Search results for: school based support program

Authors: Rujeko Samanthia Chimukuche

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Introduction: Transboundary migration at both regional and continental levels has become the defining feature of the 21st century. The recent global migration crisis due to economic strife and war brings back to the fore an old age problem, but with fresh challenges. Migration and forced displacement are issues that require long-term solutions. In South Africa, for example, whilst much attention has been placed on xenophobic attacks and other issues at the nexus of immigrant and indigenous communities, the limited focus has been placed on the integration, specifically formal labour integration of immigrant communities and the gender inequalities that are prevalent. Despite noble efforts by South Africa, hosting several immigrants, several challenges arise in integrating the migrants into society as it is often difficult to harmonize the interests of indigenous communities and those of foreign nationals. This research study has aimed to fill in the gaps by analyzing how stringent immigration and visa regulations prevent skilled migrant women spouses from employment, which often results in several societal vices, including domestic abuse, minimum or no access to important services such as healthcare, education, social welfare among others. Methods: Using a qualitative approach, the study analyzed South Africa migration and labour policies in terms of mainstreaming the gender needs of skilled migrant women. Secondly, the study highlighted the migratory experiences and constraints of skilled Zimbabwean women migrant spouses in South Africa labour integration. The experiences of these women have shown the gender inequalities of the migratory policies. Thirdly, Zimbabwean women's opportunities and/or challenges in integration into the South African formal labour market were explored. Lastly, practical interventions to support the integration of skilled migrant women spouses into South Africa’s formal labour market were suggested. Findings: Key findings show that gender dynamics are pivotal in migration patterns and the mainstreaming of gender in migration policies. This study, therefore, contributed to the fields of gender and migration by examining ways in which gender rights of skilled migrant women spouses can be incorporated in labour integration policy making.

Keywords: accompanying spouse visa, gender-migration, labour-integration, Zimbabwean women

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Authors: Nada Basset

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Purpose: To examine the nature of the civil service sector as an employer through identifying the likely ways to develop employees’ commitment towards change in the civil service sector. Design/Methodology/Approach: a qualitative research approach was followed. Data was collected via a triangulation of interviews, non-participant observation and archival documents analysis. Non-probability sampling took place with a case-study method applied on a sample of 33 civil servants working in the Egyptian Ministry of State for Administrative Development (MSAD) which is the civil service entity acting as the change agent responsible for managing the government administrative reforms plan in the civil service sector. All study participants were actually working in one of the change projects/programmes and had a minimum of 12 months of service in the civil service. Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed in the form of MS-Word documents, and data transcripts were analyzed manually using MS-Excel worksheets and main research themes were developed and statistics drawn using those Excel worksheets. Findings: The results demonstrate that developing the civil servant’s commitment towards change may require a number of suggested solutions like (1) employee involvement and participation in the planning and implementation processes, (2) linking the employee support to change to some tangible rewards and incentives, (3) appointing some inspirational change leaders that should act as role models, and (4) as a last resort, enforcing employee’s commitment towards change by coercion and authoritarianism. Practical Implications: it is clear that civil servants’ lack of organizational commitment is not directly related to their level of commitment towards change. The research findings showed that civil servants’ commitment towards change can be raised and promoted by getting them involved in the planning and implementation processes, as this develops some sense of belongingness and ownership, thus there is a fair chance that low organizationally committed civil servants can develop high commitment towards change; given they are provided a favorable environment where they are invited to participate and get involved into the move of change. Originality/Value: the research addresses a relatively new area of ‘developing organizational commitment in modern bureaucracies’ by virtue of investigating the levels of civil servants’ commitment towards their jobs and/or organizations -on one hand- and suggesting different ways of developing their commitment towards administrative reform and change initiatives in the Egyptian civil service sector.

Keywords: change, commitment, Egypt, bureaucracy

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Authors: Gu Pang, Bartosz Gebka

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We forecast the demand of total container throughput at the Indonesia’s largest seaport, Tanjung Priok Port. We propose four univariate forecasting models, including SARIMA, the additive Seasonal Holt-Winters, the multiplicative Seasonal Holt-Winters and the Vector Error Correction Model. Our aim is to provide insights into whether forecasting the total container throughput obtained by historical aggregated port throughput time series is superior to the forecasts of the total throughput obtained by summing up the best individual terminal forecasts. We test the monthly port/individual terminal container throughput time series between 2003 and 2013. The performance of forecasting models is evaluated based on Mean Absolute Error and Root Mean Squared Error. Our results show that the multiplicative Seasonal Holt-Winters model produces the most accurate forecasts of total container throughput, whereas SARIMA generates the worst in-sample model fit. The Vector Error Correction Model provides the best model fits and forecasts for individual terminals. Our results report that the total container throughput forecasts based on modelling the total throughput time series are consistently better than those obtained by combining those forecasts generated by terminal-specific models. The forecasts of total throughput until the end of 2018 provide an essential insight into the strategic decision-making on the expansion of port's capacity and construction of new container terminals at Tanjung Priok Port.

Keywords: SARIMA, Seasonal Holt-Winters, Vector Error Correction Model, container throughput

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Authors: Rebecca Zahra, Joseph G. Vella, Ernest Cachia

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The notion of cloud computing is rapidly gaining ground in the IT industry and is appealing mostly due to making computing more adaptable and expedient whilst diminishing the total cost of ownership. This paper focuses on the software as a service (SaaS) architecture of cloud computing which is used for the outsourcing of databases with their associated business processes. One approach for offering SaaS is basing the system’s architecture on multi-tenancy. Multi-tenancy allows multiple tenants (users) to make use of the same single application instance. Their requests and configurations might then differ according to specific requirements met through tenant customisation through the software. Despite the known advantages, companies still feel uneasy to opt for the multi-tenancy with data security being a principle concern. The fact that multiple tenants, possibly competitors, would have their data located on the same server process and share the same database tables heighten the fear of unauthorised access. Security is a vital aspect which needs to be considered by application developers, database administrators, data owners and end users. This is further complicated in cloud-based multi-tenant system where boundaries must be established between tenants and additional access control models must be in place to prevent unauthorised cross-tenant access to data. Moreover, when altering the database state, the transactions need to strictly adhere to the tenant’s known business processes. This paper focuses on the fact that security in cloud databases should not be considered as an isolated issue. Rather it should be included in the initial phases of the database design and monitored continuously throughout the whole development process. This paper aims to identify a number of the most common security risks and threats specifically in the area of multi-tenant cloud systems. Issues and bottlenecks relating to security risks in cloud databases are surveyed. Some techniques which might be utilised to overcome them are then listed and evaluated. After a description and evaluation of the main security threats, this paper produces a list of software requirements to ensure that proper security policies are implemented by a software development team when designing and implementing a multi-tenant based SaaS. This would then assist the cloud service providers to define, implement, and manage security policies as per tenant customisation requirements whilst assuring security for the customers’ data.

