Search results for: group acceptance sampling plan

Authors: Indra Bahadur Chand

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This paper will focus on the need for development and application of global protocols and policy in planning, designing, development, and management of systems of eco-towns and eco-villages so that sustainable development will be assured from the perspective of environmental, economical, peace, and harmonized social dynamics. This perspective is essential for the development of civilized and eco-friendly human settlements in the town and rural areas of the nation that will be a milestone for developing a happy and sustainable lifestyle of rural and urban communities of the nation. The urban population of most of the town of developing economies has been tremendously increasing, whereas rural people have been tremendously migrating for the past three decades. Consequently, the urban lifestyle in most towns has stressed in terms of environmental pollution, water crisis, congested traffic, energy crisis, food crisis, and unemployment. Eco-towns and villages should be developed where lifestyle of all residents is sustainable and happy. Built up environment of settlement should reduce and minimize the problems of non ecological CO2 emissions, unbalanced utilization of natural resources, environmental degradation, natural calamities, ecological imbalance, energy crisis, water scarcity, waste management, food crisis, unemployment, deterioration of cultural heritage, social, the ratio among the public and private land ownership, ratio of land covered with vegetation and area of settlement, the ratio of people in the vehicles and foot, the ratio of people employed outside of town and village, ratio of resources recycling of waste materials, water consumption level, the ratio of people and vehicles, ratio of the length of the road network and area of town/villages, a ratio of renewable energy consumption with total energy, a ratio of religious/recreational area out of the total built-up area, the ratio of annual suicide case out of total people, a ratio of annual injured and death out of total people from a traffic accident, a ratio of production of agro foods within town out of total food consumption will be used to assist in designing and monitoring of each eco-towns and villages. An eco-town and villages should be planned and developed to offer sustainable infrastructure and utilities that maintain CO2 level in individual homes and settlements, home energy use, transport, food and consumer goods, water supply, waste management, conservation of historical heritages, healthy neighborhood, conservation of natural landscape, conserving bio-diversity and developing green infrastructures. Eco-towns and villages should be developed on the basis of master planning and architecture that affect and define the settlement and its form. Master planning and engineering should focus in delivering the sustainability criteria of eco towns and eco village. This will involve working with specific landscape and natural resources of locality.

Keywords: eco-town, ecological habitation, master plan, sustainable development

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Authors: Razia Anjum, Zaqia Bano, Chan Wai

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Temperament has been described as a multifaceted and potentially value-laden construct in literature but there is scarcity of research work in area of forensic psychology predominantly in south Asian countries. Present exposition explored the mediated effect of temperament towards the childhood maltreatment and delinquency. Further the moderated effect of prisoner’s age and education will be examined. Variable System for Windows 1.3 version was used to analyze the data provided by 517 prisoners (407 males, 110 females) from four districts prisons situated at Pakistan. Cross sectional research design was used in this study and representative sample was approached through purposive sampling technique. Only those prisoners were the part of study who maltreated in their childhood in form of physical abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse or experienced the emotional neglect. After exploration the childhood adversities through ‘Child Abuse Self-Report Scale’, then the prisoner’s temperament styles were explored through ‘Adult Temperament Scale’. Later on, the investigation with particular to the delinquent behaviors was carried out. The findings suggested that the presence of four temperamental styles (choleric, melancholic, phlegmatic, and sanguine) mediated the childhood maltreatment-delinquency relationship in late adulthood but not in early adulthood. Marked exploration was the significant moderated effect of Prisoner’s age and their level of education that effect the relationship of temperament towards the childhood maltreatment and the delinquency, in this way results are consistent with views on cumulative pathways to delinquency that undergone through the effect of childhood maltreatment. Results indicated that Choleric, Melancholic temperament was the positive predictor of delinquency, whereas. The Phlegmatic and Sanguine temperament were the negative predictor of delinquency, in this way, different types of temperament left an indelible trace on delinquency that can work out by modifying the individual temperament. On the basis of results, it could be concluded that inclination towards the delinquent behaviors including theft, drug abuse, lying, noncompliance behavior, police encounter, violence, cheating, gambling, harassment, homosexuality and heterosexuality could be minimized if properly screen out the temperament. Moreover, study determined the two other significant moderated effect of age towards the involvement in delinquent behaviors and moderated effect of education towards childhood maltreatment and the temperament. Findings suggested that with marked increase in number of years in age the probability to get involve in delinquent behaviors will decrease and the result was consistent with the assumption that education can work as buffered to maximize or minimize the effect of trauma and can shape the temperament accordingly. Results are consistent with views on cumulative disadvantage with the socio-psychological faultiness of community.

Keywords: delinquent behaviors, temperament, prisoners, moderated mediation analysis

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Authors: Fred Alinda, Marjorie Negesa, Gerald Karyeija

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Like elsewhere in the world, youth unemployment remains a big problem more so to the most educated youth and female. In Rwanda, unemployment is estimated at 13.2% among youth graduates compared to 10.9% and 2.6 among secondary and primary graduates respectively. Though empirical evidence elsewhere associate youth unemployment with education level, relevance of skills and access to business support opportunities, mixed evidence still exist on the significance of these factors to youth employment. As youth employment strategies in countries like Rwanda continue to recognize the potential role university education can play to enhance employment, there is a need to understand the catalysts or barriers. This paper, therefore, draws empirical evidence from a survey on the influence of education qualification, skills relevance and access to business support opportunities on employment of the youth university graduates in Masaka sector, Rwanda. The analysis tested four hypotheses; access to university education significantly affects youth employment, Relevance of university education significantly contributes to youth employment; access to business support opportunities significantly contributes to youth employment, and significant gender differences exist in the employment of youth university graduates. A cross-section survey was used in lieu of the need to explore the prevailing status of youth employment and contributing factors across the sector. A questionnaire was used to collect data on a large sample of 269 youth to allow statistical analysis. This was beefed up with qualitative views of leaders and technical officials in the sector. The youth University graduates were selected using simple random sampling while the leaders and technical officials were selected purposively. Percentages were used to describe respondents in line with the variables under while a regression model for youth employment was fitted to determine the significant factors. The model results indicated a significant influence (p<0.05) of gender, education level and access to business support opportunities on employment of youth university graduates. This finding was also affirmed by the qualitative views of key informants. Qualitative views pointed to the fact that university education generally equipped the youth with skills that enabled their transition into employment mainly for a salary or wage. The skills were, however, deficient in technical and practical aspects. In addition, the youth generally lacked limited access to business support opportunities particularly guarantees for loans, business advisory, and grants for business as well as training in business skills that would help them gain salaried employment or transit into self-employment. The study findings bear an implication on the strategy for catalyzing youth employment through university education. The findings imply that university education should be embraced but with greater emphasis on or supplementation with specialized training in practical and technical skills as well as extending business support opportunities to the youth. This will accelerate the contribution of university education to youth employment.

