Search results for: computerized dynamic assessment
8388 Pre-Service Science Teachers’ Attitudes about Teaching Science Courses at the Faculty of Education, Lebanese University: An Exploratory Case Study
Authors: Suzanne El Takach
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The research study explored pre-service teachers’ attitudes towards 6 courses taught in 3rd till 6th semesters at the Faculty of Education, Lebanese University, during the academic year 2015-2016. They assessed science teaching courses that are essential for teacher preparation for Science at the primary and elementary level. These courses were: Action Research I and II in Teaching Science, New trends in Teaching Science, Teaching Science I and II for the elementary level and Teaching Science for Early Childhood Education. Qualitative and Quantitative Data were gathered from a) a survey questionnaire consisting of 23 closed-ended items; some were of Likert scale type, that aimed at collecting students’ opinions on courses, in terms of teaching, assessment and class interaction (N=102 respondents) and b) a second questionnaire of 10 questions was disseminated on a sample of 39 students in their last semester in science and Mathematics, in order to know more about students’ skills gained, suggestions for new courses and improvement. Students were satisfied with science teaching courses and they have admitted that they gained a good pedagogical content knowledge, such as, lesson planning, students’ misconceptions, and use of various teaching and assessment strategies.Keywords: assessment in higher education, LMD program, pre-service teachers’ attitudes, pre-PCK skills
Procedia PDF Downloads 1488387 A Terahertz Sensor and Dynamic Switch Based on a Bilayer Toroidal Metamaterial
Authors: Angana Bhattacharya, Rakesh Sarkar, Gagan Kumar
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Toroidal resonances, a new class of electromagnetic excitations, demonstrate exceptional properties as compared to electric and magnetic dipolar resonances. The advantage of narrow linewidth in toroidal resonance is utilized in this proposed work, where a bilayer metamaterial (MM) sensor has been designed in the terahertz frequency regime (THz). A toroidal MM geometry in a single layer is first studied. A second identical MM geometry placed on top of the first layer results in the coupling of toroidal excitations, leading to an increase in the quality factor (Q) of the resonance. The sensing capability of the resonance is studied. Further, the dynamic switching from an 'off' stage to an 'on' stage in the bilayer configuration is explored. The ardent study of such toroidal bilayer MMs could provide significant potential in the development of bio-molecular and chemical sensors, switches, and modulators.Keywords: toroidal resonance, bilayer, metamaterial, terahertz, sensing, switching
Procedia PDF Downloads 1498386 Construct the Fur Input Mixed Model with Activity-Based Benefit Assessment Approach of Leather Industry
Authors: M. F. Wu, F. T. Cheng
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Leather industry is the most important traditional industry to provide the leather products in the world for thousand years. The fierce global competitive environment and common awareness of global carbon reduction make livestock supply quantities falling, salt and wet blue leather material reduces and the price skyrockets significantly. Exchange rate fluctuation led sales revenue decreasing which due to the differences of export exchanges and compresses the overall profitability of leather industry. This paper applies activity-based benefit assessment approach to build up fitness fur input mixed model, fur is Wet Blue, which concerned with four key factors: the output rate of wet blue, unit cost of wet blue, yield rate and grade level of Wet Blue to achieve the low cost strategy under given unit price of leather product condition of the company. The research findings indicate that applying this model may improve the input cost structure, decrease numbers of leather product inventories and to raise the competitive advantages of the enterprise in the future.Keywords: activity-based benefit assessment approach, input mixed, output rate, wet blue
Procedia PDF Downloads 3758385 Joint Space Hybrid Force/Position Control of 6-DoF Robot Manipulator Using Neural Network
Authors: Habtemariam Alemu
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It has been known that the performance of position and force control is highly affected by both robot dynamic and environment stiffness uncertainties. In this paper, joint space hybrid force and position control strategy with self-selecting matrix using artificial neural network compensator is proposed. The objective of the work is to improve controller robustness by applying a neural network technique in order to compensate the effect of uncertainties in the robot model. Simulation results for a 6 degree of freedom (6-DoF) manipulator and different types of environments showed the effectiveness of the suggested approach. 6-DoF Puma 560 family robot manipulator is chosen as industrial robot and its efficient dynamic model is designed using Matlab/SimMechanics library.Keywords: robot manipulator, force/position control, artificial neural network, Matlab/Simulink
Procedia PDF Downloads 5178384 The Role Of Data Gathering In NGOs
Authors: Hussaini Garba Mohammed
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Background/Significance: The lack of data gathering is affecting NGOs world-wide in general to have good data information about educational and health related issues among communities in any country and around the world. For example, HIV/AIDS smoking (Tuberculosis diseases) and COVID-19 virus carriers is becoming a serious public health problem, especially among old men and women. But there is no full details data survey assessment from communities, villages, and rural area in some countries to show the percentage of victims and patients, especial with this world COVID-19 virus among the people. These data are essential to inform programming targets, strategies, and priorities in getting good information about data gathering in any society.Keywords: reliable information, data assessment, data mining, data communication
