Search results for: safety standard operation procedure

Authors: Chen Wang, Qiuxiao Chen

Abstract:

With the advent of the information age and the era of big data, urban planning research is no longer satisfied with the analysis and application of traditional data. Because of the limitations of traditional urban commercial center system research, big data provides new opportunities for urban research. Therefore, based on the quantitative evaluation method of big data, the commercial center system of the main city of Hangzhou is analyzed and evaluated, and the scale and hierarchical structure characteristics of the urban commercial center system are studied. In order to make up for the shortcomings of the existing POI extraction method, it proposes a POI extraction method based on adaptive adjustment of search window, which can accurately and efficiently extract the POI data of commercial business in the main city of Hangzhou. Through the visualization and nuclear density analysis of the extracted Point of Interest (POI) data, the current situation of the commercial center system in the main city of Hangzhou is evaluated. Then it compares with the commercial center system structure of 'Hangzhou City Master Plan (2001-2020)', analyzes the problems existing in the planned urban commercial center system, and provides corresponding suggestions and optimization strategy for the optimization of the planning of Hangzhou commercial center system. Then get the following conclusions: The status quo of the commercial center system in the main city of Hangzhou presents a first-level main center, a two-level main center, three third-level sub-centers, and multiple community-level business centers. Generally speaking, the construction of the main center in the commercial center system is basically up to standard, and there is still a big gap in the construction of the sub-center and the regional-level commercial center, further construction is needed. Therefore, it proposes an optimized hierarchical functional system, organizes commercial centers in an orderly manner; strengthens the central radiation to drive surrounding areas; implements the construction guidance of the center, effectively promotes the development of group formation and further improves the commercial center system structure of the main city of Hangzhou.

Keywords: business center system, business format, main city of Hangzhou, POI extraction method

Procedia PDF Downloads 140

Authors: Novee Lor C. Leyso, Maylin C. Palatino

Abstract:

Under-five malnutrition continues to persist in the Philippines, particularly in the island Province of Marinduque, with prevalence of some forms of malnutrition even worsening in recent years. Local spatial cluster detection provides a spatial perspective in understanding this phenomenon as key in analyzing patterns of geographic variation, identification of community-appropriate programs and interventions, and focused targeting on high-risk areas. Using data from a province-wide household-based census conducted in 2014–2016, this study aimed to determine and evaluate spatial clusters of under-five malnutrition, across the province and within each municipality at the individual level using household location. Malnutrition was defined as weight-for-age z-score that fall outside the 2 standard deviations from the median of the WHO reference population. The Kulldorff’s elliptical spatial scan statistic in binomial model was used to locate clusters with high-risk of malnutrition, while adjusting for age and membership to government conditional cash transfer program as proxy for socio-economic status. One large significant cluster of under-five malnutrition was found southwest of the province, in which living in these areas at least doubles the risk of malnutrition. Additionally, at least one significant cluster were identified within each municipality—mostly located along the coastal areas. All these indicate apparent geographical variations across and within municipalities in the province. There were also similarities and disparities in the patterns of risk of malnutrition in each cluster across municipalities, and even within municipality, suggesting underlying causes at work that warrants further investigation. Therefore, community-appropriate programs and interventions should be identified and should be focused on high-risk areas to maximize limited government resources. Further studies are also recommended to determine factors affecting variations in childhood malnutrition considering the evidence of spatial clustering found in this study.

Keywords: Binomial model, Kulldorff’s elliptical spatial scan statistic, Philippines, under-five malnutrition

Procedia PDF Downloads 140

Authors: Aliaa M. Issa, Mahmoud N. ElRouby, Sahar A. S. Ahmad, Mahmoud M. El-Merzabani

Abstract:

Sider honey is a type of honey produced by bees feeding on the nectar of Sider tree, Ziziphus spina-christi (L) Desf . Honey is an effective agent for preventing, inhibiting and treating the growth of human and animal cancer cell lines in vitro and in vivo. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of different dilutions from crude Sider honey and different duration times of exposure on the growth of six tumor cell lines (human cervical cancer cell line, HeLa; human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, HepG-2; human larynx carcinoma cell line, Hep-2; brain tumor cell line, U251) as well as one animal cancerous cell line (Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells line, EAC) and one normal cell line, Homo sapiens, human, (WISH) CCL-25. Different concentrations and treatment durations with Sider honey were tested on the growth of several cancer cell lines types. Histopathological changes in the tumor masses, animal survival, apoptosis and necrosis of the used cancer cell lines (using flow cytometry) were evaluated. Sider honey was administers either to the tumor mass itself by intratumoral injection or via drinking water. One-way ANOVA test was used for the analysis of (the means + standard error) of the optical density obtained from the Elisa reader and flow cytometry. The study revealed that different concentrations of Sider honey affected the growth patterns of all the studied cancer cell lines as well as their histopathological changes, and it depended on the cell line nature and the concentration of honey used. It is obvious that the relative animal survival percentage (bearing Ehrlich ascites carcinoma, EAC cells) was proportionally increased with the increase in the used honey concentrations. The study of apoptosis and necrosis using the flow cytometry technique emphasized the viability results. In conclusion, Sider honey was effective as antitumor agent, in the used concentrations.

Keywords: antitumor, honey, sider, tumor cell lines

Procedia PDF Downloads 537

Authors: Odenigbo Veronica Ngozi, Ukwuaba Loretta Chika, Ukamaka Eze

Abstract:

This study delved into youth’s empowerment pathway to unlocking entrepreneurial skills and employability in Enugu state, Nigeria. The purpose of the study is to ascertain the effect of youth joblessness in Enugu State. Two research questions guided the study, and two null hypotheses, which were formulated and tested at a 0.05 level of significance, were used for the analysis. A descriptive survey research design was employed for the study. The population for the study consisted of 103 male and female youths in Enugu state, who were randomly sampled among youths as respondents. A structured questionnaire which was developed by researchers and titled ‘Youth Empowerment a Pathway to Unlocking Entrepreneurial Skills and Employability (YEPUESEQ)’, was used to elicit information from the respondents. The instrument was validated by three experts, one from the Department of Measurement and Evaluation and two from the Department of Continuing Education and Development Studies, all from Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Agbani (ESUT). Cronbach Alpha reliability estimate was used to determine the internal consistency of the instrument with a reliability index of 0.74, indicating that the instrument is highly reliable and suitable to elicit information from the respondent. Data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the two research questions, while the null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using a t-test. The findings of the study indicated that when the youths are jobless, they tend to join bad gangs in as much as they can get money, but when they are empowered, they tend towards supporting themselves, the community, and the nation as a whole in bringing in human, economic and social development to society. Based on the findings, the researchers recommended, among others, that the government should establish skill acquisition centers while the youths can enroll for a particular skill of their choice with good facilities, infrastructures and qualified facilitators.

Keywords: youth, empowerment, entrepreneurial skill, employability skill

Procedia PDF Downloads 27

Authors: Adinarayana S., Sudhakar I.

