Search results for: electronic delivery

Authors: Mohamad Ghozali Hassan, Abdul Aziz Othman, Mohd Azril Ismail

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Adapting quickly to environmental dynamism is essential for an organization to develop outsourcing strategic and management in order to sustain competitive advantage. This research used the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) tool to investigate the factors of environmental dynamism impact on the strategic outsourcing success among electrical and electronic manufacturing industries in outsourcing management. Statistical results confirm that the inclusion of customer demand, technological change, and competition level as a new combination concept of environmental dynamism, has positive effects on outsourcing success. Additionally, this research demonstrates the acceptability of PLS-SEM as a statistical analysis to furnish a better understanding of environmental dynamism in outsourcing management in Malaysia. A practical finding contributes to academics and practitioners in the field of outsourcing management.

Keywords: environmental dynamism, customer demand, technological change, competition level, outsourcing success

Procedia PDF Downloads 488

Authors: Cecilia Kunseh Betek

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Managing rural water supply systems effectively and efficiently is a challenge in the O R Tambo District Municipality due to the long distances between consumers and municipal centres. This is a couple with the low income of most residents and the government's policy of free basic water which is making rural water provision very difficult. With regard to cartage, the results reveal that the majority (84.4%) of the population covers distances of about 1kilometre to fetch water, and 15.6% travel up kilometer to access water facilities. This means that the water sources are located very far from households, outside the officially legislated array of 200metres. These are many reasons to account for this situation. Firstly, this implies that there are inadequate stand pipes to cater for all the homesteads scattered across the rugged terrain of OR Tambo District municipality. Secondly, and following from the first explanation, it would be seen that funding that is made available is not adequate, or is not efficiently spent on the targeted projects. The situation in the rural areas of South Africa is fraught with cumbersome complexity when it comes to service delivery.

Keywords: water, management, government, rural

Procedia PDF Downloads 275

Authors: Sunil Kamboj, Suman Bala, Vipin Saini

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Niosomes were formulated with an aim of enhancing the oral bioavailability of losartan potassium and formulated in different molar ratios of surfactant, cholesterol and dicetyl phosphate. The formulated niosomes were found in range of 54.98 µm to 107.85 µm in size. Formulations with 1:1 ratio of surfactant and cholesterol have shown maximum entrapment efficiencies. Niosomes with sorbitan monostearate showed maximum drug release and zero order release kinetics, at the end of 24 hours. The in vivo study has shown the significant enhancement in oral bioavailability of losartan potassium in rats, after a dose of 10 mg/kg. The average relative bioavailability in relation with pure drug solution was found 2.56, indicates more than two fold increase in oral bioavailability. A significant increment in MRT reflects the release retarding ability of the vesicles. In conclusion, niosomes could be a promising delivery of losartan potassium with improved oral bioavailability and prolonged release profiles.

Keywords: non-ionic surfactant vesicles, losartan potassium, oral bioavailability, controlled release

Procedia PDF Downloads 338

Authors: Aryan Azad, Sun Jae Kim

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Cotton fabric is particularly prone to wrinkling. BTCA has been confirmed as the most effective reagent with sodium hypophosphite (SHP) as catalyst for decreasing the wrinkle issue. Using nano TiO2 as aco-catalyst could improve the catalytic reaction of the BTCA as well. In this study, the effect of dying process using reactive/disperse on the cotton/polyester blended fabric (65/35%) which is previously treated by nano TiO2 and BTCA, were investigated. Results were compared by samples which were not treated by nano TiO2 and BTCA by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). Results showed, samples which were treated by mixing nano TiO2 and BTCA have not absorbed dye as much as untreated samples.

Keywords: cotton/polyester, dyeing process, nano titanium dioxide (TiO2), sodium hypophosphite (SHP), Tetra carboxylic acid (BTCA)

Procedia PDF Downloads 196

Authors: Kulwinder Singh Mann

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The innovative features of information system, known as Radiology Information System (RIS), for electronic medical records has shown a good impact in the hospital. The objective is to help and make their work easier; such as for a physician to access the patient’s data and for a patient to check their bill transparently. The interoperability of RIS with the other intra-hospital information systems it interacts with, dealing with the compatibility and open architecture issues, are accomplished by two novel mechanisms. The first one is the particular message handling system that is applied for the exchange of information, according to the Health Level Seven (HL7) protocol’s specifications and serves the transfer of medical and administrative data among the RIS applications and data store unit. The second one implements the translation of information between the formats that HL7 and Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine (DICOM) protocols specify, providing the communication between RIS and Picture and Archive Communication System (PACS) which is used for the increasing incorporation of modern medical imaging equipment.

