Search results for: dispersed region growing algorithm (DRGA)

Authors: Mohammed Sabbah, Prospero Di Pierro, Raffaele Porta

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Protein-based edible films and coatings have attracted an increasing interest in recent years since they might be used to protect pharmaceuticals or improve the shelf life of different food products. Among them, several plant proteins represent an abundant, inexpensive and renewable raw source. These natural biopolymers are used as film forming agents, being able to form intermolecular linkages by various interactions. However, without the addition of a plasticizing agent, many biomaterials are brittle and, consequently, very difficult to be manipulated. Plasticizers are generally small and non-volatile organic additives used to increase film extensibility and reduce its crystallinity, brittleness and water vapor permeability. Plasticizers normally act by decreasing the intermolecular forces along the polymer chains, thus reducing the relative number of polymer-polymer contacts, producing a decrease in cohesion and tensile strength and thereby increasing film flexibility allowing its deformation without rupture. The most commonly studied plasticizers are polyols, like glycerol (GLY) and some mono or oligosaccharides. In particular, GLY not only increases film extensibility but also migrates inside the film network often causing the loss of desirable mechanical properties of the material. Therefore, replacing GLY with a different plasticizer might help to improve film characteristics allowing potential industrial applications. To improve film properties, it seemed of interest to test as plasticizers some cationic small molecules like polyamines (PAs). Putrescine, spermidine (SPD), and spermine are PAs widely distributed in nature and of particular interest for their biological activities that may have some beneficial health effects. Since PAs contains amino instead of hydroxyl functional groups, they are able to trigger ionic interactions with negatively charged proteins. Bitter vetch (Vicia ervilia; BV) is an ancient grain legume crop, originated in the Mediterranean region, which can be found today in many countries around the world. This annual Vicia genus shows several favorable features, being their seeds a cheap and abundant protein source. The main objectives of this study were to investigate the effect of different concentrations of SPD on the mechanical and permeability properties of films prepared with native or heat denatured BV proteins in the presence of different concentrations of SPD and/or GLY. Therefore, a BV seed protein concentrate (BVPC), containing about 77% proteins, was used to prepare film forming solutions (FFSs), whereas GLY and SPD were added as film plasticizers, either singly or in combination, at various concentrations. Since a primary plasticizer is generally defined as a molecule that when added to a material makes it softer, more flexible and easier to be processed, our findings lead to consider SPD as a possible primary plasticizer of protein-based films. In fact, the addition of millimolar concentrations of SPD to BVPC FFS allowed obtaining handleable biomaterials with improved properties. Moreover, SPD can be also considered as a secondary plasticizer, namely an 'extender', because of its ability even to enhance the plasticizing performance of GLY. In conclusion, our studies indicate that innovative edible protein-based films and coatings can be obtained by using PAs as new plasticizers.

Keywords: edible films, glycerol, plasticizers, polyamines, spermidine

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Authors: Suzanne Phibbs, Christine Kenney, Robyn Richardson

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The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction called for the inclusion of indigenous people in the design and implementation of all hazard policies, plans, and standards. Ensuring that indigenous knowledge practices were included alongside scientific knowledge about disaster risk was also a key priority. Indigenous communities have specific knowledge about climate and natural hazard risk that has been developed over an extended period of time. However, research within indigenous communities can be fraught with issues such as power imbalances between the researcher and researched, the privileging of researcher agendas over community aspirations, as well as appropriation and/or inappropriate use of indigenous knowledge. This paper documents the process of working alongside a Māori community to develop a successful community-led research project. Research Design: This case study documents the development of a qualitative community-led participatory project. The community research project utilizes a kaupapa Māori research methodology which draws upon Māori research principles and concepts in order to generate knowledge about Māori resilience. The research addresses a significant gap in the disaster research literature relating to indigenous knowledge about collective hazard mitigation practices as well as resilience in rurally isolated indigenous communities. The research was designed in partnership with the Ngāti Raukawa Northern Marae Collective as well as Ngā Wairiki Ngāti Apa (a group of Māori sub-tribes who are located in the same region) and will be conducted by Māori researchers utilizing Māori values and cultural practices. The research project aims and objectives, for example, are based on themes that were identified as important to the Māori community research partners. The research methodology and methods were also negotiated with and approved by the community. Kaumātua (Māori elders) provided cultural and ethical guidance over the proposed research process and will continue to provide oversight over the conduct of the research. Purposive participant recruitment will be facilitated with support from local Māori community research partners, utilizing collective marae networks and snowballing methods. It is envisaged that Māori participants’ knowledge, experiences and views will be explored using face-to-face communication research methods such as workshops, focus groups and/or semi-structured interviews. Interviews or focus groups may be held in English and/or Te Reo (Māori language) to enhance knowledge capture. Analysis, knowledge dissemination, and co-authorship of publications will be negotiated with the Māori community research partners. Māori knowledge shared during the research will constitute participants’ intellectual property. New knowledge, theory, frameworks, and practices developed by the research will be co-owned by Māori, the researchers, and the host academic institution. Conclusion: An emphasis on indigenous knowledge systems within the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction risks the appropriation and misuse of indigenous experiences of disaster risk identification, mitigation, and response. The research protocol underpinning this project provides an exemplar of collaborative partnership in the development and implementation of an indigenous project that has relevance to policymakers, academic researchers, other regions with indigenous communities and/or local disaster risk reduction knowledge practices.

Keywords: community resilience, indigenous disaster risk reduction, Maori, research methods

Procedia PDF Downloads 125

Authors: Maggie Hall, Haley O'Neill

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The U.S. faces a severe shortage of abortion providers, exacerbated by the June 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision. Midwives, especially certified nurse midwives, are well-positioned to fill this gap in abortion care. However, a lack of clinical education and training prevents midwives from exercising their full scope of practice. National and international organizations that set obstetrics and midwifery education standards, including the International Confederation of Midwives, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and American Public Health Association, call for expansion of midwifery-managed abortion care through the first trimester. In the U.S., midwifery programs are accredited based on compliance with ACME standards and compliance is a prerequisite for the American Midwifery Certification Board exams. We conducted a literature review of studies in the last five years regarding abortion didactic and clinical education barriers via CINAHL, EBSCO and PubMed database reviews. We gave preference for primary sources within the last five years; however, due to the rapid changes in abortion education and access, we also included literature from 2012-2022. We evaluated ACME-accredited programs in relation to their geography within abortion-protected or restricted states and assessed state-specific barriers to abortion care education and provision as clinical students. There are 43 AMCB-accredited midwifery schools in 28 states across the U.S. Twenty schools (47%) are in the 15 states in which advanced practice clinicians can provide non-surgical abortion care, such as medication abortion and MVA procedures. Twenty-four schools (56%) are in the 16 states in which abortion care provision is restricted to Licensed Physicians and cannot offer in-state clinical training opportunities for midwifery students. Six schools are in the five states in which abortion is completely banned and are geographically concentrated in the southernmost region of the U.S., including Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Texas. Subsequently, these programs cannot offer in-state clinical training opportunities for midwifery students. Notably, there are seven ACME programs in six states that do not restrict abortion access by gestational age, including Colorado, Connecticut, Washington, D.C., New Jersey, New Mexico, and Oregon. These programs may be uniquely positioned for midwifery involvement in abortion care beyond the first trimester. While the following states don’t house ACME programs, abortion care can be provided by advanced practice clinicians in Rhode Island, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Montana, New Hampshire, and Vermont, offering clinical placement and/or new ACME program development opportunities. We identify existing barriers to clinical education and training opportunities for midwifery-managed abortion care, which are both geographic and institutional in nature. We recommend expansion and standardization of clinical education and training opportunities for midwifery-managed abortion care in ACME-accredited programs to improve access to abortion care. Midwifery programs and teaching hospitals need to expand education, training, and residency opportunities for midwifery students to strengthen access to midwife-managed abortion care. ACNM and ACME should re-evaluate accreditation criteria and the implications of ACME programs in states where students are not able to learn abortion care in clinical contexts due to state-specific abortion restrictions.

Keywords: midwifery education, abortion, abortion education, abortion access

Procedia PDF Downloads 81

Authors: Matej Komanec, Tomas Nemecek, Dmytro Suslov, Petr Chvojka, Stanislav Zvanovec

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Nonlinear phenomena in the near- and mid-infrared region are attracting scientific attention mainly due to the supercontinuum generation possibilities and subsequent utilizations for ultra-wideband applications like e.g. absorption spectroscopy or optical coherence tomography. Thulium-based fiber lasers provide access to high-power ultrashort pump pulses in the vicinity of 2000 nm, which can be easily exploited for various nonlinear applications. The paper presents a simulation and experimental study of a pulsed thulium laser based for near-infrared (NIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) nonlinear applications in specialty optical fibers. In the first part of the paper the thulium laser is discussed. The thulium laser is based on a gain-switched seed-laser and a series of amplification stages for obtaining output peak powers in the order of kilowatts for pulses shorter than 200 ps in full-width at half-maximum. The pulsed thulium laser is first studied in a simulation software, focusing on seed-laser properties. Afterward, a pre-amplification thulium-based stage is discussed, with the focus of low-noise signal amplification, high signal gain and eliminating pulse distortions during pulse propagation in the gain medium. Following the pre-amplification stage a second gain stage is evaluated with incorporating a thulium-fiber of shorter length with increased rare-earth dopant ratio. Last a power-booster stage is analyzed, where the peak power of kilowatts should be achieved. Examples of analytical study are further validated by the experimental campaign. The simulation model is further corrected based on real components – parameters such as real insertion-losses, cross-talks, polarization dependencies, etc. are included. The second part of the paper evaluates the utilization of nonlinear phenomena, their specific features at the vicinity of 2000 nm, compared to e.g. 1550 nm, and presents supercontinuum modelling, based on the thulium laser pulsed output. Supercontinuum generation simulation is performed and provides reasonably accurate results, once fiber dispersion profile is precisely defined and fiber nonlinearity is known, furthermore input pulse shape and peak power must be known, which is assured thanks to the experimental measurement of the studied thulium pulsed laser. The supercontinuum simulation model is put in relation to designed and characterized specialty optical fibers, which are discussed in the third part of the paper. The focus is placed on silica and mainly on non-silica fibers (fluoride, chalcogenide, lead-silicate) in their conventional, microstructured or tapered variants. Parameters such as dispersion profile and nonlinearity of exploited fibers were characterized either with an accurate model, developed in COMSOL software or by direct experimental measurement to achieve even higher precision. The paper then combines all three studied topics and presents a possible application of such a thulium pulsed laser system working with specialty optical fibers.