Abstract:

Energy conversion is one of the inevitable parts of any industries. It involves either conversion of mechanical energy in to electrical or vice versa. The later conversion of energy i.e. electrical to mechanical emphasizes the need of motor. Statistics reveals, about 8 % of industries’ annual turnover met on maintenance. Thus substantial numbers of efforts are required to minimize in incurring expenditure met towards break down maintenance. Condition monitoring is one of such techniques based on vibration widely used to recognize premature failures and paves a way to minimize cumbersome involved during breakdown of machinery. The present investigation involves a case study of squirrel cage induction motor (frequently in the electro machines) has been chosen for the conditional monitoring to predict its soundness on the basis of results of FFT analyser. Accelerometer which measures the acceleration converts in to impulses by FFT analyser generates vibration spectrum and time spectrum has been located at various positions on motor under different conditions. Results obtained from the FFT analyser are compared to that of ISO standard vibration severity charts are taken to predict the preventative condition of considered machinery. Initial inspection of motor revealed that stator faults, broken end rings in rotor, eccentricity faults and misalignment between bearings are trouble shootings areas for present investigation. From the results of the shaft frequencies, it can be perceived that there is a misalignment between the bearings at both the ends. The higher order harmonics of FTF shows the presence of cracks on the race of the bearings at both the ends which are in the incipient stage. Replacement of the bearings at both the drive end (6306) and non drive end (6206) and the alignment check between the bearings in the shaft are suggested as the constructive measures towards preventive maintenance of considered squirrel cage induction motor.

Keywords: FFT analyser, condition monitoring, vibration spectrum, time wave form

Procedia PDF Downloads 388

Authors: Zhaojun Wang, Zongdi Sun, Yongjie Chen, Manman Chen, Linghui Wang

Abstract:

This paper uses the analytic hierarchy process to study the execution effect of the minimum purchase price of grain in different regions and various grain crops. Firstly, for different regions, five indicators including grain yield, grain sown area, gross agricultural production, grain consumption price index, and disposable income of rural residents were selected to construct an evaluation index system. We collect data of six provinces including Hebei Province, Heilongjiang Province and Shandong Province from 2006 to 2017. Then, the judgment matrix is constructed, and the hierarchical single ordering and consistency test are carried out to determine the scoring standard for the minimum purchase price of grain. The ranking of the execution effect from high to low is: Heilongjiang Province, Shandong Province, Hebei Province, Guizhou Province, Shaanxi Province, and Guangdong Province. Secondly, taking Shandong Province as an example, we collect the relevant data of sown area and yield of cereals, beans, potatoes and other crops from 2006 to 2017. The weight of area and yield index is determined by expert scoring method. And the average sown area and yield of cereals, beans and potatoes in 2006-2017 were calculated, respectively. On this basis, according to the sum of products of weights and mean values, the execution effects of different grain crops are determined. It turns out that among the cereals, the minimum purchase price had the best execution effect on paddy, followed by wheat and finally maize. Moreover, among major categories of crops, cereals perform best, followed by beans and finally potatoes. Lastly, countermeasures are proposed for different regions, various categories of crops, and different crops of the same category.

Keywords: analytic hierarchy process, grain yield, grain sown area, minimum grain purchase price

Procedia PDF Downloads 140

Authors: A. Pensiri, K. Nantaporn, P. Parichut

Abstract:

Tourism is very important to the economy of many countries due to the large contribution in the areas of employment and income generation. However, the rapid growth of tourism can also be considered as one of the major uses of water user, and therefore also have a significant and detrimental impact on the environment. Guest behavior in water usage can be used to manage water in hotels for sustainable water resources management. This research presents a study of hotel guest water usage behavior at two hotels, namely Hotel A (located in Kathu district) and Hotel B (located in Muang district) in Phuket Province, Thailand, as case studies. Primary and secondary data were collected from the hotel manager through interview and questionnaires. The water flow rate was measured in-situ from each water supply device in the standard room type at each hotel, including hand washing faucets, bathroom faucets, shower and toilet flush. For the interview, the majority of respondents (n = 204 for Hotel A and n = 244 for Hotel B) were aged between 21 years and 30 years (53% for Hotel A and 65% for Hotel B) and the majority were foreign (78% in Hotel A, and 92% in Hotel B) from American, France and Austria for purposes of tourism (63% in Hotel A, and 55% in Hotel B). The data showed that water consumption ranged from 188 litres to 507 liters, and 383 litres to 415 litres per overnight guest in Hotel A and Hotel B (n = 244), respectively. These figures exceed the water efficiency benchmark set for Tropical regions by the International Tourism Partnership (ITP). It is recommended that guest water saving initiatives should be implemented at hotels. Moreover, the results showed that guests have high satisfaction for the hotels, the front office service reveal the top rates of average score of 4.35 in Hotel A and 4.20 in Hotel B, respectively, while the luxury decoration and room cleanliness exhibited the second satisfaction scored by the guests in Hotel A and B, respectively. On the basis of this information, the findings can be very useful to improve customer service satisfaction and pay attention to this particular aspect for better hotel management.

Keywords: hotel, tourism, Phuket, water usage

Procedia PDF Downloads 256

Authors: Nino G. Vepkhvadze, Tea Enukidze

Abstract:

Every year the number of countries around the world face the risk of the spread of infectious diseases that bring significant ecological and social-economic damage. Hence, the importance of food product safety is emphasized that is the issue of interest for many countries. To solve them, it’s necessary to conduct preventive measures against the diseases, have accurate diagnostic results, leadership, and management. The Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) disease is caused by a morbillivirus closely related to the rinderpest virus. PPR is a transboundary disease as it emerges and evolves, considered as one of the top most damaging animal diseases. The disease imposed a serious threat to sheep-breeding when the farms of sheep, goats are significantly growing within the country. In January 2016, PPR was detected in Georgia. Up to present the origin of the virus, the age relationship of affected ruminants and the distribution of PPRV in Georgia remains unclear. Due to the nature of PPR, and breeding practices in the country, reemerging of the disease in Georgia is highly likely. The purpose of the studies is to provide laboratories with efficient tools allowing the early detection of PPR emergence and re-emergences. This study is being accomplished under the Biological Threat Reduction Program project with the support of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA). The purpose of the studies is to investigate the samples and identify areas at high risk of the disease. Georgia has a high density of small ruminant herds bred as free-ranging, close to international borders. Kakheti region, Eastern Georgia, will be considered as area of high priority for PPR surveillance. For this reason, in 2019, in Kakheti region investigated n=484 sheep and goat serum and blood samples from the same animals, utilized serology and molecular biology methods. All samples were negative by RT-PCR, and n=6 sheep samples were seropositive by ELISA-Ab. Future efforts will be concentrated in areas where the risk of PPR might be high such as international bordering regions of Georgia. For diagnostics, it is important to integrate the PPRV knowledge with epidemiological data. Based on these diagnostics, the relevant agencies will be able to control the disease surveillance.

Keywords: animal disease, especially dangerous pathogen, laboratory diagnostics, virus

Procedia PDF Downloads 115

Authors: Rene Hellmuth

Abstract:

The requirements for the factory planning and the building concerned have changed in the last years. Factory planning has the task of designing products, plants, processes, organization, areas, and the building of a factory. Regular restructuring gains more importance in order to maintain the competitiveness of a factory. Restrictions regarding new areas, shorter life cycles of product and production technology as well as a VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) world cause more frequently occurring rebuilding measures within a factory. Restructuring of factories is the most common planning case today. Restructuring is more common than new construction, revitalization and dismantling of factories. The increasing importance of restructuring processes shows that the ability to change was and is a promising concept for the reaction of companies to permanently changing conditions. The factory building is the basis for most changes within a factory. If an adaptation of a construction project (factory) is necessary, the inventory documents must be checked and often time-consuming planning of the adaptation must take place to define the relevant components to be adapted, in order to be able to finally evaluate them. The different requirements of the planning participants from the disciplines of factory planning (production planner, logistics planner, automation planner) and industrial construction planning (architect, civil engineer) come together during reconstruction and must be structured. This raises the research question: Which requirements do the disciplines involved in the reconstruction planning place on a digital factory model? A subordinate research question is: How can model-based decision support be provided for a more efficient design of the conversion within a factory? Because of the high adaptation rate of factories and its building described above, a methodology for rescheduling factories based on the requirements engineering method from software development is conceived and designed for practical application in factory restructuring projects. The explorative research procedure according to Kubicek is applied. Explorative research is suitable if the practical usability of the research results has priority. Furthermore, it will be shown how to best use a digital factory model in practice. The focus will be on mobile applications to meet the needs of factory planners on site. An augmented reality (AR) application will be designed and created to provide decision support for planning variants. The aim is to contribute to a shortening of the planning process and model-based decision support for more efficient change management. This requires the application of a methodology that reduces the deficits of the existing approaches. The time and cost expenditure are represented in the AR tablet solution based on a building information model (BIM). Overall, the requirements of those involved in the planning process for a digital factory model in the case of restructuring within a factory are thus first determined in a structured manner. The results are then applied and transferred to a construction site solution based on augmented reality.