Procedia PDF Downloads 1798383 Clustering of Panels and Shade Diffusion Techniques for Partially Shaded PV Array-Review
Authors: Shahida Khatoon, Mohd. Faisal Jalil, Vaishali Gautam
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The Photovoltaic (PV) generated power is mainly dependent on environmental factors. The PV array’s lifetime and overall systems effectiveness reduce due to the partial shading condition. Clustering the electrical connections between solar modules is a viable strategy for minimizing these power losses by shade diffusion. This article comprehensively evaluates various PV array clustering/reconfiguration models for PV systems. These are static and dynamic reconfiguration techniques for extracting maximum power in mismatch conditions. This paper explores and analyzes current breakthroughs in solar PV performance improvement strategies that merit further investigation. Altogether, researchers and academicians working in the field of dedicated solar power generation will benefit from this research.Keywords: static reconfiguration, dynamic reconfiguration, photo voltaic array, partial shading, CTC configuration
Procedia PDF Downloads 1168382 Installing Photovoltaic Panels to Generate Optimal Energy in SPAV Hostel, Vijayawada
Authors: J. Jayasuriya
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In this research paper, a procedure for installing and assessment of a solar PV plant to generate optimal solar energy SPAV hostel at Vijayawada city was analyzed. The hostel was experiencing power disruption and had a need for an unceasing energy source. The solar panel is one of the best solutions to obtain uninterrupted clean renewable energy for an institutional building as it neither makes din nor pollutes the atmosphere. The electricity usage per month was initially measured to discriminate the energy change. The solar array was installed with its financial and environmental assessment considering recent market prices. All the aspects related to a solar PV plant were considered for the feasibility and efficiency of PV plant near this site i.e., the orientation of the site, the size and shape of the terrace, the sun path were considered while installing panels. Various precautions were taken to intercept the factors which cause interference in energy generation, with respect to temperature, overshadowing, the wiring of panels, pollution etc. The solar panels were frequently installed, monitored and maintained properly to procure optimal energy output. Result obtained with the assessment of the proposed plant and deflation in the electric bill will show the maximal energy that can be generated in a month on that particular site.Keywords: solar efficiency, building sustainability, PV panel, solar energy
Procedia PDF Downloads 1368381 Psychological Assessment of Living Kidney Donors: A Systematic Review
Authors: Valentina Colonnello, Paolo Maria Russo
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Living kidney donation requires psychological evaluation and ongoing follow-up. A crucial aspect of this evaluation is assessing the social functioning of donors after donation. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we conducted a review of quantitative and qualitative studies on the psychological assessment of living kidney donors' social functioning. The majority of quantitative studies examining the long-term social health post-donation have primarily utilized the Short Form Health Survey (SF) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQoL-BREF) questionnaires. These studies have indicated that donors' social functioning and relationships either remained stable post-donation or returned to pre-donation levels. In some instances, donors' social functioning even surpassed that of the general population. Qualitative studies, conducted through interviews and focus groups, have revealed donors' experiences and emotional concerns that are often overlooked in quantitative analyses. Specifically, qualitative analysis has identified two main themes: "connecting to others" and "acknowledgment and social support." Our review highlights that the majority of published quantitative studies on donors have employed measures of social functioning that may not fully capture donors' experiences and needs. It underscores the importance of further investigation in quantitative studies to assess donors' actual social health and psychological needs accurately. Overall, this review provides valuable insights into specific constructs that warrant deeper exploration in quantitative studies concerning the assessment of donors' social health and psychological well-being.Keywords: reported outcomes, personalized medicine, individual differences, emotions, psychological assessment
Procedia PDF Downloads 688380 The Nonlinear Dynamic Response of a Rotor System Supported by Hydrodynamic Journal Bearings
Authors: Amira Amamou, Mnaouar Chouchane
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This paper investigates the bifurcation and nonlinear behavior of two degrees of freedom model of a symmetrical balanced rigid rotor supported by two identical journal bearings. The fluid film hydrodynamic reactions are modeled by applying both the short and the long bearing approximation and using half Sommerfeld solution. A numerical integration of equations of the journal centre motion is presented to predict the presence and the size of stable or unstable limit cycles in the neighborhood of the stability critical speed. For their stability margins, a continuation method based on the predictor-corrector mechanism is used. The numerical results of responses show that stability and bifurcation behaviors of periodic motions depend strongly on bearing parameters and its dynamic characteristics.Keywords: hydrodynamic journal bearing, nonlinear stability, continuation method, bifurcations