Keywords: nonlinear phenomena, specialty optical fibers, supercontinuum generation, thulium laser

Procedia PDF Downloads 321

Authors: A. F. C. Nassar, D. K. Tessler, L. Okuda, C. Del Fava, D. P. Chiebao, A. H. C. N. Romaldini, A. P. Alvim, M. J. Sanchez-Vazquez, M. S. Rosa, J. C. Pompei, R. Harakava, M. C. S. Araujo, G. H. F. Marques, E. M. Pituco

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Glanders is a zoonotic disease of Equidae caused by the bacterium Burkholderia mallei presented in acute or chronic clinical forms with inflammatory nodules in the respiratory tract, lymphangitis and caseous lymph nodes. There is not a treatment with veterinary drugs to this life-threatening disease; thus, its occurrence must be notified to official animal health services and any infected animal must be eliminated. This study aims to detect B. mallei from horses euthanized in outbreaks of glanders in Brazil, providing a better understanding of the bacterial characteristics and determine a proper protocol for isolation. The work was carried out with the collaboration of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Sao Paulo State Animal Health Department, while its procedures were approved by the Committee of Ethics in Animal Experimentation from the Instituto Biologico (CETEA n°156/2017). To the present time, 16 horses from farms with outbreaks of glanders detected by complement fixation test (CFT) serology method were analyzed. During the necropsy, samples of possibly affected organs (lymph nodes, lungs, heart, liver, spleen, kidneys and trachea) were collected for bacterial isolation, molecular tests and pathology. Isolation was performed using two enriched mediums, a potato infusion agar with 5% sheep blood, 4% glycerol and antibiotics (penicilin100U/ mL), and another with the same ingredients except the antibiotic. A PCR protocol was modified for this study using primers design to identify a region of the Flip gen of B. mallei. Thru isolation, 12.5% (2/16) animals were confirmed positive using only the enriched medium with antibiotic and confirmed by PCR: from mediastinal and submandibular lymph nodes and lungs in one animal and from mediastinal lymph node in the other. The detection of the bacterium using PCR showed positivity of 100% (16/16) horses from 144 samples of organs. Pathology macroscopic lesions observed were catarrhal nasal discharge, fetlock ulcers, emaciation, lymphangitis in limbs, suppurative lymphangitis, lymph node enlargement, star shaped liver, and spleen scars, adherence of the renal capsule, pulmonary hemorrhage, and miliary nodules. Microscopic lesions were suppurative bronchopneumonia with microabscesses and Langhans giant cells in lungs; lymph nodes with abscesses and intense lymphoid reaction; hemosiderosis and abscesses in spleen. Positive samples on PCR will be sequenced later and analyzed comparing with previous records in the literature. A throughout description of the recent acute cases of glanders occurring in Brazil and characterization of the bacterium related will contribute to advances in the knowledge of the pathogenicity, clinical symptoms, and epidemiology of this zoonotic disease. Acknowledgment: This project is sponsored by FAPESP.

Keywords: equines, bacterial isolation, zoonosis, PCR, pathology

Procedia PDF Downloads 138

Authors: V. Mantey, N. Findlay, I. Maddox

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The quality and quantity of global satellite data have been increasing exponentially in recent years as spaceborne systems become more affordable and the sensors themselves become more sophisticated. This is a valuable resource for many applications, including disaster management and relief. However, while more information can be valuable, the volume of data available is impossible to manually examine. Therefore, the question becomes how to extract as much information as possible from the data with limited manpower. Buildings are a key feature of interest in satellite imagery with applications including telecommunications, population models, and disaster relief. Machine learning tools are fast becoming one of the key resources to solve this problem, and models have been developed to detect buildings in optical satellite imagery. However, by and large, most models focus on affluent regions where buildings are generally larger and constructed further apart. This work is focused on the more difficult problem of detection in populated regions. The primary challenge with detecting small buildings in densely populated regions is both the spatial and spectral resolution of the optical sensor. Densely packed buildings with similar construction materials will be difficult to separate due to a similarity in color and because the physical separation between structures is either non-existent or smaller than the spatial resolution. This study finds that training models until they are overfitting the input sample can perform better in these areas than a more robust, generalized model. An overfitted model takes less time to fine-tune from a generalized pre-trained model and requires fewer input data. The model developed for this study has also been fine-tuned using existing, open-source, building vector datasets. This is particularly valuable in the context of disaster relief, where information is required in a very short time span. Leveraging existing datasets means that little to no manpower or time is required to collect data in the region of interest. The training period itself is also shorter for smaller datasets. Requiring less data means that only a few quality areas are necessary, and so any weaknesses or underpopulated regions in the data can be skipped over in favor of areas with higher quality vectors. In this study, a landcover classification model was developed in conjunction with the building detection tool to provide a secondary source to quality check the detected buildings. This has greatly reduced the false positive rate. The proposed methodologies have been implemented and integrated into a configurable production environment and have been employed for a number of large-scale commercial projects, including continent-wide DEM production, where the extracted building footprints are being used to enhance digital elevation models. Overfitted machine learning models are often considered too specific to have any predictive capacity. However, this study demonstrates that, in cases where input data is scarce, overfitted models can be judiciously applied to solve time-sensitive problems.

Keywords: building detection, disaster relief, mask-RCNN, satellite mapping

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Authors: Ewa Szarek-Gwiazda, Agata Z. Wojtal, Agnieszka Pociecha, Andrzej Kownacki, Dariusz Ciszewski

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Mining of metal ores is one of the largest sources of heavy metals, which deteriorate aquatic systems. The response of organisms to environmental changes can be well recorded in sediments of the affected water bodies and may be reconstructed based on analyses of organisms' remains. The present study aimed at the response of diatoms (Bacillariophyta), Cladocera, and Chironomidae communities to the impact of Zn-Pb mine water discharge recorded in sediment cores of small subsidence ponds on the Chechło River floodplain (Silesia–Krakow Region, southern Poland). We hypothesize various responses of the above groups to high metal concentrations (Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cu). The investigated ponds were formed either during the peak of the ore exploitation (DOWN) or after mining cessation (UP). Currently, the concentrations of dissolved metals (in µg g⁻¹) in water reached up to 0.53 for Cd, 7.3 for Pb, and up to 47.1 for Zn. All the sediment cores from subsidence ponds were heavily polluted with Cd 6.7–612 μg g⁻¹, Pb 0.1–10.2 mg g⁻¹, and Zn 0.5–23.1 mg g⁻¹. Core sediments varied also in respect to pH 5.8-7.1 and concentrations of organic matter (5.7-39.8%). The impact of high metal concentrations was expressed by the occurrence of metal-tolerant taxa like diatoms – Nitzschia amphibia, Sellaphora nigri, and Surirella brebisonii var. kuetzingii; Cladocera – Chydorus sphaericus (dominated in cores from all ponds), and Chironomidae – Chironomus and Cricotopus especially in the DOWN ponds. Statistical analysis exhibited a negative impact of metals on some taxa of diatoms and Cladocera but only on Polypedilum sp. from Chironomidae. The abundance of such diatoms like Gomphonema utae, Staurosirella pinnata, Eunotia bilunaris, and Cladocera like Alona, Chydorus, Graptoleberis, and Pleuroxus decreased with increasing Pb concentration. However, the occurrence or dominance of more sensitive species of diatoms and Cladocera indicates their adaptation to higher metal loads, which was facilitated by neutral pH and slightly alkaline waters. Diatom assemblages were generally resistant to Zn, Pb, Cu, and Cd pollution, as indicated by their large similarity to populations from non-contaminated waters. Comparison with reference objects clearly indicates the dominance of Achnanthidium minutissimum, Staurosira venter, and Fragilaria gracilis in very diverse assemblages of unpolluted waters. The distribution of the Cladocera and Chironomidae taxa depended on the habitat type. The DOWN ponds with stagnant water and overgrown with macrophytes were more suitable for cladocerans (14 taxa, higher diversity) than the UP ponds with river water flowing through their centre and with a small share of macrophytes (8 taxa). The Chironominae, mainly Chironomus and Microspectra, were abundant in cores from the UP ponds with muddy bottoms. Inversely, the density of Orthocladiinae, especially genus Cricotopus, was related to the organic matter content and dominated in cores from the DOWN ponds. The presence of diatoms like Nitzschia amphibia, Sellaphora nigri, and Surirella brebisonii var. kuetzingii, cladocerans: Bosmina longirostris, Chydorus sphaericus, Alona affinis, and A. rectangularis as well as Chironomidae Chironomus sp. (UP ponds) and Psecrotanypus varius (DOWN ponds) indicate the influence of the water trophy on their distribution.

