Search results for: implicit content

Authors: Moen Torill, Rismark Marit, Astrid M. Solvberg

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In Norway, every municipality shall provide an educational psychological service, EPS, to support kindergartens and schools in their work with children and youths with special needs. The EPS focus its work on individuals, aiming to identify special needs and to give advice to teachers and parents when they ask for it. In addition, the service also give priority to prevention and system intervention in kindergartens and schools. To master these big tasks university courses are established to support EPS counsellors' continuous learning. There is, however, a need for more in-depth and systematic knowledge on how they experience the courses they attend. In this study, EPS counsellors’ reflection logs during a particular course are investigated. The research question is: what are the content and priorities of the reflections that are communicated in the logs produced by the educational psychological counsellors during a post-graduate course? The investigated course is a credit course organized over a one-year period in two one-semester modules. The altogether 55 students enrolled in the course work as EPS counsellors in various municipalities across Norway. At the end of each day throughout the course period, the participants wrote reflection logs about what they had experienced during the day. The data material consists of 165 pages of typed text. The collaborating researchers studied the data material to ascertain, differentiate and understand the meaning of the content in each log. The analysis also involved the search for similarity in content and development of analytical categories that described the focus and primary concerns in each of the written logs. This involved constant 'critical and sustained discussions' for mutual construction of meaning between the co-researchers in the developing categories. The process is inspired by Grounded Theory. This means that the concepts developed during the analysis derived from the data material and not chosen prior to the investigation. The analysis revealed that the concept 'Useful' frequently appeared in the participants’ reflections and, as such, 'Useful' serves as a core category. The core category is described through three major categories: (1) knowledge sharing (concerning direct and indirect work with students with special needs) with colleagues is useful, (2) reflections on models and theoretical concepts (concerning students with special needs) are useful, (3) reflection on the role as EPS counsellor is useful. In all the categories, the notion of useful occurs in the participants’ emphasis on and acknowledgement of the immediate and direct link between the university course content and their daily work practice. Even if each category has an importance and value of its own, it is crucial that they are understood in connection with one another and as interwoven. It is the connectedness that gives the core category an overarching explanatory power. The knowledge from this study may be a relevant contribution when it comes to designing new courses that support continuing professional development for EPS counsellors, whether for post-graduate university courses or local courses at the EPS offices or whether in Norway or other countries in the world.

Keywords: constructing and circulating knowledge, educational-psychological counsellor, higher education, professional development

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Authors: Razmik Atabekyan, V. Atabekyan

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This article discusses a new alternative method for determination of seismic loads on buildings, based on resistance of structures to deformations of vibrations. The basic principles for determining seismic loads by spectral method were developed in 40… 50ies of the last century and further have been improved to pursuit true assessments of seismic effects. The base of the existing methods to determine seismic loads is response spectrum or dynamicity coefficient β (norms of RF), which are not definitively established. To this day there is no single, universal method for the determination of seismic loads and when trying to apply the norms of different countries, significant discrepancies between the results are obtained. On the other hand there is a contradiction of the results of macro seismic surveys of strong earthquakes with the principle of the calculation based on accelerations. It is well-known, on soft soils there is an increase of destructions (mainly due to large displacements), even though the accelerations decreases. Obviously, the seismic impacts are transmitted to the building through foundation, but paradoxically, the existing methods do not even include foundation data. Meanwhile acceleration of foundation of the building can differ several times from the acceleration of the ground. During earthquakes each building has its own peculiarities of behavior, depending on the interaction between the soil and the foundations, their dynamic characteristics and many other factors. In this paper we consider a new, alternative method of determining the seismic loads on buildings, without the use of response spectrum. The following main conclusions: 1) Seismic loads are revealed at the foundation level, which leads to redistribution and reduction of seismic loads on structures. 2) The proposed method is universal and allows determine the seismic loads without the use of response spectrum and any implicit coefficients. 3) The possibility of taking into account important factors such as the strength characteristics of the soils, the size of the foundation, the angle of incidence of the seismic ray and others. 4) Existing methods can adequately determine the seismic loads on buildings only for first form of vibrations, at an average soil conditions.

Keywords: seismic loads, response spectrum, dynamic characteristics of buildings, momentum

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Authors: Satyananda Patra, Venugopal Rayasam

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The quality of pellets produced is affected by quality and type of green pellets, amount of addition of binders and fluxing agents along with the provided firing conditions. The green pellet quality depends upon chemistry, mineralogy and granulometry of fines used for pellet making, the feed size, its moisture content and porosity. During firing of green pellets, ingredients present within reacts to form different phases and microstructure. So in turn, physical and metallurgical properties of pellets are influenced by amount and type of binder and flux addition, induration time and temperature. During iron making process, the metallurgical properties of fired pellets are decided by the type and amount of these phases and their chemistry. Green pelletizing and induration studies have been already carried out with magnetite and hematite ore fines but for Indian iron ores of high alumina content showing different pelletizing characters, these studies cannot be directly interpreted. The main objective of proposed research work is to understand the green pelletizing process and determine the water bentonite interaction at different levels. Swelling behavior of bentonite and microstructure of the green pellet are investigated. Conversion of iron ore fines into pellets, the key raw material and process variables that influence the pellet quality needs to be identified and a correlation should be established between them.

Keywords: iron ore, pelletization, binders, green pellets, microstructure

Procedia PDF Downloads 317

Authors: L. Chiriatti, H. Hafid, H. R. Mercado-Mendoza, K. L. Apedo, C. Fond, F. Feugeas

