Search results for: health promotion process
8106 Virtual Conciliation in Colombia: Evaluation of Maturity Level within the Framework of E-Government
Authors: Jenny Paola Forero Pachón, Sonia Cristina Gamboa Sarmiento, Luis Carlos Gómez Flórez
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The Colombian government has defined an e-government strategy to take advantage of Information Technologies (IT) in order to contribute to the building of a more efficient, transparent and participative State that provides better services to citizens and businesses. In this regard, the Justice sector is one of the government sectors where IT has generated more expectation considering that the country has a judicial processes backlog. This situation has led to the search for alternative forms of access to justice that speed up the process while providing a low cost for citizens. To this end, the Colombian government has authorized the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution methods (ADR), a remedy where disputes can be resolved more quickly compared to judicial processes while facilitating greater communication between the parties, without recourse to judicial authority. One of these methods is conciliation, which includes a special modality that takes advantage of IT for the development of itself known as virtual conciliation. With this option the conciliation is supported by information systems, applications or platforms and communications are provided through it. This paper evaluates the level of maturity in how the service of virtual conciliation is under the framework of this strategy. This evaluation is carried out considering Shahkooh's 5-phase model for e-government. As a result, it is evident that in the context of conciliation, maturity does not reach the necessary level in the model so that it can be considered as virtual conciliation; therefore, it is necessary to define strategies to maximize the potential of IT in this context.Keywords: alternative dispute resolution, e-government, evaluation of maturity, Shahkooh model, virtual conciliation
Procedia PDF Downloads 2508105 Analysis of Nonlinear Dynamic Systems Excited by Combined Colored and White Noise Excitations
Authors: Siu-Siu Guo, Qingxuan Shi
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In this paper, single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) systems to white noise and colored noise excitations are investigated. By expressing colored noise excitation as a second-order filtered white noise process and introducing colored noise as an additional state variable, the equation of motion for SDOF system under colored noise is then transferred artificially to multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) system under white noise excitations. As a consequence, corresponding Fokker-Planck-Kolmogorov (FPK) equation governing the joint probabilistic density function (PDF) of state variables increases to 4-dimension (4-D). Solution procedure and computer programme become much more sophisticated. The exponential-polynomial closure (EPC) method, widely applied for cases of SDOF systems under white noise excitations, is developed and improved for cases of systems under colored noise excitations and for solving the complex 4-D FPK equation. On the other hand, Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) method is performed to test the approximate EPC solutions. Two examples associated with Gaussian and non-Gaussian colored noise excitations are considered. Corresponding band-limited power spectral densities (PSDs) for colored noise excitations are separately given. Numerical studies show that the developed EPC method provides relatively accurate estimates of the stationary probabilistic solutions. Moreover, statistical parameter of mean-up crossing rate (MCR) is taken into account, which is important for reliability and failure analysis.Keywords: filtered noise, narrow-banded noise, nonlinear dynamic, random vibration
Procedia PDF Downloads 2238104 Effect of Modified Atmosphere Packaging and Storage Temperatures on Quality of Shelled Raw Walnuts
Authors: M. Javanmard
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This study was aimed at analyzing the effects of packaging (MAP) and preservation conditions on the packaged fresh walnut kernel quality. The central composite plan was used for evaluating the effect of oxygen (0–10%), carbon dioxide (0-10%), and temperature (4-26 °C) on qualitative characteristics of walnut kernels. Also, the response level technique was used to find the optimal conditions for interactive effects of factors, as well as estimating the best conditions of process using least amount of testing. Measured qualitative parameters were: peroxide index, color, decreased weight, mould and yeast counting test, and sensory evaluation. The results showed that the defined model for peroxide index, color, weight loss, and sensory evaluation is significant (p < 0.001), so that increase of temperature causes the peroxide value, color variation, and weight loss to increase and it reduces the overall acceptability of walnut kernels. An increase in oxygen percentage caused the color variation level and peroxide value to increase and resulted in lower overall acceptability of the walnuts. An increase in CO2 percentage caused the peroxide value to decrease, but did not significantly affect other indices (p ≥ 0.05). Mould and yeast were not found in any samples. Optimal packaging conditions to achieve maximum quality of walnuts include: 1.46% oxygen, 10% carbon dioxide, and temperature of 4 °C.Keywords: shelled walnut, MAP, quality, storage temperature
Procedia PDF Downloads 3778103 Data-Driven Performance Evaluation of Surgical Doctors Based on Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Processes
Authors: Yuguang Gao, Qiang Yang, Yanpeng Zhang, Mingtao Deng
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To enhance the safety, quality and efficiency of healthcare services provided by surgical doctors, we propose a comprehensive approach to the performance evaluation of individual doctors by incorporating insights from performance data as well as views of different stakeholders in the hospital. Exploratory factor analysis was first performed on collective multidimensional performance data of surgical doctors, where key factors were extracted that encompass assessment of professional experience and service performance. A two-level indicator system was then constructed, for which we developed a weighted interval-valued spherical fuzzy analytic hierarchy process to analyze the relative importance of the indicators while handling subjectivity and disparity in the decision-making of multiple parties involved. Our analytical results reveal that, for the key factors identified as instrumental for evaluating surgical doctors’ performance, the overall importance of clinical workload and complexity of service are valued more than capacity of service and professional experience, while the efficiency of resource consumption ranks comparatively the lowest in importance. We also provide a retrospective case study to illustrate the effectiveness and robustness of our quantitative evaluation model by assigning meaningful performance ratings to individual doctors based on the weights developed through our approach.Keywords: analytic hierarchy processes, factor analysis, fuzzy logic, performance evaluation