Keywords: Chironomidae, Cladocera, diatoms, metals, Zn-Pb mine, sediment cores, subsidence ponds

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Authors: Erimias Firre

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This study is situated within the religio-cultural milieu of Coptic Orthodox Christians of the Tigrinya ethnic group in Eritrea. With this ethnic group being conservative and traditionally bound, extended family structures dissected along various clans and expansive community networks are the distinguishing mark of its members. Notably, Coptic Tigrinya constitutes the largest percentage of all Christian denominations in Eritrea. As religious, cultural beliefs, rituals and teachings permeate in all aspects of social life, a distinct worldview and traditionalized health and illness conceptualization are common. Accordingly, this study argues that religio-culturally bound illness ideologies immensely determine the perception, help seeking behavior and healing preference of Coptic Tigrinya in Eritrea. The study bears significance in the sense that it bridges an important knowledge gap, given that it is ethno-linguistically (within the Tigrinya ethnic group), spatially (central region of Eritrea) and religiously (Coptic Christianity) specific. The conceptual framework guiding this research centered on the social determinants of mental health, and explores through the lens of critical theory how existing systems generate social vulnerability and structural inequality, providing a platform to reveal how the psychosocial model has the capacity to emancipate and empower those with mental disorders to live productive and meaningful lives. A case study approach was employed to explore the interrelationship between religio-cultural beliefs and practices and perception of common mental disorders of depression, anxiety, bipolar affective, schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorders and the impact of these perceptions on people with those mental disorders. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 41 participants representing seven diverse cohorts; people with common mental disorders, family caregivers, general community members, ex-fighters , priests, staff at St. Mary’s and Biet-Mekae Community Health Center; resulting in rich data for thematic analysis. Findings highlighted current religio-cultural perceptions, causes and treatment of mental disorders among Coptic Tigrinya result in widespread labelling, stigma and discrimination, both of those with mental disorders and their families. Traditional healing sources are almost exclusively tried, sometimes for many years, before families and sufferers seek formal medical assessment and treatment, resulting difficult to treat illness chronicity. Service gaps in the formal medical system result in the inability to meet the principles enshrined in the WHO Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2020 to which the Eritrean Government is a signatory. However, the study found that across all participant cohorts, there was a desire for change that will create a culture whereby those with mental disorders will have restored hope, connectedness, healing and self-determination.

Keywords: Coptic Tigrinya, mental disorders, psychosocial model social integration and recovery, traditional healing

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Authors: Wendy De Gomez

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The University of Waterloo is situated in central Canada in the Province of Ontario- one hour from the metropolitan city of Toronto. For over 30 years, it has held Canada’s top spot as the most innovative university; and has been consistently ranked in the top 25 computer science and top 50 engineering schools in the world. Waterloo benefits from the federal government’s over 100 domestic innovation policies which have assisted in the country’s 15th place global ranking in the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) 2022 Global Innovation Index. Yet undoubtedly, the University of Waterloo’s unique characteristics are what propels its innovative creativeness forward. This paper will provide a contextual definition of innovation in higher education and then demonstrate the five operational attributes that contribute to the University of Waterloo’s innovative reputation. The methodology is based on statistical analyses obtained from ranking bodies such as the QS World University Rankings, a secondary literature review related to higher education innovation in Canada, and case studies that exhibit the operationalization of the attributes outlined below. The first attribute is geography. Specifically, the paper investigates the network structure effect of the Toronto-Waterloo high-tech corridor and the resultant industrial relationships built there. The second attribute is University Policy 73-Intellectal Property Rights. This creator-owned policy grants all ownership to the creator/inventor regardless of the use of the University of Waterloo property or funding. Essentially, through the incentivization of IP ownership by all researchers, further commercialization and entrepreneurship are formed. Third, this IP policy works hand in hand with world-renowned business incubators such as the Accelerator Centre in the dedicated research and technology park and velocity, a 14-year-old facility that equips and guides founders to build and scale companies. Communitech, a 25-year-old provincially backed facility in the region, also works closely with the University of Waterloo to build strong teams, access capital, and commercialize products. Fourth, Waterloo’s co-operative education program contributes 31% of all co-op participants to the Canadian economy. Home to the world’s largest co-operative education program, data shows that over 7,000 from around the world recruit Waterloo students for short- and long-term placements- directly contributing to the student’s ability to learn and optimize essential employment skills when they graduate. Finally, the students themselves at Waterloo are exceptional. The entrance average ranges from the low 80s to the mid-90s depending on the program. In computer, electrical, mechanical, mechatronics, and systems design engineering, to have a 66% chance of acceptance, the applicant’s average must be 95% or above. Singularly, none of these five attributes could lead to the university’s outstanding track record of innovative creativity, but when bundled up into a 1000 acre- 100 building main campus with 6 academic faculties, 40,000+ students, and over 1300 world-class faculty, the recipe for success becomes quite evident.

Keywords: IP policy, higher education, economy, innovation

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Authors: Milada Krejci, Martin Hill, Vaclav Hosek, Dobroslava Jandova, Jiri Kajzar, Pavel Blaha

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The paper declares effects of exercise intervention of the research project “Basic research of balance changes in seniors”, granted by the Czech Science Foundation. The objective of the presented study is to define predictors, which influence bio-psycho-social consequences and effects of balance ability in senior 65 years old and above. We focused on the Fall-Efficacy Scale changes evaluation in seniors. Comprehensive hypothesis of the project declares, that motion uncertainty (dyskinesia) can negatively affect the well-being of a senior in bio-psycho-social context. In total, random selection and testing of 100 seniors (30 males, 70 females) from Prague and Central Bohemian region was provided. The sample was divided by stratified random selection into experimental and control groups, who underwent input and output testing. For diagnostics the methods of Medical Anamnesis, Functional anthropological examinations, Tinetti Balance Assessment Tool, SF-36 Health Survey, Anamnestic comparative self-assessment scale were used. Intervention method called "Life in Balance" based on yoga techniques was applied in four-week cycle. Results of multivariate regression were verified by repeated measures ANOVA: subject factor, phase of intervention (between-subject factor), body fluid (within-subject factor) and phase of intervention × body fluid interaction). ANOVA was performed with a repetition involving the factors of subjects, experimental/control group, phase of intervention (independent variable), and x phase interaction followed by Bonferroni multiple comparison assays with a test strength of at least 0.8 on the probability level p < 0.05. In the paper results of the first-year investigation of the three years running project are analysed. Results of balance tests confirmed no significant difference between females and males in pre-test. Significant improvements in balance and walking ability were observed in experimental group in females comparing to males (F = 128.4, p < 0.001). In the females control group, there was no significant change in post- test, while in the female experimental group positive changes in posture and spine flexibility in post-tests were found. It seems that females even in senior age react better to incentives of intervention in balance and spine flexibility. On the base of results analyses, we can declare the significant improvement in social balance markers after intervention in the experimental group (F = 10.5, p < 0.001). In average, seniors are used to take four drugs daily. Number of drugs can contribute to allergy symptoms and balance problems. It can be concluded that static balance and walking ability of seniors according Tinetti Balance scale correlate significantly with psychic and social monitored markers.

Keywords: exercises, balance, seniors 65+, health, mental and social balance

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Authors: Saqib Aziz, Brad Alexander, Christoph Gengnagel, Stefan Weinzierl

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This paper explores a generative design, simulation, and optimization workflow for the integration of acoustical diffuser and/or absorber geometry with embedded coupled Helmholtz-resonators for full-scale 3D printed building components. Large-scale additive manufacturing in conjunction with algorithmic CAD design tools enables a vast amount of control when creating geometry. This is advantageous regarding the increasing demands of comfort standards for indoor spaces and the use of more resourceful and sustainable construction methods and materials. The presented methodology highlights these new technological advancements and offers a multimodal and integrative design solution with the potential for an immediate application in the AEC-Industry. In principle, the methodology can be applied to a wide range of structural elements that can be manufactured by additive manufacturing processes. The current paper focuses on a case study of an application for a biaxial load-bearing beam grillage made of reinforced concrete, which allows for a variety of applications through the combination of additive prefabricated semi-finished parts and in-situ concrete supplementation. The semi-prefabricated parts or formwork bodies form the basic framework of the supporting structure and at the same time have acoustic absorption and diffusion properties that are precisely acoustically programmed for the space underneath the structure. To this end, a hybrid validation strategy is being explored using a digital and cross-platform simulation environment, verified with physical prototyping. The iterative workflow starts with the generation of a parametric design model for the acoustical geometry using the algorithmic visual scripting editor Grasshopper3D inside the building information modeling (BIM) software Revit. Various geometric attributes (i.e., bottleneck and cavity dimensions) of the resonator are parameterized and fed to a numerical optimization algorithm which can modify the geometry with the goal of increasing absorption at resonance and increasing the bandwidth of the effective absorption range. Using Rhino.Inside and LiveLink for Revit, the generative model was imported directly into the Multiphysics simulation environment COMSOL. The geometry was further modified and prepared for simulation in a semi-automated process. The incident and scattered pressure fields were simulated from which the surface normal absorption coefficients were calculated. This reciprocal process was repeated to further optimize the geometric parameters. Subsequently the numerical models were compared to a set of 3D concrete printed physical twin models, which were tested in a .25 m x .25 m impedance tube. The empirical results served to improve the starting parameter settings of the initial numerical model. The geometry resulting from the numerical optimization was finally returned to grasshopper for further implementation in an interdisciplinary study.