Keywords: augmented reality, digital factory model, factory planning, restructuring

Procedia PDF Downloads 134

Authors: Kaling Taki, Rohit Gahlot, Manish Kumar

Abstract:

Disposal of Sewage Sludge (SS) is a big issue especially in developing nation like India, where there is no control in the dynamicity of SS produced. The present research work demonstrates the potential application of SS amended with varying percentage (0-100%) of Fly Ash (FA) for brick manufacturing as an alternative of SS management. SS samples were collected from Jaspur sewage treatment plant (Ahmedabad, India) and subjected to different preconditioning treatments: (i) atmospheric drying (ii) pulverization (iii) heat treatment in oven (110°C, moisture removal) and muffle furnace (440°C, organic content removal). Geotechnical parameters of the SS were obtained as liquid limit (52%), plastic limit (24%), shrinkage limit (10%), plasticity index (28%), differential free swell index (DFSI, 47%), silt (68%), clay (27%), organic content (5%), optimum moisture content (OMC, 20%), maximum dry density (MDD, 1.55gm/cc), specific gravity (2.66), swell pressure (57kPa) and unconfined compressive strength (UCS, 207kPa). For FA liquid limit, plastic limit and specific gravity was 44%, 0% and 2.2 respectively. Initially, for brick casting pulverized SS sample was heat treated in a muffle furnace around 440℃ (5 hours) for removal of organic matter. Later, mixing of SS, FA and water by weight ratio was done at OMC. 7*7*7 cm3 sample mold was used for casting bricks at MDD. Brick samples were then first dried in room temperature for 24 hours, then in oven at 100℃ (24 hours) and finally firing in muffle furnace for 1000℃ (10 hours). The fired brick samples were then cured for 3 days according to Indian Standards (IS) common burnt clay building bricks- specification (5th revision). The Compressive strength of brick samples (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 ,60, 70, 80, 90, 100%) of FA were 0.45, 0.76, 1.89, 1.83, 4.02, 3.74, 3.42, 3.19, 2.87, 0.78 and 4.95MPa when evaluated through compressive testing machine (CTM) for a stress rate of 14MPa/min. The highest strength was obtained at 40% FA mixture i.e. 4.02MPa which is much higher than the pure SS brick sample. According to IS 1077: 1992 this combination gives strength more than 3.5 MPa and can be utilized as common building bricks. The loss in weight after firing was much higher than the oven treatment, this might be due to degradation temperature higher than 100℃. The thermal conductivity of the fired brick was obtained as 0.44Wm-1K-1, indicating better insulation properties than other reported studies. TCLP (Toxicity characteristic leaching procedure) test of Cr, Cu, Co, Fe and Ni in raw SS was found as 69, 70, 21, 39502 and 47 mg/kg. The study positively concludes that SS and FA at optimum ratio can be utilized as common building bricks such as partitioning wall and other small strength requirement works. The uniqueness of the work is it emphasizes on utilization of FA for stabilizing SS as construction material as a replacement of natural clay as reported in existing studies.

Keywords: Compressive strength, Curing, Fly Ash, Sewage Sludge.

Procedia PDF Downloads 111

Authors: Petra Hofmann, Dana Koniel, Jussi Luukkanen, Walter Nieminen, Lea Hannola, Ilkka Donoghue

Abstract:

The Covid-19 pandemic forced people to isolate and become physically less connected. The pandemic hasnot only reshaped people’s behaviours and needs but also accelerated digital transformation (DT). DT of cities has become an imperative with the outlook of converting them into smart cities in the future. Embedding digital infrastructure and smart city initiatives as part of the normal design, construction, and operation of cities provides a unique opportunity to improve connection between people. Internet of Things (IoT) is an emerging technology and one of the drivers in DT. It has disrupted many industries by introducing different services and business models, and IoT solutions are being applied in multiple fields, including smart cities. As IoT and data are fundamentally linked together, IoT solutions can only create value if the data generated by the IoT devices is analysed properly. Extracting relevant conclusions and actionable insights by using established techniques, data analytics contributes significantly to the growth and success of IoT applications and investments. Companies must grasp DT and be prepared to redesign their offerings and business models to remain competitive in today’s marketplace. As there are many IoT solutions available today, the amount of data is tremendous. The challenge for companies is to understand what solutions to focus on and how to prioritise and which data to differentiate from the competition. This paper explains how IoT and data analytics can impact competitive advantage and how companies should approach IoT and data analytics to translate them into concrete offerings and solutions in the smart city context. The study was carried out as a qualitative, literature-based research. A case study is provided to validate the preservation of company’s competitive advantage through smart city solutions. The results of the researchcontribution provide insights into the different factors and considerations related to creating competitive advantage through IoT and data analytics deployment in the smart city context. Furthermore, this paper proposes a framework that merges the factors and considerations with examples of offerings and solutions in smart cities. The data collected through IoT devices, and the intelligent use of it, can create a competitive advantage to companies operating in smart city business. Companies should take into consideration the five forces of competition that shape industries and pay attention to the technological, organisational, and external contexts which define factors for consideration of competitive advantages in the field of IoT and data analytics. Companies that can utilise these key assets in their businesses will most likely conquer the markets and have a strong foothold in the smart city business.

Keywords: internet of things, data analytics, smart cities, competitive advantage

Procedia PDF Downloads 94

Authors: Bingqing Chen

Abstract:

The Opium War unlocked the gate of China. Since then, modern western culture has been imported strongly and spread throughout this Asian country. The monologue of traditional Chinese culture in the past has been replaced by the hustle and bustle of multiculturalism. In the field of music, starting from school music, China, a country without the concept of composition, was deeply influenced by western culture and professional music composition, and entered the era of professional music composition. Recognizing the importance of national culture, a group of insightful artists began to try to add ‘China’ to musical composition. However, due to the special historical origin of Chinese professional musical composition and the three times of cultural nihilism in China, professional musical composition at this time failed to interpret the deep language structure of local culture within Chinese traditional culture, but only regarded Chinese traditional music as a ‘melody material library.’ At this time, the cross-cultural composition still takes Western music as its ‘norm,’ while our own music culture only exists as the sound of the contrast of Western music. However, after reading scores extensively, watching video performances, and interviewing several active composers, we found that at least in the past 30 years, China has created some works that can be called intercultural music. In these kinds of music, composers put Chinese and Western, traditional and modern in an almost equal position to have a dialogue based on their deep understanding and respect for the two cultures. This kind of music connects two music worlds, and links the two cultural and ideological worlds behind it, and communicates and grows together. This paper chose the works of three composers with different educational backgrounds, and pay attention to how composers can make a dialogue at the organizational structure level of their works. Based on the strategies adopted by composers in structuring their works, this paper expounds on how the composer's music procedure shows intercultural in terms of whole sound effects and cultural symbols. By actively participating in this intercultural practice, composers resorting to various musical and extra-musical procedures to arrive at the so-called ‘innovation within tradition.’ Through the dialogue, we can activate the space of creative thinking and explore the potential contained in culture. This interdisciplinary research promotes the rethinking of the possibility of innovation in contemporary Chinese intercultural music composition, spanning the fields of sound studies, dialogue theory, cultural research, music theory, and so on. Recently, China is calling for actively promoting 'the construction of Chinese music canonization,’ expecting to form a particular music style to show national-cultural identity. In the era of globalization, it is possible to form a brand-new Chinese music style through intercultural composition, but it is a question about talents, and the key lies in how composers do it. There is no recipe for the formation of the Chinese music style, only the composers constantly trying and tries to solve problems in their works.

