Search results for: mobile game based learning

Authors: Mohamed Nasraoui

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Spatial ore distribution, ore heterogeneity and their links with geological processes involved in Niobium concentration are all factors for consideration when bridging field observations to extraction scheme. Indeed, mineralogy changes of Nb-hosting phases, their textural relationships with hydrothermal or secondary minerals, play a key control over mineral processing. This study based both on filed work and ore characterization presents data from several Nb-deposits related to carbonatite complexes. The results obtained by a wide range of analytical techniques, including, XRD, XRF, ICP-MS, SEM, Microprobe, Spectro-CL, FTIR-DTA and Mössbauer spectroscopy, demonstrate how geometallurgical assessment, at all stage of mine development, can greatly assist in the design of a suitable extraction flowsheet and data reconciliation.

Keywords: carbonatites, Nb-geometallurgy, Nb-mineralogy, mineral processing.

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Authors: Cagri Mollamahmutoglu, Aykut Levent, Ali Mercan

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Micro-beams are one of the most common components of Nano-Electromechanical Systems (NEMS) and Micro Electromechanical Systems (MEMS). For this reason, static bending, buckling, and free vibration analysis of micro-beams have been the subject of many studies. In addition, micro-beams restrained with elastic type foundations have been of particular interest. In the analysis of microstructures, closed-form solutions are proposed when available, but most of the time solutions are based on numerical methods due to the complex nature of the resulting differential equations. Thus, a robust and efficient solution method has great importance. In this study, a mixed finite element formulation is obtained for a functionally graded Timoshenko micro-beam resting on two-parameter elastic foundation. In the formulation modified couple stress theory is utilized for the micro-scale effects. The equation of motion and boundary conditions are derived according to Hamilton’s principle. A functional, derived through a scientific procedure based on Gateaux Differential, is proposed for the bending and buckling analysis which is equivalent to the governing equations and boundary conditions. Most important advantage of the formulation is that the mixed finite element formulation allows usage of C₀ type continuous shape functions. Thus shear-locking is avoided in a built-in manner. Also, element matrices are sparsely populated and can be easily calculated with closed-form integration. In this framework results concerning the effects of micro-scale length parameter, power-law parameter, aspect ratio and coefficients of partially or fully continuous elastic foundation over the static bending, buckling, and free vibration response of FG-micro-beam under various boundary conditions are presented and compared with existing literature. Performance characteristics of the presented formulation were evaluated concerning other numerical methods such as generalized differential quadrature method (GDQM). It is found that with less computational burden similar convergence characteristics were obtained. Moreover, formulation also includes a direct calculation of the micro-scale related contributions to the structural response as well.

Keywords: micro-beam, functionally graded materials, two-paramater elastic foundation, mixed finite element method

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Authors: L. Ozoliņa

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Place branding as a strategic marketing tool is applied in Latvia since 2000. The main objective of the study is to find unique connecting aspects of the intangible cultural heritage elements on the development of sustainable place branding. The study is based on in-depth semi-structured interviews with Latvian place branding experts and content analysis of Latvia's place brand identities. The study indicates place branding as an internal co-creational and educational process of all involved stakeholders of the place and highlights a critical view on the local place branding practices on the notability of the in-depth research of the intangible cultural heritage.

Keywords: belonging, identity, intangible cultural heritage, narrative, self-image, place branding

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Authors: Andrey Lebedev, Ilya Dmitrenok, JooYoung Lee, Leonard Johard

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Top-k shortest path routing problem is an extension of finding the shortest path in a given network. Shortest path is one of the most essential measures as it reveals the relations between two nodes in a network. However, in many real world networks, whose diameters are small, top-k shortest path is more interesting as it contains more information about the network topology. Many variations to compute top-k shortest paths have been studied. In this paper, we apply an efficient top-k shortest distance routing algorithm to the link prediction problem and test its efficacy. We compare the results with other base line and state-of-the-art methods as well as with the shortest path. Then, we also propose a top-k distance based graph matching algorithm.

Keywords: graph matching, link prediction, shortest path, similarity

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Authors: Laura Boschis, Elena D. Ozzello, Enzo Mastromatteo

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Point of care diagnostic finds growing interest in medicine and agri-food because of faster intervention and prevention. EliChip is a microfluidic platform to perform Point of Care immunoenzymatic assay based on ready-to-use kits and a portable instrument to manage fluidics and read reliable quantitative results. Thanks to miniaturization, analyses are faster and more sensible than conventional ELISA. EliChip is one of the crucial assets of the Europen-founded Flamingo project for in-line measuring inflammatory markers.