Keywords: acoustical design, additive manufacturing, computational design, multimodal optimization

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Authors: M. Golam Rabbi

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Theme of wildlife crime is unique in Bangladesh. In earlier of 2010, wildlife crime was not designated as a crime, unlike other offenses. Forest Department and other enforcement agencies were not in full swing to find out the organized crime scene at that time and recorded few cases along with forest crime. However, after the establishment of Wildlife Crime Control Unitin 2012a, total of 374 offenses have been detected with 566 offenders and 37,039 wildlife and trophies were seized till November 2016. Most offenses seem to be committed outside the forests where the presence of the forest staff is minimal. Total detection percentage of offenses is not known, but offenders are not identified in 60% of detected cases (UDOR). Only 20% cases are decided by the courts even after eight years, conviction rate of the total disposal is 70.65%. Mostly six months imprisonment and BDT 5000 fine seems to be the modal penalty. The monetary value of wildlife crime in the country is approximate $0.72M per year and the maximum value counted for reptiles around $0.45M especially for high-level trafficking of geckos and turtles. The most common seizures of wildlife are birds (mynas, munias, parakeets, lorikeets, water birds, etc.) which have domestic demand for pet. Some other wildlife like turtles, lizards and small mammals are also on the list. Venison and migratory waterbirds often seized which has a large quantity demand for consuming at aristocratic level.Due to porous border and weak enforcement in border region poachers use the way for trafficking of geckos, turtles, and tortoises, snakes, venom, tiger and body parts, spotted deerskin, pangolinetc. Those have very high demand in East Asian countries for so-called medicinal purposes. The recent survey also demonstrates new route for illegal trade and trafficking for instance, after poaching of tiger and deer from the Sundarbans, the largest mangrove track of the planet to Thailand through the Bay of Bengal, sharks fins and ray fish through Chittagong seaport and directly by sea routes to Myanmar and Thailand. However, a good number of records of offense demonstrate the transition route from India to South and South East Asian countries. Star tortoises and Hamilton’s turtles are smuggled in from India which mostly seized at Benapole border of Jessore and Hazrat Shah Jajal International Airport of Dhaka, in very large numbers for transmission to East Asian countries. Most of the cases of wildlife trade routes leading to China, Thailand, Malaysia, and Myanmar. Most surprisingly African ivory was seized in Bangladesh recently, which was meant to be trafficked to the South-East Asia. However; forest department is working to fight against wildlife poaching, illegal trade and trafficking in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies. The department needs a clear mandate and to build technical capabilities for identifying, seizing and holding specimens. The department also needs to step out of the forests and must develop the capacity to surveillance and patrol all sensitive locations across the country.

Keywords: Bangladesh forest department, Sundarban, tiger, wildlife crime, wildlife trafficking

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Authors: Weili Jiang, Simon Cadavid Lopera, Klaus Drechsler

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Fuel cell vehicle has become the most competitive solution for the transportation sector in the hydrogen economy. Type IV pressure vessel is currently the most popular and widely developed technology for the on-board storage, based on their high reliability and relatively low cost. Due to the stringent requirement on mechanical performance, the pressure vessel is subject to great amount of composite material, a major cost driver for the hydrogen tanks. Evidently, the optimization of composite layup design shows great potential in reducing the overall material usage, yet requires comprehensive understanding on underlying mechanisms as well as the influence of different design parameters on mechanical performance. Given the type of materials and manufacturing processes by which the type IV pressure vessels are manufactured, the design and optimization are a nuanced subject. The manifold of stacking sequence and fiber orientation variation possibilities have an out-standing effect on vessel strength due to the anisotropic property of carbon fiber composites, which make the design space high dimensional. Each variation of design parameters requires computational resources. Using finite element analysis to evaluate different designs is the most common method, however, the model-ing, setup and simulation process can be very time consuming and result in high computational cost. For this reason, it is necessary to build a reliable automation scheme to set up and analyze the di-verse composite layups. In this research, the simulation process of different tank designs regarding various parameters is conducted and automatized in a commercial finite element analysis framework Abaqus. Worth mentioning, the modeling of the composite overwrap is automatically generated using an Abaqus-Python scripting interface. The prediction of the winding angle of each layer and corresponding thickness variation on dome region is the most crucial step of the modeling, which is calculated and implemented using analytical methods. Subsequently, these different composites layups are simulated as axisymmetric models to facilitate the computational complexity and reduce the calculation time. Finally, the results are evaluated and compared regarding the ultimate tank strength. By automatically modeling, evaluating and comparing various composites layups, this system is applicable for the optimization of the tanks structures. As mentioned above, the mechanical property of the pressure vessel is highly dependent on composites layup, which requires big amount of simulations. Consequently, to automatize the simulation process gains a rapid way to compare the various designs and provide an indication of the optimum one. Moreover, this automation process can also be operated for creating a data bank of layups and corresponding mechanical properties with few preliminary configuration steps for the further case analysis. Subsequently, using e.g. machine learning to gather the optimum by the data pool directly without the simulation process.

Keywords: type IV pressure vessels, carbon composites, finite element analy-sis, automation of simulation process

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Authors: Wen Liu, Errol Haarhoff, Lee Beattie

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In 2010, New Zealand’s central government re-organise the local governments arrangements in Auckland, New Zealand by amalgamating its previous regional council and seven supporting local government units into a single unitary council, the Auckland Council. The Auckland Council is charged with providing local government services to approximately 1.5 million people (a third of New Zealand’s total population). This includes addressing Auckland’s strategic urban growth management and setting its urban planning policy directions for the next 40 years. This is expressed in the first ever spatial plan in the region – the Auckland Plan (2012). The Auckland plan supports implementing a compact city model by concentrating the larger part of future urban growth and development in, and around, existing and proposed transit centres, with the intention of Auckland to become globally competitive city and achieving ‘the most liveable city in the world’. Turning that vision into reality is operatized through the statutory land use plan, the Auckland Unitary Plan. The Unitary plan replaced the previous regional and local statutory plans when it became operative in 2016, becoming the ‘rule book’ on how to manage and develop the natural and built environment, using land use zones and zone standards. Common to the broad range of literature on urban growth management, one significant issue stands out about intensification. The ‘gap’ between strategic planning and what has been achieved is evident in the argument for the ‘compact’ urban form. Although the compact city model may have a wide range of merits, the extent to which these are actualized largely rely on how intensification actually is delivered. The transformation of the rhetoric of the residential intensification model into reality is of profound influence, yet has enjoyed limited empirical analysis. In Auckland, the establishment of the Auckland Plan set up the strategies to deliver intensification into diversified arenas. Nonetheless, planning policy itself does not necessarily achieve the envisaged objectives, delivering the planning system and high capacity to enhance and sustain plan implementation is another demanding agenda. Though the Auckland Plan provides a wide ranging strategic context, its actual delivery is beholden on the Unitary Plan. However, questions have been asked if the Unitary Plan has the necessary statutory tools to deliver the Auckland Plan’s policy outcomes. In Auckland, there is likely to be continuing tension between the strategies for intensification and their envisaged objectives, and made it doubtful whether the main principles of the intensification strategies could be realized. This raises questions over whether the Auckland Plan’s policy goals can be achieved in practice, including delivering ‘quality compact city’ and residential intensification. Taking Auckland as an example of traditionally sprawl cities, this article intends to investigate the efficacy plan making and implementation directed towards higher density development. This article explores the process of plan development, plan making and implementation frameworks of the first ever spatial plan in Auckland, so as to explicate the objectives and processes involved, and consider whether this will facilitate decision making processes to realize the anticipated intensive urban development.

Keywords: urban intensification, sustainable development, plan making, governance and implementation

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Authors: Sandhya Manjunath

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The World Association for Sport Management (WASM) was established in 2012, and its mission is "to facilitate sport management research, teaching, and learning excellence and professional practice worldwide". As the field of sport management evolves, it have seen increasing globalization of not only the sport product but many educators have also internationalized courses and curriculums. Curricula should reflect globally recognized issues and disseminate specific intercultural knowledge, skills, and practices, but regional disparities still exist. For example, while India has some of the most ardent sports fans and events in the world, sport management education programs and the development of a proper curriculum in India are still in their nascent stages, especially in comparison to the United States and Europe. Using the extant literature on professionalization and institutional theory, this study aims to investigate the source of knowledge and professionalism of sports managers in India with limited sport management education programs and to subsequently develop a conceptual framework that addresses any gaps or disparities across regions. This study will contribute to WASM's (2022) mission statement of research practice worldwide, specifically to fill the existing disparities between regions. Additionally, this study may emphasize the value of higher education among professionals entering the workforce in the sport industry. Most importantly, this will be a pioneer study highlighting the social issue of limited sport management higher education programs in India and improving professional research practices. Sport management became a field of study in the 1980s, and scholars have studied its professionalization since this time. Dowling, Edwards, & Washington (2013) suggest that professionalization can be categorized into three broad categories of organizational, systemic, and occupational professionalization. However, scant research has integrated the concept of professionalization with institutional theory. A comprehensive review of the literature reveals that sports industry research is progressing in every country worldwide at its own pace. However, there is very little research evidence about the Indian sports industry and the country's limited higher education sport management programs. A growing need exists for sports scholars to pursue research in developing countries like India to develop theoretical frameworks and academic instruments to evaluate the current standards of qualified professionals in sport management, sport marketing, venue and facilities management, sport governance, and development-related activities. This study may postulate a model highlighting the value of higher education in sports management. Education stakeholders include governments, sports organizations and their representatives, educational institutions, and accrediting bodies. As these stakeholders work collaboratively in developed countries like the United States and Europe and developing countries like India, they simultaneously influence the professionalization (i.e., organizational, systemic, and occupational) of sport management education globally. The results of this quantitative study will investigate the current standards of education in India and the source of knowledge among industry professionals. Sports industry professionals will be randomly selected to complete the COSM survey on PsychData and rate their perceived knowledge and professionalism on a Likert scale. Additionally, they will answer questions involving their competencies, experience, or challenges in contributing to Indian sports management research. Multivariate regression will be used to measure the degree to which the various independent variables impact the current knowledge, contribution to research, and professionalism of India's sports industry professionals. This quantitative study will contribute to the limited academic literature available to Indian sports practitioners. Additionally, it shall synthesize knowledge from previous work on professionalism and institutional knowledge, providing a springboard for new research that will fill the existing knowledge gaps. While a further empirical investigation is warranted, our conceptualization contributes to and highlights India's burgeoning sport management industry.

