Search results for: computer processing of large databases

Authors: M. Kozłowski, M. Kadela

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Foamed concrete is known for its low self-weight and excellent thermal and acoustic properties. For many years, it has been used worldwide for insulation to foundations and roof tiles, as backfill to retaining walls, sound insulation, etc. However, in the last years it has become a promising material also for structural purposes e.g. for stabilization of weak soils. Due to favorable properties of foamed concrete, many interests and studies were involved to analyze its strength, mechanical, thermal and acoustic properties. However, these studies do not cover the investigation of fracture energy which is the core factor governing the damage and fracture mechanisms. Only limited number of publications can be found in literature. The paper presents the results of experimental investigation and numerical campaign of foamed concrete based on three-point bending test of beams with initial notch. First part of the paper presents the results of a series of static loading tests performed to investigate the fracture properties of foamed concrete of varying density. Beam specimens with dimensions of 100×100×840 mm with a central notch were tested in three-point bending. Subsequently, remaining halves of the specimens with dimensions of 100×100×420 mm were tested again as un-notched beams in the same set-up with reduced distance between supports. The tests were performed in a hydraulic displacement controlled testing machine with a load capacity of 5 kN. Apart from measuring the loading and mid-span displacement, a crack mouth opening displacement (CMOD) was monitored. Based on the load – displacement curves of notched beams the values of fracture energy and tensile stress at failure were calculated. The flexural tensile strength was obtained on un-notched beams with dimensions of 100×100×420 mm. Moreover, cube specimens 150×150×150 mm were tested in compression to determine the compressive strength. Second part of the paper deals with numerical investigation of the fracture behavior of beams with initial notch presented in the first part of the paper. Extended Finite Element Method (XFEM) was used to simulate and analyze the damage and fracture process. The influence of meshing and variation of mechanical properties on results was investigated. Numerical models simulate correctly the behavior of beams observed during three-point bending. The numerical results show that XFEM can be used to simulate different fracture toughness of foamed concrete and fracture types. Using the XFEM and computer simulation technology allow for reliable approximation of load–bearing capacity and damage mechanisms of beams made of foamed concrete, which provides some foundations for realistic structural applications.

Keywords: foamed concrete, fracture energy, three-point bending, XFEM

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Authors: Hannah R. Devens, Phillip L. Davidson, Dione Deaker, Kathryn E. Smith, Gregory A. Wray, Maria Byrne

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Marine invertebrate species with calcifying larvae are especially vulnerable to ocean acidification (OA) caused by rising atmospheric CO₂ levels. Acidic conditions can delay development, suppress metabolism, and decrease the availability of carbonate ions in the ocean environment for skeletogenesis. These stresses often result in increased larval mortality, which may lead to significant ecological consequences including alterations to the larval settlement, population distribution, and genetic connectivity. Importantly, many of these physiological and developmental effects are caused by genetic and molecular level changes. Although many studies have examined the effect of near-future oceanic pH levels on gene expression in marine invertebrates, little is known about the impact of OA on gene expression in a developmental context. Here, we performed mRNA-sequencing to investigate the impact of environmental acidity on gene expression across three developmental stages in the sea urchin Heliocidaris erythrogramma. We collected RNA from gastrula, early larva, and 1-day post-metamorphic juvenile sea urchins cultured at present-day and predicted future oceanic pH levels (pH 8.1 and 7.7, respectively). We assembled an annotated reference transcriptome encompassing development from egg to ten days post-metamorphosis by combining these data with datasets from two previous developmental transcriptomic studies of H. erythrogramma. Differential gene expression and time course analyses between pH conditions revealed significant alterations to developmental transcription that are potentially associated with pH stress. Consistent with previous investigations, genes involved in biomineralization and ion transport were significantly upregulated under acidic conditions. Differences in gene expression between the two pH conditions became more pronounced post-metamorphosis, suggesting a development-dependent effect of OA on gene expression. Furthermore, many differences in gene expression later in development appeared to be a result of broad downregulation at pH 7.7: of 539 genes differentially expressed at the juvenile stage, 519 of these were lower in the acidic condition. Time course comparisons between pH 8.1 and 7.7 samples also demonstrated over 500 genes were more lowly expressed in pH 7.7 samples throughout development. Of the genes exhibiting stage-dependent expression level changes, over 15% of these diverged from the expected temporal pattern of expression in the acidic condition. Through these analyses, we identify novel candidate genes involved in development, metabolism, and transcriptional regulation that are possibly affected by pH stress. Our results demonstrate that pH stress significantly alters gene expression dynamics throughout development. A large number of genes differentially expressed between pH conditions in juveniles relative to earlier stages may be attributed to the effects of acidity on transcriptional regulation, as a greater proportion of mRNA at this later stage has been nascent transcribed rather than maternally loaded. Also, the overall downregulation of many genes in the acidic condition suggests that OA-induced developmental delay manifests as suppressed mRNA expression, possibly from lower transcription rates or increased mRNA degradation in the acidic environment. Further studies will be necessary to determine in greater detail the extent of OA effects on early developing marine invertebrates.

Keywords: development, gene expression, ocean acidification, RNA-sequencing, sea urchins

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Authors: Kathy Pain, Nalumino Akakandelwa

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The study explores the potential to fill a gap in health and wellbeing evidence for purposeful urban real estate asset management to make investment a powerful force for societal good. Part of a five-year programme investigating the root causes of unhealthy urban development funded by the United Kingdom Prevention Research Partnership (UKPRP), the study pilots the use of a systems mapping approach to identify drivers and barriers to the incorporation of health and wellbeing evidence in urban brownfield asset management decision-making. Urban real estate not only provides space for economic production but also contributes to the quality of life in the local community. Yet market approaches to urban land use have, until recently, insisted that neo-classical technology-driven efficient allocation of economic resources should inform acquisition, operational, and disposal decisions. Buildings in locations with declining economic performance have thus been abandoned, leading to urban decay. Property investors are recognising the inextricable connection between sustainable urban production and quality of life in local communities. The redevelopment and operation of brownfield assets recycle existing buildings, minimising embodied carbon emissions. It also retains established urban spaces with which local communities identify and regenerate places to create a sense of security, economic opportunity, social interaction, and quality of life. Social implications of urban real estate on health and wellbeing and increased adoption of benign sustainability guidance in urban production are driving the need to consider how they affect brownfield real estate asset management decisions. Interviews with real estate upstream decision-makers in the study, find that local social needs and impact analysis is becoming a commercial priority for large-scale urban real estate development projects. Evidence of the social value-added of proposed developments is increasingly considered essential to secure local community support and planning permissions, and to attract sustained inward long-term investment capital flows for urban projects. However, little is known about the contribution of population health and wellbeing to socially sustainable urban projects and the monetary value of the opportunity this presents to improve the urban environment for local communities. We report early findings from collaborations with two leading property companies managing major investments in brownfield urban assets in the UK to consider how the inclusion of health and wellbeing evidence in social valuation can inform perceptions of brownfield development social benefit for asset managers, local communities, public authorities and investors for the benefit of all parties. Using holistic case studies and systems mapping approaches, we explore complex relationships between public health considerations and asset management decisions in urban production. Findings indicate a strong real estate investment industry appetite and potential to include health as a vital component of sustainable real estate social value creation in asset management strategies.

Keywords: brownfield urban assets, health and wellbeing, social needs and impact, social valuation, sustainable real estate, systems mapping

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Authors: Wen-Chung Chiang, Lun-Jou Lo, Hsiu-Hsia Lin

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This study aimed to improve the evaluation of facial symmetry, which is crucial for planning and assessing outcomes in orthognathic surgery (OGS). Facial symmetry plays a key role in both aesthetic and functional aspects of OGS, making its accurate evaluation essential for optimal surgical results. To address the limitations of traditional methods, a different approach was developed, combining three-dimensional (3D) facial contour mapping with hyperdimensional (HD) computing to enhance precision and efficiency in symmetry assessments. The study was conducted at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, where data were collected from 2018 to 2023 using 3D cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), a highly detailed imaging technique. A large and comprehensive dataset was compiled, consisting of 150 normal individuals and 2,800 patients, totaling 5,750 preoperative and postoperative facial images. These data were critical for training a machine learning model designed to analyze and quantify facial symmetry. The machine learning model was trained to process 3D contour data from the CBCT images, with HD computing employed to power the facial symmetry quantification system. This combination of technologies allowed for an objective and detailed analysis of facial features, surpassing the accuracy and reliability of traditional symmetry assessments, which often rely on subjective visual evaluations by clinicians. In addition to developing the system, the researchers conducted a retrospective review of 3D CBCT data from 300 patients who had undergone OGS. The patients’ facial images were analyzed both before and after surgery to assess the clinical utility of the proposed system. The results showed that the facial symmetry algorithm achieved an overall accuracy of 82.5%, indicating its robustness in real-world clinical applications. Postoperative analysis revealed a significant improvement in facial symmetry, with an average score increase of 51%. The mean symmetry score rose from 2.53 preoperatively to 3.89 postoperatively, demonstrating the system's effectiveness in quantifying improvements after OGS. These results underscore the system's potential for providing valuable feedback to surgeons and aiding in the refinement of surgical techniques. The study also led to the development of a web-based system that automates facial symmetry assessment. This system integrates HD computing and 3D contour mapping into a user-friendly platform that allows for rapid and accurate evaluations. Clinicians can easily access this system to perform detailed symmetry assessments, making it a practical tool for clinical settings. Additionally, the system facilitates better communication between clinicians and patients by providing objective, easy-to-understand symmetry scores, which can help patients visualize the expected outcomes of their surgery. In conclusion, this study introduced a valuable and highly effective approach to facial symmetry evaluation in OGS, combining 3D contour mapping, HD computing, and machine learning. The resulting system achieved high accuracy and offers a streamlined, automated solution for clinical use. The development of the web-based platform further enhances its practicality, making it a valuable tool for improving surgical outcomes and patient satisfaction in orthognathic surgery.