Keywords: lab on chip, point of care, immunoenzymatic analysis, synovial arthritis

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Authors: Maryam Ebrahimpour, Amir Ebrahimi

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This paper presents the steady-state amplitude analysis of MOS Colpitts oscillator with short channel device. The proposed method is based on a large signal analysis and the nonlinear differential equations that govern the oscillator circuit behaviour. Also, the short channel effects are considered in the proposed analysis and analytical equations for finding the steady-state oscillation amplitude are derived. The output voltage calculated from this analysis is in excellent agreement with simulations for a wide range of circuit parameters.

Keywords: colpitts oscillator, CMOS, electronics, circuits

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Authors: Peter Pfeifer, Julian Pfeifer, Niko Pfeifer

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Information processing is the focus of brain and cognition research. This work has a different perspective; it starts with behaviors. The detailed analysis of behaviors leads to the discovery that a significant proportion of them are based on only five basic drives. These basic drives are combinable, and the combinations result in the diversity of human behavior and thinking. The key elements are drive memories. They collect memories of drive-related situations and feelings. They contain variations of basic drives in numerous areas of life and build combinations with different meanings depending on the area. Human thinking could be explained with variations on these nested combinations of basic drives.

Keywords: cognition, psycholinguistics, psychology, psychophysiology of cognition

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Authors: Rafael Santos, Clara Pimenta Do Vale, Barbara Bogoni, Poul Henning Kirkegaard

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In the last decades, the relevance of hand drawing has decreased in the scope of architectural education. However, some schools continue to recognize its decisive role, not only in the architectural design teaching, but in the whole of architectural training. With this paper it is intended to present the results of a research developed on the following problem: the practise of hand drawing as a premier form of representation in architectural design teaching. The research had as its object the educational model of the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto (FAUP) and was led by three main objectives: to identify the circumstance that promoted hand drawing as a form of representation in FAUP's model; to characterize the types of hand drawing and their role in that model; to determine the particularities of hand drawing as a premier form of representation in architectural design teaching. Methodologically, the research was conducted according to a qualitative embedded single-case study design. The object – i.e., the educational model – was approached in FAUP case considering its Context and three embedded unities of analysis: the educational Purposes, Principles and Practices. In order to guide the procedures of data collection and analysis, a Matrix for the Characterization (MCC) was developed. As a methodological tool, the MCC allowed to relate the three embedded unities of analysis with the three main sources of evidence where the object manifests itself: the professors, expressing how the model is Assumed; the architectural design classes, expressing how the model is Achieved; and the students, expressing how the model is Acquired. The main research methods used were the naturalistic and participatory observation, in-person-interview and documentary and bibliographic review. The results reveal that the educational model of FAUP – following the model of the former Porto School – was largely due to the methodological foundations created with the hand drawing teaching-learning processes. In the absence of a culture of explicit theoretical elaboration or systematic research, hand drawing was the support for the continuity of the school, an expression of a unified thought about what should be the reflection and practice of architecture. As a form of representation, hand drawing plays a transversal role in the entire educational model, since its purposes are not limited to the conception of architectural design – it is also a means for perception, analysis and synthesis. Regarding the architectural design teaching, there seems to be an understanding of three complementary dimensions of didactics: the instrumental, methodological and propositional dimension. At FAUP, hand drawing is recognized as the common denominator among these dimensions, according to the idea of "globality of drawing". It is expected that the knowledge base developed in this research may have three main contributions: to contribute to the maintenance and valorisation of FAUP’s model; through the precise description of the methodological procedures, to contribute by transferability to similar studies; through the critical and objective framework of the problem underlying the hand drawing in architectural design teaching, to contribute to the broader discussion concerning the contemporary challenges on architectural education.

Keywords: architectural design teaching, architectural education, forms of representation, hand drawing

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Authors: Mehdi Seifbarghy, Zahra Mansouri

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In this paper a few location-allocation models are developed in a multi-echelon supply chain including suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers. The objectives are maximizing demand coverage, minimizing the total distance of distributors from suppliers, minimizing some facility establishment costs and minimizing the environmental effects. Since nature of the given models is multi-objective, we suggest a number of goal-based solution techniques such L-P metric, goal programming, multi-choice goal programming and goal attainment in order to solve the problems.