Keywords: education, employment, self-employment, youth

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Authors: Amanda de Oliveira Ferreira Leite, Ana Luiza del Pino Ferreira, Bruna Garcez Correa, Janaíne de Souza Mello, Marla Manquevich, Mirna Wetters Portuguez

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Objective: We sought to investigate a neuropsychological intervention focused on improving cognition, psychological aspects, and quality of life of elderly people with mild cognitive impairment. Method: A controlled and randomized study, blind to the evaluator, was executed. We evaluated 78 elderly people, divided into the neuropsychological and control groups, through a semi-structured interview, Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination, Katz Index, Lawton and Brody Scale, Geriatric Depression Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Personal Development Scale, WHOQOL-bref and WHOQOL--old. Results: After the intervention, the neuropsychological group showed improvement in the cognitive subtests and in the total score, reduction in the frequency of symptoms associated with anxiety and depression, better psychological well-being, and quality of life. The research highlights useful intervention strategies for improving the general condition of these patients and rehabilitating damaged areas. Conclusion: We concluded that there is a relationship between neuropsychological intervention and improvement in cognitive and psychological performance, as well as in the quality of life in elderly people with mild cognitive impairment.

Keywords: aging, mild cognitive impairment, neuropsychology, quality of life

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Authors: Noor Khan, Hira Waris

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This study was conducted on genetically male tilapia (GMT) fry reared in glass aquarium for three months to examine the synergetic effect of essential amino acids (EAA) supplementation on growth, body composition, and enzyme activities. Fish having average body weight of 16.56 ± 0.42g were fed twice a day on artificial feed (20% crude protein) procured from Oryza Organics (commercial feed) supplemented with EAA; methionine (M) and lysine (L) designated as T1 (0.3%M and 2%L), T2 (0.6%M and 4%L), T3 (0.9%M and 6%L) and control without EAA. Significantly higher growth performance was observed in T1, followed by T2, T3, and control. The results revealed that whole-body dry matter and crude protein were significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) in T3 (0.9% and 6%) feeding fish, while the crude fat was lower (p ≤ 0.05) in a similar group of fish. Additionally, protease, amylase, and lipase activities were also observed maximum (p ≤ 0.05) in response to T3 than other treatments and control. However, the EAA, especially lysine and methionine, were found significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) in T1 compared to other treatments. Conclusively, the addition of EAA, methionine, and lysine in the feed not only enhanced the growth performance of GMT fry but also improved body proximate composition and essential amino acid profile.

Keywords: genetically male tilapia, body composition, digestive enzyme activities, amino acid profile

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Authors: Rangoli Goyal, Rama Bhargava

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The triple diffusive boundary layer flow of nanofluid under the action of constant magnetic field over a non-linear stretching sheet has been investigated numerically. The model includes the effect of Brownian motion, thermophoresis, and cross-diffusion; slip mechanisms which are primarily responsible for the enhancement of the convective features of nanofluid. The governing partial differential equations are transformed into a system of ordinary differential equations (by using group theory transformations) and solved numerically by using variational finite element method. The effects of various controlling parameters, such as the magnetic influence number, thermophoresis parameter, Brownian motion parameter, modified Dufour parameter, and Dufour solutal Lewis number, on the fluid flow as well as on heat and mass transfer coefficients (both of solute and nanofluid) are presented graphically and discussed quantitatively. The present study has industrial applications in aerodynamic extrusion of plastic sheets, coating and suspensions, melt spinning, hot rolling, wire drawing, glass-fibre production, and manufacture of polymer and rubber sheets, where the quality of the desired product depends on the stretching rate as well as external field including magnetic effects.

Keywords: FEM, thermophoresis, diffusiophoresis, Brownian motion

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Authors: Amjed Rasheed

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Rebellions are driven by several incentives. They do not often occur because of historical grievances or political exclusion. They can be driven by the desire to control over natural resources, or by both. In the case of the Islamic State (ISIL), greed and grievance are both drive this radical group to operate in Iraq and Syria. This article aims to show that grievance was the trigger to the emergence of ISIL. It also aims to demonstrate that ISIL is using oil as a tool, to implements its political ends, than a purpose per se. In other words, the emergence of ISIL is based on socio-political conditions, which are domestically driven, and oil is not ISIL’s aim but a source of revenue to finance its activities. This paper applies conflict analysis methodology to analyse the conflict in Iraq and Syria, with a specific highlight to ISIL. By doing so, it gives ahistorical background on emergence of ISIL. It also provides an insightful explanation on the main dynamics and the tactics this organisation applies. It also delivers a sufficient explanation on how it recruits its members, both local and international. It concludes that tackling ISIL needs a more sophisticated approach than the one Obama administration has adopted. It is more a political issue to be tackled by political means, than a military one to be tackled by military means. The current war is an Intra-Sunni war, and therefore, Sunni states have to be on board to crackdown ISIL. Besides, the article finishes with the argument that democratisation is not necessarily the key answer to bring stability to the region, but a sort of governance that provides security and material needs to individuals.

