Search results for: eccentric connectivity index

Authors: Riza Adriyani, Tommy Apriantono, Suprijanto

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Objective: Several studies have revealed that flatfoot posture has some effect on altered lower limb muscle function, in comparison to normal foot posture. There were still limited studies to examine the effect of fatigue on flatfoot posture in children. Therefore, this study was aimed to find out jumping fatiguing effect on static balance and to compare lower limb muscle function between flatfoot and normal foot in school children. Methods: Thirty junior high school children aged 12 to 14 years took part in this study. Of these all children, 15 had the normal foot (8 males and 7 females) and 15 had flatfoot (6 males and 9 females). Foot posture was classified based on an arch index of the footprint by a foot scanner which calculated the data using AUTOCAD 2013 software. Surface electromyography (EMG) activity was recorded from tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius medialis, and peroneus longus muscles while those participants were standing on one leg barefoot with opened eyes. All participants completed the entire protocol (pre-fatigue data collection, fatigue protocol, and post fatigue data collection) in a single session. Static balance and electromyographic data were collected before and after a functional fatigue protocol. Results: School children with normal foot had arch index 0.25±0.01 whereas those with flatfoot had 0.36±0.01. In fact, there were no significant differences for anthropometric characteristics between children with flatfoot and normal foot. This statistical analysis showed that fatigue could influence static balance in flatfoot school children (p < 0.05), but not in normal foot school children. Based on electromyographic data, the statistical analysis showed that there were significant differences (p < 0.05) of the decreased median frequency on tibialis anterior in flatfoot compared to normal foot school children after fatigue. However, there were no significant differences on the median frequency of gastrocnemius medialis and peroneus longus between both groups. After fatigue, median frequency timing was significantly different (p < 0.05) on tibialis anterior in flatfoot compared to normal foot children and tended to appear earlier on tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius medialis and peroneus longus (at 7s, 8s, 9s) in flatfoot compared to normal foot (at 15s, 11s , 12s). Conclusion: Fatigue influenced static balance and tended to appear earlier on selected lower limb muscles while performing static balance in flatfoot school children. After fatigue, tremor (median frequency decreased) showed more significant differences on tibialis anterior in flatfoot rather than in normal foot school children.

Keywords: fatigue, foot postures, median frequency, static balance

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Authors: Yo-Seph Byun, Gyu-Phil Lee, Young-Bin Park, Gye-Chun Cho, Seong-Won Lee

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In Korea, a study on Limit State Design (LSD) for underground structures is being conducted in order to perform more effective design. In this study, as a result of MCS (Monte-Carlo Simulation) technique, failure probabilities of the structure during normal and earthquake are estimated in reliability analysis. Target reliability indexes are determined depending on load combinations for underground structure, and then, design variables such as load and material factors in LSD are decided. As a result, through the research in order to determine more reliable design variables, a specification of LSD for underground structures is able to be developed.

Keywords: design variable, limit state design, target reliability index, underground structure

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Authors: Mehdi Janbaz

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The global financial crisis and the credit crunch that followed magnified the importance of credit risk management and its crucial role in the stability of all financial sectors and the whole of the system. Many believe that risks faced by the sovereign sector are highly interconnected with banking risks and most likely to trigger and reinforce each other. This study aims to examine (1) the impact of banking and interbank risk factors on the sovereign credit risk of Eurozone, and (2) how the EU Credit Default Swaps spreads dynamics are affected by the Crude Oil price fluctuations. The hypothesizes are tested by employing fitting risk measures and through a four-staged linear modeling approach. The sovereign senior 5-year Credit Default Swap spreads are used as a core measure of the credit risk. The monthly time-series data of the variables used in the study are gathered from the DataStream database for a period of 2008-2019. First, a linear model test the impact of regional macroeconomic and market-based factors (STOXX, VSTOXX, Oil, Sovereign Debt, and Slope) on the CDS spreads dynamics. Second, the bank-specific factors, including LIBOR-OIS spread (the difference between the Euro 3-month LIBOR rate and Euro 3-month overnight index swap rates) and Euribor, are added to the most significant factors of the previous model. Third, the global financial factors including EURO to USD Foreign Exchange Volatility, TED spread (the difference between 3-month T-bill and the 3-month LIBOR rate based in US dollars), and Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) Crude Oil Volatility Index are added to the major significant factors of the first two models. Finally, a model is generated by a combination of the major factor of each variable set in addition to the crisis dummy. The findings show that (1) the explanatory power of LIBOR-OIS on the sovereign CDS spread of Eurozone is very significant, and (2) there is a meaningful adverse co-movement between the Crude Oil price and CDS price of Eurozone. Surprisingly, adding TED spread (the difference between the three-month Treasury bill and the three-month LIBOR based in US dollars.) to the analysis and beside the LIBOR-OIS spread (the difference between the Euro 3M LIBOR and Euro 3M OIS) in third and fourth models has been increased the predicting power of LIBOR-OIS. Based on the results, LIBOR-OIS, Stoxx, TED spread, Slope, Oil price, OVX, FX volatility, and Euribor are the determinants of CDS spreads dynamics in Eurozone. Moreover, the positive impact of the crisis period on the creditworthiness of the Eurozone is meaningful.