Keywords: cloud computing, data management, multi-tenancy, requirements, security

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Authors: Suminar Pratapa, Agus Riyanto, Silmi Machmudah, Sri Yani Purwaningsih

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The objective of this study was to investigate the optical properties of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and its prospective applications by adding crystalline silica which is usually used as a reinforcing agent. To do this, we synthesized and evaluated PVA-based composites reinforced with silica crystals, namely cristobalite, derived from rice husk. The experimental procedure involved the production of SiO2 particles using rice husk precursors, which were subsequently subjected to calcination at a rate of 10 °C/min for a duration of 3 hours. This process primarily resulted in the formation of SiO2 crystals in the cristobalite phase, according to X-ray diffraction (XRD). Following this, the crystals were incorporated into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) via a casting technique, resulting in the formation of composite sheets. The SiO2 contents in the composites were 0, 2.5, 5.0, and 10.%. XRD and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques provided confirmation of the composites' successful synthesis, i.e., it did not yield any indications of chemical bonding between polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and silicon dioxide (SiO2), indicating that the interaction was limited to interfacial reactions. The incorporation of SiO2 crystals resulted in a notable enhancement in UV-vis light absorption and a decrease in the optical band gap. Addition of 2.5, 5.0, and 10.% SiO2, for example, decreases the direct optical band gap of the composites form 5.37, 5.19, and 5.02 eV respectively, while the indirect band gaps of the samples were 4.44, 4.84, and 4.48 eV, correspondingly. These findings emphasize the efficacy of rice husk-derived SiO2 crystals as both reinforcement agents and modifiers of optical properties in the polymer composites, showcasing their significant potential to modify the composite's structural and optical characteristics.

Keywords: rice husk, cristaline SiO₂, PVA-based composites, structural characteristics, optical properties.

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Authors: Golnoush Rostami, Farzam Kharvari

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In recent years, developments in the field of architectural education have resulted in a shift from conventional teaching methods to alternative state-of-the-art approaches in teaching methods and strategies. Criticism in architecture has been a key player both in the profession and education, but it has been mostly offered by renowned individuals. Hence, not only students or other professionals but also critics themselves may not have the option to experience buildings and rely on available 2D materials, such as images and plans, that may not result in a holistic understanding and evaluation of buildings. On the other hand, immersive environments provide students and professionals the opportunity to experience buildings virtually and reflect their evaluation by experiencing rather than judging based on 2D materials. Therefore, the aim of this study is to compare the effect of experiencing buildings in immersive environments and 2D drawings, including images and plans, on architecture criticism and architectural education. As a result, three buildings that have parametric brick facades were studied through 2D materials and in Unreal Engine v. 24 as an immersive environment among 22 architecture students that were selected using convenient sampling and were divided into two equal groups using simple random sampling. This study used mixed methods, including quantitative and qualitative methods; the quantitative section was carried out by a questionnaire, and deep interviews were used for the qualitative section. A questionnaire was developed for measuring three constructs, including privacy regulation based on Altman’s theory, the sufficiency of illuminance levels in the building, and the visual status of the view (visually appealing views based on obstructions that may have been caused by facades). Furthermore, participants had the opportunity to reflect their understanding and evaluation of the buildings in individual interviews. Accordingly, the collected data from the questionnaires were analyzed using independent t-test and descriptive analyses in IBM SPSS Statistics v. 26, and interviews were analyzed using the content analysis method. The results of the interviews showed that the participants who experienced the buildings in the immersive environment were able to have a thorough and more precise evaluation of the buildings in comparison to those who studied them through 2D materials. Moreover, the analyses of the respondents’ questionnaires revealed that there were statistically significant differences between measured constructs among the two groups. The outcome of this study suggests that integrating immersive environments into the profession and architectural education as an effective and efficient tool for architecture criticism is vital since these environments allow users to have a holistic evaluation of buildings for vigorous and sound criticism.

Keywords: immersive environments, architecture criticism, architectural education, occupant-centric evaluation, pre-occupancy evaluation

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Authors: Shilpa Murthy, Hazlina Binti Abu Bakar, Juliet Mathew, Chandrashekhar Thummala Hlly Sreerama Reddy, Pathiyil Ravi Shankar

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Simulation is defined as a technique that replaces or expands real experiences with guided experiences that interactively imitate real-world processes or systems. Simulation enables learners to train in a safe and non-threatening environment. For decades, simulation has been considered an integral part of clinical teaching and learning strategy in medical education. The several types of simulation used in medical education and the clinical environment can be applied to several models, including full-body mannequins, task trainers, standardized simulated patients, virtual or computer-generated simulation, or Hybrid simulation that can be used to facilitate learning. Simulation allows healthcare practitioners to acquire skills and experience while taking care of patient safety. The recent COVID pandemic has also led to an increase in simulation use, as there were limitations on medical student placements in hospitals and clinics. The learning is tailored according to the educational needs of students to make the learning experience more valuable. Simulation in the pre-clinical years has challenges with resource constraints, effective curricular integration, student engagement and motivation, and evidence of educational impact, to mention a few. As instructors, we may have more reliance on the use of simulation for pre-clinical students while the students’ confidence levels and perceived competence are to be evaluated. Our research question was whether the implementation of simulation-based learning positively influences preclinical medical students' confidence levels and perceived competence. This study was done to align the teaching activities with the student’s learning experience to introduce more low-fidelity simulation-based teaching sessions for pre-clinical years and to obtain students’ input into the curriculum development as part of inclusivity. The study was carried out at International Medical University, involving pre-clinical year (Medical) students who were started with low-fidelity simulation-based medical education from their first semester and were gradually introduced to medium fidelity, too. The Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning Scale questionnaire from the National League of Nursing was employed to collect the responses. The internal consistency reliability for the survey items was tested with Cronbach’s alpha using an Excel file. IBM SPSS for Windows version 28.0 was used to analyze the data. Spearman’s rank correlation was used to analyze the correlation between students’ satisfaction and self-confidence in learning. The significance level was set at p value less than 0.05. The results from this study have prompted the researchers to undertake a larger-scale evaluation, which is currently underway. The current results show that 70% of students agreed that the teaching methods used in the simulation were helpful and effective. The sessions are dependent on the learning materials that are provided and how the facilitators engage the students and make the session more enjoyable. The feedback provided inputs on the following areas to focus on while designing simulations for pre-clinical students. There are quality learning materials, an interactive environment, motivating content, skills and knowledge of the facilitator, and effective feedback.

