Search results for: affordable energy development

Authors: Shankaran Sitarama

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New Product Development (NPD) is invariably a team effort and involves effective teamwork. NPD team has members from different disciplines coming together and working through the different phases all the way from conceptual design phase till the production and product roll out. Creativity and Innovation are some of the key factors of successful NPD. Team members going through the different phases of NPD interact and work closely yet challenge each other during the design phases to brainstorm on ideas and later converge to work together. These two traits require the teams to have a divergent and a convergent thinking simultaneously. There needs to be a good balance. The team dynamics invariably result in conflicts among team members. While some amount of conflict (ideational conflict) is desirable in NPD teams to be creative as a group, relational conflicts (or discords among members) could be detrimental to teamwork. Team communication truly reflect these tensions and team dynamics. In this research, team communication (emails) between the members of the NPD teams is considered for analysis. The email communication is processed through a semantic analysis algorithm (LSA) to analyze the content of communication and a semantic similarity analysis to arrive at a social network graph that depicts the communication amongst team members based on the content of communication. The amount of communication (content and not frequency of communication) defines the interaction strength between the members. Social network adjacency matrix is thus obtained for the team. Standard social network analysis techniques based on the Adjacency Matrix (AM) and Dichotomized Adjacency Matrix (DAM) based on network density yield network graphs and network metrics like centrality. The social network graphs are then rendered for visual representation using a Metric Multi-Dimensional Scaling (MMDS) algorithm for node placements and arcs connecting the nodes (representing team members) are drawn. The distance of the nodes in the placement represents the tie-strength between the members. Stronger tie-strengths render nodes closer. Overall visual representation of the social network graph provides a clear picture of the team’s interactions. This research reveals four distinct patterns of team interaction that are clearly identifiable in the visual representation of the social network graph and have a clearly defined computational scheme. The four computational patterns of team interaction defined are Central Member Pattern (CMP), Subgroup and Aloof member Pattern (SAP), Isolate Member Pattern (IMP), and Pendant Member Pattern (PMP). Each of these patterns has a team dynamics implication in terms of the conflict level in the team. For instance, Isolate member pattern, clearly points to a near break-down in communication with the member and hence a possible high conflict level, whereas the subgroup or aloof member pattern points to a non-uniform information flow in the team and some moderate level of conflict. These pattern classifications of teams are then compared and correlated to the real level of conflict in the teams as indicated by the team members through an elaborate self-evaluation, team reflection, feedback form and results show a good correlation.

Keywords: team dynamics, team communication, team interactions, social network analysis, sna, new product development, latent semantic analysis, LSA, NPD teams

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Authors: Selvam Noyel Victoria, Kavita Yadav, Manivannan Ramachandran

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The extract of Tagetes erecta (marigold flower) was used as a green corrosion inhibitor for mild steel (MS) in nitric acid medium. The weight loss measurements were performed to understand the inhibition mechanism. The effect of temperature on the behaviour of mild steel corrosion without and with inhibitor was studied. The temperature studies revealed that the activation energy increased from 12 kJ/mol to 28.8 kJ/mol with the addition of 500 ppm inhibitor concentration. The thermodynamic analysis and the adsorption isotherm studies revealed that the molecules of inhibitor show physical adsorption on the surface of mild steel. Based on weight loss measurements, adsorption of the inhibitor on the surface of mild steel follows Langmuir isotherm.

Keywords: Tagetes erecta, corrosion, adsorption, inhibitor

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Authors: Hasmayadi Abdul Majid, Yuzman Yusoff, Noor Shelida Salleh

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This paper presents the development of a single-ended 38.5 kS/s 10-bit programmable reference SAR ADC which is realized in MIMOS’s 0.35 µm CMOS process. The design uses a resistive DAC, a dynamic comparator with pre-amplifier and a SAR digital logic to create 10 effective bits ADC. A programmable reference circuitry allows the ADC to operate with different input range from 0.6 V to 2.1 V. A single ended 38.5 kS/s 10-bit programmable reference SAR ADC was proposed and implemented in a 0.35 µm CMOS technology and consumed less than 7.5 mW power with a 3 V supply.

Keywords: successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter, SAR ADC, resistive DAC, programmable reference

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Authors: Hameed B. Mahood, Ali Sh. Baqir, Alasdair N. Campbell

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Experiments to study the limitation of flooding inception of three-phase direct contact condenser have been carried out in a counter-current small diameter vertical condenser. The total column height was 70 cm and 4 cm diameter. Only 48 cm has been used as an active three-phase direct contact condenser height. Vapour pentane with three different initial temperatures (40, 43.5 and 47.5 °C) and water with a constant temperature (19 °C) have been used as a dispersed phase and a continuous phase respectively. Five different continuous phase mass flow rate and four different dispersed phase mass flow rate have been tested throughout the experiments. Dimensionless correlation based on the previous common flooding correlation is proposed to calculate the up flow flooding inception of the three-phase direct contact condenser.

Keywords: Three-phase heat exchanger, condenser, solar energy, flooding phenomena

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Authors: Konstantinos Tolidis

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The mountains are amongst the most fragile environments in the world. The world’s mountain areas cover 24% of the Earth’s land surface and are home to 12% of the global population. A further 14% of the global population is estimated to live in the vicinity of their surrounding areas. As urbanization continues to increase in the world, the mountains are also key centers for recreation and tourism; their attraction is often heightened by their remarkably high levels of biodiversity. Due to the fact that the features in mountain areas vary spatially (development degree, human geography, socio-economic reality, relations of dependency and interaction with other areas-regions), the spatial planning on these areas consists of a crucial process for preserving the natural, cultural and human environment and consists of one of the major processes of an integrated spatial policy. This research has been focused on the spatial decision problem of land use allocation optimization which is an ordinary planning problem on the mountain areas. It is a matter of fact that such decisions must be made not only on what to do, how much to do, but also on where to do, adding a whole extra class of decision variables to the problem when combined with the consideration of spatial optimization. The utility of optimization as a normative tool for spatial problem is widely recognized. However, it is very difficult for planners to quantify the weights of the objectives especially when these are related to mountain areas. Furthermore, the land use allocation optimization problems at mountain areas must be addressed not only by taking into account the general development objectives but also the spatial objectives (e.g. compactness, compatibility and accessibility, etc). Therefore, the main research’s objective was to approach the land use allocation problem by utilizing a hybrid meta-heuristic optimization technique tailored to the mountain areas’ spatial characteristics. The results indicates that the proposed methodological approach is very promising and useful for both generating land use alternatives for further consideration in land use allocation decision-making and supporting spatial management plans at mountain areas.