Keywords: CDS, crude oil, interbank risk, LIBOR-OIS, OVX, sovereign credit risk, TED

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Authors: Kwa-Sur Tam, Byung O. Kang

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By using different ranges of daily sky clearness index defined in this paper, any day can be classified as a clear sky day, a partly cloudy day or a cloudy day. This paper demonstrates how short-term forecasting of solar irradiation can be improved by taking into consideration the type of day so defined. The source of day type dependency has been identified. Forecasting methods that take into consideration of day type have been developed and their efficacy have been established. While all methods that implement some form of adjustment to the cloud cover forecast provided by the U.S. National Weather Service provide accuracy improvement, methods that incorporate day type dependency provides even further improvement in forecast accuracy.

Keywords: day types, forecast methods, National Weather Service, sky cover, solar energy

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Authors: Sylvain Chardon, Timotéo Payre, Hugo Grardel, Yann Quentel, Mathieu Thomachot, Gérald Aigouy, Frank Claeyssen

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With the increasing digitalization of society, access to data has become vital and strategic for individuals and nations. In this context, the number of satellite constellation projects is growing drastically worldwide and is a next-generation challenge of the New Space industry. So far, existing satellite constellations have been using radio frequencies (RF) for satellite-to-ground communications, inter-satellite communications, and feeder link communication. However, RF has several limitations, such as limited bandwidth and low protection level. To address these limitations, space optical communication will be the new trend, addressing both very high-speed and secured encrypted communication. Fast Steering Mirrors (FSM) are key components used in optical communication as well as space imagery and for a large field of functions such as Point Ahead Mechanisms (PAM), Raster Scanning, Beam Steering Mirrors (BSM), Fine Pointing Mechanisms (FPM) and Line of Sight stabilization (LOS). The main challenges of space FSM development for optical communication are to propose both a technology and a supply chain relevant for high quantities New Space approach, which requires secured connectivity for high-speed internet, Earth planet observation and monitoring, and mobility applications. CTEC proposes a mini-FSM technology offering a stroke of +/-6 mrad and a resonant frequency of 1700 Hz, with a mass of 50 gr. This FSM mechanism is a good candidate for giant constellations and all applications on board NanoSats and CubeSats, featuring a very high level of miniaturization and optimized for New Space high quantities cost efficiency. The use of piezo actuators offers a high resonance frequency for optimal control, with almost zero power consumption in step and stay pointing, and with very high-reliability figures > 0,995 demonstrated over years of recurrent manufacturing for Optronics applications at CTEC.

Keywords: fast steering mirror, feeder link, line of sight stabilization, optical communication, pointing ahead mechanism, raster scan

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Authors: Amina Naidja, Zedira Khammar, Ines Soltani

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This study investigates the impact of urban development on the urban heat island (UHI) effect in the semi-arid Aures region of Algeria, integrating remote sensing data with statistical analysis and community surveys to examine the interconnected environmental and social dynamics. Using Landsat 8 satellite imagery, temporal variations in the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI), and land use/land cover (LULC) changes are analyzed to understand patterns of urbanization and environmental transformation. These environmental metrics are correlated with land surface temperature (LST) data derived from remote sensing to quantify the UHI effect. To incorporate the social dimension, a structured questionnaire survey is conducted among residents in selected urban areas. The survey assesses community perceptions of urban heat, its impacts on daily life, health concerns, and coping strategies. Statistical analysis is employed to analyze survey responses, identifying correlations between demographic factors, socioeconomic status, and perceived heat stress. Preliminary findings reveal significant correlations between built-up areas (NDBI) and higher LST, indicating the contribution of urbanization to local warming. Conversely, areas with higher vegetation cover (NDVI) exhibit lower LST, highlighting the cooling effect of green spaces. Social survey results provide insights into how UHI affects different demographic groups, with vulnerable populations experiencing greater heat-related challenges. By integrating remote sensing analysis with statistical modeling and community surveys, this study offers a comprehensive understanding of the environmental and social implications of urban development in semi-arid climates. The findings contribute to evidence-based urban planning strategies that prioritize environmental sustainability and social well-being. Future research should focus on policy recommendations and community engagement initiatives to mitigate UHI impacts and promote climate-resilient urban development.

Keywords: urban heat island, remote sensing, social analysis, NDVI, NDBI, LST, community perception

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Authors: Abiodun Olayinka, Daniel Dzidzienyo, Pangirayi Tongoona, Samuel Offei, Edwige Gaby Nkouaya Mbanjo, Chiedozie Egesi, Ismail Yusuf Rabbi

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Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a major source of starch for various industrial applications. However, the traditional cultivation and harvesting methods of cassava are labour-intensive and inefficient, limiting the supply of fresh cassava roots for industrial starch production. To achieve improved productivity and quality of fresh cassava roots through mechanized cultivation, cassava cultivars with compact plant architecture and moderate plant height are needed. Plant architecture-related traits, such as plant height, harvest index, stem diameter, branching angle, and lodging tolerance, are critical for crop productivity and suitability for mechanized cultivation. However, the genetics of cassava plant architecture remain poorly understood. This study aimed to identify the genetic bases of the relationships between plant architecture traits and productivity-related traits, particularly starch content. A panel of 453 clones developed at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Nigeria, was genotyped and phenotyped for 18 plant architecture and productivity-related traits at four locations in Nigeria. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted using the phenotypic data from a panel of 453 clones and 61,238 high-quality Diversity Arrays Technology sequencing (DArTseq) derived Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) markers that are evenly distributed across the cassava genome. Five significant associations between ten SNPs and three plant architecture component traits were identified through GWAS. We found five SNPs on chromosomes 6 and 16 that were significantly associated with shoot weight, harvest index, and total yield through genome-wide association mapping. We also discovered an essential candidate gene that is co-located with peak SNPs linked to these traits in M. esculenta. A review of the cassava reference genome v7.1 revealed that the SNP on chromosome 6 is in proximity to Manes.06G101600.1, a gene that regulates endodermal differentiation and root development in plants. The findings of this study provide insights into the genetic basis of plant architecture and yield in cassava. Cassava breeders could leverage this knowledge to optimize plant architecture and yield in cassava through marker-assisted selection and targeted manipulation of the candidate gene.

