity of RM imposes enormous challenges on the airline industry. Several studies have been proposed on the RM adaptation in airlines industry while there is a limited availability of implementing RM and its complexity in the developing countries such as Egypt. This research represents a research schema about the implementation of the RM to the Egyptian airline industry. The research aims at investigating and demonstrating the complexities face implementing RM in the airline industry, up on which the research provides a comprehensive understanding of how to overcome these complexities while adapting RM in the Egyptian airline industry. An empirical study was conducted on the Egyptian airline sector based on a sample of four airlines (Egyptair, Britishair, KLM, and Lufthansa). The empirical study was conducted using a mix of qualitative and quantitative approaches. First, in-depth interviews were carried out to analyze the Egyptian airline sector status and the main challenges faced by the airlines. Then, a structured survey on the three different parties of airline industry; airlines, airfreight forwarders, and passengers were conducted in order to investigate the main complexity factors from different parties' points of view. Finally, a focus group was conducted to develop a best practice framework to overcome the complexities faced the RM adaptation in the Egyptian airline industry. The research provides an original contribution to knowledge by creating a framework to overcome the complexities and challenges in adapting RM in the airline industry generally and the Egyptian airline industry particularly. The framework can be used as a RM tool to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the Egyptian airline industry performance.Keywords: revenue management, airline industry, revenue management complexity, Egyptian airline industry
Procedia PDF Downloads 38827108 A Model for Analysis the Induced Voltage of 115 kV On-Line Acting on Neighboring 22 kV Off-Line
Authors: Sakhon Woothipatanapan, Surasit Prakobkit
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This paper presents a model for analysis the induced voltage of transmission lines (energized) acting on neighboring distribution lines (de-energized). From environmental restrictions, 22 kV distribution lines need to be installed under 115 kV transmission lines. With the installation of the two parallel circuits like this, they make the induced voltage which can cause harm to operators. This work was performed with the ATP-EMTP modeling to analyze such phenomenon before field testing. Simulation results are used to find solutions to prevent danger to operators who are on the pole.Keywords: transmission system, distribution system, induced voltage, off-line operation
Procedia PDF Downloads 59527107 Heart Rate Variability Analysis for Early Stage Prediction of Sudden Cardiac Death
Authors: Reeta Devi, Hitender Kumar Tyagi, Dinesh Kumar
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In present scenario, cardiovascular problems are growing challenge for researchers and physiologists. As heart disease have no geographic, gender or socioeconomic specific reasons; detecting cardiac irregularities at early stage followed by quick and correct treatment is very important. Electrocardiogram is the finest tool for continuous monitoring of heart activity. Heart rate variability (HRV) is used to measure naturally occurring oscillations between consecutive cardiac cycles. Analysis of this variability is carried out using time domain, frequency domain and non-linear parameters. This paper presents HRV analysis of the online dataset for normal sinus rhythm (taken as healthy subject) and sudden cardiac death (SCD subject) using all three methods computing values for parameters like standard deviation of node to node intervals (SDNN), square root of mean of the sequences of difference between adjacent RR intervals (RMSSD), mean of R to R intervals (mean RR) in time domain, very low-frequency (VLF), low-frequency (LF), high frequency (HF) and ratio of low to high frequency (LF/HF ratio) in frequency domain and Poincare plot for non linear analysis. To differentiate HRV of healthy subject from subject died with SCD, k –nearest neighbor (k-NN) classifier has been used because of its high accuracy. Results show highly reduced values for all stated parameters for SCD subjects as compared to healthy ones. As the dataset used for SCD patients is recording of their ECG signal one hour prior to their death, it is therefore, verified with an accuracy of 95% that proposed algorithm can identify mortality risk of a patient one hour before its death. The identification of a patient’s mortality risk at such an early stage may prevent him/her meeting sudden death if in-time and right treatment is given by the doctor.Keywords: early stage prediction, heart rate variability, linear and non-linear analysis, sudden cardiac death
Procedia PDF Downloads 33727106 Internal Concept of Integrated Health by Agrarian Society in Malagasy Highlands for the Last Century
Authors: O. R. Razanakoto, L. Temple
