Search results for: multiple group analysis

Authors: Helena López-Moreno, Antoni Rodríguez-Sánchez, Carmen Viñas-Arrebola, Cesar Porras-Amores

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The ventilated façade has great advantages when compared to traditional façades as it reduces the air conditioning thermal loads due to the stack effect induced by solar radiation in the air chamber. Optimizing energy consumption by using a ventilated façade can be used not only in newly built buildings but also it can be implemented in existing buildings, opening the field of implementation to energy building retrofitting works. In this sense, the following three prototypes of façade where designed, built and further analyzed in this research: non-ventilated façade (NVF); slightly ventilated façade (SLVF) and strongly ventilated façade (STVF). The construction characteristics of the three facades are based on the Spanish regulation of building construction “Technical Building Code”. The façades have been monitored by type-k thermocouples in a representative day of the summer season in Madrid (Spain). Moreover, an analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures, studying the thermal lag in the ventilated and no-ventilated façades has been designed. Results show that STVF façade presents higher levels of thermal inertia as the thermal lag reduces up to 100% (daily mean) compared to the non-ventilated façade. In addition, the statistical analysis proves that an increase of the ventilation holes size in STVF façades does not improve the thermal lag significantly (p > 0.05) when compared to the SLVF façade.

Keywords: ventilated façade, energy efficiency, thermal behavior, statistical analysis

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Authors: Jana Chakrabarti, Madhushrita Das, Ankhi Haldar, Roshni Chatterjee, Tanmoy Dey, Pubali Dhar

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High incidences of Protein Energy Malnutrition as a consequence of low protein intake are quite prevalent among the children in developing countries. Thus prevention of under-nutrition has emerged as a critical challenge to India’s developmental Planners in recent times. Increase in population over the last decade has led to greater pressure on the existing animal protein sources. But these resources are currently declining due to persistent drought, diseases, natural disasters, high-cost of feed, and low productivity of local breeds and this decline in productivity is most evident in some developing countries. So the need of the hour is to search for efficient utilization of unconventional low-cost animal protein resources. Molluscs, as a group is regarded as under-exploited source of health-benefit molecules. Bivalve is the second largest class of phylum Mollusca. Annual harvests of bivalves for human consumption represent about 5% by weight of the total world harvest of aquatic resources. The freshwater mussel Lamellidens marginalis is widely distributed in ponds and large bodies of perennial waters in the Indian sub-continent and well accepted as food all over India. Moreover, ethno-medicinal uses of the flesh of Lamellidens among the rural people to treat hypertension have been documented. Present investigation thus attempts to evaluate the potential of Lamellidens marginalis as functional food. Mussels were collected from freshwater ponds and brought to the laboratory two days before experimentation for acclimatization in laboratory conditions. Shells were removed and fleshes were preserved at- 20oC until analysis. Tissue homogenate was prepared for proximate studies. Fatty acids and amino acids composition were analyzed. Vitamins, Minerals and Heavy metal contents were also studied. Mussel Protein hydrolysate was prepared using Alcalase 2.4 L and degree of hydrolysis was evaluated to analyze its Functional properties. Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) and DPPH Antioxidant assays were performed. Anti-hypertensive property was evaluated by measuring Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibition assay. Proximate analysis indicates that mussel meat contains moderate amount of protein (8.30±0.67%), carbohydrate (8.01±0.38%) and reducing sugar (4.75±0.07%), but less amount of fat (1.02±0.20%). Moisture content is quite high but ash content is very low. Phospholipid content is significantly high (19.43 %). Lipid constitutes, substantial amount of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which have proven prophylactic values. Trace elements are found present in substantial amount. Comparative study of proximate nutrients between Labeo rohita, Lamellidens and cow’s milk indicates that mussel meat can be used as complementary food source. Functionality analyses of protein hydrolysate show increase in Fat absorption, Emulsification, Foaming capacity and Protein solubility. Progressive anti-oxidant and anti-hypertensive properties have also been documented. Lamellidens marginalis can thus be regarded as a functional food source as this may combine effectively with other food components for providing essential elements to the body. Moreover, mussel protein hydrolysate provides opportunities for utilizing it in various food formulations and pharmaceuticals. The observations presented herein should be viewed as a prelude to what future holds.

Keywords: functional food, functional properties, Lamellidens marginalis, protein hydrolysate

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Authors: Simon J. Wilde, David M. Herold, Michael J. Bryant

