Search results for: modified Ashworth scale

Authors: A. Nazilah

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Floods are classified among sudden onset phenomenon and the highest natural disasters happen in Malaysia. Floods have a negative impact on mental health. Measuring the psychopathology symptoms among flood victims is an important step for intervention and treatment. However, there is a gap of a valid, reliable and an efficient instrument to measure flood victims' mental health, especially in Malaysia. This study aims to replicate the earlier studies of developing e-Psychological Instrument for Flood Victims (e-PIFV). The e-PIFV is a digital self-report inventory that has 84 items with 4 dimension scales namely stress, anxiety, depression, and trauma. Two replicated studies have been done to validate the instrument using expert judgment method. Results showed that content coefficient validity for each sub-scale of the instrument ranging from moderate to very strong validity. In study I, coefficient values of stress was 0.7, anxiety was 0.9, depression was 1.0, trauma was 0.6 and overall was 0.8. In study II, the coefficient values for two subscales and overall scale were increased. The coefficient value of stress was 0.8, anxiety was 0.9, depression was 1.0, trauma was 0.8 and overall was 0.9. This study supports the theoretical framework and provides practical implication in the field of clinical psychology and flood management.

Keywords: developing e-psychological instrument, content validity, instrument, mental health management, flood victims, psychopathology, validity

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Authors: Frederico Fialho Teixeira, Islam Mashaly, Maryam Shafiei, Jurij Karlovsek

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The ubiquity of data gathering and smart technologies, advancements in virtual technologies, and the development of the internet of things (IoT) have created urgent demands for the development of frameworks and efficient workflows for data collection, visualisation, and analysis. Digital twin, in different scales of the city into the building, allows for bringing together data from different sources to generate fundamental and illuminating insights for the management of current facilities and the lifecycle of amenities as well as improvement of the performance of current and future designs. Over the past two decades, there has been growing interest in the topic of digital twin and their applications in city and building scales. Most such studies look at the urban environment through a homogeneous or generalist lens and lack specificity in particular characteristics or identities, which define an urban university campus. Bridging this knowledge gap, this paper offers a framework for developing a digital twin for a university campus that, with some modifications, could provide insights for any large-scale digital twin settings like towns and cities. It showcases how currently unused data could be purposefully combined, interpolated and visualised for producing analysis-ready data (such as flood or energy simulations or functional and occupancy maps), highlighting the potential applications of such a framework for campus planning and policymaking. The research integrates campus-level data layers into one spatial information repository and casts light on critical data clusters for the digital twin at the campus level. The paper also seeks to raise insightful and directive questions on how digital twin for campus can be extrapolated to city-scale digital twin. The outcomes of the paper, thus, inform future projects for the development of large-scale digital twin as well as urban and architectural researchers on potential applications of digital twin in future design, management, and sustainable planning, to predict problems, calculate risks, decrease management costs, and improve performance.

Keywords: digital twin, smart campus, framework, data collection, point cloud

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Authors: Sibel Yoleri

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In this research it is aimed to determine the adjustment of students who attend the first class at elementary school to school in terms of several variables. The study group of the research consists of 286 students (131 female, 155 male) who continue attending the first class of elementary school in 2013-2014 academic year, in the city center of Uşak. In the research, ‘Personal Information Form’ and ‘Walker-Mcconnell Scale of Social Competence and School Adjustment’ have been used as data collection tools. In the analysis of data, the t-test has been applied in the independent groups to determine whether the sampling group students’ scores of school adjustment differ according to the sex variable or not. For the evaluation of data identified as not showing normal distribution, Mann Whitney U test has been applied for paired comparison, Kruskal Wallis H test has been used for multiple comparisons. In the research, all the statistical processes have been evaluated bidirectional and the level of significance has been accepted as .05. According to the results gathered from the research, a meaningful difference could not been identified in the level of students’ adjustment to school in terms of sex variable. At the end of the research, it is identified that the adjustment level of the students who have started school at the age of seven is higher than the ones who have started school at the age of five and the adjustment level of the students who have preschool education before the elementary school is higher than the ones who have not taken.

Keywords: starting school, preschool education, school adjustment, Walker-Mcconnell Scale

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Authors: Bilgen Özlük, Ülkü Baykal

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The study was conducted with the aim of determining the evaluations of nurses directed at the restructuring process carried out in the nursing services of a private hospital, and reveal how they have been affected by this process, in an integrated manner between a prospective approach and methods of quantitative and qualitative research, and as a comparative study, comparing the changes over a period of three years. The sample for the study is comprised of all of the nurses employed at a private hospital, and data has been collected from 17 nurses (a total of 30 interviews) for the qualitative part 377 nurses in 2013 and 429 nurses in 2014 for the quantitative part. As vehicles of data collection, the study used a form directed at identifying the changes in the organisational and management structure of the hospital, a nurses' interview form, a questionnaire identifying the personal and occupational characteristics of the nurses, the "Minnesota Job Satisfaction Scale", the "Organisational Citizenship Behaviour Scale" and the "Organisational Trust Scale". Qualitative data by researchers, quantitative data was analysed using number and percentage tests, a t-test, and ANOVA, progressive analysis Tukey and regression tests. While in the qualitative part of the study the nurses stated in the first year of the restructuring that they were satisfied with their relationship with top level management, the increases in salaries and changes in the working environment such as the increase in the number of staff, in later years, they stated that there had been a fall in their satisfaction levels due to reasons such as nursing services instead of nurse practitioners in a position they are not satisfied that the director, nursing services outside the nursing profession appointment of persons to positions of management and the lack of appropriate training and competence of these persons, increases in the burden of work, insufficient salaries and the lack of a difference in the salaries of senior and more junior staff. On the other hand, in the quantitative part, it was found that there was no difference in the levels of job satisfaction and organisational trust in any of the two years, that as the level of organisational trust increased the level of job satisfaction also increased, and that as the levels of job satisfaction and organisational trust a positive impact on organisational citizenship behaviour also increased.

