Search results for: real time kinematics

Authors: Sawsan Eissa, Momen Gharib, Omnia Kabbany

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A flushing numerical study has been performed for intended artificial islands on the Persian Gulf coast in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The island masterplan was tested for flushing using the DELFT 3D hydrodynamic model, and it was found that its residence time exceeds the acceptable PIANC flushing Criteria. Therefore, a number of mitigation measures were applied and tested one by one using the flushing model. Namely, changing the location of the entrance opening, dredging, removing part of the mangrove existing in the near vicinity to create a channel, removing the mangrove altogether, using culverts of different numbers and locations, and pumping at selected points. The pumping option gave the best solution, but it was disregarded due to high capital and running costs. Therefore, it opted for a combination of other solutions, including removing mangroves, introducing culverts, and adjusting island boundaries and types of protection.

Keywords: hydrodynamics, flushing, delft 3d, Persian Gulf, artificial islands.

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Authors: Dasom Kim, William Xiu Shun Wong, Yoonjin Hyun, Donghoon Lee, Minji Paek, Sungho Byun, Namgyu Kim

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There have been many researches on document classification for classifying voluminous documents automatically. Through document classification, we can assign a specific category to each unlabeled document on the basis of various machine learning algorithms. However, providing labeled documents manually requires considerable time and effort. To overcome the limitations, the semi-supervised learning which uses unlabeled document as well as labeled documents has been invented. However, traditional document classifiers, regardless of supervised or semi-supervised ones, cannot sufficiently explain the reason or the process of the classification. Thus, in this paper, we proposed a methodology to visualize major topics and class components of each document. We believe that our methodology for visualizing topics and classes of each document can enhance the reliability and explanatory power of document classifiers.

Keywords: data mining, document classifier, text mining, topic modeling

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Authors: Mohamed O. Babana

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In wireless channel multipath is the propagation phenomena where the transmitted signal arrive at the receiver side with many of paths, the signal at these paths arrive with different time delay the results is random signal fading due to intersymbols interference(ISI). This paper deals with identification of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) technology, and how it is used to overcome intersymbol interference due to multipath. Also investigates the effect of Additive White Gaussian Noise Channel (AWGN) on OFDM using multi-level modulation of Phase Shift Keying (PSK), computer simulation to calculate the bit error rate (BER) under AWGN channel is applied. A comparison study is carried out to obtain the Bit Error Rate performance for OFDM to identify the best multi-level modulation of PSK.

Keywords: intersymbol interference(ISI), bit error rate(BER), modulation, multiplexing, simulation

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Authors: Marc Dietrich

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Youth cultures like Punk as much as media relevant to the specific scenes associated with them offer ample opportunity for young people or juvenile adults to construct their personal identities. However, developmental psychology has largely neglected such identity construction processes during the last decades. Such was not always the case: Early developmental psychologists intensely studied youth cultures and their meaningful objects and media in the early 20th century but lost interest when cultural studies and the social sciences occupied the field after World War II. Our project Constructions of Juvenility and Generation(ality), funded by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research, reintegrates the study of youth cultures and their meaningful objects and media in a developmental psychology perspective. We present an empirical study of the ways in which youth, juvenility, and generation (ality) are constructed and negotiated in underground media like punk fanzines (a portmanteau of fan and magazine), including both semantic and aesthetic aspects of these construction processes within punk culture. The fanzine sample was accessed by the theoretical sampling strategy typical for GTM studies. Acknowledging fanzines as artful self-produced media by scene members for scene members, we conceptualize them as authentic documents of scene norms and values. Drawing on an analysis of both text and (cover) images in Punk fanzines published in Germany (and within a sample dating from 1981 until 2015) using a novel Visual Grounded Theory approach, we found that: a) Juvenility is a highly contested concept in punk culture. Its semantic quality and valuation varies with the perspectives present within the culture (e.g. embryo punks versus older punks); b) Juvenility is constructed as having energy and being socio-critical that does not depend on biological age; c) Juvenility is regarded not an ideal per se in German Punk culture; Punk culture constructs old age in a largely positive way (e.g., as marker of being real and a historical innovator); d) Juvenility is constructed as a habit that should be kept for life as it is constantly adapted to individual biographical trajectories like specific job situations or having a family. Consequently, identity negotiation as documented in the zines attempts to balance subculturally driven perspectives on life and society with the pragmatic requirements of a bourgeois life. The proposed paper will present the main results of this large-scale study of punk fanzines and show how developmental psychology perspectives as represented in the novel methodology applied in it can advance the study of youth cultures.

Keywords: construction of juvenility, developmental psychology, visual GTM, youth culture, fanzines

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Authors: Mounir Adal, Baalal Azeddine, Afifi Moulay Larbi

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Numerical analysis is a branch of mathematics devoted to the development of iterative matrix calculation techniques. We are searching for operations optimization as objective to calculate and solve systems of equations of order n with time and energy saving for computers that are conducted to calculate and analyze big data by solving matrix equations. Furthermore, this scientific discipline is producing results with a margin of error of approximation called rates. Thus, the results obtained from the numerical analysis techniques that are held on computer software such as MATLAB or Simulink offers a preliminary diagnosis of the situation of the environment or space targets. By this we can offer technical procedures needed for engineering or scientific studies exploitable by engineers for water.

