Search results for: supply chain relationship quality (SCRQ)
542 Sustainable Housing and Urban Development: A Study on the Soon-To-Be-Old Population's Impetus to Migrate
Authors: Tristance Kee
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With the unprecedented increase in elderly population globally, it is critical to search for new sustainable housing and urban development alternatives to traditional housing options. This research examines concepts of elderly migration pattern in the context of a high density city in Hong Kong to Mainland China. The research objectives are to: 1) explore the relationships between soon-to-be-old elderly and their intentions to move to Mainland upon retirement and their demographic characteristics; and 2) What are the desired amenities, locational factors and activities that are expected in the soon-to-be-old generation’s retirement housing environment? Primary data was collected through questionnaire survey conducted using random sampling method with respondents aged between 45-64 years old. The face-to-face survey was completed by 500 respondents. The survey was divided into four sections. The first section focused on respondent’s demographic information such as gender, age, education attainment, monthly income, housing tenure type and their visits to Mainland China. The second section focused on their retirement plans in terms of intended retirement age, prospective retirement funding and retirement housing options. The third section focused on the respondent’s attitudes toward retiring in Mainland for housing. It asked about their intentions to migrate retire into Mainland and incentives to retire in Hong Kong. The fourth section focused on respondent’s ideal housing environment including preferred housing amenities, desired living environment and retirement activities. The dependent variable in this study was ‘respondent’s consideration to move to Mainland China upon retirement’. Eight primary independent variables were integrated into the study to identify the correlations between them and retirement migration plan. The independent variables include: gender, age, marital status, monthly income, present housing tenure type, property ownership in Hong Kong, relationship with Mainland and the frequency of visiting Mainland China. In addition to the above independent variables, respondents were asked to indicate their retirement plans (retirement age, funding sources and retirement housing options), incentives to migrate to retire (choices included: property ownership, family relations, cost of living, living environment, medical facilities, government welfare benefits, etc.), perceived ideal retirement life qualities including desired amenities (sports, medical and leisure facilities etc.), desired locational qualities (green open space, convenient transport options and accessibility to urban settings etc.) and desired retirement activities (home-based leisure, elderly friendly sports, cultural activities, child care, social activities, etc.). The finding shows correlations between the used independent variables and consideration to migrate for housing options. The two independent variables indicated a possible correlation were gender and the frequency of visiting Mainland at present. When considering the increasing property prices across the border and strong social relationships, potential retirement migration is a very subjective decision that could vary from person to person. This research adds knowledge to housing research and migration study. Although the research is based in Mainland, most of the characteristics identified including better medical services, government welfare and sound urban amenities are shared qualities for all sustainable urban development and housing strategies.Keywords: elderly migration, housing alternative, soon-to-be-old, sustainable environment
Procedia PDF Downloads 205541 Swedish Police Officers' Experiences of Meeting with Women Who Were Raped
Authors: Lisa Rudolfsson
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Socio-cognitive factors, such as social support and attribution of blame, influence the victim’s psychological adjustment after the abuse. Furthermore, the response from the person that the victim first confides to effect adjustment following the abuse. In Sweden, although police are investigating most of the reported cases of rape, very few rape-cases leads to trial and sentence. For many women who have been raped, contact with the police officer when reporting the crime will, therefore, be the most notable experience of how representatives for the Swedish society regard and handle what has happened. Hence, it seems urgent to gather information about these initial meetings. This study is part of a three-year research project, titled 'Female rape victims: Quality of initial police and medical care contact', funded by the Swedish Crime Victim and Support Authority. The focus of this study was on police officers in Sweden: their thoughts and experiences of meeting with raped women. Forthcoming are interviews with raped women about their experiences of meeting with police. Sixteen police officers participated in three focus groups and one interview. The participants consisted of five men and eleven women. Focus groups and interview were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. The material was analyzed using thematic analysis. Participants described how violence against women was not a priority in Swedish society or within the Police Authority. They talked about rape cases as a Sisyphean work-task that put high demands on them, while they also lacked training and support. They expressed a wish to offer the woman some kind of restoration, and they talked about their work as potentially making a difference for the woman – even if she did not get juridical justice. However, participants also described that they did not feel validated in their hard work. They talked about working rape cases as causing them a great deal of frustration - directed towards the Police Authority, the juridical system, colleagues, and sometimes towards the woman. Participants also described how meeting with raped women was a work that affected them in a personal manner. Listening to stories about sexual violence made the participants sad, and they described it as a struggle to understand. They described wondering how the woman’s life turned out and how they sometimes questioned if they had done enough. Some of the conclusions concern the lack of prerequisites needed for police officers to be able to offer a good-enough treatment of raped women, as well as the lack of tools needed for police officers to care for themselves. In lack of training, validation, and support, the knowledge of how to offer a good- enough treatment of raped women becomes a task learned by doing. Attempts to offer, if not legal justice, then at least some kind of restoration becomes a personal task, dependent on individual police officers. It seems urgent that we address the risk of police officers’ frustration building up to be detrimental for both the crime victim and the officer her/himself.Keywords: focus groups, police, raped women, restoration
Procedia PDF Downloads 114540 Sequential Pulsed Electric Field and Ultrasound Assisted Extraction of Bioactive Enriched Fractions from Button Mushroom Stalks
Authors: Bibha Kumari, Nigel P. Brunton, Dilip K. Rai, Brijesh K. Tiwari
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Edible mushrooms possess numerous functional components like homo- and hetero- β-glucans [β(1→3), β(1→4) and β(1→6) glucosidic linkages], chitins, ergosterols, bioactive polysaccharides and peptides imparting health beneficial properties to mushrooms. Some of the proven biological activities of mushroom extracts are antioxidant, antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, cholesterol lowering activity by inhibiting a key cholesterol metabolism enzyme i.e. 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl CoA reductase (HMGCR), angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition. Application of novel extraction technologies like pulsed electric field (PEF) and high power ultrasound offers clean, green, faster and efficient extraction alternatives with enhanced and good quality extracts. Sequential PEF followed by ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) were applied to recover bioactive enriched fractions from industrial white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) stalk waste using environmentally friendly and GRAS solvents i.e. water and water/ethanol combinations. The PEF treatment was carried out at 60% output voltage, 2 Hz frequency for 500 pulses of 20 microseconds pulse width, using KCl salt solution of 0.6 mS/cm conductivity by the placing 35g of chopped fresh mushroom stalks and 25g of salt solution in the 4x4x4cm3 treatment chamber. Sequential UAE was carried out on the PEF pre-treated samples using ultrasonic-water-bath (USB) of three frequencies (25 KHz, 35 KHz and 45 KHz) for various treatment times (15-120 min) at 80°C. Individual treatment using either PEF or UAE were also investigation to compare the effect of each treatment along with the combined effect on the recovery and bioactivity of the crude extracts. The freeze dried mushroom stalk powder was characterised for proximate compositional parameters (dry weight basis) showing 64.11% total carbohydrate, 19.12% total protein, 7.21% total fat, 31.2% total dietary fiber, 7.9% chitin (as glucosamine equivalent) and 1.02% β-glucan content. The total phenolic contents (TPC) were determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu procedure and expressed as gallic-acid-equivalents (GAE). The antioxidant properties were ascertained using DPPH and FRAP assays and expressed as trolox-equivalents (TE). HMGCR activity and molecular mass of β-glucans will be measured using the commercial HMG-CoA Reductase Assay kit (Sigma-Aldrich) and size exclusion chromatography (HPLC-SEC), respectively. Effects of PEF, UAE and their combination on the antioxidant capacity, HMGCR inhibition and β-glucans content will be presented.Keywords: β-glucan, mushroom stalks, pulsed electric field (PEF), ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE)
Procedia PDF Downloads 286539 Political Skills in Social Management and Responsibility of Media Studies
Authors: Musa Miah
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Society and social activities are directly governed by political sociology. Political sociology has an impact on the whole of human society, the interrelationships of people in society, social responsibilities and duties, the nature of society, society and culture of different countries, conducting social activities, social change and social development. Through this, the correct knowledge and decision are made by analyzing the complexities of society in different ways. In modern civilized society, people need to get accurate knowledge about how they live, their behavior, customs and principles. The need for political sociology is undeniable, even if new plans are to be adopted for the development of society. The importance of practicing political sociology is immense if any country, nation, or society is to move forward on the path of sustainable development. Research has shown that political sociology is an essential aspect of the social impact of development, sociological analysis of poverty or underdevelopment, development of human values in individual life. The importance of political sociology for knowing the overall aspect of society is undeniable. Because, to know about social problems, to identify social problems, to find the cause of any social problem, one needs to know political sociology. Apart from knowing about the class structure of the society, people of different classes and professions live in the society. It is possible to gain knowledge about. He is also involved in various societies, communities and groups in the country and abroad. Therefore, research has shown that in order to successfully solve any task of the society, it is necessary to know the society in full. Media Studies: Media studies are directly related to socialization. Media strategy has had a positive impact on the management and direction of society. At present, Media Studies in Bangladesh is working towards providing opportunities for up-to-date and quality higher education. Introduced Department of Journalism, Communication and Media Studies in different universities of Bangladesh. The department has gained immense popularity since its inception. Here the top degree holders, as well as eminent editors, senior journalists, writers and researchers, are giving their opinions. Now there is ample scope for research in newspapers, magazines, radio, television and online media as well as outside of work as an advertising-documentary filmmaker or in domestic and foreign NGOs or other corporate organizations. According to the study, media studies have had a positive impact on the media in Bangladesh, especially television channels, the expansion and development of online media and the creation of clear ideas about communication, journalism and the media. Workshops, seminars and discussions are being held on contemporary national and international issues in addition to theoretical concepts. Journalism, communication and mass media are quite exceptional and challenging compared to the traditional subjects considering the present times. In this regard, there is a unique opportunity to build a modern society with taste and personality without mere employment.Keywords: Bangladesh, Dhaka, social activities, political sociology