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Social media networks have become the hotbed for advertising activities, due mainly to their increasing consumer/user base, and secondly, owing to the ability of marketers to accurately measure ad exposure and consumer-based insights on such networks. More than half of the world’s population (4.8 billion) now uses social media (60%), with 150 million new users having come online within the last 12 months (to June 2022). As the use of social media networks by users grows, key business strategies used for interacting with these potential customers have matured, especially social media advertising. Unlike other traditional media outlets, social media advertising is highly interactive and digital channel-specific. Social media advertisements are clearly targetable, providing marketers with an extremely powerful marketing tool. Yet despite the measurable benefits afforded to businesses engaged in social media advertising, recent controversies (such as the relationship between Facebook and Cambridge Analytica in 2018) have only heightened the role trust and privacy play within these social media networks. The purpose of this exploratory paper is to investigate the extent to which social media users trust social media advertising. Understanding this relationship will fundamentally assist marketers in better understanding social media interactions and their implications for society. Using a web-based quantitative survey instrument, survey participants were recruited via a reputable online panel survey site. Respondents to the survey represented social media users from all states and territories within Australia. Completed responses were received from a total of 258 social media users. Survey respondents represented all core age demographic groupings, including Gen Z/Millennials (18-45 years = 60.5% of respondents) and Gen X/Boomers (46-66+ years = 39.5% of respondents). An adapted ADTRUST scale, using a 20 item 7-point Likert scale, measured trust in social media advertising. The ADTRUST scale has been shown to be a valid measure of trust in advertising within traditional different media, such as broadcast media and print media, and more recently, the Internet (as a broader platform). The adapted scale was validated through exploratory factor analysis (EFA), resulting in a three-factor solution. These three factors were named reliability, usefulness and affect, and the willingness to rely on. Factor scores (weighted measures) were then calculated for these factors. Factor scores are estimates of the scores survey participants would have received on each of the factors had they been measured directly, with the following results recorded (Reliability = 4.68/7; Usefulness and Affect = 4.53/7; and Willingness to Rely On = 3.94/7). Further statistical analysis (independent samples t-test) determined the difference in factor scores between the factors when age (Gen Z/Millennials vs. Gen X/Boomers) was utilised as the independent, categorical variable. The results showed the difference in mean scores across all three factors to be statistically significant (p<0.05) for these two core age groupings: Gen Z/Millennials Reliability = 4.90/7 vs Gen X/Boomers Reliability = 4.34/7; Gen Z/Millennials Usefulness and Affect = 4.85/7 vs Gen X/Boomers Usefulness and Affect = 4.05/7; and Gen Z/Millennials Willingness to Rely On = 4.53/7 vs Gen X/Boomers Willingness to Rely On = 3.03/7. The results clearly indicate that older social media users lack trust in the quality of information conveyed in social media ads, when compared to younger, more social media-savvy consumers. This is especially evident with respect to Factor 3 (Willingness to Rely On), whose underlying variables reflect one’s behavioural intent to act based on the information conveyed in advertising. These findings can be useful to marketers, advertisers, and brand managers in that the results highlight a critical need to design ‘authentic’ advertisements on social media sites to better connect with these older users, in an attempt to foster positive behavioural responses from within this large demographic group – whose engagement with social media sites continues to increase year on year.

Keywords: social media advertising, trust, older consumers, online

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Authors: Molla Tadesse Lakew

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Researchers tried to find out the socio-economic and supply-side constraint factors to adoption. However, they overlooked the role of social networks and relationships among the community. Therefore, the aims of this review were to review the roles and negative effects of social capital. Based on its contents, relevancy, and time duration, only 121 (journals, books, and paper reports) were selected. It concludes that social capital has an indispensable role in facilitating cooperation and connection between members of the farmers' community, informal and experiential knowledge sharing, and access to research-based knowledge and contributes to reducing the transaction cost of adoption. On the contrary, inside the black box of social capital, the negative effects include the exclusion of outsider’s knowledge and experiences, excessive claims on group members, and restrictions on individual freedom.

Keywords: social capital, local institutions, adoption, Ethiopia

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Authors: G. Stamatopoulou, M. Symeonaki, C. Michalopoulou

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In this work, we study the intergenerational social mobility in Greece, in order to provide up-to-date evidence on the changes in the mobility patterns throughout the years. An analysis for both men and women aged between 25-64 years old is carried out. Three main research objectives are addressed. First, we aim to examine the relationship between the socio-economic status of parents and their children. Secondly, we investigate the evolution of the mobility patterns between different birth cohorts. Finally, the role of education is explored in shaping the mobility patterns. For the analysis, we draw data on both parental and individuals' social outcomes from different national databases. The social class of origins and destination is measured according to the European Socio-Economic Classification (ESeC), while the respondents' educational attainment is coded into categories based on the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED). Applying the Markov transition probability theory, and a range of measures and models, this work focuses on the magnitude and the direction of the movements that take place in the Greek labour market, as well as the level of social fluidity. Three-way mobility tables are presented, where the transition probabilities between the classes of destination and origins are calculated for different cohorts. Additionally, a range of absolute and relative mobility rates, as well as distance measures, are presented. The study covers a large time span beginning in 1940 until 1995, shedding light on the effects of the national institutional processes on the social movements of individuals. Given the evidence on the mobility patterns of the most recent birth cohorts, we also investigate the possible effects of the 2008 economic crisis.

Keywords: cohort analysis, education, Greece, intergenerational mobility, social class

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Authors: Pablo Raul Yanyachi, Alfredo Mamani Saico, Jorch Mendoza, Wang Xinsheng

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The Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS) plays a pivotal role in the operation of nanosatellites such as Cubesats, managing orientation and stability during space missions. Within the ADCS, Reaction Wheels (RW) are electromechanical devices responsible for adjusting and maintaining satellite orientation through the application of kinetic moments. This study focuses on the characterization and analysis of a specific Reaction Wheel integrated into an ADCS prototype developed at the National University of San Agust´ın, Arequipa (UNSA). To achieve this, a single-axis Test Bench was constructed, where the reaction wheel consists of a brushless motor and an inertia flywheel driven by an Electronic Speed Controller (ESC). The research encompasses RW characterization, energy consumption evaluation, dynamic modeling, and control. The results have allowed us to ensure the maneuverability of ADCS prototypes while maintaining energy consumption within acceptable limits. The characterization and linearity analysis provides valuable insights for sizing and optimizing future reaction wheel prototypes for nanosatellites. This contributes to the ongoing development of aerospace technology within the scientific community at UNSA.