Procedia PDF Downloads 4098379 Supply Chain Technology Adoption in Textile and Apparel Industry
Authors: Zulkifli Mohamed Udin, Lee Khai-Loon, Mohamad Ghozali Hassan
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In today’s dynamic business environment, the competition is no longer between firms, but between supply chains to gain competitive advantages. The global manufacturing sector, especially the textile and apparel industry are essentially known for its supply chain dependency. The delicate nature of its business leads to emphasis on the smooth movement of upstream and downstream supply chain. The nature of this industry, however, result in huge dynamic flow of physical, information, and financial. The dynamic management of these flows requires adoption of supply chain technologies. Even though technology is widely implemented and studied in many industries by researchers, adoption of supply chain technologies in Malaysian textile and apparel industry is limited. There is relatively a handful academic study conducted on recent developments in Malaysian textile and apparel industry and supply chain technology adoption indicate a major gap in supply chain performance studies. Considering the importance given to Third Industrial Master Plan by the government Malaysia, it is necessary to understand the power of supply chain technology adoptions. This study aims to investigate supply chain technology adoption by textile and apparel companies in Malaysia. The result highlighted the benefits perceived by textile and apparel companies from supply chain technologies. The indifference of small and medium enterprises to operation management acts as a major inhibitor to the adoption of supply chain technologies, since they have resource limitations. This study could be used as a precursor for further detailed studies on this issue.Keywords: supply chain technology adoption, supply chain performance, textile, apparel industry
Procedia PDF Downloads 4928378 Levels of Selected Heavy Metals in Varieties of Vegetable oils Consumed in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Health Risk Assessment of Local Population
Authors: Muhammad Waqar Ashraf
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Selected heavy metals, namely Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cd, Pb, and As, in seven popular varieties of edible vegetable oils collected from Saudi Arabia, were determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF-AAS) using microwave digestion. The accuracy of procedure was confirmed by certified reference materials (NIST 1577b). The concentrations for copper, zinc, iron, manganese, lead and arsenic were observed in the range of 0.035 - 0.286, 0.955 - 3.10, 17.3 - 57.8, 0.178 - 0.586, 0.011 - 0.017 and 0.011 - 0.018 µg/g, respectively. Cadmium was found to be in the range of 2.36 - 6.34 ng/g. The results are compared internationally and with standards laid down by world health agencies. A risk assessment study has been carried out to assess exposure to these metals via consumption of vegetable oils. A comparison has been made with safety intake levels for these heavy metals recommended by Institute of Medicine of the National Academies (IOM), US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). The results indicated that the dietary intakes of the selected heavy metals from daily consumption of 25 g of edible vegetable oils for a 70 kg individual should pose no significant health risk to local population.Keywords: vegetable oils, heavy metals, contamination, health risk assessment
Procedia PDF Downloads 4528377 Assessment of Air Pollutant Dispersion and Soil Contamination: The Critical Role of MATLAB Modeling in Evaluating Emissions from the Covanta Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Facility
Authors: Jadon Matthiasa, Cindy Donga, Ali Al Jibouria, Hsin Kuo
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The environmental impact of emissions from the Covanta Waste-to-Energy facility in Burnaby, BC, was comprehensively evaluated, focusing on the dispersion of air pollutants and the subsequent assessment of heavy metal contamination in surrounding soils. A Gaussian Plume Model, implemented in MATLAB, was utilized to simulate the dispersion of key pollutants to understand their atmospheric behaviour and potential deposition patterns. The MATLAB code developed for this study enhanced the accuracy of pollutant concentration predictions and provided capabilities for visualizing pollutant dispersion in 3D plots. Furthermore, the code could predict the maximum concentration of pollutants at ground level, eliminating the need to use the Ranchoux model for predictions. Complementing the modelling approach, empirical soil sampling and analysis were conducted to evaluate heavy metal concentrations in the vicinity of the facility. This integrated methodology underscored the importance of computational modelling in air pollution assessment and highlighted the necessity of soil analysis to obtain a holistic understanding of environmental impacts. The findings emphasized the effectiveness of current emissions controls while advocating for ongoing monitoring to safeguard public health and environmental integrity.Keywords: air emissions, Gaussian Plume Model, MATLAB, soil contamination, air pollution monitoring, waste-to-energy, pollutant dispersion visualization, heavy metal analysis, environmental impact assessment, emission control effectiveness
Procedia PDF Downloads 168376 Use of Statistical Correlations for the Estimation of Shear Wave Velocity from Standard Penetration Test-N-Values: Case Study of Algiers Area
Authors: Soumia Merat, Lynda Djerbal, Ramdane Bahar, Mohammed Amin Benbouras