Keywords: numerical analysis methods, obstacles solving, engineering, simulation, numerical modeling, iteration, computer, MATLAB, water, underground, velocity

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Authors: Masoume Pourmohamadreza-Tajrishi, Parviz Azadfallah

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Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) involve myriad aberrant perceptual, cognitive, linguistic, and social behaviors. The term spectrum emphasizes that the disabilities associated with ASD fall on a continuum from relatively mild to severe. People with ASD may display stereotyped behaviors such as twirling, spinning objects, flapping the hands, and rocking. The individuals with ASD exhibit communication problems due to repetitive/restricted behaviors. Children with ASD who lack the motivation to learn, who do not enjoy physical challenges, or whose sensory perception results in confusing or unpleasant feedback from movement may not become sufficiently motivated to practice motor activities. As a result, they may show both a delay in developing certain motor skills. Additionally, attention is an important component of learning. As far as children with ASD have problems in joint attention, many education-based programs are needed to consider some aspects of attention and motor activities development for students with ASD. These programs focus on the basic movement skills that are crucial for the future development of the more complex skills needed in games, dance, sports, gymnastics, active play, and recreational physical activities. The purpose of the present research was to determine the effectiveness of therapeutic exercise on motor skills and attention of male students with ASD. This was an experimental study with a control group. The population consisted of 8-10 year-old male students with ASD and 30 subjects were selected randomly from an available center suitable for the children with ASD. They were evaluated by the Basic Motor Ability Test (BMAT) and Persian version of computerized Stroop color-word test and randomly assigned to an experimental and control group (15 students in per group). The experimental group participated in 16 therapeutic exercise sessions and received therapeutic exercise program (twice a week; each lasting for 45 minutes) designed based on the Spark motor program while the control group did not. All subjects were evaluated by BMAT and Stroop color-word test after the last session again. The collected data were analyzed by using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). The results of MANCOVA showed that experimental and control groups had a significant difference in motor skills and at least one of the components of attention (correct responses, incorrect responses, no responses, the reaction time of congruent words and reaction time of incongruent words in the Stroop test). The findings showed that the therapeutic exercise had a significant effect on motor skills and all components of attention in students with ASD. We can conclude that the therapeutic exercise led to promote the motor skills and attention of students with ASD, so it is necessary to design or plan such programs for ASD students to prevent their communication or academic problems.

Keywords: Attention, autism spectrum disorder, motor skills, therapeutic exercise

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Authors: Ren-Jy Ben, Jo-Chi Jao, Chiu-Ya Liao, Ya-Ru Tsai, Lain-Chyr Hwang, Po-Chou Chen

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Cancer is still one of the serious diseases threatening the lives of human beings. How to have an early diagnosis and effective treatment for tumors is a very important issue. The animal carcinoma model can provide a simulation tool for the study of pathogenesis, biological characteristics and therapeutic effects. Recently, drug delivery systems have been rapidly developed to effectively improve the therapeutic effects. Liposome plays an increasingly important role in clinical diagnosis and therapy for delivering a pharmaceutic or contrast agent to the targeted sites. Liposome can be absorbed and excreted by the human body, and is well known that no harm to the human body. This study aimed to compare the therapeutic effects between encapsulated (doxorubicin liposomal, LipoDox) and un-encapsulated (doxorubicin, Dox) anti-tumor drugs using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Twenty-four New Zealand rabbits implanted with VX2 carcinoma at left thigh were classified into three groups: control group (untreated), Dox-treated group and LipoDox-treated group, 8 rabbits for each group. MRI scans were performed three days after tumor implantation. A 1.5T GE Signa HDxt whole body MRI scanner with a high resolution knee coil was used in this study. After a 3-plane localizer scan was performed, Three-Dimensional (3D) Fast Spin Echo (FSE) T2-Weighted Images (T2WI) was used for tumor volumetric quantification. And Two-Dimensional (2D) spoiled gradient recalled echo (SPGR) dynamic Contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI was used for tumor perfusion evaluation. DCE-MRI was designed to acquire four baseline images, followed by contrast agent Gd-DOTA injection through the ear vein of rabbits. Afterwards, a series of 32 images were acquired to observe the signals change over time in the tumor and muscle. The MRI scanning was scheduled on a weekly basis for a period of four weeks to observe the tumor progression longitudinally. The Dox and LipoDox treatments were prescribed 3 times in the first week immediately after VX2 tumor implantation. ImageJ was used to quantitate tumor volume and time course signal enhancement on DCE images. The changes of tumor size showed that the growth of VX2 tumors was effectively inhibited for both LipoDox-treated and Dox-treated groups. Furthermore, the tumor volume of LipoDox-treated group was significantly lower than that of Dox-treated group, which implies that LipoDox has better therapeutic effect than Dox. The signal intensity of LipoDox-treated group is significantly lower than that of the other two groups, which implies that targeted therapeutic drug remained in the tumor tissue. This study provides a radiation-free and non-invasive MRI method for therapeutic monitoring of targeted liposome on an animal tumor model.

Keywords: doxorubicin, dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI, lipodox, magnetic resonance imaging, VX2 tumor model

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Authors: Sara R. Knigge, Sugat R. Tuladhar, Alexander Becker, Tobias Schilling, Birgit Glasmacher