Keywords: test bench, nanosatellite, control, reaction wheel

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Authors: Ghazi Chabchoub, Mouna Feki, Mohamed Abid, Hammadi Ayadi

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Autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs), including Graves’ disease (GD) and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT), are inherited as complex traits. Genetic factors associated with AITDs have been tentatively identified by candidate gene and genome scanning approaches. We analysed three intragenic microsatellite markers in the thyroid hormone receptor associated protein 2 gene (THRAP2), mapped near D12S79 marker, which have a potential role in immune function and inflammation [THRAP2-1(TG)n, THRAP2-2 (AC)n and THRAP2-3 (AC)n]. Our study population concerned 12 patients affected with AITDs belonging to a multiplex Tunisian family with high prevalence of AITDs. Fluorescent genotyping was carried out on ABI 3100 sequencers (Applied Biosystems USA) with the use of GENESCAN for semi-automated fragment sizing and GENOTYPER peak-calling software. Statistical analysis was performed using the non parametric Lod score (NPL) by Merlin software. Merlin outputs non-parametric NPLall (Z) and LOD scores and their corresponding asymptotic P values. The analysis for three intragenic markers in the THRAP2 gene revealed strong evidence for linkage (NPL=3.68, P=0.00012). Our results suggested the possible role of THRAP2 gene in AITDs susceptibility in this family.

Keywords: autoimmunity, autoimmune disease, genetic, linkage analysis

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Authors: Hamid Chaikhy, Mouna Essaadi, Aziz El Afia

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This paper presents an experimental implementation of a new direct torque control strategy of induction machine called twelve sectors direct torque control strategy (12_DTC) using DSPACE TMS 320F2812.The aim of this work is to give an experimental performance analysis of 12_DTC in term of torque, currents distortions and stator flux, to validate simulation results obtained in previous works.

Keywords: 12_DTC, DSPACE TMS 320F2812 torque, stator flux, currents distortions, experimental performance analysis

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Authors: Siti Rahmah Shamsuri, Eiichiro Matsubara, Shohei Shiomi

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The 1D nanomaterial is far surpassed the 0D nanomaterial. It does not just offer most of the benefit of the 0D nanomaterial such as the large surface area, a great number of active site and an efficient interfacial charge transfer but also can assemble into free-standing and flexible electrode due to their high aspect ratio. Thus, it is essential to develop a simple and ease synthesis of this 1D nanomaterial for the practical application. Here, nickel nanowire/cellulose hybrid has been successfully fabricated via a simple liquid-phase method with the assist of the magnetic field. A finer nickel nanowire was heterogeneously nucleated on the surface of the cellulose fiber, which demonstrated the effect of the hydroxyl group on the cellulose structure. The result of the nickel nanowire size was found to vary from 66-114 nm. A detailed discussion on the mechanism of the nickel nanowire/ cellulose hybrid formation is also shown in this paper.

Keywords: cellulose nanofiber, liquid-phase reduction, metal nanowire, nano hybrid material

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Authors: Pei-Ying Lo, Jing-Hao Ciou, Kai-Cheng Yang, Jia-Huei Zheng, Shih-Hsiang Huang, Kuen-Chan Lee, Er-Chieh Cho

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As-produced CNTs are insoluble in all organic solvents and aqueous solutions have imposed limitations to the use of CNTs. Therefore, how to debundle carbon nanotubes and to modify them for further uses is an important issue. There are several methods for the dispersion of CNTs in water using covalent attachment of hydrophilic groups to the surface of tubes. These methods, however, alter the electronic structure of the nanotubes by disrupting the network of sp2 hybridized carbons. In order to keep the nanotubes’ intrinsic mechanical and electrical properties intact, non-covalent interactions are increasingly being explored as an alternative route for dispersion. Apart from conventional surfactants such as sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) or sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS) which are highly effective in dispersing CNTs, biopolymers have received much attention as dispersing agents due to the anticipated biocompatibility of the dispersed CNTs. Also, The pyrenyl group is known to interact strongly with the basal plane of graphene via π-stacking. In this study, a highly re-dispersible biopolymer is reported for the synthesis of pyrene-modified poly-L-lysine (PBPL) and poly(D-Glu, D-Lys) (PGLP). To provide the evidence of the safety of the PBPL/CNT & PGLP/CNT materials we use in this study, H1299 and HCT116 cells were incubated with PBPL/CNT & PGLP/CNT materials for toxicity analysis, MTS assays. The results from MTS assays indicated that no significant cellular toxicity was shown in H1299 and HCT116 cells. Furthermore, the fluorescence marker fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) was added to PBPL & PGLP dispersions. From the fluorescent measurements showed that the chemical functionalisation of the PBPL/CNT & PGLP/CNT conjugates with the fluorescence marker were successful. The fluorescent PBPL/CNT & PGLP/CNT conjugates could find application in medical imaging. In the next step, the GFP gene is immobilized onto PBPL/CNT conjugates by introducing electrostatic interaction. GFP-transfected cells that emitted fluorescence were imaged and counted under a fluorescence microscope. Due to the unique biocompatibility of PBPL modified CNTs, the GFP gene could be transported into H1299 cells without using antibodies. The applicability of such soluble and chemically functionalised polypeptide/CNT conjugates in biomedicine is currently investigated. We expect that this polypeptide/CNT system will be a safe and multi-functional nanomedical delivery platform and contribute to future medical therapy.