Keywords: services, nursing management, re-structuring, job satisfaction, organisational citizenship behaviour, organisational trust

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Authors: Lara F. Horani, Shurong Tong

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Identification of customer requirements and their preferences are the starting points in the process of product design. Most of design methodologies focus on traditional requirements. But in the previous decade, the green products and the environment requirements have increasingly attracted the attention with the constant increase in the level of consumer awareness towards environmental problems (such as green-house effect, global warming, pollution and energy crisis, and waste management). Determining the importance weights for the customer requirements is an essential and crucial process. This paper used the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) approach to evaluate and rate the customer requirements for green products. With respect to the ultimate goal of customer satisfaction, surveys are conducted using a five-point scale analysis. With the help of this scale, one can derive the weight vectors. This approach can improve the imprecise ranking of customer requirements inherited from studies based on the conventional AHP. Furthermore, the AHP with extent analysis is simple and easy to implement to prioritize customer requirements. The research is based on collected data through a questionnaire survey conducted over a sample of 160 people belonging to different age, marital status, education and income groups in order to identify the customer preferences for green product requirements.

Keywords: analytic hierarchy process (AHP), green product, customer requirements for green design, importance weights for the customer requirements

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Authors: Pedro P. Drumond, Priscilla M. Moura, Marcia M. L. P. Coelho

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The purpose of On-site Stormwater Detention (OSD) system is to promote the detention of addition stormwater runoff caused by impervious areas, in order to maintain the peak flow the same as the pre-urbanization condition. In recent decades, these systems have been built in many cities around the world. However, its real efficiency continues to be unknown due to the lack of research, especially with regard to monitoring its real performance. Thus, this study aims to compare the water level monitoring data of an OSD built in Belo Horizonte/Brazil with the results of theoretical methods simulations, usually adopted in OSD design. There were made two theoretical simulations, one using the Rational Method and Modified Puls method and another using the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) method and Modified Puls method. The monitoring data were obtained with a water level sensor, installed inside the reservoir and connected to a data logger. The comparison of OSD performance was made for 48 rainfall events recorded from April/2015 to March/2017. The comparison of maximum water levels in the OSD showed that the results of the simulations with Rational/Puls and SCS/Puls methods were, on average 33% and 73%, respectively, lower than those monitored. The Rational/Puls results were significantly higher than the SCS/Puls results, only in the events with greater frequency. In the events with average recurrence interval of 5, 10 and 200 years, the maximum water heights were similar in both simulations. Also, the results showed that the duration of rainfall events was close to the duration of monitored hydrograph. The rising time and recession time of the hydrographs calculated with the Rational Method represented better the monitored hydrograph than SCS Method. The comparison indicates that the real discharge coefficient value could be higher than 0.61, adopted in Puls simulations. New researches evaluating OSD real performance should be developed. In order to verify the peak flow damping efficiency and the value of the discharge coefficient is necessary to monitor the inflow and outflow of an OSD, in addition to monitor the water level inside it.

Keywords: best management practices, on-site stormwater detention, source control, urban drainage

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Authors: Gülcan Taşkıran, Ülkü Tatar Baykal

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Aim: To identify nurses’ perceived competencies for disaster preparedness. Background: Recently, the number of disasters has increased worldwide. Since disasters often strike without warning, healthcare providers, especially nurses must be prepared with appropriate competencies for disaster procedures. Nurses’ perceptions of their own competencies for disaster preparedness need to be evaluated to aid in the creation of effective national plans and educational programs. Design: This study was conducted with a descriptive and cross-sectional design. Methods: Nurses’ perceptions were assessed using the 13-item Demographic Profile Questionnaire that is based on previous literature and the 45-item Nurses’ Perception of Core Competencies for Disaster Preparedness Scale (NPCDPS). Data were collected from June to September 2014 from 406 (79.9% return rate) Turkish nurses working in the western region of Turkey. Results: At the end of the study, it was found that out of the nurses whose mean age was 31.27 ± 5.86 and mean of working time was 8.07 ± 6.60 by the time vast majority of the nurses were women (85.7%), married (59.4%), bachelor’s degree holder (88.2%) and service nurses (56.2%). The most potential disaster that nurses think is an earthquake (70.9%) by the time majority of nurses consider having a role as a nurse at every stage of disasters. The mean total point score of nurses’ perception of disaster preparedness was 4.62. The mean total point score of the nurses from the Nurses’ Perception of Core Competencies for Disaster Preparedness Scale was 133.96. When the subscales’ mean scores are examined, the highest average of the mean score is for Technical Skills (44.52), and the lowest is for Critical Thinking Skills (10.47). When the subscales of Nurses’ Perception of Core Competencies for Disaster Preparedness Scale compared with sex, marital status and education level out of independent variable of nurses there is no significant difference (p > 0.05); compared with age group, working years, duty and being with a disaster out of independent variable of nurses there is a significant difference (p ≤ 0.05). Conclusion: Nurses generally perceive themselves as sufficient at a ‘medium level’ in terms of meeting the core competencies that are required for disaster preparedness. Nurses are not adequately prepared for disasters, but they are aware of the need for such preparation and disaster education. Disaster management training should be given to all nurses in their basic education.