Keywords: RIS, PACS, HIS, HL7, DICOM, messaging service, interoperability, digital images

Procedia PDF Downloads 292

Authors: Tang Jiacheng, Fang Tianyu, Liu Yicen, Xiang Xingzhou

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The proportion of healthcare services is increasing throughout the globe. The convergence of mobile technology is driving new business opportunities, innovations in healthcare service delivery and the promise of a better life tomorrow for different populations with various healthcare needs. One of the most important phases for the combination of health care and mobile applications is to elicit requirements correctly. In this paper, four articles from different research directions with four topics on healthcare were detailed analyzed and summarized. We identified the underlying problems in guidance to develop mobile applications to provide healthcare service for Older adults, Women in menopause, Patients undergoing covid. These case studies cover several elicitation methods: survey, prototyping, focus group interview and questionnaire. And the effectiveness of these methods was analyzed along with the advantages and limitations of these methods, which is beneficial to adapt the elicitation methods for future software development process.

Keywords: healthcare, software requirement elicitation, mobile applications, prototyping, focus group interview

Procedia PDF Downloads 138

Authors: Wan Nur'ashiqin Wan Mohamad, Zarina Othman, Mohd Azman Abas, Azizah Ya'acob, Rozmel Abdul Latiff

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Effective doctor-patient interaction is vital to both doctor and patient relationship. It is the cornerstone of good practice and an integral quality of a healthcare institution. This paper presented the hierarchy of the communication elements in doctor-patient interaction during medical consultations in a medical centre in Malaysia. This study adapted The Picker Patient Experience Questionnaire (2002) to obtain the information from patients. The questionnaire survey was responded by 100 patients between the ages of 20 and 50. Data collected were analysed using Rasch Measurement Model to yield the hierarchy of the communication elements in doctor-patient interaction. The findings showed that the three highest ranking on the doctor-patient interaction were doctor’s treatment, important information delivery and patient satisfaction of doctor’s responses. The results are valuable in developing the framework for communication ethics of doctors.

Keywords: communication elements, doctor-patient interaction, hierarchy, Rasch measurement model

Procedia PDF Downloads 152

Authors: Shailendra Kumar, Lokesh Kashyap, Puneet Khanna, Nishant Patel, Rakesh Kumar, Arshad Ayub, Kelika Prakash, Yudhyavir Singh, Krithikabrindha V.

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Introduction: Spinal anesthesia is considered a standard anesthesia technique for caesarean delivery. The incidence of spinal hypotension during caesarean delivery is 70 -80%. Spinal hypotension may cause cerebral hypoperfusion in the mother, but physiologically cerebral autoregulatory mechanisms accordingly prevent cerebral hypoxia. Cerebral blood flow remains constant in the 50-150 mmHg of Cerebral Perfusion Pressure (CPP) range. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a non-invasive technology that is used to detect Cerebral Desaturation Events (CDEs) immediately compared to other conventional intraoperative monitoring techniques. Objective: The primary aim of the study is to correlate the change in cerebral oxygen saturation using NIRS with respect to a fall in mean blood pressure after spinal anaesthesia and to find out the effects of spinal hypotension on neonatal APGAR score, neonatal acid-base variations, and presence of Postoperative Delirium (POD). Methodology: NIRS sensors were attached to the forehead of all the patients, and their baseline readings of cerebral oxygenation on the right and left frontal regions and mean blood pressure were noted. Subarachnoid block was given with hyperbaric 0.5% bupivacaine plus fentanyl, the dose being determined by the individual anaesthesiologist. Co-loading of IV crystalloid solutions was given to the patient. Blood pressure reading and cerebral saturation were recorded every 1 minute till 30min. Hypotension was a fall in MAP less than 20% of the baseline values. Patients going for hypotension were treated with an IV Bolus of phenylephrine/ephedrine. Umbilical cord blood samples were taken for blood gas analysis, and neonatal APGAR was noted by a neonatologist. Study design: A prospective observational study conducted in a population of Thirty ASA 2 and 3 parturients scheduled for lower segment caesarean section (LSCS). Results: Mean fall in regional cerebral saturation is 28.48 ± 14.7% with respect to the mean fall in blood pressure 38.92 ± 8.44 mm Hg. The correlation coefficient between fall in saturation and fall in mean blood pressure is 0.057, and p-value {0.7} after subarachnoid block. A fall in regional cerebral saturation occurred 2±1 min before a fall in mean blood pressure. Twenty-nine out of thirty patients required vasopressors during hypotension. The first dose of vasopressor requirement is needed at 6.02±2 min after the block. The mean APGAR score was 7.86 and 9.74 at 1 and 5 min of birth, respectively, and the mean umbilical arterial pH of 7.3±0.1. According to DRS-98 (Delirium Rating Scale), the mean delirium rating score on postoperative day 1 and day 2 were 0.1 and 0.7, respectively. Discussion: There was a fall in regional cerebral oxygen saturation, which started before with respect to a significant fall in mean blood pressure readings but was statistically not significant. Maximal fall in blood pressure requiring vasopressors occurs within 10 min of SAB. Neonatal APGAR scores and acid-base variations were in the normal range with maternal hypotension, and there was no incidence of postoperative delirium in patients with post-spinal hypotension.