Keywords: location, multi-echelon supply chain, covering, goal programming

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Authors: Nakache Radouane, M. Boukelloul, M. Fredj

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Method room and pillar sizes are key factors for safe mining and their recovery in open-stop mining. This method is advantageous due to its simplicity and requirement of little information to be used. It is probably the most representative method among the total load approach methods although it also remains a safe design method. Using a finite element software (PLAXIS 3D), analyses were carried out with an elasto-plastic model and comparisons were made with methods based on the total load approach. The results were presented as the optimization for improving the ore recovery rate while maintaining a safe working environment.

Keywords: room and pillar, mining, total load approach, elasto-plastic

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Authors: Nwachukwu Ihiejeto Celestine

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Rural poverty in Nigeria has been the bake of the society. It has been a canker worm which has eaten deep into the fabric of Nigerian society. Different models and principles have been applied to eradicate it, such as operation feed the nation, green revolution, NAPEP etc. Little or nothing has been done in the area of entrepreneurship education to tame this monster. It is based on this that the author wants to x-ray the role entrepreneurship education which studies “the process of identifying, bringing a vision to life” could play in the eradication of rural poverty in Nigeria. This will go along in providing appropriate principles for poverty alleviation and eradication in Nigeria. Some selected states in the eastern Geo-political region could be x-rayed in this circumstance. It is hoped that policy makers etc will find the work cogent in formulating and implementing policy decisions.

Keywords: poverty, entrepreneurship, education, Nigeria

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Authors: Peter M. Maurer Maurer

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DGL is a context free grammar-based tool for generating random data. Many types of simulator input data require some computation to be placed in the proper format. For example, it might be necessary to generate ordered triples in which the third element is the sum of the first two elements, or it might be necessary to generate random numbers in some sorted order. Although DGL is universal in computational power, generating these types of data is extremely difficult. To overcome this problem, we have enhanced DGL to include features that permit direct computation within the structure of a context free grammar. The features have been implemented as special types of productions, preserving the context free flavor of DGL specifications.

Keywords: DGL, Enhanced Context Free Grammars, Programming Constructs, Random Data Generation

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Authors: Moustafa Osman Mohammed

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The modeling of a spatial-economic database is crucial in recitation economic network structure to social development. Sustainability within the spatial-economic model gives attention to green businesses to comply with Earth’s Systems. The natural exchange patterns of ecosystems have consistent and periodic cycles to preserve energy and materials flow in systems ecology. When network topology influences formal and informal communication to function in systems ecology, ecosystems are postulated to valence the basic level of spatial sustainable outcome (i.e., project compatibility success). These referred instrumentalities impact various aspects of the second level of spatial sustainable outcomes (i.e., participant social security satisfaction). The sustainability outcomes are modeling composite structure based on a network analysis model to calculate the prosperity of panel databases for efficiency value, from 2005 to 2025. The database is modeling spatial structure to represent state-of-the-art value-orientation impact and corresponding complexity of sustainability issues (e.g., build a consistent database necessary to approach spatial structure; construct the spatial-economic-ecological model; develop a set of sustainability indicators associated with the model; allow quantification of social, economic and environmental impact; use the value-orientation as a set of important sustainability policy measures), and demonstrate spatial structure reliability. The structure of spatial-ecological model is established for management schemes from the perspective pollutants of multiple sources through the input–output criteria. These criteria evaluate the spillover effect to conduct Monte Carlo simulations and sensitivity analysis in a unique spatial structure. The balance within “equilibrium patterns,” such as collective biosphere features, has a composite index of many distributed feedback flows. The following have a dynamic structure related to physical and chemical properties for gradual prolong to incremental patterns. While these spatial structures argue from ecological modeling of resource savings, static loads are not decisive from an artistic/architectural perspective. The model attempts to unify analytic and analogical spatial structure for the development of urban environments in a relational database setting, using optimization software to integrate spatial structure where the process is based on the engineering topology of systems ecology.

Keywords: ecological modeling, spatial structure, orientation impact, composite index, industrial ecology

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Authors: Armana Huq, Wahidur Rahman, Sanwar Kader