Keywords: dialogism, intercultural music, national-cultural identity, organization/structure, sound

Procedia PDF Downloads 112

Authors: Raj Chavan

Abstract:

At present, the United States is home to more than 14,000 Water Resource Recovery Facilities (WRRFs), of which approximately 35% have implemented nutrient limits of some kind. These WRRFs contribute 10 to 15% of the total nutrient burden to surface rivers in the United States and account for approximately 1% of total power demand and 2% of total greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). There are several factors that have influenced the development of densification technologies in the direction of more compact and energy-efficient nutrient removal processes. Prior to surface water discharge, existing facilities that necessitate capacity expansion or biomass densification for greater treatability within the same footprint are being subjected to stricter nutrient removal requirements. Densification of activated sludge as a method for nutrient removal and process intensification at WRRFs has garnered considerable attention in recent times. The biological processes take place within the aerobic sediment granules, which form the basis of the technology. The possibility of generating granular sludge through continuous (or conventional) activated sludge processes (CAS) or densification of biomass through the transfer of activated sludge flocs to a denser biomass aggregate as an exceptionally efficient intensification technique has generated considerable interest. This presentation aims to furnish attendees with a foundational comprehension of densification through the illustration of practical concerns and insights. The subsequent subjects will be deliberated upon. What are some potential techniques for producing and preserving densified granules? What processes are responsible for the densification of biological flocs? How do physical selectors contribute to the process of biological flocs becoming denser? What viable strategies exist for the management of densified biological flocs, and which design parameters of physical selection influence the retention of densified biological flocs? determining operational solutions for floc and granule customization in order to meet capacity and performance objectives? The answers to these pivotal questions will be derived from existing full-scale treatment facilities, bench-scale and pilot-scale investigations, and existing literature data. By the conclusion of the presentation, the audience will possess a fundamental comprehension of the densification concept and its significance in attaining effective effluent treatment. Additionally, case studies pertaining to the design and operation of densification procedures will be incorporated into the presentation.

Keywords: densification, intensification, nutrient removal, granular sludge

Procedia PDF Downloads 74

Authors: Jayanta Kumar Mahato, Partha Sarathi De, Amrita Kundu, P. C. Chakraborti

Abstract:

Ratcheting is one of the most important phenomena to be considered for design and safety assessment of structural components subjected to stress controlled asymmetric cyclic loading in the elasto-plastic domain. In the present study uniaxial ratcheting behavior of commercially pure annealed OFHC copper and aluminium with two different grain sizes has been investigated. Stress-controlled tests have been conducted at various combinations of stress amplitude and mean stress. These stresses were selected in such a way that the ratio of equivalent stress amplitude (σₐeq) to ultimate tensile strength (σUTS) of the selected materials remains constant. It is found that irrespective of grain size the ratcheting fatigue lives decrease with the increase of both stress amplitude and mean stress following power relationships. However, the effect of stress amplitude on ratcheting lives is observed higher as compared to mean stress for both the FCC metals. It is also found that for both FCC metals ratcheting fatigue lives at a constant ratio of equivalent stress amplitude (σ ₐeq) to ultimate tensile strength (σUTS) are more in case fine grain size. So far ratcheting strain rate is concerned, it decreases rapidly within first few cycles and then a steady state is reached. Finally, the ratcheting strain rate increases up to the complete failure of the specimens due to a very large increase of true stress for a substantial reduction in cross-sectional area. The steady state ratcheting strain rate increases with the increase in both stress amplitude and mean stress. Interestingly, a unique perfectly power relationship between steady state ratcheting strain rate and cycles to failure has been found irrespective of stress combination for both FCC metals. Similar to ratcheting strain rate, the strain energy density decreases rapidly within first few cycles followed by steady state and then increases up to a failure of the specimens irrespective of stress combinations for both FCC metals; but strain energy density at steady state decreases with increase in mean stress and increases with the increase of stress amplitude. From the fractography study, it is found that the void density increases with the increase of maximum stress, but the void size and void density are almost same for any combination of stress parameters considering constant maximum stress.

Keywords: ratcheting phenomena, grain size, stress parameter, ratcheting lives, ratcheting strain rate

Procedia PDF Downloads 290

Authors: Mikailzade Parvin, Gurbanova Jamila, Alizade Samaya, Hasanova Afat

Abstract:

It is known that in March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global pandemic of the 2019 coronovirus disease COVID-19, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronovirus (SARS-CoV-2). In this period, ensuring the safety of pregnancy and childbirth has become one of the necessary issues. The measures taken in this direction naturally consisted of strengthening and improving preventive measures among pregnant women. It should be noted that the lethality of SARS-CoV-2 infection among women reached 25%. The relevance of studying the effect of COVID-19 on reproductive health in women is due to its wide spread worldwide, severe clinical course, and the occurrence of numerous complications or lethality. It is of urgent importance to study the impact of the mentioned coronavirus infection on the health of pregnant women and the serious complications caused by it.Taking these into account, 230 pregnant women infected with the COVID-19 virus infection were registered. The average age of the pregnant women included in the study was: 29.24±6.0. The diagnosis of corona virus infection was made on the basis of polymerase chain reaction (PCR), serological tests (IgG, IgM). In 57.4% of cases, bilateral pneumonia was recorded in pregnant women and confirmed on the basis of radiological (RH) examination. RH examination revealed pneumonia with infiltrate in the lungs. Among clinical symptoms in pregnant women infected with COVID-19 virus infection: in 86 (37.4%) cases, symptoms such as high fever (t-39.0oC), shortness of breath, fatigue, and hypoxia were noted in pregnant women. A decrease in SpO2 to a minimal level was recorded. Laboratory-instrumental examinations were carried out. The obtained results showed: the average limit of D-dimer was 0.8±0.5; prothrombin time 13.2±1.1 seconds; INR 0.98±0.08, prothrombin index 104.3±19.5%, EHS - 34.8±13.6 mm/s. It should be noted that respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), premature birth, malformed and extremely malformed newborns, asphyxia or hypoxia have been reported in infants born to pregnant women infected with the coronavirus disease.Thus, from the obtained indicators, it is known that pregnant women infected with the virus have a high risk of serious illness and death for both themselves and their babies. It has been proven that the majority of babies born to SARS-CoV-2 positive mothers have a negative impact on their health.

