Search results for: supply chain delivery models
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 11579

Search results for: supply chain delivery models

2309 Effect of PMMA Shield on the Patient Dose Equivalent from Photoneutrons Produced by High Energy Medical Linacs

Authors: Seyed Mehdi Hashemi, Gholamreza Raisali, Mehran Taheri

Abstract:

One of the important problems of using high energy linacs at IMRT is the production of photoneutrons. Besides the clinically useful photon beams, high-energy photon beams from medical linacs produce secondary neutrons. These photoneutrons increase the patient dose and may cause secondary malignancies. The effect of the shield on the reduction of photoneutron dose equivalent produced by a high energy medical linac at the patient plane is investigated in this study. To determine the photoneutron dose equivalent received to the patient a Varian linac working at 18 MV photon mode investigated. Photoneutron dose equivalent measured with Polycarbonate films of 0.25 mm thick. PC films placed at distances of 0, 10, 20, and 50 cm from the center of X-ray field on the patient couch. The results show that by increasing the distance from the center of the X-ray beam towards the periphery, the photoneutron dose equivalent decreases rapidly for both open and shielded fields and that by inserting the shield in the path of the X-ray beam, the photoneutron dose equivalent was decreased obviously compared to open field. Results show the shield, significantly reduces photoneutron dose equivalent to the patient. Results can be readily generalized to other models of medical linacs. It may be concluded that using this kind of shield can help more safe, inexpensive and efficient employment of high energy linacs in radiotherapy and IMRT.

Keywords: photoneutron, Linac, PMMA shield, equivalent dose

Procedia PDF Downloads 487
2308 Building Carbon Footprint Comparison between Building Permit, as Built, as Built with Circular Material Usage

Authors: Kadri-Ann Kertsmik, Martin Talvik, Kimmo Lylykangas, Simo Ilomets, Targo Kalamees

Abstract:

This study compares the building carbon footprint (CF) values for a case study of a private house located in a cold climate, using the Level(s) methodology. It provides a framework for measuring the environmental performance of buildings throughout their life cycle, taking into account various factors. The study presents the results of the three scenarios, comparing their carbon emissions and highlighting the benefits of circular material usage. The construction process was thoroughly documented, and all materials and components (including minuscule mechanical fasteners, each meter of cable, a kilogram of mortar, and the component of HVAC systems, among other things) delivered to the construction site were noted. Transportation distances of each delivery, the fuel consumption of construction machines, and electricity consumption for temporary heating and electrical tools were also monitored. Using the detailed data on material and energy resources, the CF was calculated for two scenarios: one where circular material usage was applied and another where virgin materials were used instead of reused ones. The results were compared with the CF calculated based on the building permit design model using the Level(s) methodology. To study the range of possible results in the early stage of CF assessment, the same building permit design was given to several experts. Results showed that embodied carbon values for a built scenario were significantly lower than the values predicted by the building permit stage as a result of more precise material quantities, as the calculation methodology is designed to overestimate the CF. Moreover, designers made an effort to reduce the building's CF by reusing certain materials such as ceramic tiles, lightweight concrete blocks, and timber during the construction process. However, in a cold climate context where operational energy (B6) continues to dominate, the total building CF value changes between the three scenarios were less significant. The calculation for the building permit project was performed by several experts, and CF results were in the same range. It alludes that, for the first estimation of preliminary building CF, using average values proves to be an appropriate method for the Estonian national carbon footprint estimation phase during building permit application. The study also identified several opportunities for reducing the carbon footprint of the building, such as reusing materials from other construction sites, preferring local material producers, and reducing wastage on site. The findings suggest that using circular materials can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of buildings. Overall, the study highlights the importance of using a comprehensive approach to measure the environmental performance of buildings, taking into account both the project and the actually built house. It also emphasises the need for ongoing monitoring for designing the building and construction site waste. The study also gives some examples of how to enable future circularity of building components and materials, e.g., building in layers, using wood as untreated, etc.

Keywords: carbon footprint, circular economy, sustainable construction, level(s) methodology

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2307 Monthly Labor Forces Surveys Portray Smooth Labor Markets and Bias Fixed Effects Estimation: Evidence from Israel’s Transition from Quarterly to Monthly Surveys

Authors: Haggay Etkes

Abstract:

This study provides evidence for the impact of monthly interviews conducted for the Israeli Labor Force Surveys (LFSs) on estimated flows between labor force (LF) statuses and on coefficients in fixed-effects estimations. The study uses the natural experiment of parallel interviews for the quarterly and the monthly LFSs in Israel in 2011 for demonstrating that the Labor Force Participation (LFP) rate of Jewish persons who participated in the monthly LFS increased between interviews, while in the quarterly LFS it decreased. Interestingly, the estimated impact on the LFP rate of self-reporting individuals is 2.6–3.5 percentage points while the impact on the LFP rate of individuals whose data was reported by another member of their household (a proxy), is lower and statistically insignificant. The relative increase of the LFP rate in the monthly survey is a result of a lower rate of exit from the LF and a somewhat higher rate of entry into the LF relative to these flows in the quarterly survey. These differing flows have a bearing on labor search models as the monthly survey portrays a labor market with less friction and a “steady state” LFP rate that is 5.9 percentage points higher than the quarterly survey. The study also demonstrates that monthly interviews affect a specific group (45–64 year-olds); thus the sign of coefficient of age as an explanatory variable in fixed-effects regressions on LFP is negative in the monthly survey and positive in the quarterly survey.

Keywords: measurement error, surveys, search, LFSs

Procedia PDF Downloads 268
2306 Eco-Ethology of Bees Visitors on Vicia faba L. var. Major (Fabaceae) in Algeria

Authors: L. Bendifallah, S. Doumandji, K. Louadi, S. Iserbyt, F. Acheuk

Abstract:

Due to their ecological key position and diversity, plant-bee relationships constitute excellent models to understand the processes of food specialisation. The purpose of this study is to define and identify the most important species of bees foraging broadbean flowers, we estimated morphological, phonological and behavioural features. We discuss the results by considering the food specialisation level of the visitor. In the studied populations (Algiers, Algeria), visiting bees belong to four different genus: Apis, Andrena, Eucera and Xylocopa. Eucera is foraging broad beans flowers during months of April, May. The genus Andrena and Xylocopa were found on weeds after the flowering period of beans. The two species have not a preferred type of vegetation compared to Eucera. The main pollinators were generalist bees such as Apis mellifera L. and Xylocopa pubescens Spinola (Apidae), and specialist bees such Eucera numida Lep. (Apidae). The results show that no one of the studied species, neither the specialist, nor the generalist ones, share adaptative morphological or behavioural features that may improve foraging on Vicia faba. However, there is a narrow synchronisation between the daily and yearly phenologies of Eucera numida and those of V. faba. This could be an adaptation of the specialist bee to its host plant. Thus, the food specialisation of Eucera numida, as for most specialist bees, would be more linked to its adapted phenology than to an adapted morphology.

