Search results for: moving biological reactors

Authors: Marco Morini, Nicolandrea Calabrese, Dario Chello

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Despite the international commitment of Algeria towards the development of energy efficiency and renewable energy in the country, the internal energy demand has been continuously growing during the last decade due to the substantial increase of population and of living conditions, which in turn has led to an unprecedented expansion of the residential building sector. The thermal building regulation is the technical document that establishes the calculation framework for the thermal performance of buildings in Algeria, setting up minimum obligatory targets for the thermal performance of new buildings. An update of this regulation is due in the coming years, and this paper discusses some proposals in this regard, with the aim to improve the energy efficiency of the building sector, particularly with regard to social housing. In particular, it proposes a methodology for drafting an energy performance label of new Algerian residential buildings, moving from the results of the thermal compliance verification and sizing of technical systems as defined in the RTB. Such an energy performance label – whose calculation method is briefly described in the paper – aims to raise citizens' awareness of the benefits of energy efficiency. It can represent the first step in a process of integrating technical installations into the calculation of the energy performance of buildings in Algeria.

Keywords: building, energy certification, energy efficiency, social housing, international cooperation, Mediterranean region

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Authors: Diogen Babuc

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The question that is a motivation of writing is how many devote themselves to discovering something in the world of science where much is discerned and revealed, but at the same time, much is unknown. Methods: The insightful elements of this algorithm are the ciphering and deciphering algorithms of Playfair, Caesar, and Vigenère. Only a few of their main properties are taken and modified, with the aim of forming a specific functionality of the algorithm called Latin Djokovic. Specifically, a string is entered as input data. A key k is given, with a random value between the values a and b = a+3. The obtained value is stored in a variable with the aim of being constant during the run of the algorithm. In correlation to the given key, the string is divided into several groups of substrings, and each substring has a length of k characters. The next step involves encoding each substring from the list of existing substrings. Encoding is performed using the basis of Caesar algorithm, i.e., shifting with k characters. However, that k is incremented by 1 when moving to the next substring in that list. When the value of k becomes greater than b+1, it’ll return to its initial value. The algorithm is executed, following the same procedure, until the last substring in the list is traversed. Results: Using this polyalphabetic method, ciphering and deciphering of strings are achieved. The algorithm also works for a 100-character string. The x character isn’t used when the number of characters in a substring is incompatible with the expected length. The algorithm is simple to implement, but it’s questionable if it works better than the other methods from the point of view of execution time and storage space.

Keywords: ciphering, deciphering, authentic, algorithm, polyalphabetic cipher, random key, methods comparison

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Authors: Angie M. Wolf, DeVone Boggan

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This paper highlights an innovative and nontraditional violence prevention program that is making a noticeable impact in what was once one of the country’s most violent communities. With unique and tailored strategies, the Operation Peacemaker Fellowship, established in Richmond, California, combines components of evidence-based practices with a community-oriented focus on relationships and mentoring to fill a gap in services and increase community safety. In an effort to highlight these unique strategies and provide a blueprint for other communities with violent crime problems, the authors of this paper hope to clearly delineate how one community is moving forward with vanguard approaches to invest in the lives of young men who once were labeled the communities’ most violent, even the most deadly, youth. The impact of this program is evidenced through the fellows’ own voices as they illuminate the experience of being in the Fellowship. In interviews, fellows’ describe how participating in this program has transformed their lives, and the lives of those they love. The authors of this article spent more than two years researching this Fellowship program in order to conduct an evaluation of it and, ultimately, to demonstrate how this program is a testament to the power of relationship and love combined with evidence-based practices, consequently enriching the lives of youth and the community that embraces them.

Keywords: gun violence prevention, high risk youth, law, policing justice

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Authors: Madelaine Venzon, Dany S. S. L. Amaral, André L. Perez, Natália S. Diaz, Juliana A. Martinez Chiguachi, Maira C. M. Fonseca, James D. Harwood, Angelo Pallini

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Integrating strategies of sustainable crop production and promoting the provisioning of ecological services on farms and within rural landscapes is a challenge for today’s agriculture. Habitat management, through increasing vegetational diversity, enhances heterogeneity in agroecosystems and has the potential to improve the recruitment of natural enemies of pests, which promotes biological control services. In tropical agroecosystems, however, there is a paucity of information pertaining to the resources provided by associated plants and their interactions with natural enemies. The maintenance of non-crop plants integrated into and/or surrounding crop fields provides the farmer with a low-investment option to enhance biological control. We carried out field experiments in chili pepper agroecosystems with small stakeholders located in the Zona da Mata, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, from 2011 to 2015 where we assessed: (a) whether non-crop plants within and around chili pepper fields affect the diversity and abundance of aphidophagous species; (b) whether there are direct interactions between non-crop plants and aphidophagous arthropods; and (c) the importance of non-crop plant resources for survival of Coccinellidae and Chrysopidae species. Aphidophagous arthropods were dominated by Coccinellidae, Neuroptera, Syrphidae, Anthocoridae and Araneae. These natural enemies were readily observed preying on aphids, feeding on flowers or extrafloral nectaries and using plant structures for oviposition and/or protection. Aphid populations were lower on chili pepper fields associated with non-crop plants that on chili pepper monocultures. Survival of larvae and adults of different species of Coccinellidae and Chrysopidae on non-crop resources varied according to the plant species. This research provides evidence that non-crop plants in chili pepper agroecosystems can affect aphid abundance and their natural enemy abundance and survival. It is also highlighting the need for further research to fully characterize the structure and function of plant resources in these and other tropical agroecosystems. Financial support: CNPq, FAPEMIG and CAPES (Brazil).