Procedia PDF Downloads 145538 Comparison of Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and Residual Stresses in Laser and Electron Beam Welded Ti–5Al–2.5Sn Titanium Alloy
Authors: M. N. Baig, F. N. Khan, M. Junaid
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Titanium alloys are widely employed in aerospace, medical, chemical, and marine applications. These alloys offer many advantages such as low specific weight, high strength to weight ratio, excellent corrosion resistance, high melting point and good fatigue behavior. These attractive properties make titanium alloys very unique and therefore they require special attention in all areas of processing, especially welding. In this work, 1.6 mm thick sheets of Ti-5Al-2,5Sn, an alpha titanium (α-Ti) alloy, were welded using electron beam (EBW) and laser beam (LBW) welding processes to achieve a full penetration Bead-on Plate (BoP) configuration. The weldments were studied using polarized optical microscope, SEM, EDS and XRD. Microhardness distribution across the weld zone and smooth and notch tensile strengths of the weldments were also recorded. Residual stresses using Hole-drill Strain Measurement (HDSM) method and deformation patterns of the weldments were measured for the purpose of comparison of the two welding processes. Fusion zone widths of both EBW and LBW weldments were found to be approximately equivalent owing to fairly similar high power densities of both the processes. Relatively less oxide content and consequently high joint quality were achieved in EBW weldment as compared to LBW due to vacuum environment and absence of any shielding gas. However, an increase in heat-affected zone width and partial ά-martensitic transformation infusion zone of EBW weldment were observed because of lesser cooling rates associated with EBW as compared with LBW. The microstructure infusion zone of EBW weldment comprised both acicular α and ά martensite within the prior β grains whereas complete ά martensitic transformation was observed within the fusion zone of LBW weldment. Hardness of the fusion zone in EBW weldment was found to be lower than the fusion zone of LBW weldment due to the observed microstructural differences. Notch tensile specimen of LBW exhibited higher load capacity, ductility, and absorbed energy as compared with EBW specimen due to the presence of high strength ά martensitic phase. It was observed that the sheet deformation and deformation angle in EBW weldment were more than LBW weldment due to relatively more heat retention in EBW which led to more thermal strains and hence higher deformations and deformation angle. The lowest residual stresses were found in LBW weldments which were tensile in nature. This was owing to high power density and higher cooling rates associated with LBW process. EBW weldment exhibited highest compressive residual stresses due to which the service life of EBW weldment is expected to improve.Keywords: Laser and electron beam welding, Microstructure and mechanical properties, Residual stress and distortions, Titanium alloys
Procedia PDF Downloads 214537 From Primer Generation to Chromosome Identification: A Primer Generation Genotyping Method for Bacterial Identification and Typing
Authors: Wisam H. Benamer, Ehab A. Elfallah, Mohamed A. Elshaari, Farag A. Elshaari
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A challenge for laboratories is to provide bacterial identification and antibiotic sensitivity results within a short time. Hence, advancement in the required technology is desirable to improve timing, accuracy and quality. Even with the current advances in methods used for both phenotypic and genotypic identification of bacteria the need is there to develop method(s) that enhance the outcome of bacteriology laboratories in accuracy and time. The hypothesis introduced here is based on the assumption that the chromosome of any bacteria contains unique sequences that can be used for its identification and typing. The outcome of a pilot study designed to test this hypothesis is reported in this manuscript. Methods: The complete chromosome sequences of several bacterial species were downloaded to use as search targets for unique sequences. Visual basic and SQL server (2014) were used to generate a complete set of 18-base long primers, a process started with reverse translation of randomly chosen 6 amino acids to limit the number of the generated primers. In addition, the software used to scan the downloaded chromosomes using the generated primers for similarities was designed, and the resulting hits were classified according to the number of similar chromosomal sequences, i.e., unique or otherwise. Results: All primers that had identical/similar sequences in the selected genome sequence(s) were classified according to the number of hits in the chromosomes search. Those that were identical to a single site on a single bacterial chromosome were referred to as unique. On the other hand, most generated primers sequences were identical to multiple sites on a single or multiple chromosomes. Following scanning, the generated primers were classified based on ability to differentiate between medically important bacterial and the initial results looks promising. Conclusion: A simple strategy that started by generating primers was introduced; the primers were used to screen bacterial genomes for match. Primer(s) that were uniquely identical to specific DNA sequence on a specific bacterial chromosome were selected. The identified unique sequence can be used in different molecular diagnostic techniques, possibly to identify bacteria. In addition, a single primer that can identify multiple sites in a single chromosome can be exploited for region or genome identification. Although genomes sequences draft of isolates of organism DNA enable high throughput primer design using alignment strategy, and this enhances diagnostic performance in comparison to traditional molecular assays. In this method the generated primers can be used to identify an organism before the draft sequence is completed. In addition, the generated primers can be used to build a bank for easy access of the primers that can be used to identify bacteria.Keywords: bacteria chromosome, bacterial identification, sequence, primer generation
Procedia PDF Downloads 186536 A Comparative Study of the Tribological Behavior of Bilayer Coatings for Machine Protection
Authors: Cristina Diaz, Lucia Perez-Gandarillas, Gonzalo Garcia-Fuentes, Simone Visigalli, Roberto Canziani, Giuseppe Di Florio, Paolo Gronchi
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During their lifetime, industrial machines are often subjected to chemical, mechanical and thermal extreme conditions. In some cases, the loss of efficiency comes from the degradation of the surface as a result of its exposition to abrasive environments that can cause wear. This is a common problem to be solved in industries of diverse nature such as food, paper or concrete industries, among others. For this reason, a good selection of the material is of high importance. In the machine design context, stainless steels such as AISI 304 and 316 are widely used. However, the severity of the external conditions can require additional protection for the steel and sometimes coating solutions are demanded in order to extend the lifespan of these materials. Therefore, the development of effective coatings with high wear resistance is of utmost technological relevance. In this research, bilayer coatings made of Titanium-Tantalum, Titanium-Niobium, Titanium-Hafnium, and Titanium-Zirconium have been developed using magnetron sputtering configuration by PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) technology. Their tribological behavior has been measured and evaluated under different environmental conditions. Two kinds of steels were used as substrates: AISI 304, AISI 316. For the comparison with these materials, titanium alloy substrate was also employed. Regarding the characterization, wear rate and friction coefficient were evaluated by a tribo-tester, using a pin-on-ball configuration with different lubricants such as tomato sauce, wine, olive oil, wet compost, a mix of sand and concrete with water and NaCl to approximate the results to real extreme conditions. In addition, topographical images of the wear tracks were obtained in order to get more insight of the wear behavior and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images were taken to evaluate the adhesion and quality of the coating. The characterization was completed with the measurement of nanoindentation hardness and elastic modulus. Concerning the results, thicknesses of the samples varied from 100 nm (Ti-Zr layer) to 1.4 µm (Ti-Hf layer) and SEM images confirmed that the addition of the Ti layer improved the adhesion of the coatings. Moreover, results have pointed out that these coatings have increased the wear resistance in comparison with the original substrates under environments of different severity. Furthermore, nanoindentation hardness results showed an improvement of the elastic strain to failure and a high modulus of elasticity (approximately 200 GPa). As a conclusion, Ti-Ta, Ti-Zr, Ti-Nb, and Ti-Hf are very promising and effective coatings in terms of tribological behavior, improving considerably the wear resistance and friction coefficient of typically used machine materials.Keywords: coating, stainless steel, tribology, wear
Procedia PDF Downloads 145535 Tuberculosis Outpatient Treatment in the Context of Reformation of the Health Care System
Authors: Danylo Brindak, Viktor Liashko, Olexander Chepurniy