Procedia PDF Downloads 488102 Probabilistic Slope Stability Analysis of Excavation Induced Landslides Using Hermite Polynomial Chaos
Authors: Schadrack Mwizerwa
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The characterization and prediction of landslides are crucial for assessing geological hazards and mitigating risks to infrastructure and communities. This research aims to develop a probabilistic framework for analyzing excavation-induced landslides, which is fundamental for assessing geological hazards and mitigating risks to infrastructure and communities. The study uses Hermite polynomial chaos, a non-stationary random process, to analyze the stability of a slope and characterize the failure probability of a real landslide induced by highway construction excavation. The correlation within the data is captured using the Karhunen-Loève (KL) expansion theory, and the finite element method is used to analyze the slope's stability. The research contributes to the field of landslide characterization by employing advanced random field approaches, providing valuable insights into the complex nature of landslide behavior and the effectiveness of advanced probabilistic models for risk assessment and management. The data collected from the Baiyuzui landslide, induced by highway construction, is used as an illustrative example. The findings highlight the importance of considering the probabilistic nature of landslides and provide valuable insights into the complex behavior of such hazards.Keywords: Hermite polynomial chaos, Karhunen-Loeve, slope stability, probabilistic analysis
Procedia PDF Downloads 718101 Influence of Household Conservation Benefits on the Sustainability of Burunge Wildlife Management Areas in Tanzania
Authors: Gasto Lyakurwa, Glory Bakari, Edwin Sabuhoro
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Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) are established to promote and act as a remedy to the protection of wildlife resources outside the core protected area. WMAs aim to address issues of poverty, ensure sustainable use of wildlife resources, and share benefits from wildlife with the member villages. Successfully managed WMA in Tanzania improves local livelihood and conserves local biodiversity through tourism revenues and the protection of wildlife, respectively. Benefits accrued at household levels as a result of conservation activities in WMA can positively influence attitudes towards wildlife conservation. This research intends to assess the positive socio-economic impacts of WMA benefits on households in Burunge WMA in Tanzania. A questionnaire survey was conducted among four randomly selected villages in the ten villages forming the Burunge WMA to explore the household-level benefits of conservation activities. An example of a question item was whether household heads feel that they are benefiting from WMA and if they could remember some of the benefits. Interviews with leaders from WMA and member villages combined the survey to capture aspects of benefit distribution to households. A total of 80 households were used as samples of the recruited study sites. Moreover, the four WMA leaders and the eight village leaders of the respective study villages were interviewed. The study findings revealed that the shared benefit has mostly reached the community level and is less likely to reach the household level. Economic activities such as agriculture and livestock keeping were found to be more important for households than conservation-related economic activities. Conservation-related economic activities generate marginal direct benefits from WMA benefits to households, with ecotourism accounting for only 19.5%. The study also indicates that a direct share of financial benefits from WMA to households is lacking. Wildlife conservation benefits are less likely to reach household levels in WMAs, with the implication of reducing people's conservation attitudes and impeding community conservation success. WMA can utilize the finances from tourism fees and concessions to establish a Community Considerations Bank, which can lend money to some individuals at no or low interest rates. Considering the importance of education and health to households, WMA stands in a good position to provide health insurance premiums and student scholarships to motivate household participation in conservation activities. Community-based organizations and governments responsible for wildlife conservation should create mechanisms to channel conservation benefits to households in order to ensure the achievement of wildlife conservation objectives through WMA. These findings are expected to contribute to forming more WMAs with enhanced mechanisms for sharing conservation benefits to benefit the conservation of natural resources outside of the core protected areas. Motivated households are expected to respect wildlife and are less likely to engage in illegal activities such as poaching and harvesting conserved natural resources while coexisting with wildlife.Keywords: social economic benefits, individuals, wildlife management areas, biodiversity, community
Procedia PDF Downloads 568100 The Effect of 8 Weeks Aerobic Training and Nitro-L-Arginine-Methyl Ester (L-NAME) on Plasma apelin in Male’s Rats
Authors: Abbassi Daloii Asieh, Yazdani Hoda
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Background and Objective: evidence supports systemic inflammation in obesity and insulin resistance. Apelin that is secreted by adipose tissue plays an important role in the inflammation process and appear act as an anti-inflammatory cytokines. The aim of this study was the effect of eight weeks aerobic training and nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester (L-NAME) on plasma apelin in male’s rats. Materials and Methods: For this purpose, 24 male Wistar rats aged 20 months were randomly assigned into four groups: Control, training, training and L-NAME and L-NAME. Training intervention was eight weeks aerobic exercise (5 time/weekly) at 75-80 (%) of maximal oxygen consumption. All rats were killed 72 hours after lasted exercise session; blood samples collected and plasma were stored. Data was analyzed by one way ANOVA and Tucky Test. A p value less than 0.05 was considered statistically signigcant. Results: The results showed that after eight weeks of endurance training exercise Apelin plasma compared to the control group did not change significantly. Also, the results showed that there was significant difference in plasma Apelin between groups(P > 0/05). Also, the results showed no significant difference between the insulin levels and glucose of four groups (P > 0/05). Conclusion: It seems that aerobic exercise plasma Apelin levels in male rats is not affected. On the other hand, nitric oxide inhibitors can reduce levels of plasma Apelin.Keywords: aerobic training, L-NAME, plasma Apelin, male’s rats
