Search results for: ICT application for SMEs

Authors: Athar Mahmood, Asad Ali

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Management considerations including harvesting time and nitrogen application considerably influence the biomass yield, quality and biogas production. Therefore, a field study was conducted to determine the effect of various harvesting times and nitrogen rates on the biomass yield, quality and biogas yield of maize crop. This experiment was consisted of various harvesting times i.e., harvesting after 45, 55 and 65 days of sowing (DAS) and nitrogen rates i.e., 0, 100, 150 and 200 kg ha-1 respectively. The data indicated that maximum plant height, leaf area, dry matter (DM) yield, protein, acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, crude fiber contents and biogas yield were recorded 65 days after sowing while lowest was recorded 45 days after sowing. In contrary to that significantly higher chlorophyll contents were observed at 45 DAS. In case of nitrogen rates maximum plant height, leaf area, and DM yield, protein contents, ash contents, acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, crude fiber contents and chlorophyll contents were determined with nitrogen at the rate of 200 kg ha-1, while minimum was observed when no N was applied. Therefore, harvesting 65 DAS and N application @ 200 kg ha-1 can be suitable for getting the higher biomass and biogas production.

Keywords: chemical composition, fiber contents, biogas, nitrogen, harvesting time

Procedia PDF Downloads 160

Authors: Abdul Manan, Choudhary Muhammad Ayyub, Rashid Ahmad, Muhammad Adnan Bukhari

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A project was designed to investigate the effect of foliar application of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) on physiological, biochemical and ionic attributes of salinity stressed and normal tomato plants at different stages. Salinity stress at every stage markedly reduced the net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, water relations parameters, protein contents, total free aminoacids and potassium (K+) contents. While, antioxidant enzymes (peroxidase (POX) and catalase (CAT)), sodium (Na+) contents and proline contents were increased substantially. Foliar application of MeJA ameliorated the drastic effects of salinity regime by recovery of physiological and biochemical attributes by enhanced production of antioxidant enzymes and osmoprotectants. The efficacy of MeJA at very initial stage (15 days after sowing (15 DAS)).proved effective for attenuating the deleterious effects of salinity stress than other stages (15 days after transplanting (15 DAT) and 30 days after transplanting (30 DAT)). To the best of our knowledge, different times of foliar feeding of MeJA was observed first time for amelioration of salinity stress in tomato plants that would be of pivotal significance for scientist to better understand the dynamics of physiological and biochemical processes in tomato.

Keywords: methyl jasmonate, osmoregulation, salinity stress, stress tolerance, tomato

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Authors: K. Umbleja, M. Ichino

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Symbolic data mining has been developed to analyze data in very large datasets. It is also useful in cases when entry specific details should remain hidden. Symbolic data mining is quickly gaining popularity as datasets in need of analyzing are becoming ever larger. One type of such symbolic data is a histogram, which enables to save huge amounts of information into a single variable with high-level of granularity. Other types of symbolic data can also be described in histograms, therefore making histogram a very important and general symbolic data type - a method developed for histograms - can also be applied to other types of symbolic data. Due to its complex structure, analyzing histograms is complicated. This paper proposes a method, which allows to compare two histogram-valued variables and therefore find a dissimilarity between two histograms. Proposed method uses the Ichino-Yaguchi dissimilarity measure for mixed feature-type data analysis as a base and develops a dissimilarity measure specifically for histogram data, which allows to compare histograms with different number of bins and bin widths (so called general histogram). Proposed dissimilarity measure is then used as a measure for clustering. Furthermore, linkage method based on weighted averages is proposed with the concept of cluster compactness to measure the quality of clustering. The method is then validated with application on real datasets. As a result, the proposed dissimilarity measure is found producing adequate and comparable results with general histograms without the loss of detail or need to transform the data.

Keywords: dissimilarity measure, hierarchical clustering, histograms, symbolic data analysis

Procedia PDF Downloads 162

Authors: Anna Drabczyk, Sonia Kudlacik-Kramarczyk, Dagmara Malina, Bozena Tyliszczak, Agnieszka Sobczak-Kupiec

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Nowadays, nano-size materials are very popular group of materials among scientists. What is more, these materials find an application in a wide range of various areas. Therefore constantly increasing demand for nanomaterials including metallic nanoparticles such as silver of gold ones is observed. Therefore, new routes of their preparation are sought. Considering potential application of nanoparticles, it is important to select an adequate methodology of their preparation because it determines their size and shape. Among the most commonly applied methods of preparation of nanoparticles chemical and electrochemical techniques are leading. However, currently growing attention is directed into the biological or biochemical aspects of syntheses of metallic nanoparticles. This is associated with a trend of developing of new routes of preparation of given compounds according to the principles of green chemistry. These principles involve e.g. the reduction of the use of toxic compounds in the synthesis as well as the reduction of the energy demand or minimization of the generated waste. As a result, a growing popularity of the use of such components as natural plant extracts, infusions or essential oils is observed. Such natural substances may be used both as a reducing agent of metal ions and as a stabilizing agent of formed nanoparticles therefore they can replace synthetic compounds previously used for the reduction of metal ions or for the stabilization of obtained nanoparticles suspension. Methods that proceed in the presence of previously mentioned natural compounds are environmentally friendly and proceed without the application of any toxic reagents. Methodology: Presented research involves preparation of silver nanoparticles using selected plant extracts, e.g. artichoke extract. Extracts of natural origin were used as reducing and stabilizing agents at the same time. Furthermore, syntheses were carried out in the presence of additional polymeric stabilizing agent. Next, such features of obtained suspensions of nanoparticles as total antioxidant activity as well as content of phenolic compounds have been characterized. First of the mentioned studies involved the reaction with DPPH (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical. The content of phenolic compounds was determined using Folin-Ciocalteu technique. Furthermore, an essential issue was also the determining of the stability of formed suspensions of nanoparticles. Conclusions: In the research it was demonstrated that metallic nanoparticles may be obtained using plant extracts or infusions as stabilizing or reducing agent. The methodology applied, i.e. a type of plant extract used during the synthesis, had an impact on the content of phenolic compounds as well as on the size and polydispersity of obtained nanoparticles. What is more, it is possible to prepare nano-size particles that will be characterized by properties desirable from the viewpoint of their potential application and such an effect may be achieved with the use of non-toxic reagents of natural origin. Furthermore, proposed methodology stays in line with the principles of green chemistry.