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Despite considerable experience in implementation of the best international approaches and services within response to epidemy of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, the results of situation analysis indicate the presence of faults in this area. In 2014, Ukraine (for the first time) was included in the world’s five countries with the highest level of drug-resistant tuberculosis. The effectiveness of its treatment constitutes only 35% in the country. In this context, the increase in allocation of funds to control the epidemic of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis does not produce perceptible positive results. During 2001-2016, only the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria allocated to Ukraine more than USD 521,3 million for programs of tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS control. However, current conditions in post-Semashko system create little motivation for rational use of resources or cost control at inpatient TB facilities. There is no motivation to reduce overdue hospitalization and to target resources to priority sectors of modern tuberculosis control, including a model of care focused on the patient. In the presence of a line-item budget at medical institutions, based on the input factors as the ratios of beds and staff, there is a passive disposal of budgetary funds by health care institutions and their employees who have no motivation to improve quality and efficiency of service provision. Outpatient treatment of tuberculosis is being implemented in Ukraine since 2011 and has many risks, namely creation of parallel systems, low consistency through dependence on funding for the project, reduced the role of the family doctor, the fragmentation of financing, etc. In terms of reforming approaches to health system financing, which began in Ukraine in late 2016, NGO Infection Control in Ukraine conducted piloting of a new, motivating method of remuneration of employees in primary health care. The innovative aspect of this funding mechanism is cost according to results of treatment. The existing method of payment on the basis of the standard per inhabitant (per capita ratio) was added with motivating costs according to results of work. The effectiveness of such treatment of TB patients at the outpatient stage is 90%, while in whole on the basis of a current system the effectiveness of treatment of newly diagnosed pulmonary TB with positive swab is around 60% in the country. Even though Ukraine has 5.24 TB beds per 10 000 citizens. Implemented pilot model of ambulatory treatment will be used for the creation of costs system according to results of activities, the integration of TB and primary health and social services and their focus on achieving results, the reduction of inpatient treatment of tuberculosis.Keywords: health care reform, multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, outpatient treatment efficiency, tuberculosis
Procedia PDF Downloads 145534 Adapting Cyber Physical Production Systems to Small and Mid-Size Manufacturing Companies
Authors: Yohannes Haile, Dipo Onipede, Jr., Omar Ashour
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The main thrust of our research is to determine Industry 4.0 readiness of small and mid-size manufacturing companies in our region and assist them to implement Cyber Physical Production System (CPPS) capabilities. Adopting CPPS capabilities will help organizations realize improved quality, order delivery, throughput, new value creation, and reduced idle time of machines and work centers of their manufacturing operations. The key metrics for the assessment include the level of intelligence, internal and external connections, responsiveness to internal and external environmental changes, capabilities for customization of products with reference to cost, level of additive manufacturing, automation, and robotics integration, and capabilities to manufacture hybrid products in the near term, where near term is defined as 0 to 18 months. In our initial evaluation of several manufacturing firms which are profitable and successful in what they do, we found low level of Physical-Digital-Physical (PDP) loop in their manufacturing operations, whereas 100% of the firms included in this research have specialized manufacturing core competencies that have differentiated them from their competitors. The level of automation and robotics integration is low to medium range, where low is defined as less than 30%, and medium is defined as 30 to 70% of manufacturing operation to include automation and robotics. However, there is a significant drive to include these capabilities at the present time. As it pertains to intelligence and connection of manufacturing systems, it is observed to be low with significant variance in tying manufacturing operations management to Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). Furthermore, it is observed that the integration of additive manufacturing in general, 3D printing, in particular, to be low, but with significant upside of integrating it in their manufacturing operations in the near future. To hasten the readiness of the local and regional manufacturing companies to Industry 4.0 and transitions towards CPPS capabilities, our working group (ADMAR Working Group) in partnership with our university have been engaged with the local and regional manufacturing companies. The goal is to increase awareness, share know-how and capabilities, initiate joint projects, and investigate the possibility of establishing the Center for Cyber Physical Production Systems Innovation (C2P2SI). The center is intended to support the local and regional university-industry research of implementing intelligent factories, enhance new value creation through disruptive innovations, the development of hybrid and data enhanced products, and the creation of digital manufacturing enterprises. All these efforts will enhance local and regional economic development and educate students that have well developed knowledge and applications of cyber physical manufacturing systems and Industry 4.0.Keywords: automation, cyber-physical production system, digital manufacturing enterprises, disruptive innovation, new value creation, physical-digital-physical loop
Procedia PDF Downloads 133533 A Case Study Demonstrating the Benefits of Low-Carb Eating in an Adult with Latent Autoimmune Diabetes Highlights the Necessity and Effectiveness of These Dietary Therapies
Authors: Jasmeet Kaur, Anup Singh, Shashikant Iyengar, Arun Kumar, Ira Sahay
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Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) is an irreversible autoimmune disease that affects insulin production. LADA is characterized by the production of Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies, which is similar to type 1 diabetes. Individuals with LADA may eventually develop overt diabetes and require insulin. In this condition, the pancreas produces little or no insulin, which is a hormone used by the body to allow glucose to enter cells and produce energy. While type 1 diabetes was traditionally associated with children and teenagers, its prevalence has increased in adults as well. LADA is frequently misdiagnosed as type 2 diabetes, especially in adulthood when type 2 diabetes is more common. LADA develops in adulthood, usually after age 30. Managing LADA involves metabolic control with exogenous insulin and prolonging the life of surviving beta cells, thereby slowing the disease's progression. This case study examines the impact of approximately 3 months of low-carbohydrate dietary intervention in a 42-year-old woman with LADA who was initially misdiagnosed as having type 2 diabetes. Her c-peptide was 0.13 and her HbA1c was 9.3% when this trial began. Low-carbohydrate interventions have been shown to improve blood sugar levels, including fasting, post-meal, and random blood sugar levels, as well as haemoglobin levels, blood pressure, energy levels, sleep quality, and satiety levels. The use of low-carbohydrate dietary intervention significantly reduces both hypo- and hyperglycaemia events. During the 3 months of the study, there were 2 to 3 hyperglycaemic events owing to physical stress and a single hypoglycaemic event. Low-carbohydrate dietary therapies lessen insulin dose inaccuracy, which explains why there were fewer hyperglycaemic and hypoglycaemic events. In three months, the glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) level was reduced from 9.3% to 6.3%. These improvements occur without the need for caloric restriction or physical activity. Stress management was crucial aspect of the treatment plan as stress-induced neuroendocrine hormones can cause immunological dysregulation. Additionally, supplements that support immune system and reduce inflammation were used as part of the treatment during the trial. Long-term studies are needed to track disease development and corroborate the claim that such dietary treatments can prolong the honeymoon phase in LADA. Various factors can contribute to additional autoimmune attacks, so measuring c-peptide is crucial on a regular basis to determine whether insulin levels need to be adjusted.Keywords: autoimmune, diabetes, LADA, low_carb, nutrition
Procedia PDF Downloads 34532 Phantom and Clinical Evaluation of Block Sequential Regularized Expectation Maximization Reconstruction Algorithm in Ga-PSMA PET/CT Studies Using Various Relative Difference Penalties and Acquisition Durations
Authors: Fatemeh Sadeghi, Peyman Sheikhzadeh
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Introduction: Block Sequential Regularized Expectation Maximization (BSREM) reconstruction algorithm was recently developed to suppress excessive noise by applying a relative difference penalty. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of various strengths of noise penalization factor in the BSREM algorithm under different acquisition duration and lesion sizes in order to determine an optimum penalty factor by considering both quantitative and qualitative image evaluation parameters in clinical uses. Materials and Methods: The NEMA IQ phantom and 15 clinical whole-body patients with prostate cancer were evaluated. Phantom and patients were injected withGallium-68 Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen(68 Ga-PSMA)and scanned on a non-time-of-flight Discovery IQ Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography(PET/CT) scanner with BGO crystals. The data were reconstructed using BSREM with a β-value of 100-500 at an interval of 100. These reconstructions were compared to OSEM as a widely used reconstruction algorithm. Following the standard NEMA measurement procedure, background variability (BV), recovery coefficient (RC), contrast recovery (CR) and residual lung error (LE) from phantom data and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), signal-to-background ratio (SBR) and tumor SUV from clinical data were measured. Qualitative features of clinical images visually were ranked by one nuclear medicine expert. Results: The β-value acts as a noise suppression factor, so BSREM showed a decreasing image noise with an increasing β-value. BSREM, with a β-value of 400 at a decreased acquisition duration (2 min/ bp), made an approximately equal noise level with OSEM at an increased acquisition duration (5 min/ bp). For the β-value of 400 at 2 min/bp duration, SNR increased by 43.7%, and LE decreased by 62%, compared with OSEM at a 5 min/bp duration. In both phantom and clinical data, an increase in the β-value is translated into a decrease in SUV. The lowest level of SUV and noise were reached with the highest β-value (β=500), resulting in the highest SNR and lowest SBR due to the greater noise reduction than SUV reduction at the highest β-value. In compression of BSREM with different β-values, the relative difference in the quantitative parameters was generally larger for smaller lesions. As the β-value decreased from 500 to 100, the increase in CR was 160.2% for the smallest sphere (10mm) and 12.6% for the largest sphere (37mm), and the trend was similar for SNR (-58.4% and -20.5%, respectively). BSREM visually was ranked more than OSEM in all Qualitative features. Conclusions: The BSREM algorithm using more iteration numbers leads to more quantitative accuracy without excessive noise, which translates into higher overall image quality and lesion detectability. This improvement can be used to shorter acquisition time.Keywords: BSREM reconstruction, PET/CT imaging, noise penalization, quantification accuracy
Procedia PDF Downloads 89531 Biosensor: An Approach towards Sustainable Environment
Authors: Purnima Dhall, Rita Kumar