Keywords: disaster competencies, disaster management, disaster nursing, disaster preparedness, nursing, nursing administration, Turkish nurses

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Authors: Azeb Degife

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Over the past few years, the volume of international investment in agricultural land has increased globally. In recent times, Ethiopian government uses agricultural investment as one of the most important and effective strategies for economic growth, food security and poverty reduction in rural areas. Since the mid-2000s, government has awarded millions of hectares of most fertile land to rich countries and some of the world's most wealthy people to export various kinds of crop, often in long-term leases and at bargain prices. This study focuses on the pros and cons of large-scale agriculture investment Gambella region, Ethiopia. The main results were generated both from primary and secondary data sources. Primary data are obtained through interview, direct observation and a focus group discussion (FGDs). The secondary data are obtained from published documents, reports from governmental and non-governmental institutions. The findings of the study demonstrated that agriculture investment has advantages on the socio-economic and disadvantages on socio-environmental aspects. The main benefits agriculture investments in the region are infrastructural development and generation employment for the local people. Further, the Ethiopian government also generates foreign currency from the agriculture investment opportunities. On the other hand, Gambella people are strongly tied to the land and the rivers that run through in the region. However, now large-scale agricultural investment by foreign and local investors on an industrial scale results deprives people livelihoods and natural resources of the region. Generally, the negative effects of agriculture investment include increasing food insecurity, and displacement of smallholder farmers and pastoralists. Moreover, agriculture investment has strong adverse environmental impacts on natural resources such as land, water, forests and biodiversity. Therefore, an Ethiopian government strategy needs to focus on integration approach and sustainable agricultural growth.

Keywords: agriculture investment, cons, displacement, Gambella, integration approach, pros, socio-economic, socio-environmental

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Authors: Valeria Piccioni, Matthias Leschok, Ina Cheibas, Illias Hischier, Benjamin Dillenburger, Arno Schlueter, Matthias Kohler, Fabio Gramazio

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The decarbonisation of the building sector requires the development of building components that provide energy efficiency while producing minimal environmental impact. Recent advancements in large-scale 3D printing have shown that it is possible to fabricate components with embedded performances that can be tuned for their specific application. We investigate the potential of polymer 3D printing for the fabrication of translucent facade components. In this study, we explore the effect of geometry on thermal insulation of printed cavity structures following a Hot Box test method. The experimental results are used to calibrate a finite-element simulation model which can support the informed design of 3D printed insulation structures. We show that it is possible to fabricate components providing thermal insulation ranging from 1.7 to 0.95 W/m2K only by changing the internal cavity distribution and size. Moreover, we identify design guidelines that can be used to fabricate components for different climatic conditions and thermal insulation requirements. The research conducted provides the first insights into the thermal behaviour of polymer 3DP facades on a large scale. These can be used as design guidelines for further research toward performant and low-embodied energy 3D printed facade components.

Keywords: 3D printing, thermal performance, polymers, facade components, hot-box method

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Authors: William Creighton, Jan Smitheram

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Queer discourse has been tied to a middle-class, urban-centric, white approach to the discussion of queerness. In doing so, the multilayeredness of queer existence has been washed away in favour of palatable queer occupation. This paper uses design to explore a queer anti-urbanist approach to facilitate a more egalitarian architectural occupancy. Scott Herring’s work on queer anti-urbanism is key to this approach. Herring redeploys anti-urbanism from its historical understanding of open hostility, rejection and desire to destroy the city towards a mode of queer critique that counters normative ideals of homonormative metronormative gay lifestyles. He questions how queer identity has been closed down into a more diminutive frame where those who do not fit within this frame are subjected to persecution or silenced through their absence. We extend these ideas through design to ask how a queer anti-urbanist approach facilitates a more egalitarian architectural occupancy. Following a “design as research” methodology, the design outputs allow a vehicle to ask how we might live, otherwise, in architectural space. A design as research methodologically is a process of questioning, designing and reflecting – in a non-linear, iterative approach – establishes itself through three projects, each increasing in scale and complexity. Each of the three scales tackled a different body relationship. The project began exploring the relations between body to body, body to known others, and body to unknown others. Moving through increasing scales was not to privilege the objective, the public and the large scale; instead, ‘intra-scaling’ acts as a tool to re-think how scale reproduces normative ideas of the identity of space. There was a queering of scale. Through this approach, the results were an installation that brings two people together to co-author space where the installation distorts the sensory experience and forces a more intimate and interconnected experience challenging our socialized proxemics: knees might touch. To queer the home, the installation was used as a drawing device, a tool to study and challenge spatial perception, drawing convention, and as a way to process practical information about the site and existing house – the device became a tool to embrace the spontaneous. The final design proposal operates as a multi-scalar boundary-crossing through “private” and “public” to support kinship through communal labour, queer relationality and mooring. The resulting design works to set adrift bodies in a sea of sensations through a mix of pleasure programmes. To conclude, through three design proposals, this design research creates a relationship between queer anti-urbanism and design. It asserts that queering the design process and outcome allows a more inclusive way to consider place, space and belonging. The projects lend to a queer relationality and interdependence by making spaces that support the unsettled, out-of-place, but is it queer enough?