Keywords: manihot esculenta crantz, plant architecture, dartseq, snp markers, genome-wide association study

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Authors: Teris Cheung, Joyce Yuen Ting Lam, Kwan Hin Fong, Yuen Shan Ho, Tim Man Ho Li, Andy Choi-Yeung Tse, Cheng-Ta Li, Calvin Pak-Wing Cheng, Roland Beisteiner

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Transcranial pulse stimulation (TPS) is a non-intrusive brain stimulation technology that has been proven effective in older adults with mild neurocognitive disorders and adults with major depressive disorder. Given these robust evidences, TPS might be an adjunct treatment options in neuropsychiatric disorders, for example, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) – which is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in children. This trial aimed to investigate the effects of TPS on right temporoparietal junction, a key node for social cognition for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and to examine the association between TPS, executive functions and social functions. Design: This trial adopted a two-armed (verum TPS group vs. sham TPS group), double-blinded, randomized, sham-controlled design. Sampling: 32 subjects aged between 12 and 17, diagnosed with ASD were recruited. All subjects were computerized randomized into either verum TPS group or the sham TPS group on a 1:1 ratio. All subjects undertook functional MRI before and after the TPS interventions. Intervention: Six 30-min TPS sessions were administered to subjects in 2 weeks’ time on alternate days assessing neural connectivity changes. Baseline measurements and post-TPS evaluation of the ASD symptoms, executive functions, and social functions were conducted. Participants were followed up at 2-weeks, at 1-month and 3-month, assessing the short-and long-term sustainability of the TPS intervention. Data analysis: Generalized Estimating Equations with repeated measures were used to analyze the group and time difference. Missing data were managed by multiple imputations. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05. To our best knowledge, this is the first study evaluating the efficacy and safety of TPS among adolescents with ASD in Hong Kong and nationwide. Results emerging from this study will develop insight on whether TPS can be used as an adjunct treatment on ASD in neuroscience and clinical psychiatry. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT05408793.

Keywords: adolescents, autism spectrum disorder, neuromodulation, rct, transcranial pulse stimulation

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Authors: Shabbir Chowdhury

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A signal is broadened when it is gone through a channel, this phenomenon is known as dispersion. And dispersion is different for different wavelength. So bandwidth become limited. Research have tried to design an optical fiber with flattened dispersion to use more bandwidth and also for wavelength division multiplexing. In this paper, a single mode photonic crystal fiber with a flattened dispersion and less effective area has been proposed where silica is used as fiber materials. The effective dispersion varies from -1.996 to 0.1783 [ps/(nm-km)] for enter E-band to U-band. This fiber will take only 3.048 [micrometer^2] (for 1.75 micrometer wavelength). Silica is being used as the fiber material.

Keywords: photonic crystal fiber, dispersion, bandwidth, chromatic dispersion, effective dispersion, dispersion compensation, effective area, effective refractive index

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Authors: Flora Babongo, Valerie Chavez

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Inferring causality from observational data is one of the fundamental subjects, especially in quantitative finance. So far most of the papers analyze additive noise models with either linearity, nonlinearity or Gaussian noise. We fill in the gap by providing a nonlinear and non-gaussian causal multiplicative noise model that aims to distinguish the cause from the effect using a two steps method based on Bayesian additive models for location, scale and shape (BAMLSS) and on causal additive models (CAM). We have tested our method on simulated and real data and we reached an accuracy of 0.86 on average. As real data, we considered the causality between financial indices such as S&P 500, Nasdaq, CAC 40 and Nikkei, and companies' log-returns. Our results can be useful in inferring causality when the data is heteroskedastic or non-injective.

Keywords: causal inference, DAGs, BAMLSS, financial index

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Authors: Fawad Hussain, Saleh Abdullah Saleh, Mohammad Basir B Saud, Mohd Azwardi Md. Isa

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It is very important for a developing nation to develop their infrastursture on the prime priority because their infrastursture particularly their roads and transporation functions as a blood in the system. Almost 1.1 billion populations share the travel and transportation industry in India. On the other hand, the Pakistan transportation industry is also extensive and elevating about 170 million users of transportation. Indian and Pakistani specifically within bus industry have good interconnectivity within and between the urban and rural areas as well as connectivity between the two countries, which is dramatically helping the economic alleviation of both countries. Due to high economic instability, unemployment and poverty rate are among the reasons why both the governments are very committed and seriously taken further action to help boost their economy. They believe that any form of transportation development would play a vital role in the development of land, infrastructure which could indirectly support many other industries’ development, such as tourism, freighting and shipping businesses, just to mention a few. However, it seems that their previous transportation planning in the due course has failed to meet the fast growing demand. As with the spin of time, both the countries are looking forward for a reasonable, safe and economical long term solutions, which is from time to time keep appreciating and reacting according to other key economic drivers. Content analysis method and case study approach is used in this paper and secondary data from the bureau of statistic is used for case analysis. The paper centered on the mobility concerns of the lower and middle income people in India and Pakistan. The paper is aimed to highlight the weaknesses, opportunities and limitations resulting from low priority industry for government, which is making the either country's public suffer. The paper has concluded that the main issue is identified as the slow, inappropriate and unfavorable decisions which are not in favor of long term country’s economic development and public welfare as well as interest. The paper also recommends to future market sense public and private transportation, which has failed to meet the public expectations.