Keywords: green chemistry principles, metallic nanoparticles, plant extracts, stabilization of nanoparticles

Procedia PDF Downloads 125

Authors: Gabor Varga, Krisztina Karadi, Zoltan Konya, Akos Kukovecz, Pal Sipos, Istvan Palinko

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Nickel can efficiently replace palladium in the Heck, Suzuki and Negishi reactions. This study focuses on the synthesis and catalytic application of Ni(II)-containing layered double hydroxides (LDHs) and layered triple hydroxides (LTHs). Our goals were to incorporate Ni(II) ions among the layers of LDHs or LTHs, or binding it to their surface or building it into their layers in such a way that their catalytic activities are maintained or even increased. The LDHs and LTHs were prepared by the co-precipitation method using ethylene glycol as co-solvent. In several cases, post-synthetic modifications (e.g., thermal treatment) were performed. After optimizing the synthesis conditions, the composites displayed good crystallinity and were free of byproducts. The success of the syntheses and the post-synthetic modifications was confirmed by relevant characterization methods (XRD, SEM, SEM-EDX and combined IR techniques). Catalytic activities of the produced and well-characterized solids were investigated through the Heck reaction. The composites behaved as efficient, recyclable catalysts in the Heck reaction between 4-bromoanisole and styrene. Through varying the reaction parameters, we were able to obtain acceptable conversions under mild conditions. Our study highlights the possibility of the application of Ni(II)-containing composites as efficient catalysts in coupling reactions.

Keywords: layered double hydroxide, layered triple hydroxide, heterogeneous catalysis, heck reaction

Procedia PDF Downloads 174

Authors: Getachew Kuma Watiro

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The need for solar energy is constantly increasing and it is widely available on the earth’s surface. Photovoltaic technology is one of the most capable of all viable energy technology and is seen as a promising approach to the control era as it is readily available and has zero carbon emissions. Inexpensive and versatile solar cells have achieved the conversion efficiency and long life of dye-sensitized solar cells, improving the conversion efficiency from the sun to electricity. DSSCs have received a lot of attention for Various potential commercial uses, such as mobile devices and portable electronic devices, as well as integrated solar cell modules. The systematic reviews were used to show the critical impact of additive C-dots in the Dye-Sensitized solar cell for energy application technology. This research focuses on the following methods to synthesize nanoparticles such as facile, polyol, calcination, and hydrothermal technique. In addition to these, there are additives C-dots by the Hydrothermal method. This study deals with the progressive development of DSSC in photovoltaic technology. The applications of single and heterojunction structure technology devices were used (ZnO, NiO, SnO2, and NiO/ZnO/N719) and applied some additives C-dots (ZnO/C-dots /N719, NiO/C-dots /N719, SnO2 /C-dots /N719 and NiO/ZnO/C-dots/N719) and the effects of C-dots were reviewed. More than all, the technology of DSSC with C-dots enhances efficiency. Finally, recommendations have been made for future research on the application of DSSC with the use of these additives.

Keywords: dye-sensitized solar cells, heterojunction’s structure, carbon dot, conversion efficiency

Procedia PDF Downloads 119

Authors: Ivana Cestar, Ivica Stančerić, Saša Ahac, Vesna Dragčević, Tamara Džambas

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On special paved areas, such as road intersections, vehicles are usually moving through horizontal curves with smaller radii and occupy considerably greater area compared to open road segments. Planning procedure of these areas is mainly an iterative process that consists of designing project elements, assembling those elements to a design project, and analyzing swept paths for the design vehicle. If applied elements do not fulfill the swept path requirements for the design vehicle, the process must be carried out again. Application of specialized computer software for swept path analysis significantly facilitates planning procedure of special paved areas. There are various software of this kind available on the global market, and each of them has different specifications. In this paper, comparison of two software commonly used in Croatia (Auto TURN and Vehicle Tracking) is presented, their advantages and disadvantages are described, and their applicability on a particular paved area is discussed. In order to reveal which one of the analyszed software is more favorable in terms of swept paths widths, which one includes input parameters that are more relevant for this kind of analysis, and which one is more suitable for the application on a certain special paved area, the analysis shown in this paper was conducted on a number of different intersection types.