Keywords: multiobjective land use allocation, mountain areas, spatial planning, spatial decision making, meta-heuristic methods

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Authors: Hooshang Mohammad Alikhani, Javad Nikoukar

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Restructuring and deregulation of power industry have changed the objectives of transmission expansion planning and increased the uncertainties. Due to these changes, new approaches and criteria are needed for transmission planning in deregulated power systems. The objective of this research work is to present a new approach for transmission expansion planning with considering new objectives and uncertainties in deregulated power systems. The approach must take into account the desires of all stakeholders in transmission expansion planning. Market based criteria must be defined to achieve the new objectives. Combination of market based criteria, technical criteria and economical criteria must be used for measuring the goodness of expansion plans to achieve market requirements, technical requirements, and economical requirements altogether.

Keywords: deregulated power systems, transmission network, stakeholder, energy systems

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Authors: Jinyoung Choi, Hyun-A Kim, Sunmook Lee

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The effects of environmental stress factors such as storage conditions on the deterioration phenomenon and the characteristic of the display glass were studied. In order to investigate the effect of chemical stress on the glass during the period of storage, the respective components of commercial glass were first identified by XRF (X-ray fluorescence). The glass was exposed in the acid, alkali, neutral environment for about one month. Thin film formed on the glass surface was analyzed by XRD (X-ray diffraction) and FT-IR (Fourier transform infrared). The degree of corrosion and the rate of deterioration of each sample were confirmed by measuring the concentrations of silicon, calcium and chromium with ICP-OES (Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry). The optical properties of the glass surface were confirmed by SEM (Scanning electron microscope) before and after the treatment. Acknowledgement—The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (Grant Number: 10076817)

Keywords: corrosion, degradation test, display glass, environmental stress factor

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Authors: Abolade Olajoke, Adigun Folasade Oyenike, Odunjo Oluronke Omolola Olaleye, Babajide Rotimi

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Against the shortfall associated with unprecedented urbanization in most cities of the world, coupled with rapid expansion of outer boundaries, is the resultant birth of the development of new towns. The paper therefore examines the impacts of Ibeju - Lekki New Town on Neighbouring communities of Ibeju Lekki. Random systematic sampling was employed elicit relevant information from a total number of 269 residents at interval of five buildings in four neighbouring communities. Descriptive statistics was employed to test for the socioeconomic characteristics of respondents, problems faced by government officials during the implementation and monitoring process. Likert scale was employed to ascertain respondents view on the impact of the new town on neighbouring communities. Result from the findings shows that male (56.9%) are the most dominant occupant in the study area of which most (68.1%) fall within the most the active age group (18-39 and 40-59 years). Results further shows that 36% of the total respondents are traders and majority (32%) earn below government salary wage cap of ₦18000 thus indicating that majority of the respondents are petty traders. Results of findings from development authority reveals that the major problem encountered during monitoring and implementation is harassment of government officials (35%). Result of likert scale further show that new town has brought increase in intensity of land use within neighbouring communities (RAI 3.65), provision of job opportunity (RAI 3.57). This have consequently improve standard of living of the neighbouring community (RAI 3.27). On the contrary some (RAI 1.97) opined that attention should paid to provision of power supply and provision of recreation facilities (RAI I.63). The study recommends that government should make adequate provisions for basic facilities such power supply, adequate health care system, basic education and provision of healthy portable water. This should be given utmost priority to enhance the living condition of residents. To forestall attack from residents’ adequate security measures should be provided as backup for Government official during implementation and monitoring. Appropriate sanction to illegal occupants and demolition of illegal structures should be fully implemented, This will indubitably prevent haphazard development and also promote a liveable environment. Against the shortfall associated with unprecedented urbanization in most cities of the world, coupled with rapid expansion of outer boundaries, is the resultant birth of the development of new towns. The paper therefore examines the impacts of Ibeju - Lekki New Town on Neighbouring communities of Ibeju Lekki. Random systematic sampling was employed elicit relevant information from a total number of 269 residents at interval of five buildings in four neighbouring communities. Descriptive statistics was employed to test for the socioeconomic characteristics of respondents, problems faced by government officials during the implementation and monitoring process. Likert scale was employed to ascertain respondents view on the impact of the new town on neighbouring communities. Result from the findings shows that male (56.9%) are the most dominant occupant in the study area of which most (68.1%) fall within the most the active age group (18-39 and 40-59 years). Results further shows that 36% of the total respondents are traders and majority (32%) earn below government salary wage cap of ₦18000 thus indicating that majority of the respondents are petty traders. Results of findings from development authority reveals that the major problem encountered during monitoring and implementation is harassment of government officials (35%) Result of likert scale further show that new town has brought increase in intensity of land use within neighbouring communities (RAI 3.65), provision of job opportunity (RAI 3.57). This have consequently improve standard of living of the neighbouring community (RAI 3.27). On the contrary some (RAI 1.97) opined that attention should paid to provision of power supply and provision of recreation facilities (RAI I.63). The study recommends that government should make adequate provisions for basic facilities such power supply, adequate health care system, basic education and provision of healthy portable water. This should be given utmost priority to enhance the living condition of residents. To forestall attack from residents’ adequate security measures should be provided as backup for Government official during implementation and monitoring. Appropriate sanction to illegal occupants and demolition of illegal structures should be fully implemented, This will indubitably prevent haphazard development and also promote a liveable environment.