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Inland waterways in Bangladesh play an important role in providing comfortable and low-cost transportation. However, a maritime accident takes away many lives and creates unwanted hazards every year. This article deals with a comprehensive review of inland waterway accidents in Bangladesh. Additionally, it includes a comparative study between international and local inland research studies based on maritime accidents. Articles from inland waterway areas are analyzed in-depth to make a comprehensive overview of the nature of the academic work, accident and risk management process and different statistical analyses. It is found that empirical analysis based on the available statistical data dominates the research domain. For this study, major maritime accident-related works in the last four decades in Bangladesh (1981-2020) are being analyzed for preparing a bibliometric analysis. A study of maritime accidents of passenger's vessels during (1995-2005) indicates that the predominant causes of accidents in the inland waterways of Bangladesh are collision and adverse weather (77%), out of which collision due to human error alone stands (56%) of all accidents. Another study refers that the major causes of waterway accidents are the collision (60.3%) during 2005-2015. About 92% of this collision occurs due to direct contact with another vessel during this period. Rest 8% of the collision occurs by contact with permanent obstruction on waterway roots. The overall analysis of another study from the last 25 years (1995-2019) shows that one of the main types of accidents is collisions, with about 50.3% of accidents being caused by collisions. The other accident types are cyclone or storm (17%), overload (11.3%), physical failure (10.3%), excessive waves (5.1%), and others (6%). Very few notable works are available in testing or comparing the methods, proposing new methods for risk management, modeling, uncertainty treatment. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the evolution of marine accident-related research domain regarding inland waterway of Bangladesh and attempts to introduce new ideas and methods to abridge the gap between international and national inland maritime-related work domain which can be a catalyst for a safer and sustainable water transportation system in Bangladesh. Another fundamental objective of this paper is to navigate various national maritime authorities and international organizations to implement risk management processes for shipping accident prevention in waterway areas.

Keywords: inland waterways, safety, bibliometric analysis, risk management, accidents

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Authors: Mohammed Messaoudi

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The higher education sector in Algeria has witnessed in recent years a remarkable transformation, as it witnessed the integration of institutions within the modern technological environment and harnessing all appropriate mechanisms to raise the level of education and the level of training. Observers and those interested that it is necessary for the Algerian university to enter this field, especially with the efforts that seek to employ modern technology in the sector and encourage investment in this field, in addition to the state’s keenness to move towards building a path to benefit from modern technology, and to encourage energies in light of a reality that carries many Aspirations and challenges by achieving openness to the new digital environment and keeping pace with the ranks of international universities. Higher education is one of the engines of development for societies, as it is a vital field for the transfer of knowledge and scientific expertise, and the university is at the top of the comprehensive educational system for various disciplines in light of the achievement of a multi-dimensional educational system, and amid the integration of three basic axes that establish the sound educational process (teaching, research, relevant outputs efficiency), and according to a clear strategy that monitors the advancement of academic work, and works on developing its future directions to achieve development in this field. The Algerian University is considered one of the service institutions that seeks to find the optimal mechanisms to keep pace with the changes of the times, as it has become necessary for the university to enter the technological space and thus ensure the quality of education in it and achieve the required empowerment by dedicating a structure that matches the requirements of the challenges on which the sector is based, amid unremitting efforts to develop the capabilities. He sought to harness the mechanisms of communication and information technology and achieve transformation at the level of the higher education sector with what is called higher education technology. The conceptual framework of information and communication technology at the level of higher education institutions in Algeria is determined through the factors of organization, factors of higher education institutions, characteristics of the professor, characteristics of students, the outcomes of the educational process, and there is a relentless pursuit to achieve a positive interaction between these axes as they are basic components on which the success and achievement of higher education are based for his goals.

Keywords: Information and communication technology, Algerian university, scientific and cognitive development, challenges

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Authors: Rosa S. Wong, Keith T.S. Tung, H.W. Tsang, Frederick K. Ho, Patrick Ip

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Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention and hyperactive-impulsive behavior. Evidence shows that ADHD and mood problems such as depression and anxiety often co-occur and yet not everyone with ADHD reported elevated emotional problems. Given that cholesterol is essential for healthy brain development including the regions governing emotion regulation, reports found lower cholesterol levels in patients with major depressive disorder and those with suicide attempt behavior compared to healthy subjects. This study explored whether ADHD adolescents experienced more emotional problems and whether emotional problems correlated with cholesterol levels in these adolescents. This study used a portion of data from the longitudinal cohort study which was designed to investigate the long-term impact of family socioeconomic status on child development. In 2018/19, parents of 300 adolescents (average age: 12.57+/-0.49 years) were asked to rate their children’s emotional problems and report whether their children had doctor-diagnosed psychiatric diseases. We further collected blood samples from 263 children to study their lipid profile (total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol). Regression analyses were performed to test the relationships between variables of interest. Among 300 children, 27 (9%) had ADHD diagnosis. Analysis based on overall sample found no association between ADHD and emotional problems, but when investigating the relationship by gender, there was a significant interaction effect of ADHD and gender on emotional problems (p=0.037), with ADHD males displaying more emotional problems than ADHD females. Further analyses based on 263 children (21 with ADHD diagnosis) found significant interaction effect of ADHD and gender on total cholesterol (p=0.038) and low LDL-cholesterol levels (p=0.013) after adjusting for the child’s physical disease history. Specifically, ADHD males had significantly lower total cholesterol and low lipoprotein-cholesterol levels than ADHD females. In ADHD males, more emotional problems were associated with lower LDL-cholesterol levels (B = -4.26, 95%CI (-7.46, -1.07), p=0.013). We found preliminary support for the association between more emotional problems and lower cholesterol levels in ADHD children, especially among males. Although larger prospective studies are needed to substantiate these claims, the evidence highlights the importance of healthy lifestyle to keep cholesterol levels in normal range which can have positive effects on physical and mental health.