Keywords: Conservation biological control, aphididae, Coccinellidae, Chrysopidae, plant diversification

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Authors: Arunas Stirke, Neringa Bakute, Gatis Mozolevskis

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A technology of microfluidics is an emerging tool in the field of biology, medicine and chemistry. Microfluidic device is also known as ‘lab-on-a-chip’ technology [1]. In moving from macro- to microscale, there is unprecedented control over spatial and temporal gradients and patterns that cannot be captured in conventional Petri dishes and well plates [2]. However, there is not a single standard microfluidic chip designated for all purposes – every different field of studies needs a specific microchip with certain geometries, inlet/outlet, channel depth and other parameters to precisely regulate the required function. Since our group is studying an effect of pulsed electric field (PEF) to the cells, we have manufactured a microfluidic chip designated for high-throughput electroporation of cells. In our microchip, a cell culture chamber is divided into two parallel channels by a membrane, meanwhile electrodes for electroporation are attached to the wall of the channels. Both microchannels have their own inlet and outlet, enabling injection of transfection material separately. Our perspective is to perform electroporation of mammalian cells in two different ways: (1) plasmid and cells are injected in the same microchannel and (2) injected into separate microchannels. Moreover, oxygen and pH sensors are integrated on order to analyse cell viability parameters after PEF treatment.

Keywords: microfluidics, chip, fabrication, electroporation

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Authors: Sara Mercedes Barroso Pinzón, Álvaro Jesús Caicedo Castro, Antonio Javer Sánchez Herencia

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In recent years there has been increased academic and industrial research into the development of orthopaedic implants with structural properties and functionality similar to mechanical strength, osseointegration, thermal stability and antibacterial capacity similar to bone structure. Hydroxyapatite has been considered for decades as an ideal biomaterial for bone regeneration due to its chemical and crystallographic similarity to the mineral structure bioapatites. However, the lack of trace elements in the hydroxyapatite structure confers very low mechanical and biological properties. Under this scenario, the objective of the research is the synthesis of hydroxyapatite with Mg from the francolite mineral present in phosphate rock from the central-eastern region of Colombia, taking advantage of the extraction of mineral species as natural precursors of Ca, P and Mg. The minerals present were studied, fluorapatite as the mineral of interest associated with magnesium carbonates and quartz. The chemical and mineralogical composition was determined by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX); the optimum conditions were established using the acid leaching mechanism in the wet concentration process. From the products obtained and characterised by XRD, XRF, SEM, FTIR, RAMAN, HAp-Mg biocomposite scaffolds are fabricated and the influence of Mg on morphometric parameters, mechanical and biological properties in the formed materials is evaluated.

Keywords: phosphate rock, hydroxyapatite, magnesium, biomaterials

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Authors: Sarra Kitanou

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Membrane bioreactor (MBR) systems are one of the most widely used wastewater treatment processes for various municipal and industrial waste streams. It is based on complex interactions between biological processes, filtration process and rheological properties of the liquid to be treated. Its complexity makes understanding system operation and optimization more difficult, and traditional methods based on experimental analysis are costly and time consuming. The present study was based on an external membrane bioreactor pilot scale with ceramic membranes compared to conventional activated sludge process (ASP) plant. Both systems received their influent from a domestic wastewater. The membrane bioreactor (MBR) produced an effluent with much better quality than ASP in terms of total suspended solids (TSS), organic matter such as biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD), total Phosphorus and total Nitrogen. Other effluent quality parameters also indicate substantial differences between ASP and MBR. This study leads to conclude that in the case domestic wastewater, MBR treatment has excellent effluent quality. Hence, the replacement of the ASP by the MBRs may be justified on the basis of their improved removal of solids, nutrients, and micropollutants. Furthermore, in terms of reuse the great quality of the treated water allows it to be reused for irrigation.