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Along with shear wave, many soil parameters are associated with the standard penetration test (SPT) as a dynamic in situ experiment. Both SPT-N data and geophysical data do not often exist in the same area. Statistical analysis of correlation between these parameters is an alternate method to estimate Vₛ conveniently and without additional investigations or data acquisition. Shear wave velocity is a basic engineering tool required to define dynamic properties of soils. In many instances, engineers opt for empirical correlations between shear wave velocity (Vₛ) and reliable static field test data like standard penetration test (SPT) N value, CPT (Cone Penetration Test) values, etc., to estimate shear wave velocity or dynamic soil parameters. The relation between Vs and SPT- N values of Algiers area is predicted using the collected data, and it is also compared with the previously suggested formulas of Vₛ determination by measuring Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of each model. Algiers area is situated in high seismic zone (Zone III [RPA 2003: réglement parasismique algerien]), therefore the study is important for this region. The principal aim of this paper is to compare the field measurements of Down-hole test and the empirical models to show which one of these proposed formulas are applicable to predict and deduce shear wave velocity values.Keywords: empirical models, RMSE, shear wave velocity, standard penetration test
Procedia PDF Downloads 3388375 Implementing Simulation-Based Education as a Transformative Learning Strategy in Nursing and Midwifery Curricula in Resource-Constrained Countries: The Case of Malawi
Authors: Patrick Mapulanga, Chisomo Petros Ganya
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Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the integration of Simulation-Based Education (SBE) into nursing and midwifery curricula in resource-constrained countries using Malawi as a case study. The purpose of this study is to assess the extent to which SBE is mentioned in curricula and explore the associated content, assessment criteria, and guidelines. Methodology: The research methodology involved a desk study of nursing and midwifery curricula in Malawi. A comprehensive review was conducted to identify references to SBE by examining documents such as official curriculum guides, syllabi, and educational policies. The focus is on understanding the prevalence of SBE without delving into the specific content or assessment details. Findings: The findings revealed that SBE is indeed mentioned in the nursing and midwifery curricula in Malawi; however, there is a notable absence of detailed content and assessment criteria. While acknowledgement of SBE is a positive step, the lack of specific guidelines poses a challenge to its effective implementation and assessment within the educational framework. Conclusion: The study concludes that although the recognition of SBE in Malawian nursing and midwifery curricula signifies a potential openness to innovative learning strategies, the absence of detailed content and assessment criteria raises concerns about the practical application of SBE. Addressing this gap is crucial for harnessing the full transformative potential of SBE in resource-constrained environments. Areas for Further Research: Future research endeavours should focus on a more in-depth exploration of the content and assessment criteria related to SBE in nursing and midwifery curricula. Investigating faculty perspectives and students’ experiences with SBE could provide valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities associated with its implementation. Study Limitations and Implications: The study's limitations include reliance on desk-based analysis, which limits the depth of understanding regarding SBE implementation. Despite this constraint, the implications of the findings underscore the need for curriculum developers, educators, and policymakers to collaboratively address the gaps in SBE integration and ensure a comprehensive and effective learning experience for nursing and midwifery students in resource-constrained countries.Keywords: simulation based education, transformative learning, nursing and midwifery, curricula, Malawi
Procedia PDF Downloads 688374 Theoretical, Numerical and Experimental Assessment of Elastomeric Bearing Stability
Authors: Manuel A. Guzman, Davide Forcellini, Ricardo Moreno, Diego H. Giraldo
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Elastomeric bearings (EB) are used in many applications, such as base isolation of bridges, seismic protection and vibration control of other structures and machinery. Their versatility is due to their particular behavior since they have different stiffness in the vertical and horizontal directions, allowing to sustain vertical loads and at the same time horizontal displacements. Therefore, vertical, horizontal and bending stiffnesses are important parameters to take into account in the design of EB. In order to acquire a proper design methodology of EB all three, theoretical, finite element analysis and experimental, approaches should be taken into account to assess stability due to different loading states, predict their behavior and consequently their effects on the dynamic response of structures, and understand complex behavior and properties of rubber-like materials respectively. In particular, the recent large-displacement theory on the stability of EB formulated by Forcellini and Kelly is validated with both numerical simulations using the finite element method, and experimental results set at the University of Antioquia in Medellin, Colombia. In this regard, this study reproduces the behavior of EB under compression loads and investigates the stability behavior with the three mentioned points of view.Keywords: elastomeric bearings, experimental tests, numerical simulations, stability, large-displacement theory
Procedia PDF Downloads 4598373 Review of Urban Vitality in China: Exploring the Theoretical Framework, Characteristics, and Assessment Systems