Keywords: ISIL, Iraq, domestic politics, Islamic radicalisation

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Authors: Mohamed Elshal, Hazim El-Mounayri, Omar El-Mounayri

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Emergency department (ED) is considered as a complex system of interacting entities: patients, human resources, software and hardware systems, interfaces, and other systems. This paper represents a research for implementing a detailed Systems Engineering (SE) approach in a mid-size hospital in central Indiana. This methodology will be applied by “The Initiative for Product Lifecycle Innovation (IPLI)” institution at Indiana University to study and solve the crowding problem with the aim of increasing throughput of patients and enhance their treatment experience; therefore, the nature of crowding problem needs to be investigated with all other problems that leads to it. The presented SE methods are workflow analysis and systems modeling where SE tools such as Microsoft Visio are used to construct a group of system-level diagrams that demonstrate: patient’s workflow, documentation and communication flow, data systems, human resources workflow and requirements, leadership involved, and integration between ER different systems. Finally, the ultimate goal will be managing the process through implementation of an executable model using commercialized software tools, which will identify bottlenecks, improve documentation flow, and help make the process faster.

Keywords: systems modeling, ED operation, workflow modeling, systems analysis

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Authors: Jacob Schwartz, Maxim Durach, Aniruddha Mitra, Abbas Rashidi, Glen Sage, Atin Adhikari

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NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) approved N95 respirators are commonly used by workers in construction sites where there is a large amount of dust being produced from sawing, grinding, blasting, welding, etc., both electrostatically charged and not. A significant portion of airborne particles in construction sites could be nanoparticles created beside coarse particles. The penetration of the particles through the masks may differ depending on the size and charge of the individual particle. In field experiments relevant to this current study, we found that nanoparticles of medium size ranges are penetrating more frequently than nanoparticles of smaller and larger sizes. For example, penetration percentages of nanoparticles of 11.5 – 27.4 nm into a sealed N95 respirator on a manikin head ranged from 0.59 to 6.59%, whereas nanoparticles of 36.5 – 86.6 nm ranged from 7.34 to 16.04%. The possible causes behind this increased penetration of mid-size nanoparticles through mask filters are not yet explored. The objective of this study is to identify causes behind this unusual behavior of mid-size nanoparticles. We have considered such physical factors as Boltzmann distribution of the particles in thermal equilibrium with the air, kinetic energy of the particles at impact on the mask, Stoke’s drag force, and electrostatic forces in the mask stopping the particles. When the particles collide with the mask, only the particles that have enough kinetic energy to overcome the energy loss due to the electrostatic forces and the Stokes’ drag in the mask can pass through the mask. To understand this process, the following assumptions were made: (1) the effect of Stoke’s drag depends on the particles’ velocity at entry into the mask; (2) the electrostatic force is proportional to the charge on the particles, which in turn is proportional to the surface area of the particles; (3) the general dependence on electrostatic charge and thickness means that for stronger electrostatic resistance in the masks and thicker the masks’ fiber layers the penetration of particles is reduced, which is a sensible conclusion. In sampling situations where one mask was soaked in alcohol eliminating electrostatic interaction the penetration was much larger in the mid-range than the same mask with electrostatic interaction. The smaller nanoparticles showed almost zero penetration most likely because of the small kinetic energy, while the larger sized nanoparticles showed almost negligible penetration most likely due to the interaction of the particle with its own drag force. If there is no electrostatic force the fraction for larger particles grows. But if the electrostatic force is added the fraction for larger particles goes down, so diminished penetration for larger particles should be due to increased electrostatic repulsion, may be due to increased surface area and therefore larger charge on average. We have also explored the effect of ambient temperature on nanoparticle penetrations and determined that the dependence of the penetration of particles on the temperature is weak in the range of temperatures in the measurements 37-42°C, since the factor changes in the range from 3.17 10-3K-1 to 3.22 10-3K-1.

Keywords: respiratory protection, industrial hygiene, aerosol, electrostatic force

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Authors: Prescilla Lambert, Christophe Roos, Mounim Lebrini

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For several years, the Caribbean islands and West Africa have had to deal with the massive arrival of the brown seaweed Sargassum. Overall, this macroalgae, which constitutes a habitat for a great diversity of marine organisms, is also an additional stress factor for the marine environment (e.g., coral reefs). In addition, the accumulation followed by the significant decomposition of the Sargassum spp. biomass on the coast leads to the release of toxic gases (H₂S and NH₃), which calls into question the functioning of the economic, health and tourist life of the island and the other interested territories. Originally, these algae are formed by the eutrophication of the oceans accentuated by global warming. Unfortunately, scientists predict a significant recurrence of these Sargassum strandings for years to come. It is therefore more than necessary to find solutions by putting in place a sustainable management plan for this phenomenon. Martinique, a small island in the Caribbean arc, is one of the many areas impacted by Sargassum seaweed strandings. Since 2011, there has been a constant increase in the degradation of the materials present in this region, largely due to toxic/corrosive gases released by the algae decomposition. In order to protect the structures and the vulnerable building materials while limiting the use of synthetic/petroleum based molecules as much as possible, research is being conducted on molecules of natural origin. Thus, thanks to the chemical composition, which comprise molecules with interesting properties, algae such as Sargassum could potentially help to solve many issues. Therefore, this study focuses on the green extraction and characterization of molecules from the species Sargassum fluitans and Sargassum natans present in Martinique. The secondary metabolites found in these extracts showed variability in yield rates due to local climatic conditions. The tests carried out shed light on the anticorrosive and antibacterial potential of the algae. These extracts can thus be described as natural inhibitors. The effect of variation in inhibitor concentrations was tested in electrochemistry using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and polarization curves. The analysis of electrochemical results obtained by direct immersion in the extracts and self-assembled molecular layers (SAMs) for Sargassum fluitans III, Sargassum natans I and VIII species was conclusive in acid and alkaline environments. The excellent results obtained reveal an inhibitory efficacy of 88% at 50mg/L for the crude extract of Sargassum fluitans III and efficacies greater than 97% for the chemical families of Sargassum fluitans III. Similarly, microbiological tests also suggest a bactericidal character. Results for Sargassum fluitans III crude extract show a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.005 mg/mL on Gram-negative bacteria and a MIC greater than 0.6 mg/mL on Gram-positive bacteria. These results make it possible to consider the management of local and international issues while valuing a biomass rich in biodegradable molecules. The next step in this study will therefore be the evaluation of the toxicity of Sargassum spp..