Keywords: Vicia faba, bees, pollinators, Algeria

Procedia PDF Downloads 314
2305 Salmon Diseases Connectivity between Fish Farm Management Areas in Chile

Authors: Pablo Reche

Abstract:

Since 1980’s aquaculture has become the biggest economic activity in southern Chile, being Salmo salar and Oncorhynchus mykiss the main finfish species. High fish density makes both species prone to contract diseases, what drives the industry to big losses, affecting greatly the local economy. Three are the most concerning infective agents, the infectious salmon anemia virus (ISAv), the bacteria Piscirickettsia salmonis and the copepod Caligus rogercresseyi. To regulate the industry the government arranged the salmon farms within management areas named as barrios, which coordinate the fallowing periods and antibiotics treatments of their salmon farms. In turn, barrios are gathered into larger management areas, named as macrozonas whose purpose is to minimize the risk of disease transmission between them and to enclose the outbreaks within their boundaries. However, disease outbreaks still happen and transmission to neighbor sites enlarges the initial event. Salmon disease agents are mostly transported passively by local currents. Thus, to understand how transmission occurs it must be firstly studied the physical environment. In Chile, salmon farming takes place in the inner seas of the southernmost regions of western Patagonia, between 41.5ºS-55ºS. This coastal marine system is characterised by western winds, latitudinally modulated by the position of the South-Eats Pacific high-pressure centre, high precipitation rates and freshwater inflows from the numerous glaciers (including the largest ice cap out of Antarctic and Greenland). All of these forcings meet in a complex bathymetry and coastline system - deep fjords, shallow sills, narrow straits, channels, archipelagos, inlets, and isolated inner seas- driving an estuarine circulation (fast outflows westwards on surface and slow deeper inflows eastwards). Such a complex system is modelled on the numerical model MIKE3, upon whose 3D current fields particle-track-biological models (one for each infective agent) are decoupled. Each agent biology is parameterized by functions for maturation and mortality (reproduction not included). Such parameterizations are depending upon environmental factors, like temperature and salinity, so their lifespan will depend upon the environmental conditions those virtual agents encounter on their way while passively transported. CLIC (Connectivity-Langrangian–IFOP-Chile) is a service platform that supports the graphical visualization of the connectivity matrices calculated from the particle trajectories files resultant of the particle-track-biological models. On CLIC users can select, from a high-resolution grid (~1km), the areas the connectivity will be calculated between them. These areas can be barrios and macrozonas. Users also can select what nodes of these areas are allowed to release and scatter particles from, depth and frequency of the initial particle release, climatic scenario (winter/summer) and type of particle (ISAv, Piscirickettsia salmonis, Caligus rogercresseyi plus an option for lifeless particles). Results include probabilities downstream (where the particles go) and upstream (where the particles come from), particle age and vertical distribution, all of them aiming to understand how currently connectivity works to eventually propose a minimum risk zonation for aquaculture purpose. Preliminary results in Chiloe inner sea shows that the risk depends not only upon dynamic conditions but upon barrios location with respect to their neighbors.

Keywords: aquaculture zonation, Caligus rogercresseyi, Chilean Patagonia, coastal oceanography, connectivity, infectious salmon anemia virus, Piscirickettsia salmonis

Procedia PDF Downloads 151
2304 Physics-Informed Machine Learning for Displacement Estimation in Solid Mechanics Problem

Authors: Feng Yang

Abstract:

Machine learning (ML), especially deep learning (DL), has been extensively applied to many applications in recently years and gained great success in solving different problems, including scientific problems. However, conventional ML/DL methodologies are purely data-driven which have the limitations, such as need of ample amount of labelled training data, lack of consistency to physical principles, and lack of generalizability to new problems/domains. Recently, there is a growing consensus that ML models need to further take advantage of prior knowledge to deal with these limitations. Physics-informed machine learning, aiming at integration of physics/domain knowledge into ML, has been recognized as an emerging area of research, especially in the recent 2 to 3 years. In this work, physics-informed ML, specifically physics-informed neural network (NN), is employed and implemented to estimate the displacements at x, y, z directions in a solid mechanics problem that is controlled by equilibrium equations with boundary conditions. By incorporating the physics (i.e. the equilibrium equations) into the learning process of NN, it is showed that the NN can be trained very efficiently with a small set of labelled training data. Experiments with different settings of the NN model and the amount of labelled training data were conducted, and the results show that very high accuracy can be achieved in fulfilling the equilibrium equations as well as in predicting the displacements, e.g. in setting the overall displacement of 0.1, a root mean square error (RMSE) of 2.09 × 10−4 was achieved.

Keywords: deep learning, neural network, physics-informed machine learning, solid mechanics

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2303 Performance Estimation of Small Scale Wind Turbine Rotor for Very Low Wind Regime Condition

Authors: Vilas Warudkar, Dinkar Janghel, Siraj Ahmed

Abstract:

Rapid development experienced by India requires huge amount of energy. Actual supply capacity additions have been consistently lower than the targets set by the government. According to World Bank 40% of residences are without electricity. In 12th five year plan 30 GW grid interactive renewable capacity is planned in which 17 GW is Wind, 10 GW is from solar and 2.1 GW from small hydro project, and rest is compensated by bio gas. Renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency (EE) meet not only the environmental and energy security objectives, but also can play a crucial role in reducing chronic power shortages. In remote areas or areas with a weak grid, wind energy can be used for charging batteries or can be combined with a diesel engine to save fuel whenever wind is available. India according to IEC 61400-1 belongs to class IV Wind Condition; it is not possible to set up wind turbine in large scale at every place. So, the best choice is to go for small scale wind turbine at lower height which will have good annual energy production (AEP). Based on the wind characteristic available at MANIT Bhopal, rotor for small scale wind turbine is designed. Various Aero foil data is reviewed for selection of airfoil in the Blade Profile. Airfoil suited of Low wind conditions i.e. at low Reynold’s number is selected based on Coefficient of Lift, Drag and angle of attack. For designing of the rotor blade, standard Blade Element Momentum (BEM) Theory is implanted. Performance of the Blade is estimated using BEM theory in which axial induction factor and angular induction factor is optimized using iterative technique. Rotor performance is estimated for particular designed blade specifically for low wind Conditions. Power production of rotor is determined at different wind speeds for particular pitch angle of the blade. At pitch 15o and velocity 5 m/sec gives good cut in speed of 2 m/sec and power produced is around 350 Watts. Tip speed of the Blade is considered as 6.5 for which Coefficient of Performance of the rotor is calculated 0.35, which is good acceptable value for Small scale Wind turbine. Simple Load Model (SLM, IEC 61400-2) is also discussed to improve the structural strength of the rotor. In SLM, Edge wise Moment and Flap Wise moment is considered which cause bending stress at the root of the blade. Various Load case mentioned in the IEC 61400-2 is calculated and checked for the partial safety factor of the wind turbine blade.