Keywords: software comparison, special paved areas, swept path analysis, swept path input parameters

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Authors: Marcela de Oliveira, Guilherme Giacomini, Allan Felipe Fattori Alves, Ana Luiza Menegatti Pavan, Maria Eugenia Dela Rosa, Fernando Antonio Bacchim Neto, Diana Rodrigues de Pina

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It is estimated that each year one death every 10 seconds (about 2 million deaths) in the world is attributed to tuberculosis (TB). Even after effective treatment, TB leaves sequelae such as, for example, pulmonary fibrosis, compromising the quality of life of patients. Evaluations of the aforementioned sequel are usually performed subjectively by radiology specialists. Subjective evaluation may indicate variations inter and intra observers. The examination of x-rays is the diagnostic imaging method most accomplished in the monitoring of patients diagnosed with TB and of least cost to the institution. The application of computational algorithms is of utmost importance to make a more objective quantification of pulmonary impairment in individuals with tuberculosis. The purpose of this research is the use of computer algorithms to quantify the pulmonary impairment pre and post-treatment of patients with pulmonary TB. The x-ray images of 10 patients with TB diagnosis confirmed by examination of sputum smears were studied. Initially the segmentation of the total lung area was performed (posteroanterior and lateral views) then targeted to the compromised region by pulmonary sequel. Through morphological operators and the application of signal noise tool, it was possible to determine the compromised lung volume. The largest difference found pre- and post-treatment was 85.85% and the smallest was 54.08%.

Keywords: algorithm, radiology, tuberculosis, x-rays exam

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Authors: Syarif Hidayat

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As millions of people with different backgrounds perform hajj every year in Saudi Arabia, it brings out several problems. Missing people is among many crucial problems need to be encountered. Some people might have had insufficient knowledge of using tracking system equipment. Other might become a victim of an accident, lose consciousness, or even died, prohibiting them to perform certain activity. For those reasons, people could not send proper SOS message. The major contribution of this paper is the application of the diverse alert method in pilgrims tracking system. It offers a simple yet robust solution to send SOS message by pilgrims during Hajj. Knowledge of context aware computing is assumed herein. This study presents four methods that could be utilized by pilgrims to send SOS. The first method is simple mobile application contains only a button. The second method is based on behavior analysis based off GPS location movement anomaly. The third method is by introducing pressing pattern to smartwatch physical button as a panic button. The fourth method is by identifying certain accelerometer pattern recognition as a sign of emergency situations. Presented method in this paper would be an important part of pilgrims tracking system. The discussion provided here includes easy to use design whilst maintaining tracking accuracy, privacy, and security of its users.

Keywords: context aware computing, emergency alert system, GPS, hajj pilgrim tracking, location-based services

Procedia PDF Downloads 216

Authors: Vathsala Kaluarachchi, Oshani Wimalarathna, Charith Vandebona, Gayani Chandrarathna, Lakmal Rupasinghe, Windhya Rankothge

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It is the fundamental function of a monitoring system to allow users to collect and process data. A worldwide threat, the corona outbreak has wreaked havoc in Sri Lanka, and the situation has gotten out of hand. Since the epidemic, the Sri Lankan government has been unable to establish a systematic system for monitoring corona patients and providing emergency care in the event of an outbreak. Most patients have been held at home because of the high number of patients reported in the nation, but they do not yet have access to a functioning medical system. It has resulted in an increase in the number of patients who have been left untreated because of a lack of medical care. The absence of competent medical monitoring is the biggest cause of mortality for many people nowadays, according to our survey. As a result, a smartphone app for analyzing the patient's state and determining whether they should be hospitalized will be developed. Using the data supplied, we are aiming to send an alarm letter or SMS to the hospital once the system recognizes them. Since we know what those patients need and when they need it, we will put up a desktop program at the hospital to monitor their progress. Deep learning, image processing and application development, natural language processing, and blockchain management are some of the components of the research solution. The purpose of this research paper is to introduce a mechanism to connect hospitals and patients even when they are physically apart. Further data security and user-friendliness are enhanced through blockchain and NLP.

Keywords: blockchain, deep learning, NLP, monitoring system

Procedia PDF Downloads 133

Authors: Lindani Ncube, Baojin Zhao, Ken Liu, Helen Johanna Van Niekerk

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Acid Base Accounting (ABA) is a tool used to assess the total amount of acidity or alkalinity contained in a specific rock sample, and is based on the total S concentration and the carbonate content of a sample. A preliminary ABA test was conducted on 14 sandstone and 5 coal samples taken from coalfields representing the Main Karoo Basin (Highveld, Vryheid and Molteno/Indwe Coalfields) and the Sub-basins (Witbank and Waterberg Coalfields). The results indicate that sandstone and coal from the Main Karoo Basin have the potential of generating Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) as they contain sufficient pyrite to generate acid, with the final pH of samples relatively low upon complete oxidation of pyrite. Sandstone from collieries representing the Main Karoo Basin are characterised by elevated contents of reactive S%. All the studied samples were characterised by an Acid Potential (AP) that is less than the Neutralizing Potential (NP) except for two samples. The results further indicate that the sandstone from the Main Karoo Basin is prone to acid generation as compared to the sandstone from the Sub-basins. However, the coal has a relatively low potential of generating any acid. The application of ABA in this study contributes to an understanding of the complexities governing water-rock interactions. In general, the coalfields from the Main Karoo Basin have much higher potential to produce AMD during mining processes than the coalfields in the Sub-basins.

Keywords: Main Karoo Basin, sub-basin, coal, sandstone, acid base accounting (ABA)

Procedia PDF Downloads 433

Authors: Shu-Chuan Liao, Chia-Ti Chang, Ko-Shao Chen

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Titanium and its alloy are widely used in many fields such as dentistry or orthopaedics. Due to their high strength low elastic modulus that chemical inertness and bio inert. The micro-arc oxidation used to formation a micro porous ceramic oxide layer film on Titanium surface and also to improve the resistance corrosion. For improving the biocompatibility, micro-arc oxidation surfaces bio-inert need to introduce reactive group. We introduced boundary layer by used plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) and organic active layer by UV light graft reactive monomer acrylic acid (AAc) therefore we can immobilize Chondroitin sulphate on surface easily by crosslinking EDC/NHS. The surface properties and composition of the modified layer were measured by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) and water contact angle. Water contact angle of the plasma-treated Ti surface decreases from 60° to 38°, which is an indication of hydrophilicity. The results of electrochemical polarization analysis showed that the sample plasma treated at micro-arc oxidation after plasma treatment has the best corrosion resistance. The result showed that we can immobilize chondroitin sulfate successful by a series of modification and MTT assay indicated the biocompatibility has been improved in this study.