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Substituting natural aggregate with recycled aggregate coming from concrete demolition represents a promising alternative to face the issues of both the depletion of natural resources and the congestion of waste storage facilities. However, the crushing process of concrete demolition waste, currently in use to produce recycled concrete aggregate, does not allow the complete separation of natural aggregate from a variable amount of adhered mortar. Given the physicochemical characteristics of the latter, the introduction of recycled concrete aggregate into a concrete mix modifies, to a certain extent, both fresh and hardened concrete properties. As a consequence, the behavior of recycled reinforced concrete members could likely be influenced by the specificities of recycled concrete aggregates. Beyond the mechanical properties of concrete, and as a result of the composite character of reinforced concrete, the bond characteristics at the rebar/concrete interface have to be taken into account in an attempt to describe accurately the mechanical response of recycled reinforced concrete members. Hence, a comparative experimental campaign, including 16 pull-out tests, was carried out. Four concrete mixes with different recycled concrete aggregate content were tested. The main mechanical properties (compressive strength, tensile strength, Young’s modulus) of each concrete mix were measured through standard procedures. A single 14-mm-diameter ribbed rebar, representative of the diameters commonly used in the domain of civil engineering, was embedded into a 200-mm-side concrete cube. The resulting concrete cover is intended to ensure a pull-out type failure (i.e. exceedance of the rebar/concrete interface shear strength). A pull-out test carried out on the 100% recycled concrete specimen was enriched with exploratory acoustic emission measurements. Acoustic event location was performed by means of eight piezoelectric transducers distributed over the whole surface of the specimen. The resulting map was compared to existing data related to natural aggregate concrete. Damage distribution around the reinforcement and main features of the characteristic bond stress/free-end slip curve appeared to be similar to previous results obtained through comparable studies carried out on natural aggregate concrete. This seems to show that the usual bond mechanism sequence (‘chemical adhesion’, mechanical interlocking and friction) remains unchanged despite the addition of recycled concrete aggregate. However, the results also suggest that bond efficiency seems somewhat improved through the use of recycled concrete aggregate. This observation appears to be counter-intuitive with regard to the diminution of the main concrete mechanical properties with the recycled concrete aggregate content. As a consequence, the impact of recycled concrete aggregate content on bond characteristics seemingly represents an important factor which should be taken into account and likely to be further explored in order to determine flexural parameters such as deflection or crack distribution.

Keywords: acoustic emission monitoring, high-bond steel rebar, pull-out test, recycled aggregate concrete

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Authors: Bahar Basturk, Secil Celik Erbas, Sevket Can Sarikaya

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Composites combining the particulates and polymer components have attracted great interest in various application areas such as packaging, furniture, electronics and automotive industries. For strengthening the plastic matrices, the utilization of natural fillers instead of traditional reinforcement materials has received increased attention. The properties of natural filler based polymer composites (NFPC) may be improved by applying proper surface modification techniques to the powder phase of the structures. In this study, acorn powder-epoxy and pine corn powder-epoxy composites containing up to 45% weight percent particulates were prepared by casting method. Alkali treatment and acetylation techniques were carried out to the natural particulates for investigating their influences under mechanical forces. The effects of filler type and content on the tensile properties of the composites were compared with neat epoxy. According to the quasi-static tensile tests, the pine cone based composites showed slightly higher rigidity and strength properties compared to the acorn reinforced samples. Furthermore, the structures independent of powder type and surface modification technique, showed higher tensile properties with increasing the particle content.

Keywords: natural fillers, polymer composites, surface modifications, tensile properties

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Authors: Fang Li, Xie-Yuan Yin, Xie-Zhen Yin

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Instability and breakup of electrified viscoelastic liquid jets are involved in various applications such as inkjet printing, fuel atomization, the pharmaceutical industry, electrospraying, and electrospinning. Studying on the instability of electrified viscoelastic liquid jets is of theoretical and practical significance. We built a one-dimensional electrified viscoelastic model to study the nonlinear instability behavior of a perfecting conducting, slightly viscoelastic liquid jet under a radial electric field. The model is solved numerically by using an implicit finite difference scheme together with a boundary element method. It is found that under a radial electric field a viscoelastic liquid jet still evolves into a beads-on-string structure with a thin filament connecting two adjacent droplets as in the absence of an electric field. A radial electric field exhibits limited influence on the decay of the filament thickness in the nonlinear evolution process of a viscoelastic jet, in contrast to its great enhancing effect on the linear instability of the jet. On the other hand, a radial electric field can induce axial non-uniformity of the first normal stress difference within the filament. Particularly, the magnitude of the first normal stress difference near the midpoint of the filament can be greatly decreased by a radial electric field. Decreasing the extensional stress by a radial electric field may found applications in spraying, spinning, liquid bridges and others. In addition, the effect of a radial electric field on the formation of satellite droplets is investigated on the parametric plane of the dimensionless wave number and the electrical Bond number. It is found that satellite droplets may be formed for a larger axial wave number at a larger radial electric field. The present study helps us gain insight into the nonlinear instability characteristics of electrified viscoelastic liquid jets.

Keywords: non linear instability, one-dimensional models, radial electric fields, viscoelastic liquid jets

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Authors: El Mehdi Haily, Lahcen Bih, Mohammed Azrour, Bouchaib Manoun

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The effects of xBi₂O₃-yBaO-zP₂O₅ (BBP) glass addition on the sintering, structural, and dielectric properties of BaTiO₃ ceramic (BT) are studied. The BT ceramic was synthesized by the conventional solid-state reaction method while the glasses BaO-Bi₂O₃-P₂O₅ (BBP) were elaborated by melting and quenching process. Different composites BT-xBBP were formed by mixing the BBP glasses with BT ceramic. For each glass composition, where the ratio (x:y:z) is maintained constant, we have developed three composites with different glass weight percentage (x = 2.5, 5, and 7.5 wt %). Addition of the glass helps in better sintering at lower temperatures with the presence of liquid phase at the respective sintering temperatures. The results showed that the sintering temperature decreased from more than 1300°C to 900°C. Density measurements of the composites are performed using the standard Archimedean method with water as medium liquid. It is found that their density and molar volume decrease and increase with glass content, respectively. Raman spectroscopy is used to characterize their structural approach. This technique has allowed the identification of different structural units of phosphate and the characteristic vibration modes of the BT. The electrical properties of the composite samples are carried out by impedance spectroscopy in the frequency range of 10 Hz to 1 MHz under various temperatures from 300 to 473 K. The obtained results show that their dielectric properties depend both on the content of the glass in the composite and the Bi/P ratio in the glasses.