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Commercially available mechanical or biological heart valve prostheses both tend to fail long-term due to thrombosis, calcific degeneration, infection, or immunogenic rejection. Moreover, these prostheses are non-viable and do not grow with the patients, which is a problem for young patients. As a result, patients often need to undergo redo-operations. Tissue-engineered (TE) heart valves based on degradable electrospun fiber scaffolds represent a promising approach to overcome these limitations. Such scaffolds need sufficient mechanical properties to withstand the hydrodynamic stress of intracardiac hemodynamics. Additionally, the scaffolds should be colonized by autologous or homologous cells to facilitate the in vivo remodeling of the scaffolds to a viable structure. This study investigates how process parameters of electrospinning and degradation affect the mechanical properties of electrospun scaffolds made of FDA-approved, biodegradable polymer polycaprolactone (PCL). Fiber mats were produced from a PCL/tetrafluoroethylene solution by electrospinning. The e-spinning process was varied in terms of scaffold thickness, fiber diameter, fiber orientation, and fiber interconnectivity. The morphology of the fiber mats was characterized with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The mats were degraded in different solutions (cell culture media, SBF, PBS and 10 M NaOH-Solution). At different time points of degradation (2, 4 and 6 weeks), tensile and cyclic loading tests were performed. Fresh porcine pericardium and heart valves served as a control for the mechanical assessment. The progression of polymer degradation was quantified by SEM and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Primary Human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) and Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived endothelial cells (iPSC-ECs) were seeded on the fiber mats to investigate the cell colonization potential. The results showed that both the electrospinning parameters and the degradation significantly influenced the mechanical properties. Especially the fiber orientation has a considerable impact and leads to a pronounced anisotropic behavior of the scaffold. Preliminary results showed that the polymer became strongly more brittle over time. However, the embrittlement can initially only be detected in the mechanical test. In the SEM and DSC investigations, neither morphological nor thermodynamic changes are significantly detectable. Live/Dead staining and SEM imaging of the cell-seeded scaffolds showed that HAECs and iPSC-ECs were able to grow on the surface of the polymer. In summary, this study's results indicate a promising approach to the development of a TE aortic heart valve based on an electrospun scaffold.

Keywords: electrospun scaffolds, long-term polymer degradation, mechanical behavior of electrospun PCL, tissue engineered aortic heart valve

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Authors: Elizabeta Eduard Baltadzhyan

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This work presents a stage of an investigation about the metaphorical conceptualization of translation in Bulgarian language. The material is a linguistic corpus consisting of 38 interviews with several generations Bulgarian translators and interpreters. The aim of this presentation is to inform about the results of the organization of the source concepts in scenarios that dominate the discursive manifestations of the source domains. The data show that, on the one hand, translators from different generations share some basic assignments of source and target domains, e. g. translation is a journey or translation is an artistic presentation. On the other hand, there are some specific scenarios motivated by significant changes in the socio-economic structure of the country and the valuation of the translator´s mission and work, e. g., the scenario of pleasure and addictive activity marks the generation that enjoy great support and stimulation from the socialist government, whereas the war scenario marks the generation during the Perestroika time.

Keywords: Bulgarian language, metaphor, scenario, translation

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Authors: Balwinder Singh

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In the current competitive environment, casting industry has several challenges such as production of intricate castings, near net shape castings, decrease lead-time from product design to production, improved casting quality and to control costs. The raw materials used to make ceramic shell play an important role in determining the overall final ceramic shell characteristics. In this work, primary slurries were formulated using various combinations of zircon flour, fused silica and aluminosilicate powders as filler, colloidal silica as binder along with wetting and antifoaming agents (Catalyst). Taguchi’s parameter design strategy has been applied to investigate the effect of primary slurry parameters on the viscosity of the slurry and primary coating of shell. The result reveals that primary coating with low viscosity slurry has produced a rough surface of the shell due to stucco penetration.

Keywords: ceramic shell, primary slurry, filler, slurry viscosity, surface roughness

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Authors: Meifang Chen

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Background: As China increased its engagement in global health affairs and research, global Health (GH) emerged as a new discipline in China after 2010. Duke Kunshan University (DKU), as a member of the Chinese Consortium of Universities for Global Health, is the first university that experiments “Western-style” liberal arts and sciences (LAS) education pedagogy in GH undergraduate and postgraduate programs in China since 2014. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant disruption to education across the world. At the peak of the pandemic, 45 countries in the Europe and Central Asia regions closed their schools, affecting 185 million students. DKU, as many other universities and schools, was unprepared for this sudden abruptness and were forced to build emergency remote learning systems almost immediately. This qualitative study aims to gain a deeper understanding of 1) how Chinese students and parents embrace GH training in the liberal arts and sciences education context, and 2) how the COVID pandemic influences the students’ learning experience as well as affects students and parents’ perceptions of GH-related study and career development in China. Methods: students and parents at DKU were invited and recruited for open-ended, semi-structured interviews during Sept 2021-Mar 2022. Open coding procedures and thematic content analysis were conducted using Nvivo 12 software. Results: A total of 18 students and 36 parents were interviewed. Both students and parents were fond of delivering GH education using the liberal arts and sciences pedagogy. Strengths of LAS included focusing on whole person development, allowing personal enrichment, tailoring curriculum to individual’s interest, providing well-rounded knowledge through interdisciplinary learning, and increasing self-study capacity and adaptability. Limitations of LAS included less time to dive deep into disciplines. There was a significant improvement in independence, creativity, problem solving, and team coordinating capabilities among the students. The impact of the COVID pandemic on GH learning experience included less domestic and abroad fieldwork opportunities, less in-person interactions (especially with foreign students and faculty), less timely support, less lab experience, and coordination challenges due to time-zone difference. The COVID pandemic increased the public’s awareness of the importance of GH and acceptance of GH as a career path. More job and postgraduate program opportunities were expected in near future. However, some parents expressed concerns about GH-related employment opportunities in China. Conclusion: The application of the liberal arts and science education pedagogy in GH training were well-received by the Chinese students and parents. Although global pandemic like COVID disrupted GH learning in many ways, most Chinese students and parents held optimistic attitudes toward GH study and career development.