Keywords: aerobic wastewater treatment, conventional activated sludge process, membrane bioreactor, reuse for irrigation

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Authors: Mert Kıranç, Ekrem Duman, Murat Özbilen

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In order to achieve new product development (NPD) activities on time and within budgetary constraints, the NPD managers need a well-designed methodology. This study intends to create an integrated project management methodology for the ones who focus on new product development projects. In the scope of the study, four different management systems are combined. These systems are called as 'Schedule-oriented Stage-Gate Method, Risk Management, Change Management and Earned Value Management'. New product development term is quite common in many different industries such as defense industry, construction, health care/dental, higher education, fast moving consumer goods, white goods, electronic devices, marketing and advertising and software development. All product manufacturers run against each other’s for introducing a new product to the market. In order to achieve to produce a more competitive product in the market, an optimum project management methodology is chosen, and this methodology is adapted to company culture. The right methodology helps the company to present perfect product to the customers at the right time. The benefits of proposed methodology are discussed as an application by a company. As a result, how the integrated methodology improves the efficiency and how it achieves the success of the project are unfolded.

Keywords: project, project management, management methodology, new product development, risk management, change management, earned value, stage-gate

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Authors: M. Sumida, S. Morita

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In this research, the effect of unsteady flows acting on road vehicles was experimentally investigated, using an advanced and recently introduced wind tunnel. The aims of this study were to extract the characteristics of fluid forces acting on road vehicles under unsteady wind conditions and obtain new information on drag forces in a practical on-road test. We applied pulsating wind as a representative example of the atmospheric fluctuations that vehicles encounter on the road. That is, we considered the case where the vehicles are moving at constant speed in the air, with large wind oscillations. The experimental tests were performed on the Ahmed-type test model, which is a simplified vehicle model. This model was chosen because of its simplicity and the data accumulated under steady wind conditions. The experiments were carried out with a time-averaged Reynolds number of Re = 4.16x10⁵ and a pulsation period of T = 1.5 s, with amplitude of η = 0.235. Unsteady fluid forces of drag and lift were obtained utilizing a multi-component load cell. It was observed that the unsteady aerodynamic forces differ significantly from those under steady wind conditions. They exhibit a phase shift and an enhanced response to the wind oscillations. Furthermore, their behavior depends on the slant angle of the rear shape of the model.

Keywords: Ahmed body, automotive aerodynamics, unsteady wind, wind tunnel test

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Authors: Natalie Pomerantz, Nicholas Dugan, Molly Richards, Walter Zukas

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The primary research question to be answered for Chemical/Biological (CB) protective clothing, is how to protect wearers from a range of chemical and biological threats in liquid, vapor, and aerosol form, while reducing the thermal burden. Currently, CB protective garments are hot, heavy, and wearers are limited by short work times in order to prevent heat injury. This study demonstrates how to incorporate different levels of protection on a material level and modify fabric composites such that the thermal burden is reduced to such an extent it approaches that of a standard duty uniform with no CB protection. CB protective materials are usually comprised of several fabric layers: a cover fabric with a liquid repellent coating, a protective layer which is comprised of a carbon-based sorptive material or semi-permeable membrane, and a comfort next-to-skin liner. In order to reduce thermal burden, all of these layers were laminated together to form one fabric composite which had no insulative air gap in between layers. However, the elimination of the air gap also reduced the CB protection of the fabric composite. In order to increase protection in the laminated composite, different nonwoven aerosol protective liners were added, and a super repellent coating was applied to the cover fabric, prior to lamination. Different adhesive patterns were investigated to determine the durability of the laminate with the super repellent coating, and the effect on air permeation. After evaluating the thermal properties, textile properties and protective properties of the iterations of these fabric composites, it was found that the thermal burden of these materials was greatly reduced by decreasing the thermal resistance with the elimination of the air gap between layers. While the level of protection was reduced in laminate composites, the addition of a super repellent coating increased protection towards low volatility agents without impacting thermal burden. Similarly, the addition of aerosol protective liner increased protection without reducing water vapor transport, depending on the nonwoven used, however, the air permeability was significantly decreased. The balance of all these properties and exploration of the trade space between thermal burden and protection will be discussed.

Keywords: aerosol protection, CBRNe protection, lamination, nonwovens, repellent coatings, thermal burden

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Authors: Balaji Ganesh Rajagopal, Subramanian Appavu alias Balamurugan, Ayyalraj Midhun Kumar, Krishnan Nallaperumal

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Intelligent Transportation System is an Emerging area to solve multiple transportation problems. Several forms of inputs are needed in order to solve ITS problems. Advanced Traveler Information System (ATIS) is a core and important ITS area of this modern era. This involves travel time forecasting, efficient road map analysis and cost based path selection, Detection of the vehicle in the dynamic conditions and Traffic congestion state forecasting. This Article designs and provides an algorithm for traffic data generation which can be used for the above said ATIS application. By inputting the real world traffic situation in the form of video sequences, the algorithm determines the Traffic density in terms of congestion, number of vehicles in a given path which can be fed for various ATIS applications. The Algorithm deduces the key frame from the video sequences and follows the Blob detection, Identification and Tracking using connected components algorithm to determine the correlation between the vehicles moving in the real road scene.