Keywords: Sargassum, secondary metabolites, anticorrosive, antibacterial, natural inhibitors

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Authors: Nkwachukwu Chukwuchekwa, Joy Ulumma Chukwuchekwa

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Magnetic characteristics of grain-oriented electrical steel (GOES) are usually measured at high flux densities suitable for its typical applications in power transformers. There are limited magnetic data at low flux densities which are relevant for the characterization of GOES for applications in metering instrument transformers and low frequency magnetic shielding in magnetic resonance imaging medical scanners. Magnetic properties such as coercivity, B-H loop, AC relative permeability and specific power loss of conventional grain oriented (CGO) and high permeability grain oriented (HGO) electrical steels were measured and compared at high and low flux densities at power magnetising frequency. 40 strips comprising 20 CGO and 20 HGO, 305 mm x 30 mm x 0.27 mm from a supplier were tested. The HGO and CGO strips had average grain sizes of 9 mm and 4 mm respectively. Each strip was singly magnetised under sinusoidal peak flux density from 8.0 mT to 1.5 T at a magnetising frequency of 50 Hz. The novel single sheet tester comprises a personal computer in which LabVIEW version 8.5 from National Instruments (NI) was installed, a NI 4461 data acquisition (DAQ) card, an impedance matching transformer, to match the 600  minimum load impedance of the DAQ card with the 5 to 20  low impedance of the magnetising circuit, and a 4.7 Ω shunt resistor. A double vertical yoke made of GOES which is 290 mm long and 32 mm wide is used. A 500-turn secondary winding, about 80 mm in length, was wound around a plastic former, 270 mm x 40 mm, housing the sample, while a 100-turn primary winding, covering the entire length of the plastic former was wound over the secondary winding. A standard Epstein strip to be tested is placed between the yokes. The magnetising voltage was generated by the LabVIEW program through a voltage output from the DAQ card. The voltage drop across the shunt resistor and the secondary voltage were acquired by the card for calculation of magnetic field strength and flux density respectively. A feedback control system implemented in LabVIEW was used to control the flux density and to make the induced secondary voltage waveforms sinusoidal to have repeatable and comparable measurements. The low noise NI4461 card with 24 bit resolution and a sampling rate of 204.8 KHz and 92 KHz bandwidth were chosen to take the measurements to minimize the influence of thermal noise. In order to reduce environmental noise, the yokes, sample and search coil carrier were placed in a noise shielding chamber. HGO was found to have better magnetic properties at both high and low magnetisation regimes. This is because of the higher grain size of HGO and higher grain-grain misorientation of CGO. HGO is better CGO in both low and high magnetic field applications.

Keywords: flux density, electrical steel, LabVIEW, magnetization

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Authors: Susana Olmos, Catherine Spencer

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Every year our School in DIT (Dublin Institute of Technology) hosts approximately 80 Erasmus students from partner universities across Europe. Our own students are required to spend a compulsory 3rd year abroad on study and/or work placements. This is an extremely rewarding experience for all of the students, however, it can also be a challenging one. With this in mind, we started a project which aimed to make this transition as easy and productive as possible. The project, which is called MEET: Maximise the Erasmus Experience Together, focuses on the students’ own active engagement in learning and preparation – outside of the classroom –and their own self-directed pursuit of opportunities to develop their confidence and preparedness, which would work as an important foundation for the transformative learning that study abroad implies. We focussed on creating more structured opportunities where Erasmus students from our partner universities (currently studying at DIT) and our second-year students could interact and learn from each other, and in so doing improve both their language and intercultural skills. Our experience so far has been quite positive and we have seen how students taking part in this project have developed as autonomous learners as well as enhanced both their linguistic and intercultural knowledge. As the linguistic element of our project was one of our main priorities, we asked the students to keep a reflective diary on the activities that were organised by the group in the TL. Also, we use questionnaires as well as personal interviews to assess their development. However, there are challenges and proposals we would make to bring this project forward for the near future.

Keywords: erasmus, intercultural competence, linguistic competence, extra curriculum activities

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Authors: Yina F. Muñoz, Alexander Paz, Hanns De La Fuente-Mella, Joaquin V. Fariña, Guilherme M. Sales

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The primary approach for estimating bridge deterioration uses Markov-chain models and regression analysis. Traditional Markov models have problems in estimating the required transition probabilities when a small sample size is used. Often, reliable bridge data have not been taken over large periods, thus large data sets may not be available. This study presents an important change to the traditional approach by using the Small Data Method to estimate transition probabilities. The results illustrate that the Small Data Method and traditional approach both provide similar estimates; however, the former method provides results that are more conservative. That is, Small Data Method provided slightly lower than expected bridge condition ratings compared with the traditional approach. Considering that bridges are critical infrastructures, the Small Data Method, which uses more information and provides more conservative estimates, may be more appropriate when the available sample size is small. In addition, regression analysis was used to calculate bridge deterioration. Condition ratings were determined for bridge groups, and the best regression model was selected for each group. The results obtained were very similar to those obtained when using Markov chains; however, it is desirable to use more data for better results.

Keywords: concrete bridges, deterioration, Markov chains, probability matrix

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Authors: Anurakti Shukla, Sudhakar Srivastava

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Cyanobacteria are known for rapid growth rates, high biomass, and the ability to accumulate potentially toxic elements and contaminants. The present work was planned to develop a low-cost, feasible prototype, CyanoClean, for the growth of a cyanobacterial consortium for the removal of arsenic (As) from water. The cyanobacterial consortium consisting of Oscillatoria, Phormidiumand Gloeotrichiawas used, and the conditions for optimal growth of the consortium were standardized. A pH of 7.6, initial cyanobacterial biomass of 10 g/L, and arsenite [As(III)] and arsenate [As(V)] concentration of 400 μΜand 600 μM, respectively, were found to be suitable. The CyanoClean prototype was designed with acrylic sheet and had arrangements for optimal cyanobacterial growth in natural sunlight and also in artificial light. The As removal experiments in concentration- and duration-dependent manner demonstrated removal of up to 39-69% and 9-33% As respectively from As(III) and As(V)-contaminated water. In field testing of CyanoClean, natural As-contaminated groundwater was used, and As reduction was monitored when a flow rate of 3 L/h was maintained. In a field experiment, As concentration in groundwater was found to reduce from 102.43 μg L⁻¹ to <10 μg L⁻¹ after 6 h in natural sunlight. However, in shaded conditions under artificial light, the same result was achieved after 9 h. The CyanoClean prototype is of simple design and can be easily up-scaled for application at a small- to medium-size land and shall be affordable even for a low- to middle-income group farmer.