Keywords: attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, cholesterol, emotional problems, adolescents

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Authors: Liya Kalinnikova Magnusson

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The present and ongoing research investigation are focusing on special educational origins in Moldova for children with disabilities and its development towards inclusion. The research is coordinated with related research on inclusion in Ukraine and other countries. The research interest in these issues in Moldova is caused by several reasons. The first one is based upon one of the intensive processes of deconstruction of special education institutions in Moldova since 1989. A large number of children with disabilities have been dropping out of these institutions: from 11400 students in 1989 to 5800 students in 1996, corresponding to 1% of all school-age Moldovan learners. Despite the fact that a huge number of students was integrated into regular schools and the dynamics of this data across the country was uneven (the opposite, the dynamics of exclusion was raised in Trans-Dniester on the border of Moldova), the volume of the change was evident and traditional special educational provision was under stable decline. The second reason is tied to transitional challenges, which Moldova met under the force to economic liberalisation that led the country to poverty. Deinstitutionalization of the entire state system took place in the situation of economic polarization of the society. The level of social benefits was dramatically diminished, increasing inequality. The most vulnerable from the comprehensive income consideration were families with many children, children with disabilities, children with health problems, etc.: each third child belonged to the poorest population. In 2000-2001: 87,4% of all families with children had incomes below the minimum wage. The research question raised based upon these considerations has been addressed to the investigation of particular patterns of the origins of special education and its development towards inclusion in Moldova from 1980 until the present date: what is the pattern of special education origins and what are particular arrangements of special education development towards inclusion against inequality? This is a qualitative study, with relevant peer review resources connected to the research question and national documents of educational reforms towards inclusion retrospectively and contemporary, analysed by a content analysis approach. This study utilises long term statistics completed by the respective international agencies as a result of regular monitoring of the implementation of educational reforms. The main findings were composed in three big themes: adoption of the Soviet pattern of special education, ‘endemic stress’ of breaking the pattern, and ‘paradoxes of resolution’.

Keywords: special education, statistics, educational reforms, inclusion, children with disabilities, content analysis

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Authors: Afshin Kadri

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Using Renewable Energy Resources (RES) as a type of DG unit is developing in distribution systems. The connection of these generation units to existing AC distribution systems changes the structure and some of the operational aspects of these grids. Most of the RES requires to power electronic-based interfaces for connection to AC systems. These interfaces consist of at least one DC/AC conversion unit. Nowadays, grid-connected inverters must have the required feature to support the grid under sag voltage conditions. There are two curves in these conditions that show the magnitude of the reactive component of current as a function of voltage drop value and the required minimum time value, which must be connected to the grid. This feature is named low voltage ride-through (LVRT). Implementing this feature causes problems in the operation of the inverter that increases the amplitude of high-frequency components of the injected current and working out of maximum power point in the photovoltaic panel connected inverters are some of them. The important phenomenon in these conditions is ripples in the DC bus voltage that affects the operation of the inverter directly and indirectly. The losses of DC bus capacitors which are electrolytic capacitors, cause increasing their temperature and decreasing its lifespan. In addition, if the inverter is connected to the photovoltaic panels directly and has the duty of maximum power point tracking, these ripples cause oscillations around the operating point and decrease the generating energy. Using a bidirectional converter in the DC bus, which works as a buck and boost converter and transfers the ripples to its DC bus, is the traditional method to eliminate these ripples. In spite of eliminating the ripples in the DC bus, this method cannot solve the problem of reliability because it uses an electrolytic capacitor in its DC bus. In this work, a control method is proposed which uses the bidirectional converter as the fourth leg of the inverter and eliminates the DC bus ripples using an injection of unbalanced currents into the grid. Moreover, the proposed method works based on constant power control. In this way, in addition, to supporting the amplitude of grid voltage, it stabilizes its frequency by injecting active power. Also, the proposed method can eliminate the DC bus ripples in deep voltage drops, which cause increasing the amplitude of the reference current more than the nominal current of the inverter. The amplitude of the injected current for the faulty phases in these conditions is kept at the nominal value and its phase, together with the phase and amplitude of the other phases, are adjusted, which at the end, the ripples in the DC bus are eliminated, however, the generated power decreases.