Keywords: new town, urbanization, infrastructure boundary

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Authors: Odenigbo Veronica Ngozi, Lorreta Chika Ukwuaba

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This study focuses on how the strengthening adult literacy program can help accelerate transformative strategies to end female genital mutilation (FGM) in Nigeria, specifically in Nsukka Local Government Area. The research delves into the definition of FGM, adult literacy programs, and how to achieve ending FGM to attain Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2030. It further discusses the practice of FGM in Nigeria and emphasizes the statement of the problem. The main aim of the study is to investigate how strengthening adult literacy programs can help accelerate transformative strategies to end FGM in Nigeria and achieve SDGs in 2030. The researchers utilized a survey research design to conduct the study in Nsukka L.G.A. The population was composed of 26 facilitators and adult learners in five adult learning centers in the area. The entire population was used as a sample, and structured questionnaires were employed to elicit information. The items on the questionnaire were face-validated by three experts, and the reliability of the instrument was verified using Cronbach Alpha Reliability Technique. The research questions were analyzed using means and standard deviation while the hypothesis was tested at 0.05 level of degree of significance using a t-test. The findings show that through adult literacy program acceleration of transformative strategies, the practices of FGM can be ended. Strengthening adult literacy programs is a good channel to end or stop FGM through the knowledge and skill acquired from the learning centers. The theoretical importance of the study lies in the fact that it highlights the role of adult literacy programs in accelerating transformative strategies to combat harmful cultural practices such as FGM. It further supports the importance of education and knowledge in achieving sustainable development goals by 2030. Structured questionnaires were distributed to an entire population of 26 facilitators and adult learners in five adult learning centers in Nsukka L.G.A. The questionnaire items were face–validated by three experts, and the reliability of the instrument was verified using Cronbach Alpha Reliability Technique. The research questions were analyzed using means and standard deviation, while the hypothesis was tested using a t-test at 0.05 level of degree of significance. The study addressed the question of how strengthening adult literacy programs can help accelerate transformative strategies to end FGM in Nigeria and achieve SDGs by 2030. In conclusion, the study found that adult literacy is a good tool to end FGM in Nigeria. The recommendations were that government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Community-based organizations (CBOs), and individuals should support the funding and establishment of adult literacy centers in communities so as to reach every illiterate parent or individual and acquire the knowledge and skill needed to understand the negative effect of FGM in the life of a girl child.

Keywords: adult literacy, female genital mutilation, learning centers, SDGs, strengthening

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Authors: Khairil I. Othman, Mahfuzah Mahayaddin, Zarina Bibi Ibrahim

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We develop and demonstrate a computationally efficient numerical technique to solve first order stiff differential equations. This technique is based on block method whereby three approximate points are calculated. The Cholistani of varied step sizes are presented in divided difference form. Stability regions of the formulae are briefly discussed in this paper. Numerical results show that this block method perform very well compared to existing methods.

Keywords: block method, divided difference, stiff, computational

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Authors: Mahdi Asghari

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The cavitation phenomenon is the formation and production of micro-bubbles and eventually the bursting of the micro-bubbles inside the liquid fluid, which results in localized high pressure and temperature, causing physical and chemical fluid changes. This pressure and temperature are predicted to be 2000 atmospheres and 5000 °C, respectively. As a result of small bubbles bursting from this process, temperature and pressure increase momentarily and locally, so that the intensity and magnitude of these temperatures and pressures provide the energy needed to break the molecular bonds of heavy compounds such as fuel oil. In this paper, we study the theory of cavitation and the methods of cavitation production by acoustic and hydrodynamic methods and the necessary mechanical equipment and reactors for industrial application of the hydrodynamic cavitation method to break down the molecular bonds of the fuel oil and convert it into useful and economical products.

Keywords: Cavitation, Hydrodynamic Cavitation, Cavitation Reactor, Fuel Oil

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Authors: Simone Belli, Sergio Minniti, Valeria Santoro

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ICTs and technology transfer can benefit and move a country forward in economic and social development. However, ICT and access to the Internet have been inequitably distributed in most developing countries. In terms of science production and dissemination, this divide articulates itself also through the inequitable distribution of access to scientific knowledge and networks, which results in the exclusion of developing countries from the center of science. Developing countries are on the fringe of Science and Technology (S&T) production due not only to low investment in research but also to the difficulties to access international scholarly literature. In this respect, Open access (OA) initiatives and knowledge infrastructure represent key elements for both producing significant changes in scholarly communication and reducing the problems of developing countries. The spreading of the OA movement in the region, exemplified by the growth of regional and national initiatives, such as the creation of OA institutional repositories (e.g. SciELO and Redalyc) and the establishing of supportive governmental policies, provides evidence of the significant role that OA is playing in reducing the scientific gap between Latin American countries and improving their participation in the so-called ‘global knowledge commons’. In this paper, we map OA publications in Latin America and observe how Latin American countries are moving forward and becoming a leading force in widening access to knowledge. Our analysis, developed as part of the H2020 EULAC Focus research project, is based on mixed methods and consists mainly of a bibliometric analysis of OA publications indexed in the most important scientific databases (Web of Science and Scopus) and OA regional repositories, as well as the qualitative analysis of documents related to the main OA initiatives in Latin America. Through our analysis, we aim at reflecting critically on what policies, international standards, and best practices might be adapted to incorporate OA worldwide and improve the infrastructure of the global knowledge commons.