Keywords: queer, queer anti-urbanism, design as research, design

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Authors: Amar Partap Singh Pharwaha, Shweta Rani

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To develop a reliable and cost effective communication platform for the telemedicine applications, novel antenna design has been presented using bacterial foraging optimization (BFO) technique. The proposed antenna geometry is achieved by etching a modified Koch curve fractal shape at the edges and a square shape slot at the center of the radiating element of a patch antenna. It has been found that the new antenna has achieved 43.79% size reduction and better resonating characteristic than the original patch. Representative results for both simulations and numerical validations are reported in order to assess the effectiveness of the developed methodology.

Keywords: BFO, electrical permittivity, fractals, Koch curve

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Authors: Yasaman Tohidi, Rouzbeh Riazi, Shidvash Vakilipour, Masoud Mohammadi

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The objective of the present study is to numerically investigate the effect of CO₂ replacement of N₂ in air stream on the flame characteristics of the CH₄ turbulent diffusion flame. The Open source Field Operation and Manipulation (OpenFOAM) has been used as the computational tool. In this regard, laminar flamelet and modified k-ε models have been utilized as combustion and turbulence models, respectively. Results reveal that the presence of CO₂ in air stream changes the flame shape and maximum flame temperature. Also, CO₂ dilution causes an increment in CO mass fraction.

Keywords: CH4 diffusion flame, CO2 dilution, OpenFOAM, turbulent flame

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Authors: Sabrina Sebbane, Alina Elena Parvu

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Introduction: Santolina rosmarinifolia is a plant of the Santolina genus, a family made of medicinal plants widely used. Some of the Santolina species have been proven to have potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects. However, no in vivo study has been made to demonstrate this in Santolina rosmarinifolia. The aim of our study is to experimentally evaluate the potential anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects of Santolina rosmarinifolia plant extracts on acute inflammation in rats. These effects are defined by measuring the modifications on nitric oxide, reactive oxygen species and anti-oxidant response in serum. Materials and Methods: Rats were divided into 5 groups (n=6). Three groups were given Santolina rosmarinifolia extract by gavage in different concentrations(100%, 50%, 25%) for a week. Inflammation was induced by i.m injection of turpentine oil on the 8th day. One group was only given turpentine oil and the fifth group acted as control and was given only saline solution. Blood was collected and serum separated. Global tests were used to measure the oxidative stress, total oxidative status (TOS), total antioxidant reactivity (TAR) and the modified method of Griess assay to measure NO synthesis. Malondilaldehyde (MDA) and thiols levels were also assessed. Results: Santolina rosmarinifolia did not significantly change the TOS levels (p > 0.05). Santolina rosmarinifolia 25% and 50% decreased significantly the TAR levels (p < 0.001). Santolina 100% didn't have a significant effect on TAR (p > 0.05). All concentrations of Santolina rosmarinifolia increased the oxidative stress index (OSI) significantly(p < 0.05). Santolina rosmarinifolia 100% significantly decreased NO synthesis (p value < 0.05). In the diluted Santolina groups, no significant effect on NO synthesis was observed. In the groups treated with Santolina 100% and Santolina rosmarinifolia 50%, thiols concentration were significantly higher compared to the inflammation group (p < 0.02). A higher stimulatory effect was found in the Santolina 25% group (p value < 0.05). MDA levels were not significantly modified by the administration of Santolina rosmarinifolia (p > 0.05). Conclusion: All three solutions of Santolina rosmarinifolia had no important effect on oxidant production. However, Santolina rosmarinifolia solutions had a positive effect by increasing the thiols concentration in the serum of the models. The sum of all the effects produced by the administration of Santolina did not show a significant decrease of nitro-oxidative stress. Further experiments including smaller concentrations of Santolina rosmarinifolia will be made. Santolina rosmarinifolia should also be tested as a curative treatment.

Keywords: inflammation, MDA, nitric oxide, santolina rosmarinifolia, thiols, TAR, TOS

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Authors: Mohammad Hadi Mahmoodi, Azam Ghonchepoor, Sheilan Sohrabi

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The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of foreign language classroom anxiety and ambiguity tolerance on EFL Learners’ listening proficiency. In so doing, 442 EFL learners were randomly selected form Azad University and some accredited language institutions in Hamaden, and were given the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) (1983), and Second Language Tolerance of Ambiguity Scale (SLTAS) (1995). Participants’ listening proficiency level was determined through listening scores gained in standardized exams given by university professors or institutes in which they studied English. The results of two-way ANOVA revealed that listening proficiency was significantly affected by the interaction of anxiety and AT level of the participants. Each of the two variables were categorized in three levels of High, Mid, and Low. The highest mean score of listening belonged to the group with low degree of anxiety and high degree of ambiguity tolerance, and the lowest listening mean score was gained by the group with high level of anxiety and low level of tolerance of ambiguity. Also, the findings of multiple regressions confirmed that anxiety was the stronger predictor of listening comprehension in contrast with tolerance of ambiguity. Furthermore, the result of Pearson correlation coefficient showed that there was a significant negative relationship between the participants’ foreign language classroom anxiety and their ambiguity tolerance level.

Keywords: Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety, Second language tolerance of ambiguity, Listening proficiency

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Authors: Fauziah Mohd Sa’ad, Mohammad Aziz Shah, B. Mohammad Arip, Norazani Ahmad, Mohd Noor Idris, Hapsah M. Yusof

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This study was carried out to assess the application of person-centred therapy and Cognitive Psychology Ad-Din group counseling on self-concept, depression, and resilience of teenage pregnancy. This study involved 55 teenage pregnancy at three women’s refuge centers which are from KEWAJA, Rhaidatus Sakinah, and Taman Seri Puteri Cheras (JKM). Subjects were classed into two treatment groups and one control group. The Multidimensional Self-Concept Scale (MSCS), Beck Depression inventory (BDI) and Adolescent Resiliency Attitude Scale (ARAS) was administered to assess self-concept, depression, and resilience of teenage pregnancy. The control pre and post test design was used for this study. The research data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, ANOVA, MANCOVA and Tuckey Post Hoc with the significant level of .01 and .05. All treatment group received group counseling sessions for 7 consecutive week, once in each week. The Person-centred group and Cognitive Psychology Ad-Din group counseling showed a significant reduction (pre-test to post-test) on depression, enhancing self-concept and resilience of teenage pregnancy.