Keywords: MAO, plasma, graft polymerization, biomedical application

Procedia PDF Downloads 259

Authors: Noraizah Abu Bakar, Norhayati Alais, Nurdiana Azizan, Fatimah Alwi, Muhammad Zaky Razaly

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This is a concise research module with the Islamic values concept proposed to a group of researches, potential researchers, PhD and Master Scholars to prepare themselves for their studies. The intention of designing this module is to help and guide Malaysian citizens to undergone their postgraduate’s studies. This is aligned with the 10th Malaysian plan- MyBrain 15. MyBrain 15 is a financial aid to Malaysian citizens to pursue PhD and Master programs. The program becomes one of Ministry of Education Strategic Plan to ensure by year 2013, there will be 60,000 PhD scholars in Malaysia. This module is suitable for the social science researchers; however it can be useful tool for science technology researchers such as Engineering and Information Technology disciplines too. The module consists of eight (8) series that provides a proper flow of information in doing research with the Islamic Value Application provided in each of the series. This module is designed to produce future researchers with a comprehensive knowledge of humankind and the hereafter. The uniqueness about this research module is designed based on Islamic values concept. Researchers were able to understand the proper research process and simultaneously be able to open their minds to understand Islam more closely. Application of Islamic values in each series could trigger a broader idea for researchers to examine in greater depth of knowledge related to humanities.

Keywords: Eight Series Research Module, Islamic Values concept, Teaching Methodology, Flow of Information, Epistemology of research

Procedia PDF Downloads 399

Authors: Sai Sankalp Vemavarapu

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This paper discusses the application of machine learning in the field of transportation engineering for predicting engineering properties of pavement more accurately and efficiently. Predicting the elastic properties aid us in assessing the current road conditions and taking appropriate measures to avoid any inconvenience to commuters. This improves the longevity and sustainability of the pavement layer while reducing its overall life-cycle cost. As an example, we have implemented differential evolution (DE) in the back-calculation of the elastic modulus of multi-layered pavement. The proposed DE global optimization back-calculation approach is integrated with a forward response model. This approach treats back-calculation as a global optimization problem where the cost function to be minimized is defined as the root mean square error in measured and computed deflections. The optimal solution which is elastic modulus, in this case, is searched for in the solution space by the DE algorithm. The best DE parameter combinations and the most optimum value is predicted so that the results are reproducible whenever the need arises. The algorithm’s performance in varied scenarios was analyzed by changing the input parameters. The prediction was well within the permissible error, establishing the supremacy of DE.

Keywords: cost function, differential evolution, falling weight deflectometer, genetic algorithm, global optimization, metaheuristic algorithm, multilayered pavement, pavement condition assessment, pavement layer moduli back calculation

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Authors: Martha Wilson

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With the peak of Computer-Assisted Language Learning slowly coming to pass and Mobile-Assisted Language Learning, at times, a bit lacking in the communicative department, we are now faced with a challenging question: How can we engage the interest of our digital native students and, most importantly, sustain it? As previously mentioned, our classrooms are now experiencing an influx of “digital natives” – people who have grown up using and having unlimited access to technology. While modernizing our curriculum and digitalizing our classrooms are necessary in order to accommodate this new learning style, it is a huge financial burden and a massive undertaking for language institutes. Instead, opting for a more compact, simple, yet multidimensional pedagogical tool may be the solution to the issue at hand. This paper aims to give a brief overview into an existing device referred to as Student Response Systems (SRS) and to expand on this notion to include a new prototype of response system that will be designed as a mobile application to eliminate the need for costly hardware and software. Additionally, an analysis into recent attempts by other institutes to develop the Mobile Response System (MRS) and customer reviews of the existing MRSs will be provided, as well as the lessons learned from those projects. Finally, while the new model of MRS is still in its infancy stage, this paper will discuss the implications of incorporating such an application as a tool to support and to enrich traditional techniques and also offer practical classroom applications with the existing response systems that are immediately available on the market.

Keywords: app, clickers, mobile app, mobile response system, student response system

Procedia PDF Downloads 371

Authors: Muhammad Jamil, Ning He, Wei Zhao

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It is a rough estimation that the aerospace companies received orders of 37000 new aircraft, including the air ambulances, until 2037. And titanium alloys have a 15% contribution in modern aircraft's manufacturing owing to the high strength/weight ratio. Despite their application in the aerospace and medical equipment manufacturing industry, still, their high-speed machining puts a challenge in terms of tool wear, heat generation, and poor surface quality. Among titanium alloys, Ti-6Al-4V is the major contributor to aerospace application. However, its poor thermal conductivity (6.7W/mK) accumulates shear and friction heat at the tool-chip interface zone. To dissipate the heat generation and friction effect, cryogenic cooling, Minimum quantity lubrication (MQL), nanofluids, hybrid cryogenic-MQL, solid lubricants, etc., are applied frequently to underscore their significant effect on improving the machinability of Ti-6Al-4V. Nowadays, hybrid lubri-cooling is getting attention from researchers to explore their effect regarding the hard-to-cut Ti-6Al-4V. Therefore, this study is devoted to exploring the effect of hybrid ethanol-ester oil MQL regarding the cutting temperature, surface integrity, and tool life. As the ethanol provides -OH group and ester oil of long-chain molecules provide a tribo-film on the tool-workpiece interface. This could be a green manufacturing alternative for the manufacturing industry.