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Introduction: River Yamuna, in the national capital territory (NCT), and also the primary source of drinking water for the city. Delhi discharges about 3,684 MLD of sewage through its 18 drains in to the Yamuna. Water quality monitoring is an important aspect of water management concerning to the pollution control. Public concern and legislation are now a day’s demanding better environmental control. Conventional method for estimating BOD5 has various drawbacks as they are expensive, time-consuming, and require the use of highly trained personnel. Stringent forthcoming regulations on the wastewater have necessitated the urge to develop analytical system, which contribute to greater process efficiency. Biosensors offer the possibility of real time analysis. Methodology: In the present study, a novel rapid method for the determination of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) has been developed. Using the developed method, the BOD of a sample can be determined within 2 hours as compared to 3-5 days with the standard BOD3-5day assay. Moreover, the test is based on specified consortia instead of undefined seeding material therefore it minimizes the variability among the results. The device is coupled to software which automatically calculates the dilution required, so, the prior dilution of the sample is not required before BOD estimation. The developed BOD-Biosensor makes use of immobilized microorganisms to sense the biochemical oxygen demand of industrial wastewaters having low–moderate–high biodegradability. The method is quick, robust, online and less time consuming. Findings: The results of extensive testing of the developed biosensor on drains demonstrate that the BOD values obtained by the device correlated with conventional BOD values the observed R2 value was 0.995. The reproducibility of the measurements with the BOD biosensor was within a percentage deviation of ±10%. Advantages of developed BOD biosensor • Determines the water pollution quickly in 2 hours of time; • Determines the water pollution of all types of waste water; • Has prolonged shelf life of more than 400 days; • Enhanced repeatability and reproducibility values; • Elimination of COD estimation. Distinctiveness of Technology: • Bio-component: can determine BOD load of all types of waste water; • Immobilization: increased shelf life > 400 days, extended stability and viability; • Software: Reduces manual errors, reduction in estimation time. Conclusion: BiosensorBOD can be used to measure the BOD value of the real wastewater samples. The BOD biosensor showed good reproducibility in the results. This technology is useful in deciding treatment strategies well ahead and so facilitating discharge of properly treated water to common water bodies. The developed technology has been transferred to M/s Forbes Marshall Pvt Ltd, Pune.Keywords: biosensor, biochemical oxygen demand, immobilized, monitoring, Yamuna
Procedia PDF Downloads 272530 Towards Achieving Total Decent Work: Occupational Safety and Health Issues, Problems and Concerns of Filipino Domestic Workers
Authors: Ronahlee Asuncion
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The nature of their work and employment relationship make domestic workers easy prey to abuse, maltreatment, and exploitation. Considering their plight, this research was conceptualized and examined the: a) level of awareness of Filipino domestic workers on occupational safety and health (OSH); b) their issues/problems/concerns on OSH; c) their intervention strategies at work to address OSH related issues/problems/concerns; d) issues/problems/concerns of government, employers, and non-government organizations with regard to implementation of OSH to Filipino domestic workers; e) the role of government, employers and non-government organizations to help Filipino domestic workers address OSH related issues/problems/concerns; and f) the necessary policy amendments/initiatives/programs to address OSH related issues/problems/concerns of Filipino domestic workers. The study conducted a survey using non-probability sampling, two focus group discussions, two group interviews, and fourteen face-to-face interviews. These were further supplemented with an email correspondence to a key informant based in another country. Books, journals, magazines, and relevant websites further substantiated and enriched data of the research. Findings of the study point to the fact that domestic workers have low level of awareness on OSH because of poor information drive, fragmented implementation of the Domestic Workers Act, inactive campaign at the barangay level, weakened advocacy for domestic workers, absence of law on OSH for domestic workers, and generally low safety culture in the country among others. Filipino domestic workers suffer from insufficient rest, long hours of work, heavy workload, occupational stress, poor accommodation, insufficient hours of sleep, deprivation of day off, accidents and injuries such as cuts, burns, slipping, stumbling, electrical grounding, and fire, verbal, physical and sexual abuses, lack of medical assistance, none provision of personal protective equipment (PPE), absence of knowledge on the proper way of lifting, working at heights, and insufficient food provision. They also suffer from psychological problems because of separation from one’s family, limited mobility in the household where they work, injuries and accidents from using advanced home appliances and taking care of pets, low self-esteem, ergonomic problems, the need to adjust to all household members who have various needs and demands, inability to voice their complaints, drudgery of work, and emotional stress. With regard to illness or health problems, they commonly experience leg pains, back pains, and headaches. In the absence of intervention programs like those offered in the formal employment set up, domestic workers resort to praying, turn to family, relatives and friends for social and emotional support, connect with them through social media like Facebook which also serve as a means of entertainment to them, talk to their employer, and just try to be optimistic about their situation. Promoting OSH for domestic workers is very challenging and complicated because of interrelated factors such as cultural, knowledge, attitudinal, relational, social, resource, economic, political, institutional and legal problems. This complexity necessitates using a holistic and integrated approach as this is not a problem requiring simple solutions. With this recognition comes the full understanding that its success involves the action and cooperation of all duty bearers in attaining decent work for domestic workers.Keywords: decent work, Filipino domestic workers, occupational safety and health, working conditions
Procedia PDF Downloads 255529 Phylogenetic Analysis of Georgian Populations of Potato Cyst Nematodes Globodera Rostochiensis
Authors: Dali Gaganidze, Ekaterine Abashidze
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Potato is one of the main agricultural crops in Georgia. Georgia produces early and late potato varieties in almost all regions. In traditional potato growing regions (Svaneti, Samckhet javaheti and Tsalka), the yield is higher than 30-35 t/ha. Among the plant pests that limit potato production and quality, the potato cyst nematodes (PCN) are harmful around the world. Yield losses caused by PCN are estimated up to 30%. Rout surveys conducted in two geographically distinct regions of Georgia producing potatoes - Samtskhe - Javakheti and Svaneti revealed potato cyst nematode Globodera rostochiensi. The aim of the study was the Phylogenetic analyses of Globodera rostochiensi revealed in Georgia by the amplification and sequencing of 28S gen in the D3 region and intergenic ITS1-15.8S-ITS2 region. Identification of all the samples from the two Globodera populations (Samtskhe - Javakheti and Svaneti), i.e., G. rostochiensis (20 isolates) were confirmed by conventional multiplex PCR with ITS 5 universal and PITSp4, PITSr3 specific primers of the cyst nematodes’ (G. pallida, G. rostochiensis). The size of PCR fragment 434 bp confirms that PCN samples from two populations, Samtskhe- Javakheti and Svaneti, belong to G. rostochiensi . The ITS1–5.8S-ITS2 regions were amplified using prime pairs: rDNA1 ( 5’ -TTGATTACGTCCCTGCCCTTT-3’ and rDNA2( 5’ TTTCACTCGCCGTTACTAAGG-3’), D3 expansion regions were amplified using primer pairs: D3A (5’ GACCCCTCTTGAAACACGGA-3’) and D3B (5’-TCGGAAGGAACCAGCTACTA-3’. PCR products of each region were cleaned up and sequenced using an ABI 3500xL Genetic Analyzer. Obtained sequencing results were analyzed by computer program BLASTN (https://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Blast.cg). Phylogenetic analyses to resolve the relationships between the isolates were conducted in MEGA7 using both distance- and character-based methods. Based on analysis of G.rostochiensis isolate`s D3 expansion regions are grouped in three major clades (A, B and C) on the phylogenetic tree. Clade A is divided into three subclades; clade C is divided into two subclades. Isolates from the Samtckhet-javakheti population are in subclade 1 of clade A and isolates in subclade 1 of clade C. Isolates) from Svaneti populations are in subclade 2 of clade A and in clad B. In Clade C, subclade two is presented by three isolates from Svaneti and by one isolate (GL17) from Samckhet-Javakheti. . Based on analysis of G.rostochiensis isolate`s ITS1–5.8S-ITS2 regions are grouped in two main clades, the first contained 20 Georgian isolates of Globodera rostochiensis from Svaneti . The second clade contained 15 isolates of Globodera rostochiensis from Samckhet javakheti. Our investigation showed of high genetic variation of D3 and ITS1–5.8S-ITS2 region of rDNA of the isolates of G. rostochiensis from different geographic origins (Svameti, Samckhet-Javakheti) of Georgia. Acknowledgement: The research has been supported by the Shota Rustaveli National Scientific Foundation of Georgia : Project # FR17_235Keywords: globodera rostochiensi, PCR, phylogenetic tree, sequencing
Procedia PDF Downloads 192528 Machine Learning for Disease Prediction Using Symptoms and X-Ray Images
Authors: Ravija Gunawardana, Banuka Athuraliya
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Machine learning has emerged as a powerful tool for disease diagnosis and prediction. The use of machine learning algorithms has the potential to improve the accuracy of disease prediction, thereby enabling medical professionals to provide more effective and personalized treatments. This study focuses on developing a machine-learning model for disease prediction using symptoms and X-ray images. The importance of this study lies in its potential to assist medical professionals in accurately diagnosing diseases, thereby improving patient outcomes. Respiratory diseases are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and chest X-rays are commonly used in the diagnosis of these diseases. However, accurately interpreting X-ray images requires significant expertise and can be time-consuming, making it difficult to diagnose respiratory diseases in a timely manner. By incorporating machine learning algorithms, we can significantly enhance disease prediction accuracy, ultimately leading to better patient care. The study utilized the Mask R-CNN algorithm, which is a state-of-the-art method for object detection and segmentation in images, to process chest X-ray images. The model was trained and tested on a large dataset of patient information, which included both symptom data and X-ray images. The performance of the model was evaluated using a range of metrics, including accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score. The results showed that the model achieved an accuracy rate of over 90%, indicating that it was able to accurately detect and segment regions of interest in the X-ray images. In addition to X-ray images, the study also incorporated symptoms as input data for disease prediction. The study used three different classifiers, namely Random Forest, K-Nearest Neighbor and Support Vector Machine, to predict diseases based on symptoms. These classifiers were trained and tested using the same dataset of patient information as the X-ray model. The results showed promising accuracy rates for predicting diseases using symptoms, with the ensemble learning techniques significantly improving the accuracy of disease prediction. The study's findings indicate that the use of machine learning algorithms can significantly enhance disease prediction accuracy, ultimately leading to better patient care. The model developed in this study has the potential to assist medical professionals in diagnosing respiratory diseases more accurately and efficiently. However, it is important to note that the accuracy of the model can be affected by several factors, including the quality of the X-ray images, the size of the dataset used for training, and the complexity of the disease being diagnosed. In conclusion, the study demonstrated the potential of machine learning algorithms for disease prediction using symptoms and X-ray images. The use of these algorithms can improve the accuracy of disease diagnosis, ultimately leading to better patient care. Further research is needed to validate the model's accuracy and effectiveness in a clinical setting and to expand its application to other diseases.Keywords: K-nearest neighbor, mask R-CNN, random forest, support vector machine