Keywords: traffic transportation, traffic density estimation, blob identification and tracking, relative velocity of vehicles, correlation between vehicles

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Authors: Daniella Arieli

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As human population is ageing, globally, we are faced with the need to find solutions for the care of older people who have reached the stage of needing full-time nursing care. Basically, there are two basic alternatives: 1. moving the individual to an institutional setting, a care home, or other form of residency, and 2. Arranging care for them in their own home, what is known as “ageing in place”. As ageing in place is becoming popular in many parts of the world, there is a need to understand its’ everyday consequences for all the involved parties: the care recipient, her/his family members and the live-in care workers. This is crucial because choosing home care means that the role of the care recipient’s relatives becomes very demanding and requires a level of support and responsibility that is often beyond what families can offer. This is particularly challenging when the older person faces dementia. While most Western countries offer a range of social services, many citizens around the world find the care provided by governments and associated social support structures insufficient. Individuals and families find themselves in the position of having to take on the responsibility themselves and find a path for the care of frail members, while facing considerable personal burdens and challenging dilemmas. The aim of this work is to discuss those challenges. The study is based on an ethnographic study of home care for older people in Israel.

Keywords: aging in place, family caregivers, policy making, qualitative research

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Authors: Hadi Ardiny, Amir Mohammad Beigzadeh

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Through the utilization of a combination of various sensors and data fusion methods, the detection of potential nuclear threats can be significantly enhanced by extracting more information from different data. In this research, an experimental and modeling approach was employed to track a radioactive source by combining a surveillance camera and a radiation detector (NaI). To run this experiment, three mobile robots were utilized, with one of them equipped with a radioactive source. An algorithm was developed in identifying the contaminated robot through correlation between camera images and camera data. The computer vision method extracts the movements of all robots in the XY plane coordinate system, and the detector system records the gamma-ray count. The position of the robots and the corresponding count of the moving source were modeled using the MCNPX simulation code while considering the experimental geometry. The results demonstrated a high level of accuracy in finding and locating the target in both the simulation model and experimental measurement. The modeling techniques prove to be valuable in designing different scenarios and intelligent systems before initiating any experiments.

Keywords: nuclear threats, radiation detector, MCNPX simulation, modeling techniques, intelligent systems

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Authors: Mouustafa A. Fadel, Ahmed Bani Hammad, Faisal Al Hosany, Osama Iwaimer

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Covering materials of greenhouses is the most governing component of the construction which controls two major parameters the amount of light and heat diffused from the surrounding environment into the internal space. In hot areas, balancing between inside and outside the greenhouse consumes most of the energy spent in production systems. In this research, a special testing apparatus was fabricated to simulate the structure of the greenhouse provided with a 400W full spectrum light. Tests were carried out to investigate the effectiveness of different commercial covering material in light and heat diffusion. Twenty one combinations of Fiberglass, Polyethylene, Polycarbonate, Plexiglass and Agril (PP nonwoven fabric) were tested. It was concluded that Plexiglass was the highest in light transparency of 87.4% where the lowest was 33% and 86.8% for Polycarbonate sheets. The enthalpy of the air moving through the testing rig was calculated according to air temperature differences between inlet and outlet openings. The highest enthalpy value was for one layer of Fiberglass and it was 0.81 kj/kg air while it was for both Plexiglass and blocked Fiberglass with a value of 0.5 kj/kg air. It is concluded that, although Plexiglass has high level of transparency which is indeed very helpful under low levels of solar flux, it is not recommended under hot arid conditions where solar flux is available most of the year. On the other hand, it might be a disadvantage to use Plixeglass specially in summer where it helps to accumulate more heat inside the greenhouse.

Keywords: greenhouse, covering materials, aridlands, environmental control

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Authors: Kshitij Bhardwaj, R.K. Trivedi, Shipra Dixit

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We used biological detoxification method that converts toxic residue waste of Jatropha curcas oil seeds (non edible oil seed) into industrial bio-products and animal feed material. Present study describes the complete degradation of phorbol esters by Aspergillus Niger strain during solid state fermentation (SSF) of deoiled Jatropha curcas seed cake. Phorbol esters were completely degraded in 15 days under the optimized SSF conditions viz deoiled cake 5.0 gm moistened with 5.0 ml distilled water; inoculum 2 ml of overnight grown Aspergillus niger; incubated at 30◦ C, pH 7.0. This method simultaneously induces the production of Protease enzyme by Aspergillus Niger which has high potential to be used in feedstuffs .The maximum Protease activities obtained were 709.16 mg/ml in Jatropha curcas oil seed cake. The protein isolate had small amounts of phorbol esters, phytic acid, and saponin without any lectin. Its minimum and maximum solubility were at pH 4.0&12.0. Water and oil binding capacities were 3.22 g water/g protein and 1.86 ml oil/g protein respectively.Emulsion activity showed high values in a range of basic pH. We concluded that Jatropha Curcas seed cake has a potential to be used as a novel source of functional protein for food or feed applications.