Procedia PDF Downloads 4408099 Simulation of Laser Structuring by Three Dimensional Heat Transfer Model
Authors: Bassim Shaheen Bachy, Jörg Franke
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In this study, a three dimensional numerical heat transfer model has been used to simulate the laser structuring of polymer substrate material in the Three-Dimensional Molded Interconnect Device (3D MID) which is used in the advanced multi-functional applications. A finite element method (FEM) transient thermal analysis is performed using APDL (ANSYS Parametric Design Language) provided by ANSYS. In this model, the effect of surface heat source was modeled with Gaussian distribution, also the effect of the mixed boundary conditions which consist of convection and radiation heat transfers have been considered in this analysis. The model provides a full description of the temperature distribution, as well as calculates the depth and the width of the groove upon material removal at different set of laser parameters such as laser power and laser speed. This study also includes the experimental procedure to study the effect of laser parameters on the depth and width of the removal groove metal as verification to the modeled results. Good agreement between the experimental and the model results is achieved for a wide range of laser powers. It is found that the quality of the laser structure process is affected by the laser scan speed and laser power. For a high laser structured quality, it is suggested to use laser with high speed and moderate to high laser power.Keywords: laser structuring, simulation, finite element analysis, thermal modeling
Procedia PDF Downloads 3398098 Haiti and Power Symbolic: An Analysis Understanding of the Impact of the Presidential Political Speeches
Authors: Marc Arthur Bien Aimé, Julio da Silveira Moreira
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This study examines the political speech in Haiti over the course of the decade 2011-2021, focusing on the speeches of the presidents Michel J. Martelly and Jovenel Moïse and their impacts on their awareness collective. In using a qualitative approach, we have analyzed the speech of the president pronounced in response to the political instability of countries, as well as interviews with a group of 20 Haitians living in Port- Au-Prince. Our results put in evidence their complex relationship between politics, awareness collective, and the influence of the powers imperialists. We show that the situation in Haiti's disastrous social and political situation is driven by personal political interests and the absence of a state political project. Moreover, the speeches of the president’s analysis are meaningless, transforming concepts such as social progress and justice in simple words. This political rhetoric contributes to the domination symbolic of the population of Haitian. This study is also linked to the theme “Constitutions, processes democratic and critical of the state in Latin America,” emphasizing the importance of analysis of political speech to understand the complexities of the democratic process and criticism of the State in their Latin American region. We suggest future research to deepen our understanding of these political dynamics and their impact on public policies and developments of the constitutions throughout Latin America.Keywords: political discourse, conscience collective, inequality social, democratic processes, constitutions, Haiti
Procedia PDF Downloads 508097 High Motivational Salient Face Distractors Slowed Target Detection: Evidence from Behavioral Studies
Authors: Rashmi Gupta
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Rewarding stimuli capture attention involuntarily as a result of an association process that develops quickly during value learning, referred to as the reward or value-driven attentional capture. It is essential to compare reward with punishment processing to get a full picture of value-based modulation in visual attention processing. Hence, the present study manipulated both valence/value (reward as well as punishment) and motivational salience (probability of an outcome: high vs. low) together. Series of experiments were conducted, and there were two phases in each experiment. In phase 1, participants were required to learn to associate specific face stimuli with a high or low probability of winning or losing points. In the second phase, these conditioned stimuli then served as a distractor or prime in a speeded letter search task. Faces with high versus low outcome probability, regardless of valence, slowed the search for targets (specifically the left visual field target) and suggesting that the costs to performance on non-emotional cognitive tasks were only driven by motivational salience (high vs. loss) associated with the stimuli rather than the valence (gain vs. loss). It also suggests that the processing of motivationally salient stimuli is right-hemisphere biased. Together, results of these studies strengthen the notion that our visual attention system is more sensitive to affected by motivational saliency rather than valence, which termed here as motivational-driven attentional capture.Keywords: attention, distractors, motivational salience, valence
Procedia PDF Downloads 2168096 Design Practices, Policies and Guidelines towards Implementing Architectural Passive Cooling Strategies in Public Library Buildings in Temperate Climates
Authors: Lesley Metibogun, Regan Potangaroa
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Some existing sustainable public libraries in New Zealand now depend on air conditioning system for cooling. This seems completely contradictory to sustainable building initiatives. A sustainable building should be ‘self- sufficient’ and must aim at optimising the use of natural ventilation, wind and daylight and avoiding too much summer heat penetration into the building, to save energy consumption and enhance occupants’ comfort. This paper demonstrates that with appropriate architectural passive design input public libraries do not require air conditioning. Following a brief outline of how our dependence on air conditioning has spread over the full range of building types and climatic zones, this paper focuses on public libraries in temperate climates where passive cooling should be feasible for long periods of mild outside temperature. It was found that current design policies, regulations and guidelines and current building design practices militate passive cooling strategies. Perceived association with prestige, inflexibility of design process, rigid planning regulations and sustainability rating systems were identified as key factors forcing the need for air conditioning. Recommendations are made on how to further encourage development in this direction from the perspective of architectural design. This paper highlights how architectural passive cooling design strategies should be implemented in government initiated policies and regulations to develop a more sustainable public libraries.Keywords: public library, sustainable design, temperate climate, passive cooling, air conditioning