Keywords: hybrid lubri-cooling, surface roughness, tool wear, MQL

Procedia PDF Downloads 83

Authors: Taoufik Bettaieb, Sihem Soufi

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As a bioactive metalloid, silicon (Si) is an essential element for plant growth and development. It also plays a crucial role in enhancing plants’ resilience to different abiotic and biotic stresses. The morpho-physiological, biochemical, and molecular background of Si-mediated stress tolerance in plants were unraveled. Cold stress is a severe abiotic stress response to the decrease of plant growth and yield by affecting various physiological activities in plants. Several approaches have been used to alleviate the adverse effects generated from cold stress exposure, but the cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and defensible approach is the supply of silicon. Silicon has the ability to neutralize the harmful impacts of cold stress. Therefore, based on these hypotheses, this study was designed in order to investigate the morphological and physiological background of silicon effects applied at different concentrations on cold stress mitigation during early growth of a turfgrass, namely Paspalum vaginatum Sw. Results show that silicon applied at different concentrations improved the morphological development of Paspalum subjected to cold stress. It is also effective on the photosynthetic apparatus by maintaining stability the photochemical efficiency. As the primary component of cellular membranes, lipids play a critical function in maintaining the structural integrity of plant cells. Silicon application decreased membrane lipid peroxidation and kept on membrane frontline barrier relatively stable under cold stress.

Keywords: crops, cold stress, silicon, abiotic stress

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Authors: Constanza Levicán, Andrés Aparicio, Rodrigo F. Cádiz

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The artistic usage of Brain-computer interfaces (BCI), initially intended for medical purposes, has increased in the past few years as they become more affordable and available for the general population. One interesting question that arises from this practice is whether it is possible to compose or perform music by using only the brain as a musical instrument. In order to approach this question, we propose a BCI for musical composition, based on the representation of some mental states as the musician thinks about sounds. We developed software, called Insight2OSC, that allows the usage of the Emotiv Insight device as a musical instrument, by sending the EEG data to audio processing software such as MaxMSP through the OSC protocol. We provide two compositional applications bundled with the software, which we call Mapping your Mental State and Thinking On. The signals produced by the brain have different frequencies (or rhythms) depending on the level of activity, and they are classified as one of the following waves: delta (0.5-4 Hz), theta (4-8 Hz), alpha (8-13 Hz), beta (13-30 Hz), gamma (30-50 Hz). These rhythms have been found to be related to some recognizable mental states. For example, the delta rhythm is predominant in a deep sleep, while beta and gamma rhythms have higher amplitudes when the person is awake and very concentrated. Our first application (Mapping your Mental State) produces different sounds representing the mental state of the person: focused, active, relaxed or in a state similar to a deep sleep by the selection of the dominants rhythms provided by the EEG device. The second application relies on the physiology of the brain, which is divided into several lobes: frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital. The frontal lobe is related to abstract thinking and high-level functions, the parietal lobe conveys the stimulus of the body senses, the occipital lobe contains the primary visual cortex and processes visual stimulus, the temporal lobe processes auditory information and it is important for memory tasks. In consequence, our second application (Thinking On) processes the audio output depending on the users’ brain activity as it activates a specific area of the brain that can be measured using the Insight device.

Keywords: BCI, music composition, emotiv insight, OSC

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Authors: Nikhil S. Mane, Mukund L. Harugade, Narayan V. Hargude, Vishal P. Patil

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The fluids exposed to magnetic field can enhance the convective heat transfer by inducing secondary convection currents due to Lorentz force. The use of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) forces in power generation and mass transfer is increasing steadily but its application to enhance the convective currents in fluids needed to be explored. The enhancement in convective heat transfer using MHD forces can be employed in heat exchangers, cooling of molten metal, vapour compression refrigeration (VCR) systems etc. The effective increase in the convective heat transfer without any additional energy consumption will lead to the energy efficient heat exchanging devices. In this work, the effect of MHD forces on the performance of air conditioning system working on the VCR system is studied. The refrigerant in VCR system is exposed to the magnetic field which influenced the flow of refrigerant. The different intensities of magnets are used on the different liquid refrigerants and investigation on performance of split air conditioning system is done under different loading conditions. The results of this research work show that the application of magnet on refrigerant flow has positive influence on the coefficient of performance (COP) of split air conditioning system. It is also observed that with increasing intensity of magnetic force the COP of split air conditioning system also increases.

Keywords: magnetohydrodynamics, heat transfer enhancement, VCRS, air conditioning, refrigeration

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Authors: Bekir O. Bartin, Kaan Ozbay, Sandeep Mudigonda, Hong Yang

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The use of microscopic traffic simulation in evaluating the operational and safety conditions at toll plazas is demonstrated. Two toll plazas in New Jersey are selected as case studies and were developed and validated in Paramics traffic simulation software. In order to simulate drivers’ lane selection behavior in Paramics, a utility-based lane selection approach is implemented in Paramics Application Programming Interface (API). For each vehicle approaching the toll plaza, a utility value is assigned to each toll lane by taking into account the factors that are likely to impact drivers’ lane selection behavior, such as approach lane, exit lane and queue lengths. The results demonstrate that similar operational conditions, such as lane-by-lane toll plaza traffic volume can be attained using this approach. In addition, assessment of safety at toll plazas is conducted via a surrogate safety measure. In particular, the crash index (CI), an improved surrogate measure of time-to-collision (TTC), which reflects the severity of a crash is used in the simulation analyses. The results indicate that the spatial and temporal frequency of observed crashes can be simulated using the proposed methodology. Further analyses can be conducted to evaluate and compare various different operational decisions and safety measures using microscopic simulation models.