Keywords: annual energy production, Blade Element Momentum Theory, low wind Conditions, selection of airfoil

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2302 Determination of Lithology, Porosity and Water Saturation for Mishrif Carbonate Formation

Authors: F. S. Kadhim, A. Samsuri, H. Alwan

Abstract:

Well logging records can help to answer many questions from a wide range of special interested information and basic petrophysical properties to formation evaluation of oil and gas reservoirs. The accurate calculations of porosity in carbonate reservoirs are the most challenging aspects of well log analysis. Many equations have been developed over the years based on known physical principles or on empirically derived relationships, which are used to calculate porosity, estimate lithology and water saturation; however these parameters are calculated from well logs by using modern technique in a current study. Nasiriya (NS) oilfield is one of giant oilfields in the Middle East, and the formation under study is the Mishrif carbonate formation which is the shallowest hydrocarbon bearing zone in the NS oilfield. Neurolog software (V5, 2008) was used to digitize the scanned copies of the available logs. Environmental corrections had been made as per Schlumberger charts 2005, which supplied in the Interactive Petrophysics software (IP, V3.5, 2008). Three saturation models have been used to calculate water saturation of carbonate formations, which are simple Archie equation, Dual water model, and Indonesia model. Results indicate that the Mishrif formation consists mainly of limestone, some dolomite and shale. The porosity interpretation shows that the logging tools have a good quality after making the environmental corrections. The average formation water saturation for Mishrif formation is around 0.4-0.6.This study is provided accurate behavior of petrophysical properties with depth for this formation by using modern software.

Keywords: lithology, porosity, water saturation, carbonate formation, mishrif formation

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2301 Education Delivery in Youth Justice Centres: Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program Pedagogy in an Australian Context

Authors: Tarmi A'Vard

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This paper discusses the transformative learning experience for students participating in the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program (Inside-out) and explores the value this pedagogical approach may have in youth justice centers. Inside-Out is a semester-long university course which is unique as it takes 15 university students, with their textbook and theory-based knowledge, behind the walls to study alongside 15 incarcerated students, who have the lived experience of the criminal justice system. Inside-out is currently offered in three Victorian prisons, expanding to five in 2020. The Inside-out pedagogy which is based on transformative dialogic learning is reliant upon the participants sharing knowledge and experiences to develop an understanding and appreciation of the diversity and uniqueness of one another. Inside-out offers the class an opportunity to create its own guidelines for dialogue, which can lead to the student’s sense of equality, which is fundamental in the success of this program. Dialogue allows active participation by all parties in reconciling differences, collaborating ideas, critiquing and developing hypotheses and public policies, and encouraging self-reflection and exploration. The structure of the program incorporates the implementation of circular seating (where the students alternate between inside and outside), activities, individual reflective tasks, group work, and theory analysis. In this circle everyone is equal, this includes the educator, who serves as a facilitator more so than the traditional teacher role. A significant function of the circle is to develop a group consciousness, allowing the whole class to see itself as a collective, and no one person holds a superior role. This also encourages participants to be responsible and accountable for their behavior and contributions. Research indicates completing academic courses, like Inside-Out, contributes positively to reducing recidivism. Inside-Out’s benefits and success in many adult correctional institutions have been outlined in evaluation reports and scholarly articles. The key findings incorporate the learning experiences for the students in both an academic capability and professional practice and development. Furthermore, stereotypes and pre-determined ideas are challenged, and there is a promotion of critical thinking and evidence of self-discovery and growth. There is empirical data supporting positive outcomes of education in youth justice centers in reducing recidivism and increasing the likelihood of returning to education upon release. Hence, this research could provide the opportunity to increase young people’s engagement in education which is a known protective factor for assisting young people to move away from criminal behavior. In 2016, Tarmi completed the Inside-Out educator training in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and has developed an interest in exploring the pedagogy of Inside-Out, specifically targeting young offenders in a Youth Justice Centre.

Keywords: dialogic transformative learning, inside-out prison exchange program, prison education, youth justice

Procedia PDF Downloads 124
2300 Melanoma and Non-Melanoma, Skin Lesion Classification, Using a Deep Learning Model

Authors: Shaira L. Kee, Michael Aaron G. Sy, Myles Joshua T. Tan, Hezerul Abdul Karim, Nouar AlDahoul

Abstract:

Skin diseases are considered the fourth most common disease, with melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer as the most common type of cancer in Caucasians. The alarming increase in Skin Cancer cases shows an urgent need for further research to improve diagnostic methods, as early diagnosis can significantly improve the 5-year survival rate. Machine Learning algorithms for image pattern analysis in diagnosing skin lesions can dramatically increase the accuracy rate of detection and decrease possible human errors. Several studies have shown the diagnostic performance of computer algorithms outperformed dermatologists. However, existing methods still need improvements to reduce diagnostic errors and generate efficient and accurate results. Our paper proposes an ensemble method to classify dermoscopic images into benign and malignant skin lesions. The experiments were conducted using the International Skin Imaging Collaboration (ISIC) image samples. The dataset contains 3,297 dermoscopic images with benign and malignant categories. The results show improvement in performance with an accuracy of 88% and an F1 score of 87%, outperforming other existing models such as support vector machine (SVM), Residual network (ResNet50), EfficientNetB0, EfficientNetB4, and VGG16.

Keywords: deep learning - VGG16 - efficientNet - CNN – ensemble – dermoscopic images - melanoma

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2299 Evaluation of Impact on Traffic Conditions Due to Electronic Toll Collection System Design in Thailand

Authors: Kankrong Suangka

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This research explored behaviors of toll way users that impact their decision to use the Electronic Toll Collection System (ETC). It also went on to explore and evaluated the efficiency of toll plaza in terms of number of ETC booths in toll plaza and its lane location. The two main parameters selected for the scenarios analyzed were (1) the varying ration of ETC enabled users (2) the varying locations of the dedicated ETC lane. There were a total of 42 scenarios analyzed. Researched data indicated that in A.D.2013, the percentage of ETC user from the total toll user is 22%. It was found that the delay at the payment booth was reduced by increasing the ETC booth by 1 more lane under the condition that the volume of ETC users passing through the plaza less than 1,200 vehicles/hour. Meanwhile, increasing the ETC lanes by 2 lanes can accommodate an increased traffic volume to around 1,200 to 1,800 vehicles/hour. Other than that, in terms of the location of ETC lane, it was found that if for one ETC lane-plazas, installing the ETC lane at the far right are the best alternative. For toll plazas with 2 ETC lanes, the best layout is to have 1 lane in the middle and 1 lane at the far right. This layout shows the least delay when compared to other layouts. Furthermore, the results from this research showed that micro-simulator traffic models have potential for further applications and use in designing toll plaza lanes. Other than that, the results can also be used to analyze the system of the nearby area with similar traffic volume and can be used for further design improvements.