Keywords: group counseling, person-centred therapy, cognitive psychology Ad-Din, teenage pregnancy

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Authors: Arcady Ponosov., Ramazan Kadiev

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The work studies the global moment stability of solutions of systems of nonlinear differential Itô equations with delays. A modified regularization method (W-method) for the analysis of various types of stability of such systems, based on the choice of the auxiliaryequations and applications of the theory of positive invertible matrices, is proposed and justified. Development of this method for deterministic functional differential equations is due to N.V. Azbelev and his students. Sufficient conditions for the moment stability of solutions in terms of the coefficients for sufficiently general as well as specific classes of Itô equations are given.

Keywords: asymptotic stability, delay equations, operator methods, stochastic noise

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Authors: Emni Omar Daw Hussin, Pathmawathi Subramanian, Wong Li Ping

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Background: To provide quality care at the end of life, nurses should possess knowledge and skills to provide effective end-of-life care, as well as develop the attitudes and interpersonal competence to provide compassionate care. Aim: This study aimed to assess nurses’ knowledge and attitude towards end of life care and caring for terminal ill patients and to examine relationships among demographic variables and nurse’s knowledge and attitudes toward end of life care and caring for terminal ill patients. Method: a cross-sectional study was conducted at 1 tertiary hospital located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Self-administrative questionnaire was used to collect data from 553 nurses from over all departments except emergency department, operation theater and outpatient clinic. Two tools were used in this study, the Frommelt’s Attitude Toward Care of the Dying (FATCOD) Scale to assess the nurses’ attitude and End of Life Knowledge Assessment to assess the nurses’ knowledge. Result: the result of this study yielded that, the majority of participants (54.8%) and (54.4%) have less positive attitude and knowledge towards end of life care and caring for terminal ill patients respectively. As well as there is no significant relationship were found between nurses’ ethnicity, religion, and the total score of FATCOD scale; End of Life Knowledge Assessment score. On other hand there is significant relationship among nurses’ age, working experience, level of education, attending any post basic courses and the total score of both FATCOD scale and End of Life Knowledge Assessment. Conclusion: A lack of education and experience and post basic course about end of life care and palliative care may contribute to the negative attitudes and poor knowledge regarding end of life care. Providing sufficient courses about end of life care could enhance the nurses’ knowledge towards end of life care, as well as providing a reflective narrative environment in which nurses can express their personal feelings about death and dying could be a potentially effective approach. Implication for Practice: This study elaborates the need for further research to develop an effective educational programs to enhance nurses’ knowledge and to promote positive attitude towards death and dying, as well as enhance communication skills, and coping strategies.

Keywords: knowledge, attitude, nurse, end of life care

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Authors: Okoh Charity N.

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This study investigated the predictive power of preschoolers’ involvement in indoor and outdoor learning activities on their social learning skills in Niger state, Nigeria. Two research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. Correlational research design was employed in the study. The population of the study consisted of 8,568 Nursery III preschoolers across the 549 preschools in the five Local Education Authorities in Niger State. A sample of 390 preschoolers drawn through multistage sampling procedure. Two instruments; Preschoolers’ Learning Activities Rating Scale (PLARS) and Preschoolers’ Social Learning Skills Rating Scale (PSLSRS) developed by the researcher were used for data collection. The reliability coefficients obtained for the PLARS and PSLSRS were 0.83 and 0.82, respectively. Data collected were analyzed using simple linear regression. Results showed that 37% of preschoolers’ social learning skills are predicted by their involvement in indoor learning activities, which is statistically significant (p < 0.05). It also shows that 11% of preschoolers’ social learning skills are predicted by their involvement in outdoor learning activities, which is statistically significant (p < 0.05). Therefore, it was recommended among others, that government and school administrators should employ qualified teachers who will stand as role models for preschoolers’ social skills development and provide indoor and outdoor activities and materials for preschoolers in schools.

Keywords: preschooler, social learning, indoor activities, outdoor activities

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Authors: Tooba Aslam, Efthalia Chatzisymeon

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UV-assisted irradiation technologies are well-established for water and wastewater treatment. UVC treatments are widely used at large-scale, while UVA irradiation has more often been applied in combination with a catalyst (e.g. TiO₂ or FeSO₄) in smaller-scale systems. A technical issue of these systems is the formation of fouling on the quartz sleeves that houses the lamps. This fouling can prevent complete irradiation, therefore reducing the efficiency of the process. This paper investigates the effects of operational parameters, such as the type of wastewater, irradiation source, H₂O₂ addition, and water pH on fouling formation and, ultimately, the treatment of municipal wastewater. Batch experiments have been performed at lab-scale while monitoring water quality parameters including: COD, TS, TSS, TDS, temperature, pH, hardness, alkalinity, turbidity, TOC, UV transmission, UV₂₅₄ absorbance, and metal concentrations. The residence time of the wastewater in the reactor was 5 days in order to observe any fouling formation on the quartz surface. Over this period, it was observed that chemical oxygen demand (COD) decreased by 30% and 59% during photolysis (Ultraviolet A) and photo-catalysis (UVA/Fe/H₂O₂), respectively. Higher fouling formation was observed with iron-rich and phosphorous-rich wastewater. The highest rate of fouling was developed with phosphorous-rich wastewater, followed by the iron-rich wastewater. Photo-catalysis (UVA/Fe/H₂O₂) had better removal efficiency than photolysis (UVA). This was attributed to the Photo-Fenton reaction, which was initiated under these operational conditions. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) measurements of fouling formed on the quartz sleeves showed that particles vary in size, shape, and structure; some have more distinct structures and are generally larger and have less compact structure than the others. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) results showed that the major metals present in the fouling cake were iron, phosphorous, and calcium. In conclusion, iron-rich wastewaters are more suitable for UV-assisted treatment since fouling formation on quartz sleeves can be minimized by the formation of oxidizing agents during treatment, such as hydroxyl radicals.