Keywords: cerebral oxygenation, LSCS, NIRS, spinal hypotension

Procedia PDF Downloads 62

Authors: Julie Furst-Bowe

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Over the past decade, there has been significant growth in online courses and programs at all levels of education in the United States. This study explores the growth of online and blended (or hybrid) programs offered by the sixteen technical colleges in the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS). The WTCS provides education and training programs to more than 300,000 students each year in career clusters including agriculture, business, energy, information technology, healthcare, human services, manufacturing, and transportation. These programs range from short-term training programs that may lead to a certificate to two-year programs that lead to an associate degree. Students vary in age from high school students who are exploring career interests to employees who are seeking to gain additional skills or enter a new career. Because there is currently a shortage of skilled workers in nearly all sectors in the state of Wisconsin, it is critical that the WTCS is providing fully educated and trained graduates to fill workforce needs in a timely manner. For this study, information on online and blended programs for the past five years was collected from the WTCS, including types of programs, course and program enrollments, course completion rates, program completion rates, time to completion and graduate employment rates. The results of this study indicate that the number of online and blended courses and programs is continuing to increase each year. Online and blended programs are most commonly found in the business, human services, and information technology areas, and they are less commonly found in agriculture, healthcare, manufacturing, and transportation programs. Overall, course and program completion rates were higher for blended programs when compared to fully online programs. Students preferred the blended programs over the fully online programs. Overall, graduates were placed into related jobs at a rate of approximately 90 percent, although there was some variation in graduate placement rates by programs and by colleges. Differences in graduate employment rate appeared to be based on geography and sector as employers did not distinguish between graduates who had completed their programs via traditional, blended or fully online instruction. Recommendations include further exploration as to the reasons that blended courses and programs appear to be more effective than fully online courses and programs. It is also recommended that those program areas that are not using blended or online delivery methods, including agriculture, health, manufacturing and transportation, explore the use of these methods to make their courses and programs more accessible to students, particularly working adults. In some instances, colleges were partnering with specific companies to ensure that groups of employees were completing online coursework leading to a certificate or a degree. Those partnerships are to be encouraged in order for the state to continue to improve the skills of its workforce. Finally, it is recommended that specific colleges specialize in the delivery of specific programs using online technology since it is not bound by geographic considerations. This approach would take advantage of the strengths of the individual colleges and avoid unnecessary duplication.

Keywords: career and technical education, online learning, skills shortage, technical colleges

Procedia PDF Downloads 121

Authors: Jesús Antonio Puente Fernández, Luis Javier Garcia Villalba

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New trends on streaming videos such as series or films require a high demand of network resources. This fact results in a huge problem within traditional IP networks due to the rigidity of its architecture. In this way, Software Defined Networks (SDN) is a new concept of network architecture that intends to be more flexible and it simplifies the management in networks with respect to the existing ones. These aspects are possible due to the separation of control plane (controller) and data plane (switches). Taking the advantage of this separated control, it is easy to deploy a monitoring tool independent of device vendors since the existing ones are dependent on the installation of specialized and expensive hardware. In this paper, we propose a framework that optimizes the traffic monitoring in SDN networks that decreases the number of monitoring queries to improve the network traffic and also reduces the overload. The performed experiments (with and without the optimization) using a video streaming delivery between two hosts demonstrate the feasibility of our monitoring proposal.

Keywords: optimization, monitoring, software defined networking, statistics, query

Procedia PDF Downloads 320

Authors: Levent Seyfi, Ertan Akman, Tuğrul C. Topak

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In this study, irrigation automation with electronic sensors and its control with smartphones were aimed. In this context, temperature and soil humidity measurements of the area irrigated were obtained by temperature and humidity sensors. A micro controller (Arduino) was utilized for accessing values of these parameters and controlling the proposed irrigation system. The irrigation system could automatically be worked according to obtained measurement values. Besides, a GSM module used together with Arduino provided that the irrigation system was in connection to smartphones. Thus, the irrigation system can be remotely controlled. Not only can we observe whether the irrigation system is working or not via developed special android application but also we can see temperature and humidity measurement values. In addition to this, if desired, the irrigation system can be remotely and manually started or stopped regardless of measured sensor vales thanks to the developed android application. In addition to smartphones, the irrigation system can be alternatively controlled via the designed website (www.sulamadenetim.com).

Keywords: smartphone, Android Operating System, sensors, irrigation System, arduino

Procedia PDF Downloads 603

Authors: Sandesh Achar

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The cloud computing industry has set new goals for better service delivery and deployment, so anyone can access services such as computation, application, and storage anytime. Cloud computing promises new possibilities for approaching sustainable solutions to deploy and advance their services in this distributed environment. This work explores energy-efficient approaches and how cloud-based architecture can reduce energy consumption levels amongst enterprises leveraging cloud computing services. Adopting cloud-based networking, database, and server machines provide a comprehensive means of achieving the potential gains in energy efficiency that cloud computing offers. In energy-efficient cloud computing, virtualization is one aspect that can integrate several technologies to achieve consolidation and better resource utilization. Moreover, the Green Cloud Architecture for cloud data centers is discussed in terms of cost, performance, and energy consumption, and appropriate solutions for various application areas are provided.