Keywords: the electronic toll collection system, average queuing delay, toll plaza configuration, bioinformatics, biomedicine

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2298 The Potential Fresh Water Resources of Georgia and Sustainable Water Management

Authors: Nana Bolashvili, Vakhtang Geladze, Tamazi Karalashvili, Nino Machavariani, George Geladze, Davit Kartvelishvili, Ana Karalashvili

Abstract:

Fresh water is the major natural resource of Georgia. The average perennial sum of the rivers' runoff in Georgia is 52,77 km³, out of which 9,30 km³ inflows from abroad. The major volume of transit river runoff is ascribed to the Chorokhi river. Average perennial runoff in Western Georgia is 41,52 km³, in Eastern Georgia 11,25 km³. The indices of Eastern and Western Georgia were calculated with 50% and 90% river runoff respectively, while the same index calculation for other countries is based on a 50% river runoff. Out of total volume of resources, 133,2 m³/sec (4,21 km³) has been geologically prospected by the State Commission on Reserves and Acknowledged as reserves available for exploitation, 48% (2,02 km³) of which is in Western Georgia and 2,19 km³ in Eastern Georgia. Considering acknowledged water reserves of all categories per capita water resources accounts to 2,2 m³/day, whereas high industrial category -0. 88 m³ /day fresh drinking water. According to accepted norms, the possibility of using underground water reserves is 2,5 times higher than the long-term requirements of the country. The volume of abundant fresh-water reserves in Georgia is about 150 m³/sec (4,74 km³). Water in Georgia is consumed mostly in agriculture for irrigation purposes. It makes 66,4% around Georgia, in Eastern Georgia 72,4% and 38% in Western Georgia. According to the long-term forecast provision of population and the territory with water resources in Eastern Georgia will be quite normal. A bit different is the situation in the lower reaches of the Khrami and Iori rivers which could be easily overcome by corresponding financing. The present day irrigation system in Georgia does not meet the modern technical requirements. The overall efficiency of their majority varies between 0,4-0,6. Similar is the situation in the fresh water and public service water consumption. Organization of the mentioned systems, installation of water meters, introduction of new methods of irrigation without water loss will substantially increase efficiency of water use. Besides new irrigation norms developed from agro-climatic, geographical and hydrological angle will significantly reduce water waste. Taking all this into account we assume that for irrigation agricultural lands in Georgia is necessary 6,0 km³ water, 5,5 km³ of which goes to Eastern Georgia on irrigation arable areas. To increase water supply in Eastern Georgian territory and its population is possible by means of new water reservoirs as the runoff of every river considerably exceeds the consumption volume. In conclusion, we should say that fresh water resources by which Georgia is that rich could be significant source for barter exchange and investment attraction. Certain volume of fresh water can be exported from Western Georgia quite trouble free, without bringing any damage to population and hydroecosystems. The precise volume of exported water per region/time and method/place of water consumption should be defined after the estimation of different hydroecosystems and detailed analyses of water balance of the corresponding territories.

Keywords: GIS, management, rivers, water resources

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2297 An Investigation of Rainfall Changes in KanganCity During Years 1964 to 2003

Authors: Borzou Faramarzi, Farideh Azimi, Azam Gohardoust, Abbas Ghasemi Ghasemvand, Maryam Mirzaei, Mandana Amani

Abstract:

In this study, attempts were made to examine and analyze the trend for rainfall changes in Kangan City, Booshehr Province, during the time span 1964 to 2003, using seven rainfall threshold indices based on 50 climate extremes indices approved by WMO–CCL/CLIVAR. These indices include days with heavy precipitations, days with rainfalls, frequency of rainfall threshold values, intensity of rainfall threshold values, percentage of rainfall threshold values, successive days of rainfall, and successive days with no precipitation. Results are indicative of the fact that Kangan City climatic conditions have become more dried than before. Indices days with heavy precipitations and days with rainfalls do not show a certain trend in Kangan City. Frequency, intensity, and percentage of rainfall threshold values in the station under investigation do not indicate a certain trend. In analysis of time series of rainfall extreme indices, generally, it was revealed that Kangan City is influenced by general factors of global warming. Calculation of values for the next 10 years based on ARIMA models demonstrates a continuation of warming trends in Kangan City. On the whole, rainfall conditions in Kangan City have experienced more dry periods compared to the past, the trend which is also observable for next 10 years.

Keywords: climatic indices, climate change, extreme temperature and precipitation, time series

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2296 Using Autoencoder as Feature Extractor for Malware Detection

Authors: Umm-E-Hani, Faiza Babar, Hanif Durad

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Malware-detecting approaches suffer many limitations, due to which all anti-malware solutions have failed to be reliable enough for detecting zero-day malware. Signature-based solutions depend upon the signatures that can be generated only when malware surfaces at least once in the cyber world. Another approach that works by detecting the anomalies caused in the environment can easily be defeated by diligently and intelligently written malware. Solutions that have been trained to observe the behavior for detecting malicious files have failed to cater to the malware capable of detecting the sandboxed or protected environment. Machine learning and deep learning-based approaches greatly suffer in training their models with either an imbalanced dataset or an inadequate number of samples. AI-based anti-malware solutions that have been trained with enough samples targeted a selected feature vector, thus ignoring the input of leftover features in the maliciousness of malware just to cope with the lack of underlying hardware processing power. Our research focuses on producing an anti-malware solution for detecting malicious PE files by circumventing the earlier-mentioned shortcomings. Our proposed framework, which is based on automated feature engineering through autoencoders, trains the model over a fairly large dataset. It focuses on the visual patterns of malware samples to automatically extract the meaningful part of the visual pattern. Our experiment has successfully produced a state-of-the-art accuracy of 99.54 % over test data.

Keywords: malware, auto encoders, automated feature engineering, classification

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2295 Single Cell Rna Sequencing Operating from Benchside to Bedside: An Interesting Entry into Translational Genomics