Keywords: solid state fermentation, Jatropha curcas, oil seed cake, phorbol ester

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Authors: Arenca Trashani

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20 years after its first entrance in a General Assembly of the United Nation’s Resolution, human security has became a very important tool in a global debate affecting directly the whole main rules and regulations in international law and more closely in international human rights law. This paper will cover a very important issue of today at how the human security has its impact to the development of international human rights law, not as far as a challenge as it is seen up now but a tool of moving toward development and globalization. In order to analyze the impact of human security to the global agenda, we need to look to the main pillars of the international legal order which are affected by the human security in itself and its application in the policy making for this international legal order global and regional ones. This paper will focus, also, on human security, as a new and very important tool of measuring development, stability and the level of democratic consolidation and the respect for human rights especially in developing countries such as Albania. The states are no longer capable to monopolize the use of human security just within their boundaries and separated from the other principles of a functioning democracy. In this context, human security would be best guaranteed under the respect of the rule of law and democratization. During the last two decades the concept security has broadly developed, from a state-centric to a more human-centric approach: from state security to respect for human rights, to economic security, to environmental security as well. Last but not least we would see that human rights could be affected by human security not just at their promotion but also at their enforcement and mainly at the international institutions, which are entitled to promote and to protect human rights.

Keywords: human security, international human rights law, development, Albania, international law

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Authors: Noor Azwa Azreen Binti Abd. Aziz, Muhamad Zaim Bin Mohd Rozi

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Moving towards the 4th Industrial Revolution, artificial intelligence (AI) is now more popular than ever. This subject is gaining significance every day and is continually expanding, often merging with other fields. Instead of merely being passive observers, there are benefits to understanding modern technology by delving into its inner workings. However, in a world teeming with digital information, the impact of AI on the spread of disinformation has garnered significant attention. The dissemination of inaccurate or misleading information is referred to as misinformation, posing a serious threat to democratic society, public debate, and individual decision-making. This article delves deep into the connection between AI and the dissemination of false information, exploring its potential, risks, and ethical issues as AI technology advances. The rise of AI has ushered in a new era in the dissemination of misinformation as AI-driven technologies are increasingly responsible for curating, recommending, and amplifying information on online platforms. While AI holds the potential to enhance the detection and mitigation of misinformation through natural language processing and machine learning, it also raises concerns about the amplification and propagation of false information. AI-powered deepfake technology, for instance, can generate hyper-realistic videos and audio recordings, making it increasingly challenging to discern fact from fiction.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, digital information, disinformation, ethical issues, misinformation

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Authors: Arjumand Warsy

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The Holy Quran was revealed to Prophet Mohammad (May Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon Him) over fourteen hundred years ago, at a time when majority of the people in Arabia were illiterate and very few could read or write. Any knowledge about medicine, anatomy, biology, astronomy, physics, geology, geophysics or other sciences were almost non-existent. Many superstitious and groundless believes were prevalent and these believes were passed down through past generations. At that time, the Holy Quran was revealed and it presented several phenomenon that have been only currently unveiled, as scientists have worked endlessly to provide explanation for these physical and biological phenomenon applying scientific technologies. Many important discoveries were made during the 20th century and it is interesting to note that many of these discoveries were already present in the Holy Quran fourteen hundred years ago. The Scientific phenomenon, mentioned in the Holy Quran, cover many different fields in biological and physical sciences and have been the source of guidance for a number of scientists. A perfect description of the creation of the universe, the orbits in space, the development process, development of hearing process prior to sight, importance of the skin in sensing pain, uniqueness of fingerprints, role of males in selection of the sex of the baby, are just a few of the many facts present in the Quran that have astonished many scientists. The Quran in Chapter 20, verse 50 states: قَالَ رَبُّنَا الَّذِيۤ اَعْطٰى كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلْقَهٗ ثُمَّ هَدٰى ۰۰ (He said "Our Lord is He, Who has given a distinctive form to everything and then guided it aright”). Explaining this brief statement in the light of the modern day Molecular Genetics unveils the entire genetic basis of life and how guidance is stored in the genetic material (DNA) present in the nucleus. This thread like structure, made of only six molecules (sugar, phosphate, adenine, thymine, cytosine and guanine), is so brilliantly structured by the Creator that it holds all the information about each and every living thing, whether it is viruses, bacteria, fungi, plants, animals or humans or any other living being. This paper will present an update on some of the physical and biological phenomena’ presented in the Holy Quran, unveiled using advanced technologies during the last century and will discuss how the need to incorporate this information in the curricula.

Keywords: The Holy Quran, scientific facts, curriculum, Muslims

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Authors: Anupuma Raina, Ajay Parkash

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In forensic investigation, DNA analysis helps in the identification of a particular individual under investigation. A set of Short Tandem Repeats loci are widely used for individualization at a molecular level in forensic testing. STRs with tetrameric repeats of DNA are highly polymorphic and widely used for forensic DNA analysis. Identification of an individual became challenging for forensic examiners after Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation. HSCT is a well-accepted and life-saving treatment to treat malignant and nonmalignant diseases. It involves the administration of healthy donor stem cells to replace the patient’s own unhealthy stem cells. A successful HSCT results in complete donor-derived cells in a patient’s hematopoiesis and hence have the capability to change the genetic makeup of the patient. Although an individual who has undergone HSCT and then committed a crime is a very rare situation, but not impossible. Keeping such a situation in mind, various biological samples like blood, buccal swab, and hair follicle were collected and studied after a certain interval of time after HSCT. Blood was collected from both the patient and the donor before the transplant. The DNA profile of both was analyzed using a short tandem repeat kit for autosomal chromosomes. Among all exhibits studied, only hair follicles were found to be the most suitable biological exhibit, as no donor DNA profile was observed for up to 90 days of study.