Procedia PDF Downloads 2438095 Impregnation Reduction Method for the Preparation of Platinum-Nickel/Carbon Black Alloy Nanoparticles as Faor Electrocatalyst
Authors: Maryam Kiani
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In order to enhance the efficiency and stability of an electrocatalyst for formic acid electro-oxidation reaction (FAOR), we developed a method to create Pt/Ni nanoparticles with carbon black. These nanoparticles were prepared using a simple impregnation reduction technique. During the observation, it was found that the nanoparticles had a spherical shape. Additionally, the average particle size remained consistent, falling within the range of about 4 nm. This approach aimed to obtain a loaded Pt-based electrocatalyst that would exhibit improved performance and stability when used in FAOR applications. By utilizing the impregnation reduction method and incorporating Ni nanoparticles along with Pt, we sought to enhance the catalytic properties of the material. By incorporating Ni atoms into the Pt structure, the electronic properties of Pt are modified, resulting in a delay in the chemisorption of harmful CO intermediate species. This modification also promotes the dehydrogenation pathway of the formic acid oxidation reaction (FAOR). Through electrochemical analysis, it has been observed that the Pt3Ni-C catalyst exhibits enhanced performance in FAOR compared to traditional Pt catalysts. This means that the addition of Ni atoms improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the Pt3Ni-C catalyst in facilitating the FAOR process. Overall, the utilization of these alloy nanoparticles as electrocatalysts represents a significant advancement in fuel cell technology.Keywords: electrocatalyst, impregnation reduction method, formic acid electro-oxidation reaction, fuel cells
Procedia PDF Downloads 1058094 Analysis of a Movie about Juvenile Delinquency
Authors: Guliz Kolburan
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Juvenile delinquency studies has a special place and importance in criminality researches. Young adolescents, have not reached psychological, mental and physical maturity, and they cannot understand their roles and duties in society. In this case, if such an adolescent turns into a crime machine as a gang leader, he has the least responsibility of this result. All institutions, like family, school, community and the state as a whole have duties and responsibilities in this regard. While planning the studies about prevention of juvenile delinquency, all institutions related with the development of the children, should be involved in the center of the study. So that effective goals for prevention studies can be determined only in this way. Most of youth who commit homicide feel no attachment to anybody or society except for themselves. Children who committed homicide generally developed defense mechanisms about their guilt, sadness, fear and anger. For this reason, treatment of these children should be based on the awareness of these feelings and copying with them. In the movie, events making the youth realize his own feelings and responsibilities were studied from a theoretical perspective. In this study, some of the dialogs and the scenes in the movie were analyzed and the factors cause the young gang leader to be drawn to crime were evaluated in terms of the science of psychology. The aim of this study is to analyze the process of the youth to being drawn into criminal behavior in terms of social and emotional developmental phases in a theoretical perspective via the movie produced in 2005 (94. Min.). The method of this study is discourse analysis.Keywords: crime, child, evaluation (development), psychology
Procedia PDF Downloads 4428093 Cultivation of Stenocereus Spp. as an Option to Reduce Crop Loss Problems in High Marginalization States in Mexico
Authors: Abraham Castro-Alvarez, Luisaldo Sandate-Flores, Roberto Parra-Saldivar
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The losing of crops during the whole production process is a problem that is affecting farmers in the whole world, as climate change affects the weather behavior. Stenocereus spp. is a tropical, exotic and endemic columnar cacti, it produces a colored and expensive fruit known how “pitaya”. The quality and value of the fruit, these species represent an attractive option for economical development in arid and semi-arid regions. This fruits are produced in Mexico, mainly in 4 regions, Mixteca Oaxaca-Puebla, Michoacan, Sinaloa-Sonora, Jalisco-Zacatecas. Pitaya can be an option to try mixed crop in this states due to the resistance to hard weather conditions. And also because of the marginalization problems that exist in these townships. As defined by the Population National Council it consists in the absence of development opportunities and the lack of capacity to get them. According to an analysis done in EsriPress ArcGis 10.1 the potential area in the country is almost the half of the territory being the total area of Mexico 1,965,249 km2 and the area with potential to produce pitaya 960,527 km2. This area covers part of the most affected townships that also have a few options of maize varieties making even harder the production of maize and exposing farmers to crop losing if conditions are good enough. Making pitaya a good option for these farmers to have an economic backup in their productions.Keywords: maize, pitaya, rain fed, Stenocereus
Procedia PDF Downloads 3148092 Bayesian Inference for High Dimensional Dynamic Spatio-Temporal Models
Authors: Sofia M. Karadimitriou, Kostas Triantafyllopoulos, Timothy Heaton