Keywords: facial symmetry, orthognathic surgery, facial contour mapping, hyperdimensional computing

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Authors: Lorenzo Casagrande, Antonio Bonati, Ferdinando Auricchio, Antonio Occhiuzzi

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This paper summarizes the results of a survey on smart non-structural element dynamic dissipation when installed in modern high-rise mega-frame prototypes. An innovative glazed curtain wall was designed using Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) joints in order to increase the energy dissipation and enhance the seismic/wind response of the structures. The studied buildings consisted of thirty- and sixty-storey planar frames, extracted from reference three-dimensional steel Moment Resisting Frame (MRF) with outriggers and belt trusses. The internal core was composed of a CBF system, whilst outriggers were placed every fifteen stories to limit second order effects and inter-storey drifts. These structural systems were designed in accordance with European rules and numerical FE models were developed with an open-source code, able to account for geometric and material nonlinearities. With regard to the characterization of non-structural building components, full-scale crescendo tests were performed on aluminium/glass curtain wall units at the laboratory of the Construction Technologies Institute (ITC) of the Italian National Research Council (CNR), deriving force-displacement curves. Three-dimensional brick-based inelastic FE models were calibrated according to experimental results, simulating the fac¸ade response. Since recent seismic events and extreme dynamic wind loads have generated the large occurrence of non-structural components failure, which causes sensitive economic losses and represents a hazard for pedestrians safety, a more dissipative glazed curtain wall was studied. Taking advantage of the mechanical properties of SMA, advanced smart joints were designed with the aim to enhance both the dynamic performance of the single non-structural unit and the global behavior. Thus, three-dimensional brick-based plastic FE models were produced, based on the innovated non-structural system, simulating the evolution of mechanical degradation in aluminium-to-glass and SMA-to-glass connections when high deformations occurred. Consequently, equivalent nonlinear links were calibrated to reproduce the behavior of both tested and smart designed units, and implemented on the thirty- and sixty-storey structural planar frame FE models. Nonlinear time history analyses (NLTHAs) were performed to quantify the potential of the new system, when considered in the lateral resisting frame system (LRFS) of modern high-rise MRFs. Sensitivity to the structure height was explored comparing the responses of the two prototypes. Trends in global and local performance were discussed to show that, if accurately designed, advanced materials in non-structural elements provide new sources of energy dissipation.

Keywords: advanced technologies, glazed curtain walls, non-structural elements, seismic-action reduction, shape memory alloy

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Authors: Susanna Asatryan

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The author will introduce a single module related to English teaching methodology for master course students getting specialization “A Foreign Language Teacher of High Schools And Professional Educational Institutions” of Yerevan Brusov State University of Languages and Social Sciences. The overall aim of the presentation is to introduce learning and teaching strategies within EXE Computer program for Mastery student-teachers of the University. The author will display the advantages of the use of this program. The learners interact with the teacher in the classroom as well as they are provided an opportunity for virtual domain to carry out their learning procedures in association with assessment and self-assessment. So they get integrated into blended learning. As this strategy is in its piloting stage, the author has elaborated a single module, embracing 3 main sections: -Teaching English vocabulary at high school, -Teaching English grammar at high school, and -Teaching English pronunciation at high school. The author will present the above mentioned topics with corresponding sections and subsections. The strong point is that preparing this module we have planned to display it on the blended learning landscape. So for this account working with EXE program is highly effective. As it allows the users to operate several tools for self-learning and self-testing/assessment. The author elaborated 3 single EXE files for each topic. Each file starts with the section’s subject-specific description: - Objectives and Pre-knowledge, followed by the theoretical part. The author associated and flavored her observations with appropriate samples of charts, drawings, diagrams, recordings, video-clips, photos, pictures, etc. to make learning process more effective and enjoyable. Before or after the article the author has downloaded a video clip, related to the current topic. EXE offers a wide range of tools to work out or prepare different activities and exercises for the learners: 'Interactive/non-interactive' and 'Textual/non-textual'. So with the use of these tools Multi-Select, Multi-Choice, Cloze, Drop-Down, Case Study, Gap-Filling, Matching and different other types of activities have been elaborated and submitted to the appropriate sections. The learners task is to prepare themselves for the coming module or seminar, related to teaching methodology of English vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. The point is that the teacher has an opportunity for face to face communication, as well as to connect with the learners through the Moodle, or as a single EXE file offer it to the learners for their self-study and self-assessment. As for the students’ feedback –EXE environment also makes it available.

Keywords: blended learning, EXE program, learning/teaching strategies, self-study/assessment, virtual domain,

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Authors: L. Abubakar, B. M. Sokoto, I. U. Mohammed, M. S. Na’allah, A. Mohammad, A. N. Garba, T. S. Bubuche

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Onion (Allium cepa var. cepa L.) is the most important species of the Allium group belonging to family Alliaceae and genus Allium. It can be regarded as the single important vegetable species in the world after tomatoes. Despite the similarities, which bring the species together, the genus is a strikingly diverse one, with more than five hundred species, which are perennial and mostly bulbous plants. Out of these, only seven species are in cultivation, and five are the most important species of the cultivated Allium. However, Allium cepa (onion) and Allium sativum (Garlic) are the two major cultivated species grown all over the world of which the onion crop is the most important. North Western Nigeria (Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States) constitute the major onion producing zone in Nigeria, which is primarily during the dry season. However, onion production in the zone is seriously affected by two main factors i.e. diseases and storage losses, in addition to other constraints that limits the cultivation of the crop during the rainy season which include lack of prolonged rainy season to allow for proper maturation of the crop. The major onion disease in this zone is purple blotch caused by a fungus Alternaria porri and currently efforts are on to develop onion hybrids resistant to the disease. Genetic diversity plays an important role in plant breeding either to exploit heterosis or to generate productive recombinants. Assessment of a large number of genotypes for a genetic diversity is the first step in this direction. The objective of this research therefore is to evaluate the genetic potentials of the onion cultivars of North Western Nigeria, with a view of developing new cultivars that address the major production challenges to onion cultivation in North Western, Nigeria. Thirteen onion cultivars were collected during an expedition covering North western Nigeria and Southern part of Niger Republic during 2013, which are areas noted for onion production. The cultivars were evaluated at two locations; Sokoto, in Sokoto State and Jega in Kebbi State all in Nigeria during the 2013/14 onion season (dry season) under irrigation. The objective of the research was to determine the genetic potentials of onion cultivars of north western Nigeria as a basis for breeding purposes. Combined analysis of the results revealed highly significant variation between the cultivars across the locations with respect to plant height, number of leaves/plant, bolting %, bulb height, bulb weight, mean bulb yield and cured bulb weight, with significant variation in terms of bulb diameter. Tasa from Warra Local Government Area of Kebbi State (V4) recorded the greatest mean fresh bulb yield with Jar Albasa (V8) from Illela Local Government Area of Sokoto State recording the least. Similarly Marsa (V5) from Silame Local Government Area recorded the greatest mean cured bulb yield (marketable bulb)with Kiba (V11) from Goronyo Local Government of Sokoto State recording the least. Significant variation was recorded between the locations with respect to all characters, with Sokoto being better in terms of plant height, number of leaves/plant, bolting % and bulb diameter. Jega was better in terms of bulb height, bulb yield and cured bulb weight. Significant variation was therefore observed between the cultivars.

Keywords: evaluation, genetic, onions, North Western Nigeria

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Authors: Tamar Lin, Nufar Buchshtab, Yifat Elharar, Julian Nicenboim, Rotem Edgar, Iddo Weiner, Lior Zelcbuch, Ariel Cohen, Sharon Kredo-Russo, Inbar Gahali-Sass, Naomi Zak, Sailaja Puttagunta, Merav Bassan

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Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, relapsing inflammatory skin disorder that is characterized by dry skin and flares of eczematous lesions and intense pruritus. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that AD is associated with increased colonization by Staphylococcus aureus, which contributes to disease pathogenesis through the release of virulence factors that affect both keratinocytes and immune cells, leading to disruption of the skin barrier and immune cell dysfunction. The aim of the current study is to develop a bacteriophage-based product that specifically targets S. aureus. Methods: For the discovery of phage, environmental samples were screened on 118 S. aureus strains isolated from skin samples, followed by multiple enrichment steps. Natural phages were isolated, subjected to Next-generation Sequencing (NGS), and analyzed using proprietary bioinformatics tools for undesirable genes (toxins, antibiotic resistance genes, lysogeny potential), taxonomic classification, and purity. Phage host range was determined by an efficiency of plating (EOP) value above 0.1 and the ability of the cocktail to completely lyse liquid bacterial culture under different growth conditions (e.g., temperature, bacterial stage). Results: Sequencing analysis demonstrated that the 118 S. aureus clinical strains were distributed across the phylogenetic tree of all available Refseq S. aureus (~10,750 strains). Screening environmental samples on the S. aureus isolates resulted in the isolation of 50 lytic phages from different genera, including Silviavirus, Kayvirus, Podoviridae, and a novel unidentified phage. NGS sequencing confirmed the absence of toxic elements in the phages’ genomes. The host range of the individual phages, as measured by the efficiency of plating (EOP), ranged between 41% (48/118) to 79% (93/118). Host range studies in liquid culture revealed that a subset of the phages can infect a broad range of S. aureus strains in different metabolic states, including stationary state. Combining the single-phage EOP results of selected phages resulted in a broad host range cocktail which infected 92% (109/118) of the strains. When tested in vitro in a liquid infection assay, clearance was achieved in 87% (103/118) of the strains, with no evidence of phage resistance throughout the study (24 hours). A S. aureus host was identified that can be used for the production of all the phages in the cocktail at high titers suitable for large-scale manufacturing. This host was validated for the absence of contaminating prophages using advanced NGS methods combined with multiple production cycles. The phages are produced under optimized scale-up conditions and are being used for the development of a topical formulation (BX005) that may be administered to subjects with atopic dermatitis. Conclusions: A cocktail of natural phages targeting S. aureus was effective in reducing bacterial burden across multiple assays. Phage products may offer safe and effective steroid-sparing options for atopic dermatitis.