Keywords: Covid 19, reproductive health, preqnancy, premature birth

Procedia PDF Downloads 88

Authors: Ahmad Mohammad Sharqi, Mohamed Hechmi El Ouni, Saleh Alsulamy

Abstract:

Due to the emerging technologies revolution worldwide, the need to exploit and employ innovative technologies for other functions and purposes in different aspects has become a remarkable matter. Saudi Arabia is considered one of the most powerful economic countries in the world, where the construction sector participates effectively in its economy. Thus, the construction sector in KSA should convoy the rapid digital revolution and transformation and implement smart devices on sites. A Smart Construction Site (SCS) includes smart devices, artificial intelligence, the internet of things, augmented reality, building information modeling, geographical information systems, and cloud information. This paper aims to study the level of implementation of SCS in KSA, analyze the obstacles and challenges of adopting SCS and find out critical success factors for its implementation. A survey of close-ended questions (scale and multi-choices) has been conducted on professionals in the construction sector of Saudi Arabia. A total number of twenty-nine questions has been prepared for respondents. Twenty-four scale questions were established, and those questions were categorized into several themes: quality, scheduling, cost, occupational safety and health, technologies and applications, and general perception. Consequently, the 5-point Likert scale tool (very low to very high) was adopted for this survey. In addition, five close-ended questions with multi-choice types have also been prepared; these questions have been derived from a previous study implemented in the United Kingdom (UK) and the Dominic Republic (DR), these questions have been rearranged and organized to fit the structured survey in order to place the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in comparison with the United Kingdom (UK) as well as the Dominican Republic (DR). A total number of one hundred respondents have participated in this survey from all regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: southern, central, western, eastern, and northern regions. The drivers, obstacles, and success factors for implementing smart devices and technologies in KSA’s construction sector have been investigated and analyzed. Besides, it has been concluded that KSA is on the right path toward adopting smart construction sites with attractive results comparable to and even better than the UK in some factors.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, construction projects management, internet of things, smart construction sites, smart devices

Procedia PDF Downloads 156

Authors: Aisha Ijaz

Abstract:

The paper focuses on the impact of Muslim religiosity on convenience food purchases and involvement experienced in a non-Muslim culture. There is a scarcity of research on the purchasing patterns of Muslim diaspora communities residing in risk societies, particularly in contexts where there is an increasing inclination toward industrialized food items alongside a renewed interest in the concept of natural foods. The United Kingdom serves as an appropriate setting for this study due to the increasing Muslim population in the country, paralleled by the expanding Halal Food Market. A multi-dimensional framework is proposed, testing for five forms of involvement, specifically Purchase Decision Involvement, Product Involvement, Behavioural Involvement, Intrinsic Risk and Extrinsic Risk. Quantitative cross-sectional consumer data were collected through a face-to-face survey contact method with 141 Muslims during the summer of 2020 in Liverpool located in the Northwest of England. proportion formula was utilitsed, and the population of interest was stratified by gender and age before recruitment took place through local mosques and community centers. Six input variables were used (intrinsic religiosity and involvement dimensions), dividing the sample into 4 clusters using the Two-Step Cluster Analysis procedure in SPSS. Nuanced variances were observed in the type of involvement experienced by religiosity group, which influences behaviour when purchasing convenience food. Four distinct market segments were identified: highly religious ego-involving (39.7%), less religious active (26.2%), highly religious unaware (16.3%), less religious concerned (17.7%). These segments differ significantly with respects to their involvement, behavioural variables (place of purchase and information sources used), socio-cultural (acculturation and social class), and individual characteristics. Choosing the appropriate convenience food is centrally related to the value system of highly religious ego-involving first-generation Muslims, which explains their preference for shopping at ethnic food stores. Less religious active consumers are older and highly alert in information processing to make the optimal food choice, relying heavily on product label sources. Highly religious unaware Muslims are less dietary acculturated to the UK diet and tend to rely on digital and expert advice sources. The less-religious concerned segment, who are typified by younger age and third generation, are engaged with the purchase process because they are worried about making unsuitable food choices. Research implications are outlined and potential avenues for further explorations are identified.

Keywords: consumer behaviour, consumption, convenience food, religion, muslims, UK

Procedia PDF Downloads 56

Authors: Giorgi Bregadze

Abstract:

Tourism is the most viable and sustainable economic development option for Georgia and one of the main sources of foreign exchange earnings. Events are considered as one of the most effective ways to attract foreign visitors to the country, and, recently, the government of Georgia has begun investing in this sector very actively. This article stresses the necessity of research based economic policy in the tourism sector. In this regard, it is of paramount importance to measure the economic effects of the events which are subsidized by taxpayers’ money. The economic effect of events can be analyzed from two perspectives; financial perspective of the government and perspective of economic effects of the tourism administration. The article emphasizes more realistic and all-inclusive focus of the economic effect analysis of the tourism administration as it concentrates on the income of residents and local businesses, part of which generate tax revenues for the government. The public would like to know what the economic returns to investment are. In this article, the methodology used to describe the economic effects of UEFA Super Cup held in Tbilisi, will help to answer this question. Methodology is based on three main principles and covers three stages. Using the suggested methodology article estimates the direct economic effect of UEFA Super cup on Georgian economy. Although the attempt to make an economic effect analysis of the event was successful in Georgia, some obstacles and insufficiencies were identified during the survey. The article offers several recommendations that will help to refine methodology and improve the accuracy of the data. Furthermore, it is very important to receive the correct standard of measurement of events in Georgia. In this caseü non-ethical acts of measurement which are widely utilized by different research companies will not trigger others to show overestimated effects. It is worth mentioning that to author’s best knowledge, this is the first attempt to measure the economic effect of an event held in Georgia.

Keywords: biased economic effect analysis, expenditure of local citizens, time switchers and casuals, UEFA super cup

Procedia PDF Downloads 152

Authors: V. M. Varagyan, G. A. Gevorgyan, K. V. Grigoryan, A. L. Varagyan

Abstract:

Alaverdi region is situated in the northern part of the Republic of Armenia. Previous studies (1989) in Alaverdi region showed that due to soil irrigation with the highly polluted waters of the Debed and Shnogh rivers, the content of heavy metals in the brown forest steppe soils was significantly higher than the maximum permissible concentration as a result of which the fermentative activity in all the layers of the soils was stressed. Compared to the non-polluted soils, the activity of ferments in the plough layers of the highly polluted soils decreased by 44 - 68% (invertase – 60%, phosphatase – 44%, urease – 66%, catalase – 68%). In case of the soil irrigation with the polluted waters, a decrease in the intensity of fermentative reactions was conditioned by the high content of heavy metals in the soils and changes in chemical composition, physical and physicochemical properties. 20-year changes in the fermentative activity in the brown forest steppe soils in Alaverdi region were investigated. The activity of extracellular ferments in the soils was determined by the unification methods. The study has confirmed that self-recovery process occurs in soils previously polluted with heavy metals which can be revealed by fermentative activity. The investigations revealed that during 1989 – 2009, the activity of ferments in the plough layers of the medium and highly polluted soils increased by 31.2 – 52.6% (invertase – 31.2%, urease – 52.6%, phosphatase – 33.3%, catalase – 41.8%) and 24.1 – 87.0% (invertase – 40.4%, urease – 76.9%, phosphatase – 24.1%, catalase – 87.0%) respectively which indicated that the dynamic properties of the soils, which had been broken due to heavy metal pollution, were improved. In 1989, the activity of the Alaverdi copper smelting plant was temporarily stopped due to financial problems caused by the economic crisis and the absence of market, and the factory again started operation in 1997 and isn’t currently running at full capacity. As a result, the Debed river water has obtained a new chemical composition and comparatively good irrigation properties. Due to irrigation with this water, the gradually recovery of the soil dynamic properties, which had been broken due to irrigation with the waters polluted with heavy metals, was occurred. This is also explained by the fact that in case of irrigation with the partially cleaned water, the soil protective function against pollutants rose due to a content increase in humus and silt fractions. It is supposed that in case of the soil irrigation with the partially cleaned water, the intensity of fermentative reactions wasn’t directly affected by heavy metals.