Keywords: microscopic simulation, toll plaza, surrogate safety, application programming interface

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Authors: Rui Magalhães, Sohel Rana, Raul Fangueiro, Clara Gonçalves, Pedro Nunes, Gustavo Dias

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Auxetic fibrous structures and composites with negative Poisson’s ratio (NPR) have huge potential for application in ballistic protection due to their high energy absorption and excellent impact resistance. In the present research, re-entrant lozenge auxetic fibrous structures were produced through weft knitting technology using high performance polyamide and para-aramid fibres. Fabric structural parameters (e.g. loop length) and machine parameters (e.g. take down load) were varied in order to investigate their influence on the auxetic behaviours of the produced structures. These auxetic structures were then impregnated with two types of polymeric resins (epoxy and polyester) to produce composite materials, which were subsequently characterized for the auxetic behaviour. It was observed that the knitted fabrics produced using the polyamide yarns exhibited NPR over a wide deformation range, which was strongly dependant on the loop length and take down load. The polymeric composites produced from the auxetic fabrics also showed good auxetic property, which was superior in case of the polyester matrix. The experimental results suggested that these composites made from the auxetic fibrous structures can be properly designed to find potential use in the body amours for personal protection applications.

Keywords: auxetic fabrics, high performance, composites, energy absorption, impact resistance

Procedia PDF Downloads 254

Authors: T. Moremedi, L. Katata-Seru, S. Sardar, A. Bandyopadhyay, E. Makhado, M. Joseph Hato

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The rapid industrialisation and population growth have led to a steady fall in freshwater supplies worldwide. As a result, water systems are affected by modern methods upon use due to secondary contamination. The application of novel adsorbents derived from natural polymer holds a great promise in addressing challenges in water treatment. In this study, the UV irradiation technique was used to prepare acrylamide (AAm) monomer, and acrylic acid (AA) monomer grafted xanthan gum (XG) copolymer. Furthermore, the factors affecting rhodamine B (RhB) adsorption from aqueous media, such as pH, dosage, concentration, and time were also investigated. The FTIR results confirmed the formation of graft copolymer by the strong vibrational bands at 1709 cm^-1 and 1612 cm^-1 for AA and AAm, respectively. Additionally, more irregular, porous and wrinkled surface observed from SEM of XG-g-AAm/AA indicated copolymerization interaction of monomers. The optimum conditions for removing RhB dye with a maximum adsorption capacity of 313 mg/g at 25 ⁰C from aqueous solution were pH approximately 5, initial dye concentration = 200 ppm, adsorbent dose = 30 mg. Also, the detailed investigation of the isothermal and adsorption kinetics of RhB from aqueous solution showed that the adsorption of the dye followed a Freundlich model (R² = 0.96333) and pseudo-second-order kinetics. The results further indicated that this absorbent based on XG had the universality to remove dye through the mechanism of chemical adsorption. The outstanding adsorption potential of the grafted copolymer could be used to remove cationic dyes from aqueous solution as a low-cost product.

Keywords: xanthan gum, adsorbents, rhodamine B, Freundlich

Procedia PDF Downloads 127

Authors: Rafik Balti, Nourhene Zayoud, Mohamed Ben Mansour, Abdellah Arhaliass, Anthony Masse

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Application of edible films and coatings with natural active compounds for enhancing storage stability of food products is a promising active packaging approach. Shrimp are generally known as valuable seafood products around the world because of their delicacy and good nutritional. However, shrimp is highly vulnerable to quality deterioration associated with biochemical, microbiological or physical changes during postmortem storage, which results in the limited shelf life of the product. Chitosan is considered as a functional packaging component for maintaining the quality and increasing the shelf life of perishable foods. The present study was conducted to evaluate edible coating of crab chitosan containing variable levels of ethanolic extract of Spirulina on microbiological (mesophilic aerobic, psychrotrophic, lactic acid bacteria, and enterobacteriacea), chemical (pH, TVB-N, TMA-N, PV, TBARS) and sensory (odor, color, texture, taste, and overall acceptance) properties of shrimp during refrigerated storage. Also, textural and color characteristics of coated shrimp were performed. According to the obtained results, crab chitosan in combination with Spirulina extract was very effective in order to extend the shelf life of shrimp during storage in refrigerated condition.

Keywords: food packaging, chitosan, spirulina extract, white shrimp, shelf life

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Authors: Odigie Veronica

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The paper focused on the application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in effective service delivery in view of the ongoing COVID-19 experience. It adopted the exploratory research method with three research objectives captured. Consequently, the objectives were to ascertain the meaning of online education, understand the concept of COVID-19 and to determine the relevance of online education in effective service delivery in institutions of learning. It is evident from the findings that through ICT, online mode of learning can be adopted in schools which helps greatly in promoting continual education. Online mode of education is practiced online; it brings both the teacher and learners from different places together, without any physical boundary/contact (at least 75%); and has helped greatly in human development in countries where it has been practiced. It is also a welcome development owing to its many benefits such as exposure to digital learning, having access to works of great teachers and educationists such as Socrates, Plato, Dewey, R.S. Peters, J. J. Rosseau, Nnamdi Azikwe, Carol Gilligan, J. I. Omoregbe, Jane Roland Martin, Jean Piaget, among others; and the facilitation of uninterrupted learning for class promotion and graduation of students. Developing the learners all round is part of human development which helps in developing a nation. These and many more are some benefits online education offers which make ICT very relevant in our contemporary society