Procedia PDF Downloads 134527 The Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Organizational Performance
Authors: El Ghazi Safae, Cherkaoui Mounia
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Within companies, emotions have been forgotten as key elements of successful management systems. Seen as factors which disturb judgment, make reckless acts or affect negatively decision-making. Since management systems were influenced by the Taylorist worker image, that made the work regular and plain, and considered employees as executing machines. However, recently, in globalized economy characterized by a variety of uncertainties, emotions are proved as useful elements, even necessary, to attend high-level management. The work of Elton Mayo and Kurt Lewin reveals the importance of emotions. Since then emotions start to attract considerable attention. These studies have shown that emotions influence, directly or indirectly, many organization processes. For example, the quality of interpersonal relationships, job satisfaction, absenteeism, stress, leadership, performance and team commitment. Emotions became fundamental and indispensable to individual yield and so on to management efficiency. The idea that a person potential is associated to Intellectual Intelligence, measured by the IQ as the main factor of social, professional and even sentimental success, was the main problematic that need to be questioned. The literature on emotional intelligence has made clear that success at work does not only depend on intellectual intelligence but also other factors. Several researches investigating emotional intelligence impact on performance showed that emotionally intelligent managers perform more, attain remarkable results, able to achieve organizational objectives, impact the mood of their subordinates and create a friendly work environment. An improvement in the emotional intelligence of managers is therefore linked to the professional development of the organization and not only to the personal development of the manager. In this context, it would be interesting to question the importance of emotional intelligence. Does it impact organizational performance? What is the importance of emotional intelligence and how it impacts organizational performance? The literature highlighted that measurement and conceptualization of emotional intelligence are difficult to define. Efforts to measure emotional intelligence have identified three models that are more prominent: the mixed model, the ability model, and the trait model. The first is considered as cognitive skill, the second relates to the mixing of emotional skills with personality-related aspects and the latter is intertwined with personality traits. But, despite strong claims about the importance of emotional intelligence in the workplace, few studies have empirically examined the impact of emotional intelligence on organizational performance, because even though the concept of performance is at the heart of all evaluation processes of companies and organizations, we observe that performance remains a multidimensional concept and many authors insist about the vagueness that surrounds the concept. Given the above, this article provides an overview of the researches related to emotional intelligence, particularly focusing on studies that investigated the impact of emotional intelligence on organizational performance to contribute to the emotional intelligence literature and highlight its importance and show how it impacts companies’ performance.Keywords: emotions, performance, intelligence, firms
Procedia PDF Downloads 101526 Extra Skin Removal Surgery and Its Effects: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Rebin Mzhda Mohammed, Hoshmand Ali Hama Agha
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Excess skin, often consequential to substantial weight loss or the aging process, introduces physical discomfort, obstructs daily activities, and undermines an individual's self-esteem. As these challenges become increasingly prevalent, the need to explore viable solutions grows in significance. Extra skin removal surgery, colloquially known as body contouring surgery, has emerged as a compelling intervention to ameliorate the physical and psychological burdens of excess skin. This study undertakes a comprehensive review to illuminate the intricacies of extra skin removal surgery, encompassing its diverse procedures, associated risks, benefits, and psychological implications on patients. The methodological approach adopted involves a systematic and exhaustive review of pertinent scholarly literature sourced from reputable databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, and specialized cosmetic surgery journals. Articles are meticulously curated based on their relevance, credibility, and recency. Subsequently, data from these sources are synthesized and categorized, facilitating a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. Qualitative analysis serves to unravel the nuanced psychological effects, while quantitative data, where available, are harnessed to underpin the study's conclusions. In terms of major findings, the research underscores the manifold advantages of extra skin removal surgery. Patients experience a notable improvement in physical comfort, amplified mobility, enhanced self-confidence, and a newfound ability to don clothing comfortably. Nonetheless, the benefits are juxtaposed with potential risks, encompassing infection, scarring, hematoma, delayed healing, and the challenge of achieving symmetry. A salient discovery is the profound psychological impact of the surgery, as patients consistently report elevated body image satisfaction, heightened self-esteem, and a substantial enhancement in overall quality of life. In summation, this research accentuates the pivotal role of extra skin removal surgery in ameliorating the intricate interplay of physical and psychological difficulties posed by excess skin. By elucidating the diverse procedures, associated risks, and psychological outcomes, the study contributes to a comprehensive and informed comprehension of the surgery's multifaceted effects. Therefore, individuals contemplating this transformative surgical option are equipped with comprehensive insights, ultimately fostering informed decision-making, guided by the expertise of medical professionals.Keywords: extra skin removal surgery, body contouring, abdominoplasty, brachioplasty, thigh lift, body lift, benefits, risks, psychological effects
Procedia PDF Downloads 63525 Item-Trait Pattern Recognition of Replenished Items in Multidimensional Computerized Adaptive Testing
Authors: Jianan Sun, Ziwen Ye
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Multidimensional computerized adaptive testing (MCAT) is a popular research topic in psychometrics. It is important for practitioners to clearly know the item-trait patterns of administered items when a test like MCAT is operated. Item-trait pattern recognition refers to detecting which latent traits in a psychological test are measured by each of the specified items. If the item-trait patterns of the replenished items in MCAT item pool are well detected, the interpretability of the items can be improved, which can further promote the abilities of the examinees who attending the MCAT to be accurately estimated. This research explores to solve the item-trait pattern recognition problem of the replenished items in MCAT item pool from the perspective of statistical variable selection. The popular multidimensional item response theory model, multidimensional two-parameter logistic model, is assumed to fit the response data of MCAT. The proposed method uses the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) to detect item-trait patterns of replenished items based on the essential information of item responses and ability estimates of examinees collected from a designed MCAT procedure. Several advantages of the proposed method are outlined. First, the proposed method does not strictly depend on the relative order between the replenished items and the selected operational items, so it allows the replenished items to be mixed into the operational items in reasonable order such as considering content constraints or other test requirements. Second, the LASSO used in this research improves the interpretability of the multidimensional replenished items in MCAT. Third, the proposed method can exert the advantage of shrinkage method idea for variable selection, so it can help to check item quality and key dimension features of replenished items and saves more costs of time and labors in response data collection than traditional factor analysis method. Moreover, the proposed method makes sure the dimensions of replenished items are recognized to be consistent with the dimensions of operational items in MCAT item pool. Simulation studies are conducted to investigate the performance of the proposed method under different conditions for varying dimensionality of item pool, latent trait correlation, item discrimination, test lengths and item selection criteria in MCAT. Results show that the proposed method can accurately detect the item-trait patterns of the replenished items in the two-dimensional and the three-dimensional item pool. Selecting enough operational items from the item pool consisting of high discriminating items by Bayesian A-optimality in MCAT can improve the recognition accuracy of item-trait patterns of replenished items for the proposed method. The pattern recognition accuracy for the conditions with correlated traits is better than those with independent traits especially for the item pool consisting of comparatively low discriminating items. To sum up, the proposed data-driven method based on the LASSO can accurately and efficiently detect the item-trait patterns of replenished items in MCAT.Keywords: item-trait pattern recognition, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, multidimensional computerized adaptive testing, variable selection
Procedia PDF Downloads 124524 Improving Teaching in English-Medium Instruction Classes at Japanese Universities through Needs-Based Professional Development Workshops
Authors: Todd Enslen