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Living in a least developed country, the Malagasy society has a weak capacity to internalize progress, including health concerns. Since the arrival in the fifteenth century of Arabic script, called Sorabe, that was mainly dedicated to the aristocracy, until the colonial era beginning at the end of the nineteenth century and that has popularized the current usual script of the occidental civilization, the upcoming manuscripts that deal with apparent scientific or at least academic issue have been slowly established. So that, the Malagasy communities’ way of life is not well documented yet to allow a precise understanding of the major concerns, reason, and purpose of the existence of the farmers that compose them. A question arises, according to literature, how does Malagasy community that is dominated by agrarian society conceive the conservation of its wellbeing? This study aims to emphasize the scope and the limits of the « One Health » concept or of the Health Integrated Approach (HIA) that evolves at global scale, with regard to the specific context of local Malagasy smallholder farms. It is expected to identify how this society represents linked risks and the mechanisms between human health, animal health, plant health, and ecosystem health within the last 100 years. To do so, the framework to conduct systematic review for agricultural research has been deployed to access available literature. This task has been coupled with the reading of articles that are not indexed by online scientific search engine but that mention part of a history of agriculture and of farmers in Madagascar. This literature review has informed the interactions between human illnesses and those affecting animals and plants (breeded or wild) with any unexpected event (ecological or economic) that has modified the equilibrium of the ecosystem, or that has disturbed the livelihoods of agrarian communities. Besides, drivers that may either accentuate or attenuate the devasting effects of these illnesses and changes were revealed. The study has established that the reasons of human worries are not only physiological. Among the factors that regulate global health, food system and contemporary medicine have helped to the improvement of life expectancy from 55 to 63 years in Madagascar during the last 50 years. However, threats to global health are still occurring. New human or animal illnesses and livestock / plant pathology or enemies may also appear, whereas ancient illnesses that are supposed to have disappeared may be back. This study has highlighted how much important are the risks associated to the impact of unmanaged externalities that weaken community’s life. Many risks, and also solutions, come from abroad and have long term effects even though those happen as punctual event. Thus, a constructivist strategy is suggested to the « One Health » global concept throughout the record of local facts. This approach should facilitate the exploration of methodological pathways and the identification of relevant indicators for research related to HIA.Keywords: agrarian system, health integrated approach, history, madagascar, resilience, risk
Procedia PDF Downloads 10427105 Study on Influencing Factors of Walkability of Rail Transit Station Area
Authors: Yang Wenjuan, Xu Yilun
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Based on the comparative analysis of the relevant evaluation methods of walking environment, this paper selects the combined evaluation method of macro urban morphology analysis and micro urban design quality survey, then investigates and analyzes the walking environment of three rail transit station area in Nanjing to explore the influence factor and internal relation of walkability of rail transit station area. Analysis shows that micro urban design factors have greater impact on the walkability of rail transit station area compared with macro urban morphology factors, the convenience is the key factor in the four aspects of convenience, security, identity and comfortability of the urban design factors, the convenience is not only affected by the block network form, but also related to the quality of the street space. The overall evaluation of walkability comes from the overlapping and regrouping of the walking environment at different levels, but some environmental factors play a leading role. The social attributes of pedestrians also partly influence their walking perception and evaluation.Keywords: rail transit station area, walkability, evaluation, influence factors
Procedia PDF Downloads 28727104 Understanding the Influence of Cross-National Distances on Tourist Expenditure
Authors: Wei-Ting Hung
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Inbound tourist expenditure might not only have influenced by individual tourist characteristics but may also be affected by nationality characteristics. The cross national distance effects on tourist consumption behavior should be incorporated in the analytical framework. Additionally, the often used factor analysis, cluster analysis and regression analysis overlook the hierarchical tourist consumption data structure and may lead to misleading results. The objectives of the present study were twofold. First, we propose a multilevel model that takes individual and cross-national differences into account under a hierarchical framework. Second, we further sought to determine the types of cross-national differences affecting tourist expenditure. Thus, this study incorporates the individual tourist effects and cross national