Search results for: edge application framework

Authors: Sarika Singh, Moin Uddin, M. Masroor A. Khan, Aman Sobia Chishti, Sangram Singh, Urooj Hassan Bhatt

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Mentha arvensis L. (Japanese mint) is a perennial plant carrying medicinal, aromatic, antiseptic, and anaesthetic properties. Plant-derived smoke-water (PDSW) plays a significant role in seed germination, seedling growth, and other physiological attributes. To ascertain the effect of PDSW and karrikinolide on Mentha arvensis L., a rhizome-soaking experiment was conducted on Mentha arvensis. Prior to planting, mint rhizomes were soaked for 24 hours with aqueous solutions of various concentrations of PDSW (1:125v/v, 1:250 v/v, 1:500 v/v, and 1:1000 v/v), karrikinolide (10-6M, 10⁻⁷M, 10⁻⁸M, and 10⁻⁹M) using double distilled water as control treatment. Rhizome soaking with 1:500 v/v concentration of PDSW and 10⁻⁸M concentration of KAR1 increased the growth attributes, including plant height, fresh weight, dry, leaf area, and leaf yield per plant of Mentha arvensis. Leaf physiological-parameters, viz. chlorophyll fluorescence, PSII activity, and total chlorophyll and carotenoid content, were also increased as a result of the application of this treatment PDSW (1:500 v/v) and KAR1 (10⁻⁸M). In addition, treatment with 1:500 v/v and 10⁻⁸M significantly increased the essential oil yield and active constituents of Mentha arvensis compared to the control. Results indicated that PDSW, being a cheap source of karrikins, might be successfully used to augment mint essential oil production.

Keywords: active constituents, essential oil, medicinal plant, mentha arvensis L

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Authors: Zahra Mila Elmi, Mahsa Khanekheshi

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Almost half of the population and potential manpower in the country and rural areas are women. Manpower especially educated people, plays an important role in the production and economic growth. Also, the potential of rural areas to create employment should not be overlooked. In this research, the effects of socio-economic and demographic factors on women's economic participation in rural areas of Iran's provinces will be studied. Therefore, this study was performed by using the results of the rural households income and expenditure surveys -has been taken in 2016- in the framework of pseudo panel data. This study used the logit model and the maximum likelihood method to study the rural women's participation, with 28,265 observations. Results show the inverted U-shaped relationship between age and the probability of female participation; In other words, young women are more likely to participate in labor markets more than the other groups. Divorced and single woman has more chance of participation in comparison with who was being married. With increasing the divorce rate and singleness in Iran, economic policymakers must provide appropriate solutions for this challenge in the coming years. On the base of the results, being a student and the presence of an infant under the age of 6 in the household has a negative effect on the possibility of women's participation in the labor market. The women's education level has a U-shaped relationship with their participation rate. Illiteracy and high education have a strong positive effect on the economic participation of rural women. This shows the dual labor market for women in Iran. Illiterate women are attracted to service jobs, and educated woman are more attracted to education and health jobs. Increasing household income has a small but positive and significant effect on the probability of rural female participation. In the overlook, due to the frequency of the women population in the age group of 25 to 35 years, and more willingness of women in the age 35 to 44 years to participate in the labor market, and studying ofa significant portion of the rural women, the increase of rural female participation is expected in the years ahead. Thus, it is expected policy maker to create new job opportunities for the employment of educated women and take the necessary plan to improve the current situation for women.

Keywords: female participation rate, rural area, provincial data, pseudo-panel data method

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Authors: Heping Dang, Raymond Yu Wang

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The Langcang-Mekong River is the most important international watercourse in mainland Southeast Asia. In recent years, the six riparian states, China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, have confronted increasing disputes over the use of the trans-boundary water. To settle these disputes and protect the fundamental right to water, quite a few inter-state mechanisms have been established, such as the Mekong River Commission, the economic cooperation program of the Greater Mekong Subregion, the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ and the ‘Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Mechanism’ and the ‘Lower Mekong Initiative’. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have also been an important and constructive institutional entrepreneur in trans-boundary water governance. Although the status and extent of the right to water are yet to be clearly defined, this paper aims to 1) unpack how the right to water is interpreted and exercised in the Lancang-Mekong River Basin Dispute; and 2) to evaluate the roles of the right to water in settling international water disputes. To achieve these objectives, Secondary data such as archival documents of international law and relevant stakeholders will be compiled for analysis. First-hand information about the organizational structure, accountability, values and strategies of the international mechanisms and NGOs in question will also be collected through fieldwork in the Mekong river basin. Semi-structural interviews, group discussions and participatory observation will be conducted to collect data. The authors have access to the fieldwork because they have abundant experience of collaborating with Mekong-based international NGOs in previous research projects. This research will display how the concepts and principles of international law and the UN guidelines are interpreted in practice. These principles include the definition and extent of the right to water, the practical use of ‘vital human need’, the indicators of ‘adequacy of water’ including ‘availability, quality and accessibility’, and how the right to water is related to the progressive realization of the right to life. This down-to earth research will enrich the theoretical discussion of international law, particularly international human rights law, within the UN framework. Moreover, the outcomes of this research will provide new insights into the roles that the right to water might play in consensus-building and dispute settlement in a rapidly changing context, where water is pivotal for poverty alleviation, biodiversity conservation and the promotion of sustainable livelihoods.

Keywords: international water dispute, Lancang-Mekong River, right to water, state and non-state actors

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Authors: M. Kamal, Y. Wang, R. Kennon

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Quality Function Deployment is a useful tool in product development with the application of voice of customer. In this paper, it aims to be applied as a product development tool in redesigning fashion and textile product. The purpose of these studies is to apply the effective use of Voice of Customer in redesigning cultural fashion product. The data collection from Voice of Customer or consumers’ feedback might help the producer to improve the quality of merchandise ahead. Voice of Customer could give a specific detailing for quality which needs to be redesigned according to customers’ requirements. Meanwhile, the next objective is to differentiate design specifications and characteristics using House of Quality. In product designing phase, it is very important to distinguish each specification and characteristic which translated from Voice of Customer to House of Quality matrix. This matrix would help designers to development according to qualities that customer wants for the better and successful product in the market. It is hope this research would indicate the customers’ requirements and production team idea might be measured and translated to a systematic data. The specific technical data could be planned ahead with specific design details as well. This could be a sustainable approach for a traditional product which could control the material that they use and sustain the quality as the past production. As a conclusion, this study would benefit the Small Medium Enterprises design team or the designers to style an item from customers view with organised projection of the product. The finding also could assist designers or batik producers’ to recognise specific details Batik sarong from consumers as well as in in advertising and marketing strategy plan.