Keywords: COVID, global health, liberal arts and sciences pedagogy, China

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Authors: P. Lauk, K. E. Seegel, T. Tähemaa

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The fuel consumption of modern, high wing loading, commercial aircraft in the first stage of flight is high because the usable flight level is lower and the weather conditions (jet stream) have great impact on aircraft performance. To reduce the fuel consumption, it is necessary to raise during first stage of flight the L/D ratio value within Cl 0.55-0.65. Different variable geometrical wing trailing edge modifications of SC(2)-410 airfoil were compared at M 0.78 using the CFD software STAR-CCM+ simulation based Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations. The numerical results obtained show that by increasing the width of the airfoil by 4% and by modifying the trailing edge airfoil, it is possible to decrease airfoil drag at Cl 0.70 for up to 26.6% and at the same time to increase commercial aircraft L/D ratio for up to 5.0%. Fuel consumption can be reduced in proportion to the increase in L/D ratio.

Keywords: L/D ratio, miniflaps, mini-TED, supercritical airfoil

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Authors: Nadia Akkari

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This paper presents the analysis and simulation of the control of double star induction motor, using direct torque control (DTC) based on RST regulator. The DTC is an excellent solution for general- purpose induction drives in very wide range the short sampling time required by the TC schemes makes them suited to a very fast torque and flux controlled drives as well the simplicity of the control algorithm. DTC is inherently a motion sensorless control method. The RST regulator can improve the double star induction motor performance in terms of overshoot, rapidity, cancellation of disturbance, and capacity to maintain a high level of performance. Simulation results indicate that the proposed regulator has better performance responses. The implementation of the DTC applied to a double star induction motor based on RST regulator is validated with simulated results.

Keywords: Direct Torque Control (DTC), Double Star Induction Motor (DSIM), RST Regulator

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Authors: Mbida Mohamed, Ezzati Abdellah

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A strong challenge in the wireless sensor networks (WSN) is to save the energy and have a long life time in the network without having a high rate of loss information. However, topology control (TC) protocols are designed in a way that the network is divided and having a standard system of exchange packets between nodes. In this article, we will propose a clustering based and centralized routing table protocol of TC (CBCRT) which delegates a leader node that will encapsulate a single routing table in every cluster nodes. Hence, if a node wants to send packets to the sink, it requests the information's routing table of the current cluster from the node leader in order to root the packet.

Keywords: mobile wireless sensor networks, routing, topology of control, protocols

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Authors: Long Kim Vu

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The central processing unit in Electro-Optical devices is a Field-programmable gate array (FPGA) chip package allowing flexible, reconfigurable computing but energy consumption. Because chip package is placed in isolated devices based on IP67 waterproof standard, there is no air circulation and the heat dissipation is a challenge. In this paper, the author successfully modeled a chip package which various interposer materials such as silicon, glass and organics. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was utilized to analyze the thermal performance of chip package in the case of considering comprehensive heat transfer modes: conduction, convection and radiation, which proposes equivalent heat dissipation. The logic chip temperature varying with time is compared between the simulation and experiment results showing the excellent correlation, proving the reasonable chip modeling and simulation method.

Keywords: CFD, FPGA, heat transfer, thermal analysis

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Authors: G. Bruno, A. Ciavarella, N. Linciano

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The proportion of women in boardroom has traditionally been low around the world. Over the last decades, several jurisdictions opted for active intervention, which triggered a tangible progress in female representation. In Europe, many countries have implemented boardroom diversity policies in the form of legal quotas (Norway, Italy, France, Germany) or governance code amendments (United Kingdom, Finland). Policy actions rest, among other things, on the assumption that gender balanced boards result in improved corporate governance and performance. The investigation of the relationship between female boardroom representation and firm value is therefore key on policy grounds. The evidence gathered so far, however, has not produced conclusive results also because empirical studies on the impact of voluntary female board representation had to tackle with endogeneity, due to either differences in unobservable characteristics across firms that may affect their gender policies and governance choices, or potential reverse causality. In this paper, we study the relationship between the presence of female directors and corporate performance in Italy, where the Law 120/2011 envisaging mandatory quotas has introduced an exogenous shock in board composition which may enable to overcome reverse causality. Our sample comprises Italian firms listed on the Italian Stock Exchange and the members of their board of directors over the period 2008-2016. The study relies on two different databases, both drawn from CONSOB, referring respectively to directors and companies’ characteristics. On methodological grounds, information on directors is treated at the individual level, by matching each company with its directors every year. This allows identifying all time-invariant, possibly correlated, elements of latent heterogeneity that vary across firms and board members, such as the firm immaterial assets and the directors’ skills and commitment. Moreover, we estimate dynamic panel data specifications, so accommodating non-instantaneous adjustments of firm performance and gender diversity to institutional and economic changes. In all cases, robust inference is carried out taking into account the bidimensional clustering of observations over companies and over directors. The study shows the existence of a U-shaped impact of the percentage of women in the boardroom on profitability, as measured by Return On Equity (ROE) and Return On Assets. Female representation yields a positive impact when it exceeds a certain threshold, ranging between about 18% and 21% of the board members, depending on the specification. Given the average board size, i.e., around ten members over the time period considered, this would imply that a significant effect of gender diversity on corporate performance starts to emerge when at least two women hold a seat. This evidence supports the idea underpinning the critical mass theory, i.e., the hypothesis that women may influence.

Keywords: gender diversity, quotas, firms performance, corporate governance

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Authors: Mohamed Jama Madar, Oso Wilis

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E-learning is the application of information technology in the teaching and learning process. This paper presents the Funnel model as a solution for the problems of implementation of e-learning in tertiary education institutions. While existing models such as TAM, theory-based e-learning and pedagogical model have been used over time, they have generally been found to be inadequate because of their tendencies to treat materials development, instructional design, technology, delivery and governance as separate and isolated entities. Yet it is matching components that bring framework of e-learning strategic implementation. The Funnel model enhances all these into one and applies synchronously and asynchronously to e-learning implementation where the only difference is modalities. Such a model for e-learning implementation has been lacking. The proposed Funnel model avoids ad-ad-hoc approach which has made other systems unused or inefficient, and compromised educational quality. Therefore, the proposed Funnel model should help tertiary education institutions adopt and develop effective and efficient e-learning system which meets users’ requirements.