Keywords: carbon nanotube, nanotoxicology, GFP transfection, polypeptide/CNT hybrids

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Authors: Larry Turkish

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Introduction: The NBA is an example of mediocrity and this will be evident in the following paper. The study examines and evaluates the characteristics of the NBA champions. As divisions and playoff teams increase, there is an increase in the probability that the champion originates from the mediocre category. Since it’s inception in 1947, the league has been mediocre and continues to this day. Why does a professional league allow any team with a less than 50% winning percentage into the playoffs? As long as the finances flow into the league, owners will not change the current algorithm. The objective of this paper is to determine if the regular season has meaning in finding an NBA champion. Statistical Analysis: The data originates from the NBA website. The following variables are part of the statistical analysis: Rank, the rank of a team relative to other teams in the league based on the regular season win-loss record; Winning Percentage of a team based on the regular season; Divisions, the number of divisions within the league and Playoff Teams, the number of playoff teams relative to a particular season. The following statistical applications are applied to the data: Pearson Product-Moment Correlation, Analysis of Variance, Factor and Regression analysis. Conclusion: The results indicate that the divisional structure and number of playoff teams results in a negative effect on the winning percentage of playoff teams. It also prevents teams with higher winning percentages from accessing the playoffs. Recommendations: 1. Teams that have a winning percentage greater than 1 standard deviation from the mean from the regular season will have access to playoffs. (Eliminates mediocre teams.) 2. Eliminate Divisions (Eliminates weaker teams from access to playoffs.) 3. Eliminate Conferences (Eliminates weaker teams from access to the playoffs.) 4. Have a balanced regular season schedule, (Reduces the number of regular season games, creates equilibrium, reduces bias) that will reduce the need for load management.

Keywords: alignment, mediocrity, regression, z-score

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Authors: F. Rashno Seydari, M. Nikafrooz

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This paper intends to study needs analysis of hearing-impaired students’ teachers in elementary schools all over Iran. The subjects of this study were 275 teachers who were teaching hearing-impaired students in elementary schools. The participants were selected by a quota sampling method. To collect the data, questionnaires of training needs consisting of 41 knowledge items and 31 performance items were used. The collected data were analyzed by using SPSS software in the form of descriptive analyses (frequency and mean) and inferential analyses (one sample t-test, paired t-test, independent t-test, and Pearson correlation coefficient). The findings of the study indicated that teachers generally have considerable needs in knowledge and performance domains. In 32 items out of the total 41 knowledge domain items and in the 27 items out of the total 31 performance domain items, the teachers had considerable needs. From the quantitative point of view, the needs of the performance domain were more than those of the knowledge domain, so they have to be considered as the first priority in training these teachers. There was no difference between the level of the needs of male and female teachers. There was a significant difference between the knowledge and performance domain needs and the teachers’ teaching experience, 0.354 and 0.322 respectively. The teachers who had been trained in working with hearing-impaired students expressed more training needs (both knowledge and performance).

Keywords: educational needs analysis, teachers of hearing impaired students, knowledge domain, function domain

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Authors: Muhammad Suradi, Sugiarto, Abdullah Latip

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Many roadside slope failures occur during the rainy season, particularly in the period of extreme rainfall along Connecting National Road of Salubatu-Mambi, West Sulawesi, Indonesia. These occurrences cause traffic obstacles and endanger people along and around the road. Research collaboration between P2JN (National Road Construction Board) West Sulawesi Province, who authorize to supervise the road condition, and Ujung Pandang State Polytechnic (Applied University) was established to cope with the landslide problem. This research aims to determine factors triggering roadside slope failures and their optimum stabilizing solution. To achieve this objective, site observation and soil investigation were carried out to obtain parameters for analyses of rainfall-induced slope instability and reinforcement design using the SV Flux and SV Slope software. The result of this analysis will be taken into account for the next analysis to get an optimum design of the slope reinforcement. The result indicates some factors such as steep slopes, sandy soils, and unvegetated slope surface mainly contribute to the slope failures during intense rainfall. With respect to the contributing factors as well as construction material and technology, cantilever/butressing retaining wall becomes the optimum solution for the roadside slope reinforcement.

Keywords: roadside slope, failure, rainfall, slope reinforcement, optimum solution

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Authors: Jens Hagman, Jenny Janhager Stier, Ellen Olausson, Anne Y. Faxer, Ana Magazinius

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Sweden has the second highest electric vehicle (plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicle) sales per capita in Europe but in relation to sales of internal combustion engine electric vehicles sales are still minuscular (< 4%). Much research effort has been placed on various technical and user focused barriers and enablers for adoption of electric vehicles. Less effort has been placed on investigating the retail (dealership-customer) sales process of vehicles in general and electric vehicles in particular. Arguably, no one ought to be better informed about needs and desires of potential electric vehicle buyers than car salesmen, originating from their daily encounters with customers at the dealership. The aim of this paper is to explore the conditions of selling electric vehicle from a car salesmen’s perspective. This includes identifying barriers and enablers for electric vehicle sales originating from internal (dealership and brand) and external (customer, government) sources. In this interview study five car brands (manufacturers) that sell both electric and internal combustion engine vehicles have been investigated. A total of 15 semi-structured interviews have been conducted (three per brand, in rural and urban settings and at different dealerships). Initial analysis reveals several barriers and enablers, experienced by car salesmen, which influence electric vehicle sales. Examples of as reported by car salesmen identified barriers are: -Electric vehicles earn car salesmen less commission on average compared to internal combustion engine vehicles. -It takes more time to sell and deliver an electric vehicle than an internal combustion engine vehicle. -Current leasing contracts entails relatively low second-hand value estimations for electric vehicles and thus a high leasing fee, which negatively affects the attractiveness of electric vehicles for private consumers in particular. -High purchasing price discourages many consumers from considering electric vehicles. -The education and knowledge level of electric vehicles differs between car salesmen, which could affect their self-confidence in meeting well prepared and question prone electric vehicle buyers. Examples of identified enablers are: -Company car tax regulation promotes sales of electric vehicles; in particular, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles are sold extensively to companies (up to 95 % of sales). -Low operating cost of electric vehicles such as fuel and service is an advantage when understood by consumers. -The drive performance of electric vehicles (quick, silent and fun to drive) is attractive to consumers. -Environmental aspects are considered important for certain consumer groups. -Fast technological improvements, such as increased range are opening up a wider market for electric vehicles. -For one of the brands; attractive private lease campaigns have proved effective to promote sales. This paper gives insights of an important but often overlooked aspect for the diffusion of electric vehicles (and durable products in general); the interaction between car salesmen and customers at the critical acquiring moment. Extracted through interviews with multiple car salesmen. The results illuminate untapped potential for sellers (salesmen, dealerships and brands) to mitigating sales barriers and strengthening sales enablers and thus becoming a more important actor in the electric vehicle diffusion process.