Keywords: atopic dermatitis, bacteriophage cocktail, host range, Staphylococcus aureus

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Authors: Elena E. Lyakso, Olga V. Frolova, Yuri N. Matveev, Aleksey S. Grigorev, Alexander S. Nikolaev, Viktor A. Gorodnyi

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The study of the children’s emotional sphere depending on age and psychoneurological state is of great importance for the design of educational programs for children and their social adaptation. Atypical development may be accompanied by violations or specificities of the emotional sphere. To study characteristics of the emotional state reflection in the voice and speech features of children, the perceptual study with the participation of adults and the automatic recognition of speech were conducted. Speech of children with typical development (TD), with Down syndrome (DS), and with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) aged 6-12 years was recorded. To obtain emotional speech in children, model situations were created, including a dialogue between the child and the experimenter containing questions that can cause various emotional states in the child and playing with a standard set of toys. The questions and toys were selected, taking into account the child’s age, developmental characteristics, and speech skills. For the perceptual experiment by adults, test sequences containing speech material of 30 children: TD, DS, and ASD were created. The listeners were 100 adults (age 19.3 ± 2.3 years). The listeners were tasked with determining the children’s emotional state as “comfort – neutral – discomfort” while listening to the test material. Spectrographic analysis of speech signals was conducted. For automatic recognition of the emotional state, 6594 speech files containing speech material of children were prepared. Automatic recognition of three states, “comfort – neutral – discomfort,” was performed using automatically extracted from the set of acoustic features - the Geneva Minimalistic Acoustic Parameter Set (GeMAPS) and the extended Geneva Minimalistic Acoustic Parameter Set (eGeMAPS). The results showed that the emotional state is worse determined by the speech of TD children (comfort – 58% of correct answers, discomfort – 56%). Listeners better recognized discomfort in children with ASD and DS (78% of answers) than comfort (70% and 67%, respectively, for children with DS and ASD). The neutral state is better recognized by the speech of children with ASD (67%) than by the speech of children with DS (52%) and TD children (54%). According to the automatic recognition data using the acoustic feature set GeMAPSv01b, the accuracy of automatic recognition of emotional states for children with ASD is 0.687; children with DS – 0.725; TD children – 0.641. When using the acoustic feature set eGeMAPSv01b, the accuracy of automatic recognition of emotional states for children with ASD is 0.671; children with DS – 0.717; TD children – 0.631. The use of different models showed similar results, with better recognition of emotional states by the speech of children with DS than by the speech of children with ASD. The state of comfort is automatically determined better by the speech of TD children (precision – 0.546) and children with ASD (0.523), discomfort – children with DS (0.504). The data on the specificities of recognition by adults of the children’s emotional state by their speech may be used in recruitment for working with children with atypical development. Automatic recognition data can be used to create alternative communication systems and automatic human-computer interfaces for social-emotional learning. Acknowledgment: This work was financially supported by the Russian Science Foundation (project 18-18-00063).

Keywords: autism spectrum disorders, automatic recognition of speech, child’s emotional speech, Down syndrome, perceptual experiment

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Authors: L. R. Valencia Pérez, J. M. Peña Aguilar, A. Lamadrid Álvarez, A. Pastrana Palma, H. F. Valencia Pérez, M. Vivanco Vargas

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This work proposes a Cooperation-Competitive (Coopetitive) approach that allows coordinated work among the Secretary of Public Education (SEP), the Autonomous University of Querétaro (UAQ) and government funds from National Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT) or some other international organizations. To work on an overall knowledge transfer strategy with e-learning over the Cloud, where experts in junior high and high school education, working in multidisciplinary teams, perform analysis, evaluation, design, production, validation and knowledge transfer at large scale using a Cloud Computing platform. Allowing teachers and students to have all the information required to ensure a homologated nationally knowledge of topics such as mathematics, statistics, chemistry, history, ethics, civism, etc. This work will start with a pilot test in Spanish and initially in two regional dialects Otomí and Náhuatl. Otomí has more than 285,000 speaking indigenes in Queretaro and Mexico´s central region. Náhuatl is number one indigenous dialect spoken in Mexico with more than 1,550,000 indigenes. The phase one of the project takes into account negotiations with indigenous tribes from different regions, and the Information and Communication technologies to deliver the knowledge to the indigenous schools in their native dialect. The methodology includes the following main milestones: Identification of the indigenous areas where Otomí and Náhuatl are the spoken dialects, research with the SEP the location of actual indigenous schools, analysis and inventory or current schools conditions, negotiation with tribe chiefs, analysis of the technological communication requirements to reach the indigenous communities, identification and inventory of local teachers technology knowledge, selection of a pilot topic, analysis of actual student competence with traditional education system, identification of local translators, design of the e-learning platform, design of the multimedia resources and storage strategy for “Cloud Computing”, translation of the topic to both dialects, Indigenous teachers training, pilot test, course release, project follow up, analysis of student requirements for the new technological platform, definition of a new and improved proposal with greater reach in topics and regions. Importance of phase one of the project is multiple, it includes the proposal of a working technological scheme, focusing in the cultural impact in Mexico so that indigenous tribes can improve their knowledge about new forms of crop improvement, home storage technologies, proven home remedies for common diseases, ways of preparing foods containing major nutrients, disclose strengths and weaknesses of each region, communicating through cloud computing platforms offering regional products and opening communication spaces for inter-indigenous cultural exchange.

Keywords: Mexicans indigenous tribes, education, knowledge transfer, cloud computing, otomi, Náhuatl, language

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Authors: Sohil I. Alqazlan

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Introduction and Objectives: There is limited research focusing on young adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) and their experiences after finishing compulsory education, especially in the Middle Eastern/Arab countries. This paper aims to further understand the lives of young adults with ID in Riyadh [the capital city of Saudi Arabia], particularly as they go on to access Post-Secondary Education [PSE]. As part of this study, it is important to understand the roles of high schools in Riyadh in terms of preparing their students for post-school life. To achieve this, the researcher has asked Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Education to provide student transition plans (TPs) for post-school opportunities. However, and unfortunately, high schools in Riyadh do not use transition plans for their students. Therefore, the researcher has requested individual education plans (IEPs) for students with ID in their final year at high school to find the type of support the students had regarding both their long- and short-term goals that might help them access PSE or the labour market. Methods: The researcher analysed 10 IEPs of students in their final year at high school. To achieve the aim of the study, the researcher compared these IEPs with expectations set out in the official IEP framework of the MoE in Saudi Arabia, such as collaboration on the IEP sample and the focus on adult life. By analysing the students’ IEPs in terms of various goals, this study attempts to highlight skills that might offer students more independence after finishing compulsory education and going on to PSE. Results: Unfortunately, communication between IEP team members proved persistently absent in the sample. This was clear from the fact that none of the team members, apart from the SEN teachers, had signed any of the IEPs. Thus, none of the daily or weekly goals outlined were sent to parents to review at home. As a result of this, there were no goals in the IEPs that clearly referred to PSE. However, some long-term goals were set which might help those with ID become more independent in their adult life. For example, in the IEPs, which dealt with computer skills, the student had goals related to using Microsoft Word. Finally, just one goal of these IEPs set an important independent skill for the young adults with ID: “the student will learn how to use public transportation”. Conclusions: From analysing the ten IEPs, it was clear that SEN teachers in Riyadh schools were working without any help from other professionals. The students with ID, as well as their families, were not consulted on their views on important goals. Therefore, more work needs to be done with the students regarding their transition to PSE, perhaps by building partnerships between high schools and potential PSE institutions. Finally, more PSE programmes and a higher level of employer awareness could help create a bridge for students transferring from high school to PSE. Schools could also focus their IEP goals towards specific PSE programmes the student might attend, which could increase their chances of success.

Keywords: high school, post-secondary education, PSE, students with intellectual disabilities

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Authors: Mohammadreza Bakhtiari, Mehrdad Maghsoudi, Hamidreza Bakhtiari

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This study investigates consumer behavior in the notebook computer market by integrating social media sentiment analysis with expert evaluations. The rapid evolution of the notebook industry has intensified competition among manufacturers, necessitating a deeper understanding of consumer priorities. Social media platforms, particularly Twitter, have become valuable sources for capturing real-time user feedback. In this research, sentiment analysis was performed on Twitter data gathered in the last two years, focusing on seven major notebook brands. The PyABSA framework was utilized to extract sentiments associated with various notebook components, including performance, design, battery life, and price. Expert evaluations, conducted using fuzzy logic, were incorporated to assess the impact of these sentiments on purchase behavior. To provide actionable insights, the TOPSIS method was employed to prioritize notebook features based on a combination of consumer sentiments and expert opinions. The findings consistently highlight price, display quality, and core performance components, such as RAM and CPU, as top priorities across brands. However, lower-priority features, such as webcams and cooling fans, present opportunities for manufacturers to innovate and differentiate their products. The analysis also reveals subtle but significant brand-specific variations, offering targeted insights for marketing and product development strategies. For example, Lenovo's strong performance in display quality points to a competitive edge, while Microsoft's lower ranking in battery life indicates a potential area for R&D investment. This hybrid methodology demonstrates the value of combining big data analytics with expert evaluations, offering a comprehensive framework for understanding consumer behavior in the notebook market. The study emphasizes the importance of aligning product development and marketing strategies with evolving consumer preferences, ensuring competitiveness in a dynamic market. It also underscores the potential for innovation in seemingly less important features, providing companies with opportunities to create unique selling points. By bridging the gap between consumer expectations and product offerings, this research equips manufacturers with the tools needed to remain agile in responding to market trends and enhancing customer satisfaction.