Keywords: house of quality, Malaysia batik sarong, quality function deployment, voice of customer

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Authors: Svetlana Gudkova

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The Internet of Things experiences a rapid growth bringing inevitable changes into many spheres of human activities. As the Internet has changed the social and business landscape, IoT as its extension, can bring much more profound changes in economic value creation and competitiveness of the economies. It has been already recognized as the next industrial revolution. However, the development of IoT is in a great extent stimulated by the entrepreneurial activity. To expand and reach its full potential it requires proactive entrepreneurs, who explore the potential and create innovative ideas pushing the boundaries of IoT technologies' application further. The goal of the research is to analyze, how entrepreneurs utilize the opportunities created by IoT and how do they stimulate the development of IoT through discovering of new ways of generating economic value and creating opportunities, which attract other entrepreneurs. The qualitative research methods have been applied to prepare the case studies. Entrepreneurs are recognized as an engine of economic growth. They introduce innovative products and services into the market through the creation of a new combination of the existing resources and utilizing new knowledge. Entrepreneurs not only create economic value but what is more important, they challenge the existing business models and invent new ways of value creation. Through identification and exploitation of entrepreneurial opportunities, they create new opportunities for other entrepreneurs. It makes the industry more attractive to other profit/innovation-driven start-ups. IoT creates numerous opportunities for entrepreneurs in the different industries. Smart cities, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, agriculture, smart vehicles and smart buildings benefit a lot from IoT-based breakthrough innovations introduced by entrepreneurs. They reinvented successfully the business models and created new entrepreneurial opportunities for other start-ups to introduce next innovations.

Keywords: entrepreneurship, internet of things, breakthrough innovations, start-ups

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Authors: Meriem Bahij, Ahmed Nafidi, Boujemâa Achchab, Sílvio M. A. Gama, José A. O. Matos

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Stochastic modeling concerns the use of probability to model real-world situations in which uncertainty is present. Therefore, the purpose of stochastic modeling is to estimate the probability of outcomes within a forecast, i.e. to be able to predict what conditions or decisions might happen under different situations. In the present study, we present a model of a stochastic diffusion process based on the bi-Weibull distribution function (its trend is proportional to the bi-Weibull probability density function). In general, the Weibull distribution has the ability to assume the characteristics of many different types of distributions. This has made it very popular among engineers and quality practitioners, who have considered it the most commonly used distribution for studying problems such as modeling reliability data, accelerated life testing, and maintainability modeling and analysis. In this work, we start by obtaining the probabilistic characteristics of this model, as the explicit expression of the process, its trends, and its distribution by transforming the diffusion process in a Wiener process as shown in the Ricciaardi theorem. Then, we develop the statistical inference of this model using the maximum likelihood methodology. Finally, we analyse with simulated data the computational problems associated with the parameters, an issue of great importance in its application to real data with the use of the convergence analysis methods. Overall, the use of a stochastic model reflects only a pragmatic decision on the part of the modeler. According to the data that is available and the universe of models known to the modeler, this model represents the best currently available description of the phenomenon under consideration.

Keywords: diffusion process, discrete sampling, likelihood estimation method, simulation, stochastic diffusion process, trends functions, bi-parameters weibull density function

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Authors: Yen Chia-Ju, Cheng Ding-Ruei

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This study took case office building as subject and explored the responsive work order repair request of facilities and equipment in offices and public areas by gray theory, with the purpose of providing for future related office building owners, executive managers, property management companies, mechanical and electrical companies as reference for deciding and assessing forecast model. Important conclusions of this study are summarized as follows according to the study findings: 1. Grey Relational Analysis discusses the importance of facilities repair number of six categories, namely, power systems, building systems, water systems, air conditioning systems, fire systems and manpower dispatch in order. In terms of facilities maintenance importance are power systems, building systems, water systems, air conditioning systems, manpower dispatch and fire systems in order. 2. GM (1,N) and regression method took maintenance hours as dependent variables and repair number, leased area and tenants number as independent variables and conducted single month forecast based on 12 data from January to December 2011. The mean absolute error and average accuracy of GM (1,N) from verification results were 6.41% and 93.59%; the mean absolute error and average accuracy of regression model were 4.66% and 95.34%, indicating that they have highly accurate forecast capability.

Keywords: rey theory, forecast model, Taipei 101, office buildings, property management, facilities, equipment

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Authors: Prashansa Singh, Rohit Bajaj, Manjot Kaur

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In the modern agricultural landscape, precision farming has emerged as a pivotal strategy for enhancing crop yield and optimizing resource utilization. This paper introduces an innovative Crop Recommendation System (CRS) that leverages the Internet of Things (IoT) technology and the Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) protocol to collect critical environmental and soil data via sensors deployed across agricultural fields. The system is designed to address the challenges of real-time data acquisition, efficient data transmission, and dynamic crop recommendation through the application of advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) models. The CRS architecture encompasses a network of sensors that continuously monitor environmental parameters such as temperature, humidity, soil moisture, and nutrient levels. This sensor data is then transmitted to a central MQTT server, ensuring reliable and low-latency communication even in bandwidth-constrained scenarios typical of rural agricultural settings. Upon reaching the server, the data is processed and analyzed by AI/ML models trained to correlate specific environmental conditions with optimal crop choices and cultivation practices. These models consider historical crop performance data, current agricultural research, and real-time field conditions to generate tailored crop recommendations. This implementation gets 99% accuracy.