Authors: Leo Nnamdi Ozurumba-Dwight

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Single-cell genomic analytical systems have proved to be a platform to isolate bulk cells into selected single cells for genomic, proteomic, and related metabolomic studies. This is enabling systematic investigations of the level of heterogeneity in a diverse and wide pool of cell populations. Single cell technologies, embracing techniques such as high parameter flow cytometry, single-cell sequencing, and high-resolution images are playing vital roles in these investigations on messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) molecules and related gene expressions in tracking the nature and course of disease conditions. This entails targeted molecular investigations on unit cells that help us understand cell behavoiur and expressions, which can be examined for their health implications on the health state of patients. One of the vital good sides of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA seq) is its probing capacity to detect deranged or abnormal cell populations present within homogenously perceived pooled cells, which would have evaded cursory screening on the pooled cell populations of biological samples obtained as part of diagnostic procedures. Despite conduction of just single-cell transcriptome analysis, scRNAseq now permits comparison of the transcriptome of the individual cells, which can be evaluated for gene expressional patterns that depict areas of heterogeneity with pharmaceutical drug discovery and clinical treatment applications. It is vital to strictly work through the tools of investigations from wet lab to bioinformatics and computational tooled analyses. In the precise steps for scRNAseq, it is critical to do thorough and effective isolation of viable single cells from the tissues of interest using dependable techniques (such as FACS) before proceeding to lysis, as this enhances the appropriate picking of quality mRNA molecules for subsequent sequencing (such as by the use of Polymerase Chain Reaction machine). Interestingly, scRNAseq can be deployed to analyze various types of biological samples such as embryos, nervous systems, tumour cells, stem cells, lymphocytes, and haematopoietic cells. In haematopoietic cells, it can be used to stratify acute myeloid leukemia patterns in patients, sorting them out into cohorts that enable re-modeling of treatment regimens based on stratified presentations. In immunotherapy, it can furnish specialist clinician-immunologist with tools to re-model treatment for each patient, an attribute of precision medicine. Finally, the good predictive attribute of scRNAseq can help reduce the cost of treatment for patients, thus attracting more patients who would have otherwise been discouraged from seeking quality clinical consultation help due to perceived high cost. This is a positive paradigm shift for patients’ attitudes primed towards seeking treatment.

Keywords: immunotherapy, transcriptome, re-modeling, mRNA, scRNA-seq

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2294 Spatial Information and Urbanizing Futures

Authors: Mohammad Talei, Neda Ranjbar Nosheri, Reza Kazemi Gorzadini

Abstract:

Today municipalities are searching for the new tools for increasing the public participation in different levels of urban planning. This approach of urban planning involves the community in planning process using participatory approaches instead of the long traditional top-down planning methods. These tools can be used to obtain the particular problems of urban furniture form the residents’ point of view. One of the tools that is designed with this goal is public participation GIS (PPGIS) that enables citizen to record and following up their feeling and spatial knowledge regarding main problems of the city, specifically urban furniture, in the form of maps. However, despite the good intentions of PPGIS, its practical implementation in developing countries faces many problems including the lack of basic supporting infrastructure and services and unavailability of sophisticated public participatory models. In this research we develop a PPGIS using of Web 2 to collect voluntary geodataand to perform spatial analysis based on Spatial OnLine Analytical Processing (SOLAP) and Spatial Data Mining (SDM). These tools provide urban planners with proper informationregarding the type, spatial distribution and the clusters of reported problems. This system is implemented in a case study area in Tehran, Iran and the challenges to make it applicable and its potential for real urban planning have been evaluated. It helps decision makers to better understand, plan and allocate scarce resources for providing most requested urban furniture.

Keywords: PPGIS, spatial information, urbanizing futures, urban planning

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2293 The Influence of Superordinate Identity and Group Size on Group Decision Making through Discussion

Authors: Lin Peng, Jin Zhang, Yuanyuan Miao, Quanquan Zheng

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Group discussion and group decision-making have long been a topic of research interest. Traditional research on group decision making typically focuses on the strategies or functional models of combining members’ preferences to reach an optimal consensus. In this research, we want to explore natural process group decision making through discussion and examine relevant, influential factors--common superordinate identity shared by group and size of the groups. We manipulated the social identity of the groups into either a shared superordinate identity or different subgroup identities. We also manipulated the size to make it either a big (6-8 person) group or small group (3-person group). Using experimental methods, we found members of a superordinate identity group tend to modify more of their own opinions through the discussion, compared to those only identifying with their subgroups. Besides, members of superordinate identity groups also formed stronger identification with group decision--the results of group discussion than their subgroup peers. We also found higher member modification in bigger groups compared to smaller groups. Evaluations of decisions before and after discussion as well as group decisions are strongly linked to group identity, as members of superordinate group feel more confident and satisfied with both the results and decision-making process. Members’ opinions are more similar and homogeneous in smaller groups compared to bigger groups. This research have many implications for further research and applied behaviors in organizations.

Keywords: group decision making, group size, identification, modification, superordinate identity

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2292 Assessing Climate-Induced Species Range Shifts and Their Impacts on the Protected Seascape on Canada’s East Coast Using Species Distribution Models and Future Projections

Authors: Amy L. Irvine, Gabriel Reygondeau, Derek P. Tittensor

Abstract:

Marine protected areas (MPAs) within Canada’s exclusive economic zone help ensure the conservation and sustainability of marine ecosystems and the continued provision of ecosystem services to society (e.g., food, carbon sequestration). With ongoing and accelerating climate change, however, MPAs may become undermined in terms of their effectiveness at fulfilling these outcomes. Many populations of species, especially those at their thermal range limits, may shift to cooler waters or become extirpated due to climate change, resulting in new species compositions and ecological interactions within static MPA boundaries. While Canadian MPA management follows international guidelines for marine conservation, no consistent approach exists for adapting MPA networks to climate change and the resulting altered ecosystem conditions. To fill this gap, projected climate-driven shifts in species distributions on Canada’s east coast were analyzed to identify when native species emigrate and novel species immigrate within the network and how high mitigation and carbon emission scenarios influence these timelines. Indicators of the ecological changes caused by these species' shifts in the biological community were also developed. Overall, our research provides projections of climate change impacts and helps to guide adaptive management responses within the Canadian east coast MPA network.

Keywords: climate change, ecosystem modeling, marine protected areas, management

Procedia PDF Downloads 94
2291 Thermal and Geometric Effects on Nonlinear Response of Incompressible Hyperelastic Cylindrical Shells

Authors: Morteza Shayan Arani, Mohammadamin Esmailzadehazimi, Mohammadreza Moeini, Mohammad Toorani, Aouni A. Lakis

Abstract:

This paper investigates the nonlinear response of thin, incompressible, hyperelastic cylindrical shells in the presence of a time-varying temperature field while considering initial geometric imperfections. The governing equations of motion are derived using an improved Donnell's shallow shell theory. The hyperelastic material is modeled using the Mooney-Rivlin model with two parameters, incorporating temperature-dependent terms. The Lagrangian method is applied to obtain the equation of motion. The resulting governing equation is addressed through the Lindstedt-Poincaré and Multiple Scale methods. The linear and nonlinear models presented in this study are verified against existing open literature, demonstrating the accuracy and reliability of the presented model. The study focuses on understanding the influence of temperature variations and geometrical imperfections on the natural frequency and amplitude-frequency response of the systems. Notably, the investigation reveals the coexistence of hardening and softening peaks in the amplitude-frequency response, which vary in magnitude depending on these parameters. Additionally, resonance peaks exhibit changes as a result of temperature and geometric imperfections.