Keywords: chimerism, HSCT, STRs analysis, forensic identification

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Authors: Kewen Li

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Much attention has been paid to the application of low temperature thermal resources, especially for power generation in recent years. Most of the current commercialized thermal, including geothermal, power-generation technologies convert thermal energy to electric energy indirectly, that is, making mechanical work before producing electricity. Technology using thermoelectric generator (TEG), however, can directly transform thermal energy into electricity by using Seebeck effect. TEG technology has many advantages such as compactness, quietness, and reliability because there are no moving parts. One of the big disadvantages of TEGs is the low efficiency from thermal to electric energy. For this reason, we redesigned and modified our previous 1 KW (at a temperature difference of around 120 °C) TEG system. The efficiency of the system was improved significantly, about 20% greater. Laboratory experiments have been conducted to measure the output power, including both open and net power, at different conditions: different modes of connections between TEG modules, different mechanical structures, different temperature differences between hot and cold sides. The cost of the TEG power generator has been reduced further because of the increased efficiency and is lower than that of photovoltaics (PV) in terms of equivalent energy generated. The TEG apparatus has been pilot tested and the data will be presented. This kind of TEG power system can be applied in many thermal and geothermal sites with low temperature resources, including oil fields where fossil and geothermal energies are co-produced.

Keywords: TEG, direct power generation, efficiency, thermoelectric effect

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Authors: Sajida Saqira, Anthony Chariton, Grant C. Hose

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The Anthropocene has seen dramatic environmental changes which are affecting every ecosystem on earth. Freshwater ecosystems are particularly vulnerable as they are at risk from the many activities that go on and contaminants that are released in catchments. They are thus subject to many stressors simultaneously. Freshwater ecosystems respond to stress at all levels of biological organization, from subcellular to community structure and ecosystem functioning. The aim of this study was to examine the resistance and resilience of freshwater ecosystems to multiple stressors. Here we explored the individual and combined effects of copper as a chemical stressor and common carp (Cyprinus carpio) as a biological stressor on the health, functioning, and recovery of outdoor experimental pond ecosystems in a long-term, controlled, factorial experiment. Primary productivity, decomposition, and water and sediment quality were analysed at regular intervals for one year to understand the health and functioning of the ecosystems. Changes to benthic biota were quantified using DNA-based and traditional microscopy-based counts of invertebrates. Carp were added to the ponds to copper contaminated sediments (with controls) to explore the combined effects of copper and carp and removed after six months to explore the resilience and recovery of the system. The outcomes of this study will advance our understanding of the impacts of multiple stressors on freshwater ecosystems, and the resilience of these systems to copper and C. carpio, which are both globally significant stressors in freshwater systems.

Keywords: carp, copper, ecosystem health, freshwater ecosystem, multiple stressors

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Authors: Ghada Badr, Manar Hosny, Nuha Bintayyash, Eman Albilali, Souad Larabi Marie-Sainte

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The median problem is significantly applied to derive the most reasonable rearrangement phylogenetic tree for many species. More specifically, the problem is concerned with finding a permutation that minimizes the sum of distances between itself and a set of three signed permutations. Genomes with equal number of genes but different order can be represented as permutations. In this paper, an algorithm, namely BeamGA median, is proposed that combines a heuristic search approach (local beam) as an initialization step to generate a number of solutions, and then a Genetic Algorithm (GA) is applied in order to refine the solutions, aiming to achieve a better median with the smallest possible reversal distance from the three original permutations. In this approach, any genome rearrangement distance can be applied. In this paper, we use the reversal distance. To the best of our knowledge, the proposed approach was not applied before for solving the median problem. Our approach considers true biological evolution scenario by applying the concept of common intervals during the GA optimization process. This allows us to imitate a true biological behavior and enhance genetic approach time convergence. We were able to handle permutations with a large number of genes, within an acceptable time performance and with same or better accuracy as compared to existing algorithms.