Keywords: greener cloud, cloud computing, energy efficiency, energy consumption, metadata tags, green cloud advisor

Procedia PDF Downloads 74

Authors: T. Weber, D. MacKenzie

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The script in this paper describes the use of advanced simulation environment using electronic systems (microcontroller, operational amplifiers, and FPGA). The simulation was used for non-linear dynamic systems behaviour with required observer structure working with parallel real-time simulation based on state-space representation. The proposed deposited model was used for electrodynamic effects including ionising effects and eddy current distribution also. With the script and proposed method, it is possible to calculate the spatial distribution of the electromagnetic fields in real-time and such systems. For further purpose, the spatial temperature distribution may also be used. With upon system, the uncertainties and disturbances may be determined. This provides the estimation of the more precise system states for the required system and additionally the estimation of the ionising disturbances that arise due to radiation effects in space systems. The results have also shown that a system can be developed specifically with the real-time calculation (estimation) of the radiation effects only. Electronic systems can take damage caused by impacts with charged particle flux in space or radiation environment. TID (Total Ionising Dose) of 1 Gy and Single Effect Transient (SET) free operation up to 50 MeVcm²/mg may assure certain functions. Single-Event Latch-up (SEL) results on the placement of several transistors in the shared substrate of an integrated circuit; ionising radiation can activate an additional parasitic thyristor. This short circuit between semiconductor-elements can destroy the device without protection and measurements. Single-Event Burnout (SEB) on the other hand, increases current between drain and source of a MOSFET and destroys the component in a short time. A Single-Event Gate Rupture (SEGR) can destroy a dielectric of semiconductor also. In order to be able to react to these processes, it must be calculated within a shorter time that ionizing radiation and dose is present. For this purpose, sensors may be used for the realistic evaluation of the diffusion and ionizing effects of the test system. For this purpose, the Peltier element is used for the evaluation of the dynamic temperature increases (dT/dt), from which a measure of the ionization processes and thus radiation will be detected. In addition, the piezo element may be used to record highly dynamic vibrations and oscillations to absorb impacts of charged particle flux. All available sensors shall be used to calibrate the spatial distributions also. By measured value of size and known location of the sensors, the entire distribution in space can be calculated retroactively or more accurately. With the formation, the type of ionisation and the direct effect to the systems and thus possible prevent processes can be activated up to the shutdown. The results show possibilities to perform more qualitative and faster simulations independent of space-systems and radiation environment also. The paper gives additionally an overview of the diffusion effects and their mechanisms.

Keywords: cattle, biochar, manure, microbial activity

Procedia PDF Downloads 97

Authors: Xiaohui Zhao, Shahan Mafuz

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Context-aware technologies provide system applications with the awareness of environmental conditions, customer behaviour, object movements, etc. Further, with such capability system applications can be smart to adapt intelligently their responses to the changing conditions. Concerning business operations, this promises businesses that their business processes can run more intelligently, adaptively and flexibly, and thereby either improve customer experience, enhance reliability of service delivery, or lower operational cost, to make the business more competitive and sustainable. Aiming at realizing such context-aware business process management, this paper firstly explores its potential benefit and then identifies some gaps between the current business process management support and the expected. In addition, some preliminary solutions are also discussed with context definition, rule-based process execution, run-time process evolution, etc. A framework is also presented to give a conceptual architecture of context-aware business process management system to guide system implementation.

Keywords: business process adaptation, business process evolution, business process modelling, and context awareness

Procedia PDF Downloads 404

Authors: Qinglei Liu, Ali Charkhesht, Tiva Sharifi, Ashkan Bahadoran

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Graphene sheets are promising nanoscale building blocks as a support material for the dispersion of nanoparticles. In this work, a solvothermal method employed to directly grow Co1-xZnxFe2O4 ferrite nanospheres on graphene oxide support that is subsequently reduced to graphene. The samples morphology, structure and crystallography were investigated using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). The influences of the Zn2+ content on photocatalytic activity, electrical conductivity and magnetic property of the samples are also investigated. The results showed that Co1-x Znx Fe2 O4 nanoparticles are dispersed on graphene sheets and obtained nanocomposites are soft magnetic materials. In addition the samples showed excellent photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation.