distance effects simultaneously, uses the data of 2010 Annual Survey Report on Visitors’ Expenditure and Trends in Taiwan to investigate the determinants of inbound tourist expenditure. Multilevel analysis was used to investigate the influence of individual tourist effects and cross national distance effects on inbound tourist expenditure. The empirical results show that cross national distance plays a crucial role in tourist consumption behavior. Our findings also indicate age and income have positive influence on tourism expenditure., whereas education and gender do not have significant impact. Regarding macro-level factors, geographic and cultural differences exhibited significant positive relationships on tourism expenditure, while economic differences did not. Based on the above empirical results, it is suggested that tour operators should take tourists’ individual attributes, particularly their income and age, into consideration when arranging tours. In addition, nationality holds sway over tourists’ consumption behavior, of which geographic and cultural differences are the two major factors at play. The empirical results of this study serve as practical suggestions for tourism marketing strategies and policy implications for government policies.Keywords: cross national distance, inbound tourist, multilevel analysis, tourist expenditure
Procedia PDF Downloads 35327103 Effect of Clinical Parameters on Strength of Reattached Tooth Fragment in Anterior Teeth: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Neeraj Malhotra, Ramya Shenoy
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Objective: To assess the effect of clinical parameters (bonding agent, preparation design & storage media) on the strength of reattached anterior tooth fragment. Methodology: This is a systematic review and meta-analysis for articles referred from MEDLINE, PUBMED, and GOOGLE SCHOLAR. The articles on tooth reattachment and clinical factors affecting fracture strength/bond strength/fracture resistance of the reattached tooth fragment in anterior teeth and published in English from 1999 to 2016 were included for final review. Results: Out of 120 shortlisted articles, 28 articles were included for the systematic review and meta-analysis based on 3 clinical parameters i.e. bonding agent, tooth preparation design & storage media. Forest plot & funnel plots were generated based on individual clinical parameter and their effect on strength of reattached anterior tooth fragment. Results based on analysis suggest combination of both conclusive evidence favoring the experimental group as well as in-conclusive evidence for individual parameter. Conclusion: There is limited evidence as there are fewer articles supporting each parameter in human teeth. Bonding agent had showed better outcome in selected studies.Keywords: bonding agent, bond strength, fracture strength, preparation design, reattachment, storage media
Procedia PDF Downloads 16727102 Lexical Semantic Analysis to Support Ontology Modeling of Maintenance Activities– Case Study of Offshore Riser Integrity
Authors: Vahid Ebrahimipour
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Word representation and context meaning of text-based documents play an essential role in knowledge modeling. Business procedures written in natural language are meant to store technical and engineering information, management decision and operation experience during the production system life cycle. Context meaning representation is highly dependent upon word sense, lexical relativity, and sematic features of the argument. This paper proposes a method for lexical semantic analysis and context meaning representation of maintenance activity in a mass production system. Our approach constructs a straightforward lexical semantic approach to analyze facilitates semantic and syntactic features of context structure of maintenance report to facilitate translation, interpretation, and conversion of human-readable interpretation into computer-readable representation and understandable with less heterogeneity and ambiguity. The methodology will enable users to obtain a representation format that maximizes shareability and accessibility for multi-purpose usage. It provides a contextualized structure to obtain a generic context model that can be utilized during the system life cycle. At first, it employs a co-occurrence-based clustering framework to recognize a group of highly frequent contextual features that correspond to a maintenance report text. Then the keywords are identified for syntactic and semantic extraction analysis. The analysis exercises causality-driven logic of keywords’ senses to divulge the structural and meaning dependency relationships between the words in a context. The output is a word contextualized representation of maintenance activity accommodating computer-based representation and inference using OWL/RDF.Keywords: lexical semantic analysis, metadata modeling, contextual meaning extraction, ontology modeling, knowledge representation
Procedia PDF Downloads 10227101 Synergy Surface Modification for High Performance Li-Rich Cathode
Authors: Aipeng Zhu, Yun Zhang