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Reduced dimension Dynamic Spatio-Temporal Models (DSTMs) jointly describe the spatial and temporal evolution of a function observed subject to noise. A basic state space model is adopted for the discrete temporal variation, while a continuous autoregressive structure describes the continuous spatial evolution. Application of such a DSTM relies upon the pre-selection of a suitable reduced set of basic functions and this can present a challenge in practice. In this talk, we propose an online estimation method for high dimensional spatio-temporal data based upon DSTM and we attempt to resolve this issue by allowing the basis to adapt to the observed data. Specifically, we present a wavelet decomposition in order to obtain a parsimonious approximation of the spatial continuous process. This parsimony can be achieved by placing a Laplace prior distribution on the wavelet coefficients. The aim of using the Laplace prior, is to filter wavelet coefficients with low contribution, and thus achieve the dimension reduction with significant computation savings. We then propose a Hierarchical Bayesian State Space model, for the estimation of which we offer an appropriate particle filter algorithm. The proposed methodology is illustrated using real environmental data.Keywords: multidimensional Laplace prior, particle filtering, spatio-temporal modelling, wavelets
Procedia PDF Downloads 4208091 Quantifying the Protein-Protein Interaction between the Ion-Channel-Forming Colicin A and the Tol Proteins by Potassium Efflux in E. coli Cells
Authors: Fadilah Aleanizy
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Colicins are a family of bacterial toxins that kill Escherichia coli and other closely related species. The mode of action of colicins involves binding to an outer membrane receptor and translocation across the cell envelope, leading to cytotoxicity through specific targets. The mechanism of colicin cytotoxicity includes a non-specific endonuclease activity or depolarization of the cytoplasmic membrane by pore-forming activity. For Group A colicins, translocation requires an interaction between the N-terminal domain of the colicin and a series of membrane- bound and periplasmic proteins known as the Tol system (TolB, TolR, TolA, TolQ, and Pal and the active domain must be translocated through the outer membranes. Protein-protein interactions are intrinsic to virtually every cellular process. The transient protein-protein interactions of the colicin include the interaction with much more complicated assemblies during colicin translocation across the cellular membrane to its target. The potassium release assay detects variation in the K+ content of bacterial cells (K+in). This assays is used to measure the effect of pore-forming colicins such as ColA on an indicator organism by measuring the changes of the K+ concentration in the external medium (K+out ) that are caused by cell killing with a K+ selective electrode. One of the goals of this work is to employ a quantifiable in-vivo method to spot which Tol protein are more implicated in the interaction with colicin A as it is translocated to its target.Keywords: K+ efflux, Colicin A, Tol-proteins, E. coli
Procedia PDF Downloads 4028090 Extraction of Amorphous SiO₂ From Equisetnm Arvense Plant for Synthesis of SiO₂/Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 Nanocomposite and Its Photocatalytic Activity
Authors: Babak Azari, Afshin Pourahmad, Babak Sadeghi, Masuod Mokhtari
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In this work, Equisetnm arvense plant extract was used for preparing amorphous SiO₂. For preparing of SiO₂/zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) nanocomposite by solvothermal method, the synthesized SiO₂ was added to the synthesis mixture ZIF-8. The nanocomposite was characterized using a range of techniques. The photocatalytic activity of SiO₂/ZIF-8 was investigated systematically by degrading crystal violet as a cationic dye under Ultraviolet light irradiation. Among synthesized samples (SiO₂, ZIF-8 and SiO₂/ZIF-8), the SiO₂/ZIF-8 exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity and improved stability compared to pure SiO₂ and ZIF-8. As evidenced by Scanning Electron Microscopy and Transmission electron microscopy images, ZIF-8 particles without aggregation are located over SiO₂. The SiO₂ not only provides structured support for ZIF-8 but also prevents the aggregation of ZIF-8 Metal-organic framework in comparison to the isolated ZIF-8. The superior activity of this photocatalyst was attributed to the synergistic effects from SiO₂ owing to (I) an electron acceptor (from ZIF-8) and an electron donor (to O₂ molecules), (II) preventing recombination of electron-hole in ZIF-8, and (III) maximum interfacial contact ZIF-8 with the SiO₂ surface without aggregation or prevent the accumulation of ZIF-8. The results demonstrate that holes (h+) and •O₂- are primary reactive species involved in the photocatalytic oxidation process. Moreover, the SiO₂/ZIF-8 photocatalyst did not show any obvious loss of photocatalytic activity during five-cycle tests, which indicates that the heterostructured photocatalyst was highly stable and could be used repeatedly.Keywords: nano, zeolit, potocatalist, nanocomposite
Procedia PDF Downloads 708089 A Change in Property-Rights Regime and the Proliferation of Fenced Plots, Investigating Its Implication on the Livelihoods of the Locals: A Case Study of the Guji Highlands of South Ethiopia
Authors: Tingirtu Gebretsadik
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This study aimed at explaining factors behind the ever increasing individualization over pastoral commons land and assesses the implication of the current change in property-ownership and land use system on the livelihoods of the Guji agro-pastoral system. Thus, three kebeles of Ana Sora woreda were selected for they conventionally appear to accommodate farming, pastoral and agro-pastoral systems. The survey method was employed to gather information on the major socio-economic condition of households. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were also held in all the three kebele. The empirical results were interpreted by integrating institutional, livelihood and adaptation frameworks. In this study individualization of ownership of pastoral commons manifested in the form of fenced closures is on the rise among the Guji and it has been adopted as the outcome of a long run process. Factors related to ecology and rangeland degradation, socio-economic changes, land registration and certification has allowed the increasing engagement in fencing commons grazing land for individual use. Consequently, the Guji pastoral system of production demonstrated a declining trend, and are adapting to alternative livelihood strategies. Moreover, farming and other developments have facilitated pastoral land losses and land use claims and tenure ambiguities.Keywords: land tenure, traditional institutions, property rights, fenced plots
Procedia PDF Downloads 2048088 Measuring Service Recovery Quality of Electronic Shopping Customers: A Study of Select Cities in India
Authors: Ramanjaneyulu Mogili, G.V.R.K. Acharyulu