Keywords: sport management, professionalism, source of knowledge, higher education, India

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Authors: Natalie Hoyer

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Usually, steel structures are designed for the upper region of the steel toughness-temperature curve. To address the reduced toughness properties in the temperature transition range, additional safety assessments based on fracture mechanics are necessary. These assessments enable the appropriate selection of steel materials to prevent brittle fracture. In this context, recommendations were established in 2011 to regulate the appropriate selection of steel grades for bridge bearing components. However, these recommendations are no longer fully aligned with more recent insights: Designing bridge bearings and their components in accordance with DIN EN 1337 and the relevant sections of DIN EN 1993 has led to an increasing trend of using large plate thicknesses, especially for long-span bridges. However, these plate thicknesses surpass the application limits specified in the national appendix of DIN EN 1993-2. Furthermore, compliance with the regulations outlined in DIN EN 1993-1-10 regarding material toughness and through-thickness properties requires some further modifications. Therefore, these standards cannot be directly applied to the material selection for bearings without additional information. In addition, recent findings indicate that certain bridge bearing components are subjected to high fatigue loads, necessitating consideration in structural design, material selection, and calculations. To address this issue, the German Center for Rail Traffic Research initiated a research project aimed at developing a proposal to enhance the existing standards. This proposal seeks to establish guidelines for the selection of steel materials for bridge bearings to prevent brittle fracture, particularly for thick plates and components exposed to specific fatigue loads. The results derived from theoretical analyses, including finite element simulations and analytical calculations, are verified through component testing on a large-scale. During these large-scale tests, where a brittle failure is deliberately induced in a bearing component, an artificially generated defect is introduced into the specimen at the predetermined hotspot. Subsequently, a dynamic load is imposed until the crack initiation process transpires, replicating realistic conditions akin to a sharp notch resembling a fatigue crack. To stop the action of the dynamic load in time, it is important to precisely determine the point at which the crack size transitions from stable crack growth to unstable crack growth. To achieve this, the potential drop measurement method is employed. The proposed paper informs about the choice of measurement method (alternating current potential drop (ACPD) or direct current potential drop (DCPD)), presents results from correlations with created FE models, and may proposes a new approach to introduce beach marks into the fracture surface within the framework of potential drop measurement.

Keywords: beach marking, bridge bearing design, brittle fracture, design for fatigue, potential drop

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Authors: Sujoy Khan

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There is a rising concern with increasing allergies affecting both adults and children in rural and urban India. Recent report on adults in a densely populated North Indian city showed sensitization rates for house dust mite, parthenium, and cockroach at 60%, 40% and 18.75% that is now comparable to allergy prevalence in cities in the United States. Data from patients residing in the eastern part of India is scarce. A retrospective study (over 2 years) was done on patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma where allergen-specific IgE levels were measured to see the aero-allergen sensitization pattern in a large metropolitan city of East India. Total IgE and allergen-specific IgE levels were measured using ImmunoCAP (Phadia 100, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Sweden) using region-specific aeroallergens: Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (d1); Dermatophagoides farinae (d2); cockroach (i206); grass pollen mix (gx2) consisted of Cynodon dactylon, Lolium perenne, Phleum pratense, Poa pratensis, Sorghum halepense, Paspalum notatum; tree pollen mix (tx3) consisted of Juniperus sabinoides, Quercus alba, Ulmus americana, Populus deltoides, Prosopis juliflora; food mix 1 (fx1) consisted of Peanut, Hazel nut, Brazil nut, Almond, Coconut; mould mix (mx1) consisted of Penicillium chrysogenum, Cladosporium herbarum, Aspergillus fumigatus, Alternaria alternate; animal dander mix (ex1) consisted of cat, dog, cow and horse dander; and weed mix (wx1) consists of Ambrosia elatior, Artemisia vulgaris, Plantago lanceolata, Chenopodium album, Salsola kali, following manufacturer’s instructions. As the IgE levels were not uniformly distributed, median values were used to represent the data. 92 patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma (united airways disease) were studied over 2 years including 21 children (age < 12 years) who had total IgE and allergen-specific IgE levels measured. The median IgE level was higher in 2016 than in 2015 with 60% of patients (adults and children) being sensitized to house dust mite (dual positivity for Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and farinae). Of 11 children in 2015, whose total IgE ranged from 16.5 to >5000 kU/L, 36% of children were polysensitized (≥4 allergens), and 55% were sensitized to dust mites. Of 10 children in 2016, total IgE levels ranged from 37.5 to 2628 kU/L, and 20% were polysensitized with 60% sensitized to dust mites. Mould sensitivity was 10% in both of the years in the children studied. A consistent finding was that ragweed sensitization (molecular homology to Parthenium hysterophorus) appeared to be increasing across all age groups, and throughout the year, as reported previously by us where 25% of patients were sensitized. In the study sample overall, sensitizations to dust mite, cockroach, and parthenium were important risks in our patients with moderate to severe asthma that reinforces the importance of controlling indoor exposure to these allergens. Sensitizations to dust mite, cockroach and parthenium allergens are important predictors of asthma morbidity not only among children but also among adults in Eastern India.

Keywords: aAeroallergens, asthma, dust mite, parthenium, rhinitis

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Authors: D. K. Kumador, E. A. Muthivhi

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Historically, reforms in early childhood education in Ghana have focused narrowly on structural and pedagogical aspects with little attention paid to the broader sociocultural framework within which schooling and child development systems interact. This preliminary study investigates inclusive early childhood education within rapidly changing Ghanaian socio-cultural context, and its consequences for the development of children with learning disabilities. The study addresses an important topic, which is largely under-researched outside of Europe, North America, and Australasia. While inclusive education has been widely accepted globally at the level of policy, its implementation is uneven, as is shown in numerous studies across an array of countries and education systems. Despite this burgeoning area of research internationally, there have been far fewer studies conducted in African settings and fewer still that use cultural-historical activity theory as an investigative approach. More so, specific literature on the subject in the Ghanaian context is non-existent and, as such, coming to a deeper understanding of the sociocultural practices that shape, and possibly impede, inclusive early childhood education in an African country, Ghana, is a worthwhile research endeavour. Using cultural-historical activity theory as a methodological framework, this study employed classroom observations, and in-depth interviews and focus group discussions of preschool teachers in three kindergarten centres in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana to qualitatively explore inclusive early childhood education and the development of children with learning disabilities. The findings showed that literature from Ghana rarely discusses child informed consent as an on-going process that must be articulated throughout the research process from data collection to analysis, reporting and dissemination. Further, the study showed that the introduction and implementation of inclusive education framework – with its concomitant revisions in the curriculum, policies, and school rules, as well as enhanced community and parent involvement – into existing schooling practices, generated contradictions in inclusive teachers’ approaches to teaching and learning, and classroom management. Generally, contradictions in the understanding and acceptability of approaches to teaching and learning occur when a new way of doing things is incorporated into existing practices. These contradictions are thought to be a source of change and development. Thus, they guide teachers to unlearn outmoded practices, relearn or learn new approaches that are beneficial to the development of all children. Nonetheless, the findings of the current study showed that preschool teachers’ belief systems and perceptions of disabilities mediated the outcomes of such contradictions. Also, that was evidenced in the way they engaged children with learning disabilities compared to their typically developing counterparts, showing disregard for what was prescribed by new policies and school rules. The findings have implications for research with young children and the development outcomes of children with learning disabilities in inclusive early childhood education settings.

Keywords: CHAT, classroom management, cultural-historical activity theory, ghana, inclusive early childhood education, schooling practices, young children with learning disabilities

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Authors: Paul J. McKay

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Large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) investigating genetic contributions to sexual orientation and gender identity are largely lacking and may reduce stigma experienced in the LGBTQ+ community by providing an underlying biological explanation for queerness. While there is a growing consensus within the scientific community that genetic makeup contributes – at least in part – to sexual orientation and gender identity, there is a marked lack of genomics research exploring polygenic contributions to queerness. Based on recent (2019) findings from a large-scale GWAS investigating the genetic architecture of same-sex sexual behavior, and various additional peer-reviewed publications detailing novel insights into the molecular mechanisms of sexual orientation and gender identity, we hypothesize that sexual orientation and gender identity are complex, multifactorial, and polygenic; meaning that many genetic factors contribute to these phenomena, and environmental factors play a possible role through epigenetic modulation. In recent years, large-scale GWAS studies have been paramount to our modern understanding of many other complex human traits, such as in the case of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Despite possible benefits of such research, including reduced stigma towards queer people, improved outcomes for LGBTQ+ in familial, socio-cultural, and political contexts, and improved access to healthcare (particularly for trans populations); important risks and considerations remain surrounding this type of research. To mitigate possibilities such as invalidation of the queer identities of existing LGBTQ+ individuals, genetic discrimination, or the possibility of euthanasia of embryos with a genetic predisposition to queerness (through reproductive technologies like IVF and/or gene-editing in utero), we propose a community-engaged research (CER) framework which emphasizes the privacy and confidentiality of research participants. Importantly, the historical legacy of scientific research attempting to pathologize queerness (in particular, falsely equating gender variance to mental illness) must be acknowledged to ensure any future research conducted in this realm does not propagate notions of homophobia, transphobia or stigma against queer people. Ultimately, in a world where same-sex sexual activity is criminalized in 69 UN member states, with 67 of these states imposing imprisonment, 8 imposing public flogging, 6 (Brunei, Iran, Mauritania, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Yemen) invoking the death penalty, and another 5 (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Qatar, Somalia, United Arab Emirates) possibly invoking the death penalty, the importance of this research cannot be understated, as finding a biological basis for queerness would directly oppose the harmful rhetoric that “being LGBTQ+ is a choice.” Anti-trans legislation is similarly widespread: In the United States in 2022 alone (as of Oct. 13), 155 anti-trans bills have been introduced preventing trans girls and women from playing on female sports teams, barring trans youth from using bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity, banning access to gender affirming medical care (e.g., hormone-replacement therapy, gender-affirming surgeries), and imposing legal restrictions on name changes. Understanding that a general lack of knowledge about the biological basis of queerness may be a contributing factor to the societal stigma faced by gender and sexual orientation minorities, we propose the initiation of large-scale GWAS studies investigating the genetic basis of gender identity and sexual orientation.