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The growing grievous environment problems together with the exhaustion of energy resources put urgent demands for developing high energy density. Considering the factors including capacity, resource and environment, Manganese-based lithium-rich layer-structured cathode materials xLi₂MnO₃⋅(1-x)LiMO₂ (M = Ni, Co, Mn, and other metals) are drawing increasing attention due to their high reversible capacities, high discharge potentials, and low cost. They are expected to be one type of the most promising cathode materials for the next-generation Li-ion batteries (LIBs) with higher energy densities. Unfortunately, their commercial applications are hindered with crucial drawbacks such as poor rate performance, limited cycle life and continuous falling of the discharge potential. With decades of extensive studies, significant achievements have been obtained in improving their cyclability and rate performances, but they cannot meet the requirement of commercial utilization till now. One major problem for lithium-rich layer-structured cathode materials (LLOs) is the side reaction during cycling, which leads to severe surface degradation. In this process, the metal ions can dissolve in the electrolyte, and the surface phase change can hinder the intercalation/deintercalation of Li ions and resulting in low capacity retention and low working voltage. To optimize the LLOs cathode material, the surface coating is an efficient method. Considering the price and stability, Al₂O₃ was used as a coating material in the research. Meanwhile, due to the low initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE), the pristine LLOs was pretreated by KMnO₄ to increase the ICE. The precursor was prepared by a facile coprecipitation method. The as-prepared precursor was then thoroughly mixed with Li₂CO₃ and calcined in air at 500℃ for 5h and 900℃ for 12h to produce Li₁.₂[Ni₀.₂Mn₀.₆]O₂ (LNMO). The LNMO was then put into 0.1ml/g KMnO₄ solution stirring for 3h. The resultant was filtered and washed with water, and dried in an oven. The LLOs obtained was dispersed in Al(NO₃)₃ solution. The mixture was lyophilized to confer the Al(NO₃)₃ was uniformly coated on LLOs. After lyophilization, the LLOs was calcined at 500℃ for 3h to obtain LNMO@LMO@ALO. The working electrodes were prepared by casting the mixture of active material, acetylene black, and binder (polyvinglidene fluoride) dissolved in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone with a mass ratio of 80: 15: 5 onto an aluminum foil. The electrochemical performance tests showed that the multiple surface modified materials had a higher initial Coulombic efficiency (84%) and better capacity retention (91% after 100 cycles) compared with that of pristine LNMO (76% and 80%, respectively). The modified material suggests that the KMnO₄ pretreat and Al₂O₃ coating can increase the ICE and cycling stability.Keywords: Li-rich materials, surface coating, lithium ion batteries, Al₂O₃
Procedia PDF Downloads 12227100 Analysis of Grid Connected High Concentrated Photovoltaic Systems for Peak Load Shaving in Kuwait
Authors: Adel A. Ghoneim
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Air conditioning devices are substantially utilized in the summer months, as a result maximum loads in Kuwait take place in these intervals. Peak energy consumption are usually more expensive to satisfy compared to other standard power sources. The primary objective of the current work is to enhance the performance of high concentrated photovoltaic (HCPV) systems in an attempt to minimize peak power usage in Kuwait using HCPV modules. High concentrated PV multi-junction solar cells provide a promising method towards accomplishing lowest pricing per kilowatt-hour. Nevertheless, these cells have various features that should be resolved to be feasible for extensive power production. A single diode equivalent circuit model is formulated to analyze multi-junction solar cells efficiency in Kuwait weather circumstances taking into account the effects of both the temperature and the concentration ratio. The diode shunt resistance that is commonly ignored in the established models is considered in the present numerical model. The current model results are successfully validated versus measurements from published data to within 1.8% accuracy. Present calculations reveal that the single diode model considering the shunt resistance provides accurate and dependable results. The electrical efficiency (η) is observed to increase with concentration to a specific concentration level after which it reduces. Implementing grid systems is noticed to increase with concentration to a certain concentration degree after which it decreases. Employing grid connected HCPV systems results in significant peak load reduction.Keywords: grid connected, high concentrated photovoltaic systems, peak load, solar cells
Procedia PDF Downloads 15127099 Engagement Analysis Using DAiSEE Dataset
Authors: Naman Solanki, Souraj Mondal