Keywords: phosphate, glasses, composite, Raman spectroscopy, dielectric properties

Procedia PDF Downloads 164

Authors: Shormin Choudhury, Nazrul Islam, Atiqur Rahman Shaon

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High tunnels can provide several benefits to horticultural crops, including environmental stress protection such as hail, frost, excessive rainfall, and high wind. In hot and sunny areas, high tunnel is one of the cooling ways for modifying the microclimate and maximizing crop development. Present study was carried out to assess the effect of different type of high tunnels on banana growth, yield, and fruit quality characteristics. Net houses, poly net houses, UV poly shed houses, and open field (control) conditions are among the experimental treatments. The results revealed that the plants produced in the poly net house condition had maximum pseudo stem height (171.00cm), stem girth (68.66 cm), chlorophyll content (57.63), number of fruits (140), number of hands (9.66), individual fruit weight (125.00) and pulp: peel ratio (3.35) of bananas as compared to the other treatments. Quality parameters like total soluble solid (21.78°Brix), ascorbic acid (10.24 mg/100g), total sugar (25.44%), and reducing sugar (15.75%) were higher in fruits grown in poly net house. The study revealed that the poly net house is the best growing environment for bananas in terms of growth, yield, and quality attributes.

Keywords: shed houses, banana, chlorophyll content, fruit yield, quality

Procedia PDF Downloads 87

Authors: Yahia Mosleh

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Both Scenedesmus obliquus and Cosmarium leave were subjected to different concentrations (5, 10, 20, 50, and 80 %) of highly polluted water collected from Haddows drainage, which receives high amount of domestic sewage, and also the increasing agriculture run off and industrial effluent, then disbursed it in El-Salam fresh water canal. The water in that canal dramatically used as drinking water alongside using in irrigation. A total of 25 physicochemical parameters were determined within the drainage polluted water and also up-stream of El-Salam fresh water canal's water. The effect of five concentrations of the tested polluted water were determined on growth density, dry algal biomass, net photosynthetic oxygen production, catalase activity and ascorbic acid content on the two algae "Scenedesmus obliquus and Cosmarium leave". The result reveal that, low concentration support the growth and the physiological activities of both algae. However, the situation is different in the case of high concentrations, where it encourage the growth of Scenedesmus obliquus , meanwhile the same concentration were inhibited the growth and physiological activities of Cosmarium leave. Which indicated that, Scenedesmus obliquus tolerated high pollution better than Cosmarium leave. Finally it can be concluded that, different organisms, however, have different sensitivities to the same pollutants and the same organisms may be more or less damaged by different pollutant. Also, the inhibitory and stimulatory effects of different species varied with concentrations.

Keywords: catalase activity, ascorbic acid content, Scenedesmus, Cosmarium, pollution, biomass

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Authors: Pinar Ercan, Sedef N. El

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The goals of this study were to determine the total anthocyanin and procyanidin contents and their in vitro bioaccessibilities of apple, red grape and cinnamon by a static in vitro digestion method reported by the COST FA1005 Action INFOGEST, as well as in vitro inhibitory effects of these food samples on starch and lipid digestive enzymes. While the highest total anthocyanin content was found in red grape (164.76 ± 2.51 mg/100 g), the highest procyanidin content was found in cinnamon (6432.54±177.31 mg/100 g) among the selected food samples (p<0.05). The anthocyanin bioaccessibilities were found as 10.23±1 %, 8.23±0.64 %, and 8.73±0.70 % in apple, red grape, and cinnamon, respectively. The procyanidin bioaccessibilities of apple, red grape, and cinnamon were found as 17.57±0.71 %, 14.08±0.74 % and 18.75±1.49 %, respectively. The analyzed apple, red grape and cinnamon showed the inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase (IC50 544.27±21.94, 445.63±15.67, 1592±17.58 μg/mL, respectively), α-amylase (IC50 38.41±7.26, 56.12±3.60, 3.54±0.86 μg/mL, respectively), and lipase (IC50 52.65±2.05, 581.70±54.14, 49.63±2.72 μg/mL, respectively). Red grape sample showed the highest inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase, cinnamon showed the highest inhibitory activity against α-amylase and lipase according to IC50 (concentration of inhibitor required to produce a 50% inhibition of the initial rate of reaction) and Catechin equivalent inhibition capacity (CEIC50) values. This study reported that apple, grape and cinnamon samples can inhibit the activity of digestive enzymes in vitro. The consumption of these samples would be used in conjunction with a low-calorie diet for body weight management.

Keywords: anthocyanin, α-amylase, α-glucosidase, lipase, procyanidin

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Authors: Panupong Makvichian

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Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is nowadays a common technology that improves navigation functions in our life. Additionally, GNSS is also being employed on behalf of an accurate atmospheric sensor these times. Meteorology is a practical application of GNSS, which is unnoticeable in the background of people’s life. GNSS Precise Point Positioning (PPP) is a positioning method that requires data from a single dual-frequency receiver and precise information about satellite positions and satellite clocks. In addition, careful attention to mitigate various error sources is required. All the above data are combined in a sophisticated mathematical algorithm. At this point, the research is going to demonstrate how GNSS and PPP method is capable to provide high-precision estimates, such as 3D positions or Zenith tropospheric delays (ZTDs). ZTDs combined with pressure and temperature information allows us to estimate the water vapor in the atmosphere as precipitable water vapor (PWV). If the process is replicated for a network of GNSS sensors, we can create thematic maps that allow extract water content information in any location within the network area. All of the above are possible thanks to the advances in GNSS data processing. Therefore, we are able to use GNSS data for climatic trend analysis and acquisition of the further knowledge about the atmospheric water content.