Keywords: alaverdi region, heavy metal pollution, self-recovery, soil fermentative activity

Procedia PDF Downloads 302

Authors: Peter Boyes, Sarah Sharples, Paul Tennent, Gary Priestnall, Jeremy Morley

Abstract:

Significant long-term investment projects can involve complex decisions. These are often described as capital projects, and the factors that contribute to their complexity include budgets, motivating reasons for investment, stakeholder involvement, interdependent projects, and the delivery phases required. The complexity of these projects often requires management groups to be established involving stakeholder representatives; these teams are inherently multidisciplinary. This study uses two university campus capital projects as case studies for this type of management group. Due to the interaction of projects with wider campus infrastructure and users, decisions are made at varying spatial granularity throughout the project lifespan. This spatial-related context brings complexity to the group decisions. Sensemaking is the process used to achieve group situational awareness of a complex situation, enabling the team to arrive at a consensus and make a decision. The purpose of this study is to understand the role of people and data in the complex spatial related long-term decision and sensemaking processes. The paper aims to identify and present issues experienced in practical settings of these types of decision. A series of exploratory semi-structured interviews with members of the two projects elicit an understanding of their operation. From two stages of thematic analysis, inductive and deductive, emergent themes are identified around the group structure, the data usage, and the decision making within these groups. When data were made available to the group, there were commonly issues with the perception of veracity and validity of the data presented; this impacted the ability of group to reach consensus and, therefore, for decisions to be made. Similarly, there were different responses to forecasted or modelled data, shaped by the experience and occupation of the individuals within the multidisciplinary management group. This paper provides an understanding of further support required for team sensemaking and decision making in complex capital projects. The paper also discusses the barriers found to effective decision making in this setting and suggests opportunities to develop decision support systems in this team strategic decision-making process. Recommendations are made for further research into the sensemaking and decision-making process of this complex spatial-related setting.

Keywords: decision making, decisions under uncertainty, real decisions, sensemaking, spatial, team decision making

Procedia PDF Downloads 131

Authors: Kaddour Fellague Mohammed

Abstract:

The world has seen in recent years, significant developments affected various aspects of life and influenced the different types of institutions, thus was born a new world is a world of globalization, which dominated the scientific revolution and the tremendous technological developments, and that contributed to the re-formation of human resources in contemporary organizations, and made patterns new regulatory and at the same time raised and strongly values and new ideas, the organizations have become more flexible, and faster response to consumer and environmental conditions, and exceeded the problem of time and place in the framework of communication and human interaction and use of advanced information technology and adoption mainly mechanism in running its operations , focused on performance and based strategic thinking and approach in order to achieve its strategic goals high degrees of superiority and excellence, this new reality created an increasing need for a new type of human resources, quality aims to renew and aspire to be a strategic player in managing the organization and drafting of various strategies, think globally and act locally, to accommodate local variables in the international markets, which began organizations tend to strongly as well as the ability to work under different cultures. Human resources management of the most important management functions to focus on the human element, which is considered the most valuable resource of the Department and the most influential in productivity at all, that the management and development of human resources Tattabra a cornerstone in the majority of organizations which aims to strengthen the organizational capacity, and enable companies to attract and rehabilitation of the necessary competencies and are able to keep up with current and future challenges, human resources can contribute to and strongly in achieving the objectives and profit organization, and even expand more than contribute to the creation of new jobs to alleviate unemployment and achieve full operation, administration and human resources mean short optimal use of the human element is available and expected, where he was the efficiency and capabilities, and experience of this human element, and his enthusiasm for the work stop the efficiency and success in reaching their goals, so interested administration scientists developed the principles and foundations that help to make the most of each individual benefit in the organization through human resources management, these foundations start of the planning and selection, training and incentives and evaluation, which is not separate from each other, but are integrated with each other as a system systemic order to reach the efficient functioning of the human resources management and has been the organization as a whole in the context of development sustainable.

Keywords: configuration, training, development, human resources, operating

Procedia PDF Downloads 432

Authors: Dipak Sen, Rajdeep Ghosh

Abstract:

This paper presents a computational study of steady state three dimensional very high turbulent flow and heat transfer characteristics in a constant temperature-surfaced circular duct fitted with 900 hemispherical inline baffles. The computations are based on realizable k-ɛ model with standard wall function considering the finite volume method, and the SIMPLE algorithm has been implemented. Computational Study are carried out for Reynolds number, Re ranging from 80000 to 120000, Prandtl Number, Pr of 0.73, Pitch Ratios, PR of 1,2,3,4,5 based on the hydraulic diameter of the channel, hydrodynamic entry length, thermal entry length and the test section. Ansys Fluent 15.0 software has been used to solve the flow field. Study reveals that circular pipe having baffles has a higher Nusselt number and friction factor compared to the smooth circular pipe without baffles. Maximum Nusselt number and friction factor are obtained for the PR=5 and PR=1 respectively. Nusselt number increases while pitch ratio increases in the range of study; however, friction factor also decreases up to PR 3 and after which it becomes almost constant up to PR 5. Thermal enhancement factor increases with increasing pitch ratio but with slightly decreasing Reynolds number in the range of study and becomes almost constant at higher Reynolds number. The computational results reveal that optimum thermal enhancement factor of 900 inline hemispherical baffle is about 1.23 for pitch ratio 5 at Reynolds number 120000.It also shows that the optimum pitch ratio for which the baffles can be installed in such very high turbulent flows should be 5. Results show that pitch ratio and Reynolds number play an important role on both fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics.

Keywords: friction factor, heat transfer, turbulent flow, circular duct, baffle, pitch ratio

Procedia PDF Downloads 372

Authors: Alper Cumhur, Hasan Baylavlı, Eren Gödek

Abstract:

Use of superplasticity chemical admixtures in concrete production is widespread all over the world and has become almost inevitable. Super-plasticizers (SPA), extend the setting time of concrete by adsorbing onto cement particles and provide concrete to preserve its fresh state workability properties. Hyper-plasticizers (HPA), as a special type of superplasticizer, provide the production of qualified concretes by increasing the workability properties of concrete, effectively. However, compatibility of cement with super and hyper-plasticizers is quite important for achieving efficient workability in order to produce qualified concretes. In 2011, the EN 197-1 standard is edited and cement classifications were updated. In this study, the compatibility of hyper-plasticizer and CEM I SR0 type sulphate resisting cement (SRC) that firstly classified in EN 197-1 is investigated. Within the scope of the experimental studies, a reference cement mortar was designed with a water/cement ratio of 0.50 confirming to EN 196-1. Fresh unit density of mortar was measured and spread diameters (at 0, 60, 120 min after mix preparation) and setting time of reference mortar were determined with flow table and Vicat tests, respectively. Three mortars are being re-prepared with using both super and hyper-plasticizer confirming to ASTM C494 by 0.50, 0.75 and 1.00% of cement weight. Fresh unit densities, spread diameters and setting times of super and hyper plasticizer added mortars (SPM, HPM) will be determined. Theoretical air-entrainment values of both SPMs and HPMs will be calculated by taking the differences between the densities of plasticizer added mortars and reference mortar. The flow table and Vicat tests are going to be repeated to these mortars and results will be compared. In conclusion, compatibility of SRC with SPA and HPA will be investigated. It is expected that optimum dosages of SPA and HPA will be determined for providing the required workability and setting conditions of SRC mortars, and the advantages/disadvantages of both SPA and HPA will be discussed.