Keywords: consumer behavior, customer preferences, laptop industry, notebook computers, social media analytics, TOPSIS

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Authors: Lizinis Cassendra Frederick Dony, Jirom Jeremy Frederick Dony, Andrew Nicholas, Dewi Binti Tajuddin

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Starting and surviving a business is influenced by various entrepreneurship socio-economics activities. The study revealed that some of the entrepreneurs are not registered under SME but running own business as an intermediary with the private organization entrusted as “Self-Employed.” SME is known as “Small Medium Enterprise” contributes growth in Malaysia. Therefore, the entrepreneurialism business interest and entrepreneurial intention enhancing new spurring production, expanding employment opportunities, increasing productivity, promoting exports, stimulating innovation and providing new avenue in the business market place. This study has identified the unique contribution to the full understanding of complex mechanisms through entrepreneurship obstacles and education impacts on happiness and well-being to society. Moreover, “Ethnic” term has defined as a curious meaning refers to a classification of a large group of people customs implies to ancestral, racial, national, tribal, religious, linguistic and cultural origins. It is a social phenomenon.1 According to Sabah data population is amounting to 2,389,494 showed the predominant ethnic group being the Kadazan Dusun (18.4%) followed by Bajau (17.3%) and Malays (15.3%). For the year 2010, data statistic immigrants population report showed the amount to 239,765 people which cover 4% of the Sabahan’s population.2 Sabah has numerous group of talented entrepreneurs. The business environment among the minority ethnics are influenced with the business sentiment competition. The literature on ethnic entrepreneurship recognizes two main type entrepreneurships: the middleman and enclave entrepreneurs. According to Adam Smith,3 there are evidently some principles disposition to admire and maintain the distinction business rank status and cause most universal business sentiments. Due to credit barriers competition, the minority ethnics are losing the business market and since 2014, many illegal immigrants have been found to be using permits of the locals to operate businesses in Malaysia.4 The development of small business entrepreneurship among the minority ethnics in Sabah evidenced based variety of complex perception and differences concepts. The studies also confirmed the effects of heterogeneity on group decision and thinking caused partly by excessive pre-occupation with maintaining cohesiveness and the presence of cultural diversity in groups should reduce its probability.5 The researchers proposed that there are seven success determinants particularly to determine the involvement of minority ethnics comparing to the involvement of the immigrants in Sabah. Although, (SMEs) have always been considered the backbone of the economy development, the minority ethnics are often categorized it as the “second-choice.’ The study showed that illegal immigrants entrepreneur imposed a burden on Sabahan social programs as well as the prison, court and health care systems. The tension between the need for cheap labor and the impulse to protect Malaysian in Sabah workers, entrepreneurs and taxpayers, among the subjects discussed in this study. This is clearly can be advantages and disadvantages to the Sabah economic development.

Keywords: entrepreneurial firms, self-employed, immigrants, minority ethnic, economic impacts

Procedia PDF Downloads 411

Authors: P. H. G. J. Pushpakumara, Andrew Dawson

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Introduction: Deliberate self harm (DSH) is a major public health problem globally. Suicide rates of Sri Lanka are being among the highest national rates in the world, since 1950. Previous DSH is the most important independent predictor of repetition. The estimated 1 year non-fatal repeat self-harm rate was 16.3%. Asian countries had considerably lower rate, 10.0%. Objectives: To calculate incidence of deliberate self-poisoning (DSP) and suicides, repetition rate of DSP in Kurunegala District (KD). To determine the pattern of repeated DSP in KD. Methods: Study had two components. In the first component, demographic and event related details of, DSP admission in 46 hospitals and suicides in 28 police stations of KD were collected for 3 years from January 2011. Demographic details of cohort of DSP patients admitted to above hospitals in 2011 were linked with hospital admissions and police records of next two years period from the index admission. Records were screened for links with high sensitivity using the computer then did manual matching which would have been much more specific. In the second component, randomly selected DSP patients (n=438), who admitted to main referral centre which receives 60% of DSP cases of the district, were interviewed to assess life-time repetition. Results: There were 16,993 DSP admissions and 1078 suicides for the three year period. Suicide incidences in KD were, 21.6, 20.7 and 24.3 per 100,000 population in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Average male to female ratio for suicide incidences was 5.5. DSP incidences were 205.4, 248.3 and 202.5 per 100,000 population. Male incidences were slightly greater than the female incidences, male: female ratio was 1.1:1. Highest age standardized male and female incidence was reported in 20-24 years age group, 769.6/100,000, and 15-19 years age group 1304.0/100,000. Male to female ratio of the incidence increased with the age. There were 318 (179 male and 139 female) patients attempted DSH within two years. Female repetitive patients were ounger compared to the males, p < 0.0001, median age: males 28 and females 19 years. 290 (91.2%) had only one repetitive attempt, 24 (7.5%) had two, 3 (0.9%) had three and one (0.3%) had four in that period. One year repetition rate was 5.6 and two year repetition rate was 7.9%. Average intervals between indexed events and first repetitive DSP events were 246.8 (SD:223.4) and 238.5 (SD:207.0) days among males and females. One fifth of first repetitive events occurred within first two weeks in both males and females. Around 50% of males and females had the second event within 28 weeks. Within the first year of the indexed event, around 70% had the second event. First repetitive event was fatal for 28 (8.8%) individuals. Ages of those who died, mean 49.7 years (SD:15.3), were significantly higher compared to those who had non-fatal outcome, p<0.0001. 9.5% had life time history of DSH attempts. Conclusions: Both, DSP and suicide incidences were very high in KD. However, repetition rates were lesser compared regional values. Prevention of repetition alone may not produce significant impact on prevention of DSH.

Keywords: deliberate self-harm, incidence, repetition, Sri Lanka, suicide

Procedia PDF Downloads 218

Authors: Avdhesh K. Sharma

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Key, in the development of energy-efficient micro-scale heat exchanger devices, is to select large heat transfer surface to volume ratio without much expanse on re-circulated pumps. The increased interest in short heat exchanger (SHE) is due to accessibility of advanced technologies for manufacturing of micro-tubes in range of 1 micron m - 1 mm. Such SHE using micro-tubes are highly effective for high flux heat transfer technologies. Nanofluids, are used to enhance the thermal conductivity of re-circulated coolant and thus enhances heat transfer rate further. Higher viscosity associated with nanofluid expands more pumping power. Thus, there is a trade-off between heat transfer rate and pressure drop with geometry of micro-tubes. Herein, a novel design of short counter flow heat exchanger (SCFHE) using non-circular micro-tubes flooded with CuO-water nanofluid is conceptualized by varying the ratio of surface area to cross-sectional area of micro-tubes. A framework for comparative analysis of SCFHE using micro-tubes non-circular shape flooded by CuO-water nanofluid is presented. In SCFHE concept, micro-tubes having various geometrical shapes (viz., triangular, rectangular and trapezoidal) has been arranged row-wise to facilitate two aspects: (1) allowing easy flow distribution for cold and hot stream, and (2) maximizing the thermal interactions with neighboring channels. Adequate distribution of rows for cold and hot flow streams enables above two aspects. For comparative analysis, a specific volume or cross-section area is assigned to each elemental cell (which includes flow area and area corresponds to half wall thickness). A specific volume or cross-section area is assumed to be constant for each elemental cell (which includes flow area and half wall thickness area) and variation in surface area is allowed by selecting different geometry of micro-tubes in SCFHE. Effective thermal conductivity model for CuO-water nanofluid has been adopted, while the viscosity values for water based nanofluids are obtained empirically. Correlations for Nusselt number (Nu) and Poiseuille number (Po) for micro-tubes have been derived or adopted. Entrance effect is accounted for. Thermal and hydrodynamic performances of SCFHE are defined in terms of effectiveness and pressure drop or pumping power, respectively. For defining the overall performance index of SCFHE, two links are employed. First one relates heat transfer between the fluid streams q and pumping power PP as (=qj/PPj); while another link relates effectiveness eff and pressure drop dP as (=effj/dPj). For analysis, the inlet temperatures of hot and cold streams are varied in usual range of 20dC-65dC. Fully turbulent regime is seldom encountered in micro-tubes and transition of flow regime occurs much early (i.e., ~Re=1000). Thus, Re is fixed at 900, however, the uncertainty in Re due to addition of nanoparticles in base fluid is quantified by averaging of Re. Moreover, for minimizing error, volumetric concentration is limited to range 0% to ≤4% only. Such framework may be helpful in utilizing maximum peripheral surface area of SCFHE without any serious severity on pumping power and towards developing advanced short heat exchangers.