Keywords: e-learning, pedagogical, technology, strategy

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Authors: Emmanuel C. Ngerem

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The ever-increasing depletion of the dominant global form of energy (fossil fuels) calls for the development of sustainable and green alternative energy sources such as bioethanol, biohydrogen, and biodiesel. The production of the major biofuels relies on biomass feedstocks that are mainly derived from edible food crops and some inedible plants. One suitable feedstock with great potential as raw material for biofuel production is microalgal biomass. Despite the tremendous attributes of microalgae as a source of biofuel, their cultivation requires huge volumes of freshwater, thus posing a serious threat to commercial-scale production and utilization of algal biomass. In this study, a multi-media wastewater mixture for microalgae growth was formulated and optimized. Moreover, the obtained microalgae biomass was pre-treated to reduce sugar recovery and was compared with previous studies on microalgae biomass pre-treatment. The formulated and optimized mixed wastewater media for biomass and lipid accumulation was established using the simplex lattice mixture design. Based on the superposition approach of the potential results, numerical optimization was conducted, followed by the analysis of biomass concentration and lipid accumulation. The coefficients of regression (R²) of 0.91 and 0.98 were obtained for biomass concentration and lipid accumulation models, respectively. The developed optimization model predicted optimal biomass concentration and lipid accumulation of 1.17 g/L and 0.39 g/g, respectively. It suggested 64.69% dairy wastewater (DWW) and 35.31% paper and pulp wastewater (PWW) mixture for biomass concentration, 34.21% DWW, and 65.79% PWW for lipid accumulation. Experimental validation generated 0.94 g/L and 0.39 g/g of biomass concentration and lipid accumulation, respectively. The obtained microalgae biomass was pre-treated, enzymatically hydrolysed, and subsequently assessed for reducing sugars. The optimization of microwave pre-treatment of Chlorococcum sp. was achieved using response surface methodology (RSM). Microwave power (100 – 700 W), pre-treatment time (1 – 7 min), and acid-liquid ratio (1 – 5%) were selected as independent variables for RSM optimization. The optimum conditions were achieved at microwave power, pre-treatment time, and acid-liquid ratio of 700 W, 7 min, and 32.33:1, respectively. These conditions provided the highest amount of reducing sugars at 10.73 g/L. Process optimization predicted reducing sugar yields of 11.14 g/L on microwave-assisted pre-treatment of 2.52% HCl for 4.06 min at 700 watts. Experimental validation yielded reducing sugars of 15.67 g/L. These findings demonstrate that dairy wastewater and paper and pulp wastewater that could pose a serious environmental nuisance. They could be blended to form a suitable microalgae growth media, consolidating the potency of microalgae as a viable feedstock for fermentable sugars. Also, the outcome of this study supports the microalgal wastewater biorefinery concept, where wastewater remediation is coupled with bioenergy production.

Keywords: wastewater cultivation, mixture design, lipid, biomass, nutrient removal, microwave, Chlorococcum, raceway pond, fermentable sugar, modelling, optimization

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Authors: E. Ataye-Salehi, P. Taghinia, Z. Sheikholeslami

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In this research, roasted and sonicated rice bran were added at 0, 5%, 10%, and 15% (w/w) in wheat flour for the production of Barbari bread (semi-voluminous Iranian bread). Dough's rheological properties and textural and sensory characteristics of bread were investigated. The results showed that water absorption, development time and the degree of dough softening were increased, but dough stability was decreased by adding pretreated rice bran. Adding pretreated rice bran was increased, the moisture content and L* value of bread crust. The texture of samples which contained 10% pretreated rice bran during 3 hours after baking was less stiff than of control. But 48 hours after baking there was no significant difference between samples which contained 5%, 10% of rice bran and the sample without rice bran. Finally, the samples with 10% rice bran were selected as the best productive samples in this research by panelists.

Keywords: Barbari bread, rice bran, roasting, ultrasound

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Authors: Francis Deinmodei W. Poazi, Jasmine O. Tamunosiki-Amadi, Maurice Fems

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In recent times the resource-based view (RBV) of strategic management has recorded a sizeable attention yet there has not been a considerable scholarly and managerial discourse, debate and attention. As a result, this paper gives special bit of critical reasoning as well as top-notch analyses and relationship between RBV and organizational innovation. The study examines those salient aspects of RBV that basically have the will power in ensuring the organization's capacity to go for innovative capability. In achieving such fit and standpoint, the paper joins other relevant academic discourse and empirical evidence. To this end, a reasonable amount of contributions in setting the ground running for future empirical researches would have been provided. More so, the study is guided and built on the following strength and significance: Firstly, RBV sees resources as heterogeneity which forms a strong point of strength and allows organisations to gain competitive advantage. In order words, competitive advantage can be achieved or delivered to the organization when resources are distinctively utilized in a valuable manner more than the envisaged competitors of the organization. Secondly, RBV is significantly influential in determining the real resources that are available in the organization with a view to locate capabilities within in order to attract more profitability into the organization when applied. Thus, there will be more sustainable growth and success in the ever competitive and emerging market. Thus, to have succinct description of the basic methodologies, the study adopts both qualitative as well as quantitative approach with a view to have a broad samples of opinion in establishing and identifying key and strategic organizational resources to enable managers of resources to gain a competitive advantage as well as generating a sustainable increase and growth in profit. Furthermore, a comparative approach and analysis was used to examine the performance of RBV within the organization. Thus, the following are some of the findings of the study: it is clear that there is a nexus between RBV and growth of competitively viable organizations. More so, in most parts, organizations have heterogeneous resources domiciled in their organizations but not all organizations as it was specifically and intelligently adopting the tenets of RBV to strengthen heterogeneity of resources which allows organisations to gain competitive advantage. Other findings of this study reveal that of managerial perception of RBV with respect to application and transformation of resources to achieve a profitable end. It is against this backdrop, the importance of RBV cannot be overemphasized; the study is strongly convinced and think that RBV view is one focal and distinct approach that is focused on internal to outside strategy which engenders sourcing or generating resources internally as well as having the quest to apply such internally sourced resources diligently to increase or gain competitive advantage.