Keywords: genome-wide association studies (GWAS), sexual and gender minorities (SGM), polygenicity, community-engaged research (CER)

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Authors: Al. Tsertsvadze. L. Ebralidze, I. Matchutadze. D. Berashvili, A. Bakuridze

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Peatlands are landscape elements, they are formed over a very long period by physical, chemical, biologic, and geologic processes. In the moderate zone of Caucasus, the Kolkheti lowlands are distinguished by the diversity of relictual plants, a high degree of endemism, orographic, climate, landscape, and other characteristics of high levels of biodiversity. The unique properties of the Kolkheti region lead to the formation of special, so-called, endemic peat peloids. The composition and properties of peloids strongly depend on peat-forming plants. Peat is considered a unique complex of raw materials, which can be used in different fields of the industry: agriculture, metallurgy, energy, biotechnology, chemical industry, health care. They are formed in permanent wetland areas. As a result of decay, higher plants remain in the anaerobic area, with the participation of microorganisms. Peat mass absorbs soil and groundwater. Peloids are predominantly rich with humic substances, which are characterized by high biological activity. Humic acids stimulate enzymatic activity, regenerative processes, and have anti-inflammatory activity. Objects of the research were Kolkheti peat peloids (Ispani, Anaklia, Churia, Chirukhi, Peranga) possessing different formation phases. Due to specific physical and chemical properties of research objects, the aim of the research was to develop analytical methods in order to study the chemical composition of the objects. The research was held using modern instrumental methods of analysis: Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and Infrared spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Centrifuge, dry oven, Ultraturax, pH meter, fluorescence spectrometer, Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS), Gas chromatography. Based on the research ration between organic and inorganic substances, the spectrum of micro and macro elements, also the content of minerals was determined. The content of organic nitrogen was determined using the Kjeldahl method. The total composition of amino acids was studied by a spectrophotometric method using standard solutions of glutamic and aspartic acids. Fatty acid was determined using GC (Gas chromatography). Based on the obtained results, we can conclude that the method is valid to identify fatty acids in the research objects. The content of organic substances in the research objects was held using GC-MS. Using modern instrumental methods of analysis, the chemical composition of research objects was studied. Each research object is predominantly reached with a broad spectrum of organic (fatty acids, amino acids, carbocyclic and heterocyclic compounds, organic acids and their esters, steroids) and inorganic (micro and macro elements, minerals) substances. Modified methods used in the presented research may be utilized for the evaluation of cosmetological balneological and pharmaceutical means prepared on the base of Kolkheti's Sphagnum Peat Peloids.

Keywords: modern analytical methods, natural resources, peat, chemistry

Procedia PDF Downloads 127

Authors: Nautiyal Ruchira, Nautiyal Hemant, Chaudhury Devnanda, Bhargava Surbhi, Chauhan Nidhi

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Introduction: South East Asian region contributes 2.5 million cases of malaria each year to the global burden of 300 to 500 million of which 76% is reported from India. Government of India launched a national program almost half a century ago, still malaria remains a major public health challenge. Pregnant women are more susceptible to severe malaria and its fetomaternal complications. Inadequate surveillance and under-reporting underestimates the problem. Aim: Present study aimed to analyze the clinical course and pattern of malaria during pregnancy and to study the feto-maternal outcome. Methodology: This is a prospective observational study carried out at Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences – a tertiary care center in the sub-Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, Northern India. All the pregnant women with malaria and its complications were recruited in the study during 2009 to 2014 which included referred cases from the state of western Uttar Pradesh. A thorough history and clinical examination were carried out to assess maternal and fetal condition. Relevant investigations including haemogram, platelet count, LFT, RFT, and USG was done. Blood slides and rapid diagnostic tests were done to diagnose the type of malaria.The primary outcomes measured were the type of malaria infection, maternal complications associated with malaria, outcome of pregnancy and effect on the fetus. Results: 67 antenatal cases with malaria infection were studied. 71% patients were diagnosed with plasmodium vivax infection, 25% cases were plasmodium falciparum positive and in 3% cases mixed infection was found. 38(56%) patients were primigravida and 29(43%) were multiparous. Most of the patients had already received some treatment from their local doctors and presented with severe malaria with the complications. Thrombocytopenia was the commonest manifestation seen in 35(52%) patients, jaundice in 28%, severe anemia in 18%, and severe oligohydramnios in 10% and renal failure in 6% cases. Regarding pregnancy outcome there were 44 % preterm deliveries, 22% had IUFD and abortions in 6% cases.20% of newborn were low birth weight and 6% were IUGR. There was only one maternal death which occurred due to ARDS in falciparum malaria. Although Plasmodium vivax was the main parasite considering the severity of clinical presentation, all the patients received intensive care. As most of the patients had received chloroquine therapy hence they were treated with IV artesunate followed by oral artemesinin combination therapy. Other therapies in the form of packed RBC’s and platelet transfusions, dialysis and ventilator support were provided when required. Conclusion: Even in areas with annual parasite index (API) less than 2 like ours, malaria in pregnancy could be an alarming problem. Vivax malaria cannot be considered benign in pregnancy because of high incidence of morbidity. Prompt diagnosis and aggressive treatment can reduce morbidity and mortality significantly. Increased community level research, integrating ANC checkups with the distribution of insecticide-treated nets in areas of high endemicity, imparting education and awareness will strengthen the existing control strategies.

Keywords: severe malaria, pregnancy, plasmodium vivax, plasmodium falciparum

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Authors: Alaa Fezai, Anuj Sharma, Wolfgang Mueller-Hirsch, André Zimmermann

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Viscoelastic materials have been widely used in the automotive industry over the last few decades with different functionalities. Besides their main application as a simple and efficient surface damping treatment, they may ensure optimal operating conditions for on-board electronics as thermal interface or sealing layers. The dynamic behavior of viscoelastic materials is generally dependent on many environmental factors, the most important being temperature and strain rate or frequency. Prior to the reliability analysis of systems including viscoelastic layers, it is, therefore, crucial to accurately predict the dynamic and lifetime behavior of these materials. This includes the identification of the dynamic material parameters under critical temperature and frequency conditions along with a precise damage localization and identification methodology. The goal of this work is twofold. The first part aims at applying an inverse viscoelastic material-characterization approach for a wide frequency range and under different temperature conditions. For this sake, dynamic measurements are carried on a single lap joint specimen using an electrodynamic shaker and an environmental chamber. The specimen consists of aluminum beams assembled to adapter plates through a viscoelastic adhesive layer. The experimental setup is reproduced in finite element (FE) simulations, and frequency response functions (FRF) are calculated. The parameters of both the generalized Maxwell model and the fractional derivatives model are identified through an optimization algorithm minimizing the difference between the simulated and the measured FRFs. The second goal of the current work is to guarantee an on-line detection of the damage, i.e., delamination in the viscoelastic bonding of the described specimen during frequency monitored end-of-life testing. For this purpose, an inverse technique, which determines the damage location and size based on the modal frequency shift and on the change of the mode shapes, is presented. This includes a preliminary FE model-based study correlating the delamination location and size to the change in the modal parameters and a subsequent experimental validation achieved through dynamic measurements of specimen with different, pre-generated crack scenarios and comparing it to the virgin specimen. The main advantage of the inverse characterization approach presented in the first part resides in the ability of adequately identifying the material damping and stiffness behavior of soft viscoelastic materials over a wide frequency range and under critical temperature conditions. Classic forward characterization techniques such as dynamic mechanical analysis are usually linked to limitations under critical temperature and frequency conditions due to the material behavior of soft viscoelastic materials. Furthermore, the inverse damage detection described in the second part guarantees an accurate prediction of not only the damage size but also its location using a simple test setup and outlines; therefore, the significance of inverse numerical-experimental approaches in predicting the dynamic behavior of soft bonding layers applied in automotive electronics.