Keywords: CuO-water nanofluid, non-circular micro-tubes, performance index, short counter flow heat exchanger

Procedia PDF Downloads 213

Authors: D. Kakulia, L. Shoshiashvili, G. Sapharishvili

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The results of the study are related to the direction of plastic mine detection research using electromagnetic induction, the development of appropriate equipment, and the evaluation of expected results. Electromagnetic induction sensing is effectively used in the detection of metal objects in the soil and in the discrimination of unexploded ordnances. Metal objects interact well with a low-frequency alternating magnetic field. Their electromagnetic response can be detected at the low-frequency range even when they are placed in the ground. Detection of plastic things such as plastic mines by electromagnetic induction is associated with difficulties. The interaction of non-conducting bodies or low-conductive objects with a low-frequency alternating magnetic field is very weak. At the high-frequency range where already wave processes take place, the interaction increases. Interactions with other distant objects also increase. A complex interference picture is formed, and extraction of useful information also meets difficulties. Sensing by electromagnetic induction at the intermediate MHz frequency range is the subject of research. The concept of detecting plastic mines in this range can be based on the study of the electromagnetic response of non-conductive cavity in a low-conductivity environment or the detection of small metal components in plastic mines, taking into account constructive features. The detector node based on the amplitude and phase detector 'Analog Devices ad8302' has been developed for experimental studies. The node has two inputs. At one of the inputs, the node receives a sinusoidal signal from the generator, to which a transmitting coil is also connected. The receiver coil is attached to the second input of the node. The additional circuit provides an option to amplify the signal output from the receiver coil by 20 dB. The node has two outputs. The voltages obtained at the output reflect the ratio of the amplitudes and the phase difference of the input harmonic signals. Experimental measurements were performed in different positions of the transmitter and receiver coils at the frequency range 1-20 MHz. Arbitrary/Function Generator Tektronix AFG3052C and the eight-channel high-resolution oscilloscope PICOSCOPE 4824 were used in the experiments. Experimental measurements were also performed with a low-conductive test object. The results of the measurements and comparative analysis show the capabilities of the simple detector node and the prospects for its further development in this direction. The results of the experimental measurements are compared and analyzed with the results of appropriate computer modeling based on the method of auxiliary sources (MAS). The experimental measurements are driven using the MATLAB environment. Acknowledgment -This work was supported by Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation (SRNSF) (Grant number: NFR 17_523).

Keywords: EM induction sensing, detector, plastic mines, remote sensing

Procedia PDF Downloads 149

Authors: Saeed Abbas, Rahilla Tabassum, Haider Abbas, Babar Khan, Shahid Hussain, Muhammad Zafar Khan, Fazal Karim, Yawar Abbas, Rizwan Karim

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Human–carnivore conflict is considered to be a major conservation and rural livelihood concern because many carnivore species have been heavily victimized due to elevated conflict levels with communities. Like other snow leopard range countries, this situation prevails in Pakistan, where WWF is currently working under Asia High Mountain Project (AHMP) in Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan. To mitigate such conflicts requires a firm understanding of grazing and predation pattern including human-carnivore interaction. For this purpose we conducted a survey in Hoper valley (one of the AHMP project sites in Pakistan), during August, 2013 through a questionnaire based survey and unstructured interviews covering 647 households, permanently residing in the project area out of the total 900 households. The valley, spread over 409 km2 between 36°7'46" N and 74°49'2"E, at 2900m asl in Karakoram ranges is considered to be one of an important habitat of snow leopard and associated prey species such as Himalayan ibex. The valley is home of 8100 Brusho people (ancient tribe of Northern Pakistan) dependent on agro-pastoral livelihoods including farming and livestock rearing. The total number of livestock reported were (N=15,481) out of which 8346 (53.91%) were sheep, 3546 (22.91%) goats, 2193 (14.16%) cows, 903 (5.83%) yaks, 508 (3.28%) bulls, 28 (0.18%) donkeys, 27 (0.17%) zo/zomo (cross breed of yak and cow), and 4 (0.03%) horses. 83 percent respondent (n=542 households) confirmed loss of their livestock during the last one year July, 2012 to June, 2013 which account for 2246 (14.51%) animals. The major reason of livestock loss include predation by large carnivores such as snow leopards and wolf (1710, 76.14%) followed by diseases (536, 23.86%). Of the total predation cases snow leopard is suspected to kill 1478 animals (86.43%). Among livestock sheep were found to be the major prey of snow leopard (810, 55%) followed by goats (484, 32.7%) cows (151, 10.21%), yaks (15, 1.015%), zo/zomo (7, 0.5%) and donkey (1, 0.07%). The reason for the mass depredation of sheep and goats is that they tend to browse on twigs of bushes and graze on soft grass near cliffs. They are also considered to be very active as compared to other species in moving quickly and covering more grazing area. This makes them more vulnerable to snow leopard attack. The majority (1283, 75%) of livestock killed by predators occurred during the warm season (May-September) in alpine and sub-alpine pastures and remaining (427, 25%) occurred in the winter season near settlements in valley. It was evident from the recent study that Snow leopard kills outside the pen were (1351, 79.76%) as compared to inside pen (359, 20.24%). Assessing the economic loss of livestock predation we found that the total loss of livestock predation in the study area is equal to PKR 11,230,000 (USD 105,797), which is about PRK 17, 357 (USD 163.51) per household per year. Economic loss incurred by the locals due to predation is quite significant where the average cash income per household per year is PKR 85,000 (USD 800.75).

Keywords: carnivores, conflict, predation, livelihood, conservation, rural, snow leopard, livestock

Procedia PDF Downloads 347

Authors: Igor N. Kosenko

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The present contribution is an analysis of more than 300 specimens of Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous oysters collected by V.A. Zakharov during the 1960s and currently stored in the Trofimuk Institute of Geology and Geophysics SB RAS (Novosibirsk, Russia). They were sampled in the northwestern bounder of Western Siberia (Yatriya, Maurynia, Tol’ya and Lopsiya rivers) and the north of Eastern Siberia (Boyarka, Bolshaya Romanikha and Dyabaka-Tari rivers). During the last five years, they were examined with taxonomical and palaeoecological purposes. Based on carbonate material of oyster’s shells were performed isotopic analyses and associated palaeotemperatures. Taxonomical study consists on classical morphofunctional and biometrical analyses. It is completed by another large amount of Cretaceous oysters from Crimea as well as modern Pacific oyster - Crassostrea gigas. Those were studied to understand the range of modification variability between different species. Oysters previously identified as Liostrea are attributed now to four genera: Praeexogyra and Helvetostrea (Flemingostreidae), Pernostrea (Gryphaeidae) and one new genus (Gryphaeidae), including one species “Liostrea” roemeri (Quenstedt). This last is characterized by peculiar ethology, being attached to floating ammonites and morphology, outlined by a beak-shaped umbo on the right (!) valve. Endemic Siberian species from the Pernostrea genus have been included into the subgenus Boreiodeltoideum subgen. nov. Pernostrea and Deltoideum genera have been included into the tribe Pernostreini n. trib. from the Gryphaeinae subfamily. Model of phylogenetic relationships between species of this tribe has been proposed. Siberian oyster complexes were compared with complexes from Western Europe, Poland and East European Platform. In western Boreal and Subboreal Realm (England, northern France and Poland) two stages of oyster’s development were recognized: Jurassic-type and Cretaceous-type. In Siberia, Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous oysters formed a unique complex. It may be due to the isolation of the Siberian Basin toward the West during the Early Cretaceous. Seven oyster’s shells of Pernostrea (Pernostrea) uralensis (Zakharov) from the Jurassic/Cretaceous Boundary Interval (Upper Volgian – Lower Ryazanian) of Maurynia river were used to perform δ13C and δ18O isotopic analyses. The preservation of the carbonate material was controlled by: cathodoluminescence analyses; content of Fe, Mn, Sr; absence of correlation between δ13C and δ18O and content of Fe and Mn. The obtained δ13C and δ18O data were compared with isotopic data based on belemnites from the same stratigraphical interval of the same section and were used to trace palaeotemperatures. A general trend towards negative δ18O values is recorded in the Maurynia section, from the lower part of the Upper Volgian to the middle part of the Ryazanian Chetaites sibiricus ammonite zone. This trend was previously recorded in the Nordvik section. The higher palaeotemperatures (2°C in average) determined from oyster’s shells indicate that belemnites likely migrated laterally and lived part of their lives in cooler waters. This work financially supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Researches (grant no. 16-35-00003).

Keywords: isotopes, oysters, Siberia, taxonomy

Procedia PDF Downloads 194

Authors: A. Shahriari, M. Khalatbari Jafari, M. Faridi

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Abstract The Muradlu volcanic area is located in Azerbaijan province, NW Iran. The studied area exposed in a vast region includes lesser Caucasus, Southeastern Turkey, and northwestern Iran, comprising Cenozoic volcanic and plutonic massifs. The geology of this extended region was under the influence of the Alpine-Himalayan orogeny. Cenozoic magmatic activities in this vast region evolved through the northward subduction of the Neotethyan subducted slab and subsequence collision of the Arabian and Eurasian plates. Based on stratigraphy and paleontology data, most of the volcanic activities in the Muradlu area occurred in the Eocene period. The Studied volcanic rocks overly late Cretaceous limestone with disconformity. The volcanic sequence includes thick epiclastic and hyaloclastite breccia at the base, laterally changed to pillow lava and continued by hyaloclastite and lave flows at the top of the series. The lava flows display different textures from megaporphyric-phyric to fluidal and microlithic textures. The studied samples comprise picrobasalt basalt, tephrite basanite, trachybasalt, basaltic trachyandesite, phonotephrite, tephrophonolite, trachyandesite, and trachyte in compositions. Some xenoliths with lherzolitic composition are found in picrobasalt. These xenoliths are made of olivine, cpx (diopside), and opx (enstatite), probably the remain of mantle origin. Some feldspathoid minerals such as sodalite presence in the phonotephrite confirm an alkaline trend. Two types of augite phenocrysts are found in picrobasalt, basalt and trachybasalt. The first types are shapeless, with disharmony zoning and sponge texture with reaction edges probably resulted from sodic magma, which is affected by a potassic magma. The second shows a glomerocryst shape. In discriminative diagrams, the volcanic rocks show alkaline-shoshonitic trends. They contain (0.5-7.7) k2O values and plot in the shoshonitic field. Most of the samples display transitional to potassic alkaline trends, and some samples reveal sodic alkaline trends. The transitional trend probably results from the mixing of the sodic alkaline and potassic magmas. The Rare Earth Elements (REE) patterns and spider diagrams indicate enrichment of Large-Ione Lithophile Element (LILE) and depletion of High Field Strength Elements (HFSE) relative to Heavy Rare Earth Elements (HREE). Enrichment of K, Rb, Sr, Ba, Zr, Th, and U and the enrichment of Light Rare Earth Elements (LREE) relative to Heavy Rare Earth Elements (HREE) indicate the effect of subduction-related fluids over the mantle source, which has been reported in the arc and continental collision zones. The studied samples show low Nb/La ratios. Our studied samples plot in the lithosphere and lithosphere-asthenosphere fields in the Nb/La versus La/Yb ratios diagram. These geochemical characters allow us to conclude that a lithospheric mantle source previously metasomatized by subduction components was the origin of the Muradlu volcanic rocks.