Keywords: bus transportation industries, transportation demand, government parallel initiatives, road and traffic congestions

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Authors: R. Dimitri Halley

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The research within Jungian Psychology presented here is on the wave state of Self. What has been discovered via shared dreaming, independently correlating dreams across dreamers, is beyond the Self stage into the deepest layer or the wave state Self: the very quantum ocean, the Self archetype is embedded in. A quantum wave or rhyming of meaning constituting synergy across several dreamers was discovered in dreams and in extensively shared dream work with small groups at a post therapy stage. Within the format of shared dreaming, we find synergy patterns beyond what Jung called the Self archetype. Jung led us up to the phase of Individuation and delivered the baton to Von Franz to work out the next synchronistic stage, here proposed as the finding of the quantum patterns making up the wave state of Self. These enfolded synchronistic patterns have been found in group format of shared dreaming of individuals approximating individuation, and the unfolding of it is carried by belief and faith. The reason for this format and operating system is because beyond therapy and of living reality, we find no science – no thinking or even awareness in the therapeutic sense – but rather a state of mental processing resembling more like that of spiritual attitude. Thinking as such is linear and cannot contain the deepest layer of Self, the quantum core of the human being. It is self reflection which is the container for the process at the wave state of Self. Observation locks us in an outside-in reactive flow from a first-person perspective and hence toward the surface we see to believe, whereas here, the direction of focus shifts to inside out/intrinsic. The operating system or language at the wave level of Self is thus belief and synchronicity. Belief has up to now been almost the sole province of organized religions but was viewed by Jung as an inherent property in the process of Individuation. The shared dreaming stage of the synchronistic patterns forms a larger story constituting a deep connectivity unfolding around individual Selves. Dreams of independent dreamers form larger patterns that come together as puzzles forming a larger story, and in this sense, this group work level builds on Jung as a post individuation collective stage. Shared dream correlations will be presented, illustrating a larger story in terms of trails of shared synchronicity.

Keywords: belief, shared dreaming, synchronistic patterns, wave state of self

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Authors: Joanna Nieżurawska, Hanna Karaszewska, Anna Dziadkiewicz

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Contemporary conditions force companies to constantly implement changes and improvements, which is connected with plasticization of their activity in all spheres. Cafeteria systems are a good example of flexible remuneration systems. Cafeteria systems are well-known and often used in the United States, Great Britain and in Western Europe. In Poland, they are hardly ever used and greater flexibility in remuneration packages refers mainly to senior managers and executives. The main aim of this article is to research the attractiveness of the cafeteria system as viewed by generation Z. The additional aim of the article is to prioritize using the importance index of particular types of cafeteria systems from the generation Z’s perspective, as well as to identify the factors which determine the development of cafeteria systems in Poland. The research was conducted in June 2015 among 185 young employees (generation Z). The paper presents some of the results.

Keywords: cafeteria, generation X, generation Y, generation Z, flexible remuneration systems, plasticization of remuneration

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Authors: Muge Unal, Cengiz Uslu, Mehmet Faruk Altunkasa

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Walkability relates to the ability of the places to connect people with varied destinations within a reasonable amount of time and effort, and to offer visual interest in journeys throughout the network. So, the good quality of the physical environment and arrangement of walkway and sidewalk appear to be more crucial in influencing the pedestrian route choice. Also, proximity, connectivity, and accessibility are significant factor for walkability in terms of an equal opportunity for using public spaces. As a result, there are two important points for walkability. Firstly, the place should have a well-planned street network for accessible and secondly facilitate the pedestrian need for comfort. In this respect, this study aims to examine the both physical and bioclimatic comfort levels of the current condition of pedestrian route with reference to design criteria of a street to access the urban green spaces. These aspects have been identified as the main indicators for walkable streets such as continuity, materials, slope, bioclimatic condition, walkway width, greenery, and surface. Additionally, the aim was to identify the factors that need to be considered in future guidelines and policies for planning and design in urban spaces especially streets. Adana city was chosen as a study area. Adana is a province of Turkey located in south-central Anatolia. This study workflow can be summarized in four stages: (1) environmental and physical data were collected by referred to literature and used in a weighted criteria method to determine the importance level of these data , (2) environmental characteristics of pedestrian routes gained from survey studies are evaluated to hierarchies these criteria of the collected information, (3) and then each pedestrian routes will have a score that provides comfortable access to the park, (4) finally, the comfortable routes to park will be mapped using GIS. It is hoped that this study will provide an insight into future development planning and design to create a friendly and more comfort street environment for the users.

Keywords: comfort level, geographical information system (GIS), walkability, weighted criteria method

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Authors: Arabi Nour El Houda, Iratni Aicha, Talaighil Razika, Bruno Capoen, Mohamed Bouazaoui

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TiO2 thin films have been prepared by the sol-gel dip-coating technique in order to elaborate antireflective thin films for monocrystalline silicon (mono-Si). The titanium isopropoxyde was chosen as a precursor with hydrochloric acid as a catalyser for preparing a stable solution. The optical properties have been tailored with varying the solution concentration, the withdrawn speed, and the heat-treatment. We showed that using a TiO2 single layer with 64.5 nm in thickness, heat-treated at 450°C or 300°C reduces the mono-Si reflection at a level lower than 3% over the broadband spectral do mains [669-834] nm and [786-1006] nm respectively. Those latter performances are similar to the ones obtained with double layers of low and high refractive index glasses respectively.