Keywords: hyperelastic material, cylindrical shell, geometrical nonlinearity, material naolinearity, initial geometric imperfection, temperature gradient, hardening and softening

Procedia PDF Downloads 66
2290 Approaches to Ethical Hacking: A Conceptual Framework for Research

Authors: Lauren Provost

Abstract:

The digital world remains increasingly vulnerable, making the development of effective cybersecurity approaches even more critical in supporting the success of the digital economy and national security. Although approaches to cybersecurity have shifted and improved in the last decade with new models, especially with cloud computing and mobility, a record number of high severity vulnerabilities were recorded in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and its National Vulnerability Database (NVD) in 2020. This is due, in part, to the increasing complexity of cyber ecosystems. Security must be approached with a more comprehensive, multi-tool strategy that addresses the complexity of cyber ecosystems, including the human factor. Ethical hacking has emerged as such an approach: a more effective, multi-strategy, comprehensive approach to cyber security's most pressing needs, especially understanding the human factor. Research on ethical hacking, however, is limited in scope. The two main objectives of this work are to (1) provide highlights of case studies in ethical hacking, (2) provide a conceptual framework for research in ethical hacking that embraces and addresses both technical and nontechnical security measures. Recommendations include an improved conceptual framework for research centered on ethical hacking that addresses many factors and attributes of significant attacks that threaten computer security; a more robust, integrative multi-layered framework embracing the complexity of cybersecurity ecosystems.

Keywords: ethical hacking, literature review, penetration testing, social engineering

Procedia PDF Downloads 210
2289 Root Cause Analysis of Excessive Vibration in a Feeder Pump of a Large Thermal Electric Power Plant: A Simulation Approach

Authors: Kavindan Balakrishnan

Abstract:

Root cause Identification of the Vibration phenomenon in a feedwater pumping station was the main objective of this research. First, the mode shapes of the pumping structure were investigated using numerical and analytical methods. Then the flow pressure and streamline distribution in the pump sump were examined using C.F.D. simulation, which was hypothesized can be a cause of vibration in the pumping station. As the problem specification of this research states, the vibration phenomenon in the pumping station, with four parallel pumps operating at the same time and heavy vibration recorded even after several maintenance steps. They also specified that a relatively large amplitude of vibration exited by pumps 1 and 4 while others remain normal. As a result, the focus of this research was on determining the cause of such a mode of vibration in the pump station with the assistance of Finite Element Analysis tools and Analytical methods. Major outcomes were observed in structural behavior which is favorable to the vibration pattern phenomenon in the pumping structure as a result of this research. Behaviors of the numerical and analytical models of the pump structure have similar characteristics in their mode shapes, particularly in their 2nd mode shape, which is considerably related to the exact cause of the research problem statement. Since this study reveals several possible points of flow visualization in the pump sump model that can be a favorable cause of vibration in the system, there is more room for improved investigation on flow conditions relating to pump vibrations.

Keywords: vibration, simulation, analysis, Ansys, Matlab, mode shapes, pressure distribution, structure

Procedia PDF Downloads 121
2288 Integration of Two Thermodynamic Cycles by Absorption for Simultaneous Production of Fresh Water and Cooling

Authors: Javier Delgado-Gonzaga, Wilfrido Rivera, David Juárez-Romero

Abstract:

Cooling and water purification are processes that have contributed to the economic and social development of the modern world. However, these processes require a significant amount of energy globally. Nowadays, absorption heat pumps have been studied with great interest since they are capable of producing cooling and/or purifying water from low-temperature energy sources such as industrial waste heat or renewable energy. In addition, absorption heat pumps require negligible amounts of electricity for their operation and generally use working fluids that do not represent a risk to the environment. The objective of this work is to evaluate a system that integrates an absorption heat transformer and an absorption cooling system to produce fresh water and cooling from a low-temperature heat source. Both cycles operate with the working pair LiBr-H2O. The integration is possible through the interaction of the LiBr-H2O solution streams between both cycles and also by recycling heat from the absorption heat transformer to the absorption cooling system. Mathematical models were developed to compare the performance of four different configurations. The results showed that the configuration in which the hottest streams of LiBr-H2O solution preheated the coldest streams in the economizers of both cycles was one that achieved the best performance. The interaction of the solution currents and the heat recycling analyzed in this work serves as a record of the possibilities of integration between absorption cycles for cogeneration.

Keywords: absorption heat transformer, absorption cooling system, water desalination, integrated system

Procedia PDF Downloads 72
2287 Impact of Farm Settlements' Facilities on Farm Patronage in Oyo State

Authors: Simon Ayorinde Okanlawon

Abstract:

The youths’ prevalent negative attitude to farming is partly due to amenities and facilities found in the urban centers at the expense of the rural areas. Hence, there is the need to create a befitting and conducive farm environment to retain farm employees and attract the youth to farming. This can be achieved through the provision of services and amenities that will ensure a comfortable standard of living higher than that obtained by a person of equal status in other forms of employment in urban centers, thereby eliminating the psychological feeling of lowered self-esteem associated with farming. This study assessed farm settlements’ facilities and patronage in Oyo State with a view to using the information to encourage sustainable agriculture in Nigeria. The study becomes necessary because of the dearth of information on the state of facilities in the farm settlements as it affects patronage of farm settlements for sustainable agriculture in the developing countries like Nigeria. The study utilized three purposely selected farm settlements- Ogbomoso, Fasola and Ilora out of the seven existing ones n Oyo State. One hundred percent (100%) of the 262 residential buildings in the three settlements were sampled, from where a household head from each of the buildings was randomly chosen. This translates to 262 household heads served with questionnaire out of which 47.7% of the questionnaires were recovered. Information obtained included respondents’ residency categories, residents’ status, residency years, housing types, types of holding and number of acres/holding. Others include the socio-economic attributes such as age, gender, income, educational status of respondents, assessment of existing facilities in the selected sites, the level of patronage of the farm settlements including perceived pull factors that can enhance farm settlements patronage. The study revealed that the residents were not satisfied with the adequacy and quality of all the facilities available in their settlements. Residents’ satisfaction with infrastructural facilities cannot be statistically linked with location across the study area. Findings suggested that residents of Ogbomoso farm settlements were not enjoying adequate provision of water supply and road as much as those from Ilora and Fasola. Patronage of the farm settlements were largely driven by farming activities and sale of farm produce. The respondents agreed that provision of farm resort centers, standard recreational and tourism facilities, vacation employment opportunities for youths, functional internet and communication networks among others are likely to boost the level of patronage of the farm settlements. The study concluded that improvement of the facilities both in quality and quantity will encourage the youths in going back to farming. It then recommends that maintenance of existing facilities and provision of more facilities such as resort centers be ensured.