Keywords: customer barriers, electric vehicle promotion, sales of electric vehicles, interviews with car salesmen

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Authors: R. F. B. Gonçalves, E. N. Iwama, J. A. F. F. Rocco, K. Iha

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Propellants based on Hydroxyl Terminated Polybutadiene/Ammonium Perchlorate (HTPB/AP) are the most commonly used in most of the rocket engines used by the Brazilian Armed Forces. This work aimed at the possibility of extending its useful life (currently in 10 years) by performing kinetic-chemical analyzes of its energetic material via Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and also performing computer simulation of aging process using the software Large-scale Atomic/Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator (LAMMPS). Thermal analysis via DSC was performed in triplicates and in three heating ratios (5 ºC, 10 ºC, and 15 ºC) of rocket motor with 11 years shelf-life, using the Arrhenius equation to obtain its activation energy, using Ozawa and Kissinger kinetic methods, allowing comparison with manufacturing period data (standard motor). In addition, the kinetic parameters of internal pressure of the combustion chamber in 08 rocket engines with 11 years of shelf-life were also acquired, for comparison purposes with the engine start-up data.

Keywords: shelf-life, thermal analysis, Ozawa method, Kissinger method, LAMMPS software, thrust

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Authors: Sunaitan Al Mutairi

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A perfect start is a key factor for project completion on time. The study examined the effects of delayed mobilization of resources during the initial phases of the project. This paper mainly highlights the identification and categorization of all delays during the initial construction phase and their root cause analysis with corrective/control measures for the Kuwait Oil Company oil and gas projects. A relatively good percentage of the delays identified during the project execution (Contract award to end of defects liability period) attributed to mobilization/preliminary activity delays. Data analysis demonstrated significant increase in average project delay during the last five years compared to the previous period. Contractors had delays/issues during the initial phase, which resulted in slippages and progressively increased, resulting in time and cost overrun. Delays/issues not mitigated on time during the initial phase had very high impact on project completion. Data analysis of the delays for the past five years was carried out using trend chart, scatter plot, process map, box plot, relative importance index and Pareto chart. Construction of any project inside the Gathering Centers involves complex management skills related to work force, materials, plant, machineries, new technologies etc. Delay affects completion of projects and compromises quality, schedule and budget of project deliverables. Works executed as per plan during the initial phase and start-up duration of the project construction activities resulted in minor slippages/delays in project completion. In addition, there was a good working environment between client and contractor resulting in better project execution and management. Mainly, the contractor was on the front foot in the execution of projects, which had minimum/no delays during the initial and construction period. Hence, having a perfect start during the initial construction phase shall have a positive influence on the project success. Our research paper studies each type of delay with some real example supported by statistic results and suggests mitigation measures. Detailed analysis carried out with all stakeholders based on impact and occurrence of delays to have a practical and effective outcome to mitigate the delays. The key to improvement is to have proper control measures and periodic evaluation/audit to ensure implementation of the mitigation measures. The focus of this research is to reduce the delays encountered during the initial construction phase of the project life cycle.

Keywords: construction activities delays, delay analysis for construction projects, mobilization delays, oil & gas projects delays

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Authors: Wilayat Ali, Li Sheng, Waleed Ahmed

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The ability of the robot to make simultaneously map of the environment and localize itself with respect to that environment is the most important element of mobile robots. To solve SLAM many algorithms could be utilized to build up the SLAM process and SLAM is a developing area in Robotics research. Robot Operating System (ROS) is one of the frameworks which provide multiple algorithm nodes to work with and provide a transmission layer to robots. Manyof these algorithms extensively in use are Hector SLAM, Gmapping and Cartographer SLAM. This paper describes a ROS-based Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) library Google Cartographer mapping, which is open-source algorithm. The algorithm was applied to create a map using laser and pose data from 2d Lidar that was placed on a mobile robot. The model robot uses the gazebo package and simulated in Rviz. Our research work's primary goal is to obtain mapping through Cartographer SLAM algorithm in a static indoor environment. From our research, it is shown that for indoor environments cartographer is an applicable algorithm to generate 2d maps with LIDAR placed on mobile robot because it uses both odometry and poses estimation. The algorithm has been evaluated and maps are constructed against the SLAM algorithms presented by Turtlebot2 in the static indoor environment.

Keywords: SLAM, ROS, navigation, localization and mapping, gazebo, Rviz, Turtlebot2, slam algorithms, 2d indoor environment, cartographer

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Authors: Olha Yarova

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This study is a collaborative project between the American University of Central Asia and parent association of children with Down syndrome ‘Sunterra’ that took place in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The purpose of the study was to explore whether principles and techniques of applied behavior analysis (ABA) could be used to teach children with Down syndrome socially significant behaviors. ABA is considered to be one of the most effective treatment for children with autism, but little research is done on the particularity of using ABA to children with Down syndrome. The data for the study was received during clinical observations; work with children with Down syndrome and interviews with their mothers. The results show that many ABA principles make the work with children with Down syndrome more effective. Although such children very rarely demonstrate aggressive behavior, they show a lot of escape-driven and attention seeking behaviors that are reinforced by their parents and educators. Thus functional assessment can be done to assess the function of problem behavior and to determine appropriate treatment. Prompting and prompting fading should be used to develop receptive and expressive language skills, and enhance motor development. Even though many children with Down syndrome work for praise, it is still relevant to use tangible reinforcement and to know how to remove them. Based on the results of the study, the training for parents of children with Down syndrome will be developed in Kyrgyzstan, country, where children with Down syndrome are not accepted to regular kindergartens and where doctors in maternity hospitals tell parents that their child will never talk, walk and recognize them

Keywords: down syndrome, applied behavior analysis, functional assessment, problem behavior, reinforcement

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Authors: Adel Kara, Abdelhafid Bayadi, Hocine Terrab

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This paper presents a study of electric field distribution along of 72 kV polymeric outdoor insulators with broken sheds. Different cases of damaged insulators are modeled and both of clean and polluted cases. By 3D finite element analysis using the software package COMSOL Multiphysics 4.3b. The obtained results of potential and the electrical field distribution around insulators by 3D simulation proved that finite element computations is useful tool for studying insulation electrical field distribution.