Keywords: thin film, dip-coating, mono-crystalline silicon, titanium oxide

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Authors: Srinivasa Rao Gadde

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In this article, we considered a group acceptance sampling plans for exponentiated half logistic distribution when the life-test is truncated at a pre-specified time. It is assumed that the index parameter of the exponentiated half logistic distribution is known. The design parameters such as the number of groups and the acceptance number are obtained by satisfying the producer’s and consumer’s risks at the specified quality levels in terms of medians and 10th percentiles under the assumption that the termination time and the number of items in each group are pre-fixed. Finally, an example is given to illustration the methodology.

Keywords: group acceptance sampling plan, operating characteristic, consumer and producer’s risks, truncated life-test

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Authors: Nayera E. Hassan, Sahar A. El-Masry, Rokia El-Banna, Mohamed S. El Hussieny

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There are several different modalities for treatment of obesity. Common intervention methods for obesity include low-calorie diet, exercise. Also acupuncture has shown good therapeutic results in the treatment of obesity. A recent clinical observation showed that laser acupuncture could reduce body weight and body mass index in obese persons. So, the aim of this research is focused on body composition changes as related to type of intervention, before and after intentional weight loss in overweight and obesity. 76 subjects were included in the study analysis. The present study recommended that every obese female must do lipid profile and fasting blood sugar analysis before weight-loss intervention to take the decision of which method should be used.

Keywords: obesity, weight-loss, body composition, modalities

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Authors: Danielle A. Walker, Kyle L. Johnson, Patrick J. Fox, Jacen S. Moore

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The HIV Continuum of Care has become a universal model to provide context for the process of HIV testing, linkage to care, treatment, and viral suppression. HIV testing is the first step in moving toward community viral suppression. Countries with a lower socioeconomic status experience the lowest rates of testing and access to care. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is located in the heart of sub-Saharan Africa, where testing and access to care are low and women experience higher HIV prevalence compared to men. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo there is only a 21.6% HIV testing rate among women. Because a critical gap exists between a woman’s risk of contracting HIV and the decision to be tested, this study was conducted to obtain a better understanding of the relationship between factors that could influence HIV testing among women. The datasets analyzed were from the 2013-14 Democratic Republic of the Congo Demographic and Health Survey Program. The data was subset for women with an age range of 18-49 years. All missing cases were removed and one variable was recoded. The total sample size analyzed was 14,982 women. The results showed that there did not seem to be a difference in HIV testing by mean age. Out of 11 religious categories (Catholic, Protestant, Armee de salut, Kimbanguiste, Other Christians, Muslim, Bundu dia kongo, Vuvamu, Animist, no religion, and other), those who identified as Other Christians had the highest testing rate of 25.9% and those identified as Vuvamu had a 0% testing rate (p<0.001). There was a significant difference in testing by religion. Only 0.7% of women surveyed identified as having no religious affiliation. This suggests partnerships with key community and religious leaders could be a tool to increase testing. Over 60% of women who had never been tested for HIV did not know where to be tested. This highlights the need to educate communities on where testing facilities can be located. Almost 80% of women who believed HIV could be transmitted by supernatural means and/or witchcraft had never been tested before (p=0.08). Cultural beliefs could influence risk perception and testing decisions. Consequently, misconceptions need to be considered when implementing HIV testing and prevention programs. Location by province, years of education, and wealth index were also analyzed to control for socioeconomic status. Kinshasa had the highest testing rate of 54.2% of women living there, and both Equateur and Kasai-Occidental had less than a 10% testing rate (p<0.001). As the education level increased up to 12 years, testing increased (p<0.001). Women within the highest quintile of the wealth index had a 56.1% testing rate, and women within the lowest quintile had a 6.5% testing rate (p<0.001). This study concludes that further research is needed to identify culturally competent methods to increase HIV education programs, build partnerships with key community leaders, and improve knowledge on access to care.

Keywords: Democratic Republic of the Congo, cultural beliefs, education, HIV testing

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Authors: Hateem Zafar Kayani, Nageen Hussain

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The main aim is to analyze the mutations of DNASE I gene in diabetic patients. A total of 120 diabetes patients and 120 controls were sampled. The total number of male diabetic patients included in the study was 79 (66%) while female patients were 41 (34%) in number. Exon 8 of the DNASE I gene was amplified by using thermo cycler. The possible band of interest was located at 165 base pairs. Two samples showed similar missense mutations at 127th position of exon 8 which replaced amino acid Arginine (Arg) to Glutamine (Gln). All controls showed no mutations. The association of diabetes with different levels of blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) were found to be significant.