Keywords: open access, LAC countries, scientific publications, bibliometric analysis

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Authors: Keri̇m Emre Öksüz, Şaduman Şen, Uğur Şen

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0.5 wt. % B2O3–doped Ba (Ti1-xZrx) O3, (x=0-0.4) lead-free nanoceramics were synthesized using the solid-state reaction method by adopting the ball milling technique. The influence of the substitution content on crystallographic structure, phase transition, microstructure and sintering behaviour of BT and BZT ceramics were investigated. XRD analysis at room temperature revealed a structural transformation from tetragonal to rhombohedral with enhancement of ZrO2 content in the barium titanate matrix. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were used to investigate microstructure and surface morphology of the sintered samples. The evolution of the Raman spectra was studied for various compositions, and the spectroscopic signature of the corresponding phase was determined. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) observations revealed enhanced microstructural uniformity and retarded grain growth with increasing Zr content.

Keywords: BaTiO3, barium-titanate-zirconate, nanoceramics, raman spectroscopy

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Authors: P. Weerkamp Bartholomeus

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Autism treatment evaluation is crucial for monitoring the development of an intervention at an early stage. ‘ReAttach’ is a new intervention based on the principles of attachment and social cognitive training. Practical research suggests promising results on a variety of developmental areas. Five years after the first ReAttach sessions these findings can be extended with qualitative research by means of follow-up interviews. The potential impact of this treatment on daily life functioning and well-being of autistic persons becomes clear.

Keywords: autism, innovation, treatment, social cognitive training

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Authors: Ravi Patel, Krishna K. Krishnan

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In global supply chains, appropriate and sustainable suppliers play a vital role in supply chain development and feasibility. In a larger organization with huge number of suppliers, it is necessary to divide suppliers based on their past history of quality and delivery of each product category. Since performance of any organization widely depends on their suppliers, well evaluated selection criteria and decision-making models lead to improved supplier assessment and development. In this paper, SCOR® performance evaluation approach and ISO standards are used to determine selection criteria for better utilization of supplier assessment by using hybrid model of Analytic Hierchchy Problem (AHP) and Fuzzy Techniques for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (FTOPSIS). AHP is used to determine the global weightage of criteria which helps TOPSIS to get supplier score by using triangular fuzzy set theory. Both qualitative and quantitative criteria are taken into consideration for the proposed model. In addition, a multi-product and multi-time period model is selected for order allocation. The optimization model integrates multi-objective integer linear programming (MOILP) for order allocation and a hybrid approach for supplier selection. The proposed MOILP model optimizes order allocation based on manufacturing process and product tolerances as per manufacturer’s requirement for quality product. The integrated model and solution approach are tested to find optimized solutions for different scenario. The detailed analysis shows the superiority of proposed model over other solutions which considered individual decision making models.

Keywords: AHP, fuzzy set theory, multi-criteria decision making, multi-objective integer linear programming, TOPSIS

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Authors: Rao Muhammad Afzal Khan

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Nano technology is emerging as a useful technology in nearly all areas of Science and Technology. Its role in medical imaging is attracting the researchers towards existing and new imaging modalities and techniques. This presentation gives an overview of the development of the work done throughout the world. Furthermore, it lays an idea into the scope of the future use of this technology for diagnosing different diseases. A comparative analysis has also been discussed with an emphasis to detect diseases, in general, and cancer, in particular.

Keywords: medical imaging, cancer detection, diagnosis, nano-imaging, nanotechnology

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Authors: Daniel Mokatsanyane, Johnny Jansen Van Rensburg

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This paper is a concise introduction of the risk management on the water derivatives market. Water, a new commodity in the market, is one of the most important commodity on earth. As important to life and planet as crops, metals, and energy, none of them matters without water. This paper presents a brief overview of water as a tradable commodity via a new first of its kind futures contract on the Nasdaq Veles California Water Index (NQH2O) derivative instrument, TheGeneralised Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (GARCH) statistical model will be the used to measure the water price volatility of the instrument and its performance since it’s been traded. describe the main products and illustrate their usage in risk management and also discuss key challenges with modeling and valuation of water as a traded commodity and finally discuss how water derivatives may be taken as an alternative asset investment class.

Keywords: water derivatives, commodity market, nasdaq veles california water Index (NQH2O, water price, risk management

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Authors: Emre Alan, Zafer Cetin

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Electrical steels are widely used as a magnetic core materials in many electrical applications such as transformers, electric motors, and generators. Core loss property of these magnetic materials refers to dissipation of electrical energy during magnetization in service conditions. Therefore, in order to minimize the magnetic core loss, certain precautions are taken from steel producers; “Steel Cleanliness” is one of the major points among them. For obtaining lower core loss values, increasing proper elements in chemical composition such as silicon is a must. Therefore, impurities of these alloys are a key value for producing a cleaner steel. In this study, effects of impurity levels of different FeSi alloying materials to the steel cleanliness will be investigated. One of the important element content in FeSi alloy materials is Calcium. A SEM investigation will be done in order to present if Ca content in FeSi alloy is enough for proper inclusion modification or an additional Ca-treatment is required.

Keywords: electrical steels, FeSi alloy, impurities, steel cleanliness

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Authors: Akanksha Bhatnagar, Sandhya Kortegare, Felice Elefant