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As China's urban construction enters a new phase of 'stock optimization,' the key point of urban development has shifted to the development and reuse of existing public space. However, cities still face a series of challenges, such as the shortage of space quantity and insufficient space quality, which indirectly affect urban vitality. A review of the vitality of urban public space will significantly contribute to optimizing the quality of the urban built environment. It firstly analyses the research hotspots of urban vitality at home and abroad, based on a semi-systematic literature review. Then this paper summarizes the theoretical definitions of the vitality of urban public space and sorts out the influencing factors from the perspectives of society, environment, and users. Lastly, the paper concludes with the mainstream quantitative and evaluation methods, such as linear evaluation and integrated evaluation. This paper renders a multi-theoretical perspective to understand the characteristics and evaluation system of the vitality of public space, which helps to acknowledge the dynamic relationship between users, urban environment, and vitality. It also looks forward to providing optimal design strategies for constructing a vigorous public space in future cities.Keywords: public space, quantification of vitality, spatial vitality, urban vitality
Procedia PDF Downloads 1108372 ‘Koha ILS Software’ Implementation in Academic Library Management: An Experience from University Libraries of Bangladesh
Authors: Md. Golam Mostafa
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This paper describes the use of Koha open source library management software for information management in university libraries of Bangladesh. Manual record keeping is a time-consuming and tedious task, which may lead to errors frequently. To maintain the quality of services, any organization needs to manage with the help of a computerized system. The advent of information technology paved the way for library computerization. This paper has provided a short history as well as the present ongoing development of the library computerization system in Bangladesh, which has developed as a library management software Koha on the basis of research and development. Koha integrated library systems (ILS) software is very user friendly open source software. It refers to software in which the source code is freely available for others to view, amend, and adapt. Koha integrated library systems maintained by and used by libraries all over the world. In this context, this paper will analyze Koha library management software, which proves appropriate for the present necessities of library management in Bangladesh. At last, result from the study has been analyzed using different tables and graphs.Keywords: Koha Open Source Software, integrated library system, RFID facilities, university libraries, Bangladesh
Procedia PDF Downloads 1258371 The Prognostic Value of Dynamic Changes of Hematological Indices in Oropharyngeal Cancer Patients Treated with Radiotherapy
Authors: Yao Song, Danni Cheng, Jianjun Ren
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Objectives: We aimed to explore the prognostic effects of absolute values and dynamic changes of common hematological indices on oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) patients treated with radiation. Methods and materials: The absolute values of white blood cell (WBC), absolute neutrophil count (ANC), absolute lymphocyte count (ALC), hemoglobin (Hb), platelet (Plt), albumin (Alb), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) at baseline (within 45 days before radiation), 1-, 3-, 6- and 12-months after the start of radiotherapy were retrospectively collected. Locally-estimated smoothing scatterplots were used to describe the smooth trajectory of each index. A mixed-effect model with a random slope was fitted to describe the changing rate and trend of indices over time. Cox proportional hazard analysis was conducted to assess the correlation between hematological indices and treatment outcomes. Results: Of the enrolled 85 OPSCC patients, inflammatory indices, such as WBC and ALC, dropped rapidly during acute treatment and gradually recovered, while NLR and PLR increased at first three months and subsequently declined within 3-12 months. Higher absolute value or increasing trend of nutritional indices (Alb and Hb) was associated with better prognosis (all p<0.05). In contrast, patients with higher absolute value or upward trend of inflammatory indices (WBC, ANC, Plt, PLR and NLR) had worse survival (all p<0.05). Conclusions: The absolute values and dynamic changes of hematological indices were valuable prognostic factors for OPSCC patients who underwent radiotherapy.Keywords: hematological indices, oropharyngeal cancer, radiotherapy, NLR, PLR
Procedia PDF Downloads 1838370 Modeling of Foundation-Soil Interaction Problem by Using Reduced Soil Shear Modulus
Authors: Yesim Tumsek, Erkan Celebi
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In order to simulate the infinite soil medium for soil-foundation interaction problem, the essential geotechnical parameter on which the foundation stiffness depends, is the value of soil shear modulus. This parameter directly affects the site and structural response of the considered model under earthquake ground motions. Strain-dependent shear modulus under cycling loads makes difficult to estimate the accurate value in computation of foundation stiffness for the successful dynamic soil-structure interaction analysis. The aim of this study is to discuss in detail how to use the appropriate value of soil shear modulus in the computational analyses and to evaluate the effect of the variation in shear modulus with strain on the impedance functions used in the sub-structure method for idealizing the soil-foundation interaction problem. Herein, the impedance functions compose of springs and dashpots to represent the frequency-dependent stiffness and damping characteristics at the soil-foundation interface. Earthquake-induced vibration energy is dissipated into soil by both radiation and hysteretic damping. Therefore, flexible-base