Keywords: reduced graphene oxide, ferrite, magnetic nanocomposite, photocatalytic activity, solvothermal method

Procedia PDF Downloads 240

Authors: Abdulqader Almasabe, Stephanie Ludi, Mohammed Alenazi

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Governments around the world have been increasingly introducing e-government services in order to make processes more efficient and accessible for their citizens. The government of Saudi Arabia has adopted E-Government for the effective delivery of services. However, the adoption rate of these services remains low in many countries. This paper aims to explore the determinants of citizens' intention to adopt and use e-government services, focusing on a model of factors influencing the adoption and utilization of e-government services (MFIAUEGS) that has been specially developed for this purpose. By analyzing the factors that influence citizens' decisions to use e-government services we hope to provide insights that help to increase adoption rates and improve the overall effectiveness of these services. In this paper, 562 valid responses were collected and analyzed to shed light on the issue. The results of the research showed that each of the proposed factors in the MFIAUEGS model played a significant role in influencing citizens' intentions to adopt and use e-government services.

Keywords: e-government, model acceptance, influencing factors, TAM

Procedia PDF Downloads 57

Authors: Jinfeng Zhang, Chun-Sing Lee

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Pure nanodrugs (PNDs) – nanoparticles consisting entirely of drug molecules, have been considered as promising candidates for the next-generation nanodrugs. However, the traditional preparation method via reprecipitation faces critical challenges including low production rates, relatively large particle sizes and batch-to-batch variations. Here, for the first time, we successfully developed a novel, versatile and controllable strategy for preparing PNDs via an anodized aluminium oxide (AAO) template-assisted method. With this approach, we prepared PNDs of an anti-cancer drug (VM-26) with precisely controlled sizes reaching the sub-20 nm range. This template-assisted approach has much higher feasibility for mass production comparing to the conventional reprecipitation method and is beneficial for future clinical translation. The present method is further demonstrated to be easily applicable for a wide range of hydrophobic biomolecules without the need of custom molecular modifications and can be extended for preparing all-in-one nanostructures with different functional agents.

Keywords: drug delivery, pure nanodrugs, size control, template

Procedia PDF Downloads 302

Authors: Harriet Bothwell, Lowri Evans, Kevin Jones

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Background: The University of Bristol provides all medical students the opportunity to undertake student selected components (SSCs) at multiple stages of the undergraduate programme. SSCs enable students to explore areas of interest that are not necessarily covered by the curriculum. Students are required to produce a written report and most use SSCs as an opportunity to undertake an audit or small research project. In 2013 Swindon Academy, based at the Great Western Hospital, offered eight students the opportunity of a global health SSC which included a two week trip to rural hospital in Uganda. This SSC has since expanded and in 2017 a total of 20 students had the opportunity to undertake small research projects at two hospitals in rural Uganda. 'Tomorrows Doctors' highlights the importance of understanding healthcare from a 'global perspective' and student feedback from previous SSCs suggests that self-assessed knowledge of global health increases as a result of this SSC. Through the most recent version of this SSC students had the opportunity to undertake projects in a wide range of specialties including paediatrics, palliative care, surgery and medical education. Methods: An anonymous online questionnaire was made available to students following the SSC. There was a response rate of 80% representing 16 out of the 20 students. This questionnaire surveyed students’ satisfaction and experience of the SSC including the level of academic, project and spiritual support provided as well as perceived challenges in completing the project and barriers to healthcare delivery in the low resource setting. This survey had multiple open questions allowing the collection of qualitative data. Further qualitative data was collected from the students’ project report. The suggested format included a reflection and all students completed these. All qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. Results: All respondents rated the overall experience of the SSC as 'good' or 'excellent'. Preliminary data suggest that students’ confidence in their knowledge of global health, diagnosis of tropical diseases and management of tropical diseases improved after completing this SSC. Thematic analysis of students' reflection is ongoing but suggests that students gain far more than improved knowledge of tropical diseases. Students reflect positively on having the opportunity to research in a low resource setting and feel that by completing these projects they will be 'useful' to the hospital. Several students reflect the stark contrast to healthcare delivery in the UK and recognise the 'privilege' of having a healthcare system that is free at the point of access. Some students noted the different approaches that clinicians in Uganda had to train in 'taking ownership' of their own learning. Conclusions: Students completing this SSC report increased knowledge of global health and tropical medicine. However, their reflections reveal much broader learning outcomes and demonstrate considerable insight in multiple topics including conducting research in the low resource setting, training and healthcare inequality.

Keywords: global health, medical education, student feedback, undergraduate

Procedia PDF Downloads 115

Authors: Charlotte Bach, Albrecht Jahn, Mahnaz Motamedi, Maryam Karimi-Ghahfarokhi