Keywords: electric field distributions, insulator, broken sheds, potential distributions

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Authors: Yasser Aminifard, Hamdollah Askari

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This study aimed at investigating any difference between Iranian senior high school students' performance on Academic Words (AWs) and Everyday-Life Words (ELWs). To this end, in the first phase, a number of 120 male senior high school students were randomly selected from among twelve high schools in Gachsaran to serve as the participants of the study. In the second phase, using purposive sampling, six high school teachers holding an MA in TEFL and with over twenty years of teaching experience were interviewed. Two multiple-choice tests, each comprising 40 items, were given to the participants in order to determine their performance on AWs and ELWs and follow-up semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore teachers' opinions about participants' performance on the two tests. To analyze the data, a paired-samples t-test was carried out to compare the results of both tests and the interviews were also transcribed to pinpoint important themes. The results of the t-test indicated that the participants performed significantly better on AWs than on ELWs. Additionally, results of the interviews boiled down to the fact that the English textbooks designed for Iranian high school students are fundamentally flawed on the grounds that there is a mismatch between students' real language learning needs and what is presented to them as "teaching-to-the-test" materials via these books. Finally, the implications and suggestions for further research are discussed.

Keywords: everyday-life words, academic words, textbooks, washback

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Authors: Alamgir Naushad, Ghulam Abbas, Shehzad Ali Shah, Ziaul Haq Abbas

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Unlike conventional networks, it is particularly challenging to manage resources efficiently in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) due to their inherent characteristics, such as dynamic network topology and limited bandwidth and battery power. To ensure energy efficiency, this paper presents a routing protocol for WSNs, namely, Enhanced Hybrid Multipath Routing (EHMR), which employs hierarchical clustering and proposes a next hop selection mechanism between nodes according to a maximum residual energy metric together with a minimum hop count. Load-balancing of data traffic over multiple paths is achieved for a better packet delivery ratio and low latency rate. Reliability is ensured in terms of higher data rate and lower end-to-end delay. EHMR also enhances the fast-failure recovery mechanism to recover a failed path. Simulation results demonstrate that EHMR achieves a higher packet delivery ratio, reduced energy consumption per-packet delivery, lower end-to-end latency, and reduced effect of data rate on packet delivery ratio when compared with eminent WSN routing protocols.

Keywords: energy efficiency, load-balancing, hierarchical clustering, multipath routing, wireless sensor networks

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Authors: Akriti Srivastava, Soumi Awasthy

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One of the disciplines that provoked increased interest in the importance of intelligence is the management and organization development literature. Organization intelligence is a key enabling force underlying many vital activities and processes dominating organizational life. Hence, the factors which lead to organizational intelligence and the result which comes out of the whole procedure is important to be understood with the understanding of OI. The focus of this research was to uncover potential antecedents and consequences of organizational intelligence, thus a non-experimental explanatory survey research design was used. A non-experimental research design is in which the manipulation of variables and randomization of samples are not present. The data was collected with the help of the questionnaire from 321 scientists from different laboratories of an R & D organization. Out of which 304 data were found suitable for the analysis. There were 194 males (age, M= 35.03, SD=7.63) and 110 females (age, M= 34.34, SD=8.44). This study tested a conceptual model linking antecedent variables (leadership and organizational culture) to organizational intelligence, followed by organizational innovational capability and organizational performance. Structural equation modeling techniques were used to analyze the hypothesized model. But, before that, confirmatory factor analysis of organizational intelligence scale was done which resulted in an insignificant model. Then, exploratory factor analysis was done which gave six factors for organizational intelligence scale. This structure was used throughout the study. Following this, the final analysis revealed relatively good fit of data to the hypothesized model with certain modifications. Leadership and organizational culture emerged out as the significant antecedents of organizational intelligence. Organizational innovational capability and organizational performance came out to be the consequent factors of organizational intelligence. But organizational intelligence did not predict organizational performance via organizational innovational capability. With this, additional significant pathway emerged out between leadership and organizational performance. The model offers a fresh and comprehensive view of the organizational intelligence. In this study, prior studies in related literature were reviewed to offer a basic framework of organizational intelligence. The study proved to be beneficial for organizational intelligence scholarship, seeing its importance in the competitive environment.

Keywords: leadership, organizational culture, organizational intelligence, organizational innovational capability

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Authors: Ju-Young Choi, Ki-Il Song, Kyoung-Yul Kim

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During Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) tunnel excavation, backfill grout should be injected after the installation of segment lining to ensure the stability of the tunnel and to minimize ground deformation. If grouting is not sufficient to fill the gap between the segments and rock mass, hydraulic pressures occur in the void, which can negatively influence the stability of the tunnel. Recently the tendency to use TBM tunnelling method to replace the drill and blast(NATM) method is increasing. However, there are only a few studies of evaluation of backfill grout. This study evaluates the TBM tunnel backfill state using Impact-Echo(IE). 3-layers, segment-grout-rock mass, are simulated by FLAC 2D, FDM-based software. The signals obtained from numerical analysis and IE test are analyzed by Short-Time Fourier Transform(STFT) in time domain, frequency domain, and time-frequency domain. The result of this study can be used to evaluate the quality of backfill grouting in tail void.