system damping, as well as the variability in shear strengths, should be considered in the calculation of impedance functions for achievement a more realistic dynamic soil-foundation interaction model. In this study, it has been written a Matlab code for addressing these purposes. The case-study example chosen for the analysis is considered as a 4-story reinforced concrete building structure located in Istanbul consisting of shear walls and moment resisting frames with a total height of 12m from the basement level. The foundation system composes of two different sized strip footings on clayey soil with different plasticity (Herein, PI=13 and 16). In the first stage of this study, the shear modulus reduction factor was not considered in the MATLAB algorithm. The static stiffness, dynamic stiffness modifiers and embedment correction factors of two rigid rectangular foundations measuring 2m wide by 17m long below the moment frames and 7m wide by 17m long below the shear walls are obtained for translation and rocking vibrational modes. Afterwards, the dynamic impedance functions of those have been calculated for reduced shear modulus through the developed Matlab code. The embedment effect of the foundation is also considered in these analyses. It can easy to see from the analysis results that the strain induced in soil will depend on the extent of the earthquake demand. It is clearly observed that when the strain range increases, the dynamic stiffness of the foundation medium decreases dramatically. The overall response of the structure can be affected considerably because of the degradation in soil stiffness even for a moderate earthquake. Therefore, it is very important to arrive at the corrected dynamic shear modulus for earthquake analysis including soil-structure interaction.Keywords: clay soil, impedance functions, soil-foundation interaction, sub-structure approach, reduced shear modulus
Procedia PDF Downloads 2698369 Indicators to Assess the Quality of Health Services
Authors: Muyatdinova Aigul, Aitkaliyeva Madina
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The article deals with the evaluation of the quality of medical services on the basis of quality indicators. For this purpose allocated initially the features of the medical services market. The Features of the market directly affect on the evaluation process that takes a multi-level and multi-stakeholder nature. Unlike ordinary goods market assessment of medical services does not only market. Such an assessment is complemented by continuous internal and external evaluation, including experts and accrediting bodies. In the article highlighted the composition of indicators for a comprehensive evaluationKeywords: health care market, quality of health services, indicators of care quality
Procedia PDF Downloads 4378368 Resource Orchestration Based on Two-Sides Scheduling in Computing Network Control Sytems
Authors: Li Guo, Jianhong Wang, Dian Huang, Shengzhong Feng
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Computing networks as a new network architecture has shown great promise in boosting the utilization of different resources, such as computing, caching, and communications. To maximise the efficiency of resource orchestration in computing network control systems (CNCSs), this work proposes a dynamic orchestration strategy of a different resource based on task requirements from computing power requestors (CPRs). Specifically, computing power providers (CPPs) in CNCSs could share information with each other through communication channels on the basis of blockchain technology, especially their current idle resources. This dynamic process is modeled as a cooperative game in which CPPs have the same target of maximising long-term rewards by improving the resource utilization ratio. Meanwhile, the task requirements from CPRs, including size, deadline, and calculation, are simultaneously considered in this paper. According to task requirements, the proposed orchestration strategy could schedule the best-fitting resource in CNCSs, achieving the maximum long-term rewards of CPPs and the best quality of experience (QoE) of CRRs at the same time. Based on the EdgeCloudSim simulation platform, the efficiency of the proposed strategy is achieved from both sides of CPRs and CPPs. Besides, experimental results show that the proposed strategy outperforms the other comparisons in all cases.Keywords: computing network control systems, resource orchestration, dynamic scheduling, blockchain, cooperative game
Procedia PDF Downloads 1148367 Response of Buildings with Soil-Structure Interaction with Varying Soil Types
Authors: Shreya Thusoo, Karan Modi, Rajesh Kumar, Hitesh Madahar
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Over the years, it has been extensively established that the practice of assuming a structure being fixed at base, leads to gross errors in evaluation of its overall response due to dynamic loadings and overestimations in design. The extent of these errors depends on a number of variables; soil type being one of the major factor. This paper studies the effect of Soil Structure Interaction (SSI) on multi-storey buildings with varying under-laying soil types after proper validation of the effect of SSI. Analysis for soft, stiff and very stiff base soils has been carried out, using a powerful Finite Element Method (FEM) software package ANSYS v14.5. Results lead to some very important conclusions regarding time period, deflection and acceleration responses.Keywords: dynamic response, multi-storey building, soil-structure interaction, varying soil types
Procedia PDF Downloads 4858366 Investigating the Dynamic Plantar Pressure Distribution in Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Hilal Keklicek, Baris Cetin, Yeliz Salci, Ayla Fil, Umut Altinkaynak, Kadriye Armutlu