Keywords: renewable energy resources, voltage drop value, DC bus ripples, bidirectional converter

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Authors: Bojana Ž. Bajić, Siniša N. Dodić, Vladimir S. Puškaš, Jelena M. Dodić

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Increasing industrialization as a response to the demands of the consumer society greatly exploits resources and generates large amounts of waste effluents in addition to the desired product. This means it is a priority to implement technologies with the maximum utilization of raw materials and energy, minimum generation of waste effluents and/or their recycling (secondary use). Considering the process conditions and the nature of the raw materials used by the vegetable oil industry, its wastewaters can be used as substrates for the biotechnological production which requires large amounts of water. This way the waste effluents of one branch of industry become raw materials for another branch which produces a new product while reducing wastewater pollution and thereby reducing negative environmental impacts. Vegetable oil production generates wastewaters during the process of rinsing oils and fats which contain mainly fatty acid pollutants. The vegetable oil industry generates large amounts of waste effluents, especially in the processes of degumming, deacidification, deodorization and neutralization. Wastewaters from the vegetable oil industry are generated during the whole year in significant amounts, based on the capacity of the vegetable oil production. There are no known alternative applications for these wastewaters as raw materials for the production of marketable products. Since the literature has no data on the potential negative impact of fatty acids on the metabolism of the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris, these wastewaters were considered as potential raw materials for the biotechnological production of xanthan. In this research, vegetable oil industry wastewaters were used as the basis for the cultivation media for xanthan production with Xanthomonas campestris ATCC 13951. Examining the process of biosynthesis of xanthan on vegetable oil industry wastewaters as the basis for the cultivation media was performed to obtain insight into the possibility of its use in the aforementioned biotechnological process. Additionally, it was important to experimentally determine the absence of substances that have an inhibitory effect on the metabolism of the production microorganism. Xanthan content, rheological parameters of the cultivation media, carbon conversion into xanthan and conversions of the most significant nutrients for biosynthesis (carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus sources) were determined as indicators of the success of biosynthesis. The obtained results show that biotechnological production of the biopolymer xanthan by bacterium Xanthomonas campestris on vegetable oil industry wastewaters based cultivation media simultaneously provides preservation of the environment and economic benefits which is a sustainable solution to the problem of wastewater treatment.

Keywords: biotechnology, sustainable bioprocess, vegetable oil industry wastewaters, Xanthomonas campestris

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Authors: Carolina Beltran, Carlos De Los Reyes

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Acquired brain injury (ABI) is any physical and functional injury secondary to events that affect the brain tissue. It is one of the biggest causes of disability in the world and it has a high annual incidence in the pediatric population. There are several causes of ABI such as traumatic brain injury, central nervous system infection, stroke, hypoxia, tumors and others. The consequences can be cognitive, behavioral, emotional and functional. The cognitive rehabilitation is necessary to achieve the best outcomes for pediatric people with ABI. Cognitive orientation to daily occupational performance (CO-OP) is an individualized client-centered, performance-based, problem-solving approach that focuses on the strategy used to support the acquisition of three client-chosen goals. It has demonstrated improvements in the pediatric population with other neurological disorder but not in Spanish speakers with ABI. Aim: The main objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of cognitive orientation to daily occupational performances (CO-OP) adapted to Spanish speakers, in the level of independence and behavior in a pediatric population with ABI. Methods: Case studies with measure pre/post-treatment were used in three children with ABI, sustained at least before 6 months assessment, in school, aged 8 to 16 years, age ABI after 6 years old and above average intellectual ability. Twelve sessions of CO-OP adapted to Spanish speakers were used and videotaped. The outcomes were based on cognitive, behavior and functional independence measurements such as Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), The Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VINELAND, Social Support Scale (MOS-SSS) and others neuropsychological measures. This study was approved by the ethics committee of Universidad del Norte in Colombia. Informed parental written consent was obtained for all participants. Results: children were able to identify three goals and use the global strategy ‘goal-plan-do-check’ during each session. Verbal self-instruction was used by all children. CO-OP showed a clinically significant improvement in goals regarding with independence level and behavior according to parents and teachers. Conclusion: The results indicated that CO-OP and the use of a global strategy such as ‘goal-plan-do-check’ can be used in children with ABI in order to improve their specific goals. This is a preliminary version of a big study carrying in Colombia as part of the experimental design.