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Background: Maternal and infant deaths are most prevalent in the first month after birth, emphasizing the critical need for quality healthcare services during this period. Immigrant women, who are more susceptible to adverse pregnancy outcomes, often face neglect in accessing proper healthcare. The lack of adequate postpartum care significantly contributes to mortality rates. Therefore, utilizing maternal health care services and implementing postpartum care is crucial in reducing maternal and child mortality. Aims: This study aims to evaluate the assessment of pre- and postnatal care among women with and without migration background. In addition, the study explores the impact of COVID-19 procedures on women's experiences during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. Methods: This research employs a cross-sectional Mixed-Method design. Data collection was facilitated through structured questionnaires administered to participants, alongside the utilization of patient bases, including Maternity and child medical records. Following the assumption that the investigator aimed to gain comprehensive insights, qualitative sampling focused on individuals with substantial experiences related to COVID-19, regarded as rich cases. Results: our study highlighted the influence of educational level, marital status, and consensual partnerships on the likelihood of Cesarean deliveries. Regarding breastfeeding practices, migrant women exhibited higher rates of breastfeeding initiation and continuation. Contraception utilization revealed interesting patterns, with non-migrants displaying higher odds of contraceptive use. The qualitative component of our research adds depth to the exploration of women's experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing nuanced challenges related to anxiety, hospital restrictions, breastfeeding support, and postnatal ward routines. Conclusion: Dissimilarity among studies toward cesarean rate between migrants and non-migrants underscores the importance of targeted interventions considering the diverse needs of distinct population groups. It also acknowledges potential cultural, contextual, and healthcare system influences on the association between mode of delivery and infant feeding practices. Studies acknowledge the influence of contextual variables on contraceptive preferences among migrants and non-migrants, emphasizing the need for tailored healthcare policies. The findings contribute to existing research, highlighting the need for a nuanced understanding of the impact of birth preparation courses on maternal and infant outcomes. Furthermore, they emphasize the universality of certain maternity care experiences, regardless of pandemic contexts, reinforcing the importance of patient-centred approaches in healthcare delivery.

Keywords: migration background, pregnancy outcome, covid-19, postpartum

Procedia PDF Downloads 38

Authors: Neoclis Hadjigeorgiou, Spyridon Angelopoulos, Evangelos V. Hristoforou, Paul P. Sotiriadis

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The increasing demand for accurate and reliable magnetic measurements over the past decades has paved the way for the development of different types of magnetic sensing systems as well as of more advanced measurement techniques. Anisotropic Magneto Resistance (AMR) sensors have emerged as a promising solution for applications requiring high resolution, providing an ideal balance between performance and cost. However, certain issues of AMR sensors such as non-linear response and measurement noise are rarely discussed in the relevant literature. In this work, an analog closed loop compensation system is proposed, developed and tested as a means to eliminate the non-linearity of AMR response, reduce the 1/f noise and enhance the sensitivity of magnetic sensor. Additional performance aspects, such as cross-axis and hysteresis effects are also examined. This system was analyzed using an analytical model and a P-Spice model, considering both the sensor itself as well as the accompanying electronic circuitry. In addition, a commercial closed loop architecture Flux-Gate sensor (calibrated and certified), has been used for comparison purposes. Three different experimental setups have been constructed for the purposes of this work, each one utilized for DC magnetic field measurements, AC magnetic field measurements and Noise density measurements respectively. The DC magnetic field measurements have been conducted in laboratory environment employing a cubic Helmholtz coil setup in order to calibrate and characterize the system under consideration. A high-accuracy DC power supply has been used for providing the operating current to the Helmholtz coils. The results were recorded by a multichannel voltmeter The AC magnetic field measurements have been conducted in laboratory environment employing a cubic Helmholtz coil setup in order to examine the effective bandwidth not only of the proposed system but also for the Flux-Gate sensor. A voltage controlled current source driven by a function generator has been utilized for the Helmholtz coil excitation. The result was observed by the oscilloscope. The third experimental apparatus incorporated an AC magnetic shielding construction composed of several layers of electric steel that had been demagnetized prior to the experimental process. Each sensor was placed alone and the response was captured by the oscilloscope. The preliminary experimental results indicate that closed loop AMR response presented a maximum deviation of 0.36% with respect to the ideal linear response, while the corresponding values for the open loop AMR system and the Fluxgate sensor reached 2% and 0.01% respectively. Moreover, the noise density of the proposed close loop AMR sensor system remained almost as low as the noise density of the AMR sensor itself, yet considerably higher than that of the Flux-Gate sensor. All relevant numerical data are presented in the paper.

Keywords: AMR sensor, chopper, closed loop, electronic noise, magnetic noise, memory effects, flux-gate sensor, linearity improvement, sensitivity improvement

Procedia PDF Downloads 412

Authors: Wided Bakari, Patrce Bellot, Mahmoud Neji

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With the development of electronic media and the heterogeneity of Arabic data on the Web, the idea of building a clean corpus for certain applications of natural language processing, including machine translation, information retrieval, question answer, become more and more pressing. In this manuscript, we seek to create and develop our own corpus of pair’s questions-texts. This constitution then will provide a better base for our experimentation step. Thus, we try to model this constitution by a method for Arabic insofar as it recovers texts from the web that could prove to be answers to our factual questions. To do this, we had to develop a java script that can extract from a given query a list of html pages. Then clean these pages to the extent of having a database of texts and a corpus of pair’s question-texts. In addition, we give preliminary results of our proposal method. Some investigations for the construction of Arabic corpus are also presented in this document.