Keywords: online education, COVID-19 pandemic, effective service delivery, human development

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Authors: Ritesh K. Shukla

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Degradation of biological samples in terms of macromolecules (DNA, RNA, and protein) are the major challenges in the forensic investigation which misleads the result interpretation. Currently, there are no precise methods available to circumvent this problem. Therefore, at the preliminary level, some methods are urgently needed to solve this issue. In this order, Comet assay is one of the most versatile, rapid and sensitive molecular biology technique to assess the DNA degradation. This technique helps to assess DNA degradation even at very low amount of sample. Moreover, the expedient part of this method does not require any additional process of DNA extraction and isolation during DNA degradation assessment. Samples directly embedded on agarose pre-coated microscopic slide and electrophoresis perform on the same slide after lysis step. After electrophoresis microscopic slide stained by DNA binding dye and observed under fluorescent microscope equipped with Komet software. With the help of this technique extent of DNA degradation can be assessed which can help to screen the sample before DNA fingerprinting, whether it is appropriate for DNA analysis or not. This technique not only helps to assess degradation of DNA but many other challenges in forensic investigation such as time since deposition estimation of biological fluids, repair of genetic material from degraded biological sample and early time since death estimation could also be resolved. With the help of this study, an attempt was made to explore the application of well-known molecular biology technique that is Comet assay in the field of forensic science. This assay will open avenue in the field of forensic research and development.

Keywords: comet assay, DNA degradation, forensic, molecular biology

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Authors: Ana Paula Almeida Castaldelli Maciel, Gabriela Medeiros, Amanda de Souza Machado, Maria Clara Pilatti, Ralpho Rinaldo dos Reis, Silvio Cesar Sampaio

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Sustainable agricultural systems are crucial to ensuring global food security and the long-term production of nutritious food. Comprehensive soil and water management practices, including nutrient management, balanced fertilizer use, and appropriate waste management, are essential for sustainable agriculture. Swine wastewater (SWW) treatment has become a significant focus due to environmental concerns related to heavy metals, antibiotics, resistant pathogens, and nutrients. In South America, small farms use soil to dispose of animal waste, a practice that is expected to increase with global pork production. The potential of SWW as a nutrient source is promising, contributing to global food security, nutrient cycling, and mineral fertilizer reduction. Short- and long-term studies evaluated the effects of SWW on soil and plant parameters, such as nutrients, heavy metals, organic matter (OM), cation exchange capacity (CEC), and pH. Although promising results have been observed in short- and medium-term applications, long-term applications require more attention due to heavy metal concentrations. Organic soil amendment strategies, due to their economic and ecological benefits, are commonly used to reduce the bioavailability of heavy metals. However, the rate of degradation and initial levels of OM must be monitored to avoid changes in soil pH and release of metals. The study aimed to evaluate the long-term effects of SWW application on soil fertility parameters, focusing on calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and potassium (K), in addition to CEC and OM. Experiments were conducted at the Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná, Brazil, using 24 drainage lysimeters for nine years, with different application rates of SWW and mineral fertilization. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was then conducted to summarize the composite variables, known as principal components (PC), and limit the dimensionality to be evaluated. The retained PCs were then correlated with the original variables to identify the level of association between each variable and each PC. Data were interpreted using Analysis of Variance - ANOVA for general linear models (GLM). As OM was not measured in the 2007 soybean experiment, it was assessed separately from PCA to avoid loss of information. PCA and ANOVA indicated that crop type, SWW, and mineral fertilization significantly influenced soil nutrient levels. Soybeans presented higher concentrations of Ca, Mg, and CEC. The application of SWW influenced K levels, with higher concentrations observed in SWW from biodigesters and higher doses of swine manure. Variability in nutrient concentrations in SWW due to factors such as animal age and feed composition makes standard recommendations challenging. OM levels increased in SWW-treated soils, improving soil fertility and structure. In conclusion, the application of SWW can increase soil fertility and crop productivity, reducing environmental risks. However, careful management and long-term monitoring are essential to optimize benefits and minimize adverse effects.

Keywords: contamination, water research, biodigester, nutrients

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Authors: Mokgadi Julia Ngoepe-Ntsoane

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The article aims to make a case for a legislative framework for the fire sector in South Africa. Robust legislative framework is essential for empowering those with obligatory mandate within the sector. This article contributes to the body of knowledge in the field of policy reviews particularly with regards to the legal framework. It has been observed overtime that the scholarly contributions in this field are limited. Document analysis was the methodology selected for the investigation of the various legal frameworks existing in the country. It has been established that indeed the national legislation on the fire industry does not exist in South Africa. From the documents analysed, it was revealed that the sector is dominated by cartels who are exploiting the new entrants to the market particularly SMEs. It is evident that these cartels are monopolising the system as they have long been operating in the system turning it into self- owned entities. Commitment to addressing the challenges faced by fire services and creating a framework for the evolving role that fire brigade services are expected to execute in building safer and sustainable communities is vital. Legislation for the fire sector ought to be concluded with immediate effect. The outdated national fire legislation has necessitated the monopolisation and manipulation of the system by dominating organisations which cause a painful discrimination and exploitation of smaller service providers to enter the market for trading in that occupation. The barrier to entry bears long term negative effects on national priority areas such as employment creation, poverty, and others. This monopolisation and marginalisation practices by cartels in the sector calls for urgent attention by government because if left attended, it will leave a lot of people particularly women and youth being disadvantaged and frustrated. The downcast syndrome exercised within the fire sector has wreaked havoc and is devastating. This is caused by cartels that have been within the sector for some time, who know the strengths and weaknesses of processes, shortcuts, advantages and consequences of various actions. These people take advantage of new entrants to the sector who in turn find it difficult to manoeuvre, find the market dissonant and end up giving up their good ideas and intentions. There are many pieces of legislation which are industry specific such as housing, forestry, agriculture, health, security, environmental which are used to regulate systems within the institutions involved. Other regulations exist as bi-laws for guiding the management within the municipalities.