Keywords: GNSS, precise point positioning, Zenith tropospheric delays, precipitable water vapor

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Authors: Liana Claudia Salanță, Anca Corina Fărcaș

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Valorization of agro-industrial by-products offers significant economic and environmental advantages. This study investigates the transformation of tomato processing residues into value-added products, contributing to waste reduction and promoting a circular, sustainable economy. Specifically, the development of sorghum flour-based crackers enriched with tomato waste powder targets the dietary requirements of individuals with celiac disease and diabetes, evaluating their nutritional and sensory properties. Tomato residues were obtained from Roma-Spania tomatoes and processed into powder through drying and grinding. The bioactive compounds, including carotenoids, lycopene, and polyphenols, were quantified using established analytical methods. Formulation of the crackers involved optimizing the incorporation of tomato powder into sorghum flour. Subsequently, their nutritional and sensory attributes were assessed. The tomato waste powder demonstrated considerable bioactive potential, with total carotenoid content measured at 66 mg/100g, lycopene at 52.61 mg/100g, and total polyphenols at 463.60 mg GAE/100g. Additionally, the crackers with a 30% powder addition exhibited the highest concentration of polyphenols. Consequently, this sample also demonstrated a high antioxidant activity of 15.04% inhibition of DPPH radicals. Nutritionally, the crackers showed a 30% increase in fiber content and a 25% increase in protein content compared to standard gluten-free products. Sensory evaluation indicated positive consumer acceptance, with an average score of 8 out of 10 for taste and 7.5 out of 10 for color, attributed to the natural pigments from tomato waste. This innovative approach highlights the potential of tomato by-products in creating nutritionally enhanced gluten-free foods. Future research should explore the long-term stability of these bioactive compounds in finished products and evaluate the scalability of this process for industrial applications. Integrating such sustainable practices can significantly contribute to waste reduction and the development of functional foods.

Keywords: tomato waste, circular economy, bioactive compounds, sustainability, health benefits

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Authors: Mazita Mohd Diah, Anton V. Dolzhenko, Tin Wui Wong

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Nanoparticles, being small with a large specific surface area, increase solubility, enhance bioavailability, improve controlled release and enable precision targeting of the entrapped compounds. In this study, chitosan as polymeric permeation enhancer was conjugated to a polar pro-drug, carboxymethyl-5-fluorouracil (CMFU) to increase the skin drug permeation. Chitosan-CMFU conjugate was synthesized using chemical conjugation process through succinate linker. It was then transformed into nanoparticles via spray drying method. The conjugation was elucidated using Fourier Transform Infrared and Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance techniques. The nanoparticle size, size distribution, zeta potential, drug content, skin permeation and retention profiles were characterized. The conjugation was denoted using 1H NMR by new peaks at signal δ = 4.184 ppm (singlet, 2H for CH2) and 7.676-7.688 ppm (doublet, 1H for C6) attributed to CMFU in chitosan-CMFU NMR spectrum. The nanoparticles had profiles of particle size: 93.97 ±35.11 nm, polydispersity index: 0.40 ± 0.14, zeta potential: +18.25 ±2.95 mV and drug content: 6.20 ± 1.98 % w/w. Almost 80 % w/w CMFU in the form of nanoparticles permeated through the skin in 24 hours and close to 50 % w/w permeation occurred in first 1-2 hours. Without conjugation to chitosan and nanoparticulation, less than 40 % w/w CMFU permeated through the skin in 24 hours. The skin drug retention likewise was higher with chitosan-CMFU nanoparticles (15.34 ± 5.82 % w/w) than CMFU (2.24 ± 0.57 % w/w). CMFU, through conjugation with chitosan permeation enhancer and processed in nanogeometry, had its skin permeation and retention degree promoted.

Keywords: carboxymethyl-5-fluorouracil, chitosan, conjugate, skin permeation, skin retention

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Authors: Arianne V. Julian, Michael R. Umagat, Renato G. Reyes

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Pleurotus ostreatus, which is one of the most widely cultivated mushrooms, is an excellent source of protein and other minerals but inherently contains low calcium level. Calcium plays several vital functions in human health; therefore, adequate daily intake is necessary. Supplementation of growth substrate is a significant approach in mushroom production to improve nutritional content and yield. This study focused on the influence of varying concentrations of Ca supplementation derived from natural sources including agricultural lime, eggshell and oyster shell in rice straw-based formulation for the production of P. ostreatus. The effect of Ca supplementation on the total yield and Ca content were obtained. Results revealed that these natural sources increased both the yield and Ca of P. ostreatus. Mushroom grown in substrate with 8-10% agricultural lime and 6% eggshell powder produced the highest yields while using oyster shell powder did not vary with the control. Meanwhile, substrate supplementation using agricultural lime and eggshell powder in all concentrations have increased Ca in fruiting bodies. However, Ca was not absorbed in the oyster shell powder-supplemented substrate. These findings imply the potential of agricultural lime and eggshell powder in the production of Ca-enriched mushrooms resulting in higher yield.

Keywords: calcium fortification, mushroom production, natural sources, Pleurotus ostreatus

Procedia PDF Downloads 188

Authors: Aymen Laadhari

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During the last decade, an increasing number of contributions have been made in the fields of scientific computing and numerical methodologies applied to the study of the hemodynamics in the heart. In contrast, the numerical aspects concerning the interaction of pulsatile blood flow with highly deformable thin leaflets have been much less explored. This coupled problem remains extremely challenging and numerical difficulties include e.g. the resolution of full Fluid-Structure Interaction problem with large deformations of extremely thin leaflets, substantial mesh deformations, high transvalvular pressure discontinuities, contact between leaflets. Although the Lagrangian description of the structural motion and strain measures is naturally used, many numerical complexities can arise when studying large deformations of thin structures. Eulerian approaches represent a promising alternative to readily model large deformations and handle contact issues. We present a fully Eulerian finite element methodology tailored for the simulation of pulsatile blood flow in the aorta and sinus of Valsalva interacting with highly deformable thin leaflets. Our method enables to use a fluid solver on a fixed mesh, whilst being able to easily model the mechanical properties of the valve. We introduce a semi-implicit time integration scheme based on a consistent NewtonRaphson linearization. A variant of the classical Newton method is introduced and guarantees a third-order convergence. High-fidelity computational geometries are built and simulations are performed under physiological conditions. We address in detail the main features of the proposed method, and we report several experiments with the aim of illustrating its accuracy and efficiency.