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With the world moving towards online communication, the video datastore has exploded in the past few years. Consequently, it has become crucial to analyse participant’s engagement levels in online communication videos. Engagement prediction of people in videos can be useful in many domains, like education, client meetings, dating, etc. Video-level or frame-level prediction of engagement for a user involves the development of robust models that can capture facial micro-emotions efficiently. For the development of an engagement prediction model, it is necessary to have a widely-accepted standard dataset for engagement analysis. DAiSEE is one of the datasets which consist of in-the-wild data and has a gold standard annotation for engagement prediction. Earlier research done using the DAiSEE dataset involved training and testing standard models like CNN-based models, but the results were not satisfactory according to industry standards. In this paper, a multi-level classification approach has been introduced to create a more robust model for engagement analysis using the DAiSEE dataset. This approach has recorded testing accuracies of 0.638, 0.7728, 0.8195, and 0.866 for predicting boredom level, engagement level, confusion level, and frustration level, respectively.Keywords: computer vision, engagement prediction, deep learning, multi-level classification
Procedia PDF Downloads 10627098 Infernal Affairs (Hong Kong) versus Double Face (Japan): Remaking and Context
Authors: Roman Kusaiko
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For decades, remaking was one of the film industry’s main practices but has become vivid in recent years. The latest geopolitical developments, though, are becoming a new challenge for filmmakers regarding cultural landscapes and contextual differences. Deglobalization may also affect transnational remaking practices. Thus, these upcoming challenges can be addressed through the analysis of contemporary academic thought, primarily from adaptation and film studies and their understanding of the issues of transmediality and how it affects film remaking. However, the analysis would be insufficient without conducting case studies. This paper is part of broader research about transnational remaking practices and their cultural and contextual specifics. This paper aims to understand whether shifting medium affects remaking as a critical category and present case studies of the popular Hong Kong motion picture Infernal Affairs and its transition into the Japanese remake Double Face. Consequently, the analysis of their contextual distinctions will lead to the correct categorization of the transnational remakes allowing scholars and filmmakers to better understand the existing remaking practices and whether they affect the final result.Keywords: cinema, context, culture, films, remaking, transmediality
Procedia PDF Downloads 9127097 An Industrial Steady State Sequence Disorder Model for Flow Controlled Multi-Input Single-Output Queues in Manufacturing Systems
Authors: Anthony John Walker, Glen Bright
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The challenge faced by manufactures, when producing custom products, is that each product needs exact components. This can cause work-in-process instability due to component matching constraints imposed on assembly cells. Clearing type flow control policies have been used extensively in mediating server access between multiple arrival processes. Although the stability and performance of clearing policies has been well formulated and studied in the literature, the growth in arrival to departure sequence disorder for each arriving job, across a serving resource, is still an area for further analysis. In this paper, a closed form industrial model has been formulated that characterizes arrival-to-departure sequence disorder through stable manufacturing systems under clearing type flow control policy. Specifically addressed are the effects of sequence disorder imposed on a downstream assembly cell in terms of work-in-process instability induced through component matching constraints. Results from a simulated manufacturing system show that steady state average sequence disorder in parallel upstream processing cells can be balanced in order to decrease downstream assembly system instability. Simulation results also show that the closed form model accurately describes the growth and limiting behavior of average sequence disorder between parts arriving and departing from a manufacturing system flow controlled via clearing policy.Keywords: assembly system constraint, custom products, discrete sequence disorder, flow control
Procedia PDF Downloads 17327096 Pistachio Supplementation Ameliorates the Motor and Cognitive Deficits in Rotenone-Induced Rat Model of Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Saida Haider, Syeda Madiha
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Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurological disorder characterized by motor deficits and loss of dopaminergic neurons. Oxidative stress is said to play a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of the disease. In the present study, PD was induced by injection of rotenone (1.5 mg/kg/day, s.c.) for eight days. Pistachio (800 mg/kg/day, p.o.) was given for two weeks. At the end of treatment brains were dissected out and striatum was isolated for biochemical and neurochemical analysis. Morris water maze (MWM) test and novel object recognition (NOR) task was used to test the memory function while motor behavior was determined by open field test (OFT), Kondziela inverted screen test (KIST), pole test (PT), beam walking test (BWT), inclined plane test (IPT) and footprint (FP) test. Several dietary components have been evaluated as potential therapeutic