Keywords: resource-based view, innovation, organisation, recognition significant relationship and theoretical perspective

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Authors: Hani Albogami

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The internal audit function is considered as one of the internal corporate governance mechanisms that may have an impact on improving earnings quality by constraining earnings management. The internal audit function is also a unique corporate governance mechanism because internal auditors have more involvement with the day-to-day operations comparing to the audit committee, and also internal auditors audit their companies the whole year compared to the external auditor who audits only a certain time of the year. The relationships between internal audit function and earnings management can be understood by some theories. Therefore, this paper provides a theoretical background of the influence of the quality of internal audit function on earnings management. In particular, the agency theory, institutional theory, singling theory, and resource dependency theory are adapted by this paper to provide some understanding and analyses that can be a basis for future research to contribute to the corporate governance academic studies.

Keywords: internal audit, corporate governance, earnings management, accounting

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Authors: Waseem Shahzad, Ayesha Tahir Khan, Hamid Hussain Awan

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Ant-Miner algorithm that lies under ACO algorithms is used to extract knowledge from data in the form of rules. A variant of Ant-Miner algorithm named as cAnt-MinerPB is used to generate list of rules using pittsburgh approach in order to maintain the rule interaction among the rules that are generated. In this paper, we propose a parallel Ant MinerPB in which Ant colony optimization algorithm runs parallel. In this technique, a data set is divided vertically (i-e attributes) into different subsets. These subsets are created based on the correlation among attributes using Mutual Information (MI). It generates rules in a parallel manner and then merged to form a final list of rules. The results have shown that the proposed technique achieved higher accuracy when compared with original cAnt-MinerPB and also the execution time has also reduced.

Keywords: ant colony optimization, parallel Ant-MinerPB, vertical partitioning, classification rule discovery

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Authors: T. Arkle, D. Pournaras, S. Lam, B. Kumar

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Introduction: Fundoplication is widely recognised as the best surgical option for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) in the general population. However, there is controversy surrounding the use of conventional fundoplication in obese patients. Whilst the intra-operative failure of fundoplication, including wrap disruption, is reportedly higher in obese individuals, the more significant issue surrounds symptom recurrence post-surgery. Could a bariatric procedure be considered in obese patients for weight management, to treat the GORD, and to also reduce the risk of recurrence? Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, a widely performed bariatric procedure, has been shown to be highly successful both in controlling GORD symptoms and in weight management in obese patients. Furthermore, NICE has published clear guidelines on eligibility for bariatric surgery, with the main criteria being type 3 obesity or type 2 obesity with the presence of significant co-morbidities that would improve with weight loss. This study aims to identify the proportion of patients who undergo conventional fundoplication for GORD and/or hiatus hernia, which would have been eligible for bariatric surgery referral according to NICE guidelines. Methods: All patients who underwent fundoplication procedures for GORD and/or hiatus hernia repair at a single NHS foundation trust over a 10-year period will be identified using the Trust’s health records database. Pre-operative patient records will be used to find BMI and the presence of significant co-morbidities at the time of consideration for surgery. This information will be compared to NICE guidelines to determine potential eligibility for the bariatric surgical referral at the time of initial surgical intervention. Results: A total of 321 patients underwent fundoplication procedures between January 2011 and December 2020; 133 (41.4%) had available data for BMI or to allow BMI to be estimated. Of those 133, 40 patients (30%) had a BMI greater than 30kg/m², and 7 (5.3%) had BMI >35kg/m². One patient (0.75%) had a BMI >40 and would therefore be automatically eligible according to NICE guidelines. 4 further patients had significant co-morbidities, such as hypertension and osteoarthritis, which likely be improved by weight management surgery and therefore also indicated eligibility for referral. Overall, 3.75% (5/133) of patients undergoing conventional fundoplication procedures would have been eligible for bariatric surgical referral, these patients were all female, and the average age was 60.4 years. Conclusions: Based on this Trust’s experience, around 4% of obese patients undergoing fundoplication would have been eligible for bariatric surgical intervention. Based on current evidence, in class 2/3 obese patients, there is likely to have been a notable proportion with recurrent disease, potentially requiring further intervention. These patient’s may have benefitted more through undergoing bariatric surgery, for example a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, addressing both their obesity and GORD. Use of patient written notes to obtain BMI data for the 188 patients with missing BMI data and further analysis to determine outcomes following fundoplication in all patients, assessing for incidence of recurrent disease, will be undertaken to strengthen conclusions.

Keywords: bariatric surgery, GORD, Nissen fundoplication, nice guidelines

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Authors: Neta Kela Madar, Tali Teeni-Harari, Tamar Icekson, Yaron Sela

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This paper proposes and empirically tests a theoretical model positing relationships between dispositional optimism, emotional intelligence, and entrepreneurial intention. To author's best knowledge, this study examined for the first time the role of dispositional optimism together with emotional intelligence as predictors of entrepreneurial intentions. The study findings suggest that optimism may increase entrepreneurial intentions indirectly by enhancing emotional intelligence/ model formulation is based on a random survey of students (N= 227). Model parameter estimation was supported by Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Results indicate that students’ optimism and emotional intelligence are associated with increased levels of entrepreneurial intention. Additionally, the present study argues that emotional intelligence mediates the positive relationship between optimism and entrepreneurial intention. Theoretical and practical implications of this model are discussed.