Keywords: encourage, farm settlements' facilities, Oyo state, patronage

Procedia PDF Downloads 219
2286 Barriers and Facilitators of Implementing Digital Mental Health Resources in Underserved Regions of Ontario during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Authors: Samaneh Abedini, Diana Urajnik, Nicole Naccarato

Abstract:

A high prevalence of mental health problems was observed in marginalized youth living in underserved regions of Ontario during the COVID-19 pandemic. To address this issue, a growing number of community-based traditional mental health services are offering digital mental health resources due to their accessibility, affordability, and scalability. The feasibility of providing these resources in underserved regions has been examined by researchers rather than by representatives of effective services within a mental health system. Indeed, digitalized mental health contents are not routinely embedded within local mental health organizations' services in Northern Ontario, where they can make a substantial impact. To date, many technology-based mental health initiatives have not been effectively implemented in this region. The obstacles associated with implementing digitalized mental health resources in Northern Ontario may be unique to that region. Thus, specific context-based considerations might need to be applied for developing and implementing digital resources by regional mental health organizations in Northern Ontario. The target population was child-serving organizations situated in northeastern Ontario, specifically within Greater Sudbury and the Sudbury District. A sample of six organizations were selected with representation from the mental health, social, and healthcare sectors. The project supervisor was in a unique position to access the organizations by virtue of existing relationships with the practice and lay communities at large. Thus, recruitment was conducted through professional outreach in partnership with the Center for Rural and Northern Health Research (CRaNHR). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 1-2 key personnel (e.g., administrator, clinician) from participating organizations. Audio recordings from the semi-structured interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed supported by NVivo. Thematic analysis of the data resulted in a total of 13 excerpts which were categorized into two major themes including 1) digital mental health services as a valuable resource for organizations both during and after the pandemic, and 2) barriers and facilitators to a successful implementation of digital mental health resources in northern Ontario. Four secondary themes were identified: 1) perceived barriers to implementation of digital mental health resources to the offered services by mental health agencies; 2) acceptability and feasibility of digital health sources for people living in northern Ontario; 3) data security, safety, and risk; and 4) connecting with clients. The employees of mental health organizations in northern Ontario considered digital mental health resources as generally acceptable to youth. However, they raised several concerns that may affect their implementation into routine practice and service delivery. The implementation of digital systems should be simple and straightforward and should enhance rather than hinder clinical workflows for staff. A clear plan for implementing technological services is also required for the successful adoption of digital systems. For successful adoption and implementation of digital systems, staff views must be considered.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, digital mental health resources, Ontario, underserved

Procedia PDF Downloads 97
2285 Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study of Sulfonated Polybenzimidazole Polymers as Promising Forward Osmosis Membranes

Authors: Seyedeh Pardis Hosseini

Abstract:

With increased levels of clean and affordable water scarcity crises in many countries, wastewater treatment has been chosen as a viable method to produce freshwater for various consumptions. Even though reverse osmosis dominates the wastewater treatment market, forward osmosis (FO) processes have significant advantages, such as potentially using a renewable and low-grade energy source and improving water quality. FO is an osmotically driven membrane process that uses a high concentrated draw solution and a relatively low concentrated feed solution across a semi-permeable membrane. Among many novel FO membranes that have been introduced over the past decades, polybenzimidazole (PBI) membranes, a class of aromatic heterocyclic-based polymers, have shown high thermal and chemical stability because of their unique chemical structure. However, the studies reviewed indicate that the hydrophilicity of PBI membranes is comparatively low. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop novel FO membranes with modified PBI polymers to promote hydrophilicity. A few studies have been undertaken to improve the PBI hydrophilicity by fabricating mixed matrix polymeric membranes and surface modification. Thereby, in this study, two different sulfonated polybenzimidazole (SPBI) polymers with the same backbone but different functional groups, namely arylsulfonate PBI (PBI-AS) and propylsulfonate PBI (PBI-PS), are introduced as FO membranes and studied via the molecular dynamics (MD) simulation method. The FO simulation box consists of three distinct regions: a saltwater region, a membrane region, and a pure-water region. The pure-water region is situated at the upper part of the simulation box, while the saltwater region, which contains an aqueous salt solution of Na+ and Cl− ions along with water molecules, occupies the lower part of the simulation box. Specifically, the saltwater region includes 710 water molecules and 24 Na+ and 24 Cl− ions, resulting in a combined concentration of 10 weight percent (wt%). The pure-water region comprises 788 water molecules. Both the saltwater and pure-water regions have a density of 1.0 g/cm³. The membrane region, positioned between the saltwater and pure-water regions, is constructed from three types of polymers: PBI, PBI-AS, and PBI-PS, each consisting of three polymer chains with 30 monomers per chain. The structural and thermophysical properties of the polymers, water molecules, and Na+ and Cl− ions were analyzed using the COMPASS forcefield. All simulations were conducted using the BIOVIA Materials Studio 2020 software. By monitoring the variation in the number of water molecules over the simulation time within the saltwater region, the water permeability of the polymer membranes was calculated and subsequently compared. The results indicated that SPBI polymers exhibited higher water permeability compared to PBI polymers. This enhanced permeability can be attributed to the structural and compositional differences between SPBI and PBI polymers, which likely facilitate more efficient water transport through the membrane. Consequently, the adoption of SPBI polymers in the FO process is anticipated to result in significantly improved performance. This improvement could lead to higher water flux rates, better salt rejection, and overall more efficient use of resources in desalination and water purification applications.

Keywords: forward osmosis, molecular dynamics simulation, sulfonated polybenzimidazole, water permeability

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2284 Ruta graveolens Fingerprints Obtained with Reversed-Phase Gradient Thin-Layer Chromatography with Controlled Solvent Velocity

Authors: Adrian Szczyrba, Aneta Halka-Grysinska, Tomasz Baj, Tadeusz H. Dzido

Abstract:

Since prehistory, plants were constituted as an essential source of biologically active substances in folk medicine. One of the examples of medicinal plants is Ruta graveolens L. For a long time, Ruta g. herb has been famous for its spasmolytic, diuretic, or anti-inflammatory therapeutic effects. The wide spectrum of secondary metabolites produced by Ruta g. includes flavonoids (eg. rutin, quercetin), coumarins (eg. bergapten, umbelliferone) phenolic acids (eg. rosmarinic acid, chlorogenic acid), and limonoids. Unfortunately, the presence of produced substances is highly dependent on environmental factors like temperature, humidity, or soil acidity; therefore standardization is necessary. There were many attempts of characterization of various phytochemical groups (eg. coumarins) of Ruta graveolens using the normal – phase thin-layer chromatography (TLC). However, due to the so-called general elution problem, usually, some components remained unseparated near the start or finish line. Therefore Ruta graveolens is a very good model plant. Methanol and petroleum ether extract from its aerial parts were used to demonstrate the capabilities of the new device for gradient thin-layer chromatogram development. The development of gradient thin-layer chromatograms in the reversed-phase system in conventional horizontal chambers can be disrupted by problems associated with an excessive flux of the mobile phase to the surface of the adsorbent layer. This phenomenon is most likely caused by significant differences between the surface tension of the subsequent fractions of the mobile phase. An excessive flux of the mobile phase onto the surface of the adsorbent layer distorts the flow of the mobile phase. The described effect produces unreliable, and unrepeatable results, causing blurring and deformation of the substance zones. In the prototype device, the mobile phase solution is delivered onto the surface of the adsorbent layer with controlled velocity (by moving pipette driven by 3D machine). The delivery of the solvent to the adsorbent layer is equal to or lower than that of conventional development. Therefore chromatograms can be developed with optimal linear mobile phase velocity. Furthermore, under such conditions, there is no excess of eluent solution on the surface of the adsorbent layer so the higher performance of the chromatographic system can be obtained. Directly feeding the adsorbent layer with eluent also enables to perform convenient continuous gradient elution practically without the so-called gradient delay. In the study, unique fingerprints of methanol and petroleum ether extracts of Ruta graveolens aerial parts were obtained with stepwise gradient reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography. Obtained fingerprints under different chromatographic conditions will be compared. The advantages and disadvantages of the proposed approach to chromatogram development with controlled solvent velocity will be discussed.