compounds in many neurodegenerative diseases. Increasing evidence shows that nuts have protective effects against various diseases by improving the oxidative status and reducing lipid peroxidation. Pistachio is the only nut that contains anthocyanin, a potent antioxidant having neuroprotective properties. Results showed that pistachio supplementation significantly restored the rotenone-induced motor deficits and improved the memory performance. Moreover, rats treated with pistachio also exhibited enhanced oxidative status and increased dopamine (DA) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) concentration in striatum. In conclusion, to our best knowledge, we have for the first time shown that pistachio nut possesses neuroprotective effects against rotenone-induced motor and cognitive deficits. These beneficial effects of pistachio may be attributed to its high content of natural antioxidant and phenolic compounds. Hence, consumption of pistachio regularly as part of a daily diet can be beneficial in the prevention and treatment of PD.Keywords: rotenone, pistachio, oxidative stress, Parkinson’s disease
Procedia PDF Downloads 9627095 Global Analysis of HIV Virus Models with Cell-to-Cell
Authors: Hossein Pourbashash
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Recent experimental studies have shown that HIV can be transmitted directly from cell to cell when structures called virological synapses form during interactions between T cells. In this article, we describe a new within-host model of HIV infection that incorporates two mechanisms: infection by free virions and the direct cell-to-cell transmission. We conduct the local and global stability analysis of the model. We show that if the basic reproduction number R0 1, the virus is cleared and the disease dies out; if R0 > 1, the virus persists in the host. We also prove that the unique positive equilibrium attracts all positive solutions under additional assumptions on the parameters.Keywords: HIV virus model, cell-to-cell transmission, global stability, Lyapunov function, second compound matrices
Procedia PDF Downloads 50727094 Cantilever Secant Pile Constructed in Sand: Capping Beam Analysis and Design - Part I
Authors: Khaled R. Khater
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The paper theme is soil retaining structures. Cantilever secant-pile wall is triggering scientific point of curiosity. Specially the capping beams structural analysis and its interaction with secant piles as one integrated matrix. It is believed that straining actions of this integrated matrix are most probably induced due to a combination of induced line load and non-uniform horizontal pile tips displacement. The strategy that followed throughout this study starts by converting the pile head horizontal displacements generated by Plaxis-2D model to a system of concentrated line load acting per meter run along the capping beam. Then, those line loads are the input data of Staad-Pro 3D-model. Those models tailored to allow the capping beam and the secant piles interacting as one matrix, i.e. a unit. It is believed that the suggested strategy presents close to real structural simulation. The above is the paper thought and methodology. Three sand densities, one pile rigidity and one excavation depth, “h = 4.0-m,” are completely sufficient to achieve the paper’s objective.Keywords: secant piles, capping beam, analysis, design, plaxis 2D, staad pro 3D
Procedia PDF Downloads 9427093 Multidisciplinarity, Interdisciplinarity and Transdisciplinarity in Peace Education and Peace Studies: A Content Analysis
Authors: Frances Bernard Kominkiewicz
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Demonstrating the ability to build social justice and peace is integral in undergraduate and graduate education. Many disciplines are involved in peace education and peace studies, and the collaboration of those disciplines are examined in this paper. To the author’s best knowledge, no content analysis research previously existed regarding peace studies and peace education from a multidisciplinarity, interdisciplinarity, and transdisciplinarity perspective. Peacebuilding is taught through these approaches, which adds to the depth, breadth, and richness of peace education and peace studies. This paper presents a content analysis of academic peace studies programs and course descriptions. Variables studied include contributions and foci of disciplines in peace studies programs and students’ engagement in community peacebuilding. The social work discipline, for example, focuses on social and economic justice as one of the nine competencies that undergraduate and graduate students must attain before earning a Bachelor of Social Work degree or a Master of Social Work degree and becoming social work practitioners. Demonstrating the ability to build social justice and peace is integral in social work education. Peacebuilding is taught through such social work courses as conflict resolution, and social work practice with communities and organizations, and these courses are examined in this research through multidisciplinarity, interdisciplinarity, and transdisciplinarity approach. Peace and social justice are linked terms in various fields, including social work. Social justice is of paramount importance in social work programs, and social workers