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Indian organized retail sector is growing at a faster pace and gaining popularity. Indian Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF) reveals that the current market size of Indian retail industry is about US$ 520 billion with for growth rate 14 to 15 percent annually by 2018 the Indian retail sector is likely to grow at a CAGR of 13% to reach a size of US$ 950 billion. Developments in Information Technology have enabled online Retail sector that empowers customers to order products, conduct transactions without the need to interact physically with the retailers. In recent years, the online shopping industry has gained popularity to the point where certain categories of customers would consider buying electronic products online rather than visiting the stores. Conventionally the physical location of a store is seen as a source of competitive advantage. Online Retailing service sites provide virtual shopping space to the customers. Online Retail services are gaining momentum in India, with internet penetration improving in the country and smartphones becoming affordable along with changing lifestyles and preferences of customers. Although online shoppers prefer the convenience and choice available in online shopping, certain issues raised due to the occurrence of service failure. The proposed study attempts to measure the service recovery and failure process of electronic goods in Indian retail channels.Keywords: service recovery, customer satisfaction, e-shopping, service failure
Procedia PDF Downloads 2218087 Synthesising Highly Luminescent CdTe Quantum Dots Using Cannula Hot Injection Method
Authors: Erdem Elibol, Musa Cadırcı, Nedim Tutkun
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Recently, colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) have drawn increasing attention due to their unique size tunability, which makes them potential candidates for numerous applications including photovoltaic, LEDs, and imaging. However, the main challenge to exploit CQDs properly is that there has not been an effective method to produce them with highly crystalline form and narrow size dispersion. Hot injection method is one of the widely used techniques to produce high-quality nanoparticles. In this method, the key parameter is to reduce the time for injection of the precursors into each other, which yields fast and constant nucleation rate and hence to highly monodisperse QDs. In conventional hot injection method, the injection of precursors is carried out using standard lab syringes with long needles. However, this technique is relatively slow and thus will result in poor optical properties in QDs. In this work, highly luminescent CdTe QDs were synthesised by transferring hot precursors into each other using cannula method. Unlike regular syringe technique, with the help of high pressure difference between two precursors’ flasks and wide cross-section of cannula, the hot cannulation process is too short which yields narrow size distribution and high quantum yield of CdTe QDs. Here QDs with full width half maximum (FWHM) of 28 nm was achieved. In addition, the photoluminescence quantum yield of our samples was measured to be about 21 ± 0.9 which is at least twice the previous record values for CdTe QDs wherein syringe was used to transfer precursors.Keywords: CdTe, hot injection method, luminescent, quantum dots
Procedia PDF Downloads 3128086 Exposure Analysis of GSM Base Stations in Industrial Area
Authors: A. D. Usman, W. F. Wan Ahmad, H. H. Danjuma
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Exposure due to GSM frequencies is subject of daily debate. Though regulatory bodies provide guidelines for exposure, people still exercise fear on the possible health hazard that may result due to long term usage. In this study, exposure due to electromagnetic field emitted by GSM base stations in industrial areas was investigated. The aimed was to determine whether industrial area exposure is higher as compared to residential as well as compliance with ICNIRP guidelines. Influence of reflection and absorption with respect to inverse square law was also investigated. Measurements from GSM base stations were performed at various distances in far field region. The highest measured peak power densities as well as the calculated values at GSM 1.8 GHz were 6.05 and 90 mW/m2 respectively. This corresponds to 0.07 and 1% of ICNIRP guidelines. The highest peak power densities as well as the calculated values at GSM 0.9 GHz were 11.92 and 49.7 mW/m2 respectively. These values were 0.3 and 1.1% of ICNIRP guidelines.Keywords: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Electromagnetic Field (EMF), far field, power density, Radiofrequency (RF)
Procedia PDF Downloads 4728085 Double Negative Differential Resistance Features in Series AIN/GaN Double-Barrier Resonant Tunneling Diodes Vertically Integrated by Plasma-Assisted Molecular Beam Epitaxy
Authors: Jiajia Yao, Guanlin Wu, Fang Liu, Junshuai Xue, Yue Hao
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This study reports on the epitaxial growth of a GaN-based resonant tunneling diode (RTD) structure with stable and repeatable double negative differential resistance (NDR) characteristics at room temperature on a c-plane GaN-on-sapphire template using plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PA-MBE) technology. In this structure, two independent AlN/GaN RTDs are epitaxially connected in series in the vertical growth direction through a silicon-doped GaN layer. As the collector electrode bias voltage increases, the two RTDs respectively align the ground state energy level in the quantum well with the 2DEG energy level in the emitter accumulation well to achieve quantum resonant tunneling and then reach the negative differential resistance (NDR) region. The two NDR regions exhibit similar peak current densities and peak-to-valley current ratios, which are 230 kA/cm² and 249 kA/cm², 1.33 and 1.38, respectively, for a device with a collector electrode mesa diameter of 1 µm. The consistency of the NDR is much higher than the results of on-chip discrete RTD device interconnection, resulting from the smaller chip area, fewer interconnect parasitic parameters, and less process complexity. The methods and results presented in this paper show the brilliant prospects of GaN RTDs in the development of multi-value logic digital circuits.Keywords: MBE, AlN/GaN, RTDs, double NDR
Procedia PDF Downloads 538084 Temporal Characteristics of Human Perception to Significant Variation of Block Structures
Authors: Kuo-Cheng Liu