Keywords: cyanoclean, gloeotrichia, oscillatoria, phormidium, phycoremediation

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Authors: Jihede Haj Messaoud, Hamdi Omar, Hela Fakhfakh Ben Jemia, Chokri Yaich

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The Upper Lutetian alternating marl–limestone succession of Reineche Member was deposited over a warm shallow carbonate platform that permits Nummulites proliferation. High-resolution studies of 30 meters thick Nummulites-bearing Reineche Member, cropping out in Central Tunisia (Jebel Siouf), have been undertaken, regarding pronounced cyclical sedimentary sequences, in order to investigate the periodicity of cycles and their related orbital-scale oceanic and climatic changes. The palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic data are preserved in several proxies obtainable through high-resolution sampling and laboratories measurement and analysis as magnetic susceptibility (MS) and carbonates contents in conjunction with a wireline logging tools. The time series analysis of proxies permits to establish cyclicity orders present in the studied intervals which could be linked to the orbital cycles. MS records provide high-resolution proxies for relative sea level change in Late Lutetian strata. The spectral analysis of MS fluctuations confirmed the orbital forcing by the presence of the complete suite of orbital frequencies in the precession of 23 ka, the obliquity of 41 ka, and notably the two modes of eccentricity of 100 and 405 ka. Regarding the two periodic sedimentary cycles detected by wavelet analysis of proxy fluctuations which coincide with the long-term 405 ka eccentricity cycle, the Reineche Member spanned 0,8 Myr. Wireline logging tools as gamma ray and sonic were used as a proxies to decipher cyclicity and trends in sedimentation and contribute to identifying and correlate units. There are used to constraint the highest frequency cyclicity modulated by a long term wavelength cycling apparently controlled by clay content. Interpreted as a result of variations in carbonate productivity, it has been suggested that the marl-limestone couplets, represent the sedimentary response to the orbital forcing. The calculation of cycle durations through Reineche Member, is used as a geochronometer and permit the astronomical calibration of the geologic time scale. Furthermore, MS coupled with carbonate contents, and fossil occurrences provide strong evidence for combined detrital inputs and marine surface carbonate productivity cycles. These two synchronous processes were driven by the precession index and ‘fingerprinted’ in the basic marl–limestone couplets, modulated by orbital eccentricity.

Keywords: magnetic susceptibility, cyclostratigraphy, orbital forcing, spectral analysis, Lutetian

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Authors: Frederick Anlimah, Vinod Gopaldasani, Catherine MacPhail, Brian Davies

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The construction industry, particularly tunnel construction, exposes workers to respirable crystalline silica (RCS), which can cause incurable illnesses such as silicosis and lung cancer. Despite various control measures, exposures remain inadequately controlled. This research aimed to examine what workers on a tunnelling project in Australia think should be done to reduce exposure to dust to protect them from RCS exposure. A qualitative research approach consisting of interviews and focus group discussions was employed for this research. The preliminary analysis of the data reveals a diverse array of solutions proposed to address the different sociotechnical factors that present challenges for effectively reducing dust exposure. Solutions are proposed to address challenges such as cost, time pressure, low-risk perception, inadequate awareness, inadequate enforcement and compliance with personal protective equipment. The findings highlight the need to make dust control a level playing field for all contractors during the bidding process, with more collaboration and enforcement after the signing of contracts. The research highlights that although improvements have been made in the past years regarding dust controls, many opportunities exist to reduce worker exposure to RCS.

Keywords: tunnel, respirable crystalline silica, RCS, dust exposure, personal protective equipment, worker perspectives

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Authors: Arazan Jane V., Badiang, Ronesito Jr. R., Clavesillas Cristine Joy H., Belleza Saramie S.

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This study examined the coaching style among the PE Teachers in terms of Autonomy, Supportive style, and Controlling Style. On the other hand, gives opportunities to an athlete to be independent, task-oriented, and acknowledge their feelings and perspective of each individual. A controlling coaching style is also portrayed by the rises and falls over an athlete's training development; when this variance is identified, it might harm training. The selection of the respondents of the study will use a random sample of High School PE teachers of the Division of Davao del Norte with a total of 78 High School PE teachers, which can be broken down into 70 High School PE Teachers for Quantitative data for the survey questionnaire and 8 PE Teachers for Qualitative data (IDI). In the quantitative phase, a set of survey questionnaires will be used to gather data from the participants—the extent of the Implementation Questionnaire. The tool will be a researcher-made questionnaire based on the Coaching Styles of selected High School PE teachers of Davao Del Norte. In the qualitative phase, an interview guide questionnaire will be used. Focus group discussions will be conducted to determine themes and patterns or participants' experiences and insights. The researchers conclude that the degree of coaching style among PE Teachers from the Division of Davao del Norte is high, as seen by the findings of this study, and that coaching style among these teachers is highly noticeable.

Keywords: supportive autonomy style, controlling style, live experiences, exemplified

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Authors: M. K. Yusuf, W. O. Hamman, U. E. Umana, S. B. Oladele

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Background: Dilatation of the inferior vena cava (IVC) is used as the ultrasonic diagnostic feature in patients suspected of congestive heart failure. The IVC diameter has been reported to vary among the various body mass indexes (BMI) and body shape indexes (ABSI). Knowledge of these variations is useful in precision diagnoses of CHF by imaging scientists. Aim: The study aimed to establish an equation for predicting the ultrasonic mean diameter of the IVC among the various BMI/ABSI of inhabitants of Azare, Bauchi State-Nigeria. Methodology: Two hundred physically healthy adult subjects of both sexes were classified into under, normal, over, and obese weights using their BMIs after selection using a structured questionnaire following their informed consent for an abdominal ultrasound scan. The probe was placed on the midline of the body, halfway between the xiphoid process and the umbilicus, with the marker on the probe directed towards the patient's head to obtain a longitudinal view of the IVC. The maximum IVC diameter was measured from the subcostal view using the electronic caliper of the scan machine. The mean value of each group was obtained, and the results were analysed. Results: A novel equation {(IVC Diameter = 1.04 +0.01(X) where X= BMI} has been generated for determining the IVC diameter among the populace. Conclusion: An equation for predicting the IVC diameter from individual BMI values in apparently healthy subjects has been established.