Keywords: tunnel boring machine, backfill grout, impact-echo method, time-frequency domain analysis, finite difference method

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Authors: Lana Horvat Dmitrović

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The main purpose of this paper is to study the box dimension as fractal property of bifurcations of discrete dynamical systems in higher dimensions. The paper contains the fractal analysis of the orbits near the hyperbolic and non-hyperbolic fixed points in discrete dynamical systems. It is already known that in one-dimensional case the orbit near the hyperbolic fixed point has the box dimension equal to zero. On the other hand, the orbit near the non-hyperbolic fixed point has strictly positive box dimension which is connected to the non-degeneracy condition of certain bifurcation. One of the main results in this paper is the generalisation of results about box dimension near the hyperbolic and non-hyperbolic fixed points to higher dimensions. In the process of determining box dimension, the restriction of systems to stable, unstable and center manifolds, Lipschitz property of box dimension and the notion of projective box dimension are used. The analysis of the bifurcations in higher dimensions with one multiplier on the unit circle is done by using the normal forms on one-dimensional center manifolds. This specific change in box dimension of an orbit at the moment of bifurcation has already been explored for some bifurcations in one and two dimensions. It was shown that specific values of box dimension are connected to appropriate bifurcations such as fold, flip, cusp or Neimark-Sacker bifurcation. This paper further explores this connection of box dimension as fractal property to some specific bifurcations in higher dimensions, such as fold-flip and flip-Neimark-Sacker. Furthermore, the application of the results to the unit time map of continuous dynamical system near hyperbolic and non-hyperbolic singularities is presented. In that way, box dimensions which are specific for certain bifurcations of continuous systems can be obtained. The approach to bifurcation analysis by using the box dimension as specific fractal property of orbits can lead to better understanding of bifurcation phenomenon. It could also be useful in detecting the existence or nonexistence of bifurcations of discrete and continuous dynamical systems.

Keywords: bifurcation, box dimension, invariant manifold, orbit near fixed point

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Authors: Nan Deng, Zhenqiu Liu

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Thousands of patients with metastatic tumors were diagnosed with cancers of unknown primary sites each year. The inability to identify the primary cancer site may lead to inappropriate treatment and unexpected prognosis. Nowadays, a large amount of genomics and transcriptomics cancer data has been generated by next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database has accrued thousands of human cancer tumors and healthy controls, which provides an abundance of resource to differentiate cancer types. Meanwhile, deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have shown high accuracy on classification among a large number of image object categories. Here, we utilize 25 cancer primary tumors and 3 normal tissues from TCGA and convert their RNA-Seq gene expression profiling to color images; train, validate and test a CNN classifier directly from these images. The performance result shows that our CNN classifier can archive >80% test accuracy on most of the tumors and normal tissues. Since the gene expression pattern of distant metastases is similar to their primary tumors, the CNN classifier may provide a potential computational strategy on identifying the unknown primary origin of metastatic cancer in order to plan appropriate treatment for patients.

Keywords: bioinformatics, cancer, convolutional neural network, deep leaning, gene expression pattern

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Authors: Sondos Shaheen

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This paper employs a newly constructed composite indicator of social uprisings (SUCI) to analyze the causes of their occurrence. This empirical study is based on an unbalanced panel of 45 countries over the period of 1982–2007. The paper’s contribution to the literature is distinguishing between the causes of violent and nonviolent uprisings. The analysis shows that that certain variables have a significant impact on both violent and nonviolent uprisings in terms of relative SUCI values, for example, ethnic fractionalization and mountainous terrain. Nevertheless, differences between the causes of violent and nonviolent uprisings can be found. For example, life dissatisfaction is related to nonviolent social uprisings, but when life dissatisfaction is accompanied by democratic dissatisfaction, violent social uprisings are more likely.

Keywords: social uprisings, relative deprivation, dissatisfaction, mobilization, anti-government movements, causes

Procedia PDF Downloads 211

Authors: Per Blomqvist

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The overall aim of this study is to highlight how the degree project-course in teacher education has developed over time at Swedish universities, above all regarding changes in the formative assessment practices in relation to student's opportunities to take part in writing processes that can develop both their independent critical thinking, subject knowledge, and academic writing skills. Theoretically, the study is based on deliberative and transformative perspectives of teaching academic writing in higher education. The deliberative perspective is motivated by the fact that it is the universities and their departments' responsibility to give the students opportunities to develop their academic writing skills, while there is little guidance on how this can be implemented. The transformative perspective is motivated by the fact that education needs to be adapted to the student's prior knowledge and developed in relation to the student group. Given the academisation of education and the new student groups, this is a necessity. The empirical data consists of video recordings of teacher groups' conversations at three Swedish universities. The conversations were conducted as so-called collective remembering interviews, a method to stimulate the participants' memory through social interaction, and focused on addressing issues on how the degree project-course in teacher education has changed over time. Topic analysis was used to analyze the conversations in order to identify common descriptions and expressions among the teachers. The result highlights great similarities in how the degree project-course has changed over time, both from a deliberative and a transformative perspective. The course is characterized by a “strong framing,” where the teachers have great control over the work through detailed instructions for the writing process and detailed templates for the text. This is justified by the fact that the education has been adapted based on the student teachers' lack of prior subject knowledge. The strong framing places high demands on continuous discussions between teachers about, for example, which tools the students have with them and which linguistic and textual tools are offered in the education. The teachers describe that such governance often leads to conflicts between teachers from different departments because reading and writing are always part of cultural contexts and are linked to different knowledge, traditions, and values. The problem that is made visible in this study raises questions about how students' opportunities to develop independence and make critical judgments in academic writing are affected if the writing becomes too controlled and if passing students becomes the main goal of education.