Keywords: eulerian, level set, newton, valve

Procedia PDF Downloads 280

Authors: Marijana M. Ačanski, Kristian A. Pastor, Djura N. Vujić

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The identification of lipid and soluble sugar components in flour samples of different cultivars belonging to common oat species (Avena sativa L.) was performed: spring oat, winter oat and hulless oat. Fatty acids were extracted from flour samples with n-hexane, and derivatized into volatile methyl esters, using TMSH (trimethylsulfonium hydroxide in methanol). Soluble sugars were then extracted from defatted and dried samples of oat flour with 96% ethanol, and further derivatized into corresponding TMS-oximes, using hydroxylamine hydrochloride solution and BSTFA (N,O-bis-(trimethylsilyl)-trifluoroacetamide). The hexane and ethanol extracts of each oat cultivar were analyzed using GC-MS system. Lipid and simple sugar compositions are very similar in all samples of investigated cultivars. Chemometric tool was applied to numeric values of automatically integrated surface areas of detected lipid and simple sugar components in their corresponding derivatized forms. Hierarchical cluster analysis shows a very high similarity between the investigated flour samples of oat cultivars, according to the fatty acid content (0.9955). Moderate similarity was observed according to the content of soluble sugars (0.50). These preliminary results support the idea of establishing methods for oat flour authentication, and provide the means for distinguishing oat flour samples, regardless of the variety, from flour samples made of other cereal species, just by lipid and simple sugar profile analysis.

Keywords: oat cultivars, lipid composition, soluble sugar composition, GC-MS, chemometrics, authentication

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Authors: Tie-Qing Zhang, Seunghun Jung, Young-Bae Kim

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This research is devoted to developing a membrane reactor to flexibly meet the hydrogen demand of onboard fuel cells, which is an important part of green energy development. Among many renewable chemical products, dimethyl ether (DME) has the advantages of low reaction temperature (400 °C in this study), high hydrogen atom content, low toxicity, and easy preparation. Autothermal reforming, on the other hand, has a high hydrogen recovery rate and exhibits thermal neutrality during the reaction process, so the additional heat source in the hydrogen production process can be omitted. Therefore, the DME auto thermal reforming process was adopted in this study. To control the temperature of the reaction catalyst bed and hydrogen production rate, a Model Predictive Control (MPC) scheme was designed. Taking the above two variables as the control objectives, stable operation of the reformer can be achieved by controlling the flow rates of DME, steam, and high-purity air in real-time. To prevent catalyst poisoning in the fuel cell, the hydrogen needs to be purified to reduce the carbon monoxide content to below 50 ppm. Therefore, a Pd-Ag hydrogen semi-permeable membrane with a thickness of 3-5 μm was inserted into the auto thermal reactor, and the permeation efficiency of hydrogen was improved by steam purging on the permeation side. Finally, hydrogen with a purity of 99.99 was obtained.

Keywords: hydrogen production, auto thermal reforming, membrane, fuel cell

Procedia PDF Downloads 106

Authors: Firdous Nizar, Carmela Cucuzzella

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This paper explores how the integrated design process (IDP) was adopted for an architectural project. The IDP is a relatively new approach to collaborative design in architectural design projects in Canada. It has gained much traction recently as the closest possible approach to the successful management of low energy building projects and has been advocated as a productive method for multi-disciplinary collaboration within complex projects. This study is based on the premise that there are explicit and implicit dimensions of power within the integrated design process (IDP) in the green building industry that may or may not lead to irreconcilable differences in a process that demands consensus. To gain insight on the potential gap between the theoretical promises and practical realities of the IDP, a review of existing IDP literature is compared with a case study analysis of a competition-based architectural project in Canada, a first to incorporate the IDP in its overall design format. This paper aims to address the undertheorized power relations of the IDP in a real project. It presents a critical assessment through the lens of the combined theories of deliberative democracy by Jürgen Habermas, with that of agonistic pluralism by political theorist Chantal Mouffe. These two theories are intended to more appropriately embrace the conflictual situations in collaborative environments, and shed light on the relationships of power, between engineers, city officials, architects, and designers in this conventional consensus-based model. In addition, propositions for a shift in approach that embraces conflictual differences among its participants are put forth based on concepts of critical spatial practice by Markus Meissen. As IDP is a relatively new design process, it requires much deliberation on its structure from the theoretical framework built in this paper in order to unlock its true potential.

Keywords: agonistic pluralism, critical spatial practice, deliberative democracy, integrated design process

Procedia PDF Downloads 176

Authors: O. I. Papagianni, P. Potsaki, K. Almpounioti, D. Chatzicharalampous, A. Voutsa, O. Katira, A. Michalaki, H. C. Karantonis, A. E. Koutelidakis

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High intakes of carbohydrates and fats have been associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases due to the role of postprandial oxidative stress. This pilot nutritional intervention aimed to examine the acute effect of consuming two different types of breadsticks prepared from durum wheat flour mixtures differing in total phenolic content on postprandial inflammatory and oxidant responses in healthy volunteers. A cross-over, controlled, and single-blind clinical trial was designed, and two isocaloric high-fat and high-carbohydrate meals were tested. Serum total, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, CRP, uric acid, plasma total antioxidant capacity, and antiplatelet activity were determined in fasting and 30, 60, and 120 min after consumption. The results showed a better postprandial HDL-cholesterol and total antioxidant activity response in the intervention group. The choice of durum wheat flours with higher phenolic content and antioxidant activity is presented as promising for human health, and clinical studies will expand to draw safer conclusions.

Keywords: breadsticks, durum wheat flours, postprandial inflammation, postprandial oxidative stress, ex vivo antiplatelet activity

Procedia PDF Downloads 79

Authors: Mohamed M. Ibrahima, Abdul Aziz A.AL Sahli, Ibrahim A. Alaraidh, Ali A. Al-Homaidan, E.M. Mostafa, G.A. EL-Gaaly

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Traditionally, in Middle Eastern countries, many cultures use chewing sticks of arak for medicinal purposes especially, for oral cleanliness care. It was used by Muslims for the treatment of teeth and highly recommended to be used by muslims during the whole day. Therefore, the present work aimed to determine the total phenolic content and total flavonoids in two Miswak extracts obtained from arak roots collected from two different localities in Saudi Arabia. They were extracted with aqueous ethanol (80%) and used to estimate in vitro their antioxidative abilities. The new findings showed that the two tested extracts contained significantly different amounts of both total phenolic content and total flavonoids. According to the increase of total phenolic contents and total flavonoids obtained from the two extracts, Miswak collected from the southern region was found to contain more contents than those collected from the middle region. The results of antioxidant activities of Miswak root extract obtained by using different in vitro methods were varied depending on the technique used. According to the malondialdehyde (MDA) method, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) scavenging ability and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) methods, the two Miswak extracts exhibited to have high to very high antioxidant activities. Mostly, the values of antioxidant activities of Southern region have been shown to be always the highest.