Keywords: Iot, MQTT protocol, machine learning, sensor, publish, subscriber, agriculture, humidity

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Authors: Asrarul Fikri Abu Hassan, Muhammad Hafiz bin Hanafi, Jafri Malin Abdullah

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This study is to compare the motor evoked potential (MEP) changes using different settings of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in the post-haemorrhagic stroke patient which treated conservatively. The goal of the study is to determine changes in corticomotor excitability and functional outcome after repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) therapy regime. 20 post-stroke patients with upper limb hemiparesis were studied due to haemorrhagic stroke. One of the three settings; (I) Inhibitory setting, or (II) facilitatory setting, or (III) control group, no excitatory or inhibitory setting have been applied randomly during the first meeting. The motor evoked potential (MEP) were recorded before and after application of the rTMS setting. Functional outcomes were evaluated using the Barthel index score. We found pre-treatment MEP values of the lesional side were lower compared to post-treatment values in both settings. In contrast, we found that the pre-treatment MEP values of the non-lesional side were higher compared to post-treatment values in both settings. Interestingly, patients with treatment, either facilitatory setting and inhibitory setting have faster motor recovery compared to the control group. Our data showed both settings might improve the MEP of the upper extremity and functional outcomes in the haemorrhagic stroke patient.

Keywords: Barthel index, corticomotor excitability, motor evoked potential, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, stroke

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Authors: Mamochana, A. Ramatea, Fumane, P. Khanare

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Enabling the learning environment is a significant and adaptive technique necessary to navigate learners’ educational challenges. However, research has indicated that quality provision of education in the environments that are enabling, especially to learners with visual impairments (LVIs, hereafter) in rural schools, remain an ongoing challenge globally. Hence, LVIs often have a lower level of academic performance as compared to their peers. To balance this gap and fulfill learners'fundamentalhuman rights¬ of receiving an equal quality education, appropriate measures and structures that make enabling learning environment a better place to learn must be better understood. This paper, therefore, intends to find possible means that rural schools of Lesotho can employ to make the learning environment for LVIs enabling. The present study aims to determine suitable assets that can be drawn to make the learning environment for LVIs enabling. The study is also informed by the transformative paradigm and situated within a qualitative research approach. Data were generated through focus group discussions with twelve teachers who were purposefully selected from two rural primary schools in Lesotho. The generated data were then analyzed thematically using Braun and Clarke's six-phase framework. The findings of the study indicated that participating teachers do have an understanding that rural schools boast of assets (existing and hidden) that have a positive influence in responding to the special educational needs of LVIs. However, the participants also admitted that although their schools boast of assets, they still experience limited knowledge about the use of the existing assets and thus, realized a need for improved collaboration, involvement of the existing assets, and enhancement of academic resources to make LVIs’ learning environment enabling. The findings of this study highlight the significance of the effective use of assets. Additionally, coincides with literature that shows recognizing and tapping into the existing assets enable learning for LVIs. In conclusion, the participants in the current study indicated that for LVIs’ learning environment to be enabling, there has to be sufficient use of the existing assets. The researchers, therefore, recommend that the appropriate use of assets is good, but may not be sufficient if the existing assets are not adequately managed. Hence,VILs experience a vicious cycle of vulnerability. It was thus, recommended that adequate use of assets and teachers' engagement as active assets should always be considered to make the learning environment a better place for LVIs to learan in the future

Keywords: assets, enabling learning environment, rural schools, learners with visual impairments

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Authors: Abeer Heider

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This paper explores and classifies the different kinds of avoidances that students commonly make in the acquisition of Arabic as a second/foreign language, and suggests specific strategies to help students lessen their avoidance trends in hopes of streamlining the learning process. Students most commonly use avoidance strategies in grammar, and word choice. These different types of strategies have different implications and naturally require different approaches. Thus the question remains as to the most effective way to help students improve their Arabic, and how teachers can efficiently utilize these techniques. It is hoped that this research will contribute to understand the role of avoidance in the field of the second language acquisition in general, and as a type of input. Yet some researchers also note that similarity between L1 and L2 may be problematic as well since the learner may doubt that such similarity indeed exists and consequently avoid the identical constructions or elements (Jordens, 1977; Kellermann, 1977, 1978, 1986). In an effort to resolve this issue, a case study is being conducted. The present case study attempts to provide a broader analysis of what is acquired than is usually the case, analyzing the learners ‘accomplishments in terms of three –part framework of the components of communicative competence suggested by Michele Canale: grammatical competence, sociolinguistic competence and discourse competence. The subjects of this study are 15 students’ 22th year who came to study Arabic at Qatar University of Cairo. The 15 students are in the advanced level. They were complete intermediate level in Arabic when they arrive in Qatar for the first time. The study used discourse analytic method to examine how the first language affects students’ production and output in the second language, and how and when students use avoidance methods in their learning. The study will be conducted through Fall 2015 through analyzing audio recordings that are recorded throughout the entire semester. The recordings will be around 30 clips. The students are using supplementary listening and speaking materials. The group will be tested at the end of the term to assess any measurable difference between the techniques. Questionnaires will be administered to teachers and students before and after the semester to assess any change in attitude toward avoidance and selectivity methods. Responses to these questionnaires are analyzed and discussed to assess the relative merits of the aforementioned strategies to avoidance and selectivity to further support on. Implications and recommendations for teacher training are proposed.