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Context: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by progressive cognitive decline and memory loss. The cause of AD is not fully understood, but it is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. One of the hallmarks of AD is the loss of neurons in the hippocampus, a brain region that is important for memory and learning. This loss of neurons is thought to be caused by a decrease in histone acetylation, which is a process that regulates gene expression. Research Aim: The research aim of the study was to develop mall molecule compounds that can enhance the activity of Tip60, a histone acetyltransferase that is important for memory and learning. Methodology/Analysis: The researchers used in silico structural modeling and a pharmacophore-based virtual screening approach to design and synthesize small molecule compounds strongly predicted to target and enhance Tip60’s HAT activity. The compounds were then tested in vitro and in vivo to assess their ability to enhance Tip60 activity and rescue cognitive deficits in AD models. Findings: The researchers found that several of the compounds were able to enhance Tip60 activity and rescue cognitive deficits in AD models. The compounds were also developed to cross the blood-brain barrier, which is an important factor for the development of potential AD therapeutics. Theoretical Importance: The findings of this study suggest that Tip60 HAT activators have the potential to be developed as therapeutic agents for AD. The compounds are specific to Tip60, which suggests that they may have fewer side effects than other HDAC inhibitors. Additionally, the compounds are able to cross the blood-brain barrier, which is a major hurdle for the development of AD therapeutics. Data Collection: The study collected data from a variety of sources, including in vitro assays and animal models. The in vitro assays assessed the ability of compounds to enhance Tip60 activity using histone acetyltransferase (HAT) enzyme assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Animal models were used to assess the ability of the compounds to rescue cognitive deficits in AD models using a variety of behavioral tests, including locomotor ability, sensory learning, and recognition tasks. The human clinical trials will be used to assess the safety and efficacy of the compounds in humans. Questions: The question addressed by this study was whether Tip60 HAT activators could be developed as therapeutic agents for AD. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that Tip60 HAT activators have the potential to be developed as therapeutic agents for AD. The compounds are specific to Tip60, which suggests that they may have fewer side effects than other HDAC inhibitors. Additionally, the compounds are able to cross the blood-brain barrier, which is a major hurdle for the development of AD therapeutics. Further research is needed to confirm the safety and efficacy of these compounds in humans.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease, cognition, neuroepigenetics, drug discovery

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Authors: Haftay Abraha Tadesse

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Background: Staphylococcus is a genus of worldwide distributed bacteria correlated to several infectious of different sites in humans and animals. They are among the most important causes of infection that are associated with the consumption of contaminated food. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the isolates, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and Public Health Significance of Staphylococcus aureus in raw meat from butchery and abattoir houses of Mekelle, Northern Ethiopia. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted from April to October 2019. Socio-demographic data and Public Health Significance were collected using a predesigned questionnaire. The raw meat samples were collected aseptically in the butchery and abattoir houses and transported using an ice box to Mekelle University, College of Veterinary Sciences, for isolating and identification of Staphylococcus aureus. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were determined by the disc diffusion method. Data obtained were cleaned and entered into STATA 22.0 and a logistic regression model with odds ratio was calculated to assess the association of risk factors with bacterial contamination. A P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: In the present study, 88 out of 250 (35.2%) were found to be contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus. Among the raw meat specimens, the positivity rate of Staphylococcus aureus was 37.6% (n=47) and (32.8% (n=41), butchery and abattoir houses, respectively. Among the associated risks, factories not using gloves reduces risk was found to (AOR=0.222; 95% CI: 0.104-0.473), Strict Separation b/n clean & dirty (AOR= 1.37; 95% CI: 0.66-2.86) and poor habit of hand washing (AOR=1.08; 95%CI: 0.35 3.35) was found to be statistically significant and have associated with Staphylococcus aureus contamination. All isolates of thirty-seven of Staphylococcus aureus were checked and displayed (100%) sensitive to doxycycline, trimethoprim, gentamicin, sulphamethoxazole, amikacin, CN, Co trimoxazole and nitrofurantoi. Whereas the showed resistance to cefotaxime (100%), ampicillin (87.5%), Penicillin (75%), B (75%), and nalidixic acid (50%) from butchery houses. On the other hand, all isolates of Staphylococcus aureus isolate 100% (n= 10) showed sensitive chloramphenicol, gentamicin and nitrofurantoin, whereas they showed 100% resistance of Penicillin, B, AMX, ceftriaxone, ampicillin and cefotaxime from abattoirs houses. The overall multi-drug resistance pattern for Staphylococcus aureus was 90% and 100% of butchery and abattoir houses, respectively. Conclusion: 35.3% Staphylococcus aureus isolated were recovered from the raw meat samples collected from the butchery and abattoirs houses. More has to be done in the development of hand washing behavior and availability of safe water in the butchery houses to reduce the burden of bacterial contamination. The results of the present finding highlight the need to implement protective measures against the levels of food contamination and alternative drug options. The development of antimicrobial resistance is nearly always a result of repeated therapeutic and/or indiscriminate use of them. Regular antimicrobial sensitivity testing helps to select effective antibiotics and to reduce the problems of drug resistance development towards commonly used antibiotics.

Keywords: abattoir house, AMR, butchery house, S. aureus

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Authors: Mary Katherine Hoth

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Despite racial and ethnic disparities in American psychiatry being well-documented, there remains an apathetic attitude among nurses and providers within the field to engage in active antiracism and provide equitable, recovery-oriented care. It is insufficient to be a “colorblind” nurse or provider and state that call care provided is identical for every patient. Maintaining an attitude of “colorblindness” perpetuates the racism prevalent throughout healthcare and leads to negative patient outcomes. The purpose of this literature review is to highlight the how the historical beginnings of psychiatry have evolved into the disparities seen in today’s practice, as well as to provide some insight on methods that providers and nurses can employ to actively participate in challenging these racial disparities. Background The application of psychiatric medicine to White people versus Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color has been distinctly different as a direct result of chattel slavery and the development of pseudoscience “diagnoses” in the 19th century. This weaponization of the mental health of Black people continues to this day. Population The populations discussed are Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color, with a primary focus on Black people’s experiences with their mental health and the field of psychiatry. Methods A literature review was conducted using CINAHL, EBSCO, MEDLINE, and PubMed databases with the following terms: psychiatry, mental health, racism, substance use, suicide, trauma-informed care, disparities and recovery-oriented care. Articles were further filtered based on meeting the criteria of peer-reviewed, full-text availability, written in English, and published between 2018 and 2023. Findings Black patients are more likely to be diagnosed with psychotic disorders and prescribed antipsychotic medications compared to White patients who were more often diagnosed with mood disorders and prescribed antidepressants. This same disparity is also seen in children and adolescents, where Black children are more likely to be diagnosed with behavior problems such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and White children with the same presentation are more likely to be diagnosed with Attention Hyperactivity Disorder. Medications advertisements for antipsychotics like Haldol as recent as 1974 portrayed a Black man, labeled as “agitated” and “aggressive”, a trope we still see today in police violence cases. The majority of nursing and medical school programs do not provide education on racism and how to actively combat it in practice, leaving many healthcare professionals acutely uneducated and unaware of their own biases and racism, as well as structural and institutional racism. Conclusions Racism will continue to grow wherever it is given time, space, and energy. Providers and nurses have an ethical obligation to educate themselves, actively deconstruct their personal racism and bias, and continuously engage in active antiracism by dismantling racism wherever it is encountered, be it structural, institutional, or scientific racism. Agents of change at the patient care level not only improve the outcomes of Black patients, but it will also lead the way in ensuring Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color are included in research of methods and medications in psychiatry in the future.