Keywords: low-fidelity simulation, pre-clinical simulation, students satisfaction, self-confidence

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Authors: Mahsa Kallhor Mohammadi, Hamideh Reshadatjoo

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This study verified the relationship between in-service training and employees’ feeling of psychological ownership. This research applied a descriptive survey that investigated a correlation between variables. The target population was 140 employees of a Drilling Fluid and Waste Management Service Company, and the sample was 123 employees who were selected randomly and encouraged to complete an electronic questionnaire which was designed based on standard questionnaires for research variables covering 62 questions. The face validity of the questionnaire was supported by an experimental test, and its content validity was approved by the thesis supervisor and consulting advisor. For the descriptive statistics frequency tables and diagrams, measures of central tendency such as mode, median, and mean and measures of variability such as variance, standards deviation, and quartile deviation were used. In the inferential statistics section, the Pearson correlation coefficient was used to verify the relationship between the variables of the research. According to the results, all of the research hypotheses were supported. According to hypothesis 1, there was a positive and significant relationship between training policy-making and employees’ psychological ownership (r=0/408, α=0/05). According to hypothesis 2, there was a positive and significant relationship between training planning and employees’ psychological ownership (r=0/446, α=0/05). According to hypothesis 3, there was a positive and significant relationship between providing the training and employees’ psychological ownership (r=0/512, α=0/05). According to hypothesis 4, there was a positive and significant relationship between training performance management and employees’ psychological ownership (r=0/462, α=0/05). According to hypothesis 5, there was a positive and significant relationship between employees’ motivation and psychological ownership (r=0/694, α=0/05). Therefore, through systematic in-service training, which is in the same line with the strategic goals of an organization and is based on scientific needs analysis, design, implementation, and evaluation, it is possible to improve employees’ sense of psychological ownership toward an organization.

Keywords: in-service training, motivation, organizational behavior, psychological ownership

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Authors: Hsien Hua Kuo, Wen Chun Lin, Chia Chi Hsu, Hsien Wen Kuo

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Objective: Despite the high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among nurses, which has been consistently observed in the studies of Western countries, very little information regarding intensity of workload and work-related quality of life (WRQOL) related to MSDs among nurses is available in Taiwan. The objective of this study is to investigate the factors affecting musculoskeletal disorders in nurses from a hospital. Methods: 550 nurses from a hospital in Taoyuan were interviewed using a modified standardized Nordic Musculoskeletal (NMQ) questionnaire which contained the demographic information, workplace condition and musculoskeletal disorders. Results: Response rate of nurses were 92.5% from a teaching hospital. Based on medical diagnosis by physician, neck of musculoskeletal disorders had the highest percentage in nine body portions. The higher percentage of musculoskeletal disorders in nurses found from wards of internal and surgery. Severity and symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders diagnosed by self-reported questionnaire significantly correlated with WRQOL, job satisfaction and intensity of workload among nurses based on the logistic regression model. Conclusion: The severity and symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders among nurses showed a dose-dependent with WRQOL and workload. When work characteristics in hospital were modified, the severity of musculoskeletal disorders among nurses will be decreased and alleviated. Comment: Multifaceted ergonomic intervention programme to reduce the prevalence of MSDs among nurses was by encouraging nurses to do more physical activity which will make them more flexible and increase their strength. Therefore, the head nurse should encourage nurses to regularly physical activity and to modify unfitting ergonomic environment in order to reduce the prevalence of MSDs.

Keywords: musculoskeletal disorders, nurse, WRQOL, job satisfaction

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Authors: Jason Ceavers, Travis Thompson, Juan Torres, Ramanakumar Anam, Alan Wong, Andrei Carvalho, Shane Quo, Shawn Alonso, Moises Cintron, Ricardo C. Carrero, German Lopez, Vamsi Garimella, German Giese

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Introduction: Advance directives (AD) are essential for patients to communicate their wishes when they are not able to. Ideally, these discussions should not occur for the first time when a patient is hospitalized with an acute life-threatening illness. There is a large number of patients who do not have clearly documented ADs, resulting in the misutilization of resources and additional patient harm. This is a nationwide issue, and the Joint Commission has it as one of its national quality metrics. Presented here is a proposed protocol to increase the number of documented AD discussions in a community-based, internal medicine residency primary care clinic in South Florida. Methods: The SMART Aim for this quality improvement project is to increase documentation of AD discussions in the outpatient setting by 25% within three months in medicare patients. A survey was sent to stakeholders (clinic attendings, residents, medical assistants, front desk staff, and clinic managers), asking them for three factors they believed contributed most to the low documentation rate of AD discussions. The two most important factors were time constraints and systems issues (such as lack of a standard method to document ADs and ADs not being uploaded to the chart) which were brought up by 25% and 21.2% of the 32 survey responders, respectively. Pre-intervention data from clinic patients in 2020-2021 revealed 17.05% of patients had clear, actionable ADs documented. To address these issues, an AD pocket card was created to give to patients. One side of the card has a brief explanation of what ADs are. The other side has a column of interventions (cardiopulmonary resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, dialysis, tracheostomy, feeding tube) with boxes patients check off if they want the intervention done, do not want the intervention, do not want to discuss the topic, or need more information. These cards are to be filled out and scanned into their electronic chart to be reviewed by the resident before their appointment. The interventions that patients want more information on will be discussed by the provider. If any changes are made, the card will be re-scanned into their chart. After three months, we will chart review the patients seen in the clinic to determine how many medicare patients have a pocket card uploaded and how many have advance directives discussions documented in a progress note or annual wellness note. If there is not enough time for an AD discussion, a follow-up appointment can be scheduled for that discussion. Discussion: ADs are a crucial part of patient care, and failure to understand a patient’s wishes leads to improper utilization of resources, avoidable litigation, and patient harm. Time constraints and systems issues were identified as two major factors contributing to the lack of advance directive discussion in our community-based resident primary care clinic. Our project aims at increasing the documentation rate for ADs through a simple pocket card intervention. These are self-explanatory, easy to read and allow the patients to clearly express what interventions they desire or what they want to discuss further with their physician.

Keywords: advance directives, community-based, pocket card, primary care clinic

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Authors: Ali Safari, Pejman Hosseiniun, Iman Rahbari, MohamadReza Kalhor

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The semiconductor industry is placing an increased emphasis on emerging materials and devices that may provide improved performance, or provide novel functionality for devices. Recently, graphene, as a true two-dimensional carbon material, has shown fascinating applications in electronics. In this paper detailed discussions are introduced for possible applications of grapheme Transistor in RF and digital devices.