Keywords: the second language acquisition, learning languages, selectivity, avoidance

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Authors: Christopher Baiyegunhi, Kuiwu Liu, Oswald Gwavava

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Petrography of the sandstones of Ecca Group, Karoo Supergroup in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa have been investigated on composition, provenance and influence of weathering conditions. Petrographic studies based on quantitative analysis of the detrital minerals revealed that the sandstones are composed mostly of quartz, feldspar and lithic fragments of metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. The sandstones have an average framework composition of 24.3% quartz, 19.3% feldspar, 26.1% rock fragments, and 81.33% of the quartz grains are monocrystalline. These sandstones are generally very fine to fine grained, moderate to well sorted, and subangular to subrounded in shape. In addition, they are compositionally immature and can be classified as feldspathic wacke and lithic wacke. The absence of major petrographically distinctive compositional variations in the sandstones perhaps indicate homogeneity of their source. As a result of this, it is inferred that the transportation distance from the source area was quite short and the main mechanism of transportation was by river systems to the basin. The QFL ternary diagrams revealed dissected and transitional arc provenance pointing to an active margin and uplifted basement preserving the signature of a recycled provenance. This is an indication that the sandstones were derived from a magmatic arc provenance. Since magmatic provenance includes transitional arc and dissected arc, it also shows that the source area of the Ecca sediments had a secondary sedimentary and metasedimentary rocks from a marginal belt that developed as a result of rifting. The weathering diagrams and semi-quantitative weathering index indicate that the Ecca sandstones are mostly from a plutonic source area, with climatic conditions ranging from arid to humid. The compositional immaturity of the sandstones is suggested to be due to weathering or recycling and low relief or short transport from the source area. The detrital modal compositions of these sandstones are related to back arc to island and continental margin arc. The origin and deposition of the Ecca sandstones are due to low-moderate weathering, recycling of pre-existing rocks, erosion and transportation of debris from the orogeny of the Cape Fold Belt.

Keywords: petrography, tectonic setting, provenance, Ecca Group, Karoo Basin

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Authors: Eric Tardif, Nicolas Meylan

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Recent studies suggest that the consolidation of episodic memory is better achieved through repeated retrieval than with the use of concept mapping or repeated study. Although such laboratory results highly appeal to educationalists, it remains to be shown whether they can be directly used in a classroom setting. Forty-five college students (42 girls; mean age 16.1 y/o) were asked to remember pairs of biology-related words (e.g. mitochondria-energy) in two configurations. The first configuration consisted of a three-minute study of pairs of words followed by a final one-minute test in which the first word of a pair was shown and the subject asked to write down the second associated word. This procedure was repeated three times. The second configuration consisted of a one-minute study of a list of pairs of words, which was immediately followed by a one-minute test. This procedure was repeated 6 times. Subjects filled out a small questionnaire assessing their general mood, level of fatigue, stress and motivation to do the exercise. One week later, subjects were given a final test using the same words. A total of 8 lists of words were studied and tested during the semester. Results showed that subjects recalled more correct words when using the second configuration, both within the study period and one week later, confirming laboratory findings. However, the general performance (mean items recalled) as well as the motivation to do the exercise gradually decreased during the semester. Motivation was positively correlated with performance (r=0.77, p<0.05). The results suggest that laboratory findings may provide some applications in education but other variables inherent to the classroom setting must also be considered.

Keywords: long-term, episodic memory, consolidation, retrieval, school setting

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Authors: Muhammad Luthfi, Sutikno Sutikno, Purhadi Purhadi

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Weather forecast has necessarily been improved to provide the communities an accurate and objective prediction as well. To overcome such issue, the numerical-based weather forecast was extensively developed to reduce the subjectivity of forecast. Yet the Numerical Weather Predictions (NWPs) outputs are unfortunately issued without taking dynamical weather behavior and local terrain features into account. Thus, NWPs outputs are not able to accurately forecast the weather quantities, particularly for medium and long range forecast. The aim of this research is to aid and extend the development of ensemble forecast for Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency of Indonesia. Ensemble method is an approach combining various deterministic forecast to produce more reliable one. However, such forecast is biased and uncalibrated due to its underdispersive or overdispersive nature. As one of the parametric methods, Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA) generates the calibrated ensemble forecast and constructs predictive PDF for specified period. Such method is able to utilize ensemble of any size but does not take spatial correlation into account. Whereas space dependencies involve the site of interest and nearby site, influenced by dynamic weather behavior. Meanwhile, Geostatistical Output Perturbation (GOP) reckons the spatial correlation to generate future weather quantities, though merely built by a single deterministic forecast, and is able to generate an ensemble of any size as well. This research conducts both BMA and GOP to generate the calibrated ensemble forecast for the daily temperature at few meteorological sites nearby Indonesia international airport.

Keywords: Bayesian Model Averaging, ensemble forecast, geostatistical output perturbation, numerical weather prediction, temperature

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Authors: Hsiu-Ling Hsu, En-Minh (John) Lan

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Pronunciation has received more and more language researchers’ and teachers’ attention because it is important for effective or even successful communication. How to consistently and correctly orally produce verbal morphology, such as English regular past tense inflection, has been a big challenge and troublesome for FL learners. The research aims to explore EFL (English as a foreign language) learners’ developmental trajectory of the inflectional morphology, that is, what mediating processes and strategies EFL learners use, to attain native-like prosodic structure of inflectional morphemes (e.g., –ed and –s suffixes) by comparing the differences among EFL learners at different English levels. This research adopted a self-repair analysis and Prosodic Transfer Hypothesis with three developmental stages as a theoretical framework. To answer the research questions, we conducted two experiments, grammatical tense test written production (Experiment 1) and read-aloud oral production (Experiment 2), and recruited 30 participants who were divided into three groups, low-, middle-, and advanced EFL learners. Experiment 1 was conducted to ensure that participants had learned the knowledge of forming the English regular past tense rules and Experiment 2 was carried out to compare the data across FL English learner groups at different English levels. The EFL learners’ self-repair data showed at least four interesting findings. First, low achievers were more sensitive to the plural suffix -s than the past tense suffix -ed. Middle achievers exhibited a greater responsiveness to the past tense suffix, while high achievers demonstrated equal sensitivity to both suffixes. Additionally, two strategies used by EFL English learners to produce verbs and nouns with inflectional morphemes were to delete internal syllable and to divide a four-syllable verb (e.g., ‘graduated’) into two prosodic structures (e.g., ‘gradu’ and ‘ated’ or ‘gradua’ and ‘ted’). Third, true vowel epenthesis was found only in the low EFL achievers. Moreover fortition (native-like sound) was observed in the low and middle EFL achievers. These findings and self-repair data disclosed mediating processes between the developmental stages and provided insight on how Taiwan EFL learners attained the adjunction prosodic structures of inflectional Morphemes in English.