Keywords: alkaline, asthenosphere, lherzolite, lithosphere, Muradlu, potassic, shoshonitic, sodic, volcanism

Procedia PDF Downloads 171

Authors: Yasmeen Jamal Alabdallat, Almutazballlah Bassam Qablan, Hamza Al-Salhi, Salameh Alarood, Ibraheem Alkhawaldeh, Obada Abunar, Adam Abdallah

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Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a disorder caused by the repeated collapse of the upper airway during sleep. It is the most common cause of sleep-related breathing disorder, as OSA can cause loud snoring, daytime fatigue, or more severe problems such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, coronary artery disease, insulin-resistant diabetes, and depression. The hypoglossal nerve stimulator (HNS) is an implantable medical device that reduces the occurrence of obstructive sleep apnea by electrically stimulating the hypoglossal nerve in rhythm with the patient's breathing, causing the tongue to move. This stimulation helps keep the patient's airways clear while they sleep. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the clinical outcome of hypoglossal nerve stimulation as a treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. A computer literature search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials was conducted from inception until August 2022. Studies assessing the following clinical outcomes (Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire (FOSQ), Oxygen Desaturation Indices (ODI), (Oxygen Saturation (SaO2)) were pooled in the meta-analysis using Review Manager Software. We assessed the quality of studies according to the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB2), Risk of Bias In Non-randomized Studies - of Interventions (ROBINS-I), and a modified version of NOS for the non-comparative cohort studies.13 Studies (Six Clinical Trials and Seven prospective cohort studies) with a total of 817 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The results of AHI were reported in 11 studies examining OSA 696 patients. We found that there was a significant improvement in the AHI after 12 months of HNS (MD = 18.2 with 95% CI, (16.7 to 19.7; I2 = 0%); P < 0.00001). Further, 12 studies reported the results of ESS after 12 months of intervention with a significant improvement in the range of sleepiness among the examined 757 OSA patients (MD = 5.3 with 95% CI, (4.75 to 5.86; I2 = 65%); P < 0.0001). Moreover, nine studies involving 699 participants reported the results of FOSQ after 12 months of HNS with a significant reported improvement (MD = -3.09 with 95% CI, (-3.41 to 2.77; I2 = 0%); P < 0.00001). In addition, ten studies reported the results of ODI with a significant improvement after 12 months of HNS among the 817 examined patients (MD = 14.8 with 95% CI, (13.25 to 16.32; I2 = 0%); P < 000001). The Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation showed a significant positive impact on obstructive sleep apnea patients after 12 months of therapy in terms of apnea-hypopnea index, oxygen desaturation indices, manifestations of the behavioral morbidity associated with obstructive sleep apnea, and functional status resulting from sleepiness.

Keywords: apnea, meta-analysis, hypoglossal, stimulation

Procedia PDF Downloads 114

Authors: Zachary Blanks, Solomon Sonya

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Poaching presents a serious threat to endangered animal species, environment conservations, and human life. Additionally, some poaching activity has even been linked to supplying funds to support terrorist networks elsewhere around the world. Consequently, agencies dedicated to protecting wildlife habitats have a near intractable task of adequately patrolling an entire area (spanning several thousand kilometers) given limited resources, funds, and personnel at their disposal. Thus, agencies need predictive tools that are both high-performing and easily implementable by the user to help in learning how the significant features (e.g. animal population densities, topography, behavior patterns of the criminals within the area, etc) interact with each other in hopes of abating poaching. This research develops a classification model using machine learning algorithms to aid in forecasting future attacks that is both easy to train and performs well when compared to other models. In this research, we demonstrate how data imputation methods (specifically predictive mean matching, gradient boosting, and random forest multiple imputation) can be applied to analyze data and create significant predictions across a varied data set. Specifically, we apply these methods to improve the accuracy of adopted prediction models (Logistic Regression, Support Vector Machine, etc). Finally, we assess the performance of the model and the accuracy of our data imputation methods by learning on a real-world data set constituting four years of imputed data and testing on one year of non-imputed data. This paper provides three main contributions. First, we extend work done by the Teamcore and CREATE (Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events) research group at the University of Southern California (USC) working in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security to apply game theory and machine learning algorithms to develop more efficient ways of reducing poaching. This research introduces ensemble methods (Random Forests and Stochastic Gradient Boosting) and applies it to real-world poaching data gathered from the Ugandan rain forest park rangers. Next, we consider the effect of data imputation on both the performance of various algorithms and the general accuracy of the method itself when applied to a dependent variable where a large number of observations are missing. Third, we provide an alternate approach to predict the probability of observing poaching both by season and by month. The results from this research are very promising. We conclude that by using Stochastic Gradient Boosting to predict observations for non-commercial poaching by season, we are able to produce statistically equivalent results while being orders of magnitude faster in computation time and complexity. Additionally, when predicting potential poaching incidents by individual month vice entire seasons, boosting techniques produce a mean area under the curve increase of approximately 3% relative to previous prediction schedules by entire seasons.

Keywords: ensemble methods, imputation, machine learning, random forests, statistical analysis, stochastic gradient boosting, wildlife protection

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Authors: Rosimeire Araújo Silva, Philip Martin Fearnside

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Extreme droughts and floods in the Amazon have serious consequences for natural ecosystems and the human population in the region. The frequency of these events has increased in recent years, and projections of climate change predict greater frequency and intensity of these events. Understanding the links between these extreme events and different patterns of sea surface temperature in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans is essential, both to improve the modeling of climate change and its consequences and to support efforts of adaptation in the region. The relationship between sea temperatures and events in the Amazon is much more complex than is usually assumed in climatic models. Warming and cooling of different parts of the oceans, as well as the interaction between simultaneous temperature changes in different parts of each ocean and between the two oceans, have specific consequences for the Amazon, with effects on precipitation that vary in different parts of the region. Simplistic generalities, such as the association between El Niño events and droughts in the Amazon, do not capture this complexity. We investigated the variability of Sea Surface Temperature (SST) in the Tropical Pacific Ocean during the period 1950-2022, using Empirical Orthogonal Functions (FOE), spectral analysis coherence and wavelet phase. The two were identified as the main modes of variability, which explain about 53,9% and 13,3%, respectively, of the total variance of the data. The spectral and coherence analysis and wavelets phase showed that the first selected mode represents the warming in the central part of the Pacific Ocean (the “Central El Niño”), while the second mode represents warming in the eastern part of the Pacific (the “Eastern El Niño The effects of the 1982-1983 and 1976-1977 El Niño events in the Amazon, although both events were characterized by an increase in sea surface temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific, the impact on rainfall in the Amazon was distinct. In the rainy season, from December to March, the sub-basins of the Japurá, Jutaí, Jatapu, Tapajós, Trombetas and Xingu rivers were the regions that showed the greatest reductions in rainfall associated with El Niño Central (1982-1983), while the sub-basins of the Javari, Purus, Negro and Madeira rivers had the most pronounced reductions in the year of Eastern El Niño (1976-1977). In the transition to the dry season, in April, the greatest reductions were associated with the Eastern El Niño year for the majority of the study region, with the exception only of the sub-basins of the Madeira, Trombetas and Xingu rivers, which had their associated reductions to Central El Niño. In the dry season from July to September, the sub-basins of the Japurá Jutaí Jatapu Javari Trombetas and Madeira rivers were the rivers that showed the greatest reductions in rainfall associated with El Niño Central, while the sub-basins of the Tapajós Purus Negro and Xingu rivers had the most pronounced reductions. In the Eastern El Niño year this season. In this way, it is possible to conclude that the Central (Eastern) El Niño controlled the reductions in soil moisture in the dry (rainy) season for all sub-basins shown in this study. Extreme drought events associated with these meteorological phenomena can lead to a significant increase in the occurrence of forest fires. These fires have a devastating impact on Amazonian vegetation, resulting in the irreparable loss of biodiversity and the release of large amounts of carbon stored in the forest, contributing to the increase in the greenhouse effect and global climate change.