Keywords: graphene, GFET, RF, digital

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Authors: Meinrad Haule Lembuka

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Social work profession one of its primary mission is to restore and maintain human rights where social workers recognise all humanity as equal, and so too the philosophies that have developed across the world’s regions. Ubuntu means African Humanism, where realization of human rights has been a primary role for every member of community to protect other member. Before Universal declaration of human rights, African societies had a long history of embracing human rights through Ubuntu approach model. The article used Ubuntu theory to guide the review process of existing literature since Ubuntu theory since is grounded in African cultural values and ecology, and it was thought that application of Ubuntu theory was relevant to reflect reality of Ubuntu model and indigenization of social work in African context. Results have shown that in realization of human rights, Ubuntu was practiced is termed as model, philosophy, cultural values, way of life or framework originated in sub-sahara Africa and some of remarkably practice model in several African communities such as Angola, (gimuntu), Botswana (muthu), Burkina Faso (maaya), Ghana (biako ye), Malawi (umunthu), Mali (maaya/hadama de ya), Namibia (omundu), Nigeria (mutunchi/iwa/agwa), (bantu), Sierra Leonne (maaya), South Africa (ubuntu/botho) and Tanzania (utu/obuntu/bumuntu). Collective and holistic mechanism of Ubuntu is found through an Ubuntu framework that is contributed by individual, family, community and spirit that is characterised by interconnectedness of all things and beings. Each society has its own name but the practice remained the same and realization of human rights in Africa context was centred through human dignity, Ubuntu is built under cultural values of humanism that brings implications for African social worker to integrate this indigenous model into social work practice in restoring and maintain human rights. Social workers should promote policies and practices that demonstrate respect for human life, difference, support and expansion of cultural knowledge and resources, advocate for programmes and institutions that demonstrate cultural competence and promote policies that safeguard the rights and confirm equity and social justice for all people.

Keywords: African ubuntu, indigenous practice, African humanism, African human rights, social work and human rights

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Authors: Xin Chen

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It has been widely observed that marine food webs have significantly larger predator–prey body-size ratios compared with their terrestrial counterparts. A number of hypotheses have been proposed to account for such difference on the basis of primary productivity, trophic structure, biophysics, bioenergetics, habitat features, energy efficiency, etc. In this study, an alternative explanation is suggested based on the difference in the spatial dimensions of foraging arenas: terrestrial animals primarily forage in two dimensional arenas, while marine animals mostly forage in three dimensional arenas. Using 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional random walk simulations, it is shown that marine predators with 3-dimensional foraging would normally have a greater foraging efficiency than terrestrial predators with 2-dimensional foraging. Marine prey with 3-dimensional dispersion usually has greater swarms or aggregations than terrestrial prey with 2-dimensional dispersion, which again favours a greater predator foraging efficiency in marine animals. As an analytical tool, a Lotka-Volterra based adaptive dynamical model is developed with the predator-prey ratio embedded as an adaptive variable. The model predicts that high predator foraging efficiency and high prey conversion rate will dynamically lead to the evolution of a greater predator-prey ratio. Therefore, marine food webs with 3-dimensional foraging space, which generally have higher predator foraging efficiency, will evolve a greater predator-prey ratio than terrestrial food webs.

Keywords: predator-prey, body size, lotka-volterra, random walk, foraging efficiency

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Authors: Wilko Planje, Remco Pollé, Frank van Buuren

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An increased share of renewable energy sources in the built environment implies the usage of energy buffers to match supply and demand and to prevent overloads of existing grids. Compact heat storage systems based on thermochemical materials (TCM) are promising to be incorporated in future installations as an alternative for regular thermal buffers. This is due to the high energy density (1 – 2 GJ/m3). In order to determine the feasibility of TCM-based systems on building level several installation configurations are simulated and analyzed for different mixes of renewable energy sources (solar thermal, PV, wind, underground, air) for apartments/multistore-buildings for the Dutch situation. Thereby capacity, volume and financial costs are calculated. The simulation consists of options to include the current and future wind power (sea and land) and local roof-attached PV or solar-thermal systems. Thereby, the compact thermal buffer and optionally an electric battery (typically 10 kWhe) form the local storage elements for energy matching and shaving purposes. Besides, electric-driven heat pumps (air / ground) can be included for efficient heat generation in case of power-to-heat. The total local installation provides both space heating, domestic hot water as well as electricity for a specific case with low-energy apartments (annually 9 GJth + 8 GJe) in the year 2025. The energy balance is completed with grid-supplied non-renewable electricity. Taking into account the grid capacities (permanent 1 kWe/household), spatial requirements for the thermal buffer (< 2.5 m3/household) and a desired minimum of 90% share of renewable energy per household on the total consumption the wind-powered scenario results in acceptable sizes of compact thermal buffers with an energy-capacity of 4 - 5 GJth per household. This buffer is combined with a 10 kWhe battery and air source heat pump system. Compact thermal buffers of less than 1 GJ (typically volumes 0.5 - 1 m3) are possible when the installed wind-power is increased with a factor 5. In case of 15-fold of installed wind power compact heat storage devices compete with 1000 L water buffers. The conclusion is that compact heat storage systems can be of interest in the coming decades in combination with well-retrofitted low energy residences based on the current trends of installed renewable energy power.

Keywords: compact thermal storage, thermochemical material, built environment, renewable energy

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Authors: Yuchen Yang, Zhenming Wang, Jun Zhu, Ning Zhao

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An easy-to-implement and robust finite volume multi-resolution Weighted Essentially Non-Oscillatory (WENO) scheme is proposed on adaptive cartesian grids in this paper. Such a multi-resolution WENO scheme is combined with the ghost cell immersed boundary method (IBM) and wall-function technique to solve Navier-Stokes equations. Unlike the k-exact finite volume WENO schemes which involve large amounts of extra storage, repeatedly solving the matrix generated in a least-square method or the process of calculating optimal linear weights on adaptive cartesian grids, the present methodology only adds very small overhead and can be easily implemented in existing edge-based computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes with minor modifications. Also, the linear weights of this adaptive finite volume multi-resolution WENO scheme can be any positive numbers on condition that their sum is one. It is a way of bypassing the calculation of the optimal linear weights and such a multi-resolution WENO scheme avoids dealing with the negative linear weights on adaptive cartesian grids. Some benchmark viscous problems are numerical solved to show the efficiency and good performance of this adaptive multi-resolution WENO scheme. Compared with a second-order edge-based method, the presented method can be implemented into an adaptive cartesian grid with slight modification for big Reynolds number problems.

Keywords: adaptive mesh refinement method, finite volume multi-resolution WENO scheme, immersed boundary method, wall-function technique.