are trained to advocate for human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice. Social workers use knowledge of oppression, globally as well as nationally, in the practice of peace education and peace studies. Social work is at the forefront in advocating for social justice as a discipline and joins with other educators in strengthening the peacebuilding opportunities for students. The content analysis, conducted through a random sample of peace studies and peace education university and college programs in the United States, found that although courses teach the concepts of peace education and peace studies, courses often are not given these titles in the social work discipline. Therefore, this analysis also includes a discussion of the multidisciplinarity, interdisciplinarity, and transdisciplinarity approach to peace education, peace studies, and peacebuilding and the importance of these approaches in educating students about peace. The content analysis further found great variability in the number of disciplines involved in peace studies programs, the focus of those disciplines in peace education, the placement of peace studies and peace education within the university or college, and the number of courses and concentrations available in peace studies and peace education. In conclusion, the research points toward very robust and diverse approaches to peace education with opportunities for further research and discussion.Keywords: content analysis, interdisciplinarity, multidisciplinarity, peace education programs
Procedia PDF Downloads 15127092 Possible Neuroprotective Mechanism of Remote Limb Ischemic Post Conditioning against Global Cerebral Ischemic Injury
Authors: Sruthi Ramagiri, Rajeev Taliyan
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Background and purpose: Recent investigations on ischemia and reperfusion injury postulate that transient ischemia of remote organs after a prolonged ischemic insult confers neuroprotection. However, the molecular mechanisms of the remote limb ischemic post-conditioning (RIPOC) are yet to be elucidated. The current study was designed to investigate the protective mechanism of RIPOC against cerebral ischemic injury using global model of stroke. Materials and methods: Global ischemic reperfusion injury (IR) was achieved by 30 minutes ischemia of cerebral artery, followed by reperfusion for 24 hours. Induction of global ischemia was followed by 4 brief episodes (30 seconds each) of ischemia and reperfusion of femoral artery to accomplish RIPOC. 5-Hydroxy Decanoic acid (5-HD), a KATP channel blocker (20 mg/kg) was administered after induction of global ischemia and RIPOC intervention. Results: IR injury ensue significant behavioural deficits as manifested by rotarod performance and spontaneous locomotor activity when compared to sham control. Furthermore, IR injury significantly increased oxidonitrative stress and infarct volume as evidenced by biochemical parameters (MDA, GSH, Nitrite, SOD) and 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining respectively. Moreover, RIPOC intervention ameliorated the behavioural performance, attenuated the oxidative stress and infarct volume when compared to IR injury group. However, administration of 5-HD increased the oxidative stress and infarct size while deteriorating the behavioural parameters when compared to RIPOC group. Conclusions: In a nutshell, cerebral IR injury has significantly induced the neuronal damage, whereas RIPOC intervention decreased the neuronal injury. Moreover, 5-HD abolished the neuroprotection offered by RIPOC indicating the putative role of KATP channel opening in RIPOC against cerebral ischemic injury.Keywords: RIPOC, cerebral injury, KATP channel, neuroprotection
Procedia PDF Downloads 46427091 Congestion Mitigation on an Urban Arterial through Infrastructure Intervention
Authors: Attiq Ur Rahman Dogar, Sohaib Ishaq
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Pakistan had experienced rapid motorization in the last decade. Due to the soft leasing schemes of banks and increase in average household income, even the middle class can now afford cars. The public transit system is inadequate and sparse. Due to these reasons, traffic demand on urban arterials has increased manifold. Poor urban transit planning and aging transportation systems have resulted in traffic congestion. The focus of this study is to improve traffic flow on a section of N-5 passing through the Rawalpindi downtown. Present efforts aim to carry out the analysis of traffic conditions on this section and to investigate the impact of traffic signal co-ordination on travel time. In addition to signal co-ordination, we also examined the effect of different infrastructure improvements on the travel time. After the economic analysis of alternatives and discussions, the improvement plan for Rawalpindi downtown urban arterial section is proposed for implementation.Keywords: signal coordination, infrastructure intervention, infrastructure improvement, cycle length, fuel consumption cost, travel time cost, economic analysis, travel time, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, traffic signals
Procedia PDF Downloads 30827090 Wavelets Contribution on Textual Data Analysis
Authors: Habiba Ben Abdessalem