Keywords: deoxyribonuclease I, polymerase chain reaction, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus

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Authors: Nebojša Janićijević

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At the end of 1970s, Dutch researcher Geert Hofstede, had conducted an enormous empirical research on the differences between national cultures. In his huge research, he had identified four dimensions of national culture according to which national cultures differ and determined the index for every dimension of national culture for each country that took part in his research. The index showed a country’s position on the continuum between the two extreme poles of the cultural dimensions. Since more than 40 years have passed since Hofstede's research, there is a doubt that, due to the changes in national cultures during that period, they are no longer a good basis for research. The aim of this research is to check the validity of Hofstee's indices of national culture The empirical study conducted in the branches of a multinational company in Serbia, France, the Netherlands and Denmark aimed to determine whether Hofstede’s measures of national culture dimensions are still valid. The sample consisted of 155 employees of one multinational company, where 40 employees came from three countries and 35 employees were from Serbia. The questionnaire that analyzed the positions of national cultures according to the Hofstede’s four dimensions was formulated on the basis of the initial Hofstede’s questionnaire, but it was much shorter and significantly simplified comparing to the original questionnaire. Such instrument had already been used in earlier researches. A statistical analysis of the obtained questionnaire results was done by a simple calculation of the frequency of the provided answers. Due to the limitations in methodology, sample size, instrument, and applied statistical methods, the aim of the study was not to explicitly test the accuracy Hofstede’s indexes but to enlighten the general position of the four observed countries in national culture dimensions and their mutual relations. The study results have indicated that the position of the four observed national cultures (Serbia, France, the Netherlands and Denmark) is precisely the same in three out of four dimensions as Hofstede had described in his research. Furthermore, the differences between national cultures and the relative relations between their positions in three dimensions of national culture correspond to Hofstede’s results. The only deviation from Hofstede’s results is concentrated around the masculinity–femininity dimension. In addition, the study revealed that the degree of power distance is a determinant when choosing leadership style. It has been found that national cultures with high power distance, like Serbia and France, favor one of the two authoritative leadership styles. On the other hand, countries with low power distance, such as the Netherlands and Denmark, prefer one of the forms of democratic leadership styles. This confirms Hofstede’s premises about the impact of power distance on leadership style. The key contribution of the study is that Hofstede’s national culture indexes are still a reliable tool for measuring the positions of countries in national culture dimensions, and they can be applied in the cross-cultural research in management. That was at least the case with four observed countries: Serbia, France, the Netherlands, and Denmark.

Keywords: national culture, leadership styles, power distance, collectivism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance

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Authors: Goodness C. Aye

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This paper examines the effect of the volatility of oil prices on food price in South Africa using monthly data covering the period 2002:01 to 2014:09. Food price is measured by the South African consumer price index for food while oil price is proxied by the Brent crude oil. The study employs the GARCH-in-mean VAR model, which allows the investigation of the effect of a negative and positive shock in oil price volatility on food price. The model also allows the oil price uncertainty to be measured as the conditional standard deviation of a one-step-ahead forecast error of the change in oil price. The results show that oil price uncertainty has a positive and significant effect on food price in South Africa. The responses of food price to a positive and negative oil price shocks is asymmetric.

Keywords: oil price volatility, food price, bivariate, GARCH-in-mean VAR, asymmetric

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Authors: Abduladim Maitieg, Kevin Lynch, Mark Johnson

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The goal of the Libyan Environmental General Authority (EGA) and National Oil Corporation (Department of Health, Safety & Environment) during the last 5 years has been to adopt a common approach to coastal and marine spatial planning. Protection and planning of the coastal zone is a significant for Libya, due to the length of coast and, the high rate of oil export, and spills’ potential negative impacts on coastal and marine habitats. Coastal resource scenarios constitute an important tool for exploring the long-term and short-term consequences of oil spill impact and available response options that would provide an integrated perspective on mitigation. To investigate that, this paper reviews the Misratah coastal parameters to present the physical and human controls and attributes of coastal habitats as the first step in understanding how they may be damaged by an oil spill. This paper also investigates costal resources, providing a better understanding of the resources and factors that impact the integrity of the ecosystem. Therefore, the study described the potential spatial distribution of oil spill risk and the coastal resources value, and also created spatial maps of coastal resources and their vulnerability to oil spills along the coast. This study proposes an analysis of coastal resources condition at a local level in the Misratah region of the Mediterranean Sea, considering the implementation of coastal and marine spatial planning over time as an indication of the will to manage urban development. Oil spill contamination analysis and their impact on the coastal resources depend on (1) oil spill sequence, (2) oil spill location, (3) oil spill movement near the coastal area. The resulting maps show natural, socio-economic activity, environmental resources along of the coast, and oil spill location. Moreover, the study provides significant geodatabase information which is required for coastal sensitivity index mapping and coastal management studies. The outcome of study provides the information necessary to set an Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) for the Misratah shoreline, which can be used for management of coastal resources and setting boundaries for each coastal sensitivity sectors, as well as to help planners measure the impact of oil spills on coastal resources. Geographic Information System (GIS) tools were used in order to store and illustrate the spatial convergence of existing socio-economic activities such as fishing, tourism, and the salt industry, and ecosystem components such as sea turtle nesting area, Sabkha habitats, and migratory birds feeding sites. These geodatabases help planners investigate the vulnerability of coastal resources to an oil spill.