Keywords: median problem, phylogenetic tree, permutation, genetic algorithm, beam search, genome rearrangement distance

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Authors: Seyyed Masoud Seyyedoshohadaei, Borhanuddin Mohd Ali

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To support group mobility, the NEMO Basic Support Protocol has been standardized as an extension of Mobile IP that enables an entire network to change its point of attachment to the Internet. Using NEMO in IEEE 802.16e (WiMax) networks causes latency in handover procedure and affects seamless communication of real-time applications. To decrease handover latency and service disruption time, an integrated scheme named Optimized Fast NEMO (OFNEMO) was introduced by authors of this paper. In OFNEMO a pre-establish multi tunnels concept, cross function optimization and cross layer design are used. In this paper, an analytical model is developed to evaluate total cost consisting of signaling and packet delivery costs of the OFNEMO compared with RFC3963. Results show that OFNEMO increases probability of predictive mode compared with RFC3963 due to smaller handover latency. Even though OFNEMO needs extra signalling to pre-establish multi tunnel, it has less total cost thanks to its optimized algorithm. OFNEMO can minimize handover latency for supporting real time application in moving networks.

Keywords: fast mobile IPv6, handover latency, IEEE802.16e, network mobility

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Authors: Myriam Ben Said, Dhekra Trabelsi, Faouzi Achouri, Marwa Ben Saad, Latifa Bousselmi, Ahmed Ghrabi

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This present study suggests the use of biological and natural bactericide, cheap, safe to handle, natural, environmentally benign agents to enhance the conventional wastewater treatment process. In the same sense, to highlight the enhancement of wastewater photocatalytic treatability, we were used virulent bacteriophage(s) and essential oils (EOs). The pre-phago-treatment of wastewater with lytic phage(s), leads to a decrease in bacterial density and, consequently, limits the establishment of intercellular communication (QS), thus preventing biofilm formation and inhibiting the expression of other virulence factors after photocatalysis. Moreover, to increase the photocatalytic efficiency, we were added to the secondary treated wastewater 1/1000 (w/v) of EO of thyme (T. vulgaris). This EO showed in vitro an anti-biofilm activity through the inhibition of plonctonic cell mobility and their attachment on an inert surface and also the deterioration of the sessile structure. The presence of photoactivatable molecules (photosensitizes) in this type of oil allows the optimization of photocatalytic efficiency without hazards relayed to dyes and chemicals reagent. The use of ‘biological and natural tools’ in combination with usual water treatment process can be considered as a safety procedure to reduce and/or to prevent the recontamination of treated water and also to prevent the re-expression of virulent factors by pathogenic bacteria such as biofilm formation with friendly processes.

Keywords: biofilm, essential oil, optimization, phage, photocatalysis, wastewater

Procedia PDF Downloads 154

Authors: Mohammed Al-Bloushi, Sanghyun Jeong, Torove Leiknes

Abstract:

Biofouling in the open recirculating cooling water systems may cause biological corrosion, which can reduce the performance, increase the energy consummation and lower heat exchange efficiencies of the cooling tower. Seawater cooling towers are prone to biofouling due to the presences of organic and inorganic compounds in the seawater. The availability of organic and inorganic nutrients, along with sunlight and continuous aeration of the cooling tower contributes to an environment that is ideal for microbial growth. Various microorganisms (algae, fungi, and bacteria) can grow in a cooling tower system under certain environmental conditions. The most commonly being used method to control the biofouling in the cooling tower is the addition of biocides such as chlorination. In this study, algae containing diatom and green algae were added to the cooling tower basin, and its viability was monitored in the recirculating cooling seawater loop as well as in the cooling tower basin. Continuous addition of biocides was employed in pilot-scale seawater cooling towers, and it was operated continuously for 2 months. Three different types of oxidizing biocides, namely chlorine, chlorine dioxide and ozone, were tested. The results showed that all biocides were effective in keeping the biological growth to the minimum regardless of algal addition. Amongst the biocides, ozone could reduce 99% of total live cells of bacteria and algae, followed by chlorine dioxide at 97%, while the conventional chlorine showed only 89% reduction in the bioactivities.

Keywords: algae, biocide, biofouling, seawater cooling tower

Procedia PDF Downloads 239

Authors: Monisha Pattanaik

Abstract:

In scenarios where users have to work with large amounts of hierarchical data structures combined with visualizations (For example, Construction 3d Models, Manufacturing equipment's models, Gantt charts, Building Plans), the data structures have a high density in terms of consisting multiple parent nodes up to 50 levels and their siblings to descendants, therefore convey an immediate feeling of complexity. With customers moving to consumer-grade enterprise software, it is crucial to make sophisticated features made available to touch devices or smaller screen sizes. This paper evaluates the UI component that allows users to scroll through all deep density levels using a slider overlay on top of the hierarchy table, performing several actions to focus on one set of objects at any point in time. This overlay component also solves the problem of excessive horizontal scrolling of the entire table on a fixed pane for a hierarchical table. This component can be customized to navigate through parents, only siblings, or a specific component of the hierarchy only. The evaluation of the UI component was done by End Users of application and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) experts to test the UI component's usability with statistical results and recommendations to handle complex hierarchical data visualizations.