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The emergence of giant set of textual data was the push that has encouraged researchers to invest in this field. The purpose of textual data analysis methods is to facilitate access to such type of data by providing various graphic visualizations. Applying these methods requires a corpus pretreatment step, whose standards are set according to the objective of the problem studied. This step determines the forms list contained in contingency table by keeping only those information carriers. This step may, however, lead to noisy contingency tables, so the use of wavelet denoising function. The validity of the proposed approach is tested on a text database that offers economic and political events in Tunisia for a well definite period.Keywords: textual data, wavelet, denoising, contingency table
Procedia PDF Downloads 27427089 Spatial Differentiation of Elderly Care Facilities in Mountainous Cities: A Case Study of Chongqing
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In this study, a web crawler was used to collect POI sample data from 38 districts and counties of Chongqing in 2022, and ArcGIS was combined to coordinate and projection conversion and realize data visualization. Nuclear density analysis and spatial correlation analysis were used to explore the spatial distribution characteristics of elderly care facilities in Chongqing, and K mean cluster analysis was carried out with GeoDa to study the spatial concentration degree of elderly care resources in 38 districts and counties. Finally, the driving force of spatial differentiation of elderly care facilities in various districts and counties of Chongqing is studied by using the method of geographic detector. The results show that: (1) in terms of spatial distribution structure, the distribution of elderly care facilities in Chongqing is unbalanced, showing a distribution pattern of ‘large dispersion and small agglomeration’ and the asymmetric pattern of ‘west dense and east sparse, north dense and south sparse’ is prominent. (2) In terms of the spatial matching between elderly care resources and the elderly population, there is a weak coordination between the input of elderly care resources and the distribution of the elderly population at the county level in Chongqing. (3) The analysis of the results of the geographical detector shows that the single factor influence is mainly the number of elderly population, public financial revenue and district and county GDP. The high single factor influence is mainly caused by the elderly population, public financial income, and district and county GDP. The influence of each influence factor on the spatial distribution of elderly care facilities is not simply superimposed but has a nonlinear enhancement effect or double factor enhancement. It is necessary to strengthen the synergistic effect of two factors and promote the synergistic effect of multiple factors.Keywords: aging, elderly care facilities, spatial differentiation, geographical detector, driving force analysis, Mountain city
Procedia PDF Downloads 2927088 Computational Insight into a Mechanistic Overview of Water Exchange Kinetics and Thermodynamic Stabilities of Bis and Tris-Aquated Complexes of Lanthanides
Authors: Niharika Keot, Manabendra Sarma
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A thorough investigation of Ln3+ complexes with more than one inner-sphere water molecule is crucial for designing high relaxivity contrast agents (CAs) used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This study accomplished a comparative stability analysis of two hexadentate (H3cbda and H3dpaa) and two heptadentate (H4peada and H3tpaa) ligands with Ln3+ ions. The higher stability of the hexadentate H3cbda and heptadentate H4peada ligands has been confirmed by the binding affinity and Gibbs free energy analysis in aqueous solution. In addition, energy decomposition analysis (EDA) reveals the higher binding affinity of the peada4− ligand than the cbda3− ligand towards Ln3+ ions due to the higher charge density of the peada4− ligand. Moreover, a mechanistic overview of water exchange kinetics has been carried out based on the strength of the metal–water bond. The strength of the metal–water bond follows the trend Gd–O47 (w) > Gd–O39 (w) > Gd–O36 (w) in the case of the tris-aquated [Gd(cbda)(H2O)3] and Gd–O43 (w) > Gd–O40 (w) for the bis-aquated [Gd(peada)(H2O)2]− complex, which was confirmed by bond length, electron density (ρ), and electron localization function (ELF) at the corresponding bond critical points. Our analysis also predicts that the activation energy barrier decreases with the decrease in bond strength; hence kex increases. The 17O and 1H hyperfine coupling constant values of all the coordinated water molecules were different, calculated by using the second-order Douglas–Kroll–Hess (DKH2) approach. Furthermore, the ionic nature of the bonding in the metal–ligand (M–L) bond was confirmed by the Quantum Theory of Atoms-In-Molecules (QTAIM) and ELF along with energy decomposition analysis (EDA). We hope that the results can be used as a basis for the design of highly efficient Gd(III)-based high relaxivity MRI contrast agents for medical applications.Keywords: MRI contrast agents, lanthanide chemistry, thermodynamic stability, water exchange kinetics
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