Keywords: advanced oxidation processes, photo-fenton treatment, photo-catalysis, wastewater treatment

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Authors: Buse Bahitli, Samiye Mete

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The aim of the study was to evaluate the quality of sexual life of women with diagnosed gynecological cancer and receive treatment. The study was a descriptive and cross-sectional type, and it was carried out with 276 women. Information Form and Sexual Quality of Life Scale-Female (SQOL) form was used in the study. The data was evaluated using Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis test. In the study, Sexual Quality of Life Scale-Female average score was 68.83 ± 21.17. The %43.1 of women was endometrial cancer, %30.8 was cervical cancer, %24.6 was ovarian cancer, and %1.4 was vulvar cancer. The average time to diagnosis of patients is 41.80 ± 47.64 months. There was no significant difference mean SQOL according to individual/sociodemographic characteristics like age, education. Gynecological cancer-related characteristics like gynaecological cancer type, treatment type, surgery type were found not to affect the mean score of SQOL. However, it was found that the difference was due to the higher SQOL score in the group with a diagnosis time of 25 months and over (X²KW= 6.356, p= 0.046). The reason of significant difference means SQOL according to diagnosis over time might be that women adapted to cancer diagnosis. While women with gynaecologic cancer are evaluating their sexual lives, it is necessary to evaluate them with good evaluation tools.

Keywords: gynecological cancers, sexuality, quality of sexual life, SQOL

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Authors: Mohd Maniruzzaman, Md. Monjurul Alam, Md. Hafezur Rahaman, Anika Amir Mohona

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The consumption of water by various industries is increasing day by day, and the wastewaters from them are increasing as well. These wastewaters consist of various kinds of color, dissolved solids, toxic heavy metals, residual chlorine, and other non-degradable organic materials. If these wastewaters are exposed directly to the environment, it will be hazardous for the environment and personal health. So, it is very necessary to treat these wastewaters before exposing into the environment. In this research, we have demonstrated the successful processing and utilization of fully bio-based cellulose micro crystal (CMC) composite for the removal of heavy metals, dyes, and salinity from industrial wastewaters. Banana rachis micro-cellulose were prepared by acid hydrolysis (H₂SO₄) of banana (Musa acuminata L.) rachis fiber, and Bijoypur raw clay were treated by organic solvent tri-ethyl amine. Composites were prepared with varying different composition of banana rachis nano-cellulose and modified Bijoypur (north-east part in Bangladesh) clay. After the successful characterization of cellulose micro crystal (CMC) and modified clay, our targeted filter was fabricated with different composition of cellulose micro crystal and clay in the locally fabricated packing column with 7.5 cm as thickness of composites fraction. Waste-water was collected from local small textile industries containing basic yellow 2 as dye, lead (II) nitrate [Pb(NO₃)₂] and chromium (III) nitrate [Cr(NO₃)₃] as heavy metals and saline water was collected from Khulna to test the efficiency of banana rachis cellulose micro crystal-clay composite for removing the above impurities. The filtering efficiency of wastewater purification was characterized by Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (X-RD), thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses. Finally, our all characterizations data are shown with very high expected results for in industrial application of our fabricated filter.

Keywords: banana rachis, bio-based filter, cellulose micro crystal-clay composite, wastewaters, synthetic dyes, heavy metal, water salinity

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Authors: Hassan. A. Abas, Saad A. Aiban

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Soil improvement by means of stone column method is used to improve sabkha soils in order to limit total and differential settlement and to achieve the required bearing capacity. Full-scale plate test was performed on site to confirm the achievement of required bearing capacity at the specified settlement. Despite the fact that this technique is widely used to improve sabkha soils, there are no studies focusing on the behavior of stone columns in such problematic soils. Sabkha soils are known for its high compressibility, low strength and water sensitivity due to loss of salt cementation upon flooding during installation of stone columns. Numerical modeling of plate load test assist to understand complicated behavior of sabkha – stone column interaction. This paper presents a three-dimensional Finite element model, using PLAXIS 3D software, to simulate vertical plate load tests on a stone column installed in sabkha. The predicted settlement values are in reasonable agreement with the field measure values and the field load - settlement curve can be predicted with good accuracy.

Keywords: soil improvement, stone column, sabkha, PLAXIS 3D

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Authors: Mouna Essaadi, Mohamed Khafallah, Abdallah Saad, Hamid Chaikhy

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This paper presents a comparative analysis between conventional direct torque control (C_DTC), Modified direct torque control (M_DTC) and twelve sectors direct torque control (12_DTC).Those different strategies are compared by simulation in term of torque, flux and stator current performances. Finally, a summary of the comparative analysis is presented.