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Objectives and Goals: Spasticity is a common symptom characterized with a velocity dependent increase in tonic stretch reflexes (muscle tone) in patient with multiple sclerosis (MS). Hypertonic muscles affect the normal plantigrade contact by disturbing accommodation of foot to the ground while walking. It is important to know the differences between healthy and neurologic foot features for management of spasticity related deformities and/or determination of rehabilitation purposes and contents. This study was planned with the aim of investigating the dynamic plantar pressure distribution in individuals with MS and determining the differences between healthy individuals (HI). Methods: Fifty-five individuals with MS (108 foot with spasticity according to Modified Ashworth Scale) and 20 HI (40 foot) were the participants of the study. The dynamic pedobarograph was utilized for evaluation of dynamic loading parameters. Participants were informed to walk at their self-selected speed for seven times to eliminate learning effect. The parameters were divided into 2 categories including; maximum loading pressure (N/cm2) and time of maximum pressure (ms) were collected from heal medial, heal lateral, mid foot, heads of first, second, third, fourth and fifth metatarsal bones. Results: There were differences between the groups in maximum loading pressure of heal medial (p < .001), heal lateral (p < .001), midfoot (p=.041) and 5th metatarsal areas (p=.036). Also, there were differences between the groups the time of maximum pressure of all metatarsal areas, midfoot, heal medial and heal lateral (p < .001) in favor of HI. Conclusions: The study provided basic data about foot pressure distribution in individuals with MS. Results of the study primarily showed that spasticity of lower extremity muscle disrupted the posteromedial foot loading. Secondarily, according to the study result, spasticity lead to inappropriate timing during load transfer from hind foot to forefoot.Keywords: multiple sclerosis, plantar pressure distribution, gait, norm values
Procedia PDF Downloads 3218365 Performance of Constant Load Feed Machining for Robotic Drilling
Authors: Youji Miyake
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In aircraft assembly, a large number of preparatory holes are required for screw and rivet joints. Currently, many holes are drilled manually because it is difficult to machine the holes using conventional computerized numerical control(CNC) machines. The application of industrial robots to drill the hole has been considered as an alternative to the CNC machines. However, the rigidity of robot arms is so low that vibration is likely to occur during drilling. In this study, it is proposed constant-load feed machining as a method to perform high-precision drilling while minimizing the thrust force, which is considered to be the cause of vibration. In this method, the drill feed is realized by a constant load applied onto the tool so that the thrust force is theoretically kept below the applied load. The performance of the proposed method was experimentally examined through the deep hole drilling of plastic and simultaneous drilling of metal/plastic stack plates. It was confirmed that the deep hole drilling and simultaneous drilling could be performed without generating vibration by controlling the tool feed rate in the appropriate range.Keywords: constant load feed machining, robotic drilling, deep hole, simultaneous drilling
Procedia PDF Downloads 1948364 Docking and Dynamic Molecular Study of Isoniazid Derivatives as Anti-Tuberculosis Drug Candidate
Authors: Richa Mardianingrum, Srie R. N. Endah
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In this research, we have designed four isoniazid derivatives i.e., isonicotinohydrazide (1-isonicotinoyl semicarbazide, 1-thiosemi isonicotinoyl carbazide, N '-(1,3-dimethyl-1 h-pyrazole-5-carbonyl) isonicotino hydrazide, and N '-(1,2,3- 4-thiadiazole-carbonyl) isonicotinohydrazide. The docking and molecular dynamic have performed to them in order to study its interaction with Mycobacterium tuberculosis Enoyl-Acyl Carrier Protein Reductase (InhA). Based on this research, all of the compounds were predicted to have a stable interaction with Mycobacterium tuberculosis Enoyl-Acyl Carrier Protein Reductase (INHA) receptor, so they could be used as an anti-tuberculosis drug candidate.Keywords: anti-tuberculosis, docking, Inhibin alpha subunit, InhA, inhibition, synthesis, isonicotinohydrazide
Procedia PDF Downloads 1818363 The Effect of Compound Exercises Emphasizing Local and Global Stability on the Dynamic Balance in Elite Taekwondo Athletes
Authors: Elnaz Sabzehparvar, Pouya Rabiei, Houman Rezaei
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Few studies have been conducted about the effects of compound exercises emphasizing local stability and global stabilization subsystems on the performance of athletes. The present research aimed to study the effect of 6 weeks of compound exercises emphasizing local and global stability on the dynamic balance of elite male Taekwondo athletes. Twenty-seven elite male Taekwondo athletes (with a mean age, mass, and height of 24.4 ± 4.9 years, 75.7 ± 15.1kg, and 181.4 ± 7.8 cm, respectively) were assigned to two groups of control (n=12) and exercise (n=15). 6 weeks of compound exercises in 2 local and global phases. The first phase included activation exercises which were done separately and locally for 3 weeks. Then, integrative exercises specific to the global stabilization subsystems (longitudinal-depth, posterior oblique and anterior, and lateral) was carried out for next 3 weeks. The dynamic balance of subjects was measured in the pre-test and post-test using the Y Balance Test (YBT). After 6 weeks of compound exercises, scores of the YBT in the exercise group showed a significant improvement in all three anterior (p=0.035), posterolateral (p=0.017) and medial (p=0.001) directions in the post-test compared to the control group (p ≤ 0.05 for all comparisons). The findings of the present study suggested that compound exercises focusing on muscle as separate units and then as interdependent chains (muscular subsystems) can significantly increase YBT on elite male Taekwondo athletes in all three directions.Keywords: Taekwondo, compound exercises, local and global stability, muscular subsystems