Keywords: sustainable job creation, growth and development, transformation, risk management

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Authors: Heather Fulford, Melanie Liddell

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The recruitment and retention of high quality employees can prove to be challenging for social enterprises, particularly in some of the core business support functions such as marketing, communications, IT and finance. This holds true for social enterprises in urban contexts, where roles with more attractive remuneration in these business functions can often be found quite readily in the private sector. For social enterprises situated in rural locations, the challenges of staff recruitment and retention are even more acute. Such challenges can lead to a skills deficit in rural social enterprises, which can, at best, hinder their growth potential, and worse, jeopardise their chances of survival. This in turn, can have a negative impact on the sustainability and resilience of the surrounding rural community in which the social enterprise is located. The purpose of this paper is to report on aspects of a collaborative initiative established to stimulate innovation and business growth in remote rural businesses in Scotland. Launched in 2010, this initiative was designed to attract young students and graduates from the region to stay in the region upon completion of their studies, and to attract others from outside the region to re-locate there post-university. To facilitate this, SMEs in the region were offered wage subsidies to encourage them to recruit a student or graduate on a work placement for up to one year to participate in an innovation or business growth-oriented project. A number of the employers offering work placements were social enterprises. Through analysis of the placement project and role specifications devised by the participating social enterprises, an overview is provided of their business development needs and the skills they require to stimulate innovation and growth. Scrutiny of the reflective accounts compiled by the students and graduates at the close of their work placements highlights the benefits they derived from being able to put their academic knowledge and skills into action within a social enterprise. Examination of interviews conducted with a sample of placement employers reveals the contribution the students and graduates made during the business development projects with the social enterprises. The challenges of hosting such placements are also discussed. The paper concludes with indications of the lessons learned and an outline of the wider implications for other remote rural locations in which social enterprises play an important role in the local economy and life of the community.

Keywords: resilience, rural development, regeneration, regional development, recruitment, resource management, retention, remuneration

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Authors: Rhea Kapoor

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Fractal dimension provides a way to characterize non-geometric shapes like those found in nature. The purpose of this research is to estimate Minkowski fractal dimension of human lung images for early detection of lung cancer. Lung cancer is the leading cause of death among all types of cancer and an early histopathological analysis will help reduce deaths primarily due to late diagnosis. A Python application program, PathoPy2.0, was developed for analyzing medical images in pixelated format and estimating Minkowski fractal dimension using a new box-counting algorithm that allows windowing of images for more accurate calculation in the suspected areas of cancerous growth. Benchmark geometric fractals were used to validate the accuracy of the program and changes in fractal dimension of lung images to indicate the presence of issues in the lung. The accuracy of the program for the benchmark examples was between 93-99% of known values of the fractal dimensions. Fractal dimension values were then calculated for lung images, from National Cancer Institute, taken over time to correctly detect the presence of cancerous growth. For example, as the fractal dimension for a given lung increased from 1.19 to 1.27 due to cancerous growth, it represents a significant change in fractal dimension which lies between 1 and 2 for 2-D images. Based on the results obtained on many lung test cases, it was concluded that fractal dimension of human lungs can be used to diagnose lung cancer early. The ideas behind PathoPy2.0 can also be applied to study patterns in the electrical activity of the human brain and DNA matching.

Keywords: fractals, histopathological analysis, image processing, lung cancer, Minkowski dimension

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Authors: H. Chabalala, A. Grootboom, M. Tang

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The innovative development, production, and clinical utilisation of African natural medicines requires frameworks from systematisation, innovation, registration. Afrika faces challenges when it comes to these sectors. The opposite is the case as is is evident in ancient Asian (Traditional Chinese Medicine and Indian Ayurveda and Siddha) medical systems, which are interfaced into their respective national health and educational systems. Afrikan Natural Medicines (ANMs) are yet to develop systematisation frameworks, i.e. disease characterisation and medicines classification. This paper explores classical medical systems drawn from Afrikan and Chinese experts in natural medicines. An Afrikological research methodology was used to conduct in-depth interviews with 20 key respondents selected through purposeful sampling technique. Data was summarised into systematisation frameworks for classical disease theories, patient categorisation, medicine classification, aetiology and pathogenesis of disease, diagnosis and prognosis techniques and treatment methods. It was discovered that ancient Afrika had systematic medical cosmologies, remnants of which are evident in most Afrikan cultural health practices. Parallels could be drawn from classical medical concepts of antiquity, like Chinese Taoist and Indian tantric health systems. Data revealed that both the ancient and contemporary ANM systems were based on living medical cosmologies. The study showed that African Natural Healing Systems have etiological systems, general pathogenesis knowledge, differential diagnostic techniques, comprehensive prognosis and holistic treatment regimes. Systematisation models were developed out of these frameworks, and this could be used for evaluation of clinical research, medical application including development of curriculum for high-education. It was envisaged that frameworks will pave way towards the development, production and commercialisation of ANMs. This was piloted in inclusive innovation, technology transfer and commercialisation of South African natural medicines, cosmeceuticals, nutraceuticals and health infusions. The central model presented here in will assist in curriculum development and establishment of Afrikan Medicines Hospitals and Pharmaceutical Industries.

Keywords: African Natural Medicines, Indigenous Knowledge Systems, Medical Cosmology, Clinical Application

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