Keywords: CEM I SR0, hyper-plasticizer, setting time, sulphate resisting cement, super-plasticizer, workability

Procedia PDF Downloads 216

Authors: A. Maghoul, A. Rostampouryasouri, MR. Maghami

Abstract:

The development of an urban design and power network planning has been gaining momentum in recent years. The integration of renewable energy with urban design has been widely regarded as an increasingly important solution leading to climate change and energy security. Through the use of passive strategies and solar integration with Urban Building Energy Modeling (UBEM) tools, architects and designers can create high-quality designs that meet the needs of clients and stakeholders. To determine the most effective ways of combining renewable energy with urban development, we analyze the relationship between urban form and renewable energy production. The procedure involved in this practice include passive solar gain (in building design and urban design), solar integration, location strategy, and 3D models with a case study conducted in Tehran, Iran. The study emphasizes the importance of spatial and temporal considerations in the development of sector coupling strategies for solar power establishment in arid and semi-arid regions. The substation considered in the research consists of two parallel transformers, 13 lines, and 38 connection points. Each urban load connection point is equipped with 500 kW of solar PV capacity and 1 kWh of battery Energy Storage (BES) to store excess power generated from solar, injecting it into the urban network during peak periods. The simulations and analyses have occurred in EnergyPlus software. Passive solar gain involves maximizing the amount of sunlight that enters a building to reduce the need for artificial lighting and heating. Solar integration involves integrating solar photovoltaic (PV) power into smart grids to reduce emissions and increase energy efficiency. Location strategy is crucial to maximize the utilization of solar PV in an urban distribution feeder. Additionally, 3D models are made in Revit, and they are keys component of decision-making in areas including climate change mitigation, urban planning, and infrastructure. we applied these strategies in this research, and the results show that it is possible to create sustainable and energy-efficient urban environments. Furthermore, demand response programs can be used in conjunction with solar integration to optimize energy usage and reduce the strain on the power grid. This study highlights the influence of ancient Persian architecture on Iran's urban planning system, as well as the potential for reducing pollutants in building construction. Additionally, the paper explores the advances in eco-city planning and development and the emerging practices and strategies for integrating sustainability goals.

Keywords: energy-efficient urban planning, sustainable architecture, solar energy, sustainable urban design

Procedia PDF Downloads 76

Authors: Joseph Fitoussi, Mohammadali Shirinbayan, Abbas Tcharkhtchi

Abstract:

Due to material flow during processing, short fiber reinforced composites structures obtained by injection or compression molding generally present strong spatial microstructure variation. On the other hand, quasi-static, dynamic, and fatigue behavior of these materials are highly dependent on microstructure parameters such as fiber orientation distribution. Indeed, because of complex damage mechanisms, SFRC structures design is a key challenge for safety and reliability. In this paper, we propose a micromechanical model allowing prediction of damage behavior of real structures as a function of microstructure spatial distribution. To this aim, a statistical damage criterion including strain rate and fatigue effect at the local scale is introduced into a Mori and Tanaka model. A critical local damage state is identified, allowing fatigue life prediction. Moreover, the multi-scale model is coupled with an experimental intrinsic link between damage under monotonic loading and fatigue life in order to build an abacus giving Tsai-Wu failure criterion parameters as a function of microstructure and targeted fatigue life. On the other hand, the micromechanical damage model gives access to the evolution of the anisotropic stiffness tensor of SFRC submitted to complex thermomechanical loading, including quasi-static, dynamic, and cyclic loading with temperature and amplitude variations. Then, the latter is used to fill out microstructure dependent material cards in finite element analysis for design optimization in the case of complex loading history. The proposed methodology is illustrated in the case of a real automotive component made of sheet molding compound (PSA 3008 tailgate). The obtained results emphasize how the proposed micromechanical methodology opens a new path for the automotive industry to lighten vehicle bodies and thereby save energy and reduce gas emission.

Keywords: short fiber reinforced composite, structural design, damage, micromechanical modelling, fatigue, strain rate effect

Procedia PDF Downloads 107

Authors: Kichan Lee, Kwang-Ho Choi, Mi-Hye Hwang, Young Min Son, Bang-Hun Hyun, Byeong Yeal Jung

Abstract:

Recently, worldwide food safety authorities have been strengthening food hygiene in order to curb foodborne illness outbreaks. The hygiene status of Korean slaughterhouses has been monitored annually by Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency and provincial governments through foodborne pathogens investigation using slaughtered pig and cattle meats. This study presented the prevalence of food-borne pathogens from 2014 to 2016 in Korean slaughterhouses. Sampling, microbiological examinations, and analysis of results were performed in accordance with ‘Processing Standards and Ingredient Specifications for Livestock Products’. In total, swab samples from 337 pig carcasses (100 samples in 2014, 135 samples in 2015, 102 samples in 2016) and 319 cattle carcasses (100 samples in 2014, 119 samples in 2015, 100 samples in 2016) from twenty slaughterhouses were examined for Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens, Yersinia enterocolitica, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and non-O157 enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC, serotypes O26, O45, O103, O104, O111, O121, O128 and O145) as foodborne pathogens. The samples were analyzed using cultural and PCR-based methods. Foodborne pathogens were isolated in 78 (23.1%) out of 337 pig samples. In 2014, S. aureus (n=17) was predominant, followed by Y. enterocolitica (n=7), C. perfringens (n=2) and L. monocytogenes (n=2). In 2015, C. coli (n=14) was the most prevalent, followed by L. monocytogenes (n=4), S. aureus (n=3), and C. perfringens (n=2). In 2016, S. aureus (n=16) was the most prevalent, followed by C. coli (n=13), L. monocytogenes (n=2) and C. perfringens (n=1). In case of cattle carcasses, foodborne bacteria were detected in 41 (12.9%) out of 319 samples. In 2014, S. aureus (n=16) was the most prevalent, followed by Y. enterocolitica (n=3), C. perfringens (n=3) and L. monocytogenes (n=2). In 2015, L. monocytogenes was isolated from 4 samples, S. aureus from three, C. perfringens, Y. enterocolitica and Salmonella spp. from one, respectively. In 2016, L. monocytogenes (n=6) was the most prevalent, followed by C. perfringens (n=3) C. jejuni (n=1), respectively. It was found that 10 carcass samples (4 cattle and 6 pigs) were contaminated with two bacterial pathogen tested. Interestingly, foodborne pathogens were more detected from pig carcasses than cattle carcasses. Although S. aureus was predominantly detected in this study, other foodborne pathogens were also isolated in slaughtered meats. Results of this study alerted the risk of foodborne pathogen infection for humans from slaughtered meats. Therefore, the authors insisted that it was important to enhance hygiene level of slaughterhouses according to Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point.