Keywords: equation, ultrasonic, IVC diameter, body adiposities

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Authors: Tarek Dandashi

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WSNs may provide a fast and reliable solution for the early detection of environment events like forest fires. This is crucial for alerting and calling for fire brigade intervention. Sensor nodes communicate sensor data to a host station, which enables a global analysis and the generation of a reliable decision on a potential fire and its location. A WSN with TinyOS and nesC for the capturing and transmission of a variety of sensor information with controlled source, data rates, duration, and the records/displaying activity traces is presented. We propose a similarity distance (SD) between the distribution of currently sensed data and that of a reference. At any given time, a fire causes diverging opinions in the reported data, which alters the usual data distribution. Basically, SD consists of a metric on the Cumulative Distribution Function (CDF). SD is designed to be invariant versus day-to-day changes of temperature, changes due to the surrounding environment, and normal changes in weather, which preserve the data locality. Evaluation shows that SD sensitivity is quadratic versus an increase in sensor node temperature for a group of sensors of different sizes and neighborhood. Simulation of fire spreading when ignition is placed at random locations with some wind speed shows that SD takes a few minutes to reliably detect fires and locate them. We also discuss the case of false negative and false positive and their impact on the decision reliability.

Keywords: forest fire, WSN, wireless sensor network, algortihm

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Authors: Gabriel Ocheleka Aniedi A. Udo, Patum Wasinda

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The study was carried out to appraise the impact of ICT-based teaching methodologies (video-taped instructions and Power Point presentations) on academic performance and retention of secondary school students in Physics, with particular interest in Newton Laws of Motion. The study was conducted in Cross River State, Nigeria, with a quasi-experimental research design using non-randomised pre-test and post-test control group. The sample for the study consisted of 176 SS2 students drawn from four intact classes of four secondary schools within the study area. Physics Achievement Test (PAT), with a reliability coefficient of 0.85, was used for data collection. Mean and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used in the treatment of the obtained data. The results of the study showed that there was a significant difference in the academic performance and retention of students taught using video-taped instructions and those taught using power point presentations. Findings of the study showed that students taught using video-taped instructions had a higher academic performance and retention than those taught using power point presentations. The study concludes that the use of blended ICT-based teaching methods can improve learner’s academic performance and retention.

Keywords: video taped instruction (VTI), power point presentation (PPT), academic performance, retention, physics

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Authors: Elham Zarenezhad, Ali Zarenezhad, Mehdi Mardkhoshnood

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We described the synthesis and biological study of O-oxime ethers having a-amino acid residues as new analogs of IPS-339. In this synthesis, the reaction of fluorene O-oxime with epichlorohydrin or epibromohydrin afforded the corresponding O-oxime ether adducts. The N-alkylation of valine amino acid with O-oxime ether adducts led to the synthesis of new analogs of IPS-339. The cardiovascular properties of the compound have been studied. In this regard, six clinically healthy same sex mongrel dogs were examined. The dogs were randomly divided into 3 groups of two members. 1 groups received 2 mg kg-1 body weight of compound (2-(3-(9H-fluoren-9-ylideneaminooxy)-2- hydroxypropylamino)-3-methylbutanoic acid) intravenously, whereas group 2 and 3 received only DMSO–water (distil.) and propranolol (Inderal) (2 mg kg-1), respectively. The electrocardiograph (ECG) was recorded with lead II. The recording was run successively by 5 min time interval on each dog before, simultaneously, and after compound infusion. Data after administration were taken from normal sinus beats that were closely related to the arrhythmias whenever they occurred. In general, no detectable arrhythmia was observed in all ECG records regardless of increasing the heart rate that likely caused by stress origin from invasive procedure just after infusion. Compound diminished the heart rate during study especially at 20th minute compared to propranolol as a reference drug. Compound (2-(3-(9H-fluoren-9-ylideneaminooxy)-2- hydroxypropylamino)-3-methylbutanoic acid) was the most effective compound with remarkable ability in declining of the heart rate.

Keywords: electrocardiograph (ECG), cardiovascular, IPS-339, dogs

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Authors: Norhanizan U., S. H. Ahmad, N. A. P. Abdullah, G. B. Saleh

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Physalis minima from the family of Solanaceae is one of the promising fruits which contains the high amount of vitamin C and other antioxidants as well. However, it is a perishable fruit where the deterioration process will commence if the fruits are not stored in proper conditions. There is not much work has been carried out to study the effects of storage durations on Physalis fruit. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the effects of 0, 3, 6, and 9 days of storage on postharvest quality of Physalis minima fruits. Total of 120g of uniform sizes of fruits (2.3 to 2.5g) were used for each replication and the experiment was repeated thrice. The fruits were divided equally into four groups with each group labeled according to the days of storage. The fruits were then stored in the cool room for nine days with temperature maintain at 12 ° C. The fruits were analyzed for weight loss, firmness, color (L*, C* and hue angle), titratable acidity (TA), soluble solids concentrations (SSC), pH and ascorbic acids. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance and means was separated using least significant difference (LSD). The storage durations affect the quality characteristics of the fruits. On the day 9, the average of fruit weight loss and fruit firmness decreased about 21 and 24% respectively. The level of ascorbic acids and titrable acidity were also decreased while the soluble solids concentration increased during storage. Thus, in order to retain the quality of the fruits, it is recommended that the Physalis fruit can be stored only up to 6 days at 12 ° C.