Keywords: Arabic, web, corpus, search engine, URL, question, corpus building, script, Google, html, txt

Procedia PDF Downloads 314

Authors: Zh. Ghasemi, S. Nouri Saeedlou, A. Ghasemi, SL. Nasiri, P. Ayremlou, P. Mahasti

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The use of nisin is successfully used as antibacterial agent in various food products. Although the conclusions of the previous studies were that nisin is not very effective in meat environments. The reduced antimicrobial efficacy of nisin when applied in food has been frequently observed. The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential of free and encapsulated nisin to inhibit the growth of staphylococcus aureus in minced beef. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of nisin is determined against S. aureus using the agar dilution method. Nisin is encapsulated by spray drying, and encapsulation efficiency, mass yield and total solids content values are 47.79%, 61%, and 96.41 respectively. The study in vitro release kinetics shows highest release of nisin from zein capsules is obtained after 72 hour. This work shows that an appropriate delivery system is necessary to obtain desirable effect of nisin in meat and meat product.

Keywords: nisin, encapsulation, Staphylococcus aureus, minced beef, antibacterial activity

Procedia PDF Downloads 284

Authors: M. H. Fazel Zarandi, N. Moshahedi

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The hub location problem appears in a variety of applications such as medical centers, firefighting facilities, cargo delivery systems and telecommunication network design. The location of service centers has a strong influence on the congestion at each of them, and, consequently, on the quality of service. This paper presents a fuzzy maximal hub covering location problem (FMCHLP) in which travel costs between any pair of nodes is considered as a fuzzy variable. In order to consider the quality of service, we model each hub as a queue. Arrival rate follows Poisson distribution and service rate follows Erlang distribution. In this paper, at first, a nonlinear mathematical programming model is presented. Then, we convert it to the linear one. We solved the linear model using GAMS software up to 25 nodes and for large sizes due to the complexity of hub covering location problems, and simulated annealing algorithm is developed to solve and test the model. Also, we used possibilistic c-means clustering method in order to find an initial solution.

Keywords: fuzzy modeling, location, possibilistic clustering, queuing

Procedia PDF Downloads 385

Authors: Jiahui Song, Ravindra P. Joshi

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The use of high-intensity, short-duration electric pulses is a promising development with many biomedical applications. The uses include irreversible electroporation for killing abnormal cells, reversible poration for drug and gene delivery, neuromuscular manipulation, and the shrinkage of tumors, etc. High intensity, short-duration electric pulses result in the creation of high-density, nanometer-sized pores in the cellular membrane. This electroporation amounts to localized modulation of the transverse membrane conductance, and effectively provides a voltage shunt. The electrically controlled changes in the trans-membrane conductivity could be used to affect neural traffic and action potential propagation. A rat was taken as the representative example in this research. The simulation study shows the pathway from the sensorimotor cortex down to the spinal motoneurons, and effector muscles could be reversibly blocked by using high-intensity, short-duration electrical pulses. Also, actual experimental observations were compared against simulation predictions.

Keywords: action potential, electroporation, high-intensity, short-duration

Procedia PDF Downloads 259

Authors: Ibraheem Alzahrani

Abstract:

The Saudi Arabia ministry of higher education has established 24 universities across various cities in the kingdom. The universities have the mandate of sustaining technological progress in both teaching and learning. The present study explores the statues of teaching in Saudi universities, focusing on biology, a critical curriculum. The paper explores biology teachers’ points of view is several Saudi higher education institutions through questionnaires disseminated via emails. According to the findings, the current teaching methods are traditional and the teachers believe that it is critical to change it. This study also, reviews how biology has been taught in the kingdom over the past, as well as how it is undertaken presently. In addition, some aspects of biology teaching are considered, including the biology curriculum and learning objectives in higher education biology.

Keywords: higher education, teaching style, traditional learning, electronic learning, web 2.0 applications, blended learning

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Authors: Ahmed R. Althobaiti, Malcolm Munro

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Communication and effective information exchange within technology has become a crucial part of delivering knowledge to students during the learning process. It enables better understanding, builds trust, respect and increase the knowledge between students. This paper examines the communication between undergraduate students and their lecturers during the Traditional lecture and in using the Interactive Electronic Lecture System (IELS). The IELS is an application that offers a set of components, which support the effective communication between students, themselves and their lecturers. Moreover, this paper highlights the communication skills such as sender, receiver, channel and feedback. It will show how the IELS creates a rich communication environment between its users and how they communicate effectively. To examine and check the effectiveness of communication an experiment has been conducted for groups of users; students and lecturers. The first group communicated during the Traditional lecture while the second group communicated by the IELS application. The result showed that there was an effective communication between the second group more than the first group.