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In the latest research efforts, the structures of the image in the spatial domain have been successfully analyzed and proved to deduce the visual masking for accurately estimating the visibility thresholds of the image. If the structural properties of the video sequence in the temporal domain are taken into account to estimate the temporal masking, the improvement and enhancement of the as-sessing spatio-temporal visibility thresholds are reasonably expected. In this paper, the temporal characteristics of human perception to the change in block structures on the time axis are analyzed. The temporal characteristics of human perception are represented in terms of the significant variation in block structures for the analysis of human visual system (HVS). Herein, the block structure in each frame is computed by combined the pattern masking and the contrast masking simultaneously. The contrast masking always overestimates the visibility thresholds of edge regions and underestimates that of texture regions, while the pattern masking is weak on a uniform background and is strong on the complex background with spatial patterns. Under considering the significant variation of block structures between successive frames, we extend the block structures of images in the spatial domain to that of video sequences in the temporal domain to analyze the relation between the inter-frame variation of structures and the temporal masking. Meanwhile, the subjective viewing test and the fair rating process are designed to evaluate the consistency of the temporal characteristics with the HVS under a specified viewing condition.Keywords: temporal characteristic, block structure, pattern masking, contrast masking
Procedia PDF Downloads 4048083 Transforming Art: A Cross-Cultural Study of Visual Art and Literature in Rainer Maria Rilke
Authors: Rosy Saikia, Krishna Barua
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The evolution of visual art can be traced back from “pre-historic” humans, from the age of Paleolithic, Neolithic, and Metal Age. Mesopotamians and the Egyptians were the pioneers of art, in the first period of history. But the field of art first flourished in the west during the Renaissance. Since then, art represents a continuous yet varied tradition till present day. Until the early 19th century art focused chiefly on representational, religious and classical motifs, but gradually art became more abstract and conceptual approaches gained popularity. Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) was one of the leading poets cum art critic of European modernism. This paper addresses the relationship between Rilke's poetry and visual art, which involves an intimate transference of aesthetic means and definitions of form in the creative process of writing. Rilke’s connection with Auguste Rodin made him learn that a person who can “see” things could realize the beauty of a “thing” and could subsequently write. To “see” the “thing” or “object” rather than representing emotion was considered as more important by Rodin and that was the way he cracked the old aesthetic mould. Rilke himself agreed that his correspondence with the artists made him acquainted nothing but a new way of seeing. Rilke admitted to the constant reference to the Bible, the books of the Danish poet Jens Peter Jacobsen and Auguste Rodin, who all had given him the experience of the essence of creativity, its depths and eternity. Rilke’s association with philosophers such as Nietzhche and artists, starting from Worpweders and Rodin to Cezanne’s paintings, made him almost an apprentice in visual art.Keywords: seeing, gaze, aesthetic, beauty, visual art, Rilke
Procedia PDF Downloads 4928082 A Time since of Injection Model for Hepatitis C Amongst People Who Inject Drugs
Authors: Nader Al-Rashidi, David Greenhalgh
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Mathematical modelling techniques are now being used by health organizations worldwide to help understand the likely impact that intervention strategies treatment options and combinations of these have on the prevalence and incidence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the people who inject drugs (PWID) population. In this poster, we develop a deterministic, compartmental mathematical model to approximate the spread of the HCV in a PWID population that has been divided into two groups by time since onset of injection. The model assumes that after injection needles adopt the most infectious state of their previous state or that of the PWID who last injected with them. Using analytical techniques, we find that the model behaviour is determined by the basic reproductive number R₀, where R₀ = 1 is a critical threshold separating two different outcomes. The disease-free equilibrium is globally stable if R₀ ≤ 1 and unstable if R₀ > 1. Additionally, we make some simulations where have confirmed that the model tends to this endemic equilibrium value with realistic parameter values giving an HCV prevalence.Keywords: hepatitis C, people who inject drugs, HCV, PWID
Procedia PDF Downloads 1418081 Fabrication and Characterization of Cu50 (Zr50-xNix) 50 Nanocrystalline Coating by Cold Spray Technique for Potential Antibiofilm Application
Authors: Ahmad Alazemi, M. Sherif El-Eskandrany, Mohamad Kishk, Thanyan AlOnaizi, Ahmad Alduweesh, Shorouq Abdullaleel
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Arc melting technique followed by top-down approach, using a high-energy ball milling technique were employed to synthesize nanocrystalline of Cu50(Zr50-xNix)50 (x = 0, 10, 20 and 30 at.%) powder particles. The end-products of the alloy powders obtained after 50 h of the ball milling time were uniform in composition and had spherical-like morphology with an average particle size of 0.75 µm in diameter. The powders, which consisted of nanocrystalline grains with an average grain size of 10 nm in diameter, were used as feedstock materials for double face coating of stainless (SUS304) sheets, using cold spraying process. The coating materials enjoyed nanocrystalline structure and uniform composition. Biofilms were grown on 20-mm2 SUS304 sheets coated coupons inoculated with 1.5 × 108 CFU ml−1 E. coli. Significant biofilm inhibition was recorded in the nanoparticles coated coupons in comparison to non-coated SUS304 coupon. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that formation of biofilms can be significantly inhibited by Cu-based alloys especially in case of high (Ni) content. The inhibition of biofilm formation by nanocrystalline powders of Cu-based provides a practical approach to achieve the inhibition of biofilms formed by an emerging pathogen.Keywords: biofilm, Cu, E.coli, FE-HRTEM/EDS, nanomaterials, nanocrystalline
Procedia PDF Downloads 4138080 A Method for Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems Customization Measurement
Authors: Jesus Kombaya, Nadia Hamani, Lyes Kermad