Keywords: building information modeling, digital twin, navigation, UI component, user interface, usability, visualization

Procedia PDF Downloads 138

Authors: Sabiha S. Marine, Nicole Flint, John Rolfe

Abstract:

The Queensland state government introduced commercial gill net fishing closures in Cairns, Mackay, and Rockhampton in November 2015 to increase the recreational fishing opportunities, nature-based tourism, and economic benefits in these three regional areas. This management change is likely to improve the potential for more desirable stock structures through natural recruitment. Barramundi (Lates calcarifer) is one of the popular target fish for recreational and commercial fishers in Northern Australia. This investigation examines the effects of reduced commercial fishing from both biological and economic perspectives, particularly on the local Barramundi population of the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton, the largest river catchment flowing to the eastern coast of Australia. Data on different parameters of biological and economic aspects have been collated from secondary sources for analysis through a system simulation approach to identify the effectiveness of the commercial netting closures on recreational fishing effort, especially for the Barramundi population. The results have the potential to explain certain consequences of the netting closures in Queensland, which could serve to inform future fisheries management decisions. The study output as a whole will help in the better management of fisheries resources by evaluating recreational fishing opportunities in Queensland, where the potential for increases in recreation is high.

Keywords: Barramundi, bioeconomic model, fishery management, recreational fishing

Procedia PDF Downloads 166

Authors: Bâlc Denisa-Maria

Abstract:

This paper aims to present some ways of preserving a language heritage in the global era. Teaching a second language to foreign students does not imply only teaching the grammar and the vocabulary in order to reach the 4 skills, but it means constant work on developing strategies to make the students aware of the heritage that the language they learn has. Teachers and professors need to be aware of the fact that language is in constant change, they need to adjust their techniques to the digital era, but they also have to be aware of the changes, the good and the bad parts of globalizations. How is it possible to preserve the patrimony of a certain language in a globalized era? What transformations does a language face in time? What does it mean to preserve the heritage of a language through L2 teaching? What makes a language special? What impact does it have on the foreign students? How can we, as teachers, preserve the heritage of our language? Would it be everything about books, films, music, cultural events or what else? How is it possible to include digital programs in your teaching and preserving the patrimony of a language at the same time? How does computational linguistics help us in teaching a certain language? All these questions will be tackled during the essay, with special accent on the definition of a language heritage, the new perspectives for teachers/ professors, everything in a multimodal and complex way of presenting the context. The objectives of this research are: - to present some ways of preserving the heritage of a certain language against globalization - to illustrate what preservation means for L2 teaching - to encourage teachers to be aware of their language patrimony The main contributions of my research are on moving the discussion of preserving a certain language patrimony in the context of L2 teaching.

Keywords: preservation, globalization, language heritage, L2 teaching

Procedia PDF Downloads 62

Authors: Chro Kavian

Abstract:

The studies conducted show that cancer is a disease caused by populations of microbes, a notion gaining traction as the interaction between the human microbiome and the tumor microenvironment (TME) increasingly shows how environment and microbes dictate the progress and treatment of neoplastic diseases. A person’s human microbiome is defined as a collection of bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other microorganisms whose structure and composition influence biological processes like immune system modulation and nutrient metabolism, which, in turn, affect how susceptible a person is to neoplastic diseases, and response to different therapies. Recent reports demonstrated the influence specific microbiome bacterial populations have on the TME, thereby altering tumoral behaviors and the TME’s contributing factors that impact patients' lives. In addition, gut microbes and their SCFA products are important determinants of the inflammatory landscape of tumors and augment anti-tumor immunity, which can influence immunotherapy outcomes. Studies have also found that dysbiosis, or microbial imbalance, correlates with biological processes such as cancer progression, metastasis, and therapy resistance, leading scientists to explore the use of microbiome deficiencies as adjunctive approaches to chemotherapy and other, more traditional treatments. Nonetheless, mental health practitioners struggling to comprehend the existent gap between cancer patients with pronounced resolutive capabilities and the profound clinical impact Microbiome-targeted cancer therapy has been proven to possess.

Keywords: microbiome, cancer, tumor, immune system

Procedia PDF Downloads 19

Authors: Jennifer Donovan

Abstract:

Practice collaborations between legal assistance and social support services have emerged as a growing framework worldwide for delivering services to clients with high degrees of disadvantage, vulnerability and complexity. In Australia, the past five years has seen a significant growth in these socio-legal collaborations, with programs being delivered through legal, social service and health organizations and addressing a range of issues including mental health, immigration, parental child abduction and domestic violence. This presentation is based on research currently mapping the nature of these collaborations in Australia and exploring the influence that collaborating professions are having on each other’s practice. In a similar way to problem-solving courts being seen as a systematic take up of therapeutic jurisprudence in the court setting, socio-legal collaborations have the potential to be a systematic take up of therapeutic jurisprudence in an advice setting. This presentation will explore the varied ways in which socio-legal collaboration is being implemented in these programs. It will also explore the development of interdisciplinary therapeutic jurisprudence within them, with preliminary findings suggesting that both legal and social service practice is being influenced by the collaborative setting, with legal practice showing a more therapeutic orientation and social service professions, such as social work, moving toward a legal and rights orientation.

Keywords: collaboration, socio-legal, Australia, therapeutic jurisprudence

Procedia PDF Downloads 341