Keywords: fruit quality, Physalis minima, Solanaceae, storage durations

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Authors: Feyi Olorunshola

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Over the last few years, the senior travel market has been noted for its potential in the wider tourism industry. The tourism sector includes the hotel and hospitality, travel, transportation, and several other subdivisions to make it economically viable. In particular, the hotel attracts a substantial part of the expenditure in tourism activities as when people plan to travel, suitable accommodation for relaxation, dining, entertainment and so on is paramount to their decision-making. The global retail value of the hotel as of 2018 was significant for tourism. But, despite indications of the hotel to the tourism industry at large, very few empirical studies are available to establish how this sector can leverage on the senior demographic to achieve competitive advantage. Predominantly, studies on the mature market have focused on destination tourism, with a limited investigation on the hotel which makes a significant contribution to tourism. Also, several scholarly studies have demonstrated the importance of the senior travel market to the hotel, yet there is very little empirical research in the field which has explored the driving factors that will become the accepted new normal for this niche segment post-pandemic. Giving that the hotel already operates in a highly saturated business environment, and on top of this pre-existing challenge, the ongoing global health outbreak has further put the sector in a vulnerable position. Therefore, the hotel especially the full-service luxury category must evolve rapidly for it to survive in the current business environment. The hotel can no longer rely on corporate travelers to generate higher revenue since the unprecedented wake of the pandemic in 2020 many organizations have invented a different approach of conducting their businesses online, therefore, the hotel needs to anticipate a significant drop in business travellers. However, the rooms and the rest of the facilities must be occupied to keep their business operating. The way forward for the hotel lies in the leisure sector, but the question now is to focus on the potential demographics of travelers, in this case, the seniors who have been repeatedly recognized as the lucrative market because of increase discretionary income, availability of time and the global population trends. To achieve the study objectives, a mixed-method approach will be utilized drawing on both qualitative (netnography) and quantitative (survey) methods, cognitive and decision-making theories (means-end chain) and competitive theories to identify the salient drivers explaining senior hotel choice and its influence on their decision-making. The target population are repeated seniors’ age 65 years and over who are UK resident, and from the top tourist market to the UK (USA, Germany, and France). Structural equation modelling will be employed to analyze the datasets. The theoretical implication is the development of new concepts using a robust research design, and as well as advancing existing framework to hotel study. Practically, it will provide the hotel management with the latest information to design a competitive marketing strategy and activities to target the mature market post-pandemic and over a long period.

Keywords: competitive advantage, covid-19, full-service hotel, five-star, luxury hotels

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Authors: To Que Nga

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College-bound males may experience considerable maladjustment during the crucial developmental time between high school and college. By participating in stereotypically male actions, men may feel under pressure to "prove" their masculinity, which may be harmful to their general well-being. Although adherence to multidimensional male standards has been linked to worse mental health, no research has considered the impact of these norms on college men's potential depressive symptoms. A viable theoretical framework to explain within-group variation in depression symptomatology can be provided by longitudinally examining college men's adherence to multidimensional masculine standards. An overview of recent studies on the connection between masculine norms and depression among Vietnamese men in college is given in this article. 208 males from different Hanoi colleges were included in the study. Male norms were evaluated at the start of their first semester. Six months following the initial round of data collection, depressive symptomatology was evaluated. Men who approved the male norms of Self-Reliance, Playboy, and Power Over Women showed a positive relationship between masculine norms and depression scores. The impact of multidimensional masculine norms on college men's depressive symptomatology was first examined in this study. The findings imply that professionals who interact with males should think about determining whether their clients conform to particular masculine standards and investigating how these could be affecting their present mental health.

Keywords: masculinity, conformity to masculinity, depression, psycho-social issues, men, college

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Authors: Jagoda Przybysz

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The main objective of this paper is to provide a comprehensive description of the immigrants in Poland, especially situation at the labour market. The paper will provide descriptive information on the composition of immigrants in Poland, and how this has changed over time, their socio-economic characteristics, their industry allocation and their labour market outcomes. Then we will investigate various labour market performance indicators (labour force participation, employment, wages and self-employment) for immigrants of different origins based on reached statistics. Individual interviews with immigrants will indicate areas of problems of living in Poland, mostly on labour market. The article shows that immigrants from some ethnic minority groups are more active in selected sectors of labour market. The empirical basis for the work related to the situation on the labor market of foreigners who came to the Poland and live in Lodz. The studies assumed that foreigners work in Poland and operate in different ways being integrated / excluded in varying degrees. Theoretical framework for analysis are: concepts of inclusion and exclusion, the concept of a dual labour market and the concept of social anchors. Completed in the 2014-2016, a pilot study (The forms of individual interviews) with 32 foreigners arrived in the last decade to Lodz. Preliminary studies have enabled the formulation of research issues and have set the future direction of research revealing to the personal experiences of respondents, a group of factors hindering integration and exclusion areas.

Keywords: foreigners, immigrants, labour market, migration, Poland

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Authors: Igor Michel Gachig, Samanta Tiague

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Baka ‘Pygmies’ is an indigenous community living in the rainforest region of Cameroon. This community is known to be poor and marginalized from the political, economic and social life, regardless of sedentarization and development efforts. In fact, the social exclusion of ‘Pygmy’ people prevents them from gaining basic citizen’s rights, among which access to education, land, healthcare, employment and justice. In this study, social interactions, behaviors, and perceptions were considered. An interview guide and focus group discussions were used to collect data. A sample size of 97 was used, with 60 Baka Pygmies and 37 Bantus from two Baka-Bantu settlements/villages of the south region of Cameroon. The data were classified in terms of homogenous, exhaustive and exclusive categories. This classification has enabled factors explaining social exclusion in the Baka community to be highlighted using content analysis. The study shows that (i) limited access to education, natural resources and care in modern healthcare organizations, and (ii) different views on the development expectations and integration approaches both highlight the social exclusion in the Baka ‘Pygmies’ community. Therefore, an effective and adequate social integration of ‘Pygmies’ based on cultural peculiarities and identity, as well as reduction of disparities and improvement of their access to education should be of major concern to the government and policy makers.

Keywords: development, indigenous people, integration, social exclusion

Procedia PDF Downloads 138

Authors: Sajjad Ur Rahman, Muhammad Tahir, Mukarram Bashir, Jawad, Aoun Muhammad, Muhammad Zohaib, Hannan Khan, Seemal Javaid, Mariam Azam

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The efficiency of natural metabolites obtained from partially fermented soya hulls and wheat bran using Saccharomyces cerevisiae (DL-22 S/N) ensures a potential impact on the total milk yield and quality of milk production. On attaining a moderate number of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells around 1×10⁹ CFU/ml, the concentrate was further elevated under in-vivo conditions to study the quality of milk production in lactating buffalo. Ten lactating buffalos of the Nili Ravi breed having the same physical factors were given 12 gm of microbial metabolites daily, along with the palleted feed having 22 % proteins. Another group of 10 lactating animals with the same characteristics was maintained without metabolites. The body score, overall health, incidence of mastitis, milk fat, milk proteins, ash and solid not fat (SNF) were elevated on a weekly basis up to thirty days of trial. It was recorded that the average total increase in quality milk production was 0.9 liter/h/d, whereas SNF in the milk was enhanced to 0.71, and fats were decreased to 0.09 %. Moreover, during all periods of the trial, the overall non-specific immunity of buffalo was increased, as indicated by less than 0.2 % of mastitis incidence compared to 1.8% in the untreated buffalos.