Keywords: sea surface temperature, variability, climate, Amazon

Procedia PDF Downloads 63

Authors: Esmael Makarian, Ayub Elyasi, Fatemeh Saberi, Olusegun Stanley Tomomewo

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Rock mechanical investigation is one of the most crucial activities in underground operations, especially in surveys related to hydrocarbon exploration and production, geothermal reservoirs, energy storage, mining, and geotechnics. There is a wide range of traditional methods for driving, collecting, and analyzing rock mechanics data. However, these approaches may not be suitable or work perfectly in some situations, such as fractured zones. Cutting-edge technologies have been provided to solve and optimize the mentioned issues. Internet of Things (IoT), Edge, and Cloud Computing technologies (ECt & CCt, respectively) are among the most widely used and new artificial intelligence methods employed for geomechanical studies. IoT devices act as sensors and cameras for real-time monitoring and mechanical-geological data collection of rocks, such as temperature, movement, pressure, or stress levels. Structural integrity, especially for cap rocks within hydrocarbon systems, and rock mass behavior assessment, to further activities such as enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and underground gas storage (UGS), or to improve safety risk management (SRM) and potential hazards identification (P.H.I), are other benefits from IoT technologies. EC techniques can process, aggregate, and analyze data immediately collected by IoT on a real-time scale, providing detailed insights into the behavior of rocks in various situations (e.g., stress, temperature, and pressure), establishing patterns quickly, and detecting trends. Therefore, this state-of-the-art and useful technology can adopt autonomous systems in rock mechanical surveys, such as drilling and production (in hydrocarbon wells) or excavation (in mining and geotechnics industries). Besides, ECt allows all rock-related operations to be controlled remotely and enables operators to apply changes or make adjustments. It must be mentioned that this feature is very important in environmental goals. More often than not, rock mechanical studies consist of different data, such as laboratory tests, field operations, and indirect information like seismic or well-logging data. CCt provides a useful platform for storing and managing a great deal of volume and different information, which can be very useful in fractured zones. Additionally, CCt supplies powerful tools for predicting, modeling, and simulating rock mechanical information, especially in fractured zones within vast areas. Also, it is a suitable source for sharing extensive information on rock mechanics, such as the direction and size of fractures in a large oil field or mine. The comprehensive review findings demonstrate that digital transformation through integrated IoT, Edge, and Cloud solutions is revolutionizing traditional rock mechanical investigation. These advanced technologies have empowered real-time monitoring, predictive analysis, and data-driven decision-making, culminating in noteworthy enhancements in safety, efficiency, and sustainability. Therefore, by employing IoT, CCt, and ECt, underground operations have experienced a significant boost, allowing for timely and informed actions using real-time data insights. The successful implementation of IoT, CCt, and ECt has led to optimized and safer operations, optimized processes, and environmentally conscious approaches in underground geological endeavors.

Keywords: rock mechanical studies, internet of things, edge computing, cloud computing, underground surveys, geological operations

Procedia PDF Downloads 62

Authors: Wiseman Emmanuel Nkhomah, Chiyembekezo Kachimanga, Julia Huggins, Fabien Munyaneza

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Background: Partners In Health – Malawi introduced one of Operational Researches called Primary Health Care (PHC) Surveys in 2020, which seeks to assess progress of delivery of care in the district. The study consists of 5 long surveys, namely; Facility assessment, General Patient, Provider, Sick Child, Antenatal Care (ANC), primarily conducted in 4 health facilities in Neno district. These facilities include Neno district hospital, Dambe health centre, Chifunga and Matope. Usually, these annual surveys are conducted from January, and the target is to present final report by June. Once data is collected and analyzed, there are a series of reviews that take place before reaching final report. In the first place, the manual process took over 9 months to present final report. Initial findings reported about 76.9% of the data that added up when cross-checked with paper-based sources. Purpose: The aim of this approach is to run away from manually pulling the data, do fresh analysis, and reporting often associated not only with delays in reporting inconsistencies but also with poor quality of data if not done carefully. This automation approach was meant to utilize features of new technologies to create visualizations, reports, and dashboards in Power BI that are directly fished from the data source – CommCare hence only require a single click of a ‘refresh’ button to have the updated information populated in visualizations, reports, and dashboards at once. Methodology: We transformed paper-based questionnaires into electronic using CommCare mobile application. We further connected CommCare Mobile App directly to Power BI using Application Program Interface (API) connection as data pipeline. This provided chance to create visualizations, reports, and dashboards in Power BI. Contrary to the process of manually collecting data in paper-based questionnaires, entering them in ordinary spreadsheets, and conducting analysis every time when preparing for reporting, the team utilized CommCare and Microsoft Power BI technologies. We utilized validations and logics in CommCare to capture data with less errors. We utilized Power BI features to host the reports online by publishing them as cloud-computing process. We switched from sharing ordinary report files to sharing the link to potential recipients hence giving them freedom to dig deep into extra findings within Power BI dashboards and also freedom to export to any formats of their choice. Results: This data automation approach reduced research timelines from the initial 9 months’ duration to 5. It also improved the quality of the data findings from the original 76.9% to 98.9%. This brought confidence to draw conclusions from the findings that help in decision-making and gave opportunities for further researches. Conclusion: These results suggest that automating the research data process has the potential of reducing overall amount of time spent and improving the quality of the data. On this basis, the concept of data automation should be taken into serious consideration when conducting operational research for efficiency and decision-making.

Keywords: reporting, decision-making, power BI, commcare, data automation, visualizations, dashboards

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Authors: A. Coetzee, C. F. Kelly, E. Even-Zahav

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Dominant approaches to livestock production are harmful to the environment, human health and animal welfare, yet global meat consumption is rising. Sustainable alternative production approaches are therefore urgently required, and ‘free range’ is the main alternative for chicken meat offered in South Africa (and globally). Although the South African Poultry Association provides non-binding guidelines, there is a lack of formal definition and regulation of free range chicken production, meaning it is unclear what this alternative entails and if it is consistently practised (a trend observed globally). The objective of this exploratory qualitative case study is therefore to investigate who and what determines free range chicken. The case study, conducted from a social constructivist worldview, uses semi-structured interviews, photographs and document analysis to collect data. Interviews are conducted with those involved with bringing free range chicken to the market - farmers, chefs, retailers, and regulators. Data is analysed using thematic analysis to establish dominant patterns in the data. The five major themes identified (based on prevalence in data and on achieving the research objective) are: 1) free range means a bird reared with good animal welfare in mind, 2) free range means quality meat, 3) free range means a profitable business, 4) free range is determined by decision makers or by access to markets, and 5) free range is coupled with concerns about the lack of regulation. Unpacking the findings in the context of the literature reveals who and what determines free range. The research uncovers wide-ranging interpretations of ‘free range’, driven by the absence of formal regulation for free range chicken practices and the lack of independent private certification. This means that the term ‘free range’ is socially constructed, thus varied and complex. The case study also shows that whether chicken meat is free range is generally determined by those who have access to markets. Large retailers claim adherence to the internationally recognised Five Freedoms, also include in the South African Poultry Association Code of Good Practice, which others in the sector say are too broad to be meaningful. Producers describe animal welfare concerns as the main driver for how they practice/view free range production, yet these interpretations vary. An additional driver is a focus on human health, which participants achieve mainly through the use of antibiotic-free feed, resulting in what participants regard as higher quality meat. The participants are also strongly driven by business imperatives, with most stating that free range chicken should carry a higher price than conventionally-reared chicken due to increased production costs. Recommendations from this study focus on, inter alia, a need to understand consumers’ perspectives on free range chicken, given that those in the sector claim they are responding to consumer demand, and conducting environmental research such as life cycle assessment studies to establish the true (environmental) sustainability of free range production. At present, it seems the sector mostly responds to social sustainability: human health and animal welfare.

Keywords: chicken meat production, free range, socially constructed, sustainability

Procedia PDF Downloads 157

Authors: H. E. Elzain, S. Y. Chung, V. Senapathi, Kye-Hun Park

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Groundwater is considered a significant source for drinking and irrigation purposes in Miryang city, and it is attributed to a limited number of a surface water reservoirs and high seasonal variations in precipitation. Population growth in addition to the expansion of agricultural land uses and industrial development may affect the quality and management of groundwater. This research utilized multidisciplinary approaches of geostatistics such as multivariate statistics, factor analysis, cluster analysis and kriging technique in order to identify the hydrogeochemical process and characterizing the control factors of the groundwater geochemistry distribution for developing risk maps, exploiting data obtained from chemical investigation of groundwater samples under the area of study. A total of 79 samples have been collected and analyzed using atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS) for major and trace elements. Chemical maps using 2-D spatial Geographic Information System (GIS) of groundwater provided a powerful tool for detecting the possible potential sites of groundwater that involve the threat of contamination. GIS computer based map exhibited that the higher rate of contamination observed in the central and southern area with relatively less extent in the northern and southwestern parts. It could be attributed to the effect of irrigation, residual saline water, municipal sewage and livestock wastes. At wells elevation over than 85m, the scatter diagram represents that the groundwater of the research area was mainly influenced by saline water and NO3. Level of pH measurement revealed low acidic condition due to dissolved atmospheric CO2 in the soil, while the saline water had a major impact on the higher values of TDS and EC. Based on the cluster analysis results, the groundwater has been categorized into three group includes the CaHCO3 type of the fresh water, NaHCO3 type slightly influenced by sea water and Ca-Cl, Na-Cl types which are heavily affected by saline water. The most predominant water type was CaHCO3 in the study area. Contamination sources and chemical characteristics were identified from factor analysis interrelationship and cluster analysis. The chemical elements that belong to factor 1 analysis were related to the effect of sea water while the elements of factor 2 associated with agricultural fertilizers. The degree level, distribution, and location of groundwater contamination have been generated by using Kriging methods. Thus, geostatistics model provided more accurate results for identifying the source of contamination and evaluating the groundwater quality. GIS was also a creative tool to visualize and analyze the issues affecting water quality in the Miryang city.