Keywords: cognitive rehabilitation, acquired brain injury, pediatric population, cognitive orientation to daily occupational performance

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Authors: Nurdiani Zamhari, Abang Annuar Ehsan

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The 3 dB directional coupler is designed by using silicon-on-insulator (SOI) large cross-section and simulate by Beam Propagation Method at the communication wavelength of 1.55 µm and 1.48 µm. The geometry is shaped with rib height (H) of 6 µm and varied in step factor (r) which is 0.5, 0.6, 0.7 and 0.8. The wave guide spacing is also fixed to 5 µm and the slab width is symmetrical. In general, the 3 dB coupling lengths for four different cross-sections are several millimetre long. The 1.48 of wavelength give the longer coupling length if compare to 1.55 at the same step factor (r). Besides, the low loss propagation is achieved with less than 2 % of propagation loss.

Keywords: 3 dB directional couplers, silicon-on-insulator, symmetrical rib waveguide, OptiBPM 9

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Authors: Aminul Islam

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The issue of aging is now an emerging aspect of all over the world. Both the rural and urban societies of our country are not immune from this problem. This study mainly explored the influence of wealth on the enjoyment of role and status of the elderly in rural Bangladesh. It is based on empirical findings from the four villages of Gopalnagar union of Dhunat upazila of Bogra district. The study depicted that wealth has much influence regarding the enjoyment of role and status. Mixed approach has been given priority in this study. Survey, observation, case study and life history methods and focus group discussion technique have also been used in this study. Data have been collected from both primary and secondary sources. Simple random sampling procedure has also been followed in this study.

Keywords: wealth, role status, elderly

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Authors: Nejah Ben Mabrouk, Bassem Jarboui, Habib Chabchoub

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Production and distribution planning is the most important part in supply chain management. In this paper, a NP-hard production-distribution problem for one product over a multi-period horizon is investigated. The aim is to minimize the sum of costs of three items: production setups, inventories and distribution, while determining, for each period, the amount produced, the inventory levels and the delivery trips. To solve this difficult problem, we propose a bi-phase approach based on a Variable Neighbourhood Search (VNS). This heuristic is tested on 90 randomly generated instances from the literature, with 20 periods and 50, 100, 200 customers. Computational results show that our approach outperforms existing solution procedures available in the literature

Keywords: logistic, production, distribution, variable neighbourhood search

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Authors: Sansanee Sansiribhan, Anusorn Rattanathanaophat, Chirapan Nuengchaknin

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The potential feasibility of a 9.5 MWe capacity rice straw power plant project in Thailand was studied by evaluating the rice straw resource. The result showed that Thailand had a high rice straw biomass potential at the provincial level, especially, the provinces in the central, northeastern and western Thailand, which could feasibly develop plants. The economic feasibility of project was also investigated. The financial feasibility is also evaluated based on two important factors in the project, i.e., NPV ≥ 0 and IRR ≥ 11%. It was found that the rice straw power plant project at 9.5 MWe was financially feasible with the cost of fuel in the range of 30.6-47.7 USD/t.

Keywords: power plant, project feasibility, rice straw, Thailand

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Authors: Sadam Alwadi

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Outlier values become a problem that frequently occurs in the data observation or recording process. Thus, the need for data imputation has become an essential matter. In this work, it will make use of the methods described in the prior work to detect the outlier values based on a collection of stock market data. In order to implement the detection and find some solutions that maybe helpful for investors, real closed price data were obtained from the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE). Tukey and Maximum Overlapping Discrete Wavelet Transform (MODWT) methods will be used to impute the detect the outlier values.

Keywords: outlier values, imputation, stock market data, detecting, estimation

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Authors: Latif Adnane, C. E. Ait Zaouiat, M. Eddabbah

Abstract:

In Wireless Body Area Networks, the issue of systems lifetime is a big challenge to complete. In this paper, we have tackled this subject to suggest some solutions. For this aim, we have studied some batteries characteristics related to human body temperature. Moreover, we have analyzed a mathematical model which defines sensors lifetime (battery lifetime). Based on this model, we note that the random access increases the energy consumption, because nodes are waking up during the whole superframe period. Results show that using scheduled mode access of IEEE 802.15.6 maximizes the lifetime function, by setting nodes in the sleep mode in the inactive period of transmission.