Keywords: Arak, antioxidant, medicinal plants, Saudi Arabia

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Authors: Rosa Palmeri, Julieta I. Monteleone, Antonio C. Barbera, Carmelo Maucieri, Aldo Todaro, Virgilio Giannone, Giovanni Spagna

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In recent years, considerable interest has been shown in the functional properties of foods, and a relevant role has been played by phenolic compounds, able to scavenge free radicals. A more sustainable agriculture has to emerge to guarantee food supply over the next years. Wheat, corn, and rice are the most common cereals cultivated, but also other cereal species, such as barley can be appreciated for their peculiarities. Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a C3 winter cereal that shows high resistance at drought and salt stresses. There are growing interests in barley as ingredient for the production of functional foods due to its high content of phenolic compounds and Beta-glucans. In this respect, the possibility of separating specific functional fractions from food industry by-products looks very promising. Olive leaves represent a quantitatively significant by-product of olive grove farming, and are an interesting source of phenolic compounds. In particular, oleuropein, which provide important nutritional benefits, is the main phenolic compound in olive leaves and ranges from 17% to 23% depending upon the cultivar and growing season period. Together with oleuropein and its derivatives (e.g. dimethyloleuropein, oleuropein diglucoside), olive leaves further contain tyrosol, hydroxytyrosol, and a series of secondary metabolities structurally related to them: verbascoside, ligstroside, hydroxytyrosol glucoside, tyrosol glucoside, oleuroside, oleoside-11-methyl ester, and nuzhenide. Several flavonoids, flavonoid glycosides, and phenolic acids have also described in olive leaves. The aim of this work was the production of functional food with higher content of polyphenols and the evaluation of their shelf life. Organic durum wheat and barley grains contain higher levels of phenolic compounds were used for the production of crackers. Olive leaf extract (OLE) was obtained from cv. ‘Biancolilla’ by aqueous extraction method. Two baked goods trials were performed with both organic durum wheat and barley flours, adding olive leaf extract. Control crackers, made as comparison, were produced with the same formulation replacing OLE with water. Total phenolic compound, moisture content, activity water, and textural properties at different time of storage were determined to evaluate the shelf-life of the products. Our the preliminary results showed that the enriched crackers showed higher phenolic content and antioxidant activity than control. Alternative uses of olive leaf extracts for crackers production could represent a good candidate for the addition of functional ingredients because bakery items are daily consumed, and have long shelf-life.

Keywords: barley, functional foods, olive leaf, polyphenols, shelf life

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Authors: VojtěCh Gybas, Libor Klubal, KateřIna KostoláNyová

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Individualized teaching process for pupils with moderate mental disabilities with the help of using mobile touch devices may be one of the forms of teaching to achieve better development of these students during the teaching process. Didactics of information and communication technology (ICT) for special primary schools, where within the Czech Republic pupils with moderate mental retardation are educated, is not precisely and clearly defined. Still, general educational program for elementary school contains a special educational area of information and communication technology, in which the work and content area are focused on work with the classic desktop, and it is not always acceptable in the case of students with moderate mental disabilities. Individualization of their schooling requires a fully elaborate content of teaching material corresponding with intellectual abilities and individuality of each pupil. After three years of daily use of mobile touch devices iPad and participant observation of 7 pupils in a class from special elementary school, we can say that these technologies can be a very useful tool, and in many ways, they even exceed, compensate and replace freely available printed educational material that is rather outdated. By working with mobile touch technology, a pupil gains responsibility, trains his will, learns to rely on himself. The first results obtained from the case studies suggest that this form of teaching may also be beneficial for pupils with moderate mental disabilities.

Keywords: individualized teaching, mobile touch technology, iPad, moderate mental disability, special education needs

Procedia PDF Downloads 331

Authors: Saksham

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Concrete's versatility and affordability make it a highly competitive building material capable of meeting diverse requirements. However, the increasing demands placed on structures and the need for enhanced durability and performance have driven the development of distinct cementitious materials and concrete composites. One significant aspect of this advancement is the utilization of waste materials from industries, such as fly ash, to improve concrete's properties. Fly ash, a byproduct of coal combustion can enhance concrete's strength and durability while reducing environmental impact. Additionally, steel fibers can enhance concrete's toughness and crack resistance, contributing to improved structural performance. The experimental study aims to optimize the proportion of ingredients in M30-grade concrete, incorporating fly ash and steel fibers. By varying fly ash content (10% to 30%) and steel fiber dosage (0% to 1.5%), the research seeks to determine the optimal combination for achieving the desired compressive strength. Two sets of experiments are conducted: one focusing on varying fly ash content while keeping steel fiber dosage constant, and the other focusing on varying steel fiber dosage while keeping other parameters fixed. Through systematic testing, molding, curing, and evaluation according to specified standards, the research aims to analyze the impact of fly ash and steel fibers on concrete's compressive strength. The findings have the potential to inform engineers about optimized concrete mix designs that balance performance, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability, advancing toward more resilient and environmentally friendly building practices.

Keywords: concrete, sustainability, durability, compressive strength

Procedia PDF Downloads 54

Authors: Panyawutthi Rimdusit, Krittapas Charoensuk, Sarawut Rimdusit

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A biobased toughening filler for polylactic acid (PLA) based on natural rubber is developed in this work. Deproteinized natural rubber (DPNR) was modified by grafting polymerization with methyl methacrylate monomer (MMA) and further crosslinked by e-beam irradiation and spray drying process to achieve ultrafine full vulcanized powdered natural rubber grafted with polymethylmethacrylate (UFPNRg-PMMA) to solves in the challenges of incompatibility between natural rubber and PLA. Intriguingly, UFPNR-g-PMMA revealed outstanding and unique properties with minimal particle aggregation. The average particle size of rubber powder obtained from UFPNR-g-PMMA at PMMA grafting content of 20 phr reduced to 3.3±1.2 µm, compared to that of neat UFPNR of 5.3±2.3 µm which also showed partial particle aggregation. It is also found that the impact strength of the filled PLA was enhanced to 33.4±5.6 kJ/m2 at PLA/UFPNR-gPMMA 20 wt% compared to neat PLA of 9.6±3 kJ/m2. The thermal degradation temperature of the PLA composites was enhanced with increasing UFPNR-g-PMMA content without affecting the glass transition temperature of the composites. The fracture surface of PLA/ UFPNR-g-PMMA suggested internal cavitation and crazes are the main effects of rubber toughening PLA with substantial interfacial interaction between the filler and the matrix.