Keywords: coastal and marine spatial planning advancement training, GIS mapping, human uses, ecosystem components, Misratah coast, Libyan, oil spill

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Authors: Jephte Sompud, Emily A. Gilbert, Andy Russel Mojiol, Cynthia B. Sompud, Alim Biun

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Naturally regenerated acacia forest and secondary indigenous forest forms some of the urban forests in Sabah. Naturally regenerated acacia trees are usually seen along the road that exists as forest islands. Acacia tree is not an indigenous tree species in Sabah that was introduced in the 1960’s as fire breakers that eventually became one of the preferred trees for forest plantation for paper and pulp production. Due to its adaptability to survive even in impoverished soils and poor-irrigated land, this species has rapidly spread throughout Sabah through natural regeneration. Currently, there is a lack of study to investigate the bird population in the naturally regenerated acacia forest. This study is important because it shed some light on the role of naturally regenerated acacia forest on bird’s population, as bird is known to be a good bioindicator forest health. The aim of this study was to document the bird’s population in naturally regenerated acacia forest with that adjacent secondary indigenous forest. The study site for this study was at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Campus. Two forest types in the campus were chosen as a study site, of which were naturally regenerated Acacia Forest and adjacent secondary indigenous forest, located at the UMS Hill. A total of 21 sampling days were conducted in each of the forest types. The method used during this study was solely mist nets with three pockets. Whenever a bird is caught, it is extracted from the net to be identified and measurements were recorded in a standard data sheet. Mist netting was conducted from 6 morning until 5 evening. This study was conducted between February to August 2014. Birds that were caught were ring banded to initiate a long-term study on the understory bird’s population in the Campus The data was analyzed using descriptive analysis, diversity indices, and t-test. The bird population diversity at naturally regenerated Acacia forest with those at the secondary indigenous forest was calculated using two common indices, of which were Shannon-Wiener and Simpson diversity index. There were 18 families with 33 species that were recorded from both sites. The number of species recorded at the naturally regenerated acacia forest was 26 species while at the secondary indigenous forest were 19 species. The Shannon diversity index for Naturally Regenerated Acacia Forest and secondary indigenous forests were 2.87 and 2.46. The results show that there was very significantly higher species diversity at the Naturally Regenerated Acacia Forest as opposed to the secondary indigenous forest (p<0.001). This suggests that Naturally Regenerated Acacia forest plays an important role in urban bird conservation. It is recommended that Naturally Regenerated Acacia Forests should be considered as an established urban forest conservation area as they do play a role in biodiversity conservation. More future studies in Naturally Regenerated Acacia Forest should be encouraged to determine the status and value of biodiversity conservation of this ecosystem.

Keywords: naturally regenerated acacia forest, bird population diversity, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, biodiversity conservation

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Authors: Paloma Mendes Saldanha

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Access to information is a prerequisite for democracy while also guiding the material construction of fundamental rights. The exercise of citizenship requires knowing, understanding, questioning, advocating for, and securing rights and responsibilities. In other words, it goes beyond mere active electoral participation and materializes through awareness and the struggle for rights and responsibilities in the various spaces occupied by the population in their daily lives. In times of hyper-cultural connectivity, active citizenship is shaped through ethical trust processes, most often established between humans and algorithms. Automated decisions, so prevalent in various everyday situations, such as purchase preference predictions, virtual voice assistants, reduction of accidents in autonomous vehicles, content removal, resume selection, etc., have already found their place as a normalized discourse that sometimes does not reveal or make clear what violations of fundamental rights may occur when algorithmic explainability is lacking. In other words, technological and market development promotes a normalization for the use of automated decisions while silencing possible restrictions and/or breaches of rights through a culturally modeled, unethical, and unexplained trust process, which hinders the possibility of the right to a healthy, transparent, and complete exercise of citizenship. In this context, the article aims to identify the violations caused by the absence of algorithmic explainability in the exercise of citizenship through the construction of an unethical and silent trust process between humans and algorithms in automated decisions. As a result, it is expected to find violations of constitutionally protected rights such as privacy, data protection, and transparency, as well as the stipulation of algorithmic explainability as a fundamental right in the exercise of Brazilian citizenship in the era of virtualization, facing a threefold foundation called trust: culture, rules, and systems. To do so, the author will use a bibliographic review in the legal and information technology fields, as well as the analysis of legal and official documents, including national documents such as the Brazilian Federal Constitution, as well as international guidelines and resolutions that address the topic in a specific and necessary manner for appropriate regulation based on a sustainable trust process for a hyperconnected world.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, ethics, citizenship, trust

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Authors: Naomi Nathan

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Introduction Digitalization of medical education can revolutionize how medical students learn and interact with the medical curriculum across contexts. With the increasing availability of the internet and mobile connectivity in LMICs, online medical education platforms and digital learning tools are becoming more widely available, providing new opportunities for learners to access high-quality medical education and training. However, the adoption and integration of digital technologies in medical education in LMICs is a complex process influenced by various factors, including learners' perceptions and attitudes toward digital learning. In Ethiopia, the adoption of digital platforms for medical education has been slow, with traditional face-to-face teaching methods still being the norm. However, as access to technology improves and more universities adopt digital platforms, it is crucial to understand how medical students perceive this shift. Methodology This study investigated medical students' perception of the digitalization of medical education in relation to their access to the Lecturio Digital Medical Education Platform through a capacity-building project. 740 medical students from over 20 medical universities participated in the study. The students were surveyed using a questionnaire that included their attitudes toward the digitalization of medical education, their frequency of use of the digital platform, and their perceived benefits and challenges. Results The study results showed that most medical students had a positive attitude toward digitalizing medical education. The most commonly cited benefit was the convenience and flexibility of accessing course material/curriculum online. Many students also reported that they found the platform more interactive and engaging, leading to a more meaningful learning experience. The study also identified several challenges medical students faced when using the platform. The most commonly reported challenge was the need for more reliable internet access, which made it difficult for students to access content consistently. Overall, the results of this study suggest that medical students in Ethiopia have a positive perception of the digitalization of medical education. Over 97% of students continuously expressed a need for access to the Lecturio platform throughout their studies. Conclusion Significant challenges still need to be addressed to fully realize the Lecturio digital platform's benefits. Universities, relevant ministries, and various stakeholders must work together to address these challenges to ensure that medical students fully participate in and benefit from digitalized medical education - sustainably and effectively.