Keywords: inflectional morphology, prosodic structure, developmental trajectory, strategies and mediating processes, English as a foreign language

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Authors: Bokkasam Sasidhar, Ibrahim Aljasser

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The problem of finding optimal schedules for each equipment in a production process is considered, which consists of a single stage of manufacturing and which can handle different types of products, where changeover for handling one type of product to the other type incurs certain costs. The machine capacity is determined by the upper limit for the quantity that can be processed for each of the products in a set up. The changeover costs increase with the number of set ups and hence to minimize the costs associated with the product changeover, the planning should be such that similar types of products should be processed successively so that the total number of changeovers and in turn the associated set up costs are minimized. The problem of cost minimization is equivalent to the problem of minimizing the number of set ups or equivalently maximizing the capacity utilization in between every set up or maximizing the total capacity utilization. Further, the production is usually planned against customers’ orders, and generally different customers’ orders are assigned one of the two priorities – “normal” or “priority” order. The problem of production planning in such a situation can be formulated into a Multiple Arc Network (MAN) model and can be solved sequentially using the algorithm for maximizing flow along a MAN and the algorithm for maximizing flow along a MAN with priority arcs. The model aims to provide optimal production schedule with an objective of maximizing capacity utilization, so that the customer-wise delivery schedules are fulfilled, keeping in view the customer priorities. Algorithms have been presented for solving the MAN formulation of the production planning with customer priorities. The application of the model is demonstrated through numerical examples.

Keywords: scheduling, maximal flow problem, multiple arc network model, optimization

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Authors: Norica Godja, Andreas Schindel, Luka Payrits, Zsolt Pasztor, Bálint Hegedüs, Petr Homola, Jan Horňas, Jiří Běhal, Roman Ruzek, Martin Holzleitner, Sascha Senck

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In order to reduce fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions in the aviation sector, innovative solutions are being sought to reduce the weight of aircraft, including additive manufacturing (AM). Of particular importance are the excellent mechanical properties that are required for aircraft structures. Ti6Al4V alloys, with their high mechanical properties in relation to weight, can reduce the weight of aircraft structures compared to structures made of steel and aluminium. Currently, conventional processes such as casting and CNC machining are used to obtain the desired structures, resulting in high raw material removal, which in turn leads to higher costs and impacts the environment. Additive manufacturing (AM) offers advantages in terms of weight, lead time, design, and functionality and enables the realisation of alternative geometric shapes with high mechanical properties. However, there are currently technological shortcomings that have led to AM not being approved for structural components with high safety requirements. An assessment of damage tolerance for AM parts is required, and quality control needs to be improved. Pores and other defects cannot be completely avoided at present, but they should be kept to a minimum during manufacture. The mechanical properties of the manufactured parts can be further improved by various treatments. The influence of different treatment methods (heat treatment, CNC milling, electropolishing, chemical polishing) and operating parameters were investigated by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and measurements with a focused ion beam (FIB), taking into account surface roughness, possible anomalies in the chemical composition of the surface and possible cracks. The results of the characterisation of the constructed and treated samples are discussed and presented in this paper. These results were generated within the framework of the 3TANIUM project, which is financed by EU with the contract number 101007830.

Keywords: Ti6Al4V alloys, laser powder bed fusion, damage tolerance, heat treatment, electropolishing, potential cracking

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Authors: Suman Podder

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As Australian ‘Open Banking’ allows customers to share their financial data with accredited Third-Party Providers (‘TPPs’), it is necessary to evaluate whether the regulators have achieved the balance between protecting customer data privacy and promoting data-related innovation. Recognising the need to increase customers’ influence on their own data, and the benefits of data-related innovation, the Australian Government introduced ‘Consumer Data Right’ (‘CDR’) to the banking sector through Open Banking regulation. Under Open Banking, TPPs can access customers’ banking data that allows the TPPs to tailor their products and services to meet customer needs at a more competitive price. This facilitated access and use of customer data will promote innovation by providing opportunities for new products and business models to emerge and grow. However, the success of Open Banking depends on the willingness of the customers to share their data, so the regulators have augmented the protection of data by introducing new privacy safeguards to instill confidence and trust in the system. The dilemma in policymaking is that, on the one hand, lenient data privacy laws will help the flow of information, but at the risk of individuals’ loss of privacy, on the other hand, stringent laws that adequately protect privacy may dissuade innovation. Using theoretical and doctrinal methods, this paper examines whether the privacy safeguards under Open Banking will add to the compliance burden of the participating financial institutions, resulting in the undesirable effect of stifling other policy objectives such as innovation. The contribution of this research is three-fold. In the emerging field of customer data sharing, this research is one of the few academic studies on the objectives and impact of Open Banking in the Australian context. Additionally, Open Banking is still in the early stages of implementation, so this research traces the evolution of Open Banking through policy debates regarding the desirability of customer data-sharing. Finally, the research focuses not only on the customers’ data privacy and juxtaposes it with another important objective of promoting innovation, but it also highlights the critical issues facing the data-sharing regime. This paper argues that while it is challenging to develop a regulatory framework for protecting data privacy without impeding innovation and jeopardising yet unknown opportunities, data privacy and innovation promote different aspects of customer welfare. This paper concludes that if a regulation is appropriately designed and implemented, the benefits of data-sharing will outweigh the cost of compliance with the CDR.

Keywords: consumer data right, innovation, open banking, privacy safeguards

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Authors: Mohammad Mehdi Mohebi, Nima Kazempour, Mohammad Naeim Kazempour

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Strategic thinking enables managers to find out what factors are effective in achieving the desired goals and how these factors create value for the customer. Strategic thinking can be interpreted as a form of mental and inner strength in the manager, who by utilizing it, while considering the conditions of the environment and unstable global environment changes, takes decisions, and plans actions, and designs the strategy of his organization in today's changing and unsustainable business environment. Strategic thinking is very important in today’s business world, because without this thinking, the organization's efforts to achieve developed strategies will not be effective. In this study, through a detailed study of the challenges and barriers to strategic thinking that is carried out by various scholars and experts theoretically and experimentally, 7 major factors were identified. Then, based on these main factors of challenges and related elements, a tool in the form of a questionnaire was developed in order to determine their importance and priority from the perspective of strategic management experts. Using statistical tests the reliability and validity of this instrument, including its structural validity, has been examined and approved using factor analysis. These factors are weighted and prioritized using AHP techniques and the opinions of scholars and experts. Prioritization of barriers to strategic thinking include: lack of participatory management, lack of a systematic approach, difficulty in aligning the organization members, lack of incentive organizational culture, behavioural and internal barriers of managers, lack of key managers and lack of access to timely and accurate information.