Keywords: groundwater characteristics, GIS chemical maps, factor analysis, cluster analysis, Kriging techniques

Procedia PDF Downloads 168

Authors: Samira Hamiditehrani

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Automated vehicles (AVs) are emerging technologies that could potentially offer a wide range of opportunities and challenges for the transportation sector. The advent of AV technology has also resulted in new business models in shared mobility services where many ride hailing and car sharing companies are developing on-demand AVs including shared automated vehicles (SAVs) and pooled automated vehicles (Pooled AVs). SAVs and Pooled AVs could provide alternative shared mobility services which encourage sustainable transport systems, mitigate traffic congestion, and reduce automobile dependency. However, the success of on-demand AVs in addressing major transportation policy issues depends on whether and how the public adopts them as regular travel modes. To identify conditions under which individuals may adopt on-demand AVs, previous studies have applied human behavior and technology acceptance theories, where Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) has been validated and is among the most tested in on-demand AV research. In this respect, this study has three objectives: (a) to propose and validate a theoretical model for behavioral intention to use SAVs and Pooled AVs by extending the original TPB model; (b) to identify the characteristics of early adopters of SAVs, who prefer to have a shorter and private ride, versus prospective users of Pooled AVs, who choose more affordable but longer and shared trips; and (c) to investigate Canadians’ intentions to adopt on-demand AVs for regular trips. Toward this end, this study uses data from an online survey (n = 3,622) of workers or adult students (18 to 75 years old) conducted in October and November 2021 for six major Canadian metropolitan areas: Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, Montreal, Calgary, and Hamilton. To accomplish the goals of this study, a base bivariate ordered probit model, in which both SAV and Pooled AV adoptions are estimated as ordered dependent variables, alongside a full structural equation modeling (SEM) system are estimated. The findings of this study indicate that affective motivations such as attitude towards AV technology, perceived privacy, and subjective norms, matter more than sociodemographic and travel behavior characteristic in adopting on-demand AVs. Also, the results of second objective provide evidence that although there are a few affective motivations, such as subjective norms and having ample knowledge, that are common between early adopters of SAVs and PooledAVs, many examined motivations differ among SAV and Pooled AV adoption factors. In other words, motivations influencing intention to use on-demand AVs differ among the service types. Likewise, depending on the types of on-demand AVs, the sociodemographic characteristics of early adopters differ significantly. In general, findings paint a complex picture with respect to the application of constructs from common technology adoption models to the study of on-demand AVs. Findings from the final objective suggest that policymakers, planners, the vehicle and technology industries, and the public at large should moderate their expectations that on-demand AVs may suddenly transform the entire transportation sector. Instead, this study suggests that SAVs and Pooled AVs (when they entire the Canadian market) are likely to be adopted as supplementary mobility tools rather than substitutions for current travel modes

Keywords: automated vehicles, Canadian perception, theory of planned behavior, on-demand AVs

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Authors: Mansur Agzamov, Valery Bersnev, Natalia Ivanova, Istam Agzamov, Timur Khayrullaev, Yulduz Agzamova

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Objectives. Treatment of hypertensive intracerebral hematoma (ICH) is controversial. Advantage of one surgical method on other has not been established. Recent reports suggest a favorable effect of minimally invasive surgery. We conducted a small comparative study of different surgical methods. Methods. We analyzed the result of surgical treatment of 176 patients with intracerebral hematomas at the age from 41 to 78 years. Men were been113 (64.2%), women - 63 (35.8%). Level of consciousness: conscious -18, lethargy -63, stupor –55, moderate coma - 40. All patients on admission and in the dynamics underwent computer tomography (CT) of the brain. ICH was located in the putamen in 87 cases, thalamus in 19, in the mix area in 50, in the lobar area in 20. Ninety seven patients of them had an intraventricular hemorrhage component. The baseline volume of the ICH was measured according to a bedside method of measuring CT intracerebral hematomas volume. Depending on the intervention of the patients were divided into three groups. Group 1 patients, 90 patients, operated open craniotomy. Level of consciousness: conscious-11, lethargy-33, stupor–18, moderate coma -18. The hemorrhage was located in the putamen in 51, thalamus in 3, in the mix area in 25, in the lobar area in 11. Group 2 patients, 22 patients, underwent smaller craniotomy with endoscopic-assisted evacuation. Level of consciousness: conscious-4, lethargy-9, stupor–5, moderate coma -4. The hemorrhage was located in the putamen in 5, thalamus in 15, in the mix area in 2. Group 3 patients, 64 patients, was conducted minimally invasive removal of intracerebral hematomas using the original device (patent of Russian Federation № 65382). The device - funnel cannula - which after the special markings introduced into the hematoma cavity. Level of consciousness: conscious-3, lethargy-21, stupor–22, moderate coma -18. The hemorrhage was located in the putamen in 31, in the mix area in 23, thalamus in 1, in the lobar area in 9. Results of treatment were evaluated by Glasgow outcome scale. Results. The study showed that the results of surgical treatment in three groups depending on the degree of consciousness, the volume and localization of hematoma. In group 1, good recovery observed in 8 cases (8.9%), moderate disability in 22 (24.4%), severe disability - 17 (18.9%), death-43 (47.8%). In group 2, good recovery observed in 7 cases (31.8%), moderate disability in 7 (31.8%), severe disability - 5 (29.7%), death-7 (31.8%). In group 3, good recovery was observed in 9 cases (14.1%), moderate disability-17 (26.5%), severe disability-19 (29.7%), death-19 (29.7%). Conclusions. The method of using cannulae allowed to abandon from open craniotomy of the majority of patients with putaminal hematomas. Minimally invasive technique reduced the postoperative mortality and improves treatment outcomes of these patients.

Keywords: nontraumatic intracerebral hematoma, minimal invasive surgical technique, funnel canula, differentiated surcical treatment

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Authors: James Brown, Stella Kortekaas, Ian Finnie, George Zhang, Christine Devine, Neil Healy

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The use of GIS as an analysis tool for engineering decision making is now best practice in the offshore industry. GIS enables multidisciplinary data integration, analysis and visualisation which allows the presentation of large and intricate datasets in a simple map-interface accessible to all project stakeholders. Presenting integrated geoscience and geotechnical data in GIS enables decision makers to be well-informed. This paper is a successful case study of how GIS spatial analysis techniques were applied to help select the most favourable pipeline route. Routing a pipeline through any natural environment has numerous obstacles, whether they be topographical, geological, engineering or financial. Where the pipeline is subjected to external hydrostatic water pressure and is carrying pressurised hydrocarbons, the requirement to safely route the pipeline through hazardous terrain becomes absolutely paramount. This study illustrates how the application of modern, GIS-based pipeline routing techniques enabled the identification of a single most-favourable pipeline route crossing of a challenging seabed terrain. Conventional approaches to pipeline route determination focus on manual avoidance of primary constraints whilst endeavouring to minimise route length. Such an approach is qualitative, subjective and is liable to bias towards the discipline and expertise that is involved in the routing process. For very short routes traversing benign seabed topography in shallow water this approach may be sufficient, but for deepwater geohazardous sites, the need for an automated, multi-criteria, and quantitative approach is essential. This study combined multiple routing constraints using modern least-cost-routing algorithms deployed in GIS, hitherto unachievable with conventional approaches. The least-cost-routing procedure begins with the assignment of geocost across the study area. Geocost is defined as a numerical penalty score representing hazard posed by each routing constraint (e.g. slope angle, rugosity, vulnerability to debris flows) to the pipeline. All geocosted routing constraints are combined to generate a composite geocost map that is used to compute the least geocost route between two defined terminals. The analyses were applied to select the most favourable pipeline route for a potential gas development in deep water. The study area is geologically complex with a series of incised, potentially active, canyons carved into a steep escarpment, with evidence of extensive debris flows. A similar debris flow in the future could cause significant damage to a poorly-placed pipeline. Protruding inter-canyon spurs offer lower-gradient options for ascending an escarpment but the vulnerability of periodic failure of these spurs is not well understood. Close collaboration between geoscientists, pipeline engineers, geotechnical engineers and of course the gas export pipeline operator guided the analyses and assignment of geocosts. Shorter route length, less severe slope angles, and geohazard avoidance were the primary drivers in identifying the most favourable route.

Keywords: geocost, geohazard, pipeline route determination, pipeline route optimisation, spatial analysis

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Authors: Vaso K. Kapnopoulou, Piero Caridis

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The fatigue of ship structural details is of major concern in the maritime industry as it can generate fracture issues that may compromise structural integrity. In the present study, a fatigue analysis of the lower hopper knuckle connection of a bulk carrier was conducted using the Finite Element Method by means of ABAQUS/CAE software. The fatigue life was calculated using Miner’s Rule and the long-term distribution of stress range by the use of the two-parameter Weibull distribution. The cumulative damage ratio was estimated using the fatigue damage resulting from the stress range occurring at each load condition. For this purpose, a cargo hold model was first generated, which extends over the length of two holds (the mid-hold and half of each of the adjacent holds) and transversely over the full breadth of the hull girder. Following that, a submodel of the area of interest was extracted in order to calculate the hot spot stress of the connection and to estimate the fatigue life of the structural detail. Two hot spot locations were identified; one at the top layer of the inner bottom plate and one at the top layer of the hopper plate. The IACS Common Structural Rules (CSR) require that specific dynamic load cases for each loading condition are assessed. Following this, the dynamic load case that causes the highest stress range at each loading condition should be used in the fatigue analysis for the calculation of the cumulative fatigue damage ratio. Each load case has a different effect on ship hull response. Of main concern, when assessing the fatigue strength of the lower hopper knuckle connection, was the determination of the maximum, i.e. the critical value of the stress range, which acts in a direction normal to the weld toe line. This acts in the transverse direction, that is, perpendicularly to the ship's centerline axis. The load cases were explored both theoretically and numerically in order to establish the one that causes the highest damage to the location examined. The most severe one was identified to be the load case induced by beam sea condition where the encountered wave comes from the starboard. At the level of the cargo hold model, the model was assumed to be simply supported at its ends. A coarse mesh was generated in order to represent the overall stiffness of the structure. The elements employed were quadrilateral shell elements, each having four integration points. A linear elastic analysis was performed because linear elastic material behavior can be presumed, since only localized yielding is allowed by most design codes. At the submodel level, the displacements of the analysis of the cargo hold model to the outer region nodes of the submodel acted as boundary conditions and applied loading for the submodel. In order to calculate the hot spot stress at the hot spot locations, a very fine mesh zone was generated and used. The fatigue life of the detail was found to be 16.4 years which is lower than the design fatigue life of the structure (25 years), making this location vulnerable to fatigue fracture issues. Moreover, the loading conditions that induce the most damage to the location were found to be the various ballasting conditions.

Keywords: dynamic load cases, finite element method, high cycle fatigue, lower hopper knuckle

Procedia PDF Downloads 418