Procedia PDF Downloads 2248362 Development of a Geomechanical Risk Assessment Model for Underground Openings
Authors: Ali Mortazavi
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The main objective of this research project is to delve into a multitude of geomechanical risks associated with various mining methods employed within the underground mining industry. Controlling geotechnical design parameters and operational factors affecting the selection of suitable mining techniques for a given underground mining condition will be considered from a risk assessment point of view. Important geomechanical challenges will be investigated as appropriate and relevant to the commonly used underground mining methods. Given the complicated nature of rock mass in-situ and complicated boundary conditions and operational complexities associated with various underground mining methods, the selection of a safe and economic mining operation is of paramount significance. Rock failure at varying scales within the underground mining openings is always a threat to mining operations and causes human and capital losses worldwide. Geotechnical design is a major design component of all underground mines and basically dominates the safety of an underground mine. With regard to uncertainties that exist in rock characterization prior to mine development, there are always risks associated with inappropriate design as a function of mining conditions and the selected mining method. Uncertainty often results from the inherent variability of rock masse, which in turn is a function of both geological materials and rock mass in-situ conditions. The focus of this research is on developing a methodology which enables a geomechanical risk assessment of given underground mining conditions. The outcome of this research is a geotechnical risk analysis algorithm, which can be used as an aid in selecting the appropriate mining method as a function of mine design parameters (e.g., rock in-situ properties, design method, governing boundary conditions such as in-situ stress and groundwater, etc.).Keywords: geomechanical risk assessment, rock mechanics, underground mining, rock engineering
Procedia PDF Downloads 1458361 Experimental-Numerical Inverse Approaches in the Characterization and Damage Detection of Soft Viscoelastic Layers from Vibration Test Data
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
Procedia PDF Downloads 2058360 Expected Roles and Practical Roles of the University Council in the Perception of the Staff in Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University
Authors: Suwaree Yordchim, Rosjana Chandrasa, Toby Gibbs, Pornthip Ruangprach
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This research aims to 1) study the actual and expected role performance of the University Council viewed by personnel, 2) compare expected role performance of the University Council. The sample group is 295 personnel in Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University (303 questionnaires from different departments returning back from 348 ones). The research tools are questionnaires and constructed interview forms. The data are analyzed by computerized statistic program and constructed interview forms are analyzed by percentage, and mean. The results revealed that: 1.) the actual and expected role performance of the University Council viewed by staff in Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University in overall is at a medium level while the expected role performance is at high in all dimensions. 2.) to consider the comparison of the actual and expected role performance of the University Council viewed by personnel in Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, which, in overall, had significantly different viewpoints at the level of 0.05 in all dimensions.Keywords: expected role, practical role, university council, personnel
Procedia PDF Downloads 4238359 Coarse-Grained Molecular Simulations to Estimate Thermophysical Properties of Phase Equilibria
Authors: Hai Hoang, Thanh Xuan Nguyen Thi, Guillaume Galliero
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Coarse-Grained (CG) molecular simulations have shown to be an efficient way to estimate thermophysical (static and dynamic) properties of fluids. Several strategies have been developed and reported in the literature for defining CG molecular models. Among them, those based on a top-down strategy (i.e. CG molecular models related to macroscopic observables), despite being heuristic, have increasingly gained attention. This is probably due to its simplicity in implementation and its ability to provide reasonable results for not only simple but also complex systems. Regarding simple Force-Fields associated with these CG molecular models, it has been found that the four parameters Mie chain model is one of the best compromises to describe thermophysical static properties (e.g. phase diagram, saturation pressure). However, parameterization procedures of these Mie-chain GC molecular models given in literature are generally insufficient to simultaneously provide static and dynamic (e.g. viscosity) properties. To deal with such situations, we have extended the corresponding states by using a quantity associated with the liquid viscosity. Results obtained from molecular simulations have shown that our approach is able to yield good estimates for both static and dynamic thermophysical properties for various real non-associating fluids. In addition, we will show that on simple (e.g. phase diagram, saturation pressure) and complex (e.g. thermodynamic response functions, thermodynamic energy potentials) static properties, results of our scheme generally provides improved results compared to existing approaches.Keywords: coarse-grained model, mie potential, molecular simulations, thermophysical properties, phase equilibria
Procedia PDF Downloads 336