Keywords: C_DTC, M_DTC, 12_DTC, torque dynamic, stator current, flux, performances

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Authors: Vahid Rashedi, Banafsheh Ebrahimi, Mahtab Sharif Mohseni, Mohammadali Hosseini

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Introduction: One of the metrics used to evaluate health status is life expectancy. This index alters as people age as a result of several events, illnesses, stress, and anxiety. One of the issues that might develop into a lethal phobia is death anxiety. This study looked at older persons in Tehran, Iran, to see if there was any correlation between life expectancy and fear of dying. Methods: Cluster random sampling was used to select 208 older persons (age 60) who had been sent to adult daycare facilities in Tehran for this correlational descriptive study. A demographic questionnaire, Temper's death anxiety scale, and Snyder's life expectancy scale were used to gather the data. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences softwear version 22 was used to conduct the data analysis. Results: The average age of the senior citizens was 66.60 (6.58) years. With a mean life expectancy of 24.94, it was discovered that the average death anxiety was 12.21. Additionally, Pearson's correlation coefficient demonstrated a bad correlation between fear of dying and life expectancy. Age, residential status, and death fear were the three primary predictors of a decline in life expectancy, according to multiple regression analysis. Conclusion: The findings suggest that there is a link between death fear and a lower life expectancy, which calls for the use of appropriate strategies to increase older individuals' life expectancies as well as the teaching of anxiety coping mechanisms.

Keywords: aged, frailty, death, anxiety, life

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Authors: Alena O. Stepanova, Vera S. Chernonosova, Tatyana S. Godovikova, Konstantin A. Bulatov, Andrey Y. Patrushev, Pavel P. Laktionov

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Trauma and arthrosis, not to mention cartilage destruction in overweight and elders put hyaline cartilage lesion among the most frequent diseases of locomotor system. These problems combined with low regeneration potential of the cartilage make regeneration of articular cartilage a high-priority task of tissue engineering. Many types of matrices, the procedures of their installation and autologous chondrocyte implantation protocols were offered, but certain aspects including adhesion of the implant with surrounding cartilage/bone, prevention of the ossification and fibrosis were not resolved. Simplification and acceleration of the procedures resulting in restoration of normal cartilage are also required. We have demonstrated that human chondroblasts can be successfully cultivated at the surface of electrospun scaffolds and produce extracellular matrix components in contrast to chondroblasts grown in homogeneous hydrogels. To restore cartilage we offer to use stacks of electrospun scaffolds fixed with photopolymerized solution of prepared from gelatin and chondroitin-4-sulfate both modified by glycidyl methacrylate and non-toxic photoinitator Darocur 2959. Scaffolds were prepared from nylon 6, polylactide-co-glicolide and their mixtures with modified gelatin. Illumination of chondroblasts in photopolymerized solution using 365 nm LED light had no effect on cell viability at compressive strength of the gel less than0,12 MPa. Stacks of electrospun scaffolds provide good compressive strength and have the potential for substitution with cartilage when biodegradable scaffolds are used. Vascularization can be prevented by introduction of biostable scaffolds in the layers contacting the subchondral bone. Studies of two-component materials (2-3 sheets of electrospun scaffold) implanted in the knee-joints of rabbits and fixed by photopolymerization demonstrated good crush resistance, biocompatibility and good adhesion of the implant with surrounding cartilage. Histological examination of the implants 3 month after implantation demonstrates absence of any inflammation and signs of replacement of the biodegradable scaffolds with normal cartilage. The possibility of intraoperative population of the implants with autologous cells is being investigated.

Keywords: chondroblasts, electrospun scaffolds, hyaline cartilage, photopolymerized gel

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Authors: Daxa Mishra, R. Harihara, Ankita

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Trapezius muscle pain is the most common musculoskeletal disorder occurring in individuals who work with awkward positions, have repetitive movements and movements with precision demands. Treatment techniques like active release technique (ART) and myofascial release (MFR) can be used to relieve muscle spasm. The aim of the study is to compare the effect of ART and MFR on the upper trapezius muscle spasm. Methodology: A series of 60 patients of both sexes between the age group of 20 and 55 with upper trapezius spasm were divided into two groups by computerized randomization. Subjects in each group received treatment in the form of either ART or MFR for the period of seven days. cervical range of motion (ROM), neck disability index scale (NDI) and visual analog scale (VAS) tools were used to measure the outcome. Results: Paired Sample ‘t’ test was used to compare the Outcome differences within each group, while Independent ‘t’ test was used to compare the differences between the two groups for the same outcome measures. The improvement was found in both the groups at 7th day following intervention, but the group which received ART showed significant improvements as compared to group which received MFR. Conclusion: Although both techniques are effective in alleviation of symptoms and associated disability in upper trapezius muscle spasm, ART gave better results as compared to MRF.

Keywords: goniometer, myofascial release, active release, physiotherapy

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Authors: Afsheen Masood, Sumaira Rashid, Nadia Ijaz, Shama Mazahir

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The current study examined the relationship between moral disengagement, psychological contract, organizational citizenship behavior and counterproductive work behavior. It is hypothesized that there is likely to be a significant relationship between moral disengagement, psychological contract, organizational citizenship behavior and counterproductive work behavior. It is hypothesized that moral disengagement is likely to significantly predict counterproductive work behavior. It is hypothesized that psychological contract is likely to moderate the relationship between moral disengagement, and counterproductive work behavior. Cross-sectional survey research design was used for the study. The sample consisted of 500 middle managers, age ranging between 30-45 years working in private and public sector. The measures used were Moral Disengagement Scale, Psychological Contract Scale, and Counterproductive Work Behavior. Series of Correlation analyses, Regression analysis, moderation analysis and t-test was run in order to execute descriptive and inferential analyses. The findings revealed that there was a significant positive relationship between moral disengagement and counterproductive work behaviors. Psychological contract significantly mediated the relationship between moral disengagement and counterproductive work behaviors. There were significant gender differences reported in psychological contract and counterproductive work behaviors. The insightful findings carry significant implication for organizational psychologists and organizational stakeholders.