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In order to attract more international students to study for undergraduate degrees in Japan, many universities have been developing English-Medium Instruction degree programs. This means that many faculty members must now teach their courses in English, which raises a number of concerns. A common misconception of English-Medium Instruction (EMI) is that teaching in English is simply a matter of translating materials. Since much of the teaching in Japan still relies on a more traditional, teachercentered, approach, continuing with this style in an EMI environment that targets international students can cause a clash between what is happening and what students expect in the classroom, not to mention what the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) has shown is effective teaching. A variety of considerations need to be taken into account in EMI classrooms such as varying English abilities of the students, modifying input material, and assuring comprehension through interactional checks. This paper analyzes the effectiveness of the English-Medium Instruction (EMI) undergraduate degree programs in engineering, agriculture, and science at a large research university in Japan by presenting the results from student surveys regarding the areas where perceived improvements need to be made. The students were the most dissatisfied with communication with their teachers in English, communication with Japanese students in English, adherence to only English being used in the classes, and the quality of the education they received. In addition, the results of a needs analysis survey of Japanese teachers having to teach in English showed that they believed they were most in need of English vocabulary and expressions to use in the classroom and teaching methods for teaching in English. The result from the student survey and the faculty survey show similar concerns between the two groups. By helping the teachers to understand student-centered teaching and the benefits for learning that it provides, teachers may begin to incorporate more student-centered approaches that in turn help to alleviate the dissatisfaction students are currently experiencing. Through analyzing the current environment in Japanese higher education against established best practices in teaching and EMI, three areas that need to be addressed in professional development workshops were identified. These were “culture” as it relates to the English language, “classroom management techniques” and ways to incorporate them into classes, and “language” issues. Materials used to help faculty better understand best practices as they relate to these specific areas will be provided to help practitioners begin the process of helping EMI faculty build awareness of better teaching practices. Finally, the results from faculty development workshops participants’ surveys will show the impact that these workshops can have. Almost all of the participants indicated that they learned something new and would like to incorporate the ideas from the workshop into their teaching. In addition, the vast majority of the participants felt the workshop provided them with new information, and they would like more workshops like these.Keywords: English-medium instruction, materials development, professional development, teaching effectiveness
Procedia PDF Downloads 85523 Baricitinib Lipid-based Nanosystems as a Topical Alternative for Atopic Dermatitis Treatment
Authors: N. Garrós, P. Bustos, N. Beirampour, R. Mohammadi, M. Mallandrich, A.C. Calpena, H. Colom
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Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a persistent skin condition characterized by chronic inflammation caused by an autoimmune response. It is a prevalent clinical issue that requires continual treatment to enhance the patient's quality of life. Systemic therapy often involves the use of glucocorticoids or immunosuppressants to manage symptoms. Our objective was to create and assess topical liposomal formulations containing Baricitinib (BNB), a reversible inhibitor of Janus-associated kinase (JAK), which is involved in various immune responses. These formulations were intended to address flare-ups and improve treatment outcomes for AD. We created three distinct liposomal formulations by combining different amounts of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC), cholesterol (CHOL), and ceramide (CER): (i) pure POPC, (ii) POPC mixed with CHOL (at a ratio of 8:2, mol/mol), and (iii) POPC mixed with CHOL and CER (at a ratio of 3.6:2.4:4.0 mol/mol/mol). We conducted various tests to determine the formulations' skin tolerance, irritancy capacity, and their ability to cause erythema and edema on altered skin. We also assessed the transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and skin hydration of rabbits to evaluate the efficacy of the formulations. Histological analysis, the HET-CAM test, and the modified Draize test were all used in the evaluation process. The histological analysis revealed that liposome POPC and POPC:CHOL avoided any damage to the tissues structures. The HET-CAM test showed no irritation effect caused by any of the three liposomes, and the modified Draize test showed a good Draize score for erythema and edema. Liposome POPC effectively counteracted the impact of xylol on the skin, and no erythema or edema was observed during the study. TEWL values were constant for all the liposomes with similar values to the negative control (within the range 8 - 15 g/h·m2, which means a healthy value for rabbits), whereas the positive control showed a significant increase. The skin hydration values were constant and followed the trend of the negative control, while the positive control showed a steady increase during the tolerance study. In conclusion, the developed formulations containing BNB exhibited no harmful or irritating effects, they did not demonstrate any irritant potential in the HET-CAM test and liposomes POPC and POPC:CHOL did not cause any structural alteration according to the histological analysis. These positive findings suggest that additional research is necessary to evaluate the efficacy of these liposomal formulations in animal models of the disease, including mutant animals. Furthermore, before proceeding to clinical trials, biochemical investigations should be conducted to better understand the mechanisms of action involved in these formulations.Keywords: baricitinib, HET-CAM test, histological study, JAK inhibitor, liposomes, modified draize test
Procedia PDF Downloads 89522 Examining the Design of a Scaled Audio Tactile Model for Enhancing Interpretation of Visually Impaired Visitors in Heritage Sites
Authors: A. Kavita Murugkar, B. Anurag Kashyap
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With the Rights for Persons with Disabilities Act (RPWD Act) 2016, the Indian government has made it mandatory for all establishments, including Heritage Sites, to be accessible for People with Disabilities. However, recent access audit surveys done under the Accessible India Campaign by Ministry of Culture indicate that there are very few accessibility measures provided in the Heritage sites for people with disabilities. Though there are some measures for the mobility impaired, surveys brought out that there are almost no provisions for people with vision impairment (PwVI) in heritage sites thus depriving them of a reasonable physical & intellectual access that facilitates an enjoyable experience and enriching interpretation of the Heritage Site. There is a growing need to develop multisensory interpretative tools that can help the PwVI in perceiving heritage sites in the absence of vision. The purpose of this research was to examine the usability of an audio-tactile model as a haptic and sound-based strategy for augmenting the perception and experience of PwVI in a heritage site. The first phase of the project was a multi-stage phenomenological experimental study with visually impaired users to investigate the design parameters for developing an audio-tactile model for PwVI. The findings from this phase included user preferences related to the physical design of the model such as the size, scale, materials, details, etc., and the information that it will carry such as braille, audio output, tactile text, etc. This was followed by the second phase in which a working prototype of an audio-tactile model is designed and developed for a heritage site based on the findings from the first phase of the study. A nationally listed heritage site from the author’s city was selected for making the model. The model was lastly tested by visually impaired users for final refinements and validation. The prototype developed empowers People with Vision Impairment to navigate independently in heritage sites. Such a model if installed in every heritage site, can serve as a technological guide for the Person with Vision Impairment, giving information of the architecture, details, planning & scale of the buildings, the entrances, location of important features, lifts, staircases, and available, accessible facilities. The model was constructed using 3D modeling and digital printing technology. Though designed for the Indian context, this assistive technology for the blind can be explored for wider applications across the globe. Such an accessible solution can change the otherwise “incomplete’’ perception of the disabled visitor, in this case, a visually impaired visitor and augment the quality of their experience in heritage sites.Keywords: accessibility, architectural perception, audio tactile model , inclusive heritage, multi-sensory perception, visual impairment, visitor experience
Procedia PDF Downloads 102521 Preparation of Papers - Developing a Leukemia Diagnostic System Based on Hybrid Deep Learning Architectures in Actual Clinical Environments
Authors: Skyler Kim
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An early diagnosis of leukemia has always been a challenge to doctors and hematologists. On a worldwide basis, it was reported that there were approximately 350,000 new cases in 2012, and diagnosing leukemia was time-consuming and inefficient because of an endemic shortage of flow cytometry equipment in current clinical practice. As the number of medical diagnosis tools increased and a large volume of high-quality data was produced, there was an urgent need for more advanced data analysis methods. One of these methods was the AI approach. This approach has become a major trend in recent years, and several research groups have been working on developing these diagnostic models. However, designing and implementing a leukemia diagnostic system in real clinical environments based on a deep learning approach with larger sets remains complex. Leukemia is a major hematological malignancy that results in mortality and morbidity throughout different ages. We decided to select acute lymphocytic leukemia to develop our diagnostic system since acute lymphocytic leukemia is the most common type of leukemia, accounting for 74% of all children diagnosed with leukemia. The results from this development work can be applied to all other types of leukemia. To develop our model, the Kaggle dataset was used, which consists of 15135 total images, 8491 of these are images of abnormal cells, and 5398 images are normal. In this paper, we design and implement a leukemia diagnostic system in a real clinical environment based on deep learning approaches with larger sets. The proposed diagnostic system has the function of detecting and classifying leukemia. Different from other AI approaches, we explore hybrid architectures to improve the current performance. First, we developed two independent convolutional neural network models: VGG19 and ResNet50. Then, using both VGG19 and ResNet50, we developed a hybrid deep learning architecture employing transfer learning techniques to extract features from each input image. In our approach, fusing the features from specific abstraction layers can be deemed as auxiliary features and lead to further improvement of the classification accuracy. In this approach, features extracted from the lower levels are combined into higher dimension feature maps to help improve the discriminative capability of intermediate features and also overcome the problem of network gradient vanishing or exploding. By comparing VGG19 and ResNet50 and the proposed hybrid model, we concluded that the hybrid model had a significant advantage in accuracy. The detailed results of each model’s performance and their pros and cons will be presented in the conference.Keywords: acute lymphoblastic leukemia, hybrid model, leukemia diagnostic system, machine learning
Procedia PDF Downloads 181520 Physical Function and Physical Activity Preferences of Elderly Individuals Admitted for Elective Abdominal Surgery: A Pilot Study.