Keywords: disparities, psychiatry, racism, recovery-oriented care, trauma-informed care

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Authors: Serdar Yaman, Hanzade Haykiri-Acma

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Biomass is a CO₂-neutral fuel that is renewable and sustainable along with having very huge global potential. Efficient use of biomass in power generation and production of biomass-based biofuels can mitigate the greenhouse gasses (GHG) and reduce dependency on fossil fuels. There are also other beneficial effects of biomass energy use such as employment creation and pollutant reduction. However, most of the biomass materials are not capable of competing with fossil fuels in terms of energy content. High moisture content and high volatile matter yields of biomass make it low calorific fuel, and it is very significant concern over fossil fuels. Besides, the density of biomass is generally low, and it brings difficulty in transportation and storage. These negative aspects of biomass can be overcome by thermal pretreatments that upgrade the fuel property of biomass. That is, torrefaction is such a thermal process in which biomass is heated up to 300ºC under non-oxidizing conditions to avoid burning of the material. The treated biomass is called as biochar that has considerably lower contents of moisture, volatile matter, and oxygen compared to the parent biomass. Accordingly, carbon content and the calorific value of biochar increase to the level which is comparable with that of coal. Moreover, hydrophilic nature of untreated biomass that leads decay in the structure is mostly eliminated, and the surface properties of biochar turn into hydrophobic character upon torrefaction. In order to investigate the effectiveness of torrefaction process on biomass properties, several biomass species such as olive milling residue (OMR), Rhododendron (small shrubby tree with bell-shaped flowers), and ash tree (timber tree) were chosen. The fuel properties of these biomasses were analyzed through proximate and ultimate analyses as well as higher heating value (HHV) determination. For this, samples were first chopped and ground to a particle size lower than 250 µm. Then, samples were subjected to torrefaction in a horizontal tube furnace by heating from ambient up to temperatures of 200, 250, and 300ºC at a heating rate of 10ºC/min. The biochars obtained from this process were also tested by the methods applied to the parent biomass species. Improvement in the fuel properties was interpreted. That is, increasing torrefaction temperature led to regular increases in the HHV in OMR, and the highest HHV (6065 kcal/kg) was gained at 300ºC. Whereas, torrefaction at 250ºC was seen optimum for Rhododendron and ash tree since torrefaction at 300ºC had a detrimental effect on HHV. On the other hand, the increase in carbon contents and reduction in oxygen contents were determined. Burning characteristics of the biochars were also studied using thermal analysis technique. For this purpose, TA Instruments SDT Q600 model thermal analyzer was used and the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), derivative thermogravimetry (DTG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and differential thermal analysis (DTA) curves were compared and interpreted. It was concluded that torrefaction is an efficient method to upgrade the fuel properties of biomass and the biochars from which have superior characteristics compared to the parent biomasses.

Keywords: biochar, biomass, fuel upgrade, torrefaction

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Authors: Ranjit Kumar Sahu, Ramakar Jha

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Urban Water Management is the practice of managing freshwater, waste water, and storm water as components of a basin-wide management plan. It builds on existing water supply and sanitation considerations within an urban settlement by incorporating urban water management within the scope of the entire river basin. The pervasive problems generated by urban development have prompted, in the present work, to study the spatial extent of urbanization in Golden Triangle of Odisha connecting the cities Bhubaneswar (20.2700° N, 85.8400° E), Puri (19.8106° N, 85.8314° E) and Konark (19.9000° N, 86.1200° E)., and patterns of periodic changes in urban development (systematic/random) in order to develop future plans for (i) urbanization promotion areas, and (ii) urbanization control areas. Remote Sensing, using USGS (U.S. Geological Survey) Landsat8 maps, supervised classification of the Urban Sprawl has been done for during 1980 - 2014, specifically after 2000. This Work presents the following: (i) Time series analysis of Hydrological data (ground water and rainfall), (ii) Application of SWMM (Storm Water Management Model) and other soft computing techniques for Urban Water Management, and (iii) Uncertainty analysis of model parameters (Urban Sprawl and correlation analysis). The outcome of the study shows drastic growth results in urbanization and depletion of ground water levels in the area that has been discussed briefly. Other relative outcomes like declining trend of rainfall and rise of sand mining in local vicinity has been also discussed. Research on this kind of work will (i) improve water supply and consumption efficiency (ii) Upgrade drinking water quality and waste water treatment (iii) Increase economic efficiency of services to sustain operations and investments for water, waste water, and storm water management, and (iv) engage communities to reflect their needs and knowledge for water management.