Keywords: psychological contract, moral disengagement, counterproductive work behaviors, mediation analysis

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Authors: Alan T. Sassler

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Biofouling is a significant issue for ships, especially those based in warm water ports. Biofouling damages hull coatings, degrades platform hydrodynamics, blocks cooling water intakes, and returns, reduces platform range and speed, and increases fuel consumption. Although platforms are protected to some degree by antifouling paints, these paints are much less effective on stationary platforms, and problematic biofouling can occur on antifouling paint-protected stationary platforms in some environments in as little as a matter of weeks. Remediation hull cleaning operations are possible, but they are very expensive, sometimes result in damage to the vessel’s paint or hull and are generally not completely effective. Ultrasound with sufficient intensity focused on specific frequency ranges can be used to prevent the growth of biofouling organisms. The use of ultrasound to prevent biofouling isn't new, but systems to date have focused on protecting platforms by shaking the hull using internally mounted transducers similar to those used in ultrasonic cleaning machines. While potentially effective, this methodology doesn't scale well to large platforms, and there are significant costs associated with installing and maintaining these systems, which dwarf the initial purchase price. An alternative approach has been developed, which uses highly directional pier-mounted transducers to project high-intensity spread-spectrum ultrasonic energy into the water column focused near the surface. This focused energy has been shown to prevent biofouling at ranges of up to 50 meters from the source. Spreading the energy out over a multi-kilohertz band makes the system both more effective and more environmentally friendly. This system has been shown to be both effective and inexpensive in small-scale testing and is now being characterized on a larger scale in selected marinas. To date, test results have been collected in Florida marinas suggesting that this approach can be used to keep ensonified areas of thousands of square meters free from biofouling, although care must be taken to minimize shaded areas.

Keywords: biofouling, ultrasonic, environmentally friendly antifoulant, marine protection, antifouling

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Authors: Justin Fu, Thomas Mazzuchi, Shahram Sarkani

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A key factor in technological immaturity in defense weapons acquisition is lack of understanding critical integrations at the subsystem and component level. To address this shortfall, recent research in integration readiness level (IRL) combines with technology readiness level (TRL) to form a system readiness level (SRL). SRL can be enriched with more robust quantitative methods to provide the program manager a useful tool prior to committing to major weapons acquisition programs. This research harnesses previous mathematical models based on graph theory, Petri nets, and tropical algebra and proposes a modification of the desirable SRL mathematical properties such that a tightly integrated (multitude of interfaces) subsystem can display a lower SRL than an inherently less coupled subsystem. The synthesis of these methods informs an improved decision tool for the program manager to commit to expensive technology development. This research ties the separately developed manufacturing readiness level (MRL) into the network representation of the system and addresses shortfalls in previous frameworks, including the lack of integration weighting and the over-importance of a single extremely immature component. Tropical algebra (based on the minimum of a set of TRLs or IRLs) allows one low IRL or TRL value to diminish the SRL of the entire system, which may not be reflective of actuality if that component is not critical or tightly coupled. Integration connections can be weighted according to importance and readiness levels are modified to be a cardinal scale (based on an analytic hierarchy process). Integration arcs’ importance are dependent on the connected nodes and the additional integrations arcs connected to those nodes. Lack of integration is not represented by zero, but by a perfect integration maturity value. Naturally, the importance (or weight) of such an arc would be zero. To further explore the impact of grouping subsystems, a multi-objective genetic algorithm is then used to find various clusters or communities that can be optimized for the most representative subsystem SRL. This novel calculation is then benchmarked through simulation and using past defense acquisition program data, focusing on the newly introduced Middle Tier of Acquisition (rapidly field prototypes). The model remains a relatively simple, accessible tool, but at higher fidelity and validated with past data for the program manager to decide major defense acquisition program milestones.

Keywords: readiness, maturity, system, integration

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Authors: Gizem Akcan, Erdinc Ozturk

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When it is examined as historically, it has caught attention that homosexual people try to behave as heterosexual or come out to have a place in community. Homosexual people have identity confusion during identity development, they have high levels of need for absolute truth and their psychological well being is affected negatively because of high levels of need for absolute truth and they have problems about self concept clarity. People who have problems about self concept clarity have problems on problem solving and show lots of symptoms of stress. People who have clear self concept use healthier coping strategies to solve problems. The purpose of this study is to show whether need for absolute truth predicts problem solving and symptoms of stress via mediator effect of self concept clarity or not on homosexual men. The participants of this study were 200 homosexual men. The ages of participants were 20-50. In addition, Demographic Information Form, Self Concept Clarity Scale, Need for Absolute Truth Scale, Stres Self-Assessment Checklist and Problem Solving Inventory were applied to the participants. The assessment of the data was made with confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling analysis. According to the results of this study, need for absolute truth predicts problem solving and symptoms of stress via mediator effect of self concept clarity on homosexual men.

Keywords: need for absolute truth, self concept clarity, symptoms of stress, problem solving

Procedia PDF Downloads 224