Keywords: fingerprints, gradient thin-layer chromatography, reversed-phase TLC, Ruta graveolens

Procedia PDF Downloads 285
2283 Risk Assessments of Longest Dry Spells Phenomenon in Northern Tunisia

Authors: Majid Mathlouthi, Fethi Lebdi

Abstract:

Throughout the world, the extent and magnitude of droughts have economic, social and environmental consequences. Today climate change has become more and more felt; most likely they increase the frequency and duration of droughts. An analysis by event of dry event, from series of observations of the daily rainfall is carried out. A daily precipitation threshold value has been set. A catchment localized in Northern Tunisia where the average rainfall is about 600 mm has been studied. Rainfall events are defined as an uninterrupted series of rainfall days understanding at least a day having received a precipitation superior or equal to a fixed threshold. The dry events are constituted of a series of dry days framed by two successive rainfall events. A rainfall event is a vector of coordinates the duration, the rainfall depth per event and the duration of the dry event. The depth and duration are found to be correlated. So we use conditional probabilities to analyse the depth per event. The negative binomial distribution fits well the dry event. The duration of the rainfall event follows a geometric distribution. The length of the climatically cycle adjusts to the Incomplete Gamma. Results of this analysis was used to study of the effects of climate change on water resources and crops and to calibrate precipitation models with little rainfall records. In response to long droughts in the basin, the drought management system is based on three phases during each of the three phases; different measurements are applied and executed. The first is before drought, preparedness and early warning; the second is drought management, mitigation in the event of drought; and the last subsequent drought, when the drought is over.

Keywords: dry spell, precipitation threshold, climate vulnerability, adaptation measures

Procedia PDF Downloads 81
2282 A Biomimetic Structural Form: Developing a Paradigm to Attain Vital Sustainability in Tall Architecture

Authors: Osama Al-Sehail

Abstract:

This paper argues for sustainability as a necessity in the evolution of tall architecture. It provides a different mode for dealing with sustainability in tall architecture, taking into consideration the speciality of its typology. To this end, the article develops a Biomimetic Structural Form as a paradigm to attain Vital Sustainability. A Biomimetic Structural Form, which is derived from the amalgamation of biomimicry as an approach for sustainability defining nature as source of knowledge and inspiration in solving humans’ problems and a Structural Form as a catalyst for evolving tall architecture, is a dynamic paradigm emerging from a conceptualizing and morphological process. A Biomimetic Structural Form is a flow system whose different forces and functions tend to be “better”, more "fit", to “survive”, and to be efficient. Through geometry and function—the two aspects of knowledge extracted from nature—the attributes of the Biomimetic Structural Form are formulated. Vital Sustainability is the survival level of sustainability in natural systems through which a system enhances the performance of its internal working and its interaction with the external environment. A Biomimetic Structural Form, in this context, is a medium for evolving tall architecture to emulate natural models in their ways of coexistence with the environment. As an integral part of this article, the sustainable super tall building 3Ts is discussed as a case study of applying Biomimetic Structural Form.   

Keywords: biomimicry, design in nature, high-rise buildings, sustainability, structural form, tall architecture, vital sustainability

Procedia PDF Downloads 306
2281 Learning a Bayesian Network for Situation-Aware Smart Home Service: A Case Study with a Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Authors: Eu Tteum Ha, Seyoung Kim, Jeongmin Kim, Kwang Ryel Ryu

Abstract:

The smart home environment backed up by IoT (internet of things) technologies enables intelligent services based on the awareness of the situation a user is currently in. One of the convenient sensors for recognizing the situations within a home is the smart meter that can monitor the status of each electrical appliance in real time. This paper aims at learning a Bayesian network that models the causal relationship between the user situations and the status of the electrical appliances. Using such a network, we can infer the current situation based on the observed status of the appliances. However, learning the conditional probability tables (CPTs) of the network requires many training examples that cannot be obtained unless the user situations are closely monitored by any means. This paper proposes a method for learning the CPT entries of the network relying only on the user feedbacks generated occasionally. In our case study with a robot vacuum cleaner, the feedback comes in whenever the user gives an order to the robot adversely from its preprogrammed setting. Given a network with randomly initialized CPT entries, our proposed method uses this feedback information to adjust relevant CPT entries in the direction of increasing the probability of recognizing the desired situations. Simulation experiments show that our method can rapidly improve the recognition performance of the Bayesian network using a relatively small number of feedbacks.

Keywords: Bayesian network, IoT, learning, situation -awareness, smart home

Procedia PDF Downloads 516
2280 Determination of Tide Height Using Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)

Authors: Faisal Alsaaq

Abstract:

Hydrographic surveys have traditionally relied on the availability of tide information for the reduction of sounding observations to a common datum. In most cases, tide information is obtained from tide gauge observations and/or tide predictions over space and time using local, regional or global tide models. While the latter often provides a rather crude approximation, the former relies on tide gauge stations that are spatially restricted, and often have sparse and limited distribution. A more recent method that is increasingly being used is Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) positioning which can be utilised to monitor height variations of a vessel or buoy, thus providing information on sea level variations during the time of a hydrographic survey. However, GNSS heights obtained under the dynamic environment of a survey vessel are affected by “non-tidal” processes such as wave activity and the attitude of the vessel (roll, pitch, heave and dynamic draft). This research seeks to examine techniques that separate the tide signal from other non-tidal signals that may be contained in GNSS heights. This requires an investigation of the processes involved and their temporal, spectral and stochastic properties in order to apply suitable recovery techniques of tide information. In addition, different post-mission and near real-time GNSS positioning techniques will be investigated with focus on estimation of height at ocean. Furthermore, the study will investigate the possibility to transfer the chart datums at the location of tide gauges.

Keywords: hydrography, GNSS, datum, tide gauge

Procedia PDF Downloads 258