Keywords: damage detection, dynamic characterization, inverse approaches, vibration testing, viscoelastic layers

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Authors: Reggie Chandra

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Trafficaccidents and traffic signal optimization are correlated. However, 70-90% of the traffic signals across the USA are not synchronized. The reason behind that is insufficient resources to create and implement timing plans. In this work, we will discuss the use of a breakthrough Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to optimize traffic flow and collect 24/7/365 accurate traffic data using a vehicle detection system. We will discuss what are recent advances in Artificial Intelligence technology, how does AI work in vehicles, pedestrians, and bike data collection, creating timing plans, and what is the best workflow for that. Apart from that, this paper will showcase how Artificial Intelligence makes signal timing affordable. We will introduce a technology that uses Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) and deep learning algorithms to detect, collect data, develop timing plans and deploy them in the field. Convolutional Neural Networks are a class of deep learning networks inspired by the biological processes in the visual cortex. A neural net is modeled after the human brain. It consists of millions of densely connected processing nodes. It is a form of machine learning where the neural net learns to recognize vehicles through training - which is called Deep Learning. The well-trained algorithm overcomes most of the issues faced by other detection methods and provides nearly 100% traffic data accuracy. Through this continuous learning-based method, we can constantly update traffic patterns, generate an unlimited number of timing plans and thus improve vehicle flow. Convolutional Neural Networks not only outperform other detection algorithms but also, in cases such as classifying objects into fine-grained categories, outperform humans. Safety is of primary importance to traffic professionals, but they don't have the studies or data to support their decisions. Currently, one-third of transportation agencies do not collect pedestrian and bike data. We will discuss how the use of Artificial Intelligence for data collection can help reduce pedestrian fatalities and enhance the safety of all vulnerable road users. Moreover, it provides traffic engineers with tools that allow them to unleash their potential, instead of dealing with constant complaints, a snapshot of limited handpicked data, dealing with multiple systems requiring additional work for adaptation. The methodologies used and proposed in the research contain a camera model identification method based on deep Convolutional Neural Networks. The proposed application was evaluated on our data sets acquired through a variety of daily real-world road conditions and compared with the performance of the commonly used methods requiring data collection by counting, evaluating, and adapting it, and running it through well-established algorithms, and then deploying it to the field. This work explores themes such as how technologies powered by Artificial Intelligence can benefit your community and how to translate the complex and often overwhelming benefits into a language accessible to elected officials, community leaders, and the public. Exploring such topics empowers citizens with insider knowledge about the potential of better traffic technology to save lives and improve communities. The synergies that Artificial Intelligence brings to traffic signal control and data collection are unsurpassed.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, convolutional neural networks, data collection, signal control, traffic signal

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Authors: O. O. Sufyani, M. E. Oraiby, S. A. Qumaiy, A. I. Alaamri, Z. M. Eisa, A. M. Hakami, M. A. Attafi, O. M. Alhassan, W. M. Elsideeg, E. M. Noureldin, Y. A. Hobani, Y. Q. Majrabi, I. A. Khardali, A. B. Maashi, A. A. Al Mane, A. H. Hakami, I. M. Alkhyat, A. A. Sahly, I. M. Attafi

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According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Pesticides Use Database, pesticide use in agriculture in Saudi Arabia has more than doubled from 4539 tons in 2009 to 10496 tons in 2019. Among pesticides, pyrethroids is commonly used in Saudi Arabia. Pesticides may increase susceptibility to a variety of diseases, particularly among pesticide workers, due to their extensive use, indiscriminate use, and long-term exposure. Therefore, analyzing blood chemo-profiles and evaluating the detected substances as biomarkers for pyrethroid pesticide exposure may assist to identify and predicting adverse effects of exposure, which may be used for both preventative and risk assessment purposes. The purpose of this study was to (a) analyze chemo-profiling by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis, (b) identify the most commonly detected chemicals in a time-exposure-dependent manner using a Venn diagram, and (c) identify their associated disease among pesticide workers using analyzer tools on the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD) website, (250 healthy male volunteers (20-60 years old) who deal with pesticides in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia (exposure intervals: 1-2, 4-6, 6-8, more than 8 years) were included in the study. A questionnaire was used to collect demographic information, the duration of pesticide exposure, and the existence of chronic conditions. Blood samples were collected for biochemistry analysis and extracted by solid-phase extraction for gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Biochemistry analysis reveals no significant changes in response to the exposure period; however, an inverse association between the albumin level and the exposure interval was observed. The blood chemo-profiling was differentially expressed in an exposure time-dependent manner. This analysis identified the common chemical set associated with each group and their associated significant occupational diseases. While some of these chemicals are associated with a variety of diseases, the distinguishing feature of these chemically associated disorders is their applicability for prevention measures. The most interesting finding was the identification of several chemicals; erucic acid, pelargonic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, dibutyl phthalate, diisobutyl phthalate, dodecanol, myristic Acid, pyrene, and 8,11,14-eicosatrienoic acid, associated with pneumoconiosis, asbestosis, asthma, silicosis and berylliosis. Chemical-disease association study also found that cancer, digestive system disease, nervous system disease, and metabolic disease were the most often recognized disease categories in the common chemical set. The hierarchical clustering approach was used to compare the expression patterns and exposure intervals of the chemicals found commonly. More study is needed to validate these chemicals as early markers of pyrethroid insecticide-related occupational disease, which might assist evaluate and reducing risk. The current study contributes valuable data and recommendations to public health.

Keywords: occupational, toxicology, chemo-profiling, pesticide, pyrethroid, GC-MS

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Authors: Ashleigh Dawn Moeller

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This is a comparative case study which examines the language attitudes and behaviors of descendants of Volga German immigrants in North America and how these attitudes combined with surrounding social conditions have caused their heritage language to develop differently within each community. Of particular interest for this study are the accounts of second- and third-generation descendants in Oregon, Kansas, and North Dakota regarding their parents’ and grandparents’ attitudes toward their language and how this correlates with the current sentiment as well as visibility of their heritage language and culture. This study discusses the point at which cultural identity could diverge from language identity and what elements play a role in this development, establishing the potential for environments (linguistic landscapes) which uphold their heritage yet have detached from the language itself. Emigrating from Germany in the 1700s, these families settled for over a hundred years along the Volga Region of Imperial Russia. Subsequently, many descendants of these settlers immigrated to the Americas in the 1800-1900s. Identifying neither as German nor Russian, they called themselves Wolgadeutche (Volga Germans). During their time in Russia, the German language was maintained relatively homogenously, yet the use and status of their heritage language diverged considerably upon settlement across the Americas. Data shows that specific conditions, such as community isolation, size, religion, location as well as language policy established prior to and following the Volga German immigration to North America have had a substantial impact on the maintenance of their heritage language—causing complete loss in some areas and peripheral use or even full rebirth in others. These past conditions combined with the family accounts correlate directly with the general attitudes and ideologies of the descendants toward their heritage language. Data also shows that in many locations, despite a strong presence of German within the linguistic landscape, minimal to no German is spoken nor understood; the attitude toward the language is indifferent while a staunch holding to the heritage is maintained and boasted. Data for this study was gathered from historical accounts, archived records and newspapers, and published biographies as well as from formal interviews with second- and third-generation descendants of Volga German immigrants conducted in Oregon and Kansas. Through the interviews, members of the community have shared and provided their family genealogies as well as biographies published by family members. These have helped to trace their relatives back to specific locations, thus allowing for comparisons within the same families residing in distinctly different areas of North America. This study is part of a larger ongoing project which researches the immigration of Volga and Black Sea Germans to North America and diachronically examines the over-arching sociological factors which have directly impacted the maintenance, loss, or rebirth of their heritage language. This project follows specific families who settled in areas of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Illinois, Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, and who later had relatives move west to areas of Oregon and Washington State. Interviews for the larger project will continue into the following year.

Keywords: heritage language, immigrant language, language change, language contact, linguistic landscape, Volga Germans, Wolgadeutsche

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Authors: Emma Pope, Demos Parapanos

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Rural tourism has become more obvious and prevalent, with tourists’ increasingly seeking authentic experiences. This movement accelerated post-Covid, putting destinations in danger of reaching levels of saturation called ‘overtourism’. Whereas the phenomenon of overtourism has been frequently discussed in the urban context by academics and practitioners over recent years, it has hardly been referred to in the context of rural tourism, where perhaps it is even more difficult to manage. Rural tourism was historically considered small-scale, marked by its traditional character and by having little impact on nature and rural society. The increasing number of rural areas experiencing overtourism, however, demonstrates the need for new approaches, especially as the impacts and enablers of overtourism are context specific. Cumbria, with approximately 47 million visitors each year, and 23,000 operational enterprises, is one of these rural areas experiencing overtourism in the UK. Using the county of Cumbria as an example, this paper aims to explore better planning and management in rural destinations by clustering the area into rural and ‘urban-rural’ tourism zones. To achieve the aim, this study uses secondary data from a variety of sources to identify variables relating to visitor economy development and demand. These data include census data relating to population and employment, tourism industry-specific data including tourism revenue, visitor activities, and accommodation stock, and big data sources such as Trip Advisor and All Trails. The combination of these data sources provides a breadth of tourism-related variables. The subsequent analysis of this data draws upon various validated models. For example, tourism and hospitality employment density, territorial tourism pressure, and accommodation density. In addition to these statistical calculations, other data are utilized to further understand the context of these zones, for example, tourist services, attractions, and activities. The data was imported into ARCGIS where the density of the different variables is visualized on maps. This study aims to provide an understanding of the geographical context of visitor economy development and tourist behavior in rural areas. The findings contribute to an understanding of the spatial dynamics of tourism within the region of Cumbria through the creation of thematized maps. Different zones of tourism industry clusters are identified, which include elements relating to attractions, enterprises, infrastructure, tourism employment and economic impact. These maps visualize hot and cold spots relating to a variety of tourism contexts. It is believed that the strategy used to provide a visual overview of tourism development and demand in Cumbria could provide a strategic tool for rural areas to better plan marketing opportunities and avoid overtourism. These findings can inform future sustainability policy and destination management strategies within the areas through an understanding of the processes behind the emergence of both hot and cold spots. It may mean that attract and disperse needs to be reviewed in terms of a strategic option. In other words, to use sector or zonal policies for the individual hot or cold areas with transitional zones dependent upon local economic, social and environmental factors.