Authors: Rozelle Labuschagne, Ronel Roos
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Individuals often experience a reduction in physical function, quality of life and basic activities of daily living after surgery. This is exponentially true for high-risk patients, especially the elderly and frail individuals. Not much is known about the physical function, physical activity preferences and factors associated with the six-minute walk test of elderly individuals who would undergo elective abdominal surgery in South Africa. Such information is important to design effective prehabilitation physiotherapy programs prior to elective surgery. The purpose of the study was to describe the demographic profile and physical function of elderly patients who would undergo elective surgery and to determine factors associated with their six-minute walk test distance findings. A cross-sectional descriptive study in elderly patients older than 60 years of age who would undergo elective abdominal surgery were consecutively sampled at a private hospital in Pretoria, South Africa. Participants’ demographics were collected and physical function assessed with the Functional Comorbidity Index (FCI), DeMorton Mobility Index (DEMMI), Lawton-Brody Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale (IADL) and six-minute walk test (6MWT). Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis with IBM SPSS 25. A p-value ≤ 0.05 were deemed statistically significant. The pilot study consisted of 12 participants (female (n=11, 91.7%), male (n=1, 8.3%) with a mean age of 65.8 (±4.5) years, body mass index of 28 (±4.2) kg.m2 with one (8.3%) participant being a current smoker and four (33.3%) participants having a smoking history. Nine (75%) participants lived independently at home and three (25%) had caregivers. Participants reported walking (n=6, 50%), stretching exercises (n=1, 8.3%), household chores & gardening (n=2, 16.7%), biking/swimming/running (n=1, 8.3%) as physical activity preferences. Physical function findings of the sample were: mean FCI score 3 (±1.1), DEMMI score 81.1 (±14.9), IADL 95 (±17.3), 6MWT 435.50 (IQR 364.75-458.50) with percentage 6MWT distance achieved 81.8% (IQR 64.4%-87.5%). A strong negative correlation was observed between 6MWT distance walked and FCI (r = -0.729, p=0.007). The majority of study participants reported incorporating some form of physical activity into their daily life as form of exercise. Most participants did not achieve their predicted 6MWT distance indicating less than optimal levels of physical function capacity. The number of comorbidities as determined by the FCI was associated with the distance that participants could walk with the 6MWT. The results of this pilot study could be used to indicate which elderly individuals would benefit most from a pre-surgical rehabilitation program. The main goal of such a program would be to improve physical function capacity as measured by the 6MWT. Surgeons could refer patients based on age and number of comorbidities, as determined by the FCI, to potentially improve surgical outcomes.Keywords: abdominal surgery, elderly, physical function, six-minute walk test
Procedia PDF Downloads 193519 Collaboration between Dietician and Occupational Therapist, Promotes Independent Functional Eating in Tube Weaning Process of Mechanical Ventilated Patients
Authors: Inbal Zuriely, Yonit Weiss, Hilla Zaharoni, Hadas Lewkowicz, Tatiana Vander, Tarif Bader
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early active movement, along with adjusting optimal nutrition, prevents aggravation of muscle degeneracy and functional decline. Eating is a basic activity of daily life, which reflects the patient's independence. When eating and feeding are experienced successfully, they lead to a sense of pleasure and satisfaction. However, when they are experienced as a difficulty, they might evoke feelings of helplessness and frustration. This stresses the essential process of gradual weaning off the enteral feeding tube. the work describes the collaboration of a dietitian, determining the nutritional needs of patients undergoing enteral tube weaning as part of the rehabilitation process, with the suited treatment of an occupational therapist. Occupational therapy intervention regarding eating capabilities focuses on improving the required motor and cognitive components, along with environmental adjustments and aids, imparting eating strategies and training to patients and their families. The project was conducted in the long-term, ventilated patients’ department at the Herzfeld Rehabilitation Geriatric Medical Center on patients undergoing enteral tube weaning with the staff’s assistance. Establishing continuous collaboration between the dietician and the occupational therapist, starting from the beginning of the feeding-tube weaning process: 1.The dietician updates the occupational therapist about the start of the process and the approved diet. 2.The occupational therapist performs cognitive, motor, and functional assessments and treatments regarding the patient’s eating capabilities and recommends the required adjustments for independent eating according to the FIM (Functional Independence Measure) scale. 3.The occupational therapist closely follows up on the patient’s degree of independence in eating and provides a repeated update to the dietician. 4.The dietician accordingly guides the ward staff on whether and how to feed the patient or allow independent eating. The project aimed to promote patients toward independent feeding, which leads to a sense of empowerment, enjoyment of the eating experience, and progress of functional ability, along with performing active movements that will motivate mobilization. From the beginning of 2022, 26 patients participated in the project. 79% of all patients who started the weaning process from tube feeding achieved different levels of independence in feeding (independence levels ranged from supervision (FIM-5) to complete independence (FIM-7). The integration of occupational therapy and dietary treatment is based on a patient-centered approach while considering the patient’s personal needs, preferences, and goals. This interdisciplinary partnership is essential for meeting the complex needs of prolonged mechanically ventilated patients and promotes independent functioning and quality of life.Keywords: dietary, mechanical ventilation, occupational therapy, tube feeding weaning
Procedia PDF Downloads 71518 Choking among Babies, Toddlers and Children with Special Needs: A Review of Mechanisms, Implications, Incidence, and Recommendations of Professional Prevention Guidelines
Authors: Ella Abaev, Shany Segal, Miri Gabay
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Background: Choking is a blockage of airways that prevents efficient breathing and air flow to the lungs. Choking may be partial or full and is an emergency situation. Complete or prolonged choking leads to apnea, lack of oxygen in the tissues of the body and brain, and can cause death. There are three mechanisms of choking: obstruction of internal respiratory tracts by food or object aspiration, any material that blocks or covers external air passages, external pressure on the neck or trapping between objects. Children's airways are narrower than that of adults and therefore the risk of choking is greater, due to the aspiration of food and other foreign bodies into the lungs. In the Child Development Center at Safra Children’s Hospital, Tel Hashomer in Israel are treated infants, toddlers, and children aged 0-18 years with various developmental disabilities. Due to the increase in reports of ‘almost an event’ of choking in the past year and the serious consequences of choking event, it was decided to give an emphasis to the issue. Incidence and methods: The number of reports of ‘almost an event’ or a choking event was examined at the center during the years 2013-2018 and a thorough research work was conducted on the subject in order to build a prevention program. Findings: Between 2013 and 2018 the center reported about ten cases of ‘almost choking events’. In the middle of 2018 alone three cases of ‘almost an event’ were reported. Objective: Providing knowledge leads to awareness raise, change of perception, change in behavior and prevention. The center employs more than 130 staff members from various sectors so that it is the work of multi-professional teams to promote the quality and safety of the treatment. The familiarity of the staff with risk factors, prevention guidelines, identification of choking signs, and treatment are most important and significant in determining the outcome of a choking event. Conclusions and recommendations: After in-depth research work was carried out in cooperation with the Risk Management Unit on the subject of choking, which include a description of the definitions, mechanisms, risk factors, treatment methods and extensive recommendations for prevention (e.g. using treatment and stimulation accessories with standards association stamps and adjustment of the type of food and the way it is served to match to the child's age and the ability to swallow). The expected stages of development and emphasis on the population of children with special needs were taken into account. The research findings will be published by the staff and parents of the patients, professional publications, and lectures and there is an expectation to decrease the number of choking events in the next years.Keywords: children with special needs, choking, educational system, prevention guidelines
Procedia PDF Downloads 165517 Stochastic Nuisance Flood Risk for Coastal Areas
Authors: Eva L. Suarez, Daniel E. Meeroff, Yan Yong
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The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) developed flood maps based on experts’ experience and estimates of the probability of flooding. Current flood-risk models evaluate flood risk with regional and subjective measures without impact from torrential rain and nuisance flooding at the neighborhood level. Nuisance flooding occurs in small areas in the community, where a few streets or blocks are routinely impacted. This type of flooding event occurs when torrential rainstorm combined with high tide and sea level rise temporarily exceeds a given threshold. In South Florida, this threshold is 1.7 ft above Mean Higher High Water (MHHW). The National Weather Service defines torrential rain as rain deposition at a rate greater than 0.3-inches per hour or three inches in a single day. Data from the Florida Climate Center, 1970 to 2020, shows 371 events with more than 3-inches of rain in a day in 612 months. The purpose of this research is to develop a data-driven method to determine comprehensive analytical damage-avoidance criteria that account for nuisance flood events at the single-family home level. The method developed uses the Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) method from the American Society of Quality (ASQ) to estimate the Damage Avoidance (DA) preparation for a 1-day 100-year storm. The Consequence of Nuisance Flooding (CoNF) is estimated from community mitigation efforts to prevent nuisance flooding damage. The Probability of Nuisance Flooding (PoNF) is derived from the frequency and duration of torrential rainfall causing delays and community disruptions to daily transportation, human illnesses, and property damage. Urbanization and population changes are related to the U.S. Census Bureau's annual population estimates. Data collected by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service’s National Resources Inventory (NRI) and locally by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) track the development and land use/land cover changes with time. The intent is to include temporal trends in population density growth and the impact on land development. Results from this investigation provide the risk of nuisance flooding as a function of CoNF and PoNF for coastal areas of South Florida. The data-based criterion provides awareness to local municipalities on their flood-risk assessment and gives insight into flood management actions and watershed development.Keywords: flood risk, nuisance flooding, urban flooding, FMEA