Keywords: digital medical education, EdTech, LMICs, e-learning

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Authors: May Zaw, Amber Latif, William Lim

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Postpartum dyspnea can be due to many causes, such as pulmonary embolism, amniotic fluid embolism, and peripartum cardiomyopathy, but less frequently due to acute pulmonary edema. The incidence of acute pulmonary edema during pregnancy and in the postpartum period has been estimated to be around 0.08%. About half of the cases are attributed to tocolytic therapy. Herein, we present a case of a young woman presenting with acute hypoxia after induction of labor with oxytocin and found to have acute pulmonary edema. This case aims to illustrate and add to a growing body of literature regarding oxytocin-induced acute pulmonary edema and highlights the importance of recognizing the rare complication of oxytocin and necessary interventions to avoid complications. Oxytocin-induced pulmonary edema is a relatively uncommon condition, but physicians should have a high index of suspicion to initiate timely intervention and avoid fetal complications.

Keywords: pulmonary, pregnancy, oxytocin, postpartum

Procedia PDF Downloads 90

Authors: Geetal Mahajan, R. V. Adivarekar

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In this research, an attempt has been made to develop integrated finish on textile fabrics. The demand for mosquito repellent, flame retardant, and water repellent finished fabric has increased. Integrated finishing was done using commercially available products. These finishing agents were first assessed individually for their functional properties and then used in combination with other agents. Dip-air dry and pad-dry-cure (PDC) were two different methods used for fabric finishing. The finished fabric was assessed using spray test, limiting oxygen index and mosquito repellence test. Integrated finished fabric is in great demand by the customers as it increases the aesthetic as well as the functional properties of the fabric with added benefit of water and energy conservation.

Keywords: flame retardant, integrated finishing, mosquito repellent, textiles, water repellent

Procedia PDF Downloads 276

Authors: Huang Hao, Li Weiwen

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Global biodiversity continues to decline as a result of global climate change and various human activities, such as habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of alien species and overfishing. Although there are connections between global marine organisms more or less, it is better to have clear geographical boundaries in order to facilitate the assessment and management of different biogeographical zones. And so area based management tools (ABMT) are considered as the most effective means for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity. On a large scale, the geographical gap (or barrier) is the main factor to influence the connectivity, diffusion, ecological and evolutionary process of marine organisms, which results in different distribution patterns. On a small scale, these factors include geographical location, geology, and geomorphology, water depth, current, temperature, salinity, etc. Therefore, the analysis on geographic and environmental factors is of great significance in the study of biodiversity characteristics. This paper summarizes the marine spatial classification and ABMTs used in coastal area, open oceans and deep sea. And analysis principles and methods of marine spatial classification based on biogeographic related factors, and take China Near Sea (CNS) area as case study, and select key biogeographic related factors, carry out marine spatial classification at biological region scale, ecological regionals scale and biogeographical scale. The research shows that CNS is divided into 5 biological regions by climate and geographical differences, the Yellow Sea, the Bohai Sea, the East China Sea, the Taiwan Straits, and the South China Sea. And the bioregions are then divided into 12 ecological regions according to the typical ecological and administrative factors, and finally the eco-regions are divided into 98 biogeographical units according to the benthic substrate types, depth, coastal types, water temperature, and salinity, given the integrity of biological and ecological process, the area of the biogeographical units is not less than 1,000 km². This research is of great use to the coastal management and biodiversity conservation for local and central government, and provide important scientific support for future spatial planning and management of coastal waters and sustainable use of marine biodiversity.

Keywords: spatial classification, marine biodiversity, bio-geographical, conservation

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Authors: M. Babaeipour, M. Vejdanihemmat

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Optical properties of bulk and thin film of 1H-CaAlSi for two directions (1,0,0) and (0,0,1) were studied. The calculations are carried out by Density Functional Theory (DFT) method using full potential. GGA approximation was used to calculate exchange-correlation energy. The calculations are performed by WIEN2k package. The results showed that the absorption edge is shifted backward 0.82eV in the thin film than the bulk for both directions. The static values of the real part of dielectric function for four cases were obtained. The static values of the refractive index for four cases are calculated too. The reflectivity graphs have shown an intensive difference between the reflectivity of the thin film and the bulk in the ultraviolet region.

Keywords: 1H-CaAlSi, absorption, bulk, optical, thin film

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Authors: Rabia Saleem

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This research has a recently proposed strategy to find the exact inflationary solution of the Friedman equations in the context of the Rastall theory of gravity (RTG), known as constant-roll warm inflation, including dissipation effects. We establish the model to evaluate the effective potential of inflation and entropy. We develop the inflationary observable like scalar-tensor power spectra, scalar-tensor spectral indices, tensor-to-scalar ratio, and running of spectral-index. The theory parameter $\lambda$ is constrained to observe the compatibility of our model with Planck 2013, Planck TT, TE, EE+lowP (2015), and Planck 2018 bounds. The results are feasible and interesting up to the 2$\sigma$ confidence level.

Keywords: modified gravity, warm inflation, constant-roll limit, dissipation

Procedia PDF Downloads 99