Keywords: formative assessment, academic writing, degree project, higher education, deliberative perspective, transformative perspective

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Authors: Elron Fouten

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Recently, debates surrounding the social relevance of psychology in South Africa have focussed on how the growing neoliberal rationality within academia has again resulted in the discipline catering to the needs of powerful social groupings to protect its own economic interests, rather than producing socially relevant knowledge. Consequently, this study aimed to conduct a content analysis of the recent research output of psychology masters students, to establish whether it has produced research that addresses local and national psychosocial issues and as such deemed socially relevant knowledge. The study sampled clinical, counselling, and research psychology masters theses from 16 South African universities submitted between 1998 and 2017. Overall, 2001 theses were sampled, which were analysed using qualitative content analysis predominantly based on the descriptive categories identified in similar studies using published journal articles. Results indicated that empirical qualitative theses, using systems-oriented theory and post-modern frameworks were most prevalent. Further, traditional topics within psychology had relatively more weighting compared to more social topics. Although a significant number of theses recruited participants from working-class or poor backgrounds, there was an overreliance on participants from urban areas located in some of the country’s wealthiest provinces. Despite a strong adult-centric focus, trends regarding participants’ race and gender roughly resembled current population demographics. Overall, the results indicate that psychology in South Africa, at least at university-level, is to some extent trying to engage with national psychosocial concerns. However, there are still several key areas which need to be addressed to ensure the continued social relevance of the discipline.

Keywords: adult-centric, content analysis, relevance, psychosocial

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Authors: V. Howard, R. Maguire, S. Corrigan

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Background: Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is a chronic autoimmune disease, typically diagnosed in childhood. T1D puts an enormous strain on families; controlling blood-glucose in children is difficult and the consequences of poor control for patient health are significant. Successful illness management and better health outcomes can be dependent on quality of caregiving. On diagnosis, parent-caregivers face a steep learning curve as T1D care requires a significant level of knowledge to inform complex decision making throughout the day. The majority of illness management is carried out in the home setting, independent of clinical health providers. Parent-caregivers vary in their level of knowledge and their level of engagement in applying this knowledge in the practice of illness management. Enabling researchers to quantify these aspects of the caregiver experience is key to identifying targets for psychosocial support interventions, which are desirable for reducing stress and anxiety in this highly burdened cohort, and supporting better health outcomes in children. Currently, there are limited tools available that are designed to capture this information. Where tools do exist, they are not comprehensive and do not adequately capture the lived experience. Objectives: Development of quantitative tools, informed by lived experience, to enable researchers gather data on parent-caregiver knowledge and engagement, which accurately represents the experience/cohort and enables exploration of questions that are of real-world value to the cohort themselves. Methods: This research employed an engaged approach to address the problem of quantifying two key aspects of caregiver diabetes management: Knowledge and engagement. The research process was multi-staged and iterative. Stage 1: Working from a constructivist standpoint, literature was reviewed to identify relevant questionnaires, scales and single-item measures of T1D caregiver knowledge and engagement, and harvest candidate questionnaire items. Stage 2: Aggregated findings from the review were circulated among a PPI (patient and public involvement) expert panel of caregivers (n=6), for discussion and feedback. Stage 3: In collaboration with the expert panel, data were interpreted through the lens of lived experience to create a long-list of candidate items for novel questionnaires. Items were categorized as either ‘knowledge’ or ‘engagement’. Stage 4: A Delphi-method process (iterative surveys) was used to prioritize question items and generate novel questions that further captured the lived experience. Stage 5: Both questionnaires were piloted to refine wording of text to increase accessibility and limit socially desirable responding. Stage 6: Tools were piloted using an online survey that was deployed using an online peer-support group for caregivers for Juveniles with T1D. Ongoing Research: 123 parent-caregivers completed the survey. Data analysis is ongoing to establish face and content validity qualitatively and through exploratory factor analysis. Reliability will be established using an alternative-form method and Cronbach’s alpha will assess internal consistency. Work will be completed by early 2024. Conclusion: These tools will enable researchers to gain deeper insights into caregiving practices among parents of juveniles with T1D. Development was driven by lived experience, illustrating the value of engaged research at all levels of the research process.

Keywords: caregiving, engaged research, juvenile type 1 diabetes, quantified engagement and knowledge

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Authors: Mehravar Javid

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This case study delves into the psychological complexities of a 33-year-old woman, the second of three children, whose upbringing under a critical mother and a high-expectation father has significantly shaped her psychological landscape. Exhibiting a blend of worthlessness and a grandiose self, her life is a constant struggle between idealizing her father and devaluing her mother and sisters, coupled with a fear of intimacy and a desire for merger. This internal conflict manifests in symptoms of depression, anxiety, and a pattern of forming and quitting multiple relationships, all driven by a deep-seated need for validation and approval. The therapeutic journey reveals her resistance to treatment, particularly when her defense mechanisms are challenged, reflecting a complex transference dynamic where she yearns for merger yet fears it. The treatment focuses on empathetically addressing her idealization and mirroring needs, allowing for autonomy while repairing communication gaps. This approach not only confronts her emotional deficits rooted in her family dynamics but also aids in her quest for self-identity, navigating through her feelings of emptiness, inferiority, and powerlessness. The study highlights the nuanced interplay of family influence on the development and maintenance of narcissistic traits, offering insights into the therapeutic strategies that can facilitate growth and self-awareness in similar cases.

Keywords: narcissistic personality disorder, merger transference, treatment interruption, case study, family dynamics

Procedia PDF Downloads 52