Keywords: battery, energy consumption, IEEE 802.15.6, lifetime, polling

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Authors: Boris Barbolyas, Kristina Buckova, Tomas Volensky, Cyril Belavy, Ladislav Dedik

Abstract:

Background: Based on statokinezigram, the human balance control is often studied. Approach to human postural reaction analysis is based on a combination of stabilometry output signal with retroreflective marker data signal processing, analysis, and understanding, in this study. The study shows another original application of Method of Developed Statokinesigram Trajectory (MDST), too. Methods: In this study, the participants maintained quiet bipedal standing for 10 s on stabilometry platform. Consequently, bilateral vibration stimuli to Achilles tendons in 20 s interval was applied. Vibration stimuli caused that human postural system took the new pseudo-steady state. Vibration frequencies were 20, 60 and 80 Hz. Participant's body segments - head, shoulders, hips, knees, ankles and little fingers were marked by 12 retroreflective markers. Markers positions were scanned by six cameras system BTS SMART DX. Registration of their postural reaction lasted 60 s. Sampling frequency was 100 Hz. For measured data processing were used Method of Developed Statokinesigram Trajectory. Regression analysis of developed statokinesigram trajectory (DST) data and retroreflective marker developed trajectory (DMT) data were used to find out which marker trajectories most correlate with stabilometry platform output signals. Scaling coefficients (λ) between DST and DMT by linear regression analysis were evaluated, too. Results: Scaling coefficients for marker trajectories were identified for all body segments. Head markers trajectories reached maximal value and ankle markers trajectories had a minimal value of scaling coefficient. Hips, knees and ankles markers were approximately symmetrical in the meaning of scaling coefficient. Notable differences of scaling coefficient were detected in head and shoulders markers trajectories which were not symmetrical. The model of postural system behavior was identified by MDST. Conclusion: Value of scaling factor identifies which body segment is predisposed to postural instability. Hypothetically, if statokinesigram represents overall human postural system response to vibration stimuli, then markers data represented particular postural responses. It can be assumed that cumulative sum of particular marker postural responses is equal to statokinesigram.

Keywords: center of pressure (CoP), method of developed statokinesigram trajectory (MDST), model of postural system behavior, retroreflective marker data

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Authors: E. Krasnova, E. Bulgakova, V. Shchemelinin

Abstract:

The paper deals with acoustic-spectrographic voice identification method in terms of its performance in non-native language speech. Performance evaluation is conducted by comparing the result of the analysis of recordings containing native language speech with recordings that contain foreign language speech. Our research is based on Tajik and Russian speech of Tajik native speakers due to the character of the criminal situation with drug trafficking. We propose a pilot experiment that represents a primary attempt enter the field.

Keywords: speaker identification, acoustic-spectrographic method, non-native speech, performance evaluation

Procedia PDF Downloads 436

Authors: Meisam Omidi, M. Mirijalili, Mohammadmehdi Choolaei, Z. Sharifi, F. Haghiralsadat, F. Yazdian

Abstract:

In this work, we have used arrays of micromechanical piezoresistive cantilever with different geometries to detect carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), which is known as an important biomarker associated with various cancers such as the colorectal, lung, breast, pancreatic, and bladder cancer. The sensing principle is based on the surface stress changes induced by antigen–antibody interaction on the microcantilevers surfaces. Different concentrations of CEA in a human serum albumin (HSA) solution were detected as a function of the deflection of the beams. According to the experiments, it was revealed that microcantilevers have surface stress sensitivities in the order of 8 (mJ/m). This matter allows them to detect CEA concentrations as low as 3 ng/mL or 18 pM. This indicates the fact that the self-sensing microcantilever approach is beneficial for pathological tests.

Keywords: micromechanical biosensors, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), surface stress

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Authors: Supriya Chatla, Anjana Male, Srikala Kamireddy

Abstract:

L-asparaginase (E.C.3.5.1.1) is an anti-cancer enzyme that has been purified and characterized for decades to study and evaluate its anti-carcinogenic activity against Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The present investigation deals with screening, isolation and optimization of L-asparaginase giving fungal strain of soil samples from different areas of AP, India. L-Aspariginase activity was estimated on the basis of the pink color surrounding the growing colony. A total of 132 colonies were screened and isolated from different samples. Based on the zone diameter, L-asparaginase activity is determined, L- asparaginase activity is optimized at 28oc and Immobilized Aspariginase had more potency than the free enzymes.

Keywords: aspariginase, anticancer enzyme, Isolation, optimization

Procedia PDF Downloads 68