Keywords: communication, effective information exchange, lecture, student

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Authors: Liyew Yizengaw Yitayih

Abstract:

This nanotechnology study focuses on how potassium ions (K+) affect lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery performance. By adding potassium ions (K+) to the lithium tin oxide (LiSnO) anode and employing styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) as a binder, the doping of K+ was specifically studied. The methods employed in this study include computer modeling and simulation, material fabrication, and electrochemical characterization. The potassium ions (Li+) were successfully doped into the LiSnO lattice during charge/discharge cycles, which increased the lithium-ion diffusivity and electrical conductivity within the anode. However, it was found that internal doping of potassium ions (K+) into the LiSnO lattice occurred at high potassium ion concentrations (>16.6%), which hampered lithium ion transfer because of repulsion and physical blockage. The electrochemical efficiency of lithium-ion batteries was improved by this comprehensive study's presentation of potassium ions' (K+) potential advantages when present in the appropriate concentrations in electrode materials.

Keywords: lithium-ion battery, LiSnO anode, potassium doping, lithium-ion diffusivity, electronic conductivity

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Authors: Jelvin Tom Sebastian, Vinod Yeldho Baby

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In space, electronic devices are constantly attacked with radiation, which causes certain parts to fail or behave in unpredictable ways. To advance the thermal controllability for microsatellites, we need a new approach and thermal control system that is smaller than that on conventional satellites and that demand no electric power. Heat exchange inside the microsatellites is not that easy as conventional satellites due to the smaller size. With slight mass gain and no electric power, accommodating heat using phase change materials (PCMs) is a strong candidate for solving micro satellites' thermal difficulty. In other words, PCMs can absorb or produce heat in the form of latent heat, changing their phase and minimalizing the temperature fluctuation around the phase change point. The main restriction for these systems is thermal conductivity weakness of common PCMs. As PCM is having low thermal conductivity, it increases the melting and solidification time, which is not suitable for specific application like electronic cooling. In order to increase the thermal conductivity nanoparticles are introduced. Adding the nanoparticles in base PCM increases the thermal conductivity. Increase in weight concentration increases the thermal conductivity. This paper numerically investigates the thermal energy storage panel with nanoparticle enhanced phase change material. Silver nanostructure have increased the thermal properties of the base PCM, eicosane. Different weight concentration (1, 2, 3.5, 5, 6.5, 8, 10%) of silver enhanced phase change material was considered. Both steady state and transient analysis was performed to compare the characteristics of nanoparticle enhanced phase material at different heat loads. Results showed that in steady state, the temperature near the front panel reduced and temperature on NePCM panel increased as the weight concentration increased. With the increase in thermal conductivity more heat was absorbed into the NePCM panel. In transient analysis, it was found that the effect of nanoparticle concentration on maximum temperature of the system was reduced as the melting point of the material reduced with increase in weight concentration. But for the heat load of maximum 20W, the model with NePCM did not attain the melting point temperature. Therefore it showed that the model with NePCM is capable of holding more heat load. In order to study the heat load capacity double the load is given, maximum of 40W was given as first half of the cycle and the other is given constant OW. Higher temperature was obtained comparing the other heat load. The panel maintained a constant temperature for a long duration according to the NePCM melting point. In both the analysis, the uniformity of temperature of the TESP was shown. Using Ag-NePCM it allows maintaining a constant peak temperature near the melting point. Therefore, by altering the weight concentration of the Ag-NePCM it is possible to create an optimum operating temperature required for the effective working of the electronics components.

Keywords: carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer, micro/nano-satellite, nanoparticle phase change material, thermal energy storage

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Authors: Tom D. Gedeon, Ujala Rampaul

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The evaluation of electronic consumer goods are most often done from the perspective of analysing the latest models, comparing their advantages and disadvantages with respect to price. This style of evaluation is often performed by one or a few product experts on a wide range of features that may not be applicable to each user. We instead used a scenario-based approach to evaluate a number of e-readers. The setting is similar to a user who is interested in a new product or technology and has allocated a limited budget. We evaluate the quality and usability of e-readers available within that budget range. This is based on the assumption of a rational market which prices older second hand devices the same as functionally equivalent new devices. We describe our evaluation and comparison of four branded eReaders, as the initial stage of a larger project. The scenario has a range of tasks approximating a busy person who does not bother to read the manual. We found that navigation within books to be the most significant differentiator between the eReaders in our scenario based evaluation process.

Keywords: eReader, scenario based, price comparison, Kindle, Kobo, Nook, Sony, technology adoption

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Authors: Melvin Mothoa

Abstract:

Small Micro and Medium Enterprises are very significant for the development of their market economies. They are the main creators of the new working places, and they present a vital core of the market economy in countries across the globe. Access to finance is identified as crucial for small, micro, and medium-sized enterprises for their growth and innovation. This paper is conceived to propose a perception-based SMME framework to aid in access to financial support. Furthermore, the study will address issues that impede SMMEs in South Africa from obtaining finance from financial institutions. The framework will be tested against data collected from 200 Small Micro & Medium Enterprises in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The study adopts a quantitative method, and the delivery of self-administered questionnaires to SMMEs will be the primary data collection tool. Structural equation modeling will be used to further analyse the data collected.

Keywords: finance, small business, growth, development

Procedia PDF Downloads 98