Keywords: Storm Water Management Model (SWMM), uncertainty analysis, urban sprawl, land use change

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Authors: Elissandro Voigt Beier, Cristiano Poleto

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The main objective of the research is to assess the loss through the quantification of material culture (archaeological fragments) in rural areas, sites explored economically by machining on seasonal crops, and also permanent, in a hydrographic subsystem Camaquã River in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The study area consists of different micro basins and differs in area, ranging between 1,000 m² and 10,000 m², respectively the largest and the smallest, all with a large number of occurrences and outcrop locations of archaeological material and high density in intense farm environment. In the first stage of the research aimed to identify the dispersion of points of archaeological material through field survey through plot points by the Global Positioning System (GPS), within each river basin, was made use of concise bibliography on the topic in the region, helping theoretically in understanding the old landscaping with preferences of occupation for reasons of ancient historical people through the settlements relating to the practice observed in the field. The mapping was followed by the cartographic development in the region through the development of cartographic products of the land elevation, consequently were created cartographic products were to contribute to the understanding of the distribution of the absolute materials; the definition and scope of the material dispersed; and as a result of human activities the development of revolving letter by mechanization of in situ material, it was also necessary for the preparation of materials found density maps, linking natural environments conducive to ancient historical occupation with the current human occupation. The third stage of the project it is for the systematic collection of archaeological material without alteration or interference in the subsurface of the indigenous settlements, thus, the material was prepared and treated in the laboratory to remove soil excesses, cleaning through previous communication methodology, measurement and quantification. Approximately 15,000 were identified archaeological fragments belonging to different periods of ancient history of the region, all collected outside of its environmental and historical context and it also has quite changed and modified. The material was identified and cataloged considering features such as object weight, size, type of material (lithic, ceramic, bone, Historical porcelain and their true association with the ancient history) and it was disregarded its principles as individual lithology of the object and functionality same. As observed preliminary results, we can point out the change of materials by heavy mechanization and consequent soil disturbance processes, and these processes generate loading of archaeological materials. Therefore, as a next step will be sought, an estimate of potential losses through a mathematical model. It is expected by this process, to reach a reliable model of high accuracy which can be applied to an archeological site of lower density without encountering a significant error.

Keywords: degradation of heritage, quantification in archaeology, watershed, use and occupation of land

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Authors: L. Lakhdari, B. Bouchiba, M. Bechar

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The multi-level inverters present an important novelty in the field of energy control with high voltage and power. The major advantage of all multi-level inverters is the improvement and spectral quality of its generated output signals. In recent years, various pulse width modulation techniques have been developed. From these technics we have: Sinusoidal Pulse Width Modulation (SPWM) and Space Vector Pulse Width Modulation (SVPWM). This work presents a detailed analysis of the comparative advantage of space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) and the standard SPWM technique for Three Level Diode Clamped Inverter fed Induction Motor. The comparison is based on the evaluation of harmonic distortion THD.

Keywords: induction motor, multilevel inverters, SVPWM, SPWM, THD

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Authors: Qiuying Li, Fan Chen

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It is a shared opinion that sustainable development requires continuously updated, meaning that apparent changes in the way we usually produce our buildings are strongly needed. In China’s construction field, the associated environmental, health problems are quite prominent.Especially low sustainable performance (as opposed to Green creation) flooding the real estate boom and high-speed urban and rural urbanization. Currently, we urgently need to improve the existing design basis,objectives,scope and procedures,optimization design portfolio.More new evaluation system designed to facilitate the building to enhance the overall level.

Keywords: design for sustainability, design and materials, ecomaterials, sustainable architecture and urban design

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Authors: Marcin Debowski, Marcin Zielinski, Miroslaw Krzemieniewski, Agata Glowacka-Gil, Paulina Rusanowska, Magdalena Zielinska, Agnieszka Cydzik-Kwiatkowska

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Technologies of biogas upgrading are now perceived as competitive solution combustion and production of electricity and heat. Biomethane production will ensure broader application as energy carrier than biogas. Biomethane can be used as fuel in internal combustion engines or introduced into the natural gas transmission network. Therefore, there is a need to search for innovative, economically and technically justified methods for biogas enrichment. The aim of this paper is to present a technology solution for biogas upgrading with immobilized algae biomass. Reactor for biogas upgrading with immobilized algae biomass can be used for removing CO₂ from the biogas, flue gases and the waste gases especially coming from different industry sectors, e.g. from the food industry from yeast production process, biogas production systems, liquid and gaseous fuels combustion systems, hydrocarbon processing technology. The basis for the technological assumptions of presented technology were laboratory works and analyses that tested technological variants of biogas upgrading. The enrichment of biogas with a methane content of 90-97% pointed to technological assumptions for installation on a technical scale. Reactor for biogas upgrading with algae biomass is characterized by a significantly lower cubature in relation to the currently used solutions which use CO₂ removal processes. The invention, by its structure, assumes achieving a very high concentration of biomass of algae through its immobilization in capsules. This eliminates the phenomenon of lowering the pH value, i.e. acidification of the environment in which algae grow, resulting from the introduction of waste gases at a high CO₂ concentration. The system for introducing light into algae capsules is characterized by a higher degree of its use, due to lower losses resulting from the phenomenon of absorption of light energy by water. The light from the light source is continuously supplied to the formed biomass of algae or cyanobacteria in capsules by the light tubes. The light source may be sunlight or a light generator of a different wavelength of light from 300 nm to 800 nm. A portion of gas containing CO₂, accumulated in the tank and conveyed by the pump is periodically introduced into the housing of the photobioreactor tank. When conveying the gas that contains CO₂, it penetrates the algal biomass in capsules through the outer envelope, displacing, from the algal biomass, gaseous metabolic products which are discharged by the outlet duct for gases. It contributes to eliminating the negative impact of this factor on CO₂ binding processes. As a result of the cyclic dosing of gases containing carbon dioxide, gaseous metabolic products of algae are displaced and removed outside the technological system. Technology for biogas upgrading with immobilized algae biomass is suitable for the small biogas plant. The advantages of this technology are high efficiency as well as useful algae biomass which can be used mainly as animal feed, fertilizers and in the power industry. The construction of the device allows effective removal of carbon dioxide from gases at a high CO₂ concentration.