Keywords: strategic thinking, challenges and barriers to strategic thinking, EN bank, AHP method

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Authors: Bayarmaa Enkhbold, Kenichi Matsui

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Urban parks are important assets to every community in terms of providing space for health, cultural and leisure activities. However, Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, faces a shortage of green spaces, particularly urban parks, due to overpopulation and haphazard growth. Therefore, in order to increase green space per person, the city government has planned to increase green space per person up to 20m² by 2020 and 30m² by 2030 by establishing more urban parks throughout the city. But this plan was estimated that it is highly unlikely to reach those goals according to the analysis of the present status of plan implementation because the current amount of green space per person is still 4m². In the past studies globally, city planners and scientists agree that it is highly improbable to develop urban parks and keep maintenance sustainably without reflecting community perceptions and their involvement in the park establishment. Therefore, this research aims to find the challenges which stymie urban park development in Ulaanbaatar city and recommend dealing with the problems. In order to reach the goal, communities’ perceptions about the current challenges and their necessity for urban parks were identified and determined whether they differentiated depending on two different types of residential areas (urban and suburban areas). It also attempted to investigate international good practices on how they deal with similar problems. The research methodology was based on a questionnaire survey among city residents, a document review regarding the involvement of stakeholders, and a literature review of relevant past studies. According to the residents’ perceptions, the biggest challenge was a lack of land availability and followed by a lack of proper policy, planning, management, and maintenance out of seven key challenges identified. The biggest community demand from the urban park was a playground for children and followed by recreation and relaxation out of six types of needs. Based on research findings, the study proposed several recommendations for enhancements as institutional and legal framework, park plan and management, supportive environment and monitoring, evaluation, and reporting.

Keywords: challenges of urban park planning and maintenance, community-based urban park establishment, community perceptions and participation, urban parks in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

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Authors: Abdul Malik Dawlatzai, Shafiqullah Rahmani

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Splash erosion in field has affected by factors; slope, rain intensity, soil properties, and plant cover. And also, soil erosion affects not only farmland productivity but also water quality downstream. There are a number of potential soil conservation practices, but many of these are complicated and relatively expensive, such as buffer strips, agro-forestry, counter banking, catchment canal, terracing, surface mulching, reduced tillage, etc. However, mitigation soil and water loss in agricultural land, particularly in arid and semi-arid climatic conditions, is indispensable for environmental protection and agricultural production. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of adding gypsum mineral on mitigating splash erosion caused by rain drop. The research was conducted in soil laboratory Badam Bagh Agricultural Researching Farm, Kabul, Afghanistan. The stainless steel cores were used, and constant water pressure was controlled by a Mariotte’s bottle with kinetic energy of raindrops 2.36 x 10⁻⁵J. Gypsum mineral was applied at a rate of 5 and 10 t ha⁻¹ and using a sandy loam and loam soil textures. The result was showed an average soil loss from sandy loam soil texture; control was 8.22%, 4.31% and 4.06% similar from loam soil texture, control was 7.26%, 2.89%, and 2.72% respectively. The application of gypsum mineral significantly (P < 0.05) reduced dispersion of soil particles caused by the impact of raindrops compared to control. Therefore, it was concluded that the addition of gypsum was effective as a measure for mitigating splash erosion.

Keywords: gypsum, soil loss, splash erosion, Afghanistan

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Authors: Cornelia-Eugenia Munteanu

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From a psychological perspective, psychopathology is the area of clinical psychology that has at its core psychological assessment and psychotherapy. In day-to-day clinical practice, psychodiagnosis and psychotherapy are used independently, according to their intended purpose and their specific methods of application. The paper explores how the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) and Mini Mental State Examination-2 (MMSE-2) psychological tools contribute to enhancing the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral psychotherapy (CBT). This combined approach, psychotherapy in conjunction with assessment of personality and cognitive functions, is illustrated by two cases, a severe depressive episode with psychotic symptoms and a mixed anxiety-depressive disorder. The order in which CBT, MMPI-2, and MMSE-2 were used in the diagnostic and therapeutic process was determined by the particularities of each case. In the first case, the sequence started with psychotherapy, followed by the administration of blue form MMSE-2, MMPI-2, and red form MMSE-2. In the second case, the cognitive screening with blue form MMSE-2 led to a personality assessment using MMPI-2, followed by red form MMSE-2; reapplication of the MMPI-2 due to the invalidation of the first profile, and finally, psychotherapy. The MMPI-2 protocols gathered useful information that directed the steps of therapeutic intervention: a detailed symptom picture of potentially self-destructive thoughts and behaviors otherwise undetected during the interview. The memory loss and poor concentration were confirmed by MMSE-2 cognitive screening. This combined approach, psychotherapy with psychological assessment, aligns with the trend of adaptation of the psychological services to the everyday life of contemporary man and paves the way for deepening and developing the field.