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Authors: Oliver Chunho Ma, Tszying Chang

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Background: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been widely used in the treatment of eczema. However, there is currently a lack of comprehensive research on the overall effectiveness of TCM in treating eczema, particularly using the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) score as an evaluation tool. Meta-analysis can integrate the results of multiple studies to provide more convincing evidence. Objective: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis based on the EASI score to evaluate the overall effectiveness of TCM in the treatment of eczema. Specifically, the study will review and analyze published clinical studies that investigate TCM treatments for eczema and use the EASI score as an outcome measure, comparing the differences in improving the severity of eczema between TCM and other treatment modalities, such as conventional Western medicine treatments. Methods: Relevant studies, including randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized controlled trials, that involve TCM treatment for eczema and use the EASI score as an outcome measure will be searched in medical literature databases such as PubMed, CNKI, etc. Relevant data will be extracted from the selected studies, including study design, sample size, treatment methods, improvement in EASI score, etc. The methodological quality and risk of bias of the included studies will be assessed using appropriate evaluation tools (such as the Cochrane Handbook). The results of the selected studies will be statistically analyzed, including pooling effect sizes (such as standardized mean differences, relative risks, etc.), subgroup analysis (e.g., different TCM syndromes, different treatment modalities), and sensitivity analysis (e.g., excluding low-quality studies). Based on the results of the statistical analysis and quality assessment, the overall effectiveness of TCM in improving the severity of eczema will be interpreted. Expected outcomes: By integrating the results of multiple studies, we expect to provide more convincing evidence regarding the specific effects of TCM in improving the severity of eczema. Additionally, subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis can further elucidate whether the effectiveness of TCM treatment is influenced by different factors. Besides, we will compare the results of the meta-analysis with the clinical data from our clinic. For both the clinical data and the meta-analysis results, we will perform descriptive statistics such as means, standard deviations, percentages, etc. and compare the differences between the two using statistical tests such as independent samples t-test or non-parametric tests to assess the statistical differences between them.

Keywords: Eczema, traditional Chinese medicine, EASI, systematic review, meta-analysis

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Authors: S. A. N. Danushka, T. A. Weerasinghe

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The diverse necessities of instruction could be addressed effectively with the support of new dimensions of ICT integrated learning such as blended learning –which is a combination of face-to-face and online instruction which ensures greater flexibility in student learning and congruity of course delivery. As blended learning has been the ‘new normality' in education, many experimental and quasi-experimental research studies provide ample of evidence on its successful implementation in many fields of studies, but it is hard to justify whether blended learning could work similarly in the delivery of technology-teacher development programmes (TTDPs). The present study is bound with the particular research uncertainty, and having considered existing research approaches, the study methodology was set to decide the efficient instructional strategies for flipped classroom learning in TTDPs. In a quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test design with a mix-method research approach, the major study objective was tested with two heterogeneous samples (N=135) identified in a virtual learning environment in a Sri Lankan university. Non-randomized informal ‘before-and-after without control group’ design was employed, and two data collection methods, identical pre-test and post-test and Likert-scale questionnaires were used in the study. Selected two instructional strategies, self-directed learning (SDL) and self-regulated learning (SRL), were tested in an appropriate instructional framework with two heterogeneous samples (pre-service and in-service teachers). Data were statistically analyzed, and an efficient instructional strategy was decided via t-test, ANOVA, ANCOVA. The effectiveness of the two instructional strategy implementation models was decided via multiple linear regression analysis. ANOVA (p < 0.05) shows that age, prior-educational qualifications, gender, and work-experiences do not impact on learning achievements of the two diverse groups of learners through the instructional strategy is changed. ANCOVA (p < 0.05) analysis shows that SDL is efficient for two diverse groups of technology-teachers than SRL. Multiple linear regression (p < 0.05) analysis shows that the staged self-directed learning (SSDL) model and four-phased model of motivated self-regulated learning (COPES Model) are efficient in the delivery of course content in flipped classroom learning.

Keywords: COPES model, flipped classroom learning, self-directed learning, self-regulated learning, SSDL model

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Authors: Po-Jung Huang, Chi-Ching Lee, Bertrand Chin-Ming Tan, Yuan-Ming Yeh, Julie Lichieh Chu, Tin-Wen Chen, Cheng-Yang Lee, Ruei-Chi Gan, Hsuan Liu, Petrus Tang

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Whole-exome sequencing focuses on the protein coding regions of disease/cancer associated genes based on a priori knowledge is the most cost-effective method to study the association between genetic alterations and disease. Recent advances in high throughput sequencing technologies and proteomic techniques has provided an opportunity to integrate genomics and proteomics, allowing readily detectable mutated peptides corresponding to mutated genes. Since sequence database search is the most widely used method for protein identification using Mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics technology, a mutant proteome database is required to better approximate the real protein pool to improve disease-associated mutated protein identification. Large-scale whole exome/genome sequencing studies were launched by National Cancer Institute (NCI), Broad Institute, and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), which provide not only a comprehensive report on the analysis of coding variants in diverse samples cell lines but a invaluable resource for extensive research community. No existing database is available for the collection of mutant protein sequences related to the identified variants in these studies. CMPD is designed to address this issue, serving as a bridge between genomic data and proteomic studies and focusing on protein sequence-altering variations originated from both germline and cancer-associated somatic variations.

Keywords: TCGA, cancer, mutant, proteome

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Authors: Ahmed Yousef A. Al Sultan

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Introduction: The aim of this review is based on clinical research that studies the changes in middle cerebral artery velocity using Transcranial Doppler (TCD) and cerebral oxygen saturation using cerebral oximetry in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA) surgery under local anesthesia (LA). Patients with or without neurological symptoms during the surgery are taking a role in this study using triplet method of cerebral oximetry, transcranial doppler and awake test in detecting any cerebral ischemic symptoms. Methods: about one hundred patients took part during their CEA surgeries under local anesthesia, using triple assessment mentioned method, Patients requiring general anesthesia be excluded from analysis. All data were recorded at eight surgery stages separately to serve this study. Results: In total regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2), middle cerebral artery (MCA) velocity, and pulsatility index were significantly decreased during carotid artery clamping step in CEA procedures on the targeted carotid side. With most observed changes in MCA velocity during the study. Discussion: Cerebral oxygen saturation and middle cerebral artery velocity were significantly decreased during clamping step of the procedures on the targeted side. The team with neurological symptoms during the procedures showed higher changes of rSO2 and MCA velocity than the team without neurological symptoms. Cerebral rSO2 and MCA velocity significantly increased directly after de-clamping of the internal carotid artery on the affected side.