Keywords: natural rubber, ultrafine fully vulcanized powder rubber, polylactic acid, polymer composites

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Authors: Silvia Grassi, Stefano Schiavon, Ernestina Casiraghi, Cristina Alamprese

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Dry-cured ham is an uncooked meat product particularly appreciated for its peculiar sensory traits among which lipid component plays a key role in defining quality and, consequently, consumers’ acceptability. Usually, fat content and distribution are chemically determined by expensive, time-consuming, and destructive analyses. Moreover, different sensory techniques are applied to assess product conformity to desired standards. In this context, visual systems are getting a foothold in the meat market envisioning more reliable and time-saving assessment of food quality traits. The present work aims at developing a simple but systematic and objective visual methodology to assess the fat amount of dry-cured ham slices, in terms of total, intermuscular and intramuscular fractions. To the aim, 160 slices from 80 PDO dry-cured hams were evaluated by digital image analysis and Soxhlet extraction. RGB images were captured by a flatbed scanner, converted in grey-scale images, and segmented based on intensity histograms as well as on a multi-stage algorithm aimed at edge enhancement. The latter was performed applying the Canny algorithm, which consists of image noise reduction, calculation of the intensity gradient for each image, spurious response removal, actual thresholding on corrected images, and confirmation of strong edge boundaries. The approach allowed for the automatic calculation of total, intermuscular and intramuscular fat fractions as percentages of the total slice area. Linear regression models were run to estimate the relationships between the image analysis results and the chemical data, thus allowing for the prediction of the total, intermuscular and intramuscular fat content by the dry-cured ham images. The goodness of fit of the obtained models was confirmed in terms of coefficient of determination (R²), hypothesis testing and pattern of residuals. Good regression models have been found being 0.73, 0.82, and 0.73 the R2 values for the total fat, the sum of intermuscular and intramuscular fat and the intermuscular fraction, respectively. In conclusion, the edge enhancement visual procedure brought to a good fat segmentation making the simple visual approach for the quantification of the different fat fractions in dry-cured ham slices sufficiently simple, accurate and precise. The presented image analysis approach steers towards the development of instruments that can overcome destructive, tedious and time-consuming chemical determinations. As future perspectives, the results of the proposed image analysis methodology will be compared with those of sensory tests in order to develop a fast grading method of dry-cured hams based on fat distribution. Therefore, the system will be able not only to predict the actual fat content but it will also reflect the visual appearance of samples as perceived by consumers.

Keywords: dry-cured ham, edge detection algorithm, fat content, image analysis

Procedia PDF Downloads 178

Authors: Mamert Mbonimpa, Ousseynou Kanteye, Élysée Tshibangu Ngabu, Rachid Amrou, Abdelkabir Maqsoud, Tikou Belem

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The management of mine wastes (waste rocks and tailings) containing sulphide minerals such as pyrite and pyrrhotite represents the main environmental challenge for the mining industry. Indeed, acid mine drainage (AMD) can be generated when these wastes are exposed to water and air. AMD is characterized by low pH and high concentrations of heavy metals, which are toxic to plants, animals, and humans. It affects the quality of the ecosystem through water and soil pollution. Different techniques involving soil materials can be used to control AMD generation, including impermeable covers (compacted clays) and oxygen barriers. The latter group includes covers with capillary barrier effects (CCBE), a multilayered cover that include the moisture retention layer playing the role of an oxygen barrier. Once AMD is produced at a mine site, it must be treated so that the final effluent at the mine site complies with regulations and can be discharged into the environment. Active neutralization with lime is one of the treatment methods used. This treatment produces sludge that is usually stored in sedimentation ponds. Other sludge management alternatives have been examined in recent years, including sludge co-disposal with tailings or waste rocks, disposal in underground mine excavations, and storage in technical landfill sites. Considering the ability of AMD neutralization sludge to maintain an alkaline to neutral pH for decades or even centuries, due to the excess alkalinity induced by residual lime within the sludge, valorization of sludge in specific applications could be an interesting management option. If done efficiently, the reuse of sludge could free up storage ponds and thus reduce the environmental impact. It should be noted that mixtures of sludge and soils could potentially constitute usable materials in CCBE for the rehabilitation of acid-generating mine sites, while sludge alone is not suitable for this purpose. The high sludge water content (up to 300%), even after sedimentation, can, however, constitute a geotechnical challenge. Adding lime to the mixtures can reduce the water content and improve the geotechnical properties. The objective of this paper is to investigate the impact of the sludge content (30, 40 and 50%) in sand-sludge mixtures (SSM) on their hydrogeotechnical properties (compaction, shrinkage behaviour, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and water retention curve). The impact of lime addition (dosages from 2% to 6%) on the moisture content, dry density after compaction and saturated hydraulic conductivity of SSM was also investigated. Results showed that sludge adding to sand significantly improves the saturated hydraulic conductivity and water retention capacity, but the shrinkage increased with sludge content. The dry density after compaction of lime-treated SSM increases with the lime dosage but remains lower than the optimal dry density of the untreated mixtures. The saturated hydraulic conductivity of lime-treated SSM after 24 hours of cure decreases by 3 orders of magnitude. Considering the hydrogeotechnical properties obtained with these mixtures, it would be possible to design CCBE whose moisture retention layer is made of SSM. Physical laboratory models confirmed the performance of such CCBE.