Keywords: assessment, cognitive behavioral psychotherapy, MMPI-2, MMSE-2, psychopathology

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Authors: Darn H. Hsiao, Zhu-Yun Zheng

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Since Taiwan is located between the Eurasian and Filipino plates and earthquakes often thus occur. The coastal plains in western Taiwan are alluvial plains, and the soils of the alluvium are mostly from the Lao-Shan belt in the central mountainous area of ​​southern Taiwan. It could come mostly from sand/shale and slate. The previous investigation found that the soils in the Kaohsiung area of ​​southern Taiwan are mainly composed of slate, shale, quartz, low-plastic clay, silt, silty sand and so on. It can also be found from the past earthquakes that the soil in Kaohsiung is highly susceptible to soil subsidence due to liquefaction. Insufficient bearing capacity of building will cause soil liquefaction disasters. In this study, the boring drilling data from nine districts among the Love River Basin in the city center, and some factors affecting liquefaction include the content of fines (FC), standard penetration test N value (SPT N), the thickness of clay layer near ground-surface, and the thickness of possible liquefied soil were further discussed for liquefaction potential as well as groundwater level. The results show that the liquefaction potential is higher in the areas near the riverside, the backfill area, and the west area of ​​the study area. This paper also uses the old paleo-geological map, soil particle distribution curve, compared with LPI map calculated from the analysis results. After all the parameters finally were studied for five sub zones in the Love River Basin by maximum-minimum method, it is found that both of standard penetration test N value and the thickness of the clay layer will be most influential.

Keywords: liquefaction, western Taiwan, liquefaction potential map, high liquefaction potential areas

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Authors: Rigas Dimakopoulos, Marianna Papadopoulou, Roser Pons

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Background: Participation in family, recreational activities and self-care is an integral part of health. It is also the main outcome of rehabilitation services for children and adolescents with motor disabilities. There are currently no tools in Greek to assess participation in young children. Purpose: To culturally adapt and validate the Greek version of the Child Engagement in Daily Living (CEDL). Method: The CEDL was cross-culturally translated into Greek using forward-backward translation, review by the expert committee, pretest application and final review. Internal consistency was evaluated using the Cronbach alpha and test-retest reliability using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Parents of children aged 18 months to 5 years and with motor disabilities were recruited. Participants completed the CEDL and the children’s gross motor function was classified using the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Results: Eighty-three children were included, GMFCS I-V. Mean ± standard deviation of the CEDL domains “frequency of participation” “enjoyment of participation” and “self-care” were 58.4±14.0, 3.8±1.0 and 49.9±24, respectively. Internal consistency of all domains was high; Cronbach alpha for “frequency of participation” was 0.83, for “enjoyment of participation” was 0.76 and for “self-care” was 0.92. Test-retest reliability (ICC) was excellent for the “self-care” (0.95) and good for “frequency of participation” and “enjoyment of participation” domains (0.90 and 0.88, respectively). Conclusion: The Greek CEDL has good reliability. It can be used to evaluate participation in Greek young children with motor disabilities GMFCS levels I-V.

Keywords: participation, child, disabilities, child engagement in daily living

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Authors: Amrin Moger, Sagar Bhalerao, Martin Mathew

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Advertisements play a vital role in dissemination of information regarding products and services. Advertisements as Mass Media tool is not only a source of entertainment, but also a source of information, education and entertainment. It provides information about the outside world and exposes us to other ways of life and culture. Public service advertisements (PSA) are generally aimed at public well-being. Aim of PSA is not to make profit, but rather to change public opinion and raise awareness in the Society about a social issue.’ Start with the boys’ is one such PSA aims to create awareness about issue of ‘gender bias’ that is taught prevalent in the society. Persons with disabilities (PWDs) are also consumers of PSA in the society. The population of persons with disability in the society also faces gender bias and discrimination. It is a double discrimination. The advertisement selected for the study gives out a strong message on gender bias and therefore must be accessible to everyone including PWDs in the society. Accessibility of PSA in the digital format can be done with the help of Universal Design (UD) in digital media application. Features of UD inclusive in nature, and it focus on eliminating established barriers through initial designs. It considers the needs of diverse people, whether they are persons with or without disability. In this research two aspects of UD in digital media: captioning and Indian sign language (ISL) is used. Hence a short survey study was under taken to know the effects of a multimedia on gender bias, in accessible format on persons with and without disability. The result demonstrated a significant difference in the opinion, on the usage accessible and non-accessible format for persons with and without disability and their understanding of message in the PSA selected for the study.

Keywords: public service advertisements, gender, disability, accessibility

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Authors: Hai Zeng, Anqing Liu, Shuguang Dan, Ying Zhang, Yan Li, Zihang Zeng

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Children are strong; the country strong, the development of children Basketball is a strategic advantage. Common forms of basketball equipment has been difficult to meet the needs of young children teaching the game of basketball, basketball development for 3-6 years old children in the form of appropriate teaching aids is a breakthrough basketball game teaching children bottlenecks, improve teaching critical path pleasure, but also the development of early childhood basketball a necessary requirement. In this study, literature, questionnaires, focus group interviews, comparative analysis, for domestic and foreign use of 12 kinds of basketball teaching aids (cloud computing MINI basketball, adjustable basketball MINI, MINI basketball court, shooting assist paw print ball, dribble goggles, dribbling machine, machine cartoon shooting, rebounding machine, against the mat, elastic belt, ladder, fitness ball), from fun and improve early childhood shooting technique, dribbling technology, as well as offensive and defensive rebounding against technology conduct research on conversion technology. The results show that by using appropriate forms of teaching children basketball aids, can effectively improve children's fun basketball game, targeted to improve a technology, different types of aids from different perspectives enrich the connotation of children basketball game. Recommended for children of color psychology, cartoon and environmentally friendly material production aids, and increase research efforts basketball aids children, encourage children to sports teachers aids applications.

Keywords: appropriate forms of children basketball, auxiliary equipment, appli, MINI basketball, 3-6 years old children, teaching

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Authors: Charbel Aoun, Loic Lagadec

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A Sensor Network (SN) is considered as an operation of two phases: (1) the observation/measuring, which means the accumulation of the gathered data at each sensor node; (2) transferring the collected data to some processing center (e.g., Fusion Servers) within the SN. Therefore, an underwater sensor network can be defined as a sensor network deployed underwater that monitors underwater activity. The deployed sensors, such as Hydrophones, are responsible for registering underwater activity and transferring it to more advanced components. The process of data exchange between the aforementioned components perfectly defines the Marine Observatory (MO) concept which provides information on ocean state, phenomena and processes. The first step towards the implementation of this concept is defining the environmental constraints and the required tools and components (Marine Cables, Smart Sensors, Data Fusion Server, etc). The logical and physical components that are used in these observatories perform some critical functions such as the localization of underwater moving objects. These functions can be orchestrated with other services (e.g. military or civilian reaction). In this paper, we present an extension to our MO meta-model that is used to generate a design tool (ArchiMO). We propose new constraints to be taken into consideration at design time. We illustrate our proposal with an example from the MO domain. Additionally, we generate the corresponding simulation code using our self-developed domain-specific model compiler. On the one hand, this illustrates our approach in relying on Enterprise Architecture (EA) framework that respects: multiple views, perspectives of stakeholders, and domain specificity. On the other hand, it helps reducing both complexity and time spent in design activity, while preventing from design modeling errors during porting this activity in the MO domain. As conclusion, this work aims to demonstrate that we can improve the design activity of complex system based on the use of MDE technologies and a domain-specific modeling language with the associated tooling. The major improvement is to provide an early validation step via models and simulation approach to consolidate the system design.