Keywords: awake testing, carotid endarterectomy, cerebral oximetry, Tanscranial Doppler

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Authors: Zichao Zhang, Yifan Zhao, Samuel Court

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The carbon emission problem of the traditional construction industry has long been a pressing issue. With the growing emphasis on environmental protection and advancement of science and technology, the organic integration of digital technology and emission reduction has gradually become a mainstream solution. Among various sophisticated digital technologies, digital twins, which involve creating virtual replicas of physical systems or objects, have gained enormous attention in recent years as tools to improve productivity, optimize management and reduce carbon emissions. However, the relatively high implementation costs including finances, time, and manpower associated with digital twins have limited their widespread adoption. As a result, most of the current applications are primarily concentrated within a few industries. In addition, the creation of digital twins relies on a large amount of data and requires designers to possess exceptional skills in information collection, organization, and analysis. Unfortunately, these capabilities are often lacking in the traditional construction industry. Furthermore, as a relatively new concept, digital twins have different expressions and usage methods across different industries. This lack of standardized practices poses a challenge in creating a high-quality digital twin framework for construction. This paper firstly reviews the current academic studies and industrial practices focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the construction industry using digital twins. Additionally, it identifies the challenges that may be encountered during the design and implementation of a digital twin framework specific to this industry and proposes potential directions for future research. This study shows that digital twins possess substantial potential and significance in enhancing the working environment within the traditional construction industry, particularly in their ability to support decision-making processes. It proves that digital twins can improve the work efficiency and energy utilization of related machinery while helping this industry save energy and reduce emissions. This work will help scholars in this field to better understand the relationship between digital twins and energy conservation and emission reduction, and it also serves as a conceptual reference for practitioners to implement related technologies.

Keywords: digital twins, emission reduction, construction industry, energy saving, life cycle, sustainability

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Authors: D. Hammad, D. P. Tonge

Abstract:

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a disabling and common autoimmune disease during which the body's immune system attacks healthy tissues. This results in complicated and long-lasting actions being carried out by the immune system, which typically only occurs when the immune system encounters a foreign object. In the case of RA, the disease affects millions of people and causes joint inflammation, ultimately leading to the destruction of cartilage and bone. Interestingly, the disease mechanism still remains unclear. It is likely that RA occurs as a result of a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors including an imbalance in the microorganism population inside our body. The human microbiome or microbiota is an extensive community of microorganisms in and on the bodies of animals, which comprises bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa. Recently, the development of molecular techniques to characterize entire bacterial communities has renewed interest in the involvement of the microbiome in the development and progression of RA. We believe that an imbalance in some of the specific bacterial species in the gut, mouth and other sites may lead to atopobiosis; the translocation of these organisms into the blood, and that this may lead to changes in immune system status. The aim of this study was, therefore, to characterize the microbiome of RA serum samples in comparison to healthy control subjects using 16S rRNA gene amplification and sequencing. Serum samples were obtained from healthy control volunteers and from patients with RA both prior to, and following treatment. The bacterial community present in each sample was identified utilizing V4 region 16S rRNA amplification and sequencing. Bacterial identification, to the lowest taxonomic rank, was performed using a range of bioinformatics tools. Significantly, the proportions of the Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Halmonadaceae families were significantly increased in the serum of RA patients compared with healthy control serum. Furthermore, the abundance of Bacteroides and Lachnospiraceae nk4a136_group, Lachnospiraceae_UGC-001, RuminococcaceaeUCG-014, Rumnococcus-1, and Shewanella was also raised in the serum of RA patients relative to healthy control serum. These data support the notion of a blood microbiome and reveal RA-associated changes that may have significant implications for biomarker development and may present much-needed opportunities for novel therapeutic development.

Keywords: blood microbiome, gut and oral bacteria, Rheumatoid arthritis, 16S rRNA gene sequencing

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Authors: Kedar Nath Nepal, Dyutiman Choudhary, Naba Raj Pandit, Yam Gahire

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Crop fertilizer recommendations are outdated as these are based on the response trails conducted over half a century ago. Further, these recommendations were based on the response trials conducted over large geographical area ignoring the large spatial variability in indigenous nutrient supplying capacity of soils typical of most smallholder systems. Application of fertilizer following such blanket recommendation in fields with varying native nutrient supply capacity leads to under application in some places and over application in others leading to reduced nutrient-use-efficiency (NUE), loss of profitability, and increased environmental risks associated with loss of unutilized nutrient through emissions or leaching. Opportunities exist to further increase yield and profitability through a significant gain in fertilizer use efficiency with commercialization of affordable and precise application technologies. We conducted participatory trails in Maize (Zea Mays), Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) and Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) in Mid Hills of Nepal to evaluate the efficacy of Urea Deep Placement (UDP and Polymer Coated Urea (PCU);. UDP contains 46% of N having individual briquette size 2.7 gm each and PCU contains 44% of N . Both PCU and urea briquette applied at reduced amount (100 kg N/ha) during planting produced similar yields (p>0.05) compared with regular urea (200 Kg N/ha). . These fertilizers also reduced N fertilizer by 35 - 50% over government blanket recommendations. Further, PCU and urea briquette increased farmer’s net income by USD 60 to 80.

Keywords: high efficiency fertilizers, urea deep placement, briquette polymer coated urea, zea mays, brassica, lycopersicum, Nepal

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Authors: Ashneel Ajay Singh, Naoki Suzuki, Kazumi Sakuramoto,

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The North Pacific albacore (Thunnus alalunga) is a temperate tuna species distributed in the North Pacific which is of significant economic importance to the Pacific Island Nations and Territories. Despite its importance, the stock dynamics and ecological characteristics of albacore still, have gaps in knowledge. The stock-recruitment relationship of the North Pacific stock of albacore tuna was investigated for different density-dependent effects and a regime shift in the stock characteristics in response to changes in environmental and climatic conditions. Linear regression analysis for recruit per spawning biomass (RPS) and recruitment (R) against the female spawning stock biomass (SSB) were significant for the presence of different density-dependent effects and positive for a regime shift in the stock time series. Application of Deming regression to RPS against SSB with the assumption for the presence of observation and process errors in both the dependent and independent variables confirmed the results of simple regression. However, R against SSB results disagreed given variance level of < 3 and agreed with linear regression results given the assumption of variance ≥ 3. Assuming the presence of different density-dependent effects in the albacore tuna time series, environmental and climatic condition variables were compared with R, RPS, and SSB. The significant relationship of R, RPS and SSB were determined with the sea surface temperature (SST), Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and multivariate El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) with SST being the principal variable exhibiting significantly similar trend with R and RPS. Recruitment is significantly influenced by the dynamics of the SSB as well as environmental conditions which demonstrates that the stock-recruitment relationship is multidimensional. Further investigation of the North Pacific albacore tuna age-class and structure is necessary for further support the results presented here. It is important for fishery managers and decision makers to be vigilant of regime shifts in environmental conditions relating to albacore tuna as it may possibly cause regime shifts in the albacore R and RPS which should be taken into account to effectively and sustainability formulate harvesting plans and management of the species in the North Pacific oceanic region.