Keywords: overtourism, rural tourism, sustainable tourism, tourism planning, tourism zones

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Authors: Michael Brave, Mark Kroll, Steven Karch, Charles Wetli, Michael Graham, Sebastian Kunz, Dorin Panescu

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Background: Conducted electrical weapons (CEW) are now used in 107 countries and are a common law enforcement less-lethal force practice in the United Kingdom (UK), United States of America (USA), Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and others. Use of these devices is rarely temporally associated with the occurrence of sudden arrest-related deaths (ARD). Because such deaths are uncommon, few Medical Examiners (MEs) ever encounter one, and even fewer offices have established comprehensive investigative protocols. Without sufficient scientific data, the role, if any, played by a CEW in a given case is largely supplanted by conjecture often defaulting to a CEW-induced fatal cardiac arrhythmia. In addition to the difficulty in investigating individual deaths, the lack of information also detrimentally affects being able to define and evaluate the ARD cohort generally. More comprehensive, better information leads to better interpretation in individual cases and also to better research. The purpose of this presentation is to provide MEs with a comprehensive evidence-based checklist to assist in the assessment of CEW-ARD cases. Methods: PUBMED and Sociology/Criminology data bases were queried to find all medical, scientific, electrical, modeling, engineering, and sociology/criminology peer-reviewed literature for mentions of CEW or synonymous terms. Each paper was then individually reviewed to identify those that discussed possible bioelectrical mechanisms relating CEW to ARD. A Naranjo-type pharmacovigilance algorithm was also employed, when relevant, to identify and quantify possible direct CEW electrical myocardial stimulation. Additionally, CEW operational manuals and training materials were reviewed to allow incorporation of CEW-specific technical parameters. Results: Total relevant PUBMED citations of CEWs were less than 250, and reports of death extremely rare. Much relevant information was available from Sociology/Criminology data bases. Once the relevant published papers were identified, and reviewed, we compiled an annotated checklist of data that we consider critical to a thorough CEW-involved ARD investigation. Conclusion: We have developed an evidenced-based checklist that can be used by MEs and their staffs to assist them in identifying, collecting, documenting, maintaining, and objectively analyzing the role, if any, played by a CEW in any specific case of sudden death temporally associated with the use of a CEW. Even in cases where the collected information is deemed by the ME as insufficient for formulating an opinion or diagnosis to a reasonable degree of medical certainty, information collected as per the checklist will often be adequate for other stakeholders to use as a basis for informed decisions. Having reviewed the appropriate materials in a significant number of cases careful examination of the heart and brain is likely adequate. Channelopathy testing should be considered in some cases, however it may be considered cost prohibitive (aprox $3000). Law enforcement agencies may want to consider establishing a reserve fund to help manage such rare cases. The expense may stay the enormous costs associated with incident-precipitated litigation.

Keywords: ARD, CEW, police, TASER

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Authors: B. S. Premalatha, Mereen Rose Babu, Vaishali Prabhu

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Background: Dysphagia must be assessed, either subjectively or objectively, in order to properly address the swallowing difficulty. Providing therapeutic care to patients with dysphagia via tele mode was one approach for providing clinical services during the COVID-19 epidemic. As a result, the teleassessment of dysphagia has increased in India. Aim: This study aimed to identify challenges faced by Indian SLPs while providing teleassessment to individuals with dysphagia during the outbreak of COVID-19 from 2020 to 2021. Method: After receiving approval from the institute's institutional review board and ethics committee, the current study was carried out. The study was cross-sectional in nature and lasted from 2020 to 2021. The study enrolled participants who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the study. It was decided to recruit roughly 246 people based on the sample size calculations. The research was done in three stages: questionnaire development and content validation, questionnaire administration. Five speech and hearing professionals' content verified the questionnaire for faults and clarity. Participants received questionnaires via various social media platforms such as e-mail and WhatsApp, which were written in Microsoft Word and then converted to Google Forms. SPSS software was used to examine the data. Results: In light of the obstacles that Indian SLPs encounter, the study's findings were examined. Only 135 people responded. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, 38% of participants said they did not deal with dysphagia patients. After the lockout, 70.4% of SLPs kept working with dysphagia patients, while 29.6% did not. From the beginning of the oromotor examination, the main problems in completing tele evaluation of dysphagia have been highlighted. Around 37.5% of SLPs said they don't undertake the OPME online because of difficulties doing the evaluation, such as the need for repeated instructions from patients and family members and trouble visualizing structures in various positions. The majority of SLPs' online assessments were inefficient and time-consuming. A bigger percentage of SLPs stated that they will not advocate tele evaluation in dysphagia to their colleagues. SLPs' use of dysphagia assessment has decreased as a result of the epidemic. When it came to the amount of food, the majority of people proposed a small amount. Apart from placing the patient for assessment and gaining less cooperation from the family, most SLPs found that Internet speed was a source of concern and a barrier. Hearing impairment and the presence of a tracheostomy in patients with dysphagia proved to be the most difficult conditions to treat online. For patients with NPO, the majority of SLPs did not advise tele-evaluation. In the anterior region of the oral cavity, oral meal residue was more visible. The majority of SLPs reported more anterior than posterior leakage. Even while the majority of SLPs could detect aspiration by coughing, many found it difficult to discern the gurgling tone of speech after swallowing. Conclusion: The current study sheds light on the difficulties that Indian SLPs experience when assessing dysphagia via tele mode, indicating that tele-assessment of dysphagia is still to gain importance in India.

Keywords: dysphagia, teleassessment, challenges, Indian SLP

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Authors: Olagunju John Olusesan-Remi

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The study area Ijero-Ekiti falls within the Ilesha-Ekiti Schist belt, originating from the long year of the Pan-Africa orogenic events and various cataclysmic tectonic activities in history. Ijero-Ekiti is situated within latitude 7 degree 45N and 7 Degree 55N. Ijero Ekiti is bordered between the Dahomean Basin and the southern Bida/Benue basin on the Geological map of Nigeria. This research work centers on majorly on investigating the chemical composition and as well as the mineralogical distribution of the various mineral-bearing rocks that composed the study area. This work is essentially carried out with a view to assessing and at the same time ascertaining the economic potentials and or the industrial significance of the area to Ekiti-south western region and the Nigeria nation as a whole. The mineralogical distribution pattern is of particular interest to us in this study. In this regard essential focus is put on the mostly the economic gemstones distributions within the various mineral bearing rocks in the zone, some of which includes the tourmaline formation, cassiterite deposit, tin-ore, tantalum columbite, smoky quartz, amethyst, polychrome and emerald variety beryl among others as they occurred within the older granite of the Precambrian rocks. To this end, samples of the major rock types were taken from various locations within the study area for detail scientific analysis as follows: The Igemo pegmatite of Ijero west, the epidiorite of Idaho, the biotitic hornblende gneiss of Ikoro-Ijero north and the beryl crystalline rock types to mention a few. The slides of the each rock from the aforementioned zones were later prepared and viewed under a cross Nichol petro graphic microscope with a particular focus on the light reflection ability of the constituent minerals in each rock samples. The results from the physical analysis viewed from the colour had it that the pegmatite samples ranges from pure milky white to fairly pinkish coloration. Other physical properties investigated include the streak, luster, form, specific gravity, cleavage/fracture pattern etc. The optical examination carried out centers on the refractive indices and pleochroism of the minerals present while the chemical analysis reveals from the tourmaline samples a differing correlation coefficient of the various oxides in each samples collected through which the mineral presence was established. In conclusion, it was inferred that the various minerals outlined above were in reasonable quantity within the Ijero area. With the above discoveries, therefore, we strongly recommend a detailed scientific investigation to be carried out such that will lead to a comprehensive mining of the area. Above all, it is our conclusion that a comprehensive mineralogical exploitation of this area will not only boost the socio-economic potential of the area but at the same time will go a long way contributing immensely to the socio-economic growth and development of the Nation-Nigeria at large.

Keywords: Ijero Ekiti, Southwestern Nigeria, economic minerals, pegmatite of the pan African origin, cataclastic tectonic activities, Ilesha Schistbelt, precambrian formations

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Authors: Pierobon Enrico, Missiaggia Marta, Castelluzzo Michele, Tommasino Francesco, Ricci Leonardo, Scifoni Emanuele, Vincezo Monaco, Boscardin Maurizio, La Tessa Chiara

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Clinical outcomes collected over the past three decades have suggested that ion therapy has the potential to be a treatment modality superior to conventional radiation for several types of cancer, including recurrences, as well as for other diseases. Although the results have been encouraging, numerous treatment uncertainties remain a major obstacle to the full exploitation of particle radiotherapy. To overcome therapy uncertainties optimizing treatment outcome, the best possible radiation quality description is of paramount importance linking radiation physical dose to biological effects. Microdosimetry was developed as a tool to improve the description of radiation quality. By recording the energy deposition at the micrometric scale (the typical size of a cell nucleus), this approach takes into account the non-deterministic nature of atomic and nuclear processes and creates a direct link between the dose deposited by radiation and the biological effect induced. Microdosimeters measure the spectrum of lineal energy y, defined as the energy deposition in the detector divided by most probable track length travelled by radiation. The latter is provided by the so-called “Mean Chord Length” (MCL) approximation, and it is related to the detector geometry. To improve the characterization of the radiation field quality, we define a new quantity replacing the MCL with the actual particle track length inside the microdosimeter. In order to measure this new quantity, we propose a two-stage detector consisting of a commercial Tissue Equivalent Proportional Counter (TEPC) and 4 layers of Low Gain Avalanche Detectors (LGADs) strips. The TEPC detector records the energy deposition in a region equivalent to 2 um of tissue, while the LGADs are very suitable for particle tracking because of the thickness thinnable down to tens of micrometers and fast response to ionizing radiation. The concept of HDM has been investigated and validated with Monte Carlo simulations. Currently, a dedicated readout is under development. This two stages detector will require two different systems to join complementary information for each event: energy deposition in the TEPC and respective track length recorded by LGADs tracker. This challenge is being addressed by implementing SoC (System on Chip) technology, relying on Field Programmable Gated Arrays (FPGAs) based on the Zynq architecture. TEPC readout consists of three different signal amplification legs and is carried out thanks to 3 ADCs mounted on a FPGA board. LGADs activated strip signal is processed thanks to dedicated chips, and finally, the activated strip is stored relying again on FPGA-based solutions. In this work, we will provide a detailed description of HDM geometry and the SoC solutions that we are implementing for the readout.

Keywords: particle tracking, ion therapy, low gain avalanche diode, tissue equivalent proportional counter, microdosimetry

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