Keywords: smart sensors, data fusion, distributed fusion architecture, sensor networks, domain specific modeling language, enterprise architecture, underwater moving object, localization, marine observatory, NS-3, IMS

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Authors: A. Kouloumpis, P. Zygouri, G. Potsi, K. Spyrou, D. Gournis

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Much of the research effort on graphene focuses on its use as building block for the development of new hybrid nanostructures with well-defined dimensions and behavior suitable for applications among else in gas storage, heterogeneous catalysis, gas/liquid separations, nanosensing and biology. Towards this aim, here we describe a new bottom-up approach, which combines the self-assembly with the Langmuir Schaefer technique, for the production of fullerene-intercalated graphene hybrid materials. This new method uses graphene nanosheets as a template for the grafting of various fullerene C60 molecules (pure C60, bromo-fullerenes, C60Br24, and fullerols, C60(OH)24) in a bi-dimensional array, and allows for perfect layer-by-layer growth with control at the molecular level. Our film preparation approach involves a bottom-up layer-by-layer process that includes the formation of a hybrid organo-graphene Langmuir film hosting fullerene molecules within its interlayer spacing. A dilute water solution of chemically oxidized graphene (GO) was used as subphase on the Langmuir-Blodgett deposition system while an appropriate amino surfactant (that binds covalently with the GO) was applied for the formation of hybridized organo-GO. After the horizontal lift of a hydrophobic substrate, a surface modification of the GO platelets was performed by bringing the surface of the transferred Langmuir film in contact with a second amino surfactant solution (capable to interact strongly with the fullerene derivatives). In the final step, the hybrid organo-graphene film was lowered in the solution of the appropriate fullerene derivative. Multilayer films were constructed by repeating this procedure. Hybrid fullerene-based thin films deposited on various hydrophobic substrates were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray reflectivity (XRR), FTIR, and Raman spectroscopies, Atomic Force Microscopy, and optical measurements. Acknowledgments. This research has been co‐financed by the European Union (European Social Fund – ESF) and Greek national funds through the Operational Program "Education and Lifelong Learning" of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF)‐Research Funding Program: THALES. Investing in knowledge society through the European Social Fund (no. 377285).

Keywords: hybrids, graphene oxide, fullerenes, langmuir-blodgett, intercalated structures

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Authors: Ahmad Fauzi Makarim, Okkie Puspitorini, Hani'ah Mahmudah, Nur Adi Siswandari, Ari Wijayanti

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As a maritime country, Indonesia needs a solution in maritime connectivity which can assist the maritime communication system which including communication from harbor to the ship or ship to ship. The needs of many application services for maritime communication, whether for safety reasons until voyage service to help the process of voyage activity needs connection with a high bandwith. To support the government efforts in handling that kind of problem, a research is conducted in maritime communication issue by applying the new developed technology in Indonesia, namely IEEE 802.11. In this research, 3 outdoor WiFi devices are used in which have a frequency of 5.8 GHz. Maritime of Tanjung Perak harbor in Surabaya until Karang Jamuang Island are used as the location of the research with defining permission of ship node spreading by Navigation District Class 1. That maritime area formed by state 1 and state 2 areas which are the narrow area with average wave height of 0.7 meter based on the data from BMKG S urabaya. After that, wave height used as one of the parameters which are used in analyzing characteristic of signal propagation at sea surface, so it can be determined on the coverage area of transmitter system. In this research has been used three samples of outdoor wifi, there is the coverage of device A can be determined about 2256 meter, device B 4000 meter, and device C 1174 meter. Then to analyze of network connectivity for the ship to ship is used AODV routing algorithm system based on the value of the power transmit was smallest of all nodes within the transmitter coverage.

Keywords: maritime of Indonesia, maritime communications, outdoor wifi, coverage, AODV

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Authors: M. A. García, J. Vinolas, A. Hernando

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Steel is nowadays one of the most important structural materials because of its outstanding mechanical properties. Therefore, in order to look for a sustainable economic model and to optimize the use of extensive resources, new methods to monitor and prevent failure of steel-based facilities are required. The classical mechanical tests, as for instance building tasting, are invasive and destructive. Moreover, for facilities where the steel element is embedded, (as reinforced concrete) these techniques are directly non applicable. Hence, non-invasive monitoring techniques to prevent failure, without altering the structural properties of the elements are required. Among them, electromagnetic methods are particularly suitable for non-invasive inspection of the mechanical state of steel-based elements. The magnetoelastic coupling effects induce a modification of the electromagnetic properties of an element upon applied stress. Since most steels are ferromagnetic because of their large Fe content, it is possible to inspect their structure and state in a non-invasive way. We present here a distinct electromagnetic method for contactless evaluation of internal stress in steel-based elements. In particular, this method relies on measuring the magnetic induction between two coils with the steel specimen in between them. We found that the alteration of electromagnetic properties of the steel specimen induced by applied stress-induced changes in the induction allowed us to detect stress well below half of the elastic limit of the material. Hence, it represents an outstanding non-invasive method to prevent failure in steel-based facilities. We here describe the theoretical model, present experimental results to validate it and finally we show a practical application for detection of stress and inhomogeneities in train railways.

Keywords: magnetoelastic, magnetic induction, mechanical stress, steel

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