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The preservation of a company’s place on the market in such aggressive competition is becoming a survival challenge for manufacturers. In this context, survivors are only those who succeed to satisfy their customers’ needs as quickly as possible. The production system should be endowed with a certain level of flexibility to eliminate or reduce the rigidity of the production systems in order to facilitate the conversion and/or the change of system’s features to produce different products. Therefore, it is essential to guarantee the quality, the speed and the flexibility to survive in this competition. According to literature, this adaptability is referred to as the notion of "change". Indeed, companies are trying to establish a more flexible and agile manufacturing system through several reconfiguration actions. Reconfiguration contributes to the extension of the manufacturing system life cycle by modifying its physical, organizational and computer characteristics according to the changing market conditions. Reconfigurability is characterized by six key elements that are: modularity, integrability, diagnosability, convertibility, scalability and customization. In order to control the production systems, it is essential for manufacturers to make good use of this capability in order to be sure that the system has an optimal and adapted level of reconfigurability that allows it to produce in accordance with the set requirements. This document develops a measure of customization of reconfigurable production systems. These measures do not only impact the production system but also impact the product design and the process design, which can therefore serve as a guide for the customization of manufactured product. A case study is presented to show the use of the proposed approach.Keywords: reconfigurable manufacturing systems, customization, measure, flexibility
Procedia PDF Downloads 1188079 Effect of Temperature on Pervaporation Performance of Ag-Poly Vinyl Alcohol Nanocomposite Membranes
Authors: Asmaa Selim, Peter Mizsey
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Bio-ethanol is considered of higher potential as a green renewable energy source owing to its environmental benefits and its high efficiency. In the present study, silver nanoparticles were in-situ generated in a poly (vinyl alcohol) in order to improve its potentials for pervaporation of ethanol-water mixture using solution-casting. Effect of silver content on the pervaporation separation index and the enrichment factor of the membrane at 15 percentage mass water at 40ᵒC was reported. Pervaporation data for nanocomposite membranes showed around 100% increase in the water permeance values while the intrinsic selectivity decreased. The water permeances of origin crosslinked PVA membrane, and the 2.5% silver loaded PVA membrane are 26.65 and 70.45 (g/m².kPa.h) respectively. The values of total flux and water flux are closed to each other, indicating that membranes could be effectively used to break the azeotropic point of ethanol-water. Effect of temperature on the pervaporation performance, permeation parameter and diffusion coefficient of both water and ethanol was discussed. The negative heat of sorption ∆Hs values calculated on the basis of the estimated Arrhenius activation energy values indicating that the sorption process was controlled by Langmuir’s mode. The overall results showed that the membrane containing 0.5 mass percentage of Ag salt exhibited excellent PV performance.Keywords: bio-ethanol, diffusion coefficient, nanocomposite, pervaporation, poly (vinyl alcohol), silver nanoparticles
Procedia PDF Downloads 1648078 Ultrathin Tin-Silicalite 1 Zeolite Membrane in Ester Solvent Recovery
Authors: Kun Liang Ang, Eng Toon Saw, Wei He, Xuecheng Dong, Seeram Ramakrishna
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Ester solvents are widely used in pharmaceutical, printing and flavor industry due to their good miscibility, low toxicity, and high volatility. Through pervaporation, these ester solvents can be recovered from industrial wastewater. While metal-doped silicalite 1 zeolite membranes are commonly used in organic solvent recovery in the pervaporation process, these ceramic membranes suffer from low membrane permeation flux, mainly due to the high thickness of the metal-doped zeolite membrane. Herein, a simple method of fabricating an ultrathin tin-silicalite 1 membrane supported on alumina tube is reported. This ultrathin membrane is able to achieve high permeation flux and separation factor for an ester in a diluted aqueous solution. Nanosized tin-Silicalite 1 seeds which are smaller than 500nm has been formed through hydrothermal synthesis. The sn-Silicalite 1 seeds were then seeded onto alumina tube through dip coating, and the tin-Silicalite 1 membrane was then formed by hydrothermal synthesis in an autoclave through secondary growth method. Multiple membrane synthesis factors such as seed size, ceramic substrate surface pore size selection, and secondary growth conditions were studied for their effects on zeolite membrane growth. The microstructure, morphology and the membrane thickness of tin-Silicalite 1 zeolite membrane were examined. The membrane separation performance and stability will also be reported.Keywords: ceramic membrane, pervaporation, solvent recovery, Sn-MFI zeolite
Procedia PDF Downloads 1838077 Structural Performance Evaluation of Segmented Wind Turbine Blade Through Finite Element Simulation
Authors: Chandrashekhar Bhat, Dilifa Jossley Noronha, Faber A. Saldana
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Transportation of long turbine blades from one place to another is a difficult process. Hence a feasibility study of modularization of wind turbine blade was taken from structural standpoint through finite element analysis. Initially, a non-segmented blade is modeled and its structural behavior is evaluated to serve as reference. The resonant, static bending and fatigue tests are simulated in accordance with IEC61400-23 standard for comparison purpose. The non-segmented test blade is separated at suitable location based on trade off studies and the segments are joined with an innovative double strap bonded joint configuration. The adhesive joint is modeled by adopting cohesive zone modeling approach in ANSYS. The developed blade model is analyzed for its structural response through simulation. Performances of both the blades are found to be similar, which indicates that, efficient segmentation of the long blade is possible which facilitates easy transportation of the blades and on site reassembling. The location selected for segmentation and adopted joint configuration has resulted in an efficient segmented blade model which proves the methodology adopted for segmentation was quite effective. The developed segmented blade appears to be the viable alternative considering its structural response specifically in fatigue within considered assumptions.Keywords: modularization, fatigue, cohesive zone modeling, wind turbine blade
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