Keywords: natural metabolites, quality milk, milk yield, microorganisms, fermentation, nonspecific immunity, better performing animals

Procedia PDF Downloads 92

Authors: Nina Tsvetkova, Rumen Harizanov, Aleksandra Ivanova, Iskra Rainova, Nina Yancheva-Petrova, Dimitar Strashimirov, Raina Enikova, Mihaela Videnova, Eleonora Kaneva, Iskren Kaftandjiev, Viktoria Levterova, Ivan Simeonovski, Nikolay Yanev, Georgi Hinkov

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The Pneumocystis jirovecii (P. jirovecii) and protozoan of the genera Acanthamoeba, Cryptosporidium, and Toxoplasma gondii are opportunistic pathogens that can cause life-threatening infections in immunocompromised patients. Aim of the study was to evaluate the coinfection rate with opportunistic protozoal agents among Bulgarian patients diagnosed with P. jirovecii pneumonia. Thirty-eight pulmonary samples were collected from 38 patients (28 HIV-infected) with P. jirovecii infection. P. jirovecii DNA was detected by real-time PCR targeting the large mitochondrial subunit ribosomal RNA gene. Acanthamoeba was determined by genus-specific conventional PCR assay. Real-time PCR for the detection of a Toxoplasma gondii and Cryptosporidium DNA fragment was used. Pneumocystis DNA was detected in all 38 specimens; 28 (73.7%) were from HIV-infected patients. Three (10,7%) of them were co-infected with T. gondii and 1 (3.6%) with Cryptosporidium. In the group of non-HIV-infected (n=10), Cryptosporidium DNA was detected in an infant (10%). Acanthamoeba DNA was not found in the tested samples. The current study showed a relatively low rate of coinfections of Cryptosporidium spp./T. gondii and P. jirovecii in the Bulgarian patients studied.

Keywords: coinfection, opportunistic protozoal agents, Pneumocystis jirovecii, pulmonary infections

Procedia PDF Downloads 159

Authors: Z. Ž. Lazarević, D. L. Sekulić, V. N. Ivanovski, N. Ž. Romčević

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NiFe2O4 (nickel ferrite), ZnFe2O4 (zinc ferrite) and Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 (nickel-zinc ferrite) were prepared by mechanochemical route in a planetary ball mill starting from mixture of the appropriate quantities of the Ni(OH)2/Fe(OH)3, Zn(OH)2/Fe(OH)3 and Ni(OH)2/Zn(OH)2/Fe(OH)3 hydroxide powders. In order to monitor the progress of chemical reaction and confirm phase formation, powder samples obtained after 25 h, 18 h and 10 h of milling were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), IR, Raman and Mössbauer spectroscopy. It is shown that the soft mechanochemical method, i.e. mechanochemical activation of hydroxides, produces high quality single phase ferrite samples in much more efficient way. From the IR spectroscopy of single phase samples it is obvious that energy of modes depends on the ratio of cations. It is obvious that all samples have more than 5 Raman active modes predicted by group theory in the normal spinel structure. Deconvolution of measured spectra allows one to conclude that all complex bands in the spectra are made of individual peaks with the intensities that vary from spectrum to spectrum. The deconvolution of Raman spectra allows to separate contributions of different cations to a particular type of vibration and to estimate the degree of inversion.

Keywords: ferrites, Raman spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, Mössbauer measurements

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Authors: Akindele Ojo, Olanike Ojo, Agatha Oseghale

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The empirical study examined the allocative efficiency of small holder tuber crop farmers in North central, Nigeria. Data used for the study were obtained from primary source using a multi-stage sampling technique with structured questionnaires administered to 300 randomly selected tuber crop farmers from the study area. Descriptive statistics, data envelopment analysis and Tobit regression model were used to analyze the data. The DEA result on the classification of the farmers into efficient and inefficient farmers showed that 17.67% of the sampled tuber crop farmers in the study area were operating at frontier and optimum level of production with mean allocative efficiency of 1.00. This shows that 82.33% of the farmers in the study area can still improve on their level of efficiency through better utilization of available resources, given the current state of technology. The results of the Tobit model for factors influencing allocative inefficiency in the study area showed that as the year of farming experience, level of education, cooperative society membership, extension contacts, credit access and farm size increased in the study area, the allocative inefficiency of the farmers decreased. The results on effects of the significant determinants of allocative inefficiency at various distribution levels revealed that allocative efficiency increased from 22% to 34% as the farmer acquired more farming experience. The allocative efficiency index of farmers that belonged to cooperative society was 0.23 while their counterparts without cooperative society had index value of 0.21. The result also showed that allocative efficiency increased from 0.43 as farmer acquired high formal education and decreased to 0.16 with farmers with non-formal education. The efficiency level in the allocation of resources increased with more contact with extension services as the allocative efficeincy index increased from 0.16 to 0.31 with frequency of extension contact increasing from zero contact to maximum of twenty contacts per annum. These results confirm that increase in year of farming experience, level of education, cooperative society membership, extension contacts, credit access and farm size leads to increases efficiency. The results further show that the age of the farmers had 32% input to the efficiency but reduces to an average of 15%, as the farmer grows old. It is therefore recommended that enhanced research, extension delivery and farm advisory services should be put in place for farmers who did not attain optimum frontier level to learn how to attain the remaining 74.39% level of allocative efficiency through a better production practices from the robustly efficient farms. This will go a long way to increase the efficiency level of the farmers in the study area.

Keywords: allocative efficiency, DEA, Tobit regression, tuber crop

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