Keywords: carcass, cattle, foodborne, Korea, pathogen, pig

Procedia PDF Downloads 344

Authors: Dolores Sucozhañay, Gustavo Pacheco, Paul Vanegas

Abstract:

In the context of sustainable development and the transition towards a sustainable circular economy (CE), evaluating the social dimension remains a challenge. Therefore, developing a respective methodology is highly important. First, the change of the economic model may cause significant social effects, which today remain unaddressed. Second, following the current level of globalization, CE implementation requires targeting global material cycles and causes social impacts on potentially vulnerable social groups. A promising methodology is the Social Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA), which embraces the philosophy of life cycle thinking and provides complementary information to environmental and economic assessments. In this context, the present work uses the updated Social Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA) Guidelines 2020 to assess the social performance of the recycling system of Cuenca, Ecuador, to exemplify a social assessment method. Like many other developing countries, Ecuador heavily depends on the work of informal waste pickers (recyclers), who, even contributing to a CE, face harsh socio-economic circumstances, including inappropriate working conditions, social exclusion, exploitation, etc. Under a Reference Scale approach (Type 1), 12 impact subcategories were assessed through 73 site-specific inventory indicators, using an ascending reference scale ranging from -2 to +2. Findings reveal a social performance below compliance levels with local and international laws, basic societal expectations, and practices in the recycling sector; only eight and five indicators present a positive score. In addition, a social hotspot analysis depicts collection as the most time-consuming lifecycle stage and the one with the most hotspots, mainly related to working hours and health and safety aspects. This study provides an integrated view of the recyclers’ contributions, challenges, and opportunities within the recycling system while highlighting the relevance of assessing the social dimension of CE practices. It also fosters an understanding of the social impact of CE operations in developing countries, highlights the need for a close north-south relationship in CE, and enables the connection among the environmental, economic, and social dimensions.

Keywords: SLCA, circular economy, recycling, social impact assessment

Procedia PDF Downloads 151

Authors: Leonard Chimaobi Agim, Charles Arinzechukwu Igwe, Emmanuel Uzoma Onweremadu, Gabreil Osuji

Abstract:

Soil erosion has been linked to stream sedimentation, ecosystem degradation, and loss of soil nutrients. A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of some organic amendment on sediment yield, splash loss, and runoff of soils of selected parent materials in southeastern Nigeria. A total of 20 locations, five from each of four parent materials namely: Asu River Group (ARG), Bende Ameki Group (BAG), Coastal Plain Sand (CPS) and Falsebedded Sandstone (FBS) were used for the study. Collected soil samples were analyzed with standard methods for the initial soil properties. Rainfall simulation at an intensity of 190 mm hr-1was conducted for 30 minutes on the soil samples at both the initial stage and after amendment to obtain erosion parameters. The influence of parent material on sediment yield, splash loss and runoff based on rainfall simulation was tested for using one way analyses of variance, while the influence of organic material and their combinations were a factorially fitted in a randomized complete block design. The organic amendments include; goat dropping (GD), poultry dropping (PD), municipal solid waste (MSW) and their combinations (COA) applied at four rates of 0, 10, 20 and 30 t ha-1 respectively. Data were analyzed using analyses of variance suitable for a factorial experiment. Significant means were separated using LSD at 5 % probability levels. Result showed significant (p ≤ 0.05) lower values of sediment yield, splash loss and runoff following amendment. For instance, organic amendment reduced sediment yield under wet and dry runs by 12.91 % and 26.16% in Ishiagu, 40.76% and 45.67%, in Bende, 16.17% and 50% in Obinze and 22.80% and 42.35% in Umulolo respectively. Goat dropping and combination of amendment gave the best results in reducing sediment yield.

Keywords: organic amendment, parent material, rainfall simulation, soil erosion

Procedia PDF Downloads 343

Authors: Zulkifli Yusop

Abstract:

The severity of December 2014 flood on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia has raised concern over the adequacy of existing land use practices and policies. This article assesses flood responses to selective logging, plantation establishment (oil palm and rubber) and their subsequent management regimes. The hydrological impacts were evaluated on two levels: on-site (mostly in the upstream) and off-site to reflect the cumulative impact at downstream. Results of experimental catchment studies suggest that on-site impact of flood could be kept to a minimum when selecting logging strictly adhere to the existing guidelines. However, increases in flood potential and sedimentation rate were observed with logging intensity and slope steepness. Forest conversion to plantation show the highest impacts. Except on the heavily compacted surfaces, the ground revegetation is usually rapid within two years upon the cessation of the logging operation. The hydrological impacts of plantation opening and replanting could be significantly reduced once the cover crop has fully established which normally takes between three to six months after sowing. However, as oil palms become taller and the canopy gets closer, the cover crop tends to die off due to light competition, and its protecting function gradually diminishes. The exposed soil is further compacted by harvesting machinery which subsequently leads to greater overland flow and erosion rates. As such, the hydrological properties of matured oil palm plantations are generally poorer than in young plantation. In hilly area, the undergrowth in rubber plantation is usually denser compared to under oil palm. The soil under rubber trees is also less compacted as latex collection is done manually. By considering the cumulative effects of land-use over space and time, selective logging seems to pose the least impact on flood potential, followed by planting rubber for latex, oil palm and Latex Timber Clone (LTC). The cumulative hydrological impact of LTC plantation is the most severe because of its shortest replanting rotation (12 to 15 years) compared to oil palm (25 years) and rubber for latex (35 years). Furthermore, the areas gazetted for LTC are mostly located on steeper slopes which are more susceptible to landslide and erosion. Forest has limited capability to store excess rainfall and is only effective in attenuating regular floods. Once the hydrologic storage is exceeded, the excess rainfall will appear as flood water. Therefore, for big floods, rainfall regime has a much bigger influence than land use.

Keywords: selective logging, plantation, extreme rainfall, debris flow

Procedia PDF Downloads 347

Authors: B. Petrović, L. Rutonjski, M. Baucal, M. Teodorović, O. Čudić, B. Basarić

Abstract:

Purpose/Objective: Radiotherapy treatment planning requires use of CT simulator, in order to acquire CT images. The overall performance of CT simulator determines the quality of radiotherapy treatment plan, and at the end, the outcome of treatment for every single patient. Therefore, it is strongly advised by international recommendations, to set up a quality control procedures for every machine involved in radiotherapy treatment planning process, including the CT scanner/ simulator. The overall process requires number of tests, which are used on daily, weekly, monthly or yearly basis, depending on the feature tested. Materials/Methods: Two phantoms were used: a dedicated phantom CIRS 062QA, and a QA phantom obtained with the CT simulator. The examined CT simulator was Siemens Somatom Definition as Open, dedicated for radiation therapy treatment planning. The CT simulator has a built in software, which enables fast and simple evaluation of CT QA parameters, using the phantom provided with the CT simulator. On the other hand, recommendations contain additional test, which were done with the CIRS phantom. Also, legislation on ionizing radiation protection requires CT testing in defined periods of time. Taking into account the requirements of law, built in tests of a CT simulator, and international recommendations, the intitutional QC programme for CT imulator is defined, and implemented. Results: The CT simulator parameters evaluated through the study were following: CT number accuracy, field uniformity, complete CT to ED conversion curve, spatial and contrast resolution, image noise, slice thickness, and patient table stability.The following limits are established and implemented: CT number accuracy limits are +/- 5 HU of the value at the comissioning. Field uniformity: +/- 10 HU in selected ROIs. Complete CT to ED curve for each tube voltage must comply with the curve obtained at comissioning, with deviations of not more than 5%. Spatial and contrast resultion tests must comply with the tests obtained at comissioning, otherwise machine requires service. Result of image noise test must fall within the limit of 20% difference of the base value. Slice thickness must meet manufacturer specifications, and patient stability with longitudinal transfer of loaded table must not differ of more than 2mm vertical deviation. Conclusion: The implemented QA tests gave overall basic understanding of CT simulator functionality and its clinical effectiveness in radiation treatment planning. The legal requirement to the clinic is to set up it’s own QA programme, with minimum testing, but it remains user’s decision whether additional testing, as recommended by international organizations, will be implemented, so to improve the overall quality of radiation treatment planning procedure, as the CT image quality used for radiation treatment planning, influences the delineation of a tumor and calculation accuracy of treatment planning system, and finally delivery of radiation treatment to a patient.

Keywords: CT simulator, radiotherapy, quality control, QA programme

Procedia PDF Downloads 534