Keywords: Albacore tuna, Thunnus alalunga, recruitment, spawning stock biomass, recruits per spawning biomass, sea surface temperature, pacific decadal oscillation, El Niño southern oscillation, density-dependent effects, regime shift

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Authors: Elad Vashdi

Abstract:

It is common to find speech deficit among children diagnosed with Autism. It can be found in the clinical field and recently in research. One of the DSM-V criteria suggests a speech delay (Delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language), but doesn't explain the cause of it. A common perception among professionals and families is that the inability to talk results from the autism. Autism is a name for a syndrome which just describes a phenomenon and is defined behaviorally. Since it is not based yet on a physiological gold standard, one can not conclude the nature of a deficit based on the name of the syndrome. A wide retrospective research (n=270) which included children with motor speech difficulties was conducted in Israel. The study analyzed entry evaluations in a private clinic during the years 2006-2013. The data was extracted from the reports. High percentage of children diagnosed with Autism (60%) was found. This result demonstrates the high relationship between Autism and motor speech problem. It also supports recent findings in research of Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) occurrence among children with ASD. Only small percentage of the participants in this research (10%) were diagnosed with CAS even though their verbal deficits well fitted the guidelines for CAS diagnosis set by ASHA in 2007. This fact raises questions regarding the diagnostic procedure in Israel. The understanding that CAS might highly exist within Autism and can have a remarkable influence on the course of early development should be a guiding tool within the diagnosis procedure. CAS can explain the nature of the speech problem among some of the autistic children and guide the treatment in a more accurate way. Calculating the prevalence of CAS which includes the comorbidity with ASD reveals new numbers and suggests treating differently the CAS population.

Keywords: childhood apraxia of speech, Autism, treatment, speech

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Authors: Ezra Kavana

Abstract:

This article analyses the role those East African countries play in enforcing crude oil pipeline regulations. The paper finds that countries are more likely to have responsibility for enforcing these regulations if they have larger networks of gathering and transmission lines and if their citizens are more liberal and more pro-environment., Pipeline operations, transportation costs, new pipeline construction, and environmental effects are all heavily controlled. All facets of pipeline systems and the facilities connected to them are governed by statutory bodies. In order to support the project manager on such new pipeline projects, companies building and running these pipelines typically include personnel and consultants who specialize in these permitting processes. The primary permissions that can be necessary for pipelines carrying different commodities are mentioned in this paper. National, regional, and local municipalities each have their own permits. Through their right-of-way group, the contractor's project compliance leadership is typically directly responsible for obtaining those permits, which are typically obtained through government agencies. The whole list of local permits needed for a planned pipeline can only be found after a careful field investigation. A country's government regulates pipelines that are entirely within its borders. With a few exceptions, state regulations governing ratemaking and safety have been enacted to be consistent with regulatory requirements. Countries that produce a lot of energy are typically more involved in regulating pipelines than countries that produce little to no energy. To identify the proper regulatory authority, it is important to research the several government agencies that regulate pipeline transportation. Additionally, it's crucial that the scope determination of a planned project engage with a various external professional with experience in linear facilities or the company's pipeline construction and environmental professional to identify and obtain any necessary design clearances, permits, or approvals. These professionals can offer precise estimations of the costs and length of time needed to process necessary permits. Governments with a stronger energy sector, on the other hand, are less likely to take on control. However, the performance of the pipeline or national enforcement activities are unaffected significantly by whether a government has taken on control. Financial fines are the most efficient government enforcement instrument because they greatly reduce occurrences and property damage.

Keywords: crude oil, pipeline, regulatory compliance, and construction permits

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Authors: Hossein Ramezani Ali-Akbari

Abstract:

This paper presents an innovative method to control the rotational speed of a satellite solar panel during its deployment phase. A brushed DC motor has been utilized in the passive spring driven deployment mechanism to reduce the deployment speed. In order to use the DC motor as a damper, its connector terminals have been connected with an external resistance in a closed circuit. It means that, in this approach, there is no external power supply in the circuit. The working principle of this method is based on the back electromotive force (or back EMF) of the DC motor when an external torque (here the torque produced by the torsional springs) is coupled to the DC motor’s shaft. In fact, the DC motor converts to an electric generator and the current flows into the circuit and then produces the back EMF. Based on Lenz’s law, the generated current produced a torque which acts opposite to the applied external torque, and as a result, the deployment speed of the solar panel decreases. The main advantage of this method is to set an intended damping coefficient to the system via changing the external resistance. To produce the sufficient current, a gearbox has been assembled to the DC motor which magnifies the number of turns experienced by the DC motor. The coupled electro-mechanical equations of the system have been derived and solved, then, the obtained results have been presented. A full-scale prototype of the deployment mechanism has been built and tested. The potential application of brushed DC motors as a rotational speed damper has been successfully demonstrated.

Keywords: back electromotive force, brushed DC motor, rotational speed damper, satellite solar panel deployment mechanism

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Authors: Tibor Ajtai, Máté Pintér, Noémi Utry, Gergely Kiss-Albert, Andrea Palágyi, László Manczinger, Csaba Vágvölgyi, Gábor Szabó, Zoltán Bozóki

Abstract:

According to the best knowledge of the authors, here we experimentally demonstrate first, a quantified correlation between the real-time measured optical feature of the ambient and the off-line measured toxicity data. Finally, using these correlations we are presenting a novel methodology for real time characterisation of ambient toxicity based on the multi wavelength aerosol phase photoacoustic measurement. Ambient carbonaceous particulate matter is one of the most intensively studied atmospheric constituent in climate science nowadays. Beyond their climatic impact, atmospheric soot also plays an important role as an air pollutant that harms human health. Moreover, according to the latest scientific assessments ambient soot is the second most important anthropogenic emission source, while in health aspect its being one of the most harmful atmospheric constituents as well. Despite of its importance, generally accepted standard methodology for the quantitative determination of ambient toxicology is not available yet. Dominantly, ambient toxicology measurement is based on the posterior analysis of filter accumulated aerosol with limited time resolution. Most of the toxicological studies are based on operational definitions using different measurement protocols therefore the comprehensive analysis of the existing data set is really limited in many cases. The situation is further complicated by the fact that even during its relatively short residence time the physicochemical features of the aerosol can be masked significantly by the actual ambient factors. Therefore, decreasing the time resolution of the existing methodology and developing real-time methodology for air quality monitoring are really actual issues in the air pollution research. During the last decades many experimental studies have verified that there is a relation between the chemical composition and the absorption feature quantified by Absorption Angström Exponent (AAE) of the carbonaceous particulate matter. Although the scientific community are in the common platform that the PhotoAcoustic Spectroscopy (PAS) is the only methodology that can measure the light absorption by aerosol with accurate and reliable way so far, the multi-wavelength PAS which are able to selectively characterise the wavelength dependency of absorption has become only available in the last decade. In this study, the first results of the intensive measurement campaign focusing the physicochemical and toxicological characterisation of ambient particulate matter are presented. Here we demonstrate the complete microphysical characterisation of winter time urban ambient including optical absorption and scattering as well as size distribution using our recently developed state of the art multi-wavelength photoacoustic instrument (4λ-PAS), integrating nephelometer (Aurora 3000) as well as single mobility particle sizer and optical particle counter (SMPS+C). Beyond this on-line characterisation of the ambient, we also demonstrate the results of the eco-, cyto- and genotoxicity measurements of ambient aerosol based on the posterior analysis of filter accumulated aerosol with 6h time resolution. We demonstrate a diurnal variation of toxicities and AAE data deduced directly from the multi-wavelength absorption measurement results.