Keywords: entrepreneurial intentions, emotional intelligence, optimism, dispositional optimism

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Authors: Helmi Vent

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This four-year artistic research project has set the goal of exploring the adaptable transitions within the realms between the two genres. This paper will single out one research question from the entire project for its focus, namely on how and under what circumstances such transitions between a reinterpretation and a new creation can take place during the performative process. The film documentation that accompany the project were produced at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg, Austria, as well as on diverse everyday stages at various locations. The model institution that hosted the project is the LIA – Lab Inter Arts, under the direction of Helmi Vent. LIA combines artistic research with performative applications. The project participants are students from various artistic fields of study. The film documentation forms a central platform for the entire project. They function as audiovisual records of performative performative origins and development processes, while serving as the basis for analysis and evaluation, including the self-evaluation of the recorded material and they also serve as illustrative and discussion material in relation to the topic of this paper. Regarding the “interspaces” and variable 'transitions': The performing arts in the western cultures generally orient themselves toward existing original compositions – most often in the interconnected fields of music, dance and theater – with the goal of reinterpreting and rehearsing a pre-existing score, choreographed work, libretto or script and presenting that respective piece to an audience. The essential tool in this reinterpretation process is generally the artistic ‘language’ performers learn over the course of their main studies. Thus, speaking is combined with singing, playing an instrument is combined with dancing, or with pictorial or sculpturally formed works, in addition to many other variations. If the Performing Arts would rid themselves of their designations from time to time and initially follow the emerging, diffusely gliding transitions into the unknown, the artistic language the performer has learned then becomes a creative resource. The illustrative film excerpts depicting the realms between Performing Arts and Performance Art present insights into the ways the project participants embrace unknown and explorative processes, thus allowing the genesis of new performative designs or concepts to be invented between the participants’ acquired cultural and artistic skills and their own creations – according to their own ideas and issues, sometimes with their direct involvement, fragmentary, provisional, left as a rough draft or fully composed. All in all, it is an evolutionary process and its key parameters cannot be distilled down to their essence. Rather, they stem from a subtle inner perception, from deep-seated emotions, imaginations, and non-discursive decisions, which ultimately result in an artistic statement rising to the visible and audible surface. Within these realms between performing arts and performance art and their extremely flexible transitions, exceptional opportunities can be found to grasp and realise art itself as a research process.

Keywords: art as research method, Lab Inter Arts ( LIA ), performing arts, performance art

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Authors: Christopher Reichstein, Ralf-Christian Härting, Martina Häußler

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With a continuously increasing speed of information exchange on the World Wide Web, retailers in the E-Commerce sector are faced with immense possibilities regarding different online purchase processes like dynamic price settings. By use of Dynamic Pricing, retailers are able to set short time price changes in order to optimize producer surplus. The empirical research illustrates the basics of Dynamic Pricing and identifies six influencing factors of Dynamic Pricing. The results of a structural equation modeling approach show five main drivers increasing the potential of dynamic price settings in the E-Commerce. Influencing factors are the knowledge of customers’ individual willingness to pay, rising sales, the possibility of customization, the data volume and the information about competitors’ pricing strategy.

Keywords: e-commerce, empirical research, experts, dynamic pricing (DP), influencing factors, potentials

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Authors: Stefano Pelaggi

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The research is focused on youth labor and mobility in Berlin. Mobility has become a common denominator in our daily lives but it does not primarily move according to monetary incentives. Labor, knowledge and leisure overlap on this point as cities are trying to attract people who could participate in production of the innovations while the new migrants are experiencing the lifestyle of the host cities. The research will present the project of empirical study focused on Italian workers in the digital industry in Berlin, trying to underline the connection between pleasure, leisure with the choice of life abroad. Berlin has become the epicenter of the European Internet start-up scene, but people suitable to work for digital industries are not moving in Berlin to make a career, most of them are attracted to the city for different reasons. This point makes a clear exception to traditional migration flows, which are always originated from a specific search of employment opportunities or strong ties, usually families, in a place that could guarantee success in finding a job. Even the skilled migration has always been originated from a specific need, finding the right path for a successful professional life. In a society where the lack of free time in our calendar seems to be something to be ashamed, the actors of youth mobility incorporate some categories of experiential tourism within their own life path. Professional aspirations, lifestyle choices of the protagonists of youth mobility are geared towards meeting the desires and aspirations that define leisure. While most of creative work places, in particular digital industries, uses the category of fun as a primary element of corporate policy, virtually extending the time to work for the whole day; more and more people around the world are deciding their path in life, career choices on the basis of indicators linked to the realization of the self, which may include factors like a warm climate, cultural environment. All indicators that are usually eradicated from the hegemonic approach to labor. The interpretative framework commonly used seems to be mostly focused on a dualism between Florida's theories and those who highlight the absence of conflict in his studies. While the flexibility of the new creative industries is minimizing leisure, incorporating elements of leisure itself in work activities, more people choose their own path of life by placing great importance to basic needs, through a gaze on pleasure that is only partially driven by consumption. The multi localism is the co-existence of different identities and cultures that do not conflict because they reject the bind on territory. Local loses its strength of opposition to global, with an attenuation of the whole concept of citizenship, territory and even integration. A similar perspective could be useful to search a new approach to all the studies dedicated to the gentrification process, while studying the new migrations flow.