Procedia PDF Downloads 86516 Aerosol Characterization in a Coastal Urban Area in Rimini, Italy
Authors: Dimitri Bacco, Arianna Trentini, Fabiana Scotto, Flavio Rovere, Daniele Foscoli, Cinzia Para, Paolo Veronesi, Silvia Sandrini, Claudia Zigola, Michela Comandini, Marilena Montalti, Marco Zamagni, Vanes Poluzzi
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The Po Valley, in the north of Italy, is one of the most polluted areas in Europe. The air quality of the area is linked not only to anthropic activities but also to its geographical characteristics and stagnant weather conditions with frequent inversions, especially in the cold season. Even the coastal areas present high values of particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) because the area closed between the Adriatic Sea and the Apennines does not favor the dispersion of air pollutants. The aim of the present work was to identify the main sources of particulate matter in Rimini, a tourist city in northern Italy. Two sampling campaigns were carried out in 2018, one in winter (60 days) and one in summer (30 days), in 4 sites: an urban background, a city hotspot, a suburban background, and a rural background. The samples are characterized by the concentration of the ionic composition of the particulates and of the main a hydro-sugars, in particular levoglucosan, a marker of the biomass burning, because one of the most important anthropogenic sources in the area, both in the winter and surprisingly even in the summer, is the biomass burning. Furthermore, three sampling points were chosen in order to maximize the contribution of a specific biomass source: a point in a residential area (domestic cooking and domestic heating), a point in the agricultural area (weed fires), and a point in the tourist area (restaurant cooking). In these sites, the analyzes were enriched with the quantification of the carbonaceous component (organic and elemental carbon) and with measurement of the particle number concentration and aerosol size distribution (6 - 600 nm). The results showed a very significant impact of the combustion of biomass due to domestic heating in the winter period, even though many intense peaks were found attributable to episodic wood fires. In the summer season, however, an appreciable signal was measured linked to the combustion of biomass, although much less intense than in winter, attributable to domestic cooking activities. Further interesting results were the verification of the total absence of sea salt's contribution in the particulate with the lower diameter (PM2.5), and while in the PM10, the contribution becomes appreciable only in particular wind conditions (high wind from north, north-east). Finally, it is interesting to note that in a small town, like Rimini, in summer, the traffic source seems to be even more relevant than that measured in a much larger city (Bologna) due to tourism.Keywords: aerosol, biomass burning, seacoast, urban area
Procedia PDF Downloads 122515 Soybean Seed Composition Prediction From Standing Crops Using Planet Scope Satellite Imagery and Machine Learning
Authors: Supria Sarkar, Vasit Sagan, Sourav Bhadra, Meghnath Pokharel, Felix B.Fritschi
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Soybean and their derivatives are very important agricultural commodities around the world because of their wide applicability in human food, animal feed, biofuel, and industries. However, the significance of soybean production depends on the quality of the soybean seeds rather than the yield alone. Seed composition is widely dependent on plant physiological properties, aerobic and anaerobic environmental conditions, nutrient content, and plant phenological characteristics, which can be captured by high temporal resolution remote sensing datasets. Planet scope (PS) satellite images have high potential in sequential information of crop growth due to their frequent revisit throughout the world. In this study, we estimate soybean seed composition while the plants are in the field by utilizing PlanetScope (PS) satellite images and different machine learning algorithms. Several experimental fields were established with varying genotypes and different seed compositions were measured from the samples as ground truth data. The PS images were processed to extract 462 hand-crafted vegetative and textural features. Four machine learning algorithms, i.e., partial least squares (PLSR), random forest (RFR), gradient boosting machine (GBM), support vector machine (SVM), and two recurrent neural network architectures, i.e., long short-term memory (LSTM) and gated recurrent unit (GRU) were used in this study to predict oil, protein, sucrose, ash, starch, and fiber of soybean seed samples. The GRU and LSTM architectures had two separate branches, one for vegetative features and the other for textures features, which were later concatenated together to predict seed composition. The results show that sucrose, ash, protein, and oil yielded comparable prediction results. Machine learning algorithms that best predicted the six seed composition traits differed. GRU worked well for oil (R-Squared: of 0.53) and protein (R-Squared: 0.36), whereas SVR and PLSR showed the best result for sucrose (R-Squared: 0.74) and ash (R-Squared: 0.60), respectively. Although, the RFR and GBM provided comparable performance, the models tended to extremely overfit. Among the features, vegetative features were found as the most important variables compared to texture features. It is suggested to utilize many vegetation indices for machine learning training and select the best ones by using feature selection methods. Overall, the study reveals the feasibility and efficiency of PS images and machine learning for plot-level seed composition estimation. However, special care should be given while designing the plot size in the experiments to avoid mixed pixel issues.Keywords: agriculture, computer vision, data science, geospatial technology
Procedia PDF Downloads 128514 Family Carers' Experiences in Striving for Medical Care and Finding Their Solutions for Family Members with Mental Illnesses
Authors: Yu-Yu Wang, Shih-Hua Hsieh, Ru-Shian Hsieh
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Wishes and choices being respected, and the right to be supported rather than coerced, have been internationally recognized as the human rights of persons with mental illness. In Taiwan, ‘coerced hospitalization’ has become difficult since the revision of the mental health legislation in 2007. Despite trend towards human rights, the real problem families face when their family members are in mental health crisis is the lack of alternative services. This study aims to explore: 1) When is hospitalization seen as the only solution by family members? 2) What are the barriers for arranging hospitalization, and how are they managed? 3) What have family carers learned, in their experiences of caring for their family members with mental illness? To answer these questions, qualitative approach was adopted, and focus group interviews were taken to collect data. This study includes 24 family carers. The main findings of this research include: First, hospital is the last resort for carers in helplessness. Family carers tend to do everything they could to provide care at home for their family members with mental illness. Carers seek hospitalization only when a patient’s behavior is too violent, weird, and/or abnormal, and beyond their ability to manage. Hospitalization, nevertheless, is never an easy choice. Obstacles emanate from the attitudes of the medical doctors, the restricted areas of ambulance service, and insufficient information from the carers’ part. On the other hand, with some professionals’ proactive assistance, access to medical care while in crisis becomes possible. Some family carers obtained help from the medical doctor, nurse, therapist and social workers. Some experienced good help from policemen, taxi drivers, and security guards at the hospital. The difficulty in accessing medical care prompts carers to work harder on assisting their family members with mental illness to stay in stable states. Carers found different ways of helping the ‘person’ to get along with the ‘illness’ and have better quality of life. Taking back ‘the right to control’ in utilizing medication, from passiveness to negotiating with medical doctors and seeking alternative therapies, are seen in many carers’ efforts. Besides, trying to maintain regular activities in daily life and play normal family roles are also experienced as important. Furthermore, talking with the patient as a person is also important. The authors conclude that in order to protect the human rights of persons with mental illness, it is crucial to make the medical care system more flexible and to make the services more humane: sufficient information should be provided and communicated, and efforts should be made to maintain the person’s social roles and to support the family.Keywords: family carers, independent living, mental health crisis, persons with mental illness
Procedia PDF Downloads 297513 Verification of Low-Dose Diagnostic X-Ray as a Tool for Relating Vital Internal Organ Structures to External Body Armour Coverage
Authors: Natalie A. Sterk, Bernard van Vuuren, Petrie Marais, Bongani Mthombeni
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Injuries to the internal structures of the thorax and abdomen remain a leading cause of death among soldiers. Body armour is a standard issue piece of military equipment designed to protect the vital organs against ballistic and stab threats. When configured for maximum protection, the excessive weight and size of the armour may limit soldier mobility and increase physical fatigue and discomfort. Providing soldiers with more armour than necessary may, therefore, hinder their ability to react rapidly in life-threatening situations. The capability to determine the optimal trade-off between the amount of essential anatomical coverage and hindrance on soldier performance may significantly enhance the design of armour systems. The current study aimed to develop and pilot a methodology for relating internal anatomical structures with actual armour plate coverage in real-time using low-dose diagnostic X-ray scanning. Several pilot scanning sessions were held at Lodox Systems (Pty) Ltd head-office in South Africa. Testing involved using the Lodox eXero-dr to scan dummy trunk rigs at various degrees and heights of measurement; as well as human participants, wearing correctly fitted body armour while positioned in supine, prone shooting, seated and kneeling shooting postures. The verification of sizing and metrics obtained from the Lodox eXero-dr were then confirmed through a verification board with known dimensions. Results indicated that the low-dose diagnostic X-ray has the capability to clearly identify the vital internal structures of the aortic arch, heart, and lungs in relation to the position of the external armour plates. Further testing is still required in order to fully and accurately identify the inferior liver boundary, inferior vena cava, and spleen. The scans produced in the supine, prone, and seated postures provided superior image quality over the kneeling posture. The X-ray-source and-detector distance from the object must be standardised to control for possible magnification changes and for comparison purposes. To account for this, specific scanning heights and angles were identified to allow for parallel scanning of relevant areas. The low-dose diagnostic X-ray provides a non-invasive, safe, and rapid technique for relating vital internal structures with external structures. This capability can be used for the re-evaluation of anatomical coverage required for essential protection while optimising armour design and fit for soldier performance.Keywords: body armour, low-dose diagnostic X-ray, scanning, vital organ coverage
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