Keywords: biogas, carbon dioxide, immobilised biomass, microalgae, upgrading

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Authors: Yi Sun, George Ed Rainger, Steve P. Watson

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Background: Beyond the classical roles in haemostasis and thrombosis, platelets are important in the initiation and development of various thrombo-inflammatory diseases. In atherosclerosis and deep vein thrombosis, for example, platelets bridge monocytes with endothelium and form heterotypic aggregates with monocytes in the circulation. This can alter monocyte phenotype by inducing their activation, stimulating adhesion and migration. These interactions involve cell surface receptor-ligand pairs on both cells. This list is likely incomplete as new interactions of importance to platelet biology are continuing to be discovered as illustrated by our discovery of PEAR-1 binding to FcεR1α. Results: We have developed a highly sensitive avidity-based assay to identify novel extracellular interactions among 126 recombinantly-expressed platelet cell surface and secreted proteins involved in platelet aggregation. In this study, we will use this method to identify novel platelet-monocyte interactions. We aim to identify ligands for orphan receptors and novel partners of well-known proteins. Identified interactions will be studied in preliminary functional assays to demonstrate relevance to the inflammatory processes supporting atherogenesis. Conclusions: Platelet-monocyte interactions are essential for the development of thromboinflammatory disease. Up until relatively recently, technologies only allow us to limit our studies on each individual protein interaction at a single time. These studies propose for the first time to study the cell surface platelet-monocyte interactions in a systematic large-scale approach using a reliable screening method we have developed. If successful, this will likely to identify previously unknown ligands for important receptors that will be investigated in details and also provide a list of novel interactions for the field. This should stimulate studies on developing alternative therapeutic strategies to treat vascular inflammatory disorders such as atherosclerosis, DVT and sepsis and other clinically important inflammatory conditions.

Keywords: membrane proteins, large-scale screening, platelets, recombinant expression

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Authors: Sakinah Idris, Gabrine Jagersma, Bjorn Jaime Van Pelt, Kirstin Greaves-Lord

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Background: The PEERS (Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills) intervention can be considered a well-established, evidence-based intervention in the USA. However, testing the efficacy of cultural adaptations of PEERS is still ongoing. More and more, the involvement of all stakeholders in the development and evaluation of interventions is acknowledged as crucial for the longer term implementation of interventions across settings. Therefore, in the current project, teens with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder), their neurotypical peers, parents, teachers, as well as clinicians were involved in the development and evaluation of the Dutch version of PEERS. Objectives: The current presentation covers (1) the formative phase and (2) the preliminary adaptation test phase of the cultural adaptation of evidence-based interventions. In the formative phase, we aim to describe the process of adaptation of the PEERS program to the Dutch culture and care system. In the preliminary adaptation phase, we will present results from the preliminary adaptation test among 32 adolescents with ASD. Methods: In phase 1, a group discussion on common vocabulary was conducted among 70 teenagers (and their teachers) from special and regular education aged 12-18 years old. This inventory concerned 14 key constructs from PEERS, e.g., areas of interests, locations for making friends, common peer groups and crowds inside and outside of school, activities with friends, commonly used ways for electronic communication, ways for handling disagreements, and common teasing comebacks. Also, 15 clinicians were involved in the translation and cultural adaptation process. The translation and cultural adaptation process were guided by the research team, and who included input and feedback from all stakeholders through an iterative feedback incorporation procedure. In phase 2, The parent-reported Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), the Test of Adolescent Social Skills Knowledge (TASSK), and the Quality of Socialization Questionnaire (QSQ) were assessed pre- and post-intervention to evaluate potential treatment outcome. Results: The most striking cultural adaptation - reflecting the standpoints of all stakeholders - concerned the strategies for handling rumors and gossip, which were suggested to be taught using a similar approach as the teasing comebacks, more in line with ‘down-to-earth’ Dutch standards. The preliminary testing of this adapted version indicated that the adolescents with ASD significantly improved their social knowledge (TASSK; t₃₁ = -10.9, p < .01), social experience (QSQ-Parent; t₃₁ = -4.2, p < .01 and QSQ-Adolescent; t₃₂ = -3.8, p < .01), and in parent-reported social responsiveness (SRS; t₃₃ = 3.9, p < .01). In addition, subjective evaluations of teens with ASD, their parents and clinicians were positive. Conclusions: In order to further scrutinize the effectiveness of the Dutch version of the PEERS intervention, we recommended performing a larger scale randomized control trial (RCT) design, for which we provide several methodological considerations.

Keywords: cultural adaptation, PEERS, preliminary testing, translation

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Authors: Zahra Alqahtani

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The use of e-learning technologies is gaining momentum in all educational institutions of the world, including Saudi universities. In the e-learning context, there is a growing need and concern among Saudi universities to improve and enhance quality assurance for e-learning systems. Practicing quality assurance activities and applying quality standards in e-learning in Saudi universities is thought to reduce the negative viewpoints of some stakeholders and ensure stakeholders’ satisfaction and needs. As a contribution to improving the quality of e-learning method in Saudi universities, the main purpose of this study is to explore and investigate strategies for the development of quality assurance in e-learning in one university in Saudi Arabia, which is considered a good reference university using the best and ongoing practices in e-learning systems among Saudi universities. In order to ensure the quality of its e-learning methods, Saudi university has adopted Quality Matters Standards as a controlling guide for the quality of its blended and full e-course electronic courses. Furthermore, quality assurance can be further improved if a variety of perspectives are taken into consideration from the comprehensive viewpoints of faculty members, administrative staff, and students.This qualitative research involved the use of different types of interviews, as well as documents that contain data related to e-learning methods in the Saudi university environment. This exploratory case study was undertaken, from the perspectives of various participants, to understand the phenomenon of quality assurance using an inductive technique.The results revealed six main supportive factors that assist in ensuring the quality of e-learning in the Saudi university environment. Essentially, these factors are institutional support, faculty member support, evaluation of faculty, quality of e-course design, technology support, and student support, which together have a remarkable positive effect on quality, forming intrinsic columns connected by bricks leading to quality e-learning. Quality Matters standards are considered to have a strong impact on improving faculty members' skills and on the development of high-quality blended and full e-courses.

Keywords: E-learning, quality assurance, quality matters standards, KKU-supportive factors

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