Keywords: photoacoustic spectroscopy, absorption Angström exponent, toxicity, Ames-test

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Authors: Ibrahim Aly, Manal Ahmed, Mahmoud M. El-Shall

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Filariasis is a parasitic disease caused by small roundworms. The filarial worms are transmitted and spread by blood-feeding black flies and mosquitoes. Lymphatic filariasis (Elephantiasis) is caused by Wuchereriabancrofti, Brugiamalayi, and Brugiatimori. Elimination of Lymphatic filariasis necessitates an increasing demand for valid, reliable, and rapid diagnostic kits. Nanodiagnostics involve the use of nanotechnology in clinical diagnosis to meet the demands for increased sensitivity, specificity, and early detection in less time. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nano-based enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and novel nano-chip card as a rapid test for detection of filarial antigen in serum samples of human filariasis in comparison with traditional -ELISA. Serum samples were collected from an infected human with filarial gathered across Egypt's governorates. After receiving informed consenta total of 45 blood samples of infected individuals residing in different villages in Gharbea governorate, which isa nonendemic region for bancroftianfilariasis, healthy persons living in nonendemic locations (20 persons), as well as sera from 20 other parasites, affected patients were collected. The microfilaria was checked in thick smears of 20 µl night blood samples collected during 20-22 hrs. All of these individuals underwent the following procedures: history taking, clinical examination, and laboratory investigations, which included examination of blood samples for microfilaria using thick blood film and serological tests for detection of the circulating filarial antigen using polyclonal antibody- ELISA, nano-based ELISA, and nano-chip card. In the present study, a recently reported polyoclonal antibody specific to tegumental filarial antigen was used in developing nano-chip card and nano-ELISA compared to traditional ELISA for the detection of circulating filarial antigen in sera of patients with bancroftianfilariasis. The performance of the ELISA was evaluated using 45 serum samples. The ELISA was positive with sera from microfilaremicbancroftianfilariasis patients (n = 36) with a sensitivity of 80 %. Circulating filarial antigen was detected in 39/45 patients who were positive for circulating filarial antigen using nano-ELISA with a sensitivity of 86.6 %. On the other hand, 42 out of 45 patients were positive for circulating filarial antigen using nano-chip card with a sensitivity of 93.3%.In conclusion, using a novel nano-chip assay could potentially be a promising alternative antigen detection test for bancroftianfilariasis.

Keywords: lymphatic filariasis, nanotechnology, rapid diagnosis, elisa technique

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Authors: Lin Dong, Fei Shi

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Based on the railway network and the principles of space syntax, the study attempts to reconstruct the spatial relationship of the passenger network connections from space and time perspective. According to the travel time data of main stations in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration obtained by the Internet, the topological drawing of railway network under different time sections is constructed. With the comprehensive index composed of connection and integration, the accessibility and network operation efficiency of the railway network in different time periods is calculated, while the fairness of the network is analyzed by the fairness indicators constructed with the integration and location entropy from the perspective of horizontal and vertical fairness respectively. From the analysis of the efficiency and fairness of the railway passenger transport network, the study finds: (1) There is a strong regularity in regional system accessibility change; (2) The problems of efficiency and fairness are different in different time periods; (3) The improvement of efficiency will lead to the decline of horizontal fairness to a certain extent, while from the perspective of vertical fairness, the supply-demand situation has changed smoothly with time; (4) The network connection efficiency of Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions is higher than that of the western regions such as Anqing and Chizhou; (5) The marginalization of Nantong, Yancheng, Yangzhou, Taizhou is obvious. The study explores the application of spatial syntactic theory in regional traffic analysis, in order to provide a reference for the development of urban agglomeration transportation network.

Keywords: spatial syntax, the Yangtze River Delta, railway passenger time, efficiency and fairness

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Authors: Oum Elkhir Mahmoudi, Nebiha Ben Haj Ali

Abstract:

Micropaleontological, sedimentological and statistical studies were carried out on the late Paleocene-early Eocene succession of Sra Ouertaine and Dyr El Kef in Northern open phosphatic Basin of Tunisia. Based on the abundance and stratigraphic distribution of planktic foraminiferal species, five planktic zones have been recognized from the base to the top of the phosphatic layers. The El Acarinina sibaiyaensis Zone, the E2 Pseudohastigerina wilcoxensis Zone, the E3 Morozovella marginodentata Zone, the E4 Morozovella formosa Zones and the E5 Morozovella subbotinae Zone. The placement of Paleocene-Eocene boundary (PETM) is just below the base of the phosphatic interval. The ETM-2 event may be detectable in the analyzed biotic record of Sra Ouertaine. Based on benthic assemblages, abundances, cluster and multivariate statistical analyses, two biofacies were recognized for each section. The recognized ecozones are typical of warm and shallow water inner neritic setting (dominance of epifaunal fauna Anomalinoides, Dentalina and Cibicidoides associated with Frondicularia phosphatica, Trochamminoides globigeriniformis and Eponides elevatus). The paleoenvironment is eutrophic (presence of several bolivinitids and verneuilinids). For the Dyr El Kef section and P5 and E2 of Sra Ouertaine section, our records indicate that paleoenvironment is influenced by coastal upwelling without oxygen-deficiency, the paleodepth is estimated to be around 50 m. The paleoecosystem is diversified and balanced with a general tendency to stressed condition. While the upper part of Sra Ouertaine section is more eutrophic, influenced by coastal upwelling with oxygen-deficiency, the paleodepth is estimated to be less than 50 m and the ecosystem is unsettled.

Keywords: Tunisia, Sra ouertaine Dyr el kef, early Eocene, foraminifera, chronostratigraphy, paleoecology, paleoenvironment

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