Keywords: brain drain, digital industry, leisure and gentrification, multi localism

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Authors: Mustafa Var, Yasin Kültiğin Yaman, Elif Berna Var, Müberra Pulatkan

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This study deals with real application of an urban transformation project in Trabzon, Turkey. It aims to highlight the significance of using native species in terms of planting design of transformation projects which will also promote sustainability of urban identity. Urban identity is a phenomenon shaped not only by physical, but also by natural, spatial, social, historical and cultural factors. Urban areas face with continuous change which can be whether positive or negative way. If it occurs in a negative way that may have some destructive effects on urban identity. To solve this problematic issue, urban renewal movements initally started after 1840s around the world especially in the cities with ports. This process later followed by the places where people suffered a lot from fires and has expanded to all over the world. In Turkey, those processes have been experienced mostly after 1980s as country experienced the worst effects of unplanned urbanization especially in 1950-1990 period. Also old squares, streets, meeting points, green areas, Ottoman bazaars have changed slowly. This change was resulted in alienation of inhabitants to their environments. As a solution, several actions were taken like Mass Housing Laws which was enacted in 1981 and 1984 or urban transformation projects. Although projects between 1990-2000 were tried to satisfy the expectations of local inhabitants by the help of several design solutions to promote cultural identity; unfortunately those modern projects has also been resulted in alienation of urban environments to the inhabitants. Those projects were initially done by TOKI (Housing Development Administration of Turkey) and later followed by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization after 2011. Although they had significant potentials to create healthy urban environments, they could not use this opportunity in an effective way. The reason for their failure is that their architectural styles and planting designs are unrespectful to local identity and environments. Generally, it can be said that the most of the urban transformation projects implementing in Turkey nearly have no concerns about the locality. However, those projects can be used as a positive tool for enhanching the urban identity of cities by means of local planting material. For instance, Kyoto can be identified by Japanese Maple trees or Seattle can be specified by Dahlia. In the same way, in Turkey, Istanbul city can be identified by Judas and Stone Pine trees or Giresun city can be identified by Cherry trees. Thus, in this paper, the importance of conserving urban identity is discussed specificly with the help of using local planting elements. After revealing the mistakes that are made during urban transformation projects, the techniques and design criterias for preserving and promoting urban identity are examined. In the end, it is emphasized that every city should have their own original, local character and specific planting design which can be used for highlighting its identity as well as architectural elements.

Keywords: urban identity, urban transformation, planting design, landscape architecture

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Authors: Manal M. H. Said Najjar

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Arab Grammarians stood at variance with regard to the definition of kana (which might equal was, were, the past form of “be” in English). Kana was considered as a verb, a particle, or a quasi-verb by different scholars; others saw it as an auxiliary verb; while some other scholars categorized kana as one of the incomplete verbs or (Afa’al naqisa) based on two different claims: first, a considerable group of grammarians saw kana as fie’l naqis or an incomplete verb since it indicates time, but not the event or action itself. Second, kana requires a predicate (xabar) to complete the meaning, i.e., it does not suffice itself with a noun in the nominal sentence. This study argues that categorizing the verb kana as fie’l naqis or an incomplete verb is inaccurate and confusing since the term “incomplete” does not agree with its characteristics, meanings, and temporal indications. Moreover, interpreting kana as a past verb is also inaccurate. kana كان (derived from the absolute action of being كون) is considered unique and the most comprehensive verb, encompassing all tenses of the past, present, and future within the dimensions of continuity and eternity of all possible actions under “being”.

Keywords: pragmatics, kana, context, Arab grammarians, meaning, fie’l naqis

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Authors: John Zanetich

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Due to their positive associations with student learning and retention, certain undergraduate opportunities are designated ‘high-impact.’ High-Impact Practices (HIPs) such as, learning communities, community based projects, research, internships, study abroad and culminating senior experience, share several traits bin common: they demand considerable time and effort, learning occurs outside of the classroom, and they require meaningful interactions between faculty and students, they encourage collaboration with diverse others, and they provide frequent and substantive feedback. As a result of experiential learning in these practices, participation in these practices can be life changing. High impact learning helps individuals locate tacit knowledge, and build mental models that support the accumulation of knowledge. On-going learning from experience and knowledge conversion provides the individual with a way to implicitly organize knowledge and share knowledge over a lifetime. Knowledge conversion is a knowledge management component which focuses on the explication of the tacit knowledge that exists in the minds of students and that knowledge which is embedded in the process and relationships of the classroom educational experience. Knowledge conversion is required when working with tacit knowledge and the demand for a learner to align deeply held beliefs with the cognitive dissonance created by new information. Knowledge conversion and tacit knowledge result from the fact that an individual's way of knowing, that is, their core belief structure, is considered generalized and tacit instead of explicit and specific. As a phenomenon, tacit knowledge is not readily available to the learner for explicit description unless evoked by an external source. The development of knowledge–related capabilities such as Aggressive Development of Tacit Knowledge (ADTK) can be used in experiential educational programs to enhance knowledge, foster behavioral change, improve decision making, and overall performance. ADTK allows the student in HIPs to use their existing knowledge in a way that allows them to evaluate and make any necessary modifications to their core construct of reality in order to amalgamate new information. Based on the Lewin/Schein Change Theory, the learner will reach for tacit knowledge as a stabilizing mechanism when they are challenged by new information that puts them slightly off balance. As in word association drills, the important concept is the first thought. The reactionary outpouring to an experience is the programmed or tacit memory and knowledge of their core belief structure. ADTK is a way to help teachers design their own methods and activities to unfreeze, create new learning, and then refreeze the core constructs upon which future learning in a subject area is built. This paper will explore the use of ADTK as a technique for knowledge conversion in the classroom in general and in HIP programs specifically. It will focus on knowledge conversion in curriculum development and propose the use of one-time educational experiences, multi-session experiences and sequential program experiences focusing on tacit knowledge in educational programs.

Keywords: tacit knowledge, knowledge management, college programs, experiential learning

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