Keywords: mine waste, AMD neutralization sludge, sand-sludge mixture, hydrogeotechnical properties, mine site reclamation, CCBE

Procedia PDF Downloads 58

Authors: Grzegorz Kubinski

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The proposed paper is focused on forms of identity expression in people with disabilities (PWD) in the social networks like Instagram. Theoretical analysis widely proposes using the new media as an assistive tool for improving wellbeing and labour activities of PWD. This kind of use is definitely important and plays a key role in all social inclusion processes. However, Instagram is not a place where PWD only express their own problems, but in the opposite, allows them to construct a new definition of disability. In the paper, the problem how this different than a classical approach to disability is created by PWD will be discussed. This issue will be scrutinized mainly in two points. Firstly, the question of how disability is changed by other everyday activities, like fashion or sport, will be described. Secondly, and this could be seen as more important, the point how PWD redefining their bodies creating a different form of aesthetic will be presented. The paper is based on content analysis of Instagram accounts. About 20 accounts created by PWD were analyzed for 6 month period, taking into account elements like photos, comments and discussions. All those information were studied in relation to 'everyday life' category and 'aesthetic' category. Works by T. Siebers, L. J. Davis or R. McRuer were used as theoretical background. Conclusions and interpretations presented in the proposed paper show that the Internet can be used by PWD not only as prosthetic and assistive tools. PWD willingly use them as modes of expression their independence, agency and identity. The paper proposes that in further research this way of using the Internet communication by PWD should be taken into account as an important part of the understanding of disability.

Keywords: body, disability, identity, new media

Procedia PDF Downloads 139

Authors: Jitrawadee Meerasri, Rungsinee Sothornvit

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Pectin is a structural polysaccharide from plant cell walls and can be used as a stabilizer, gelling and film-forming agents to improve many food products. Moreover, pectin film as a natural biopolymer can be a carrier of several active ingredients such as antioxidant and antimicrobial to provide an active or functional film. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a well-known agent to reduce neuronal excitability throughout the nervous system and it is interesting to investigate the GABA effect as a substitute of normal plasticizer (glycerol) on edible film properties. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the effect of GABA concentrations (5-15% of pectin) on film mechanical properties, moisture content, water vapor permeability, and solubility compared with those from glycerol (10% of pectin) plasticized pectin film including a control film (pectin film without any plasticizer). It was found that an increase in GABA concentrations decreased film tensile strength, modulus, solubility and water vapor permeability, but elongation was increased without a change in the moisture content. The smaller amount of GABA showed the equivalent film properties as using a higher amount of glycerol. Consequently, GABA can act as an alternative plasticizer substitute of glycerol at the lower amount used. Moreover, GABA provides the nutritional high value in the food products when the edible packaging material is consumed with products.

Keywords: gamma-aminobutyric acid, pectin, plasticizer, edible film

Procedia PDF Downloads 132

Authors: Maria Luisa de la Torre, Javier Aroba, Jose Miguel Davila, Aguasanta M. Sarmiento

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Steel is one of the most widely used materials in polymetallic sulfide mining installations. One of the main problems suffered by these facilities is the economic losses due to the corrosion of this material, which is accelerated and aggravated by the contact with acid waters generated in these mines when sulfides come into contact with oxygen and water. This generation of acidic water, in turn, is accelerated by the presence of acidophilic bacteria. In order to gain a more detailed understanding of this corrosion process and the interaction between steel and acidic water, a laboratory experiment was carried out in which carbon steel plates were introduced into four different solutions for 27 days: distilled water (BK), which tried to assimilate the effect produced by rain on this material, an acid solution from a mine with a high Fe2+/Fe3+ (PO) content, another acid solution of water from another mine with a high Fe3+/Fe2+ (PH) content and, finally, one that reproduced the acid mine water with a high Fe2+/Fe3+ content but in which there were no bacteria (ST). Every 24 hours, physicochemical parameters were measured and water samples were taken to carry out an analysis of the dissolved elements. The results of these measurements were processed using an explainable AI model based on fuzzy logic. It could be seen that, in all cases, there was an increase in pH, as well as in the concentrations of Fe and, in particular, Fe(II), as a consequence of the oxidation of the steel plates. Proportionally, the increase in Fe concentration was higher in PO and ST than in PH because Fe precipitates were produced in the latter. The rise of Fe(II) was proportionally much higher in PH and, especially in the first hours of exposure, because it started from a lower initial concentration of this ion. Although to a lesser extent than in PH, the greater increase in Fe(II) also occurred faster in PO than in ST, a consequence of the action of the catalytic bacteria. On the other hand, Cu concentrations decreased throughout the experiment (with the exception of distilled water, which initially had no Cu, as a result of an electrochemical process that generates a precipitation of Cu together with Fe hydroxides. This decrease is lower in PH because the high total acidity keeps it in solution for a longer time. With the application of an artificial intelligence tool, it has been possible to evaluate the effects of steel corrosion in mining environments, corroborating and extending what was obtained by means of classical statistics. Acknowledgments: This work has been supported by MCIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/FEDER, UE, throughout the project PID2021-123130OB-I00.

Keywords: carbon steel, corrosion, acid mine drainage, artificial intelligence, fuzzy logic

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Authors: Chayan Gupta, Arun Prasad

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The quick evolution of industrialization causes the scarcity of precious land. Thus, it is vital need to influence the R&D societies to achieve sustainable, economic and social benefits from huge utilization of waste for universal aids. The current study promotes the influence of steel industries waste i.e. ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) in geotechnical properties of jarosite waste (solid waste residues produced from hydrometallurgy operations involved in extraction of Zinc). Numerous strengths tests (unconfined compression (qu) and splitting tensile strength (qt)) are conducted on jarosite-GGBS blends (GGBS, 10-30%) with different curing periods (7, 28 & 90 days). The results indicate that both qu and qt increase with the increase in GGBS content along with curing periods. The increased strength with the addition of GGBS is also observed from microstructural study, which illustrates the occurrence of larger agglomeration of jarosite-GGBS blend particles. The Freezing-Thawing (F-T) durability analysis is also conducted for all the jarosite-GGBS blends and found that the reduction in unconfined compressive strength after five successive F-T cycles enhanced from 62% (natural jarosite) to 48, 42 and 34% at 7, 14 and 28 days curing periods respectively for stabilized jarosite-GGBS samples containing 30% GGBS content. It can be concluded from this study that blending of cementing additives (GGBS) with jarosite waste resulted in a significant improvement in geotechnical characteristics.

Keywords: jarosite, GGBS, strength characteristics, microstructural study, durability analysis

Procedia PDF Downloads 171